Finding Things

So when I first got here, in Lubbock Texas...it wasn't hard to find things to do. I had to unpack...slowly but surely, somewhat decorate, and do all these projects for my baby's room. Now that that is all done. . . it's find things to do time. You see I'm pretty immobile. Moving+Brittany+huge belly+baby's head pushing on my pelvic area=not okay. I have 11 days left until my due date. Now I would be happy going into labor anytime now, except not tomorrow. Tomorrow is Brad's first anatomy test in medical school. Now I have never been to medical school, but it seems like you have to be pretty on top of things to be successful. I counted the awake time I have seen Brad this week, I'll add in today's time as well. Monday 20 minutes in the morning, 45 in the evening. WHOA 1 hour and 5 minutes.
Tuesday...I didn't wake up in the morning, but he wakes me up to say goodbye so 10 minutes, and 45 minutes in the evening. We are at 65+55 minutes. Wednesday, another 50 minutes, today I woke up with him and spent about 30 minutes with him, made him toast, then tonight I will see him for probably an hour. So 1.5 hour. He studies with friends so he isn't at my house studying, sometimes they go to campus. If they were here....I would interrupt them too much. WateR? Cookies?
So awake time with Brad....4.5 hours, in 4 days. It doesn't get to me unless I have nothing to do, so I am trying to stay as busy as possible. It will get better when his test is over. But the poor Mr. he is just a zombie. Studying and learning from 8am-10 pm every night, then into bed as soon as possible.

Brad: Brit let's do our race tonight.
Brit: Ya I know I know.

Race to see who can be in bed first. He always wins. Then I read scriptures and he is always asleep before I finish.....this is so not my husband. I am the one who is asleep in .01 seconds. He tosses and turns for 2 hours. But.....the tables have changed. I am the wide awake one feeling the baby kick and roll around until it puts me to sleep.

But I have found the rec center here, and I sometimes just watch people play basketball and wish it was me. Last night I had a dream I was playing basketball pregnant and I couldn't dribble or shoot, and it was really embarrassing and I hated it. Like the dream where you are running but you can't run, ya that same thing. Every time I got the ball someone would steal it from me or I would spaz and lose it. And I couldn't move like normal. Now I played basketball clear up until 6 months pregnant! And hardly anyone knew, just wear a baggie jersey and you are good. But there is one athletic thing I still can do.

So if you are feeling like watching someone swim a lap, take a rest, then try to swim 2 laps at once, and nearly drown.....come watch me at the rec center.....If you are pregnant and haven't taken up swimming yet....its time. There is a point when you suck up, realize you aren't a swimmer and just get in the pool because you can feel some serious relief from the buoyant force.

I only get 23823982 weird looks everytime I go, so I decided today I am going to take my other 9 month prego friend with me. That will turn some heads. Two beer baby bellies in the pool. 

I see these signs EVERYWHERE here..... and I love the advertisement but NO sank you. Not for me.

Even though I get the looks when I am on campus....like what a ..............well little do they know I am not an undergrad that had a rough night. I am happily married my dears, so whisper and laugh all you want. And my wedding ring gets enveloped in skin if I wear it in 102 weather....so judge away. Never in Utah :)

We Found It

Well that's right we found it. We found the dessert place (aside from Coldstone, Brad will never replace Cake Batter Ice Cream with brownies, cookie dough and hot fudge). But we did find a unique dessert place. All you Utahans be jealous because....this is over the top.

I am not a pie fan. I don't like Cherry, Apple, or whatever else fruit pies you got out there. But I do love Banana creme, because its cold and not cooked fruit. But people told us to go here, and it is where the dessert is Pie Filling.

Weird I know. But the pie fillings you choose are not your NORM pies. I chose snickers and oreo, with pecan nilla wafer crust. Now before you say, what the ?!?!?!? It is served like its a bar, they call it a bar.

This place is called The Choc'late Mousse:Pie Bar. http://www.facebook.com/thechoclatemousse

No alcohol necessary to get completely WASTED.

Before I start let me interject with a story....we almost were hit by a huge red truck which ran a very red light. They were FLYING and we were just lallygagging through the intersection, Brad turned saw the truck coming at us full speed, and he had the sense to slam on the gas, we peeled out, and the truck swerved at the last second, and we survived. Afterwards, and pretty much the entire night we talked about how injured we would have been. Well, I felt so blessed and happy to be alive, and never want to get hit by a red truck running a red light. Back to happiness and bliss at the Pie Bar...

