What's in a name?

We have been so eager to share the name we have picked for our precious little girl but wanted to make it known to family first and figured Christmas was the best time to share.  We went to the ranch on Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with Spencer's parents and brothers.  We had a wonderful dinner that night but felt announcing the name was just not the appropriate setting.  Christmas morning we woke up and opened presents and still didn't feel the timing was right.  Right after lunch Spencer went upstairs with his dad and grandfather to watch TV and tinker around with Chris's new record player.  Spencer decided he wanted to ask his father and grandfather privately because the name we chose has special meaning to them.  Spencer said his grandfather perked up and smiled and said he would be honored to have us name our baby girl Vivian.  Vivian was his first wife's name, Chris's mother, who unfortunatley passed away at an early age soon after Chris and Sherrie got married.  I think the name is timeless, beautiful and has special meaning.  Spencer then came downstairs to share the news with Sherrie and I and then we all went upstairs and shared the middle name, Grey.  Grey is Spencer's middle name.  I love that name as well.

That afternoon we drove to my parents house and shared the news with them.  I wrote each letter of her name on a piece of paper and had each family member pick a letter out of a hat.  Then I made them put the letters together to come up with her name.  My parents are excited about the name too.  Maybe our next child will carry on some Skarsten/Cheek names.

What am I doing?

I went to Babies R Us with my mom today to register for baby items.  I've been excited so far about being pregnant, bringing a new life into the world, being a mom but today reality set in.  I have no idea what I have signed up for.  I'm not even sure I know what I registered for.  You would think that after all the years of studying child development in college I would feel a little more confident than the average expectant mother but that is just not the case.  Why does this mom thing seem so overwhelming...probably because it is.  Keep me in your prayers because I will need all the help I can get.

Lett-Uce help you with that

Ok, we all know when we are hungry and use the word "starvation" that we are not in any real danger of starving to death but feel the use of the word helps get our point across of how hungry we really are. To keep from this happening too often I plan my meals everyday to be eaten on the hour, every 3 hours.  I've been doing this for years and it works for me.  I usually eat breakfast at 7am, snack at 9:30am, lunch at 12:30pm, afternoon snack at 3:30pm and dinner at 6pm.  I keep this schedule everyday.

It so happens I made a doctors appointment this morning for 11:30am.  I work downtown and my doctors office is about a good 30 minute drive with no traffic so I had to leave my office at 10:50am to be there on time.  I figured I would get to the doctor at 11:30am, have my 15-20 minute appointment and head back to work to be there by 12:30pm.  I get to the office 10 minutes early and check in and have a seat in the waiting room.  And I waited and waited and waited.  At 12:45pm someone finally called me back to see the doctor.   At this point I'm not only mad for having to wait but it's past my lunch time and I'm getting very grumpy.  I sit in the exam room for another 25 minutes before the doctor comes in.  My doctor is very sweet and very pregnant so I feel like I can't lash out at her for making me wait.  I turn on my happy face and make it through the appointment. 

I walk out of the office at 1:30 and am now ravenous.  I'm not sure if I can even drive my car back to the office.  I'm almost in tears because I'm so hungry.  I see a Sonic drive thru and said bite me to my spaghetti leftovers waiting for me at the office and drove up.  I ordered the biggest hamburger on the menu with tator tots and a cranberry limeade.  After one bite of my delicious hamburger I immediately started to feel better.  I scarfed down the hamburger all the way down the highway, licking my fingers as I pulled into the office parking lot.  I walk in and notice people in the lobby looking at me funny.  I think nothing of it and proceed onto the elevator.  I walk onto my floor and notice more strange looks from men in the office.  After downing a large limeade in the car I had to relieve myself and went straight to the bathroom.  As I'm washing my hands I glance up for a second and look down to turn off the water and paused.  I looked back up and noticed right between my ever enlarging breasts that I had safely secured a wade of lettuce.  I'm not talking a small leaf but a small handful of lettuce.  How I didn't feel it I have no idea.  I guess I had food on the mind that I just ignored all other senses.  I'm embarrassed that I walked around with lettuce popping out of my shirt and irritated that no one said anything.  Someone easily could have said, "Lett-us get that for you." 

