I'm terribly impatient

Doesn't my Dr. know, I am terribly impatient?

Last night, I reminded NZ that I have another check up next week ( which I learned I should have reminded him sooner) and found out he just arranged for meetings that same morning and time...and could not reschedule... For those of you who don't know, I have the best husband ever. He has made it to all my scheduled appointments..So, the idea of missing one sorta sucks.

I've had it in my head that we would find out the sex this next visit. Afterall, I will be over 17 weeks, and I am well aware that the sex can be seen as early as 12 weeks, so c'mon people...get with it and tell me what I'm having!

This visit, if it was "the one", was not a visit I wanted NZ to miss out on.

I toyed with the idea of having the Dr. write the sex on a slip of paper and putting it in an envelope, and promising not to open it till supper when NZ was home to open it with me ( uhm, wishful thinking, Self...coming from the kid who opened and peeked at a present from her pop one Christmas.. )

So, instead, I called my Dr.'s office today and was "that girl" again.

Me: " Hi, This is Brie Z. and I am scheduled to see Dr. Block for a follow up next Tuesday."

Staff:" Uh huh..and....?"

Me: " uhm, I was just wondering, what happens during the visit?"

Staff: " How far along?"

Me: "17 weeks"

Staff: : " He'll just check the heartbeat and send you for labwork..It's a quick one"

Me: " So, no ultrasound to tell me what I am having?"

Staff:" No, We don't do those until at least 25 weeks."

Me: " Oh, okay, thanks."

I hung up the phone sooooo bummed.

That means 8 more weeks...2 more months...

Sooooooooo farrrrrrrrr away!

But, good thing is, NZ won't miss anything special, and I don't have to use any willpower to not find out before him.

16 weeks

Now that I'm getting bigger, the belly shots are going to become censored...no one needs to see my bare skin fighting for elasticity....and losing the battle of the stretch marks.

I celebrated reaching 16 weeks of being pregnant this week! For many, reaching 16 weeks is nothing to blog about, but for me, having lost a baby last year, I celebrate every freaking day....every ache, pain, anxiety attack overcome..notice, I didn't say every anxiety ATTACK...just the overcoming of them. I still feel so very lucky to have the opportunity to carry my own child, and although the fear of something going terribly wrong still creeps into my thoughts from time to time, I must say I am really enjoying my growing belly.

We hadn't told NZ's extended family..so when we reached Yosemite, many of his cousins, aunts & uncles learned of our good news..and of course were thrilled to have a new Zentil on the way!

I have to thank NZ for being a very patient, understanding and loyal husband throughout my 8 p.m. bedtimes and lack of laundry folding. He's more than held up his end of the bargain as a husband, and I love him more than words express.

A foreman, a Filet and a Hotel room

As pregnant ol me stood in the checkout line with anything but beer at my local VONS tonight. I caught myself watching people dressed in green buying beer for the inevitable St. Patty's parties...I was brought back a few years to St. Patty's day 2006.


March 17, 2006... Covered in my first orangetastic coat of jantana, I worked a half day, and then proceeded to get in my car and drive what was to be a 3 hour drive to San Diego for a figure show the following day. I had my food portions packed up for the 2 meals I would be needing while driving...and a scheduled airbrush with Jantana at the host hotel in San Diego at 5:30...I thought to myself, Noooooo problem...

Wrong.

6 hours, and tear stained arms ( that jantana stuff runs when it gets wet!) later, I arrived a mess, in San Diego..in the dark, starving for a meal whose contents would be determined by my trainer when he saw me...Which, if the World was perfect and traffic didn't exist, should have been 3 hours earlier!

I checked in with Kimbo ( best trainer ever!) and he was able to schedule me in for a quick (although late!) bathtub style airbrush with the Jantana girl...After another coat of Jantana, he took a look at my physique and gave me a golden opportunity for supper..

