Wrapping it Up

Well, this year only has a few more hours to go before it becomes "last year"... It seems like so much has happened, but in reality, it's just been a few major events.

Like Norm and I both starting new jobs, Juan Ma graduating high school and going off to college, finding out we are expecting and now the search (which we have hopefully found now) for a new home.

Norm's mom came to visit the week of Christmas, and on Christmas day we went to Augusta and had a nice meal at my mom's house, all together!

Of course there was lots of food - which included Pan de Jamon, a traditional Venezuelan Christmas dish.

Michelle's mom and sister and brother in law also joined us!

Then we opened presents

And at the end, we asked Juan Ma if he wanted to be the baby's God Father... he made this face and then said yes!

As we all can tell, some things in this family never change... like goofing off, silly faces, and finding a bed to take a nap after a great meal!

And on that note we say farewell 2014. I don't know what all 2015 has up its sleeve, all I know is that it will involve a house move and a baby. Those two things right there are quite loaded. Can't wait!!

Food Kisses

Norm had a long day yesterday that involved significant amounts of food prep. This is Cali's reaction when he got home... She just could not get enough sniffing and licking of all the delicious (for her, because he actually stunk) food smells!

Please pardon the vertical angle on the camera, I never know which way to hold the phone for video...

Two of Us

Working at the hotel and interacting with so many people, both employees and guests, I am starting to notice a little phrase that totally warms my heart every single time I hear it -- "you two". Many times in conversation I hear "Good morning you two" or "how are you two doing today?" or "take it easy, you two"

Something about others addressing the baby as a little human is an amazing feeling. There are so many folks out there that don't consider these little humans "humans", but on the other hand, there are so many others that do! And they do not hold back on acknowledging it.

Beautiful!

Baby is a Boy!

I can't believe I haven't gotten around to posting this! Aldredge Baby is a BOY! And everything is still on track for him to join us on (or around) April 7, 2015.

Name? I don't want to commit to having it out on cyberspace just yet. Naming a child is a huge responsibility and turning out to be quite stressful. I had never experienced anything like this responsibility of naming another human.

I know.. I know... the name is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the responsibilities of being a parent ~ sigh ~

Perspective

Due to the terms of our lease and the fact that doing laundry at our current house involves going outside and to the basement - which is not conducive when there is a child involved - we are looking into moving at the end of May. Which also means that the baby will be somewhere around 1 - 2 months old...

Today I was talking to my mom about the plan, how I plan on having the majority of the things packed before baby gets here and how we won't set up the crib or the "nursery" until we are moved into the new house I also managed to complain about how bummed I was that we won't be able to welcome  him like a normal family. That we won't be able to set the nursery and get everything organized and perfect the way first time parents always dream about.

She quickly tells me "esto es lo que nos toca vivir (which loosely translated into English means: this is what is in store for us)" and follows it by "Imagine Mary, she didn't even have a roof, let alone a bed for Jesus when he was born".

Point taken.

Bumpie

This Thanksgiving I am thankful for all the same things I'm always thankful for - strong  family, health, stable jobs, good marriage. But in particular, I am thankful for my belly and the healthy baby that is growing inside it. 

Next year, we'll have one more reason to be thankful for! 

Here are bumpie pictures up until yesterday.... 

Week 7

Week 10

Week 13

Week 15

Week 17

Week 19

Week 21

Another Cone of Shame

I guess you can't really be 100% dog parent without having to live through each of your dogs having to wear the Cone of Shame.

This is what we are up to this weekend:

Which also means lots of running into walls and doors and spilling water bowls and waking up to Cali scratching the plastic collar at 3:00am because her face itches and she can't get to it.

Apparently she had an ear infection (story of her life). Pellet would like her ear. I know - gross. Dogs do some gross things. Then she got a hot spot (like a sore) on her cheek by the ear, which was created from Pellet licking her. The good thing is that the sore does not hurt her, just itches, so she scratches, so it bleeds then Pellet licks it make then the cycle continues.

So Norm took her to the vet yesterday and they gave her medicines and this beautiful Elizabethan Collar (also known as e-collar). They also gave her drugs so she wouldn't be too crazy. Yesterday afternoon both of the dogs took the drugs and they were DRUNK. They couldn't function. So we decided that if we are going to be home with them (to supervise their behavior: make sure Pellet doesn't lick the ear, make sure she doesn't try to take it off or get stuck in weird places...), then they don't need drugs. This morning we are drug free and still quite mellow.

Here's the post from when it was Pellet's turn a few years back.

It is Real

I always heard people refer to "Mommy Brain" and thought everyone was blowing things out of proportion............ I mean, how bad can it really be? Come on pregnant people, just concentrate and think properly and your nine months will be normal.

No. No. No. No. It just does not work like that. For example yesterday, I left my purse at the check out line at the store and was clueless about it. The cashier calls me back, so I go back to the register line and she says "ma'am, you left your bag behind", so I say thank you and grab the plastic bag with purchased items. Then the cashier tells me "no, that bag belongs to this other lady, I am referring to your pocket book"................ "uhm, thank you...."

Then we go to the consignment store to buy shirts for work because the little human grows literally over night and I am down to 3 work shirts now and there are some very nice consignment shops in Atlanta. No shame in spending $9 for a shirt I am only going to wear for 4 months... We went, shopped, checked out, got in the car and I couldn't find my sunglasses. So I went back inside and started looking around for my glasses. I had left them right on the check out counter...

A few weeks back I went to work with no eye makeup. I didn't realize it until half way through the morning when I went to the restroom and looked at myself in the mirror and thought "why do I still look like I am asleep?!?!" and then it hit me.............. I have no eyeliner or mascara on. Awesome.

