Baby Shower # 1: Bennett Family

So, I yet again have a reason to state that I work for one of the best companies EVER! (: Well, only for about 9 more hours total anyways since the plan is to be a stay at home Mom. My last day here is Monday and I'm super sad to leave. My husband and I both work for the same company and have had a superior amount of love and support from the people we work with! I am going to miss my Bennett family very much!

Two of my work Grandmother's came together today to throw me a shower at work - a diapers and wipes shower. (It's slowly becoming apparent to me how much of these things I will need after Ryan gets here). I love you both Polly & Judy for having this little celebration for us and our unborn little one... I am so thankful to have both of you ladies in my life!

I'm so thankful for my Mom and sister, and my Mother in law and Sister in law who also showed up for the event. It was great to have my family there to celebrate with me. It really means a lot to me how many people care for me and care for Baby Ryan already. I can't wait to bring him up here after he's born to show him off and let him meet everyone. He's going to be so spoiled!

Water for Elephants: Movie

I've previously read this book, I posted about it here a while ago.

Here is some info on the movie. It's set to release in the US on April 22nd! Beware of spoilers!
Read more about the back story here.

The Main Cast:

• Robert Pattinson as Jacob Jankowski – The novel’s protagonist. He is a “90, or 93″-year-old nursing home resident reminiscing on the time he spent as a circus veterinarian during the Great Depression.
• Reese Witherspoon as Marlena – A star performer with the circus. Marlena joined the circus after she ran away from home to marry August. She enjoys a special rapport with the horses and cares for them deeply.
• Christoph Waltz as August - Marlena’s husband and the head animal trainer (Circus owner and RingMaster in the film). He is alternately charming and brutal, both to the humans and animals aboard the Benzini Brothers train.
• Mark Povinelli as Kinko/Walter – A dwarf with whom Jacob shares living quarters on the circus train. Initially, their relationship is rocky, but they develop a strong friendship. At the beginning of the story, he is known as Kinko. Walter is his real name and he only lets his friends call him this. He has a jack russell terrier named Queenie to whom he is very attached.
• Jim Norton as Camel – One of the first people Jacob meets when he jumps the train. Camel is a drunk who is instrumental in getting Jacob a job with the circus.
• Tai as Rosie – An elephant that Uncle Al buys from another circus. She is believed to be useless until it is discovered that she understands commands only in Polish. She is often the target of August’s rage.

Meet Rosie:

Tai, from Have Trunk Will Travel, will play the beloved Rosie in Water for Elephants. So, Tai! Let’s see that resume:

• Born ~ 1968 (H2O Kinker: summer of love?)
• Weight ~ a lady never tells (but H2O Kinkers do! 8,800 lbs!)
• Favorite Foods ~ Bananas & Carrots (H2O Kinker: Healthy!)
• Characteristics ~ Very intelligent! Loves to take naps and play. Likes people and every other elephant I see.

Source

Here are some of the official stills:

Written Notes!

One of the blogs I read daily, Jumble Mash, did this hand written entry that I thought could be pretty fun to share with my readers. Here are the questions...

1. What's your name/blogger name?
2. What's your blog's URL?
3. Write "The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog."
4. Favorite quote?
5. Favorite song?
6. Favorite band/singers?
7. Anything else...?
8. Tag 3-5 other peeps

And here are my handwritten answers!

Slow Cooker Baked Ziti

Preparation Time: 10 minutes minutes
Cooking Time: 3 hours minutes
Yield: Serves 6

Cost per Serving: $2.37

1 15-oz. container part-skim ricotta
1 cup shredded mozzarella
1 cup grated Parmesan
1 teaspoon salt
1 pound ziti
2 25-oz. jars marinara sauce
2 tablespoons finely chopped fresh basil leaves

1. Combine all three cheeses and salt in a medium bowl. Rinse ziti under cold water in a colander, allowing some water to cling to pasta.

2. Mist inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Place half of pasta in an even layer over bottom of cooker. Spoon half of sauce over pasta. Dot with half of cheese mixture and half of basil. Repeat with remaining pasta, sauce, cheese and basil. Pour in 2/3 cup water.