" GO OUT AND ORDER A FILET MIGNON STEAK, A LARGE BAKED POTATO, AND A SLICE OF CARROT CAKE."

WTF?! Really? At this point I thought my mind was playing tricks...Since when does a figure girl, one day out from stage, eat a fricken filet and potato? And....carrot cake?!
Once the excitement wore off, I realized I was in San Diego, all by my lonesome...and had no idea where to secure such a meal. Might I add... in a restaurant, while covered in Jantana....by myself.

You see..I don't eat in restaurants by myself. I have never....I repeat NEVER, sat down at a table for one and certainly wasn't about to in an unfamilar town.

So, starving and once again in tears, I got in my car, on the search for a take out place which would serve to my specifications... Yeah right, good luck, figure girl...Finding a take out restaurant that serves a filet with no seasonings? HAHA! I think that's illegal!

And there it was...right in front of my eyes...The magic RED lights...were like Heaven above..
VONS
That's it! I will buy a potato and steak and carrot cake slice from VONS!

Brilliant, right?

I sat in my car contemplating the purchase, and the options for how I would go about cooking this feast..from my hotel room...I even thought about eating it raw like the Frenchies do, but decided against the possibility of contracting E.Coli just because I was too afraid to go to Outback by myself.

And there it was again..to the left of VONS..Another ray of light...

RITE-AID

I walked in Rite Aid, trying to find their small appliances..maybe they would have a single burner and I could buy a pot and somehow boil the meat and potato? Sounded gross, but at 10 p.m. the night before a show, and 4 hours past meal time, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do...
And there it was again....

GEORGE FOREMAN GRILL $14.00

SOLD!

Me and my Forman walked out of RITE-AID and over to VONS....where I proceeded to select a filet, a potato and a HUGE slice of overly frosted Carrot cake (Hey, in my defense, Kimbo never said what size of cake).

I couldn't help but notice that I was the ONLY person buying food at the checkout counter....Everyone else, all decked out in Green, looked as if they were gearing up for a BIG night out for St. Patty's day...And the only thing in their baskets was BEER.

I can't help but think, a few fellow customers may have thought they saw a real life leprechaun that night...Me and my oompa loompa colored self walked right out and proceeded to cook a gourmet meal with just my Foreman, Filet and Hotel room. No utensils, just hands....

Watch'ya lookin at?

In honor of NZ's watch obsession...

While at Joel McHale's show on Saturday night, we people watched, and NZ spied the ultimate geek squad watch...Although he tried to take a Blackberry photo of it, he couldn't quite get it..Soo, here ya go NZ! I know what's on your Christmas list next year!

Who's headlining?

After a month of anticipation, NZ and I finally got to go see Joel McHale of "The Soup" notoriety do a show at the Civic Arts Plaza. "The Soup" is a weekly show, which we rarely miss, although we usually DVR it to catch it..I couldn't tell you which night it aires. I think it may actually be Fridays on E! Entertaintment Channel.

Anyhow, his show last night left us desiring a bit more.

Doors opened at 7:00 for a 7:30 show. They then let us into the building, but not into the auditorium....until 7:20. Everyone hustled to get seated, and then waited until 10 after 8:00 for the show to actually begin. I learned within this 30 minute wait, that the jeans I was wearing were.....not so comfortable..... BAH. I spent half the night with a hand in my pants, pulling the elastic waist from my belly to give myself room.

Joel started off slow, got a bit better, and 3/4 of the way into his comedy routine, I was thinking to myself, his opening act was WAY funnier. He had Chris Porter open the show, and I was almost peeing my pants with laughter from the time he opened his mouth to the time he introduced Joel.

I suppose we didn't know what to expect going into it..Would he use material from his show " The Soup" or would it be original material?? He did a bit of both, his funniest piece was about his father, and a close second was a segment about the demographic of Orange County.

Would I see Joel's comedy routine again?

Probably not.

