Oh My Lord, Hallelujah!

Have you ever noticed that when you hang around people you know are really religious, you catch yourself taking the Lord's name in vain a lot?

I work with a woman whose husband is the assistant pastor at a big church here in town. Yesterday, she goes, "At least it's not raining!"
I go, "Hallelujuah!"

Argh! I had been reining myself in recently, because I noticed that when I talk to her, I say things like, "Oh my god!", "Good Lord!" and "Thank God!" I'm like a broken record. I'm now trying to switch over to "Good Golly!" and "Oh, geez." I had been doing so well.

I happened to be hanging out with a priest during Labor Day weekend, and even though the priest is totally cool, I really tried to rein in my loose language. I did really well, no noticeable slips. I know it's not a huge deal, but it's good to notice your language patterns, in any case, and try to mix them up when you hear yourself saying the same tired phrases over and over. Click here to read full entry.

17 Weeks: Kicks? Gas? Liver Spasms? Boy? Girl?

I'm 17 weeks today. Par-tay! Four months, one week.

Kicks?
I really think I felt a couple of kicks on Monday. I watched Gossip Girl, and then a murder show about the town my sister lives in in Mississippi. (Creeeeeeeeeeeepy!) Anyway, I felt a bump harder than the little jump you feel when you have gas. Ordinarily I might just think it's one of those weird things your body does, like when your knee really hurts for a few minutes, out of nowhere, then just goes away. But, earlier in the day, I was watching TV on the couch (I didn't feel good, OK?) and was trying to nap, when all of a sudden I felt a quick sharp spasm under my rib cage. It was like a firm, sharp, kick. If I weren't pregnant, and had never felt that sensation before in my life, I wouldn't have thought too much of it. The baby isn't that high up yet, but I was sort of curled up at the time, so...

yeah, I have no clue.

Gender?
I think this baby's a boy.
Here's why:
I'm not having sweet cravings, at least any worse than usual.
I've had no nausea at all.
When the doc heard the heartbeat last week, it was in the range that wives' tales say is a boy...

yeah, I have no clue.

We have to wait 3 more weeks to find out. I totally don't care what the gender is. I love girls- am one myself- and love boys, too.   

Oh, sigh, I have to go to work. Click here to read full entry.

Sippy Cups For All

Last summer on a visit to Mississippi, I was playing with my 4 year old nephew. I was thirsty, so to be silly, I used a sippy cup. A sippy cup has a hole in the top, but a plastic stopper only allows you to get water out when you turn it upside down and drink. I was surprised how convenient it was. For someone who works with a laptop, a spill-proof cup is important. I used a sippy cup for the rest of my vist, keeping it on my nightstand and leaving it on the coffee table as we were playing, so I could get my 8 glasses of water.

One morning near the end of my trip, I stumbled out of bed with my sippy cup and staggered into the kitchen at 7am where my nephew J was contentedly drawing. He glanced up at me.

J, matter-of-factly: Kris, you can't take that sippy cup with you.
(Oddly, I HAD been thinking I was going to ask to take one with me.)
Me, trying to act innocent: How do you know I wanted to take this one?
J, still drawing: You can't, Kris, it's mine.  You have to buy your OWN sippy cup, in Connecticut.

Sigh.  He has always been one smart little boy. 

Don't knock the sippy cup until you try it. If you have access to one, check it out.  It's really great in the summer because you can fit ice into the wide top, so it keeps your water nice and cold.

Click here to read full entry.