Weight: 157 (that’s my new swimsuit top.)

Signs of pregnancy: About 20 weeks ago I was complaining about how slow I was getting as a runner.  Now I’m a slow walker.  I noticed yesterday on my walk (I walk with the gals from work at 9 a.m.) that I was dragging butt.  I didn’t even have the energy to “break a sweat” and try keeping up.  I just kept walking at my pregnancy-pace and apologizing.  Of course they were find with the slowness, it made our break longer.

Baby Development:  Baby P weights about 4-4.5 pounds and is approximately 17-19 inches in length.  Baby P has reached an important milestone: the development of his/her immune system should be able to provide protection from mild infections now.

Thoughts:  I don’t want to work anymore.

When I first found out I was pregnant, my siblings gave me a pregnancy basket filled with all these lotions and oils to rub on my belly.  I started using the cocoa butter lotion that very day and still apply it every morning (keeping away those stretch marks!)  But the oils I haven’t had to use because those are to help with the itching.  But boy of boy, I’m spraying the heck out of that oil now.  For the last week, every night I come home from work I take off my shirt, spray the oil on my belly, massage an even coat across my belly and sit and wait for it to dry.  My belly feels much better once I spray on the smelly oil.

Last night my belly itched so bad that I sprayed that oil on a few times.  I completely forgot that I was shirtless and started cooking dinner.  All of a sudden someone started knocking at the door.  Sophie started barking like crazy and jumped on the couch which opened the curtains.  Therefore I was stuck shirtless in the kitchen because the person at the door had full view of the inside of my house.  There wasn’t anything I could do so I cooked away.  Eventually the person left (a salesman) and I was able to put my shirt back on.  I learned my lesson though.  As I sit in type this, oil drying, I have a shirt sitting next to me.

Last Wednesday evening, I decided to walk outside to put something in my car.  I made the mistake of leaving the door open so Sophie could watch me through the screen door.  I kind of feel like if she can see me she will be reassured that I am okay (she worries about me!)  Right when I got to my car, a man with a dog was walking towards me.  Sophie ran through the door and started charging at the dog.  They fought for a few seconds and then Sophie ran back to the yard.  I profusely apologized to the man while he berated me for my dog’s actions.  The guy walked off and I dragged Sophie in the house.

When I got Sophie inside I noticed blood on my pants.  I ran over to Sophie and opened her mouth and noticed blood.  I instantly freaked and called Frank because I was afraid that the guy was going to show up at my house with an injured dog.  I was crying hysterically (like a pregnant woman) and Frank was trying to calm me down.  As I was talking to him I noticed a trail of blood leading to Sophie’s couch.  I ran over to the couch and noticed there was blood everywhere.  I quickly realized that Sophie was hurt.  I hung up the phone and got Sophie off the couch.  She had three or four minor cuts on her leg but then a major wound on her butt.  It was about the size of a silver dollar and it appeared that a layer of skin was torn off. 

My vet thinks Sophie might have an infection so she is on antibiotics (expensive!!!)  For the first day she had a hard time getting off the couch and down the steps but now she is back to normal.  The guy hasn’t showed up at our house yet so I’m assuming his dog is okay.  I don’t know where he lives so we can’t go and check on his dog.  I assume I will eventually run into him again while I am on a walk. 

We briefly discussed getting her obedience classes that will help her be better around other dogs.  But now I am starting to wonder how she will do with the baby.  She is really good with people but she has only been around a handful of kids & babies.  The few babies she has been around she has pretty much ignored them (even the crying!)  But little kids freak her out.  The local hospital is offering a class called “Introducing Your Pet to Your Baby.”  It kind of sounds like a waste of money but then again, doing the right thing for your child isn’t a waste of money, right? 

Sophie absolutely adores the ground I walk on.  She is a mamma’s girl.  My dad thinks because of this she will be great with the baby because she will know the baby comes from me.  She already is pretty aware of my pregnancy (she watches me like a hawk-hence the dog fight) so I think she will be really protective of the baby.  I’m hoping her aggressiveness is only with dogs but I still have this bit of fear.  I’m hoping I can tame her before the baby gets here.  I’m on a time line though so I need to get working-asap.  Yikes!

Continued from Part I.

It was important to my parents that us kids attended Catholic school.  At the time I didn’t realize it was a faith based school that I attended.  I remember wearing a uniform to school while the other kids in the neighborhood wore regular clothes.  I remember my dad being laid off from Chrysler and walking us to school while the other kids rode a yellow bus.  I didn’t realize it was Mass and we were receiving Jesus in the Eucharist everyday.  All I remember is squeezing the person’s hand next to me when we said the Our Father.  And that’s about it when it comes to church. 