3. Cover and cook on high until pasta is tender, 2 to 3 hours.

CALORIES 671 ; FAT 22g (sat 10g); CHOLESTEROL 51mg; CARBOHYDRATE 88g; SODIUM 1984mg; PROTEIN 33g; FIBER 4g

Tips on Saving at the Grocery Store

Dairy:

• Make ends meet. Look for leftover cheese ends (or ask at the deli counter). Most grocery stores sell them at a discount. Use the pieces to make a delicious sauce for broccoli or to liven up your favorite mac and cheese recipe!
• Skip buttermilk. Don’t buy buttermilk if you need only 1 cup. Instead, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, shake, and you’re all set!

Produce:

• Go big. Found a large bag of vegetables on sale? Grab it, even if it’s more than you need. Use the extras to make soups, stews or chop and freeze in airtight bags.
• Swap colors. Orange and yellow bell peppers are significantly cheaper than their red cousins, and they’re only slightly less sweet. If you’re making a recipe that calls for red bell peppers, save some money and go with a different hue.
• Stay clean. Visit foodnews.org for the updated Clean 15 list of produce with the lowest levels of pesticides. You can save money by buying non-organic versions of those.

Bread:

• Get creative. Add crumbled bread to burgers and meatloaf. You can save money by using less meat, but without skimping on flavor.
• Go stale. Ask for day-old bread at the bakery counter to make your own bread crumbs or croutons, or to treat your family to french toast!
  
• Save on snacks. Pick up inexpensive corn or flour tortillas and turn them into chips. Crisp up the tortillas in the oven and sprinkle on sea salt and chili powder for a delicious, savory treat. Or try brushing them with butter and tossing with cinnamon and sugar before baking for a sweet, crunchy ice cream topping.

Meat:

• Beware of boneless. Skinless, boneless chicken breasts can be high-priced. Try buying bone-in chicken instead; they’re much cheaper.
• Speak up. Found a cut of meat on sale that doesn’t look familiar? Ask the store’s butcher about it. He or she should be able to recommend the best way to prepare it, which means you’ll get a deal and add a recipe to your collection.
• Hit the deli. Don’t buy packaged, pre-sliced cold cuts—you’re paying for convenience. Instead, spend a few extra minutes at the deli counter and have meat sliced. Savings bonus: You can buy as much or as little as you need.

Freezer:

• Sip for less. Ounce for ounce, fruit juice made from frozen concentrate costs less than the bottled variety. You also can use it to replace sweeteners, like sugar or maple syrup, in most baking recipes.
• Catch a bargain. Choose frozen fish instead of fresh—it’s almost always a better deal, and it tastes just as good. (Besides, fresh fish at the grocery store was likely frozen at some point.)
• Snap up organics. Head to the freezer aisle for frozen organic berries and other vegetables. They great and will keep for much longer.

Getting Dolled Up for Delivery

I read this article by GALtime.com today and found it interesting... any thoughts?!
Did you take your hair dryer/straightener to the hospital - or even a make up bag?! I want to know what all the other new Mom's think about this change in how things are done using facebook and other social media sites...

The modern mama-to-be may be focused on a smooth delivery, but she’s also focused on a Facebook friendly photo! Thanks to social media, and gadgets that instantly stream pictures and video, giving birth has gone public…and parents want to be prepared!

Parenting Magazine’s Ana Connery says a growing number of mothers are now getting glam for the big day, indulging in everything from spa treatments to designer hospital gowns.

“Moms have really changed their attitude in terms of how they want their delivery experience to be. Once the baby comes, you can pretty much tell the world within seconds. You want to look your best, you want your baby to be presented to the world in a certain way,” says Connery.

Joan Diamond is the Perinatal Nurse Manager at The Johns Hopkins Hospital and estimates at least 50% of women doll up for delivery.

“They know they’re going to be on camera. This is like their shining moment. This is comparable to their wedding day, if you will,” she says.

For many, that means coming armed with a slew of get-pretty goodies…like a hair dryer, a flat iron, even a cosmetics bag. An increase in scheduled deliveries, like C-sections, has also given birth to this trend, allowing parents to prep for a close-up weeks before they’re even due.

