Holiday update

Well Christmas found us driving up to Elk Mountain in northern PA. (Just north of Scranton) Eric skied all day on the 25th. We were able to get away and just hang out. We saw 3 movies, Whatever Works 2 thumbs up, Funny People an interesting mix of humor and serious issues, Extract good work on the awkward funny! We were able to open our gifts together and celebrate the awesome gift coming! Went to the doctor today for Week 36 and was told the baby is head down, but that is the only progress which is positive. We don't need any early babies! The pregnancy is still uneventful, sleeping is getting really difficult, and now the little feet jabbing me in the ribs is a bit annoying. As for our New Years Plan we are heading over to our friend Anthony's for a shindig. Looking forward to seeing a bunch of those guys we haven't seen in a while. Eric will be able to party like a rockstar, which is what he does best! I will bring you more news as it comes. Hope everyone enjoyed their Christmas, Festivus, or whatever you have celebrated. Be safe for New Years! Love, Amanda

Nursery Progress

Finally we have some progress in the nursery. I think it was starting to cause me stress not having the room started. We have caulked, primed, painted, assembled furniture, and moved things in. The rest of the house is still in shambles, but I have a feeling that with these 2 extra days off I can get some things sorted out and in their new place for good. The only item we are missing for our nursery is a glider, still looking to find the right one (best cushion, and best price) so if anyone has any suggestions on the styles that are the best please pass that on! I will work on getting a week 35-36 picture posted. It seems to be getting more difficult to feel "pretty" enough for a picture to post. Just click here> Baby Room
Love, Amanda
PS-Eric thinks that Baby Meyer has started to migrate south for this winter. He asked if I dropped, and I said "I have no clue!" Merry Christmas to everyone!

Blizzard 2009

At least that is what they are calling it. Seems as though the snow has amounted to an average between 15-20 inches across the DMV. The snow fell for 24 hours. Eric and I were to attend a Christmas Party Saturday night so Eric cleared out the Buick and we packed some survival gear, sleeping bag/cups/water/snacks/shovel, just in case we got stuck. As we ventured out on the road we discovered that the plows were not out, so we turned around and made a pit stop at the Drive Thru Liquor Store. Eric got some beer and we headed home. I am a bit peeved that the snowstorm came over the weekend instead of next week when I am working. I hope there is some carry over and they cancel school. I have to work M, T, and W. Boo Hoo! I am really thankful that we have a white Christmas for our first Christmas in Waldorf. Eric and I are still considering taking a short Babymoon to a Ski Resort the 24th-26th, so we shall see where we actually spend our Christmas. This weekend I find myself in the middle of week 35. I am totally eager to meet this little one. Physically things are just moving right along. No real big issues to complain about. Sometimes I get a really stuffed/full feeling, and other times I have some weird pressure from Baby Meyer adjusting. Still no Brax-Hicks yet, which in a way I am thankful. I would like for Baby Meyer to take as long as s/he needs. Sorry that I really don't have anything exciting to add about the pregnancy, but that just means things are going well. I will post a picture later! Enjoy the Christmas Holiday! Love, Amanda

Rufus turns our house upside down

This evening when I came home from work I found a tail wagging happy dog, distracting me from the gigantic mess made of the plastic bags, cardboard, Size 1 Diapers, a 9oz bag of Dove Chocolates, and 4 4oz chocolate candy bars. Thankfully Rufus is only showing signs of hyperactivity mixed with upset tummy gurgles. This is just a reminder that the dog is having difficulty adjusting to the arrival of Baby Meyer, kinda like Eric. :) After a lot of swearing and cleaning things up Rufus continued to show how upset he is with nosing around the counter tops and finishing the remnants of Eric dinner. I went out to not baby-proof the house, but Rufus-proof the house. I purchased a baby gate so we can limit his freedom during the day and lock top containers to hold all of our various recyclables. Who knew such a snugly dog would cause soooo much drama. I wonder if he even knows why he is stressed out. Hopefully we can prevent things from happening in the future. Please keep me in your prayers, I need a bit more patience with this crazy dog. That's all for now. A