So here you are, you choose your option. Piewich, Piefait, pie....whatever you want.

And they scoop only the pie filling into your......wine glass or in my case, I got the Piefait, so its like a parfait glass. So witty these pie people. Piefait from parfait, so smart they are. Phsh.

I can't remember what Brad's was called, but he got the one in a wine glass....thinking it would be more probably. He got sea salt caramel hazelnut I remembered! Look at my pregnant brain, one second I can't remember, and then I can! Which the owner suggested. Which was delicious until you got a chunk of sea salt. Then it just wasn't there....we must not be total gourmet dudes, because.....last time I checked getting salt in your sweet as sweet dessert is like that one chunk of poo in your ice cream, you know that cricket in your sundae. The Mormon ad. That's all I could relate it to. We learned a valuable lesson that night....don't watch movies that have just one bad part, because it is like eating a chunk of sea salt in your delicious pie filling dessert......you can't eat around it and it just sneaks up and BAM there you are with a chunk of salt in your mouth, gagging. 

So....back to how good this place was. Mine was divine. I mean every bite was full of deliciousness. And RICH. Whip cream galore. So they did a layer of nilla wafer pecan crust on the bottom, then the oreo pie filling, then the layer of crust (you can change up your crust options) then a scoop of snickers pie filling. Man I loved getting those snickers chunks. Sure did make Brad jealous.

We couldn't even finish. NO way NO how.

And we were surprisingly drunk after our Pie Bar.

Or at least Brad was. He was hammered. (I am so good at using synonyms for drunk aren't I!?!?)

We had to get to go cups, and next time we go we will surely share, and we will stay clear of the sea salt!!! No matter what that owner says. He was awfully nice though, and seemed like such a good down to earth hard worker who created this pie bar experience. Now I have a soft spot for owners who work in their own business. Shows they really care.

We will be back Moose.

Pretty Neat.

Brad always makes fun of me because he says my computer is covered in food, paint or whatever I am doing.

He says it is sticky.
Well I'm not about to run wash my hands when I need to push pause on the music I am listening to on pandora, as I am painting! Duhzo!

I bring that up because I just found and scraped off a piece of blue paint.
I was painting a rocking horse. Like I have said before Brittany+no job+no baby+no husband+2 friends= projects.

And buying things online.
Like this rocking chair. Now I think its pretty neat.

I bought it on Amazon. With all my points. So I ended up paying 14.95 for it. Pretty neat.

Brad loves putting things together. Since we have lived here he has put together a few things.

1. Our Bed

2. His Piano

3. Baby M's Crib

4. A bookshelf I bought here. (That one made him REALLY ANGRY)

5. Rocking Chair

6. Yet to assemble, Shelving unit in our garage.

He is great at putting things together.

Ah...finished. You see I wanted one of these old fashioned ones....It is just wonderful!

Now......onto our next project......Our Yard.

This is our first attempt at watering. Yard was like this when we got here. You may be asking.....why are you watering mud? Well, some people water, some don't, and since you pay for water here.....mostly only rich people water.

Look close and you will see A LOT of broken glass. How did it get there??? Well we don't ask questions.

Here is our cute little duplex, which looks like everyone else's for miles around.

What a lovely tree you have in your front yard!! What great shade that will provide.

These little butts are ALL over our front yard.

Garbage is normal here. People just don't pick it up. They have parties on our front yard or something. Well we know they do, because after watering our yard, our sprinkler was all messed up and there were lots of TIRE tracks all over our yard. HEY NOW! We know our yard isn't AMAZINGLY GREEN and gorgeous, but have a little respect, we were trying to help it grow, we even put down some bare spot seed. (ITS GONNA NEED A H*LK OF A LOT MORE THAN THAT I THINK NOW!)

Now back to Baby M. I got his diapers all organized. At least his small size. He has four G diapers in each size. Green Blue Yellow Gray in small. And I am drooling over these ones. The stripes are just to DIE for.

But I want to wait and see if 4 is plenty or not. So they come with a cloth insert, and then you also can buy disposable inserts for traveling and whatever else you may need them for. But when you are home just kickin it, cloth is the way to go.