But I will continue to watch his skinny tie wearing self on E! every week, because they guy does have talent and good one liners about pop culture, he's just not as funny doing stand up comedy on stage.

Chris Porter?

Now, he'd get me to buy a ticket to his show if he ever comes around this neck of the woods again. The guy is fricken' hilarious. Much better than I expected!

One more thing...Who brings their 12 year old kids to a stand up comic show?! It's not like you can change the channel if the topic goes raunchy...I was appalled to see a handful of teeny boppers there with their parents..The show was definitely not rated G, or PG for that matter...C'mon parents...lay down some ground rules.

Sweet, Salty Peanutty Gooey Cookie Bars

These bad boys are headed to Yosemite...

One of my all time favorite cookie bar recipes, even though the use of premade chocolate chip cookie dough is sorta cheatin' like "Almost Homemade" star Sandra Lee does.

Who cares?

They're to die for.

And totally calorie free.

Yeah, right.

SWEET SALTY PEANUTTY GOOEY COOKIE BARS

recipe from Betty Crocker website

Cookie Base 1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® chocolate chip cookie mix

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

1 egg

Filling

24 caramels, unwrapped

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 can (14 oz) sweetened condensed milk (not evaporated)

Topping

60 small pretzel twists (2 cups)

1 1/2 cups dry-roasted salted peanuts

chopped 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

1. Heat oven to 350°F. Spray bottom and sides of 13x9-inch pan with cooking spray.

2. In large bowl, stir cookie base ingredients until soft dough forms. Spread dough in bottom of pan. Bake 10 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, in 2-quart saucepan, heat filling ingredients over medium-low heat 5 to 10 minutes, stirring constantly, until caramels are melted. Remove from heat.

4. As soon as pan is removed from oven, press pretzels firmly into partially baked base, slightly overlapping pretzels. Sprinkle chopped peanuts evenly over pretzels. Pour caramel filling over top; spread evenly.

5. Bake 20 minutes longer until caramel filling bubbles. Cool completely, about 2 hours.

6. In small microwaveable bowl, microwave chocolate chips uncovered on High 1 to 2 minutes or until melted. Dip fork into melted chocolate; drizzle chocolate over bars. Refrigerate 30 minutes or until chocolate is set.

For bars, cut into 8 rows by 4 rows. Store covered at room temperature.

So Sweet!

I've been on a 5 week strawberry bender...just can't get enough.

I singlehandedly ( okay, maybe a little help from NZ) finished off a flat from Costco in less than 5 days, and no.... contrary to popular belief, enormous consumption does not always make you sick. I am living proof.

My neighbor caught wind of my recent strawberry affair and has been dropping off baskets of fresh picked berries every now and then...

These tonight are perhaps, the best strawberries I have ever had. I think I am in love !

Sweet Strawberries from a Sweet neighbor.

Hello, my friend..

Reunited and it feels so good.....I could break out in song and dance right now...I am just so happy to have exercised today! After 8 weeks of not working out ( first because I was so dang tired, and then because of complications), I finally dug to the bottom of my shoe basket, and pulled out my old trusties....the New Balance Sneaks....and man did it feel good to put them back on...I've missed my sneaks...

Granted, I'm starting back slowly at this whole exercise thing, but 10 minutes on my treadmill at a snail's pace, made me feel like a million bucks, had I gone another 10, I'd feel like a zillion bucks..but I gotta save something for tomorrow.

My goal is to get back to 20-30 min walks at a faster pace about 3-4 times a week. Nothing too outrageous, just enough to be able to say, "Yeah, I exercised during pregnancy."

Anyhow, my trusty old sneaks, it's great to be back with you again...See you tomorrow, same place, same time.

Fourteen weeks!