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

........in the Meyer Household. I am going to share my weekend in a backwards succession. I worked hard yesterday putting up the tree and getting our house in the Christmas spirit. I hope that everyone else enjoyed the snowfall in the DMV area, it really made me feel like it is December. I decided after Eric and I returned from a big shopping day at Ikea, picked up the crib and nursery furniture, that our house needed a little Christmas spirit. I spent some time visiting with Jen for lunch on Sunday before I picked Eric up from the airport. Saturday evening I hung out with the Wackerles, they made Corned Beef and Cabbage, what a delicious treat. It is always fun getting to play with Vivi and Conner! During the day Saturday I went to an information session that Johns Hopkins University held concerned earning my masters in two certificate areas, Gifted Ed. and Admin. + Supervision. I am totally excited, this adventure will begin June 2010! Friday evening was the dreaded twisted ankle event, I walked Rufus and then ventured to the mailbox. (Around 8ish) Then I stepped off the curb with my left foot and my right foot did something crazy and down I went. Sprained my ankle pretty bad. Didn't know it at the time though. After watching Angels and Demons I went to bed around 12:30am and the ankle was fine, woke up at 1:30am and my ankle was throbbing with pain. I knew is wasn't broken, but boy was it painful. I couldn't fall back asleep until 4am. Please feel pity for me! That's all folks! A

After Thanksgiving.....

When we got home we were able to relax for one evening just the two of us since Ru-Dawg was at the Kennel. Tuesday morning Eric picked him up, and his schedule was all out of sorts. After we got home from work Rufus just sat near his dish waiting for dinner. Here is what he looked like! He continued to give us the sad eyes until Eric broke down and fed him early. What a push over, I hope we don't have a girl cause he will be putty in her hands. :) With Love, Amanda

Thanksgiving-Chicago and Peoria

Our Thanksgiving vacation began with us almost missing our flight because of stupid traffic on Tuesday evening. I reached the counter just when the boarding time began, the lady at the counter put a large late check-in tag on my bag and told me to hurry to the gate. I called Eric frantically, who was parking the car in the economy lot and told him he still had time. I rushed past several travelers and hustled through security. Then I began the journey to the B gates in IAD, down a large escalator then a long corridor with moving sidewalks and up another large escalator. This mission was accomplished in less than 10 mins. by a pregnant lady. When I arrived at the gate the incoming flight hadn't even de-boarded. I phoned Eric frantically telling him to hurry. He then told me he was rushing the same path to the security line. I was able to board and get us two seats towards the front. Praying he would make the flight, I saved his seat like a dutiful wife turning several perspective seat buddies. Eric made his way to the gate and was one of the last to board. Sweaty, out of breath, and hungry we settled into our seats for the flight. Wednesday we spent time hanging out with the folks. Thursday we woke and packed the car to drive down to Peoria. Arriving with plenty of time for dinner, the Alberti-Chase family decided to play Apples to Apples with Grandpa too! He was designated permanent judge by mom, and this prolonged the game. The hilarity promised from the box did not come in the form of the connections players made, but the slow deliberation process Grandpa underwent for each word. After our fun times of family games Eric and turned in to prepare for our Black Friday Extravaganza!

The first picture is of us getting out to Old Navy at 5am. We spent 45 mins checking out but got really great deals on some jeans. Then we made our rounds, joined the family at Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3 for those of you in the know) and then went browsing around the Grand Prairie Mall where we took the second pic of Eric goofing around. Eric and I made some significant purchases for our house, new washer and dryer along with a highchair.

The Baby Shower in LaGrange was a grand affair! I really enjoyed spending time with Barb, Deanna, Aunt Sharon, Grandma Meyer, Aunt Anna, Aunt Angie and in spirit Nana Arlene! All of these wonderful women provided Baby Meyer with some cute items; Overalls, Bears Onsie, Re-usable Wipes, Afghan, and a giftcard used to get our Travel System. The cake was delicious as was the fabulous spread Anna and Joyce laid out. I really enjoyed visiting with all who came, even the men after they finished bowling.