Can't you just imagine his little legs and body stickin out of this diaper!!??!

I can, and I can't wait.

OH yes, I had my doc appointment yesterday.

He said...

I am right on schedule to deliver on the 10th of September. 

That if I get contractions 5 minutes apart for at least an hour to get ready!!! Because I'm in labor.

(I haven't had them that close yet, only about 15 minutes apart for a few hours, and they get less intense instead of more intense)

And that I am soft but closed, so not dilated. 

I am not sure how it is supposed to feel in the last two weeks of pregnancy, but...I feel like he stretches and my insides are just in pain continuously. 

Brad says I am always talking about how his foot is in my rib, or his elbow is in my hip.

Well, its because it is hard to function when you are in constant war with a human inside of you.

I'm always pushing him down away from my ribs, or up away from my hips, and the PELVIC PRESSURE is just unbearable at times and I am not sure how it is normal to walk without holding yourself.

Now on a more positive note. I fall asleep thinking about my little baby wrapped up tight in a blankie, and I think about feeling his soft skin. And his FACE, by golly if I could just see his face. I can't wait to see him come out covered in white gunk with his purple hue, with a pure SCREAM on his face, and they hand my little baby to me, and all of this 9 months is so worth it and I will do it 1000xs over again.

I just need to hold him.

DOYa want a Doula?

*A lot of Baby/Mama talk in this post. Sorry if you.......aren't into it. But lately, its all I'm into.

In preparing for baby M, I am ALMOST done with his room. If he comes before I am done, then.....I dont know what I will do. Put him back in! No, please come baby M, at anytime. I packed your hospital bag/diaper bag last night, which by the way, your Grandma (Brad's Mom) made for you. And she really loves you so its really cute, too cute to get dirty, but I'm ready for you to be here, I just don't know if I am ready to get you here in the way I am supposed to get you here. (Between the legs pushing)

The outside fabric is adorable and totally neutral for Baby M's sister who better come next! (In 5 years as of right now asking 9 months pregnant Brittany)

The inside is vinyl which is great for spills and cleaning. And it has lots of nice pockets.

Oh my little. Put your cute bum in this baby M.

I really don't know what I need at the hospital and don't laugh but I have googled 'what to bring to the hospital when having a baby' Also I have asked lots of people and found some good things on pinterest. But if you have a must have that you had or didn't have and I need to have, please tell me, I am a desperate person right now.

It has a nice back zipper pocket, inside yes...vinyl. 

Nice inside pockets.

And these magnetic snaps which I put in myself!! Rachelle was curious to why I wanted them so bad, but they are just fantastic, no messing around finding the clip or hook or whatever, just walah! It snaps.

Nice outer pockets, and so durable :)

Now that we have had the diaper bag tour, let's get down to real business.

My doctor and doula.

My doctor said he was almost on the positive side of neutral for a doula, which means he isn't opposed. And I may be opposed after I experience one, I don't know. Now I went over my birth plan with her, which I didn't think I had a birth plan but apparently I do because I knew all the answers to the questions! Do you want to be cut or tear naturally? What??? Cut me, so it isn't all jagged and torn and horrid. That was easy, what else???

In the case of a c-section, who would you like to come in the room....uh Brad of course.

Not tough questions at all!

She was very nice and will be a support that will be nice to have as I go through this experience with no family near by. My mom is coming but what if I go into birth without her here, and Brad is a med student so that means he goes into med student mode whenever on campus, and did I mention I am having the baby on campus??

So I trust that he will love and support me during this but I also don't trust his curiosity and I'm guessing he will be side by side with the doctor instead of holding my hand coaching me. 

(No offense honey, I love that you are passionate, but this is just one of my reasons for a doula).

Now I did ask her, "What if I freak out and go into panic mode and don't want anyone in the room." 

She was very calm and said, "Now that is understandable and we will deal with that when it comes."

Meaning, what if you are driving me crazy and I want to be alone with Brad or something.......????

But from what I understand she will just be my 24/7 support and rub my feet/back, coach me with breathing and walking around and help me understand what is going on. 

I am putting this in writing but when you get back with me after birth we may have a different outlook on pain meds. I want to TRY to see how I handle it. Does that mean I am going to in no way look at the option of an epidural? No! It means I am going to walk into the hospital with an open mind and see if I can tolerate the pain for as long as possible. I know some people (you may be one, and that is fine) that walk into the hospital and say, "GIVE ME THE F*#&#&$* epidural.