So, I sent my belly pic update to my mom, sis and dad this morning and got home to this, in the words of my poppy... Too much budlight!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Gotta love him (=

On another note, I finally gave in and purchased real maternity clothes from Motherhood maternity..Mama's got some new threads, and they feel soooooo much better than the bread baking I was doing in my pre pregnancy clothes...Thank goodness for the secret belly slacks! I felt fantastic at work today and a lot less frumpy. I'm still putting off the switch from heels to flats..I've worn heels to work every single day for the last 3 1/2 years....Not sure if I am ready to grow laterally and shrink vertically...One thing at a time, right?

Workin towards Thursdays

My weeks are not measured in days, per say, but more in terms of what TV shows air on a particular night. For instance, Sunday night is " United States Of Tara" night.

Sad, yes, but true.

I think that my driving force through the work week is looking forward to Thursday nights, when not just ONE great show, but TWO are on... NZ and I have a standing 8 o'clock date with the contestants of Survivor, followed up with a visit to the folks at Dunder Mifflin...God, I love Thursdays.

I did watch DWTS last night for like, uhm, the second time in my life...I've treated this show with much resistance, but with a Olympic gymnast like Shawn Johnson dancing, you bet'yer socks that I will be watching...and what was even wilder... was that I actually liked it! So, my Monday nights are now reserved for DWTS..for this season, at least.

Tonight is Tuesday...TV lineup during fall consists of "Rehab: Party at the Hardrock" but now that it's off the air ( hopefully only temporary) I'm into "Toddlers and Tiaras" aka. televised crazy ass parents raising daughters to base everything solely on beauty... Can't wait to see the 10 year follow up they do on these girls to show what they're up to at age 15. I'm kidding, only kidding..

Wednesday has ALWAYS been my Real World night. Ask any old roomates, past boyfriends... even ask my mom....I DON'T MISS a season. Never have, and probably never will...thanks to DVR, I will always be able to tape it and watch my guilty pleasure when time is free. I'm now like 9 years older than the current cast members and I still find it wildly entertaining. What is wrong with me? LOL

We already know what I do on Thursday nights...

But Friday is where the REAl issue lies...I can't look forward to Friday in the same way I look forward to the other nights because NOTHING is on. Someone has to fix this for me...I don't like it one bit. One good show, that is all I ask!

Saturday nights is usually pretty random..I wouldn't want to be tied down to the TV in case my husband and I actually decided to get out of the house for say, ummmm, a date or something. So, I have been reluctant to hone in on a Saturday night show so that I am at least a little bit normal LOL.

Anyways, there is my week in a nutshell, measured by TV shows rather than days...

Swing Batter Batter, Swing!

The smell of fresh cut grass, dirty cleats and a old leather glove are like Heaven to NZ. Today marked the kickoff of his co-ed softball team's spring season.

And what better way to get theball rollin' than to hit a Grand Slam.

Way to go sunshine!

It's really happening

I arrived home from work on Thursday to a package at my door.

And upon opening it, I realized...

It's really happening...to us....

We're ACTUALLY having a baby!

Thank you to my dad's cousin Ross & wife Susie for the wonderful pregnancy journal & rattle! A few more weeks and we'll know whether it's team BLUE or PINK!

Jet Junior?

I've been obsessively sending emails to my family with all the updates after my ultrasounds and visits, because my family is just like that....we're all in each other's business, cause that's how we roll.

Anyways, my pop is usually a man of not so many words, so it's thrilled me to hear him respond with the excitement to each new update .

1st email: I sent a photo of my ultrasound

Pop's response: Nice! Kinda looks like his grandpa huh!!! Love Poppy

Me: Strapping good looks just like his grandpa ramjet. We'll have to name him Jet Jr. if he comes out lookin like you..but I am covinced it's a girl. We will hopefully find out the sex on March 31st at my 17week appointment

Pop: Could be a real bummer if SHE looks like her grandpa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Me:i dont care what it is, i just want a healthy one (=

Pop:I agree for sure

It tickles me to know that my pop is excited to have a grandchild. This baby will be the first grandchild for both my mom and my dad, although my dad's girlfriend does have a grandbaby already...This one could conceivably have the telltale Vendrame genes of gorgeous blue eyes ( which I didn't get...not that I am bitter or anything ). Or it could get the Zentil ears, nose, eyes....Or maybe it will look like a Nalley? Who knows? It's just got me wondering, what on earth will our child look like? Will we have a diminutive boy, and a brute for a daughter? Will they be athletic? Will they get their dad's brains or my creativity?

