Baby Grace Has Arrived

I'll write a longer post later but here are the basics. Grace was born March 20th at 8:56, weighing 7 pounds 11 ounces. After 12 1/2 hours of labor, an uncooperative cervix and a fever she was delivered by c-section. Lets just say ouch!


PS: Lacey, please invite me to read your blog.
PPS: Mikael, what is your blog site? I always just click over from Lacey's

The Luck of the Irish

In honor of St. Patrick's day here is a little quiz. I'll post the answers in the comments section.
1. Where was St. Patrick born?
A) Ireland
B) Wales
C) France
D) England

2. Which city's St. Paddy's parade has the most viewers?
A) Belfast
B) Dublin
C) New York
D) Houston

3. How many Americans have Irish ancestry?
A) 5 million
B) 12 million
C) 34 million
D) 54 million

4. Leprechauns are said to perform what service for fairies?
A) Clean their kitchens
B) Make their shoes
C) Guard their gold
D) Wash their clothes

5. What river is dyed green every year for St. Patrick's Day? (Hint it is in the movie The Fugitive)

6. True or False: St. Patrick used the shamrock to explain the Holy Trinity to the pre-Christian Irish

7. True or False: St. Patrick is a canonized saint

The Curse has been Lifted

OK, still no baby. My dad just called and gave me permission to have the baby, which makes me wonder if he has been cursing me this entire time. I have thought long and hard about why my father would want me to continue in the limbo that is the time between a woman's due date and birth, here is what I came up with. For one thing his birthday is March 18th and it would be nice for his first grandchild to be born on his birthday. Secondly, he didn't get my mom's plane ticket until the 18th so if I were to have had the baby earlier they would have had to change the flight. However, I think he was a little too effective in his voodoo and they may have to change the ticket anyway, we may not meet this little girl until after Easter. I'm glad I didn't buy her that Easter dress after all!

Ouch! Happy Due Date to Me

Well, ladies and gentlemen, I have made it successfully to my due date without giving birth. I had a doctors appointment yesterday, the doctor offered to strip my membranes. I asked her what that would feel like. She responded, "It feels like I am sticking my hand down your throat and trying to rip out your vocal cords, but in a very different area." Pleasant, no? Half way through the procedure I yelled, "Abort! Abort!" Neil couldn't stop laughing. It turns out I wasn't dilated enough to strip my membranes and she was trying to pry open my cervix, which, let me tell you does not feel good, and I have been bleeding ever since. After that lovely experience I have been praying that I will go into labor naturally. If not they are going to try to get me in on next Thursday for an induction. If it is too busy I may not have this baby until after Easter. AHHHHHHHHHHHHH! I spent the afternoon at the mall with some friends trying to "walk this baby out." In reality, however, we did more sitting at the Cheesecake Factory then walking. Things are looking up though, one of my friends lent me Gilmore Girls seasons 3 and 4. I have been having horrible insomnia and am averaging a book a night so I figure I can now throw in some TV for a bit of a change. That's all in baby making land. Peace out.

Things I Love

*My retainer- I have worn my retainer almost every night since I had my braces taken off at the age of 14. I can only think of two nights, in the past 11 years, I have slept without the comforting metal molding my teeth.

*Dwight K. Schrute- My heart bleeds for him, since his estrangement from Angela :(

*Sophie Kinsella novels- This bubble gum lit. is a guilty pleasure which I hide inside my copy of Middlemarch at the pool.

*Rocky- I was so drawn into the latest Rocky movie that during the final fight I yelled, in the theater, "Hit him in the face!" Neil still laughs about that one!

*Mechanical Pencils- For some reason as a child I never got to get mechanical pencils for school, they seemed a forbidden wonder. Now, when given the option of ink or a m.p. (mechanical pencil) I always go for the m.p.

*Shopping- and by shopping I mean finding a perfectly flattering gorgeous outfit for a killer deal. Yes, I am one of those annoying people who will tell you just what a $great deal$ I got on my shoes if you compliment them and I will inform you of which store to go to get them for yourself.

*Lately I have had a penchant for cold stone ice cream. Always Swiss chocolate with either bananas sliced on top or strawberries sliced on top, never mashed in, gross!

*Last but certainly not least, my husband and almost born daughter. Who would not love a man who would drive twenty minutes to a taco bell for his wife and then turn around and go back when he brought home the wrong thing, without being asked too!!! (I hope that wasn't gag inducing, I am a mushy prego)

Almost There!

2 days until my due date!! It really is strange thinking that there is a fully developed baby inside of me, hopefully we shall see her soon :)

These are a Few of my Favorite Things (skin care)

1. Cetaphil face wash- with all the hormonal changes of pregnancy my skin was out of control! but most doctors recommend staying away from acne fighting products so I was lost, until I tried this mild cleanser - it saved the day (totally cheap too)

2. Oil of Olay hydrating fluid- it gives you just the right amount of moisture for all day long and the smell reminds me of my mom (another cheapo!)

