Pregnancy Thread.....Friday, 11/19

[metroames]

Teach2Live............David Morton..................Born 9/10/04
Shenandoah..........Surrogate Twins.............Born 9/20/04
babyblue26062.....Alexander Jude...............Born 9/29/04
Bozo......................Helen................... ...........Born 9/30/04
ThininMex..............Brianna Irish...................Born 10/05/04
little bear...............Aiden Xavier.................. Born 10/06/04
aphexacid..............Bethany Erin...................Born 10/08/04
lizzyd.....................Henry Stewart................Born 10/15/04
Mrs. Sarah.............Tanner.......................... ..Born 11/12/04

karatejen.................W39...............11/26/04.......Boy
ChristinaK................W38...............12/02/04.......Boy
Surfdol.....................W35...............12/22/04
GetNSlim..................W35................12/24/04......Boy
supportinghubby.....W34................12/30/04......Girl
DesperateInFL.........W33................01/07/05......Girl
Kay&Lydia................W31................01/18/05
Viki...........................W30................ 01/22/05......Girl
Shandril105..............W30............... 01/23/05......Girl
Nyanchan.................W30...............01/31/05......Girl
metroames...............W29................02/08/05......Boy
MadameX..................W29................02/09/05......Girl

AmyJuli.......................W24................0 3/10/05
JennPayton................W23................03/13/05......Girl
blueyedgrl..................W22................03/26/05
kimism........................W22................0 3/26/05......Girl
Heather123................W21................03/30/05
shelly..........................W21............... .04/02/05
Marthad......................W19................04/11/05
Dar20..........................W18................ 04/16/05
Jefinner.......................W18................ 04/16/05
GoJackets....................W16...............05/03/05
mom2twoboys.............W16...............05/07/05
chels_hoff....................W15...............05/15/05
Denise85.....................W14...............05/22/05

azktycat.....................W12................05/30/05
michigangrad.............W12.................06/01/05
Vixendrop..................W9...................06/18/05
ChristieJ.....................W9.................. 06/19/05
jehcekah....................W9..................06/22/05
gilbabe75...................W8..................06/25/05
Miss Gigl.....................W8..................06/26/05
rooney.......................W8..................0 6/30/05
AZparalegal...............W7...................07/01/05
allibaba......................W6.................. 07/12/05

Green12........................................... ...Trying!
2BFitHourglass.................................... Trying!
SmileyAmy......................................... ..Trying!
lil miss.............................................. ...Trying!
MarriedinSept..................................... .Trying!
Nicole133......................................... ....Trying!
jeepifer.......................................... ......Trying!
StrawberryGirl.................................... ..Trying!
AnnieO............................................ .....Trying!
speckle........................................... ......Trying!
Alissaliz......................................... .......Trying!

[metroames]

Good morning ladies!

Love the pics! I'll have to post my belly pic Monday.....we take a shot every Sunday night. Once I get the nursery set up, I'll have to take one of that too.

Well, I'm going to be a bad girl tonight. The company ordered us pizza for some great accomplishment I'm unaware of. So, I went and got a couple pieces and put in the fridge for later. I'm gonna be sooo bloated again....but I'm sure it will taste great!

Well, I've been dilly dallying, so I'd better get some work done. Have a great day everyone!

Ames

[Marthad]

Morning everyone,

Well, six more inches of snow! Powder this time, and it's still coming down! I did take some pictures but will have to figure out how to post them. Pardon me while I try...

Hmmm, do I have to post them on the web somewhere first? Yeah, I got it to work! Sorry they're so big...

Here is the view from our bedroom, in the snow:



Here is the snow from our dining room:



Here's our dining room:



And now for our totally pink nursery:



Another:




Dar, you asked for the recipe, so here it is:

DEVIL'S FOOD CAKE WITH CHOCOLATE-ORANGE BUTTERCREAM
A subtle hint of lavender accents this lovely dessert. It can also be left out if you prefer.

