Fives

Let me introduce you to Fives. His real name is Fievel (after the mouse in American Tale), but after a while his name was shorted to a simple "Fives" and then it was changed to "Sir Fives" when we knighted him with a sword that was sitting in our living room. So he is now, "Sir Fives" and I daresay he enjoys the title. We have had him since before we got married, when he was just a cute little kitten. He was innocent, with cute paws (that I endearingly call paw-paws).

Sorry for the bad quality photo

He is a relatively spoiled cat, enjoying paw-paw massages and belly rubs. I mean...look at those paws! They are so cute! He also enjoys sleeping upside down in your lap. He is a talker and will let you know when he is hungry or if he just needs to be petted.

Which is always.

Much to his chagrin, we dyed his paws pink and blue for Easter. Don't worry it was vinegar and water!

Ackerman and Fives have a love/hate relationship...mostly hate. Joseph abhors the snootiness of cats and the way they look at him with a smug, all-knowing glare. But every once-in-a-while, you will catch him petting Fives (usually at my direction).

Fives getting up-close and personal

While I adore Fievel (and my husband), the cat has a tendency of waking up at 6:00 am, coming to our door and meowing. Sometimes, if we stay quiet, he will go away for about three minutes and then come back and meow some more until Joseph or I (usually Joseph) gets up to let him outside.

For the past few days I have had a new alarm clock and it is not one that I like.

I will leave you with a photo of our puppy Simcoe (named after one of my husband's favorite hops)...though he is not much of a puppy anymore!

The One About Crying

Declining temperatures always brings more than coats and scarves. Along with cooler weather comes changing leaves and the promise of bonfires and s'mores. Apple cider (sans alcohol for us preggos which is sad as our good friend makes the most delicious apple pie moonshine), leggings and long sweaters, sweatshirts dug out from our high school and college days, slightly tattered but too comfortable and nostalgic to throw away. Pumpkins with funny faces and corn field mazes. Snuggling a little closer to those we love. Front porch, hot coffee mornings with dog-eared pages of your favorite classic.

And also, Fall cleaning. No one ever talks about fall cleaning. It is always, "spring cleaning this" and "spring cleaning that". What about fall?

Ackerman and I began our Fall cleaning yesterday, which mainly consisted of purging our 6 bookcases of duplicates and books we would never (and have no desire to) read, organizing the back room as it had been taken over by beer aliens, shuffling through papers that should have been filed long ago (W-2s from 2004 anyone?) and high school/college binders.

Fall cleaning while pregnant is a challenge. First, sitting on the floor does a number on your hips. I would waddle for a good minute, hunched over before I could stand up and walk straight. My husband (and my mom via telephone) were adament about me not picking up anything heavier than a pencil and then there are the emotions.

When you are pregnant, you cry. over. everything. Even if you are crying over nothing, the emotion that is welled up inside feels like you have lost a loved one. This has made me come to the conclusion that hormones are a pregnant woman's worst enemy. They make you sick in the first trimester and then uber emotional during the remainder.

Here are a few examples of meltdowns that I had. Note: this was just yesterday and happened within a 2-hour span.

Example 1:

We had some black mold issues in the nursery and had the mold professionally removed. Since then, I have not walked into the nursery. Yesterday, upon opening the door and stepping into the room, my face became instantly wet. Last time I checked, there wasn't a hole in the roof so yes, I must be crying. Over what you ask? I'm not quite sure. The realization of having a baby girl, knowing that this is where she will spend her first years...where WE will spend our first months getting to know each other. Maybe I was shedding tears over all of the work I have to do: tearing up carpet, pulling up carpet nails, refinishing the hardwood floor, putting down toe-molding, painting, etc...well who am I kidding? Most of the work will be done by Ackerman, but I am the one who makes lists and worries about it.