The first "Mommy Brain" experience I had was when I tried to pay for my dinner at the drive thru with my insurance card. The lady at the window says "Honey, this is not the right card", so I freak out thinking someone has hacked my bank account and we have no money ($7.12) in it, then I realize I had given her the insurance card instead of the debit card.... The two cards live in totally different pockets in my wallet! How did that even happen?

So that's that. Mommy Brain is real, it exists and I have embraced it by not stressing about it and instead laughing about the situation. I just hope I don't do something totally out of line like drive away from the gas pump with the hose still attached to my car......

Coming Along

We finally went to the hardware store today and figured out the colors (or at least some of them) for the baby's room... this is the color palette:

Then I made big swatches and put them up to get a feeling of what the final product is going to turn out like. This is the dresser (which was Norm's dresser). The trim and knobs will be in the off white color!

The dresser part was easy... then come the walls. So many options!! So I just hung the different colors up on the wall - they will stay there until one of them grows on us... 

So exciting to start planning all the details and preparing for the arrival of our little human!!

Parking

I remember when these signs were first launched many years ago. Ever since then I've always wanted to park at one of these spaces - not only because they are the closest to the store, but because only a 'select few' get to park at them...

Today was my first time parking at one - I felt both privileged to be a 'select few' and relieved after  circling the jammed packed Kroger parking lot at 5:30 in the afternoon.

Co-workers

Yesterday I worked from home. These were my co-workers for the day. Needless to say I was the only one productive:

On a different note, here's a picture of me looking like someone hooked my belly button up to one of those air compressors at the tire repair shop:

(almost) 17 weeks

Eat All The (Peruvian) Foods!

What do you feel like eating? they ask me.

ALL THE PERUVIAN FOOD I CANNOT GET. I answer.

That's pretty much it. Although when it comes to meal time (with the exception of breakfast, I always know exactly what I want for breakfast the minute I open my eye in the morning) it's always difficult to figure out "exactly" what I want to eat for lunch or dinner. Mainly because the first things that come to mind are things I can't have in this country. And yes, there are Peruvian restaurants here in Atlanta but no, it's not the same. NO - it.is.not.the.same.

What do I feel like eating?

Causa Rellena

Anticuchos

Papa Rellena

Tamales, Humitas and Tamalitos Verdes

Empanadas

Sandwiche Triple

Pan con Chicharron

Butifarra

Pastel de Choclo

Lomo Saltado

Arroz con Pato

Alfajores - but the ones tia Macucha makes

Turron de Dona Pepa

Mazamorra Morada

So that's just to name a few... and yes, they do sell empanadas and tamales at various latin restaurants, but NO, they are not the same.

Everything in me would like to spend the rest of this pregnancy in Lima, but for obvious reasons that will not be happening. I just might have to bite the bullet and go to one of the local peruvian restaurants just so I can (try) to get these cravings out of my system (although it won't be the same)

In the meantime, I will take myself and my baby to get a snack and play Candy Crush Saga. 

School in the Big City

Something else that happened this Summer, that is actually quite significant, is that this child went off to New York City for school.

I'm happy to report that is he doing great and loving every second (well, maybe except for the seconds involved with mid-terms and the seconds involved with finishing a paper to meet the deadline).

To put it in perspective, I want to share a couple of actual text conversations that have taken place over the past 2 months or so:

Fern: you survived week #1?
JM: Yep! just finished running at central park

...............................................

Fern [messaging after a missed call in the middle of my work day]: JM, I'm at work... is everything ok?
JM: Yeah! Just had exciting news. I can wait though
Fern: Okay! Can I call you around 5pm? will you be around?
JM: I'll b running over the East River

..............................................

Oh the hassles of living in NYC.

Other Things

So besides being pregnant, sleeping a lot, and Norm doing all the chores, we've actually been enjoying the last few days of our Summer.

The very first day that we got the positive result, we had planned to go to Chattanooga to watch our friend Eric compete at a chef competition. So thanks to our lovely friend Kerrie, we got a picture because "today is the day you found out! you need a picture" (please excuse that man's armpit on my head... it was crowded)

A few weeks after that we went to our friend Ed's wedding... this was the second time in a social environment that I wasn't able to drink. Which is okay because 1. even thinking drinking makes me feel sick and 2. there were long lines at the bar.

Then at the end of August I flew to Denver to surprise my sistah Nicky for her baby shower. I got to spend 3 days with her and her husband and their dog Papaya. It was great. We ate lots of carbs and did a lot of resting. And planned the future of our children if we are to have a girl (she is having a boy). We figured that if we have a girl, they can get married, then we'd have a hell of a party at the wedding and her grandbabies would also be my grandbabies. Awesome.

We took advantage of Labor Day sales and got new furniture. Finally our living room doesn't smell like dog. And we are no longer limited to being able to sit only on the chair in order to avoid getting dog hair all over our clothes.

September came with a nice surprise at work - I received the Maestro of the Quarter award (also known as or Manager of the Quarter at any regular company)

And what is September without birthday month celebration? We met up with our awesome friends Kerrie & Eric and Doug & Corina and had brunch at our favorite spot.

Here's Norm hugging the baby...

At the end of the month we went to Charleston because these lovely people got married:

We had a nice relaxing weekend. Thankfully my morning sickness had dwindled off (I still get random episodes though... but it certainly is not all day as before) so we ate lots of good food and walked around... sometimes like a crazy woman with my hands up in the air because my hands would swell from walking and the heat...

Lastly, we went to the state fair. And although it completely disappointed compared to the fair we are used to back in Perry, GA, at least we got the chance to eat funnel cake!

And yes, that is my belly starting to poke out. It is growing rapidly.