“They have little rattles and pacifiers painted on their nails. Same thing with their toes, of course. They’re getting special waxings. They’re getting facials,” says Diamond.

New mom Erin says a doctor scheduled C-section made it easier to style her snapshots, which were sent into cyberspace hours after her daughter’s arrival.

“I treated it like a regular day. I got up. I took a shower. I did my makeup. I did my hair. I actually did pack a nightgown, just hoping really that I could get out of the hospital gown at some point.”

Some moms even pack hospital gowns with a twist! Rachel Zinny is the creator of DearJohnnies, designer versions that are anything but ordinary! Adorned with colorful patterns and ties, they allow moms to add some fashionable flair to their birth day. Popular designs include the Lucy, CeCe, Rory and Lola.

“The bright, strong colors and patterns look amazing, pop in photos, and fade the hospital gray right into the background where it should be," says Zinny.

Within the last two years, DearJohnnies has seen a steady climb in the number of orders. The gowns have made an appearance on ABC’s Private Practice, and have also been worn by stars like Bethenny Frankel and Samantha Harris. Zinny says the primping trend isn’t just about looking good...it’s about feeling good!

“All eyes are on your first photos that you email, post and tweet. The reality is when you look better, you feel better…and when you feel better, you heal better!”

In the end, our experts say it all comes down to comfort level. Still, Connery cautions….

“It’s also a little bit of pressure that moms didn’t have before, knowing that everybody is going to expect to hear from them a lot sooner than they used to.”

Erin says while her daughter was the most gorgeous thing in the delivery room, she’s happy she had time to put on her face.

“It just made me feel good about myself. I went in looking good and I came out looking good!”

Book Review: Cross Fire

Anyone who has read any of my book posts here on this blog before know that I am a Patterson fan. Again, I know he's not the best writer ever, but he does know how to tell a GREAT story.

In this latest book that I'm finishing... Kyle Craig, a man that Cross has put away before, returns to his life. He causes grief, frustration and devastation. Kyle Craig is one of my most favorite serial killers that Alex Cross has gone up against. He's very creative and inventive. He started off in the other books as an FBI agent working closely with Cross, a friend of his even. Then things went down hill from there! He becomes a sadistic criminal who calls himself "The Mastermind", having organized a series of brutal bank robberies and murders. Cross brings him to justice. His name has come up in a few other books before this one... but in this book, he's escaped from jail and is out to get back at Alex Cross!

It was a good story, lots of things happening and lots of cases all mixed together. It was an interesting read and kept me intrigued until the end, wanting to know what happens next. I recommend it for anyone that doesn't mind a good thriller read.

27 Weeks -13 More to Go!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say this week:

The light at the end of the tunnel is growing brighter for both you and your baby. With only 13 weeks left (give or take a couple of days), it's time to enjoy the ride because it's getting shorter. (This is the point on the roller coaster where you throw your arms in the air and wail like there's no tomorrow. Wee!)

Baby's lungs and immune system are maturing this week as baby prepares for his grand entrance. If he were born today he would have an 85 percent chance of surviving as his lungs are capable of breathing air (with medical assistance, of course). Other exciting developments:

Baby's done a lot of growing over the past few months. His length has more than doubled in the past 15 weeks! And that's not the only thing growing—baby's brain tissue and neurons are all developing at a rapid pace. His brain waves are now firing away just like those of a newborn baby. If baby is a he, his testes will have completely descended at this point.


Your baby now weighs in at approximately 14½ inches and just over 2 pounds, or about the size of that roast you made last time your in-laws were in town. (OK, the baby is the size of that roast you meant to cook before you decided that ordering Chinese was a much better idea.)

This week is going to be interesting... I'm training the new girl at work and looking forward to not working after the 28th. I really excited about my opportunity to stay home... but still a little worried about the financial part of it. I hope things work out for us and that I don't have to find another job right away after the baby comes. I'm getting better at coupon shopping... so I'm hoping that will help save us some money in the long run.

