Seven-Seven.

This has been the date that I have associated with Elliott's birth since our first doctor's appointment (when they revised our due date based on his size).  Now, it's beginning to look like he'll have another birthday.  I know due dates are just guesses, but it's really strange for the day to be here and the baby not to be.

Lately, most of my blog updates have been on Jason & I's blog (See: "When Jason Met Megan..." on the sidebar).  They have been stories of baby showers, doctor's appointments, and not much else.  Now that work is over, this is basically what I have going.  Friends have been keeping me busy here and there, but it is also summer and everybody is busy with vacations, work, and research.  Our vacation isn't until August (and who knows what that will be like with a little baby), so I can't wait.  School starts at the very end of August, so I have a while to go until I'm back to work.

So, in short, COME ON ELLIOTT!

- I'm peachy.

Well Hello Again

It is not a rare thing for me to be absent from my blog for weeks at a time. This is actually a good thing, frankly, because it means I've had more important things to do.  Life is pretty good, in all sectors:

Work: Oh work.  This has certainly been a challenging year, for a variety of reasons.  I have had some very interesting students, and some wonderful ones, this past school year, and I really need to recharge my batteries.  It has also given me a renewed appreciation for those who teach at the elementary or secondary level.  They are up against a lot more than me.  That being said, I am thankful for my upcoming maternity leave in order to tweak my teaching style and courses, as well as come away a little more refreshed.  On the work end, I'm also looking into jobs outside of teaching.  I don't believe that teaching (at any level) is my calling, so I need to figure out my other options.

Home: J and I are moving soon and we could not be more excited to get into our new space!  We have enjoyed living with "the girls," but I'm ready to nest and prepare for Elliott's arrival, as well as have our own space as a married couple.  The new apartment is lovely and has a little balcony that J and I already got furniture for.  We foresee many summer breakfasts out there.

Barney: B is doing well.  He has figured out that the treats we give him with his pill actually contain the pill, so he's making giving him his allergy meds much more challenging.  When he takes them, he is also a lot more pleasant because he's not upset at being so itchy.  I'm a little concerned with the upcoming stresses of the move and the new baby, but people who know him (J, Doug, Em) think he'll be fine and adapt quickly.  I hope we can settle semi-permanently soon, not just for us, but for him.

Elliott: Elliott is doing well on all fronts.  He is growing and moving constantly.  We have another doctor's appointment tomorrow, and I need to get my glucose tolerance test done soon.  Because of the move and work, there just hasn't been a free couple of hours to get it done.  I'm hoping that time will present itself next week so I can stop thinking about it.  At this point, and this point is the third trimester, I just can't wait to meet him and see his little face.

That's it for the quick update.  I hope my few readers are doing well.  :)

- I'm peachy.

Fill in the Blank Friday

1. The phrase or punctuation I overuse most is "so....". I use it when I don't know how to end a sentence and just can't seem to wrap things up in conversation. My mom brought it to my attention a few years ago. When I would end a story with "so," and usually no conclusive ending, my mom would say "buttons." Get it? "so buttons" sounds like "sew buttons." It's lame, but at least it let me know that I wasn't quite speaking clearly.

2. Today I am thankful for Spring Break! Seriously, my students and I need breaks, and it is beginning to show. Aside from that, and the obvious family and friends, I'm thankful that Barney was cute this morning (and not a turd), for Trader Joe's Honey Greek Yogurt, and for Elliott's little kicking feet. :)

3. My best friend is actually a number of different people. Jason is my best friend and husband. My sister Sarah is probably my best girl friend ever, while Sara and Michele are my best college girls (and not family). Other than that, I have a lot of great trusted friends who I love to pieces.

4. A quirky thing about me is how many pillows I use at night to sleep. I have A LOT of quirks, but this one is pretty good. I use three pillows at night: two under my head (a contour pillow laid flat and another pillow tilted) and another next to me, which is propped up long-ways on the other two. Since I got pregnant, my need for comfortable, restful sleep has escalated. I've always been very particular about my pillows...firm, but fluffy.

5. This weekend I am going to perform in three performances of Guys and Dolls, the show that never ends. I'll probably veg on Saturday morning and Sunday evening. Sunday is also Jason and I's first married anniversary, so we'll probably get take-out from one of our many favorite restaurants (I'm pulling for Tampopo).

6. Something that worries me is everything. Seriously, what don't I worry about right now. My biggest worry is driving. There is a lot more at stake and people in Philly are crazy drivers. I can't wait to move soon to a more suburban area just outside the city. I've already lived there once, and it was so much better than living in the middle of the city (for us).
7. On my night stand you would find whatever book or books I'm currently reading, a lamp, tissues, a water bottle, What to Expect, Simple Abundance, and the newest issues of Vanity Fair and Real Simple, although VF is officially off subscription now.

- I'm peachy!

It's...a...