Example 2:

While rummaging through photos, I found one of my grandfather and me. He enjoying what was probably a Bud heavy and me enjoying a margarita. Why that photo made me cry, I am not sure. Was it that I miss him? Was it the memory of sharing in my first alcoholic beverage with him? (Well one of the first...) Or was it that I just plain miss tequila?

Example 3:

I came across a letter while filing that was written from Ackerman's friend Speegs while he was in basic. He wrote to Ackerman detailing life in the Navy. There was nothing sad about the letter. It just made me cry.

I will also note: it seems like once something makes you cry, it is hard to snap out of the funk. The rest of your day is on the brink of tears. Heaven forbid someone look at me the wrong way or I see one of those Sarah McLaughlin animal commercials...those puppy eyes get me every time!

The week of 21.

So yesterday, I turned 21 weeks and my sister turned 21 a couple of weeks ago but we are actually celebrating this weekend...so it is the week of 21!
I learned that the baby is the size of a pomegranate (which I must tell you I LOVE pomegranates.) Next week she will be a papaya and I don't like papayas, but that's okay.

She is well on her way to being a foot long (10.5 inches) and just imagining her growing is such an amazing experience.

I have started to refer to her as "My Little Mermaid" and she is constantly swimming around and bumping into my innards. Her real name is Gwendolyn Raye. Two names that are very special to both Joseph and I. Gwendolyn was my Mom's mom's name (my grandmother) and she passed away in 1993 from lung cancer. She was always such a driving force in my life.

Raye comes from both my Mom's Dad's name and Joseph's Dad's Dad's name (our grandfathers). My grandfather passed away right before Joseph and I met in 2009. I felt very lucky to have spent the many years I did with him. He taught me to drive and always let me know that he loved me. Joseph's grandpa, known as "Pop" died last year and I feel completely honored to have known him. He always let me know how glad he was to have me in their family. I took to him as I would my own grandfather and he came in my life at a time when I had just lost mine. The spelling of "Raye" comes from Joseph's maternal side of the family where many of the girls have the last name, "Daye" so it works.

Grandpa Pressley and I...yes I am adorable.



Pop and Nonny at a Clemson game

Unfortunately, I don' t have a photo of my grandma (aka Nana) on the computer, but once I get one, I will put it up.

On a different note, Joseph and I went and registered at Buy Buy Baby (which I just found out you can use Bed, Bath and Beyond coupons at the Buy Buy Baby stores!) and Target. While it was fun, it was also exhausting. I am sure I forgot to add things and I am sure I added things that I don't need. Oh well.

How far along? 21 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss: 2 lbs gained so far (gained 4 but lost 2)

Maternity clothes? All maternity and not ashamed.

Stretch marks? Yep, though they aren't getting any bigger/darker thanks to slathering myself with lotion on the daily.

Sleep: Sleep is getting better, though I can't wait to sleep on my back again. I registered for a Snoogle at Buy Buy Baby...hint hint.

Best moment this week: Feeling my Mermaid kick and squirm! It is such a sweet thing!

Miss Anything? The same things...sushi. Beer. Port wine. A margarita or two...or three.

Movement: The Mermaid is on the move! I am starting to see my stomach move a little

Food cravings: Sushi. Sweets.

Anything making you queasy or sick: Still not digging Chinese food...

Have you started to show yet: See the photo above! My midwife said that I am carrying more inside so who knows how big I'll get.

Gender: She is still a girl!

Labor Signs: Not a one!

Belly Button in or out? In

Wedding rings on or off? I'm mostly wearing my wedding band and have put my engagement ring aside. Though, I got agitated one day because someone told Joseph that he needed to get me a bigger ring...because I only had my wedding band on. Really? Because the size of your diamond really measures your marriage.

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy most of the time. I had a cry-fest one day, over nothing really and I've had one (or two) hormonal outbursts...I am trying to keep those to a minimum.

Looking forward to:  Seeing little Gwen next week for my second ultrasound! I also can't wait until Joseph can fell her swimming around.