Now that swear could have been anything so don't assume. Frigging. Freaking. I don't say the f-word, but sometimes I wish I did because it would be more entertaining or something... Tangent. 

So, I want to be open to the narcotics, you can give me those, but let's go easy with numbing my whole lower body for a minute, let's just feel this out, and maybe I don't want to feel it out.

If my labor is 32089472 hours, I want the epidural, I'm not trying to prove anything, except to myself. To see if I can actually tolerate labor pain. I want to know what it feels like to have a baby. There, I think that's it. Bottom line, I wanna know what a baby coming out of me feels like. Probably not so great, but I don't want to not know the rest of my life because my lower half is numb. And maybe you never want to know, and that is great. I am a curious person.

Now, I have another doctor's appointment tomorrow. We will see how he finds me.

His lingo is very different from mine.

I say, "My crotch is killing me."

He says, "Oh you have a lot of pelvic pressure."

I say, "It is itching and burning."

He says, "Oh you are experiencing discomfort."

I say, "I think I am over the normal weight gain."

He says, "Oh you look like you haven't gained excess weight in your legs and arms."

I say, "My boobs are really huge."

He says, "Your breasts will be enlarged, better for breastfeeding."

I say, "Well do you check to see if I am soft down there."

He says, "We will see if the cervix is favorable."

I say, "OH ITS FAVORABLE."

The lingo. Doctor appropriate lingo. 

Time Together

We had some amazing lightning storms this weekend. The thunder is AMAZING. Lighting covers the sky for miles. (This picture is an actual picture taken in Lubbock, not by me though, I'll try to get some good ones!)

Brad and I had such a good weekend together. It was phenomenal. Friday night he had a late night in the cadaver lab, when he is with a partner and they dissect their body so they can teach the rest of their group how to do it later. Last time he did this...he got home at 10:30 P.M. this time he got home at 8:30! Such a surprise!

Friday I finally had my first doctor appointment here. You see I called in and they said I couldn't get an appointment for 3 weeks, so Brad's connection got us the head of the OBGYN department (and the head of the residency program at Texas Tech) and he is a specialist of Fetal and Maternal Medicine. So he gets mostly high-risk patients.

I felt a little silly when I found that out. So in the doc appointment I said to him, "I know I am not high risk so sorry....."

(Kinda like, I am sorry I am wasting your time.....you should be with those women who really use your specialties)

Then he said to me, "You may not be high-risk, but that doesn't mean you aren't VIP"

Then I knew he was for me. So nice.
Then Brad went on to ask if I could be induced around his test schedule. (EMBARRASSING)

But he was so understanding and said it could be possible if I was ready.
Then I felt like he really cared about Brad too, and understood that school is hard for him, and this baby is another stress/happiness in his life.
But he did tell me that I won't go too far over my due date because he has a conference in Houston. Perfect!
My mom flies in Sept. 11, so I really hope he comes right around that time so she isn't waiting for me to go into labor, nor is she here 2 weeks after I had him. We can always change her flight too, but man it would be great if Baby M would just time it perfectly. :)
Anyway, his office is right on campus, and I will have the baby right on campus, so if Brad needs to jet over/away he can. I was going to have the baby in the same building as Brad's classrooms but they just built a brand new OBGYN center. So its just a few buildings away.
Brad spent so much time with me this weekend. We ran errands on Saturday, and it was CRAZY out there. Then we found out it was Tax-Free weekend? Hence everyone buying like it was the day after Thanksgiving. Hence why I had to wait 25 minutes in the Ross line to return 2 pillows. If my total money back would have been less than 10 dollars I would have been outta there! Not worth the money.

Then we went to Sam's Club (no costco here) and it was chaotic and Brad and I always spend so much time discussing why we need something. But then he doesn't even ask me and just throws a giant Parmesan cheese into the cart? He puts unhealthy amounts of that stuff on everything. We have an interesting shopping relationship. Then when I go alone I just buy whatever I want food wise, but if he is with me he is judgmental about things I put in. Mostly because he is worried we will just eat all of it. Rice Krispy Treats........for his lunches!