Cake
4 ounces bittersweet (not unsweetened) or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 cup whole milk
1/2 cup plain whole-milk yogurt
1 1/2 cups (packed) golden brown sugar
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
2 teaspoons dried lavender blossoms,* finely ground in spice mill
4 large eggs

Buttercream frosting
8 ounces bittersweet or semisweet chocolate, chopped
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
7 tablespoons (or more) water

1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
4 cups powdered sugar, divided
1 tablespoon grated orange peel
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or other orange liqueur

Chocolate curls


For cake:
Position rack in center of oven and preheat to 325°F. Butter and flour two 9-inch-diameter cake pans with 1 1/2-inch-high sides. Line bottoms of pans with parchment paper rounds. Stir chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Remove from over water. Cool to barely lukewarm.

Sift flour and next 4 ingredients into medium bowl. Whisk milk and yogurt to blend in small bowl. Using electric mixer, beat brown sugar, butter, and lavender in large bowl until smooth. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in melted chocolate until smooth. Mix in dry ingredients alternately with milk mixture in 3 additions each. Divide batter between prepared pans.

Bake cakes until tester inserted into centers comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Cool cakes in pans on racks 15 minutes. Turn cakes out onto racks; remove parchment and cool completely.

For buttercream frosting:
Stir 8 ounces chocolate in top of double boiler set over simmering water until smooth. Cool until barely lukewarm but still pourable. Mix cocoa powder and 7 tablespoons water in heavy small saucepan. Stir over medium-low heat until smooth and thick but still pourable, adding more water by teaspoonfuls if necessary. Cool.

Beat butter, 1/3 cup powdered sugar, and orange peel in large bowl to blend. Add melted chocolate, vanilla, and salt; beat until smooth. Beat in cocoa mixture. Gradually add remaining 3 2/3 cups powdered sugar and beat until frosting is smooth. Mix in Grand Marnier.

Place 1 cake layer on platter. Spread 1 1/2 cups frosting over top of cake. Top with second cake layer. Spread remaining frosting over top and sides of cake, swirling decoratively. Mound chocolate curls in center of cake. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover with cake dome and refrigerate. Let cake stand at room temperature 2 hours before serving.)

*Dried lavender blossoms are available at natural foods stores and at some specialty foods stores and farmers' markets.

Makes 12 servings.
Bon Appétit
March 2004

I'm making the cake today, so I'll let you know how it turns out.

I'm snowbound again! It looks like I'll have a super clean house by the end of the day, though! Maybe I'll even try to shovel a bit--it's hubby's job, but he's so stressed at work--I'll see how heavy the snow is.

I'll check back later

[chels_hoff]

Ames ~ MMMmmmmmmm pizza!!

Martha ~ As David would say B-E-A-uuuuuuuutifuuuul (sounds cuter when he actually says it)i love the snow!! You almost sliped the rest of the pics in before i posted!! WOW that is defiantly PINK and way cute!!

Hope all is well with Sarah, Mason & Tanner. Looking forward to another update post, hope he got off the ventilator!!

Still no m/s wooo hoo!!! Sat will be a week **knock on wood** As if my sleep schedule wasn't screwed up enough, Get to sleep about midnight to 1:00, i have tried so hard to get to sleep earlier. Up at 5 am to go over to a friend/coworker of David's to stay with the kids and get them off to school. Get home about 9am and try to get in a few more hrs of sleep. Have been doing this the last month, sure it DID NOT help with the m/s. Well now add in the fact that we have a house guest staying with us and will be for a few weeks. Well she works swings and got home at 3:30 am, and i guess she thought it was a good idea to take a bath (shares a wall with my room) did i mention that i am a super light sleeper. I know remember why i was so happy to NOT have roommates!! LOL!!

Well i don't have baby room pics, cause its still our guest room/playroom. I don't have a true belly pic yet (the one taken yesterday matches the one taken 2 months ago) and the only pic i have of my baby is the u/s pic i got at 12 weeks, and I posted those already. Guess i could post pics of babies that i have photographed for work?? Pics of stuff I want to put/make for the baby's room?? LOL Guess you all will have to suffer through hokey vacation photos...lol!!!

xoxo Chelsea
*Pregnant with Our First*
Hoping for a girl, Happy with Healthy!!

Baby's Web Page
Mom & Dad's Website

[GoJackets]

Marthad - GREAT pictures!! The snow is beautiful and the room looks great!!!

Looking forward to seeing Ames and Chelsea!!