I'm really looking forward to the next 3 months too - I have baby showers scheduled; I get to schedule my prenatal massage that my hubby got me for Valentine's day; and I get to finish working on the nursery to get ready for Ryan's arrival! I have a lot of things to look forward too, but I'm still a little nervous about delivery. I'm hoping my childbirth class in March will help calm these fears and give me some calm thoughts about the hospital too. I'm looking forward to our tour of the maternity floor and learning what all we have to do to get checked in!

Is it sad that I'm also looking forward to being able to wear my pajamas all day and my flip flops when I leave the house!? I'm so ready for flip flop weather!! I am going consignment shopping a few times in the next two months... so I look forward to buying Ryan some new clothes and also to maybe finding somethings for myself as well.

Crazy Dogs!

Our dogs are nuts! (: I love them to death, but our newest, Buster, is literally crazy I think! He acts just like a cat! Take a look at this video I made last night. He was chasing the reflection on the wall from my cell phone. It was hilarious.

26 Weeks!

100 Days To Go! (:

I'll be 26 weeks on Wednesday and my next U/S is on March 10th! I should be having my first baby shower before I leave work next week. I'm super excited about all the changes in my life and I look forward to meeting Baby Ryan! (:

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say about him this week!

Air sacks are developing in your baby's lungs, which means it just might be possible for your baby to take a breath at the end of this week. The air sacks (technically called alveoli) will continue to grow for the next nine years. The membrane that keeps the alveoli separate from the blood vessels is now thin enough to allow for that oxygen–carbon dioxide exchange we call breathing. Other highlights this week:

The retina completes the development of its normal layers this week—all the better to see you with. Well not you, per se, because her eyes are still sealed shut and it's really dark in there, but your baby's eyes are now fully developed.

Brainwaves for the auditory and visual systems are detectable in baby's noggin this week. That means baby's brain is registering things like sound and light. She can't understand what any of it means yet, but she's on track to comprehend an entire episode of Blue's Clues in no time!

As hearing continues to develop, your baby will start to recognize your voice. One hint that your karaoke rendition of "Bohemian Rhapsody" is not the best would be when the baby starts banging on your gut. Your bambino will also start to recognize your partner's voice. He may feel silly talking to your stomach, but assure him that somebody other than you is definitely listening. Research has shown that newborns actually recognize familiar sounds after birth. Proof that your baby has been paying attention all along.

Break out the sparkling apple juice—baby has now completed two-thirds of her stay in Hotel Womb. Your baby is about 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long head-to-heel, or about the length of a burp cloth (otherwise known as your primary wardrobe accessory for the next several months).

Valentine's Day.

This marks my first official Valentine's Day as a married woman... and my husband is the most wonderful and generous man I have ever met in my entire life!

First off, weekend updates. We didn't do a lot this weekend... laundry, television, games with family. Saturday night we had dinner at my parent's house - Dad cooked steaks on the grill and we had mashed potatoes, corn on the cob, rolls, baked beans and salad. It was a fun night of family time. I got to visit with my sisters and parents and then we went home and went to bed. On Sunday, I got up and started on cleaning the house and doing laundry all while watching Charmed re-runs. Wesley and I had plans for dinner that evening, so mid-day I started to get dolled up!

Before we left for dinner, we exchanged gifts. My husband paid for a one hour prenatal massage for me at Spa Sydell in Altanta. I am really looking forward to booking that day and enjoying myself! It will be nice to have and to help me relax once I'm home full time and this month from hell is over.

We had reservations at this restaurant called Dante's Down the Hatch downtown. It's a fondue restaurant where they bring you raw meat and veggies at the table and you cook it there in front of you in a pot of 300 degrees soybean oil. It wasn't too expensive at all and the atmosphere was nice for a romantic valentine's dinner. We really enjoyed ourselves and had some dessert as well. Now, it's Monday - the actual holiday and I'm back at work. Getting ready for our company's annual Symposium up at Stone Mountain next weekend - I'll of course be working registration... and will have no time to enjoy the nice weather we are supposed to get! ):

Here are some photos from dinner:

Our "spread"... Chicken, Pork, Beef, Shrimp,
Squash, Mushrooms and a few peppers.