Then I went to a combo baby shower, and a girl there (doesn't even know me) wants to throw me a baby shower. I INSISTED THAT SHE NOT. But she said, "People here need social get togethers!"
Meaning, oh we are all we have. Each other. None of us have family here, this is our family. And now I'm in it. Like it or not. Well I love it. WE will see HOW that GOES!

Then Brad and spent our evening Saturday and SUNDAY doing this....

Rummy. With his phone Slacker Radio going.

I beat him Sunday, Saturday he whipped out a 235 point last round and beat me. He loves gloating.

Do you notice that door in the background? Ya thats a triple lock system, and one of those pad locks doesn't have a key entry on the outside. EVERY door is like that. Good thing our neighbors were partying hardy every night of the weekend outside, so that we don't have to worry about somebody crackin our windows. Neighborhood watch. Although I did hear their baby screamin....hopefully somebody is watchin that babe while they party.

It's fun to have to do stuff just him and I sometimes. We almost started Monopoly but decided last time we played we got in a fight cuz he always wins because I give him all the good properties because he does a puppy dog face and begs me. Then I'm mad when I lose. But, we are making friends, and it is nice to rely on each other. Peace out from Lubbock!

Blue Sky Texas

Brad came home and I told him a bunch of jarble of what happened today and how placentas are a hot item and people would do anything to get ahold of a placenta, then we had this convo.
Me: Sorry I had this big plan to actually shower and do my makeup and get ready so I looked half decent but I was hanging pictures up/cleaning and didn't make it there.
Him: Ya I was wondering what happened to you, looks like somebody came in and beat you up and made you wear those really ugly clothes.
Me: I'm running out of comfy cute clothes BRAD.
Him: Well you had better get ready cuz we are going to Blue Sky.
Me: I don't know what that is but I am going with you!
Him: Slap my tush and we are on our way.

It's a burger joint. That Brad has been told by "at least 3 people" that it is good. Or 'the place to get burgers'

So of course we had to try it on the one night this week Brad had some time to kill. By time to kill, I mean his eating break 

I thought it was a nice little joint. Brad was very disapointed in the fact that they charged .40 cents for hickory sauce and .40 cents for ranch.

A LOT OF FOOD!!! I ate 1/2 of my hamburger, and then I felt like it was in my chest about ready to come out of my nostrils. 

Brad kept saying, "I just don't know why they would charge extra for sauces, and extra for every thing." 

Brad, "I don't like places that are nit picky about charging for every little thing."

I asked him if he would go back, and he said, "Newoooooo."

So sometimes he judges based on service, or setting, and not the food.

It must ruin the taste, because I liked the taste, the fries looked like droopy elephant ears but were still good... but that extra .40 was too much for Mr. Brad.

Now do I look drugged or what!!! These onion rings were super flimsy too, this BLue Sky Place loves droopy things.

Well we did not succeed in finding a favorite Hamburger place. 

But don't worry we have already been to this place twice.

Pizza place CHECK.

In the mean time......I'm just fighting heartburn after those onion rings and fries, droopilicious.

One more burn burp and I'm gonna drink 15 gallons of water.

But I guess since THIS GUY keeps pushin up on my throat I have a reason for these burn burps.

Come on 37 weekers. 3 Days and I'm FULL TERM BABY!

Then I'm doing everything in the book that is supposed to put you in labor.

Lots of castor oil and S*X.

And Spicy foods.

*Note to readers who don't know I am sarcastic.

I am. 

I have my first doctor's appointment in Lubbock tomorrow, and it was h*ll getting to this point to even get a doctor's appointment because everywhere was 2-3 weeks booked out. Baby M would have been here Ya'll! Sure I'll go AHEAD AND BRING MY BABY TO THAT APPOINTMENT SISTA! But thank you to Brad's connections and the kindness of many people we made it in with the head guy of OBGYN at the Hospital. So here we go doc, tell me I could go into labor at any point :)

DIY Monogrammed Washer Art

Am I on a roll or what?

More like....am I home all DAY, and having a baby, and keep doing hours and hours of crafts to keep myself sane???

Yes.

At least you know I am productive without a job, husband, or baby....yet.

Now I have a husband. He is just in med school, but you knew that. I always talk about that.