I don’t remember knowing God or understanding Him when I was a child.  I know I attended Mass during the school day (requirement) but I don’t remember attending Mass on the weekends as a family.  I don’t remember praying at the dinner table or before going to bed.  But my childhood is a blur to me, I have a very bad memory so for all I know we could have attended church and prayed at home.

After my brother finished the 2nd grade he switched to public school.  He did receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist before the switch but I’m pretty sure his faith education stopped at that point.  I think about that a lot today and wonder if my brother knows the Lord.  He was so young when it all ended and I don’t think he ever grasped the concept of God.  I know he believes in God but I think that’s about it.  I pray for him a lot and hope that someday he understands God and welcomes Him into His life. 

When my sister graduated the 8th grade she decided to attend public high school.  That same year I decided to switch to public school so my faith education ended in the 6th grade.  I left before receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. 

Once we were all enrolled in the public school system we stopped attending church.  My best friend in middle school, high school, and still today, is Catholic so I would attend Mass with her family sometimes.  There was the occasional weekend Mass (if I happened to stay the night at her house) or the Christmas Mass.  A guy I hung out with in high school was Catholic so I occasionally attended Mass with him.  Another guy I hung out with was Baptist and on Sunday nights a few of us would go to his church for a Bible study of some sort.  But I mostly remember that we went to play the games after the Bible study.  All together during my high school years I probably attended Mass a handful of times.  

At the time I could care less about attending church.  I didn’t have a desire to be there and I honestly didn’t understand it.  My life was fine just the way it was, so I thought.

To Be Continued

Dear Mom & Dad-

Thank you for being open to life and welcoming me into this world 29 years ago.  I am forever grateful for the decision you both made.  I depended on you both for so many years when I was growing up.  And in many ways, I’m still that little girl that needs you both.  When I was upset two nights ago about Sophie, I called your house right after calling Frank.  I knew that one of you would be able to reassure me and tell me that everything was going to be okay.  I hope 29 years from now, my little baby will feel the same way about me.

Mom-

Thanks for bearing the heat of July while you were pregnant with me.  The joy of knowing there is a child inside of you but at the same time you just want the darn sun to go away!  I now know how you felt all those years ago!  I appreciate what you went through so much more now.

Dear grandpa-

Happy birthday!  I’m happy that we share the same birthday and that my mom gave me a middle name after you.  If I am having a girl, she will also bear my middle name so you will be connected with my child.  I miss you and look forward to seeing you again someday. 

Dear Katie H-

Happy birthday my high school twin!

Forty years ago today, Humanae Vitae was written by Pope Paul VI.  Frank and I are both firm believers in it and we back the church 100% on this encyclical letter.  We will be attending the 40th Anniversary Humanae Vitae Mass tomorrow at the Cathedral.  I’m really excited about celebrating my birthday by attending this Mass especially now that I am pregnant and welcoming life into this world myself. 

I decided this year, after reading an amazing post by Heather, that I am going to offer up my birthday for all those millions of babies that never had the chance to celebrate a birthday.  All those babies that were individually and perfectly designed and created by God, but were robbed of their chance of life.  This birthday is for them.

A very wise friend of mine sent me this a couple months ago, when she was going through a hard time.  I posted it at my desk and I read it every work morning before I start my day.  I’m feeling the need to share this with everyone today. 

To get something you never had, you have to do something you never did.  When God takes something from your grasp, He’s not punishing you, but merely opening your hands to receive something better.  ‘The will of God WILL NEVER take you where the GRACE OF GOD will not protect you.’

Sometimes life doesn’t make sense.  Bad stuff happens to good people.  It doesn’t seem fair.  But I believe that God works miracles and behind every cloud of darkness there is a ray of light.  You just have to believe you’ll get through the storm and be standing strong when the days are brighter.  I know it is easier said then done but with God, anything is possible.

Weight: 157

Signs of pregnancy: Now that Baby P is bigger the movements are getting stronger.  Sometimes Baby P will be kicking like crazy for a few seconds in just one area.  It is unreal.  Baby P still likes to flip in circles. Baby P will be laying sideways and I can feel a head on one side and the butt on the other side of my belly button.  And then all of a sudden Baby P flips 90 degrees and then moments later flips 90 degrees again.  It is a trippy feeling.  When I saw Dr. Gosser on Monday he said it was perfectly normal for Baby P to still be spinning around.  Baby P won’t decide on head/butt first until about the 36 week.

Baby Development:  Baby P weights about 3.75 pounds and is approximately 19 inches long.  Baby P is gearing up for the big day, growing, growing, growing. 