Our "pot"... of oil... dinner is cooking! (:

Quotes about Marriage & Love

In honor of the upcoming Valentine's Day holiday... I wanted to share some of my favorite marriage and love quotes with my readers. There are many more, these are just a few I've chosen for this special occasion. (:

A long marriage is two people trying to dance a duet and two solos at the same time.

A successful marriage requires falling in love many times, always with the same person.

I don't pretend to know what love is for everyone, but I can tell you what it is for me; love is knowing all about someone, and still wanting to be with them more than any other person, love is trusting them enough to tell them everything about yourself, including the things you might be ashamed of, love is feeling comfortable and safe with someone, but still getting weak knees when they walk into a room and smile at you.

Love is just a word until someone comes along and gives it meaning.

More marriages might survive if the partners realized that sometimes the better comes after the worse.

Marriage is not a noun; it's a verb. It isn't something you get. It's something you do. It's the way you love your partner every day.

I love being married. It's so great to find that one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life.

Love to the tips of your fingers. And when you find that love, wherever you find it, whoever you choose, don't run away from it...but you don't have to chase after it either. You just be patient, and it'll come to you, I promise, and when you least expect it.

Learning to Chill Out...

So...I know that I'm not supposed to be worrying so much because it's not necessarily good for me or for Baby Ryan. I have been tying to figure out ways to "chill out" during this pregnancy. You've all read my posts I'm sure about the worries I have about motherhood, parenting, budgeting, and all of that. My last post about these things was extremely heart felt for me and more opinionated than I usually am on this blog. I was surprised about what worries came out when I sat down to write that blog post.

Even though that was just a week or so ago, things have changed since then... and like I said, I'm trying to chill out and not let it all bother me or worry me right now. I've tried to cut back on the expectations I've had on myself about being a Mom. I'm putting a lot off for the next two weeks until I don't have to worry about a job and my job of wife and Mom at home. I'm also trying to stay off the parenting/pregnancy blogs. Reading too much seems to make me think more about things that could go wrong during the last 3 months of my pregnancy.

I'm also trying to do better about resting. I take more break times at work, or go nap in the car on my lunch break just to have a few minutes to myself. I also try to exercise (just walking) too and it helps me relax and makes me feel a little more healthy.

I also want to say a quick thank you to everyone who's reached out to me, trying to help me deal with my worries and budget issues that I have voiced in the past. You are all such wonderful people and I am glad to have friends that care so much! Love you all! (:

25 Weeks!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say this week:

Get ready for pat-a-cake! Baby's hands are now fully developed and he spends most of his awake time groping around in the darkness of your uterus. Brain and nerve endings are developed enough now so that your baby can feel the sensation of touch. That doesn't mean he can feel it when his father pokes your stomach, however, so tell him to knock it off. Other highlights include:

Your baby's arms and legs have grown to almost the proportions they will be at birth, which is still sort of short. So don't be alarmed when your newborn's arms barely clear his waist. Baby's nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, clear out (like he's taken a super-dose of Sudafed) and he can practice breathing through the nose. The structures of your baby's spine are now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings and some 1,000 ligaments. Can you believe you're growing something that complicated inside of you?

The capillaries, the teeniest blood vessels, are now forming in your baby's body, giving his formerly translucent skin a pink glow. The blood vessels in the lungs also develop this week. You'll see how well that worked out when your baby gives those lungs a workout while you're on line at the bank in a few months.

Your baby weighs about a pound and a half and is about 13½ inches long—roughly the length of one of those recorders you played in elementary school music class.

I can't believe my baby is getting so big - and I go for my glucose testing tomorrow! We've made some small progress on the nursery and I'm so happy about that. I'll be having my first baby shower at the end of the month and I'm getting excited about getting the house prepared for Ryan's arrival!

Baby Nursery Progress!

My sisters came down this weekend for a game night, and then stayed over until Sunday to help me clean out the room that will be the baby nursery. It was mostly storage that had been cluttered in that room since I moved in last December.