But I feel bad for him. Yesterday he was a zombie, and if you came to this post to read about the monogrammed art......just scroll down and skip this hokie pokie. He is just studying for anatomy a lot. He has blood shot eyes every night, and he just works really hard. I love it when he comes home, but usually he comes home feeling like he is behind and so he eats dinner then probably watches some of the ranger game with me, then into the den to study. I bring him waters and fruit and sometimes try to think of important things to go in there about and talk to him. . . . Like Hi honey!!! I need some thumbtacks and.........do you need anything??? I try not to interrupt too much. Anyway, thats why I do lots of crafts.

So here is something I found on pinterest, it wasn't the letter M, but I made my own M.

1. Washers You need washers, found at Walmart or probably a home store, Lowe's Home Depot. They were 95 cents, to 1.57 a pack. I used about 4 packs for this project and had a pack left over, but you need different sizes, so you don't use all of every size.


2. Mod Podge The girl who did it on Pinterest used some strong glue, that I didn't want to go buy, so I tried Mod Podge. At first I didn't think it was strong enough because the washers were sliding all over and it seemed like they wouldn't stick. But after about 3 minutes they were SOLID on the canvas. So at first it seems like they won't stick, but they did! And I've had it dry for about 2 days and they are on there tight!

3. Canvas You need some sort of canvas. I got mine in a 3 pack at DI (goodwill) for $2.00. That's a steal of a deal, but I know that's not reality, so craft stores have them for about $5.00 each or less with coupons.

4. Applicator You could really use anything to apply the glue to the washers, I used a stencil blotter foam stick. (I don't know their real name, but that will help you find them in the store) They are in any craft store and I got the pack of 10 stencil sticks for like 4.00 thinking I would use them for something else and never did, so they were PERFECT for this. It allowed me to blot on the paint in a circle like the washer, vs painting it everywhere and having it get in the middle of the washer. 

So it started off nicely, I just arranged it as I went and glued down as I went. They were easy to peel off with some prying if I messed up. It took me 2 hours to glue all those little stinks down. 

So not the easiest job ever. And it sometimes got scary if it wasn't matching up like I wanted it to.

(Sorry for the glare I took like 1230847230984 million pictures and this was the best one!) 

I feel like it turned out cute! You could make it thicker or skinnier to your liking.

Stay tuned to see it in baby M's nursery!!!!

DIY Abc Poster/Art

So I looked on Pintrest forever looking for the perfect ABC poster. All these cutesy ones for $25-$50. And I almost dropped the cash, but then I remembered that my husband is in Med school=no income.
And I am 9 months pregnant, left my job in Utah, so I'm not making the big bucks either.

So I thought. I painted my giraffe, I can do an ABC poster. But I seriously lost sleep over it.

I was going to just stencil it. Then I hated that, so I didn't finish it all the way. Then I thought about it a few more days and realized it would look good if it were 3D. If I used wooden letters and painted them it would look good. So here I am 9 months prego, thinking I have to get in my hot car (in the garage) and go to Michael's and buy these letters. But I have a lot of CRAP. Like Scrapbooking crap, so I decided to venture through that and found chipboard letters in blue and salmon.

I loved the blue, but didn't have enough to do the whole alphabet in blue, so I checked out to make sure I could craft paint the salmon ones, to make up for the blue ones I didn't have. Two colors not cute enough, so I chose 3, gray green and blue. I have tried to do gender neutral for most of my stuff, but come on, let's get real, if I have a girl I'm going to do more girly colors, and have a butt LOAD of more crafts I want to add to her nursery. But deep down I feel like I'm going to be the person that gets 5 boys before I get a girl.

1. CHIPBOARD LETTERS So let me take you through the steps. I found these chipboard letters that have self-adhesive stickies on the back. But if you are doing this for the first time, you can find chipboard letters at any scrapbook store/craft store. You also could sub them for wooden letters and then MOD Podge them on the canvas.

I paid 1.00 for each box of chipboard letters at a warehouse sale, at some women's conference for these. I collect scrapbook stuff, and for this project it paid off. So there were 84 letters total and I used 26. So if you do the math, it cost me .61 cents for the letters. Good deal.

2. Canvas I bought 3 canvases at DI (goodwill) for $2.00. I realize that is a steal, and you will be lucky to get a canvas for that cheap, but you can get them at a craft store for about 8.00 for 3, then if you use a coupon, around 2.00 each. So the canvas cost me.... .66 cents. Good deal.