So, there you go, the thoughts from a pregnant mom who just gorged herself on french toast. A full belly is a happy belly (=

Wake up wake up wake up

NZ left the house at 4:45 this morning to meet up with a few friends for a surf session before work. It's a weekly event, this whole surf before work thing...and I think it's pretty dang cool that he has an employer who doesn't mind his employee's arriving to work with saltwater skin and lugging surfboards into their offices.

However, what's not so cool is our cat.

Yes, another Beaver blog.

For some reason, he's been on this "tearing-ass-around-the-house-at-five a.m." kick, and it's loud and annoying...He will race up and down the hallways, into our room, scratch against our armoire, then turn around and race back down the hall, bouncing off the walls like he is a bat out of hell. What is up with him?!

I've checked....No other animals involved. No mice, rats, birds, raccoons, or other kitties..It's him, all by his lonesome, managing to keep me from falling back to sleep.

I love you Beav, but you gotta put these sprint trials to rest till at least 6 a.m. Mama needs her rest!

Oh no, not her again...

Ever worry that you're that girl? I do...especially with this pregnancy, and all things related to my OB/GYN's office. Thank goodness they are patient, kind and accomodating. I never want to be that girl, but to say the first 13 weeks of this pregnancy have been a breeze would be like claiming I was 6 feet tall.

I've had some complications, scares, whatever you wanna call them..which get my anxiety levels going and Lord knows when that happens, my brain becomes fixated on the worst case scenarios... I think I have had 3 scheduled appointments, none of which I have actually kept on the designated day. It seems like I make it to about 3 days before my actual appointment, something scary happens, and I break down and call to get seen ASAP. I've now seen the Doc 5 times and had 5 ultrasounds...in the amount of time most women would have had only 2 appointments and one ultrasound...hmmmmmm......someone is needy, and that "someone" is me..

So far, none of my scares have been anything serious, other than seriously driving me nuts. Baby Z is in no danger, and developing like a future Olympian ( You should see it's frog kick!) But still, I think that I am becoming that girl to my OB's office..

I bet when I call they probably say ( eyes rolling)" Oh no, not herrrr again".

I'm hoping that I can make it until my next appointment in 4 weeks without having to call them past office hours or first thing in the morning with an emergency...For me, that would be golden, and I am sure much appreciated by their office...

But I should have known, nothing I do ever goes by the book, so why would I think having a baby would be any different?

Anyhow, today's scan is a bit blurry and hard to make out, but it's the best I could do using my camera to make a duplicate. To the left is the rump, to the right is the profile of the face..Little bugger has it's legs tucked up & arms pulled in.

No comment

NZ and I saw this at the market this morning, and couldn't resist taking a picture.

Out with the Old, In with the New

I love cute collars. My kitty, Beaver, does not. Everytime I try to put a new collar on him, it is a two or three day process of chasing him around the house to surprise attack him with a new one. I have not yet mastered the art of the sneak attack collar application...Seeing as this time around, the switch from his tattered pink cupcake collar to his new snazzy masculine one took me 4 days.

I caught resistance from many for my choice of a pink cupcake collar on a male cat, but he's just so cool, he made it work for him. By the looks of the collar on removal day, he tried more than once to get it off himself, as you can barely see the cupcakes any longer.

To the trash, it goes.

On another note, he looks pretty flash in his new argyle collar...I think the lady kitties around our neighborhood are gonna be chasing him around for a date with the new look. Sooooo handsome!