Currently our house is accumulating baby gear, and I think Eric is beginning to feel a bit encroached. Car seats, high chair, stroller, and stacks of items that need to be moved into the nursery. Our goal for Dec. is to get the nursery in order. We are going to sign up for our Extended Birth Class next week, exciting stuff! More to come in the future posts!

Baby Shower Continued

First, I will recap the end of the fabulous shower from Maryland thrown by Nicole and hosted at the Wackerle house. The bingo game occurred during the gift opening, and I managed to get several blankets, books, and cute little outfits! I did get some bath time items too! I got a diaper bag, and plenty of burp cloths. These burp cloths are soo cute that I don't know if I can let Baby Meyer near them. :) Thanks again to all those family members who were unable to attend, and sent such cute items! Thanks to the friends who came to shower me with love and support! Thanks to my family, both Grandmas and Aunt Erin, who traveled to join us for the fun! Nicole created a great shower memento for me, which was a burp cloth that everyone signed. It is so sweet. Nicole and I took some bump pics together to track our progress/growth. It is so crazy to think how close we are to the end!

National Board Scores to be released!

UPDATE: Just got the scores back and I missed by 28 points. Now I have to figure out what to do next. Could their feedback be any more ambiguous? "You may wish to provide clearer evidence that you have shared with others your expertise to promote student learning." I guess teaching a 3 credit course on effective best practices in gifted education, multiple times a year, isn't clear enough for these assessors.

Please keep me in your prayers. I have submitted my portfolio for a second time and I will get my scores tomorrow. I have worked so hard on the submissions and it would be amazing to get the results that I need to pass. I am very anxious now about the looming outcome, so any positive thoughts/prayers you could send my way would really be appreciated.
Thanks, Amanda

Baby Shower Week 30ish

This past weekend was an absolute blast! Not only did I get to see my mom, sister, best friend, mother-in-law, and friends who love and support me-I also got to open a bunch of presents. If you know me then you know how much I enjoy giving and getting presents, Sat. was no exception to that. I have to say thanks to everyone who attended. I know there are many out there that would have loved to be there but couldn't make it, and I missed you not being there. Nicole did a fantastic job preparing games, food, and fun. The name tags were pink or blue based on what you thought the gender is going to be. The game to measure the belly with string was won by Theresa. Nicole created a trivia game using facts from my childhood and Eric's. The third game was Shower Present Bingo. Too be continued!

Anticipation for the Shower! (Week 29ish)

The Shower Nicole is throwing me will be taking place this weekend! Sat. from 2-4 at Bernadette Wackerle's house. I am so excited to see everyone, have them fawn over me, and send happy vibes to Baby Meyer. Just went to get another Sono today, yes Eric did join me. We still do not know the sex, and at least Eric likes it that way. :P The little peanut was busy getting in the way of the technician, we had to work at getting the views of the heart s/he kept hidden last sono. We were able to see Baby sticking it's tongue out, and gnawing on their hand. Can't really say anything else distinguishing other than it looks like a healthy baby. I love being able to see a bit of Baby Meyer before the debut! I also felt my very first Braxton-Hicks Monday evening. I was a bit weirded out by that, but trusted that it was normal. Only felt one for a brief moment and then it was gone. Haven't felt one since either. (Wed. 2:48pm) Belly is still expanding, I feel like I could do a great job standing in for a mall Santa if they need some help this Christmas. I kinda can't see my toes, but that is okay. The bigger I get the closer we are to the end. Sleeping is still a pain, and I feel like a beached whale every night. I hope you are getting some great images of my life right now. hehe So looking towards this weekend I can't wait to see my Mom and Sister! I am thrilled that Joyce will be making the trip as well! I will do my best to capture the essence of the shower for those of you who are not able to attend. Here's to a smooth ride for the rest of the weeks! Love to you all, A and Baby Meyer

Happy Halloween!

It was an exciting night. Headed downtown to DC Dupont Cirlce area where we bar crawled to 4 different establishments, despite the rain there was a huge crowd. Danced and people watched. Saw a lot of Billy Mays costumes, and Eric was a hit with his GEICO costume. People kept asking where did you get that, and he would respond "I made it" and everyone would react with "NO WAY! THAT IS AN AWESOME COSTUME!" We decided to head on over to the House Party near Eastern Market so Eric could be entered in the contest with his Beaker Costume. As the night wore on, I wore down. We had to stay to see who won the costume contest, and it ended up being Eric in his Beaker costume. I am so proud of him! I have attached the pics so you all can see what we looked like. I went as a losing contestant on the Biggest Loser, and my friend Robyn went as the winning contestant. Hope you all had a lot of fun and enjoyed this special day!

Love ya,

Amanda

More Pictures!!!!

So I have been encouraged by several of my dearest friends that I should post more pics, so here are two from today. Baby Meyer is doing great, we are going for the glucose challenge, the short one, on Friday. There is always activity from Baby, s/he never seems to have lulls in activity. Belly is getting bigger. Sleeping is still unbearable, having problems getting comfortable and sleeping for long periods at a time. This past weekend I wrapped up the registry items at Babies R Us, and Target has been done for a while. I also went to Galleria to get a massage, and the therapist said I needed to work out more. Gotta find a place for water aerobics. Whatever drive I had to complete simple tasks is now gone. It seems really difficult to get motivated to get started or finish unfinished tasks. Halloween is upon us and Eric has another great idea cooking, we shall see if it comes to fruition. I am going as a Biggest Loser Contestant, along with Robyn. She will be the winner and I will be the loser. hehe Next Thursday I will be traveling to St. Louis, MO to attend the NAGC Convention! I love attending this! I am jazzed about that! Hope everyone out there is doing well! Thanks to the friends who loaned me some clothing-Angie and Maya! It is nice to have something new (to me) that actually fits. I will sign off now, Amanda

Week 26 Pics

Here are some photos of my expanding belly.

Amanda

Week 25 and 3 days

Rain, Rain, Go Away! On the upside there is actually sun shining today through the misty rain still around, and we are going to try to take our depressed dog out for some playtime. Eric and Rufus hate it when it rains a lot.

Friday I presented at the MEGS Conference about using Powerful Picture Books with middle school students. Things went well until I had a huge brain fart trying to describe an image within the illustration of the book Flotsam of a specific sea creature. It felt like 3 mins. of me just standing there saying nothing. Finally, I spoke to the group and shared "I have no idea what this is called." and the audience responded with "Starfish", and I then blamed it on the baby. Got some good laughs at that, but totally felt like an idiot. After a 2 hour drive home, from just north of Baltimore, I was whisked up stairs and Eric presented me with the guestroom painted and ready for crown moulding. What a wonderful husband! Friday evening we went bowling with our Kickball Team to celebrate someones birthday. I had to use a lighter ball, but still broke 100 each game. Happy to still do that! After the bowling games we went to Carpool for some drinks and catching up. Don't worry, I did not imbibe.

Saturday we spent the day relaxing on the couch watching football and we were finally rewarded with a win from the Boilermakers! In the evening we headed over to the Wackerle's house for dinner and a movie. We watched Adventureland, which was a pretty cute movie about young adults and their relationship woes.

Sunday, today, we are just hanging around the house trying to get things straightened up. Tonight we will be able to watch the Bears game at home! It doesn't happen much out here. Looking towards this next week I have another appointment on Friday. I wonder what excitement awaits me at this appointment.

I will post next weekend!