3. Paint I bought the yellow paint for multiple projects at Lowe's awhile back, and I just bought a sample size so they are $2.94 each and you use barely any, so probably .50 cents worth to be safe. You also can use craft paint, or any other kind of paint. I just love the yellow paint color I already had. That's the yellow I used to paint the main canvas. Then I had green and gray craft paint for the letters. .59 cents each. So I used barely any of that paint too. So paint, a total of maybe .75 cents that I used. If you are starting out, you can spend like 1.50 on 3 craft paints. ( I didn't have to paint the blue letters). Paintbrush costs about .50 cents at a craft store as well.

So I had to do two or three coats on the salmon letters.

I wrote down what each letter was going to be on a piece of paper, because I didn't want to make ANY mistakes.

And it took me probably a total of one hour to complete the entire project.

Lay all the letters how you want them, then glue/stick as you go. Mine was easy, just a peel off adhesive for the chipboard letters on the back. But Modpodge would work great if you had wooden letters.

I love it, and stay tuned to see it in full motion in Baby M's nursery. :)

Oh Puke Girlfriend

That's what I said when I saw this picture.

18 weeks pregnant. I thought I was huge.....
Well honey you have something coming for ya...
It's a slow spiral to hugeness.

You had no idea. You thought you were so big back then with your little pooch. Now its a BABY, baby.

Those pants are barely hanging on. Only a few weeks left my dear...hang in there.

Oh and jealousy has hit the fan!!!

My sis Summer just had her baby TODAY. She was 4 weeks ahead of me.

Here he is, fresh outta the womb/birth canal.

Parker Robinson

9 POUNDS!!! 5 OUnces!!!

Now everybody knows why Sum Bum was so uncomfortable.

Watch me have a little 6 pounder, then everybody will say, "What were you complainin' about your back sister, Sum Bum had a giant inside of her???!!!"

Congrats Summer and AJ and Jemma. 

So LUCKY&CUTE!

Counting Down

I can't believe I am almost there.

I try not to think about it.
I try not to worry about birth.
When people ask my by birthing plan, I usually give a calm educated answer, but how I really feel???

*#^#(@*URKNFSHD*#*(@!)(@(@*#UR*?????

Glad we got that out of the way.

But here I am, late one night this week when I had just sweat to death from the heat......and not showered.

So I'm throwin it all out there for you.

I am 36 weeks now....

And that means, I have 4 weeks left...providing everything goes as planned.

This baby M has beaten my ribs to pulp....so it is TIME!

I'm feeling large and in charge, and Brad has to help me roll over, stand up, bend over, pick things up.

I remember my MOM at this stage, and I never understood why she made us pick everything up for her.

NOW I UNDERSTAND.

This belly baby is so loved, and I am SO excited to hold him.

So I just always say, HI baby M, whatcha doin up in my ribs, that doesn't feel very good, will you come a week early for MAMa? Please.

In the mean time I wait for him. 

DIY hardcore.

So I wanted to paint this giraffe ever since I saw him (her?)

So back in October on my fall break Brad and I spent the day and night in SLC to have a little break.

I loved this giraffe and I knew I would paint him/her one day.

We also went to the Moon. No big.

So back in October when I was feeling so gung ho about it, I sketched Mr. Giraffe on a canvas. So proud of myself for getting that far.

Now...its August and I finally decided to finish Mr. Giraffe.

But I usually do little paintings in oil...

Well I can't paint with oil because it's toxic, so I painted with craft paint.

Which was totally different and does not blend, but dries really fast which allowed me to finish the painting in one day!! I love that. With oil I had to wait for it to dry because it blends...anyway you don't really need to know all of that artsy stuff.

Now normally I wouldn't have step by step picture, but I was sending them to my sister in law who I was like, "Hey you want this painting don't ya?" Then it was like, should I do this or what?

Anyway....

its amazing what you can do with all day, no job, no husband, and only one friend in this entire city. 

I know I will get more ;)

So it looks nothing like the above giraffe right???

Well its because my computer wouldn't turn on and I couldn't look at the picture!!

Which I am so glad, because it turned into my own little painting with the colors I felt like putting on there. It was my idea of what a giraffe looks like...