So, now the room is cleaned out, the bedding has arrived and we're in the process of deciding on how to paint the walls. Also, my good friend Kelly made me some wall letters for the room. I got that picture today, and I absolutely love them! I'm so excited about decorating this room!

If you like the letters - you can order your own set here on Kelly's etsy shop!!

Here are some photos:

Alice's Adventures in Wonderland/Through the Looking Glass

This book was everything that I expected it to be and more than I remember from the Disney version of the story. Alice falls asleep, having these dreams about the Rabbit and the Cheshire Cat... and in the end wakes back up, her head in her sister's lap. She tells of her dreams and then goes indoors for tea while her sister remains on the riverbank, pondering her sister's dreams.

My favorite character in the book was of course the ever so intelligent and all knowing, Cheshire Cat. He is the most unique to me of all the Wonderland characters and he always maintains his cool, grinning exterior.

Death remains an underlying and constant menace in the story. Alice continually finds herself in situations in which she risks death, and while these threats never materialize, they suggest that death lurks just behind the ridiculous events in Wonderland.

Throughout the course of Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, Alice goes through a variety of absurd physical changes. The discomfort she feels at never being the right size acts as a symbol for the changes that occur during puberty. Alice finds these changes to be traumatic, and feels discomfort, frustration, and sadness when she goes through them. She struggles to maintain a comfortable physical size.

OTH Spoiler Alert!!

Quinton Aaron, who portrayed destined NFL star Michael Oher in the 2009 sports biopic The Blind Side, has been recruited by The CW’s One Tree Hill for a guest-starring role, Movieline has learned exclusively. In this season’s 14th episode, Aaron will play Tommy, a student in Nathan’s (James Lafferty) business class who is singled out by Professor Kellerman (Peter Reigert) for being an athlete. As such, Tommy goes on to form a bond with former hoops star Nathan.

Right now, Aaron, 26, is slated to appear in just the one episode, which will air sometime during February sweeps.

Here is a photo:

via: Exclusive: One Tree Hill Recruits The Blind Side’s Quinton Aaron | Movieline.

24 Weeks!

Here is what 3D Pregnancy has to say this week:

At about this time the reality of having a baby is definitely setting in (maybe it's the fact that you can't see your toes). Be sure to talk about how you're feeling with your significant other, girlfriends, siblings, parents, doctor, hairdresser, the person sitting next to you on the bus ... whomever! It's totally natural to be freaking out. Voicing your concerns about mommyhood will help you actually get used to the idea.

Your baby isn't just sitting around (on your bladder) doing nothing, he's working hard preparing for life outside the womb—perfecting his lungs and packing on the pounds. He'll gain ½ pound this week alone. Other highlights this week:

Things are starting to get a little crowded inside the old womb as baby grows bigger and bigger. Your ribs are probably pining away for the good old days when they didn't have a foot permanently lodged between them. Hate to break it to you, but it's going to get worse before it gets better.

Your baby's ears are fully functional now. And since they are, you may notice that loud noises and sudden movements can startle the little bugger. He's getting used to the everyday sounds inside the womb: the sound of your heart beating, your lungs inhaling and exhaling air, the growling of your stomach because your partner promised he'd be right back with that double cheeseburger and he's taking forever! He'll even be able to hear your voice when your partner finally arrives and you ask him where the bleep he's been! So talk nice!

Baby's got a fully developed inner ear now. This means his sense of balance is working and he can tell whether he's hanging upside down or right side up. He can also feel you moving, so go ahead, pop in your favorite tunes and boogie.

Your little Wiener schnitzel is about the length of a foot-long Chicago hot dog and weighs about 1 1/3 pounds.

Well, my baby is growing, as well as my belly!! I had a blog post the other day that talked about my feelings on becoming a Mommy... and I had such and outpouring of love and support from my friends. It makes me feel good to know that I'm not the only one that has felt the way that I do, but that is also excited for all the changes to come!

This week and GA weather have not been very nice to my immune system - but Valentine's Day is coming up and my husband has been dropping some very confusing hints about what he's ordered for me! He's having it shipped to his Mom's house... and I'm super curious, but excited to find out what he's got up his sleeve! (: