So as written before I have been sick with a chest cold. My stint in the ER and home to rest for a day. Then off to work I went. I came home from work and felt like I was gonna die (not really).
I had the next day off from work but had to work the day after. I called in for that day and have been in bed for three days sleeping resting and recovering. Taking what little useless medicine I can take with out harming my little man inside me.
My sister went to the store for me and brought me some yummy Popsicles...which I have been addicted to and orange juice and some other stuff. I can stomach the cold but not the hot so tea and honey does nothing for me. My husband has been working but he really is the best caretaker I could have. He just knows what to do and what to say and when to answer. He makes me feel so much better...(is that strange after 7 years of marriage?)
Miles has been next to me the entire time and wont leave my side. Since Dan has been at work I have had to muster up a bit of energy in the morning to take him for his little walk. Luckily it's been hot and humid and Miles does not like that weather so the walks have not been that long, but by my side in bed he has rested too. When I reach over and scratch his coat, he loves it and so do I. He too has been my best medicine. Miles just goes with the flow and does what he needs to do...which is be with me.
Not sure how it happened but by getting sick it has really put me in a zone of rest. I cant really say relaxation because I have felt so shitty. But I have stayed in the house. If I was not on the couch finishing up a puzzle I was in bed, sleeping. When I am sick there really is not much I want to do. I cant find the stamina to turn the computer on, or even watch TV. It bugs me. I cant read a book cause I just don't feel like it and all I want to do is lay there. Dan knows I must not be feeling well when the TV is not on. It's fine too. Daytime TV sucks...
My point in all this is. I have really enjoyed this illness. I know it's hard to wrap your head around but it's true. I have had to be careful in what medicines I take, I have wanted to just stay in the house....which is very unlike me. (I am an on the go chick and lets get it done woman) and I have not felt the need to get out in the world and change it. I just want to be at home. Is there an underlying message here.
I think I am settling myself into life in home for a bit when baby comes. I know there will be people around and stuff, but I have liked the lapse of urge to get out there and live. I like the thought of just living in.
All I can say is I am happy that we have not started to put the baby's room together. i would have bypassed the sleep and rest and finished it in 24 hours. This is what I do and how I roll. I am glad that the only attention I have had to give baby is that of him kicking and punching me constantly inside me. I have loved putting the remote on my belly and watching him kick it off. I like feeling his kicks and punches and falling more and more in love with my little two and a half pound "parasite" as my Dr. calls it.
Being sick normally sucks in all directions, but this time...I Kinda Liked It.
Friday, December 11, 2009
Monday, December 7, 2009
Our Own Rockefeller Center
A few days before Thanksgiving Dan and I made our annual trip to the "Festival Of Lights" on 3rd street South. We just call it the Lighting of the Christmas Tree.
3rd St.S. is a block of street that has high end shops and restaurants. A few times a year they host fun evenings. Block off the street and have entertainment, street vendors and bands and more. We go every once in a while to see a friend from the hotel play in his band... but usually before Thanksgiving, is the lighting of the Christmas tree in the corner of 12th ave S and 3rd st.
So we go. It's fun and they even set up the street light with fake snow. It will snow around 6:30pm after Santa comes down the street to light the tree outside of 'Tony's on Third'. The snow is actually soap, so the street gets slippery, but the kids LOVE it and it's fun. Santa is brilliant. The mayor of Naples and the Police Captain head the parade which is a block long and they stop at the tree. Santa then gets out of his horse and carriage and lights the tree. The news is there and lots of people.
This year Dan and I planned really well. We got a great parking spot 'cause we headed down much earlier this year. Like at 4pm. things really don't start until 6. But we coped two stools at our favorite restaurant on 3rd. 'The Old Naples Pub' had a few apps and headed out the door in search for Dan's friend who were working the event. Some of the Naples police Officers. These are guys that Dan has known for years and we always see them. It was early enough that we got to spend quite some time talking and catching up. These are great guys and because we don't see them but once a year it is always great to catch up. We walked up and down the street watching all the shows, listening to the bands and found two random chairs on the sidewalk outside the art gallery and ate some kettle corn while watching Santa come down the street and light the big tree. we met up with some friends and walked more. Ended the evening with 'Lenny's Italian Ice' and good laughs. We had a great time....
One thing I noticed was the weather. It was warn. Most times this has been going on it has been cold and kept people away. This year it was SO warm. I was happy for that Italian Ice because it cooled me down, but due to the weather I could not believe the amount of people there. I have never seen that many people at the tree lighting. It seemed funny because we were there so early and then it was like all of a sudden BOOM thousands of people. Incredible. We are not crowd folk but had to muddle our way through it and did so.
It was a great night and cannot wait to bring Joey next year to see all the fun stuff that goes on right down the street from where we live. It's not Rockefeller Center Tree or concerts, but everyone involved does a great job at putting the Christmas spirit in the air. It did feel a lot like being in the middle of New York City with all the people there, but the tree looked perfect this year and the soap snow was wonderful. Santa was so real and the vendors get bigger and bigger each year.
The lighting of the Christmas Tree in downtown Naples has become a tradition for me and Dan. It is our own Rockefeller Center...
Worth Every Minute....
The other night I was not feeling good...It started when I woke up in the morning and just escalated as the day went on. About nine thirty when I headed to bed I could not breath well.
I got out of bed and headed to the couch. I propped myself up and was able to sleep for a short time and then the coughing and gasping started.
I have had this feeling before when I had pneumonia years ago. Tight chest and just cannot breath. Each time I would cough the cough would get harder and harder and I would cough up mucus...I was not going there with this one. But I just could not get a good breath...
Yes, when you are pregnant your body changes so fast and so much happens it's hard to keep up. Your internal organs get all pushed aside from the growth of the baby and the ever expanding uterus. I get that, I can no longer sleep on my back because of compression on my lungs, I know how that feels, This was a little different. In fact it was entirely different. There was not a breath to be had that did not require a struggle.
At about one in the morning Dan came out to the couch and said.."what do you want to do honey?' and I told him I think we need to go to the emergency room. And we were slow moving but we did. Not only did I not feel good about the way I was breathing, but I did not feel good about pulling my husband out of sleep to take me to the hospital....
So we opted for NCH downtown emergency room... I do not like NCH and would rather go to Physicians Regional, but IF they needed to be invasive with treating me then they would send me to North Collier since that hospital has a NICU...so downtown we headed. Really a short drive...about five minutes..MAYBE.
Anyway...long story shorter...if I can....It took forever even with us being like the only people in the emergency room, but I had an xray to check out my lungs...and yes they had me wear a lead apron to shield the baby. Dan and I fell asleep in the hospital bed and the PA came in finally to tell me that there is nothing that can be done for the beginning stages of an upper respiratory infection. Rest, liquid and that's about it. Because everything else could send me into preterm labor...Crap...I still could not breath well, but this is what happens. So we did the right thing 'cause the other day at work the nurse took my blood pressure, and said my pressure was fine but heart rate was a little high...(well the Ritz can do that to you) but my book tells me if my heart rate is high then go to the emergency room or doctor....so my oxygen was low too...the signs were there...but nothing could be done....
Well before we were discharged the nurse Tammy who took care of me and another nurse Eric came in to check the Baby with an ultrasound machine. They had a little monitor and Doppler and told us they just wanted to check the heart rate of the baby. I was elated at four int he morning to see my little man. He was kicking me and I could not only feel him but see him. He was sucking his had and sucking his toes and moving around so much. The nurses were having a great time...
"This is free" they kept saying. "we are not charging you...we just want to make sure all is okay and we are having a good time...it's fun for us, Hope you don't mind?"
"Are you kidding. My next OB apappointment is next week and I was hoping to see my son, but it's just a quick check up. I wont see him 'til maybe January. This is a pleasure."
"This is like Christmas for us." Dan said with amazement and a smile.
We left there at something like 4am. I was a little disappointed that nothing could be done but a little relieved in the sense that it was something than pregnancy... but more over we saw our BIG little man inside me. He is HUGE, for 27 weeks. Incredible for 2 pounds and something like 12-14 inches....I was shocked and happy and joyful and tired...sooo tired. But he was there and okay and tucked in just fine playing around in my belly like he does all the time.
I have been in bed for a few days fighting this thing and luckily no fever at all. It sucked going to the hospital so late and missing sleep and waiting forever and dishing out the co-pay at 4am, but when the two nurses has fun checking our son in my belly and we got to see him happy and moving, heart rate perfect and doing all he is suppose to be doing...getting home by 4:30am was worth every minute.
I got out of bed and headed to the couch. I propped myself up and was able to sleep for a short time and then the coughing and gasping started.
I have had this feeling before when I had pneumonia years ago. Tight chest and just cannot breath. Each time I would cough the cough would get harder and harder and I would cough up mucus...I was not going there with this one. But I just could not get a good breath...
Yes, when you are pregnant your body changes so fast and so much happens it's hard to keep up. Your internal organs get all pushed aside from the growth of the baby and the ever expanding uterus. I get that, I can no longer sleep on my back because of compression on my lungs, I know how that feels, This was a little different. In fact it was entirely different. There was not a breath to be had that did not require a struggle.
At about one in the morning Dan came out to the couch and said.."what do you want to do honey?' and I told him I think we need to go to the emergency room. And we were slow moving but we did. Not only did I not feel good about the way I was breathing, but I did not feel good about pulling my husband out of sleep to take me to the hospital....
So we opted for NCH downtown emergency room... I do not like NCH and would rather go to Physicians Regional, but IF they needed to be invasive with treating me then they would send me to North Collier since that hospital has a NICU...so downtown we headed. Really a short drive...about five minutes..MAYBE.
Anyway...long story shorter...if I can....It took forever even with us being like the only people in the emergency room, but I had an xray to check out my lungs...and yes they had me wear a lead apron to shield the baby. Dan and I fell asleep in the hospital bed and the PA came in finally to tell me that there is nothing that can be done for the beginning stages of an upper respiratory infection. Rest, liquid and that's about it. Because everything else could send me into preterm labor...Crap...I still could not breath well, but this is what happens. So we did the right thing 'cause the other day at work the nurse took my blood pressure, and said my pressure was fine but heart rate was a little high...(well the Ritz can do that to you) but my book tells me if my heart rate is high then go to the emergency room or doctor....so my oxygen was low too...the signs were there...but nothing could be done....
Well before we were discharged the nurse Tammy who took care of me and another nurse Eric came in to check the Baby with an ultrasound machine. They had a little monitor and Doppler and told us they just wanted to check the heart rate of the baby. I was elated at four int he morning to see my little man. He was kicking me and I could not only feel him but see him. He was sucking his had and sucking his toes and moving around so much. The nurses were having a great time...
"This is free" they kept saying. "we are not charging you...we just want to make sure all is okay and we are having a good time...it's fun for us, Hope you don't mind?"
"Are you kidding. My next OB apappointment is next week and I was hoping to see my son, but it's just a quick check up. I wont see him 'til maybe January. This is a pleasure."
"This is like Christmas for us." Dan said with amazement and a smile.
We left there at something like 4am. I was a little disappointed that nothing could be done but a little relieved in the sense that it was something than pregnancy... but more over we saw our BIG little man inside me. He is HUGE, for 27 weeks. Incredible for 2 pounds and something like 12-14 inches....I was shocked and happy and joyful and tired...sooo tired. But he was there and okay and tucked in just fine playing around in my belly like he does all the time.
I have been in bed for a few days fighting this thing and luckily no fever at all. It sucked going to the hospital so late and missing sleep and waiting forever and dishing out the co-pay at 4am, but when the two nurses has fun checking our son in my belly and we got to see him happy and moving, heart rate perfect and doing all he is suppose to be doing...getting home by 4:30am was worth every minute.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
A Joyful Time of Year
We are now into the month of December and time is slipping by really fast. I cannot seem to keep up. I think I would feel the same way if I were not pregnant. Things are just spinning around me and it's all very fast.
Someone asked me if I would like time to hurry up because of the baby.. I said "no". time is going perfectly fine. I seem to like the pace. although i hope I get the chance to get the Christmas Cards out...hmmm next thing i know it's our anniversary...(7 years) and then a week later it's Christmas and then New Years. Is this how fast things have been going. I still think it is august... but with out the heat...
Love December. There is just such a great buzz in the air. It's the lights and the music and the parties and the red and green and the rest of the festivities. Dan and I wanted to get married in December because we both love this month. We are Christmas junkies, although we don;t go Griswold crazy, it's just a beautiful time of year. I cant say that the people of Naples find it in their hearts to have the Christmas spirit and display the "Peace on Earth Good will toward men" attitude. They Don't. Naples is a very selfish place to live. It is rich or seasonal and if you work in a seasonal position for a job, you are selfish. It's all about you and money and making as much as possible so get out of my way.....if you are rich, you just have a "holier than thou attitude". I know there are many of you who agree, you see it everyday. Line in the post office, at CVS, at the Bagel Shop and more and somewhere in that line about ten of the twelve people are complaining that there are not enough service agents and stuff. RECESSION... CUT BACKS... HELLO...
Just how it is down here. What else. This is the Holiday season. The season of the holiday spirit. Hanukkah and Christmas, two very important religious holidays. Love them both, but Love Christmas Eve the most.
It's not a year for us to go hog wild and fully decorate our home this year. We are taking it easy. Dan calls it .."The Williams Touch of Christmas" and we will leave it at that. No tree will adorn the house this year. We are focused on something else... OH BABY.... due to arrive in in early march or late Feb. so we are just trying to get ready for our little Joey. We have some decorations up and it's enough because we know that next year for Joey's first Christmas, we will go all out. Have to ...it's just the way it's done... so for now..we are taking it easy, trying to keep up with the rapidly passing month and loving each other to the best we can.
Ahh December...the conclusion to the year... but a joyful time of year....
Someone asked me if I would like time to hurry up because of the baby.. I said "no". time is going perfectly fine. I seem to like the pace. although i hope I get the chance to get the Christmas Cards out...hmmm next thing i know it's our anniversary...(7 years) and then a week later it's Christmas and then New Years. Is this how fast things have been going. I still think it is august... but with out the heat...
Love December. There is just such a great buzz in the air. It's the lights and the music and the parties and the red and green and the rest of the festivities. Dan and I wanted to get married in December because we both love this month. We are Christmas junkies, although we don;t go Griswold crazy, it's just a beautiful time of year. I cant say that the people of Naples find it in their hearts to have the Christmas spirit and display the "Peace on Earth Good will toward men" attitude. They Don't. Naples is a very selfish place to live. It is rich or seasonal and if you work in a seasonal position for a job, you are selfish. It's all about you and money and making as much as possible so get out of my way.....if you are rich, you just have a "holier than thou attitude". I know there are many of you who agree, you see it everyday. Line in the post office, at CVS, at the Bagel Shop and more and somewhere in that line about ten of the twelve people are complaining that there are not enough service agents and stuff. RECESSION... CUT BACKS... HELLO...
Just how it is down here. What else. This is the Holiday season. The season of the holiday spirit. Hanukkah and Christmas, two very important religious holidays. Love them both, but Love Christmas Eve the most.
It's not a year for us to go hog wild and fully decorate our home this year. We are taking it easy. Dan calls it .."The Williams Touch of Christmas" and we will leave it at that. No tree will adorn the house this year. We are focused on something else... OH BABY.... due to arrive in in early march or late Feb. so we are just trying to get ready for our little Joey. We have some decorations up and it's enough because we know that next year for Joey's first Christmas, we will go all out. Have to ...it's just the way it's done... so for now..we are taking it easy, trying to keep up with the rapidly passing month and loving each other to the best we can.