So I felt like this wasn't far enough, I needed something more............more.

So I added stripes, but it still wasn't right. It looked too perfect or something.

So we added white stripes, and these were messy and I should have taped at this point, but the fact is I didn't now we just don't look close..... But it still wasn't enough OH MY HECK. 

So we added orange. And phew, it finally felt right. An entire day staring at this giraffe. And I only spent like 2 hours on him today after this picture was taken, just straightening lines and getting all the colors on him right.

Mr. Giraffe looks pretty good.

Who needs $400 art?

DIY!

Today, I painted shelves for Baby M's room, and a little hanger thing. I'll show you those when they are up on the wall, they aren't very impressive just sitting on the table.

But I gotta get his room put together first....and I'm slowing down. I am due in exactly 4 weeks from today.

Now, I don't know about other wives of med students but I am just a different case maybe, but this is our schedule.

Brad leaves at 7:30 AM.

He has class for about 1 hour a day, and he is in the anatomy (cadaver lab) for 4 hours a day. 

They have a dissection list. So they have a group of 5 and they dissect the cadaver with scalpels and gloves......no masks, and that is why you may have seen my facebook status, how Brad wouldn't eat my chicken enchiladas because the chicken reminded him of his cadaver he has been dissecting.

Now you may think you have seen a dead person, but I can't imagine digging inside of one's body trying to find a nerve, or something......seems past what I ever wanted to experience with a dead body. (FYI I never want any experiences with a dead body.....no Brittany and cadaver ever will be in the same room as much as Brad begs me to go in there. I don't need nightmares for the REST of my life. Call me a baby. I don't care. Not my thing.)

If you are reading this and puking simultaneously I am really sorry, but its the life of a med student's wife, you get what you get.

Anyway, goes to lab for 4 hours a day, then studies the rest of the day, so he is gone 8-5 no matter what.

Then he comes home, we eat dinner hang out, then he is studying again until 10:30 give or take.

Now, people were complaining about that......but honestly, that's not a lot different than what we had before, except the difference is.. I had to work 8-5, then come home make dinner, try to clean the house and be upbeat for him when I was just as exhausted, and I usually had some project to do, and he had to study till 10:30 3 out of the 5 nights anyway.

NOW I get to stay home ALL DAY!!!!!!!!

This is not torture. This is heaven. This is not hard to endure.  This is awesome. Now I know I have no baby yet, and I may be naive and I'll let you know when baby comes. But......I've had the busy hectic work life, and my dishes don't get done because I taught Kindergarten.....

I do wish I could have endless days with Brad, but that's not ever reality unless we are on vacation. And I am not miserable when he goes into the study room and studies all night. Gosh if he gets awesome grades and gets into an awesome residency and provides for our family so I DONT HAVE TO WORK!!! Thank you and you study all night if you need to. Thank you for working so hard while I do the basics. I love being at home and I love doing all these things I have always wanted to do, like paint my giraffe.

So basically all this ranting is...when we came here all the wives just basically dumped all these quotes on us.

-Be prepared to live 4 years without your husband.

-Be prepared to do things by yourself, like take out the trash. (WHAT??? THATS SO EASY)

-Be prepared to have a struggle on your relationship. (WHAT!!!!!!!!! THAT TAKES TWO SISTER)

-Be prepared to raise your children by yourself.

I just was a little in shock thinking Brad would be gone every day 8-midnight, and then he wasn't and it was awesome.

First week of med school classes. CHECK!

Now does anyone else's husband watch surgeries on youtube????

I just can't look at his computer. In fact as I am typing I looked over and they are pulling on the femur with some metal contraption. GROSS. Not looking again. 

You try it, just you tube, 'total knee replacement'

and puke.

But I am SO happy he loves it. I am not a total knee replacement girl.

And now...I am rambling.

Tonight our friends came over and we ate pizza and salad, and they have two kids, and one is almost 3, and he said to his mom....

"Mom, Brittany just ate and ate and ate so much food, and then there was her baby in her tummy."

Yep, that's how it worked out. Missed a few steps, but mostly that is how I FEEL!

4 weeks left till Baby M is here, and now hopefully by the end of next week you will see his completed room. If I can get MR. Surgery Watcher to set up his bookshelf, cuz I can do that, but I don't have to DO everything by myself just because Brad is in Med School :) ;)