Tracy - Your pictures are awesome.....I love the ones where you can tell she is laughing. Baby pictures make my day!!!

[JennPayton]

Great Pics! I love them! Our nursery ideas are just starting to come together - let alone actually work in there! It will most likely have to wait until after the holidays. Plus, we are trying to decide which room it should be. I like the idea of the room directly across from ours, because then I can peek in on her - but then once she is old enough to sit up and stand up, she will be able to see us too - and she might cry to get up if she happens to see us...decisions, decisions... :-)

My MIL is coming to town this weekend to help get my new kitchen in order. You all have heard how disgustingly dirty my "new" house is - well the kitchen is by far the worst. There are cobwebs and dust bunnies in all the cabinets and drawers, the shelving paper is like 100 years old, etc. So, we are going to scrub, scrub, scrub! DH is going to pull out the fridge and clean behind there. So, hopefully by Monday I will have a working kitchen and we can quit eating with plastic utensils and paper plates!

I feel really good. I was very tired yesterday and went home a little early from work to sleep. Man, did I! I feel refreshed today and up for my marathon weekend. The baby has been quiet the last few days - I still feel her now and then, but not as much and not as hard as earlier in the week. My theory is that she has moved somehow and is comfy - so I am trying not to worry. I honestly think there is just always something to worry about.

Martha - The snow is gorgeous - and I love the windows in your dining room!! I wouldn't mind getting a large snow like that here - as long as I can stay put! :-)

Ames - Darn you! Now I want pizza! :-) I hope you don't get too bloated!

Dena - I have a very legit belly, but there are still days when I wake up and think, "I feel like I did prepregnancy", I can't really be pregnant. You have a good attitude - if you feel no pain, etc. then try not to worry (try being the key word). Are you going to a football game this weekend??

Chels - I am so glad that m/s has subsided!! I never really had it, so my Mom says that for revenge, I will probably have a baby that never sleeps or something! :-) So, following that logic, you're going to have a very well behaved child! You're so nice to have a houseguest - that would drive me NUTS. Dh has been my only roomie since college and even he drives me nuts sometimes. I like my space!

Well, I had better start some work - I'll check in later!!

SMILEY - thinking of you too!! When is your 'test' date??

[GoJackets]

Originally posted by JennPayton
Great Pics! I love them! Our nursery ideas are just starting to come together - let alone actually work in there! It will most likely have to wait until after the holidays. Plus, we are trying to decide which room it should be. I like the idea of the room directly across from ours, because then I can peek in on her - but then once she is old enough to sit up and stand up, she will be able to see us too - and she might cry to get up if she happens to see us...decisions, decisions... :-)

My MIL is coming to town this weekend to help get my new kitchen in order. You all have heard how disgustingly dirty my "new" house is - well the kitchen is by far the worst. There are cobwebs and dust bunnies in all the cabinets and drawers, the shelving paper is like 100 years old, etc. So, we are going to scrub, scrub, scrub! DH is going to pull out the fridge and clean behind there. So, hopefully by Monday I will have a working kitchen and we can quit eating with plastic utensils and paper plates!

I feel really good. I was very tired yesterday and went home a little early from work to sleep. Man, did I! I feel refreshed today and up for my marathon weekend. The baby has been quiet the last few days - I still feel her now and then, but not as much and not as hard as earlier in the week. My theory is that she has moved somehow and is comfy - so I am trying not to worry. I honestly think there is just always something to worry about.


Dena - I have a very legit belly, but there are still days when I wake up and think, "I feel like I did prepregnancy", I can't really be pregnant. You have a good attitude - if you feel no pain, etc. then try not to worry (try being the key word). Are you going to a football game this weekend??

Glad you are getting help on the house!! You don't want to wear yourself out!! You need to post a belly picture if you are comfortable!! Let us know how the nursery is coming along!!!!

Tech basketball season kicks off today!! So, we are going to a basketball game tonight and our last home football game tomorrow.

[Dar20]

Wahhh.. I can't see the pics. Darnit. I'll try back later.

Thanks for the recipe! I'm sure it will be dangerous.

