Angie's visit

Ang came to visit us here in Montana over Columbus Day weekend. It was so much fun to have a girlfriend around! We did a lot of the stuff we used to do, like bake cookies and treats (I have this same picture of us about 60 times through out the years-with the only changes being location and...no one is pregnant).

We also wanted to go to Corn Maze, but once were were all loaded up and bundled into the car, the three of us spent more time looking for it then anything else. Turns out, it was closed. You just never can rely on that kind of stuff around here I guess. So we went to Fiesta En Jalisco on the way home, and yep, you guessed it...it is also a casino. If you have never been to Great Falls, almost everything is a casino. The gas stations and laundry mats, restaruants, everything.

This is the pregnancy jacket that Jeremiah picked out for me (from Sam's Club). It was just so stylin' that Angie couldn't resist taking a picture...Yup, I know-stunning.

It also snowed six and half inches while Angie was here. Good thing we were baking treats to keep us warm!

26 weeks along

Grizzly, can you believe this belly is going to get bigger?!

Pregnant Emotions

I have now been pregnant for 25 weeks (officially). During those 25 weeks, at some point, I should have figured out how to manage my out of control emotions... Angie was here to visit for the weekend, and I spent most of the weekend ecstatically happy to be in the company of my freind. After she flew back home to Minnesota, I went to Midas to get my brakes fixed. I had called two weeks before to make the appointment and get a ballpark idea of the cost, just to make sure there was enough money in the ol' checkbook.

The very nice gentleman in the shop took my keys, accepted my coupon (just call me Janet), remined me it would be $20 for the inspection and then they would be out to provide an estimate of the total cost for parts and labor. I made myself comfortable with the copy of Belly Laughs (Jenny McCarthy) that Angie had brought for me, and waited it out. A guy about my age came out about a 1/2 hour later and started to explain things while we walked back to the Xterra on its lift. He said that the problem wasn't actually the breaks, it was the ball bearings and also he noticed that all three belts were bad. With the bravest face I could muster, I asked, in my bravest, I can control myself voice "this is more expensive then the brakes, isn't it?". He nodded as pointed down at his price sheet to show me two possible scenarios. On the right, if they had to replace the ball bearings, on the left, if they could work around them. Trying to make light of the tears that just WOULD NOT STOP rolling out of my eyes I asked why this never happend when we were rolling in money (not that I know what it is like to roll in money). The poor mechanic politely laughed at my attempted joke (probably trying to visulize what it would be like to see a pregnant lady "roll" anywhere), and I excused myself to call Jeremiah. When I emerged from the bathroom, face mostly dry of my tears, I gave the go ahead for the $600 plus project. And then before I could start my hysterics all over again, I made my brave face again and headed out the door to the nearest book store to drown my sorrows in someone else's troubles.
Halfway through my Janet Evanovich book the manager of Midas called to say the money pit was road ready and I could pick it up anytime. I calmly picked my jacket and purse out of my comfy chair, placed my book back on the shelf, vowed to actually control myself this time, readied my credit card and crossed the street to the garage.
The young mechanic saw me coming from across the parking lot and shouted, "Hey Kelley, we were able to save you a lot of money!!" A wildly optimistic grin spit my face open as I thanked him and made my way into the office. The manager was waiting for me and explained how they were able to use the old ball bearings safely and how it would only cost about 1/2 the price. He said he had seen the tear in my eye and he promised that they were going to work with me and this is the option that they came up with (safely). I stammered an apology and said that I hadn't meant not to pay them what they were worth, and he assured me it was a fine solution. I thanked him repeatedly handed over the credit card and made it back to the car before I broke into giggles and tears again. Giggles at my pregnant, out of control emotions (I NEVER cry to get what I want...I usually flirt), and tears at the relief and kindness of the guys at Midas.
If anyone has figured out how to control pregnant emotions...I'll take the advice!

24 weeks pregnant

Well, this past week has been very exciting. We met with and hired our Doula, Carmen Roberts. She is a labor and delivery coach and will advocate for us during the time we spend at the hospital...with Jeremiah and I being so picky about the things that we want and Great Falls being a community that is a little behind the times, we thought it would be smart to have someone help us through the process. The great thing is, at all times she works for us, never for what is convienient for the hospital or doctor on call, so we are pretty excited.

We also spent Sunday celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary in Helena. We saw a movie and had dinner and did a little maternity shopping. We also found a really cute little carousel and we were the only two people in the shop, so we had it all to ourselves. Jeremiah even picked up a book to start reading to the baby...One Fish, Two Fish, Red Fish, Blue Fish. The baby seems to like it...it is one of the few times our little kicker is calm. :)

No Chocolate?!?

Jacquie is our wonderful dietitian at the HAWC. She is a wonderful person and I adore her. That is until the other day, when she provided me with some nutrition therapy for kidney stones. And now...now, I hate her. The idea behind the handout is to aviod high oxalte foods (oxalte binds calcium together and yup, you guessed it, kidney stones). Foods high on the list - the "don't eat these foods" include:
chocolate milk/ovaltine/chocolate, nuts, cola, hot cocoa, berries, oranges, grapes, green peppers, spinach, summer squashes, CHOCOLATE, peanut butter, CHOCOLATE...foods to limit my consumption to 3-5 servings a week include: apples, green grapes, oranges, peaches, pears, prunes, fruit juice made from any of those fruits, cornbread, tomatos and tomato sauces, broccali...I eat three to five servings of those things in A DAY!!!! That is a pretty comprehensive list of my daily diet! And who tells a pregnant lady she can't have CHOCOLATE!!!! (Needless to say Jacquie dropped the papers off on my desk and snuck back out the door before I could read it).

I can however, have bananas, eggs, bacon, pudding without chocolate, cheese, candy without chocolate, white potatoes, rice, bamboo shoots, unsalted chips, buttermilk, avacado, coconut and cranberries.

Grocery shopping today was a very tearful experience. :(