BABY!

Well, more specifically, it's a boy! We had our mid-pregnancy ultrasound yesterday and found out that we are going to be the proud parents of a little lad. We've already had a name in mind, so it's nice to call him by his name and provide him with an identity. Elliott Zachary is quite the perfect baby (perhaps I'm biased).

On top of all that, he's healthy, growing exactly on target, and was performing for us on the ultrasound. He flipped around a lot in order to avoid having pictures taken of his heart (which had all the chambers, beating away). He is adorable, even if the ultrasound pictures make him appear to be a little weird.

This ultrasound made it all the more real. We are even more excited now, if that was possible. :)

Fill in the Blank Friday

Sara does this thing called "FITBF," and I decided the questions this week were a good way to start this tradition on my blog. We'll see if I do this every week (doubtful).

1. The TV show/website that I watch/read that I would be embarrassed to tell anyone about is almost anything that I watch. I watch a lot of nerdy, informational programming (Weather Channel specials, PBS docs). I used to watch Keith Olbermann's Countdown...that's probably the most embarrassing.

2. An item of clothing that is worn and torn but that I love far to much to throw away is my McGee's Pub shirt. I used to have 2 (one large and one small), because my grandma brought them back from Ireland when she went in the late 70s or early 80s. I only have the small one left (I think the large is at home in H-burg). It has a hole in the armpit and the collar is frayed, but I just wear it to bed. I don't know why this is underlined. :/

3. My grocery store impulse buy is ice cream! Ever since I got pregnant, I eat ice cream every day. It can either be regular "hard" ice cream, soft serve, ice cream novelty...that doesn't matter much. I just want ice cream.

4. Something I do at work to pass time that I wouldn't want my co-workers to know about is do crosswords. I have a book in my office that I do when I don't feel like grading anymore. I also go online a lot, but most of that is just quick stuff here and there or to read the news.

5. One thing in my life that I could give up, but never will is sour cream. It's a joke how often I eat it. I use it as a dip for tortilla chips, quesadillas, pretzels...so, I could but I NEVER will.

6. A little indulgence that I have is good cosmetics. While I don't always have my nails painted or my make-up on, I have really switched to using quality stuff. Essie, OPI, Sephora...you get the idea.

7. The junk drawer/area in my house is the laundry room. It's actually one of my weekend projects. I want to get Jason and I's stuff more organized so the move in 2 months won't be so horrifying.

In the Year of the Rabbit

First, if you're looking for baby updates, checkout Jason and I's family blog. I'll obviously discuss the baby here a little bit, but not everything in my life right now is about the baby. Here are the other things going on in my life:

- Barney has been very vocal lately. He's healthy, but just really loud.

- This semester of classes is proving to be much better than last semester. I don't have discipline issues (yet) and people seem to be engaged and doing their work. I have 3 very pleasant groups of students.

- On the work front, I have yet to have a full week of classes, either because schedules didn't match up, national holidays, or SNOW. If I could go one week and stick to my syllabus, I'd be thrilled.

- Guys and Dolls is...well...community theatre. I feel like we're a little behind, but tonight's rehearsal and this weekend should take care of some of that. For more info on the show, check out the King of Prussia Players website. It runs from the end of February until March 12th.

- Jason and I are coming to the end of our lease at the 4640, so we're on the lookout for apartments in the Roxborough area for our little nest come April / May.

- I had a doctor's appointment today, which went well. All is as it should be with le bebe.

Thanks for reading and check out our family blog and my movie blog. I'm trying to keep up with all three. :) I have a review on the movie blog about "The King's Speech."

- I'm peachy!

PS: Either here or on the family blog, vote for what you think Baby Yinger's gender will be! The poll closes February 21st. The result will be announced, as long as the baby cooperates, on the same day.

PPS: So, my links didn't work. I don't have time to figure out why. Our family blog is "When Jason Met Megan..." on the sidebar, my movie blog is "Spoiler Alert" on the sidebar, and the King of Prussia Players website is www.kingofprussiaplayers.org

Yay!

While many of the people who read my blog already know this, I have been keeping it from the interwebs for obvious reason. Jason and I are going to have a baby. As in, I am 14 weeks along.

This is my main reason for not posting for so long. It really has been one of the only things going on in my life, and for the sake of sanity, I decided it was a thing to keep to ourselves (and tell people at our own pace). That all being said, we are so excited! We love looking up what our baby is doing this week and how big it is (we won't know for another 6-7 weeks if it is a boy or a girl...and yes, we're finding out...Jason wore me down.). Right now, I have a baby the size of a peach (closer to a lemon, I guess, since tomorrow is exactly 14 weeks. We're due July 7th.

My blog probably won't become baby exclusive (that's what Jason and I's joint blog is for), but it obviously will be the primary aspect of our lives for the rest of our lives. So get ready!

- I'm peachy!