We are having our big Thanksgiving luncheon today. I made stuffing with andoullie (sp?) sausage and cornbread, and was a little leery of it. So, I made a small dish for us to try in addition to the big one for the group. I had hubby try it last night and he said it was probably the best stuffing he'd ever had. Whew!! The sausage is a little spicy for me, but I think it's pretty good, too. I hope everyone else likes it.. I'm sure they will.. lots of cajun lovers in my office.

Lets just say I will NOT be eating anywhere near low carb today! LOL.. as if I have been, anyways.

Feeling good today despite still having trouble getting comfy at night.

I'll have to have DH take some pics, now that I have a belly to show. And of the nursery.. what we have done so far.

Otherwise, not much else going on. DH has Daddy Boot Camp tomorrow, and I'm going to the salon for a manicure, haircut, and get my brows done before I go to the wedding in the afternoon. I tried to get a massage, but they were booked up. I'll try that again some other day.

Hey to everyone!

[GoJackets]

I think today is jehcekah's birthday! if you pop in today!!!

[Dar20]

Woo Hoo, now I see the pics! Cool! I love the benches in the nursery.

to Jessica!

[SmileyAmy]

Here you go Dena!!

Here is my kitty - Chelsea. She is 3 years old! She is a byotch!! Only wants attention when she wants it and if you ignore her - WATCH OUT!! But, she is my little baby. You can't tell by the picture, but she is petite.


Here is my other kitty - Trooper. He is around 5. He is DH's baby. Won't give me the time of day half the time but follows DH around the house and lays with him all the time. He is a big boy - not fat, but just a big cat. He walks like a lion!


This is me and my Ziggy. He is a mini long haired dapple dachshund. He is 11 years old. He is my Zig-Zig...I love him so much! But boy is his breath bad!! He also has a cold right now so he is on baby asprin - per the vet.


And, last but not least, this is me and DH, Rob. Get a good look - he is actually wearing his teeth in this picuture. He is only 26 but had to have all of his teeth pulled a year ago. And, now he HATES to wear his dentures. Drives me mad!! But I love him...


Jessica!!

Busy Friday...I will try to check in later!

Jenn...I assume I will test around December 1st. FF is supposed to count down till test day for me since I am a VIP member but as of yesterday it wasn't. I will have to check to see if it shows anything today.

Well, BBL!!

[GoJackets]

Great pics Amy, you are very photogenic!! Rob is a good looking guy and your babies are adorable....I know it's silly, but I asked DH last night...."You know how much we love our pets, can you imagine what it will feel like to love our baby"?

[Dar20]

Originally posted by GoJackets
I know it's silly, but I asked DH last night...."You know how much we love our pets, can you imagine what it will feel like to love our baby"?

Ok, all together now... AWWWWWWW!!!!!! What a sweet thing to say. Does anyone else get bummed thinking that their kids won't "know" their older pets? This child will never really know our cats, but I'm sure will remember the dogs. Given me and DH, there's no way this child won't be an animal lover.

I have more recent pics of me and DH in my Gallery. Here's a pic of me way before I lost weight: Family.

And you see my girls in my avatar.

For other pics, you can go to:
Merry Christmas!
Caena - my agility star taking it easy
Engagement photo (1999)
Wedding photo (1999)
Mena
Frasier - the anti-social
Molly puppy pics - 2001 & 2002

[GoJackets]

Darlene! Those are great. I didn't recall you being a cat owner too. I'm partial to cats...love dogs, but prefer cats. Your dogs are GORGEOUS (kitties too)!

I love your wedding photo too, you are a natural beauty! You look very happy!!!

ETA - I will be sad that our kids probably won't know Rudy, my old boy. He's 13 now, and I don't think he will have much to do with the little ones. I worship this cat.....

[SmileyAmy]

Originally posted by GoJackets
Great pics Amy, you are very photogenic!! Rob is a good looking guy and your babies are adorable....I know it's silly, but I asked DH last night...."You know how much we love our pets, can you imagine what it will feel like to love our baby"?

Thanks Dena - people have told me that I take good pictures. My brother and I just got out pictures done for our parents for Christmas and I think I look pretty good in them - he ain't too shabby either. LOL

I never thought about the whole furbaby/kid love too much. But I guess it makes sense. I can only imagine that you love your kids a ton more than your furbabies and I love my furbabies a lot.