Love to all,

Amanda

Homecoming Weekend

Eric and were sad to experience a terrible loss at Ross Ade Stadium. Hopefully we can survive this ridiculously pathetic season. As for the pregnancy, things are going great. Things are just moving right along. There are days where I feel as though my belly is as big as it can get, even though I know I still have quite a ways. Sweets are still a big thing and the baby is constantly moving, especially when I am trying to settle down to sleep. Eric and I are struggling to get our deep beauty sleep. Other than that I am anxiously waiting the day we finally will get to meet this active little peanut! I am turning in for the evening, hopefully it will be a deep sleep night! Keep your fingers crossed for us! I don't think Eric can take the sleepless nights. :P Happy thoughts to all the readers! Amanda

End of Week 22, Beginning of Week 23-Confirmed!

Just got back from the Ultrasound and Doctor visit. What an amazing experience seeing the baby move and respond! I know I have been experiencing the movements, but to see the baby react to the technician was astounding. We saw all parts necessary to constitute a baby-heart, (big) brain, hands, feet, legs, arms, spine, bladder, stomach. Watching the ventricles move in the chest was so fascinating. The heartbeat was upper 160's, probably because it was moving around so much. Baby Meyer spent a lot of time in the pike position, future world class diver, and blocking the wand with its arms. Taking on Eric's traits of being camera annoyed/shy. After we swooned over the 3d images I went across the way to the doctor appointment. Weight gain was only 2 pounds this week making a total of 10. No concerned raised about my weight trend....yet. The genetic screening came back negative for all the little things they were searching for. So far we believe Baby Meyer is normal, and most definitely healthy. Next appointment I will find out what all the measurements meant for Baby Meyer and its development. I am so enamored with this little life growing inside of me. I am so thrilled to be able to participate in this process. Thank you so much for your love and support. Can't wait to get the images scanned and posted, maybe by tonight I can finish that. Hugs and Kisses to all! A

*P.S.

Couldn't get the scanning technology working so I photographed the images and then uploaded them. Sorry if the quality isn't as great as it could be! If you want to check out all the images I uploaded checkout the Album here!

Beginning of Week 22

Hello Fall! What a wonderful time of year! Awesome weather, driving comfortably with the windows down. Work is going great, I keep feeling a bit sleepy in the afternoons. I may have to reschedule my lunch so I can grab a cat nap too! My Monday night class I co-teach started this week. I was sooo tired, so I am adjusting my bedtime on the weekends and weeknights to help alleviate the fatigue.

This week Eric and I went to an O's game, and were 2 of about 1,500 people there. Kinda sad, our tickets were only $2 so we couldn't pass up a trip to Charm City!

We went on an !EXTREME! mountain bike ride on a seven mile wooded trail today. Baby Meyer got a bit tired of the bumpy roots in the way so we walked a little at the end (10mins). I had a great time and enjoyed being outdoors in the fresh air. Sadly we watched Purdue throw it all away. But there is always next week.

I can't believe how fast this time is flying. I am glad it seems to fly by, rather than crawling by in misery. All in all no complaints. Eric is finally off the "weight gain" denial and now comments on how big the bump is getting. I appreciate the Captain Obvious so I don't forget how big I am going to eventually get. :) Hope everyone is enjoying the weather and takes time to watch their favorite team take on a victory. Love, A

Weekend Events

Nothing much new, went golfing with Eric on Sat. Thankfully he is willing to sacrifice his game to help me get better at mine. It was tough on the 4th hole, but then I got into the groove after that. Enjoyed some QT with Eric this weekend just chillin in Southern Maryland. Today after working out we went to the dog park and exercised Rufus, which means attempting to get him to chase/run/fetch. I swear we get more of a workout then he does. The afternoon was spent watching some football till Eric packed up to go fishing, he will probably be home before 11. This week the class I teach starts Monday night and I have plans to meet up with Nicole to shop a consignment sale. My first one, so I hope it will be worth the drive! Thursday Eric and I are looking at catching the Orioles. We shall see what the end of the week brings. Hope everyone out there is enjoying the beginnings of fall and football. Peace out homies! Amanda