COOL STUFF FOR BABY

Click on picture for a closer look at our new baby gadget courtesy of Carebear and Chief ( my parents)!

Being Biblical at Week 36

Okay, I guess those of you who have been reading this know that the whole gaining weight thing has been one of the hardest things for me… Especially since I really wanted to be one of those stick moms with the basketball bellies… Instead I am the “Happy Buddha” shaped preggie wondering if she will end up like Jabba the Hutt! Okay, so maybe I talk about this too much, but it is quite disconcerting.

Today I accidentally picked up a shirt I wore last year… I thought I had a doll shirt in my drawer. Everything I wear now has to have so much fabric—and gathers and elastic. I am seriously concerned that I will be wheeled to the hospital in a toga made from my king size Snoopy sheets.

Seriously, I had to not only take off my rings, but my two sizes bigger pregnancy ring, and now I have to leave off my necklace because what used to hang so delicately on my chest is now a strangling choker! Ahhhh!

But, nevertheless, I believe God himself sent me a little encouragement this morning. As I was looking in the mirror looking at my pudgy lips I remembered that the Bible said that Mary was GREAT WITH CHILD. So, the mother of Jesus is described in the gospels as “GREAT” not “expecting” or “cute” or “glowing.” The Word of God calls her GREAT. I would like to believe it means GREAT BIG with child. That would put me in some good company I suppose. I mean it has to! The inn keeper may have taken one look at her sitting sideways on a swayback dying donkey and realized the cot in the living room wouldn’t hold. Who knows…? But, I am glad that God left that part in to speculate about… because I am now somewhat more bravely “great” with child.

BTW: The artwork above is by one of my favorite artists and musicians from the Dallas area, ramsie Schick,... Check out more of her stuff by clicking the image.

Week 35 and Contemplating...

So, here we go. Today was my last regular appointment before my "weeklies" begin. My nursery is nearly done, I am planning on packing my suitcase next week, and both me and the baby seem to be right on track for a late May date with destiny...

I am ready.

However, during the last few weeks I have begin to worry that maybe I am a little obsessed with pregnancy. I wonder if my family is truly interested in the number of antacids I ate today. I wonder if my husband is really listening as I read to him aloud the chapter on breastfeeding. I am fully aware that there is no way they find these details as interesting as I do, but nevertheless, it's what is in my head-all the time!

I am beginning to wonder if there is really anything else in the whole worth contemplating besides babies and birthing babies, and feeding babies, and teaching babies, and baby names...

(Sure, I am aware that there is a war going on, and that a bunch of people are upset about immigration reform, and so on.) Really, I am truly concerned about the world at large and all the horror and beauty co-mingling everywhere. I mean it.

But who could blame any preggie for being a little "baby/pregnancy centric"? Especially for a first child, I mean, next time it will be 'old hat', right?

But for now, how can I not be in a constant state of awe?

How terrible for me to not recognize what a brief and strange time this is.

My favorite quote about being a mom is this: To choose to be a mother is to forever have your heart go on walking around outside your body."

Something about that quote scares me...

My cousin Brandi who had her baby 2 weeks ago says she misses being pregnant a bit. She used the word "alone" to describe having her body all to herself. I think she is lonely in her body a little... I think I will relate.

But for now, I am not alone in my body. An unpredictable little spirit will be born in an unpredictable way and live a life that I can neither control nor plan.

Wow!

I will not apologize for being too wrapped up in this process.

In just a few days, it will be over. I will but down my pregnacy guides and pick up parenting books. I will pack away my maternity clothes and try to squeeze back into my regulars. The late night gymnastics in my belly will be over, and a whole new sort of life will begin...

Another favorite quote: "90 percent of the world is asleep, the rest live their lives in a constant state of amazement"

My wish is to be amazed, be passionate, be aware in whatever stage of life I am in.

I will savor this time and whatever comes next...

Even if it makes me a little irritating.

WOMANHOOD~ brilliant author unknown

Women over 50 don't have babies because they would put them down and forget where they left them.

One of life's mysteries is how a 2 pound box of candy can make a woman gain 5 lbs.

My mind not only wanders, it sometimes leaves completely.

The best way to forget all your troubles is to wear tight shoes.

The nice part about living in a small town is that when you don't know what you're doing, someone else does.

The older you get, the tougher it is to lose weight because by then, your body and your fat are really good friends.

Just when I was getting used to yesterday, along came today.

Sometimes I think I understand everything, then I regain consciousness.

I gave up jogging for my health when my thighs kept rubbing together and setting my pantyhose on fire.

Amazing! You hang something in your closet for awhile and it shrinks two sizes!

Skinny people irritate me! Especially when they say things like, "You know, sometimes I just forget to eat." Now I've forgotten my address, my mother's maiden name, and my keys. But I've never forgotten to eat. You have to be a special kind of stupid to forget to eat.

A friend of mine confused her valium with her birth control pills. She had 14 kids, but she doesn't really care.

I read this article that said the typical symptoms of stress are: eating too much, impulse buying, and driving too fast. Are they kidding? That is my idea of a perfect day.

I know what Victoria's Secret is. The secret is that nobody older than 30 can fit into their stuff.

The Count Down Continues...

New Baby Brenden

My cousin Brandi had her baby about a week ago... Just wanted to add his picture for family bragging purposes... Isn't he beautiful?

How to Keep Ankles from Swelling...

Because I have had the typical "Cankles" that preggies get, I have descovered that wearing socks can keep ankles trim and lean. However, the socks can cause strange deformities to the lower leg area (see photo). On the bright side, if we preggos must settle for a humpty dumpty figure instead of the illusive hour-glass shape, then perhaps we can have hour-glass ankles.

For more fun with your marshmallow feet, simply wrap your lower legs in strips of fabric leaving gaps as you wind from big toe to knee. Then, take a few laps around the living room and BINGO!--you've got candy cane feet!

Or, for a more daring look, criss cross your feet with rick-rack or twine for a sunburst or snow flake pattern.

Don't cry about it, have fun with it. And then, send me pictures!

Nursery Make-over Day

My family (especially my sisters and mom) are big home make- over show fans. So, as you would expect we had to give my nursery a nursery make-over day. My sisters and parents came to BG on Friday and spent the whole day. Daddy repainted and fixed up an old cabinet as a closet among other things. Mom took me shopping and bought all kinds of stuff like curtains, baskets, blinds, and so forth. My sisters were all into the whole sewing-artsy-craftsy stuff and, of course, they spent a long time doing grunty work.
Although we ran out of time before the shower, as you can see, everyone's hard work has really paid off. There is still a lot to do.

Once again, my family has given me another treasured memory-and a reminder that they love us enough to show it. It means the world to us that they took their day off to work in our home.

My family is the most valuable thing that I can claim on this planet and this weekend was just another special time when family came through for me-big time.

Big apologies to little brother. He was in Lubbock and didn't get the message. We really missed you being with us. And we are inviting you now to be first shift on diaper duty to make up for it...:)

The Mother of all Showers

This weekend was a biggie in terms of milestones for Baby Boy Latham. My friends at Beltway threw me the most wonderful baby shower ever. It was so bright and cheerful, and there were so many people. Most of my female family was there and a large number of my friends and co-workers. They served fruit trays, all kinds of dips and punch, but the sweetest thing was a huge cake made by my friend Kathy Butcher. Wow! But, before we ate my friends decided to do a new version of the "12 days of Christmas" called the "9 months of Pregnancy". It was a great thing to see pastor's wives, and church leaders singing about EPT tests, going the potty, and vomiting. I'm so glad I am apart of a church where full blown humanity is celebrated. The skit was the highlight of the evening.


Of course, everyone totally spoiled me with gifts and love and encouragement. There is no words of gratitude and love that I can give in return for what my friends and family did for me (us) that night.

I guess the best part of all was the wonderful prayer of blessing that was spoken over us as a new little family. I know our prayers were heard. And I trust Him to see each one through to the very end.

So, for all you involved with my baby shower, thank you so very much. I love you all.

What Not to Say...

• 
  Time for a little ranting...
  
  This is for all you family members, co-workers, and well-meaning friends out there who might come in close proximity to another Preggo Momma...
  
  Be mindful of your mouths... because the pregnant woman smiling back at you is probably on the verge of tears.
  
  For one thing, no matter how big she looks to you, you NEVER need to point this out. Between the scales at the doctor's office, the clothes that are too tight and the general swelling that
  happens, chances are she is not only aware, but silently dreading every public encounter--including contacts with close relatives.
  
  And just because a Preggo Mommy is joking about her size, doesn't mean that you join her. This is a defense that is trying to say, " I am really feeling unattractive, but I want you to be comfortable with me. I am NOT comfortable myself. I am horrified."
  
  So here are the latest comments that have come to me in first person or via story in our water aerobics class...
  
  "My G-d, you must be at least forty inches in the waist!"
  
  "Are you sure there aren't two in there?"
  
  "I wanted to ask you, how much have you gained? How do you deal with that?"
  
  And then there are those stupid men out there...
  
  A preggo friend told me how after discovering her pregnancy that she and her husband discussed their fears concerning parenthood and upcoming challenges. My friend voiced that she was a little afraid of loosing her identity, and of course, she was concerned about the health of her unborn child. Her husband voiced that he was most afraid of her getting stretch marks and "letting herself go".
  
  He is the same guy who cringes at the sight of his wife's changing body and is always on her to "use that stretch mark cream."
  
  Instead of being a complete idiot, why not think before you speak? Here are some things you can do instead of making her feel terrible.
  
• Point out that any physical sacrifice (stretch marks, extra lbs, so forth) are worth it. Motherhood makes us beatiful.
  
• Don't ridicule her appetite or choice of foods.
  
• Don't say anything about how large she is
  
• Don't ask her about her weight
  
• Be kind and sensitive.
  
• Don't mother smother her ( she needs support and encourangement, not baby talk)
  
• Do things for her, like open the door, offer to run an errand or two.
  
• Insist that she rest.
  
• Don't tell her delivery room horror stories.
  
• Don't compare her to any other preggo you see--especially the ones on TV...

AND AS A GENERAL RULE, MEN SHOULD NEVER COMMENT ON THE SIZE OF ANY OTHER WOMAN IN THE PRESSENCE OF A WOMAN.

I don't care of the woman in the room is a Tyra Banks, when you mention the heaviness of any woman, you reveal how shallow you are. And it is impossible for any woman to ever feel really loved or accepted once you show her your cards. Don't be suprised if she doesn't want to be around you anymore. Once in a church service, I was sitting behind a very handsome college guy who had left his bible open on the seat. I couldn't help noticing the words "WHAT I WANT IN A WIFE" scribbled on a make-shift book mark lying on the page. The list read something like, " 1. Christian 2. No fatter than 120 lbs, 3. Perfect teeth..." I immediately knew the guy in front of me was a complete Bozo. I started praying that God would not let him date anyone. This guy was an episode of Dr. Phil waiting to happen!

So guys, if you have those small minded cards in your hand...remember "You gotta know when to hold'em, know when to fold'em..."

NOTE TO WOMEN: DON'T EVEN GIVE A SECOND GLANCE TO ANY MAN WHO TALKS A LOT ABOUT YOUR BODY OR ANYONE ELSE'S BODY (INCLUDING HIS OWN.) HE IS VILE AND SHOULD BE AVOIDED LIKE BLACK DEATH.

By the way, my husband is NOT one of those that says hurtful things. In fact, I feel more beautiful in his eyes than I have since we were married. I know he sees the flaws and changes in me, but he is wise enough to look past it all and appreciate the changes taking place in our hearts. He loves this little boy in me, and he loves me for giving him a child. A stetch mark is a small price to pay for the joys and adventures that lay ahead for us a new little family.