Note to self: No more doctors appointments around feeding times.

Second times a charm

Well it has happened again, Spencer got me knocked up.  YEAH!  We are expecting a little girl next spring.  We are very excited.  After our painful experience this past summer God has blessed us with a miracle.  I can't wait to meet her.  I'm 18 weeks along with 22 weeks to go.  Our estimated due date is April 26th.  We'll just have to wait and see if she surprises us early or makes us wait. 

It has been hard keeping this a secret for so many weeks.  We were hesitant on telling anyone too early based on past experience.  During this secrecy it was brought to my attention what a drinker I have been over the years.  Anytime I went out and didn't order a drink or pour myself a glass of wine everyone became suspicious and asked questions.  FYI: If you have a friend who has had a miscarriage and doesn't order a drink when you go out, don't call them out in front of everyone.  It is embarrassing first of all if they aren't pregnant (it's a sensitive subject) and it just makes you look like an ass.  They will let you know when they want you to know.  It ain't your business till they make it your business. 

With that said,  we are really excited and are looking forward to meeting our little angel.

Doggy Car Seats

So my sister posted an article on Facebook regarding doggy safety in cars and securing your pets while driving.  Apparently people are all up in arms about dogs riding freely in cars and not being properly secured to seat belts.  That is great if you want to strap your pooch in a device like this:

I think I am going to pass.  Meadow would look ridiculous in this thing.  The government has already told us that our children must be in a car seat until they are 18 (slight exaggeration).  I do think children should be in a car seat but do we really need the government telling us to do so?  Some may say yes, we need to the tell morons what we expect of them but I vote no.  That's just my opinion.

This article did not state that this was going to become a law but I wouldn't doubt pet lovers lobbying for it to become one.  Because, you know, we need more laws telling us what we can and can't do. Give me your feedback.

~Salsa~

Salsa is now the number one condiment in America. You know why? Because people like to say "salsa." "Excuse me, do you have salsa?" "We need more salsa." "Where is the salsa? No salsa?"

A little Seinfeld humor for you but I must agree, salsa is the best.  I use it all the time.  I love it in the morning on my eggs, I love it on grilled chicken and of course my favorite, I love it with chips.  I could eat chips and salsa at every meal if I could justify it being healthy for me.  But why is it I have no self control with them?  I love chocolate too but know when to put the fork down and walk away.  If you keep bringing out more chips, I'll keep eating them.  Which brings me to where I am at this moment.  After eating two bowls of chips for lunch I am now in a semi-comatose state.  My zipper on my skirt is about to rip and I think there is a ultimate fighting tournament happening in my bowels.  This happens every time but for some reason I continue to binge on chips and salsa anytime you put them in front of me.  There must be a cure for this. 

Happy 4th of July

What a great weekend I had with Spencer, family and friends.  I feel so lucky to know so many wonderful people.  After lounging on the couch all day Saturday, Spencer and I decided to head to Lake Texoma for the rest of the weekend.  I have never been to Lake Texoma.  I know, I know some of you are gasping at the moment but I have just never been a huge fan of lakes, well water in general.  I did however have an amazing trip.  We stayed at Melissa's parents house on the lake, who by the way have a beautiful home and graciously invited us to stay with them.  On Sunday we headed out on the lake on their sailboat.  I was scared at first being that my last trip on a sailboat was not the most memorable experience.  I had a blast.  Melissa's dad has been sailing for years and I felt so comfortable with him on board.  I was a little nervous when Spencer took the wheel but was so proud of how well he steered us.  That night we grilled out and hung out on their porch and watched fireworks. 

Monday morning Spencer and I set out on their seadoo.  I haven't been on a seadoo since my senior year of high school so I was little nervous at first.  I was so afraid of being thrown in the water but Spencer did a good job of keeping me on board.  Plus I had my arms wrapped so tight around him I wasn't going anywhere without him!  We came back and grabbed lunch and then floated in the cove for the rest of the afternoon.  It was such a fun, relaxing weekend that was very much needed.