Dar...I am going to look at your pics now!

[SmileyAmy]

Dar - I love the picture of your dogs with the Santa hats on!! So cute.

And your DH is a cutie... I hope you don't take offense to this - but I love big teddy bear guys. Hubba, hubba!

And your wedding and engagement pictures are really nice.

I don't have any wedding pictures on line...sorry.

[surfdol]

Morning All!
Loved all the pictures! The ones of the nurseries made me remember, we haven't even put the crib together yet! lol I will try to talk DH into doing it this weekend... I have really put so many things off until the last moment here .... We decided that for the first 6 months the baby will be in our room and then we'll move everything to it's own room. I plan on nursing so I think it will make things much easier to just have the baby right there.
I don't think I am doing the belly pictures either, I have had this belly for much too long as it is! lol But as soon as the lil one is here I will post pictures, I promise!
Last night DH called me into the living room to look at something... he was searching the internet for "hunting" stuff and ran across some camoflauge (sp?) sleepers and pajamas, baby outfits, shoes and a little hat... I was cracking up! They were cute but I asked him what if it's a girl? He said he'd have to look for pink camoflauge stuff! He even found a camo diaper bag!
I can empathise with those of you suffering from from not getting enough sleep... it has been months since I have gotten a good night's sleep... up until 3 weeks ago, I could not fall asleep before 3 in the morning because the baby was waking up around 9 pm and it moves constantly (sometimes very painfully) and it would stay up until around 3 or 4 am.... now I am able to get to sleep at a more normal time but because I am so big, I constantly toss & turn (to find a comfortable position) and make midnight runs to the potty (about every hour! lol) and the baby doesn't seem to sleep at all now! lol That has been a big difference for me with this pregnancy, my first child never moved this much.... I have felt this one since I was about 3 1/2 months, of course it was the tiny flutters but still, I could not believe I could feel it that early! And it hasn't stopped moving since then! LOL
Well take care all, I'll be popping in and out!

[heather123]

Good morning,

Martha-the snow pics are beautiful!

Chelsea-I know what you mean about the roommate thing, DH and I have had 2 roommate when we were in college and each only lasted for 3 months.

Dar-For some reason I wasn't able to see your pics, I'll try again later-it says the site is temp unavalible.

Jenn-Have fun cleaning! Don't you think it's tacky when the sellers don't have the home cleaned before they put it on the market? Our house is only one year old, so I figured it wouldn't need a lot of cleaning, the people only lived here for 6 months, anyway-the kitchen appliances were all gross and another thing that made me mad was they took all the mini blinds with then and just left the screws on the floor-HOW LAZY! We made then cut us a check to put mini blinds back in though, we told them $250 and they paid it!

wish this was a four bedroom house so that way this baby could have their "own " room, like I said yesterday, it will have to bunk up in the spare room/office and the room is only 10x12. I don't know how I'm going to fit everything in here. I know I can fit the spare bed, but I don't know what to do with this darn computer....I would put it in our bedroom, there's plenty of room in there, but DH sleeps during the day so it would be off limits until 3pm, that would drive me nuts.

Well, DD is wanting to do a craft so I'm going to see what I can come up with....
TTYL

[chels_hoff]

LOVE the pics.... keep them coming!! So Miss Dena this was your idea so where the heck are your pics??!!

xoxo Chelsea
*Pregnant with Our First*
Hoping for a girl, Happy with Healthy!!

Baby's Web Page
Mom & Dad's Website

[SmileyAmy]

Originally posted by chels_hoff
LOVE the pics.... keep them coming!! So Miss Dena this was your idea so where the heck are your pics??!!

I was wondering the same thing....

Oh Dena!!!

[TRACY2]

still no word from Sarah??

[little bear]

Yes - where is Sarah?

No time for personals, but just wanted to pop in and say hi - i mostly post over at the losin' the baby fat board now - but i still lurk a lot and enjoy reading all your posts........

Those babies will be here before you know it, and oh gosh they grow soooo fast, cherish every moment!!!!!!!!! Even those middle of the night feedings

[GoJackets]

Hey! I assigned this for homework for the weekend. I will take some pictures tonight or tomorrow and post them.