Thoughts:  I’m in my 8th month of pregnancy!  Two months to go.  Yikes!

Baby P is still growing at a good rate and the heart rate was normal.  When I laid on the table to lift my shirt so Dr. Gosser could hear the heart beat, he looked at my belly and said, “no stretch marks.”  That was good to know because there are parts of my belly I can’t see anymore and I was worried those parts had the stretch marks.  (Heck, there are certain body parts I haven’t seen in awhile either.  You catch my drift.)  I’ve been rubbing Coco Butter on my belly every morning since I found out I was pregnant.  Not sure if that is helping or not but I like to think it does! 

This was my last monthly visit.  Next visit will be in three weeks, then every two, then every week, then baby!  Yikes!  Visit #7 will be the day after our anniversary and we are both off work so Frank will be able to attend!

Frank was out of town again this past weekend so I had the place to myself.  I usually spend my Frank-free-weekends cleaning the entire house, rearranging furniture or doing some other crazy project.  But I was a good pregnant wife and I did pretty much nothing all weekend.  It was great.

After work Friday I met my good friend Nicole C for dinner.  After dinner I went home and channel surfed all night (have I mentioned that we got cable now?)  I was in bed by midnight and slept in until 9 a.m. 

On Saturday, I went for my morning walk at 9 a.m. right when I woke up and it was already 75 degrees.  It was disgusting outside.  I usually come home after my walk and lift weights and do leg exercises.  But the heat was so exhausting I decided to take it easy.  I picked up my little sister and we went swimming at my parent’s house for a few hours.  It got up to 95 degrees!  Unrealistically hot for a woman seven months pregnant.  Yuck.

Saturday night my gal friend Laura B and her 1 year old son Caden came over to play.  He was all over the place.  Walking around picking up everything in sight, climbing on the couch, spilling milk.  It was great!  It was nice to see a kid in action in our house.  I’m completely ready to surrender my house to our baby.  After she left I spent the rest of the evening on the couch channel surfing again.    

I slept in until 8 a.m. on Sunday.  I quickly went for my morning walk (it was already 75 degrees.)  I tried to lift weights but was too tired to lift my arms.  Instead I decided to lay on the couch until Frank got home.  Frank got home and we went right to noon Mass.  By the end of Mass the heat index was at 103.  Blah.  We came right home and laid on the couch to watch the Cardinals game.  We both fell asleep for about two hours.  Frank got up and had to leave for a concert (Foo Fighters) with some of his friends.  Me, I just sat on the couch for the rest of the night watching tv.  I only walked outside to let Sophie out for a pee or two.

I actually dreaded going to work today because I knew I would have to walk out the door to my car.  It is supposed to get up to 96 degrees today.  Double yuck.  Welcome summer!

One month and half after I was born, on Oct. 7th, I met the Lord through the Sacrament of Baptism.  That would make me a cradle Catholic but I don’t see myself as one.  I feel like I have only been with the church for seven years now.  I was baptized, received the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Eucharist and attended Catholic school until the end of my 6th grade year.  And then it all stopped.  My faith journey could easily have ended there but God had other things in mind.

I never would have made it that far if it weren’t for my parents.  I thank them for getting me the first start with God.  When my dad was about five years old, he was adopted by a very Catholic couple.  They lived within walking distance from St. William’s Catholic Church, the place he would attend Catholic school and the same place I would someday attend school.  His father died before I was born so I don’t know anything about him.  All I know is that his name was John and my dad loved him so much.  I barely knew my dad’s mother either.  We visited her when we were little kids but then something happened and my dad and her stopped talking and we rarely visited anymore.  Whatever happened really hurt my dad and I think it might be connected to my dad leaving the church.  Although I honestly don’t remember if my dad was ever “in” the church.  

My mom was raised with no religious belief.  I never heard my grandpa utter the word God and I’m not sure if he ever knew God.  But then again, most of my memories of him are from when I was a little girl and I don’t remember conversations I had back then.  So for all I know he could have known God but he just didn’t talk about it. 

I don’t think my grandma knew God until she got really sick with cancer.  I learned at her funeral during the eulogy that she had a desire to know the Lord and a friend of the family (who was a minister) helped her met him.  I’m very thankful for this friend.

For some reason when my mom was 18 she decided to become Catholic.  When I was 18 all I cared about was going to college and hanging out with my friends and boyfriend.  But my mom decided to get to know the Lord by joining the Catholic Church.  That amazes me about her. 

A few years after she became Catholic she met my father.  Within months they were married.  Two Catholics united as one.  A few years later came my sister, then me, then my brother.  One Catholic family.

To Be Continued