3. St. Ives Apricot Scrub- best face exfoliater ever, enough said ($3.99!!!!)

4. Origin's high potency night-a-mins creme- A great night time moisturizer which also helps correct daily skin damage and smells like oranges AND is never greasy! I accidentally posted the eye creme picture but it looks just like the face creme(OK, expensiver at $35.50 a jar but this is an investment in your skin)

5. Clinque Advanced Concealer- this is the bomb! It covers anything! ( I don't remember the price on this one, but totally worth it!) PS: Dillards has its free gift going on right now which includes a full size lipstick, full size duel eye shadow(pink chocolates), samples of their eye creme, face wash, moisturizer, and mascara with a purchase of $21.50 all in a cute hot pink make up bag!

Oh dear!

OK, now it is 7 minutes to 2AM and I am still awake. And I just looked down at my feet and realized I not only have swollen toes/feet but I now have cankles!!!! and instead of concealing this pregnancy woe from the world I am going to publish pictorial evidence so that all the other pregnant cankled women know they are not alone. "You'll never walk alone [especially with cankles]" I wish I had a before picture but sadly I had never thought to document my pre-pregnancy ankles/ feet. What was I thinking? I'm also not going to lie, I tried to match the font color to my toe nail polish!

Tag

I can't sleep and in 7 minutes it will be 1 AM. So in hopes of combating the chronic acid reflux, swollen ankles and other general discomforts of being 9 months pregnant I am going to respond to my cousin Lacey, who "tagged" me and answer some questions about the person who is responsible for my grumpiness, uhh I mean condition, and currently snoring away in the other room, my husband.

how long have you been together?

Since march of 2006 so almost exactly 2 years!

how long did you date?

9 months

how old is he?

25

who said I love you first?

Neil did over a bucket of finger lickin' good KFC

who is taller?

Neil, if he wasn't we would have a serious problem since I am a shrimp!

who is smarter?

It depends in what but overall I have to give this, kicking and screaming, to Neil. How can I compete with my math and science club hubby? I fear the day our baby questions me about the significance of Avogadro's number!

who can sing better?

me, but Neil has really improved since we got married

who does the laundry?

Me but Neil usually irons his own shirts

who pays the bills?

Neil-y-poo

who mows the lawn?

I set this one straight while we were dating, I do not mow lawns or shovel snow and neither will my daughters. Women are totally capable of these things I just choose to abstain.

who cooks dinner?

usually me, come to think of it Neil was always making me dinner when we were dating but that has ebbed. He makes some mean ribs every once in a while though

who drives?

Neil, especially now with my jumbo sized belly. In fact he has forbidden me to drive until this kid comes out.

who is more stubborn?

I think we are pretty equal on this, maybe me a little more, but I don't think either of us is that stubborn.

who kissed first?

Neil attempted to but I didn't realize what he was doing and I dodged him and gave him a hug, to which he responded, "you have got to be kidding me?" I then realized my error and kissed him quick.

who asked who out first?

We were set up on a blind date but Neil did call me and formally ask me out. Always a gentlemen!

who proposed?

Neil, I was completely surprised and thought it was a joke at first. He was down on one knee with flowers and a ring and I was looking around to see if his sisters were hiding and watching from the bushes.

who has more friends?

probably me, I have more time for socializing.

who is more sensitive?

It depends, am I pregnant or not? Pregnant definitely me but Neil is a pretty sensitive guy all round. Toss up!

who has more siblings?

A Tie- I have two sisters and two brothers, Neil has 3 sisters and 1 brother

Who wears the pants?

We are pretty easy going and I have to go with the super cheesy answer that we share the pants.

Crafty (like the devil)

Neil wasn't home last night and I was feeling bored so I made Grace a bunny for Easter. I had seen one like it online that was WAY over priced and figure I could make one myself. Here it is. The head is a little pointier than I planned but I figure it turned out well for my first time trying to make my own pattern.

Wagners Rule

This has been a great week for the Wagner Family.

Troy scored 29 points in his last basketball game and was the star of his team!

Jill just got a huge promotion which almost doubled her salary!

I'm sure Ashton and Ty did great things too but I haven't talked to them recently.

Rock on family.

yada yada yada

My hair dryer broke this morning. I hate when that happens and Neil had the car so I had to sport a crazy air dried 'do all day. Lets just say when my hair air dries it can't seem to decide if it should be stick straight or have weird ugly wavy kinks. Pretty much it is hot.

Then I got a call from Dillards. I had pre-ordered some makeup to get a free gift but they were out of the lipstick I had requested (which I have loved since high school but not worn for a while) and wanted to know what else I wanted to get instead. It is like fate is combining against me to ruin my signature look. Perhaps next the water supply will be compromised and I will come out of the shower bald.

On the baby front, I had a doctor's appointment today. Neil drove me since driving is starting to be a pain. The baby has "dropped" some more and I am "really thinned" but my doctor leaves for Mexico tomorrow morning. She said if I don't want to have this baby without her I have to follow some rules. No walking, (or anything else that could start labor, you know all those tricks from books) and to get in bed, put my feet up and stay there until Monday afternoon.

So at this point my day was not horrible but pretty mediocre. Then on the way home Neil started driving the wrong way. I helpfully pointed this out but he kept on driving, right to a spa! where I spent the next hour getting a glorious mani/pedi. Not to stop there, while I was enjoying my pampering session Neil went and bought me a new blow dryer (its kinda fancy:)!

38 weeks 4 days Pregnant, WHOA!