Ahh December...the conclusion to the year... but a joyful time of year....
Thursday, November 19, 2009
I Could Not Have Asked For A Better Phone Call....
My mother phoned me last week to tell me to put the TV on and watch the Florida/South Carolina football game.
"Honey " she said, "this is gonna be a great game...Steve Spurrier who coaches for SC used to coach for UF and that Tim Tebow. These are two great teams playing and I have to go to church. So you kids watch it, I will call you when I get home and let me know how the game was.... Also the other game I just saw was...." and she went on and on about college football.
When I hung the phone up and I put the game on I sat there and my nose started to get stuffy and my eyes began to fill up. A tear had not yet fallen. Dan came in and said..."what game?"
I told him about mom's phone call and he too stopped in his tracks. "You mean mom called to tell you about this game and all the stats on the players and coaches and more?"
I nodded.
Dan's face lit up...
"Do you know what this means honey?" I said to him.
Dan bit his lip....and nodded back at me...
"She's watching college football again." I said fighting a tear back.
You have no idea what this means and my mother's road back to the college football circut.
When Dad passed away last Sept. there was no talk of football and a sound of a game in her house for months. Not until my uncle Jake came to stay with her in January. When he was there in her home he watched football and mom only felt comfortable watching it with him. She needed him around to sit and watch the game with her... She did cheer for the Steelers in the Super Bowl at our Super Bowl party last year. (dad was a very good friend of one of the coaches for the Steelers)
Since Daddy spent his adult life coaching football, college football was a little tradition in the Mayo home. Mom would come home from work on Saturdays and sit in her recliner next to dad in his recliner and they would watch the college games. She could tell you more about the players, the teams, the coaches, the universities, the offensive and defensive coaches and players and all the families tied into the organization. It was remarkable. Same with the pro teams too. She knew it all. But when dad passed wanting Alabama to will the title last year (UF won) she wanted no part of it.
So you have to see, when I got the call to watch the game and she went on and on about the teams, I was more dumbfounded than anything. I was elated. I was happy. I was sad. I was over joyed for her. She came a long way this year not having my father around.
And you have to look at it like this...having the sound of football on in her house is like hearing
Yo Yo Ma play with the London Philharmonic....Heavenly.
We watched the Florida/South Carolina game that day. I don't even like college football, and Dan really isn't a big fan of it either. But we did it that day, just because mom asked us to and because she was so happy with the game.
The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible tell us... For everything there is a season. A time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to stop searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
She's finding a time to plant and harvest. She is finding time to heal, to tear down and build
again. She is still cries but laughing so much more. She still grieves and she dances like an angels to the sound of a harp. She is scattering stones and collecting them, she can embrace even harder and can't seem to find many reasons to turn away. She continues to search ans in some cases stops searching. She has found plenty to throw away, and she can mend the tear, find quiet time, has lots to speak about and more and more to love each day. there is no time for war in her, not even a personal one and she can find peace in her day each and every day.
This phone call was a little bit of mom's time shinning through and I could not have asked for a better phone call.
"Honey " she said, "this is gonna be a great game...Steve Spurrier who coaches for SC used to coach for UF and that Tim Tebow. These are two great teams playing and I have to go to church. So you kids watch it, I will call you when I get home and let me know how the game was.... Also the other game I just saw was...." and she went on and on about college football.
When I hung the phone up and I put the game on I sat there and my nose started to get stuffy and my eyes began to fill up. A tear had not yet fallen. Dan came in and said..."what game?"
I told him about mom's phone call and he too stopped in his tracks. "You mean mom called to tell you about this game and all the stats on the players and coaches and more?"
I nodded.
Dan's face lit up...
"Do you know what this means honey?" I said to him.
Dan bit his lip....and nodded back at me...
"She's watching college football again." I said fighting a tear back.
You have no idea what this means and my mother's road back to the college football circut.
When Dad passed away last Sept. there was no talk of football and a sound of a game in her house for months. Not until my uncle Jake came to stay with her in January. When he was there in her home he watched football and mom only felt comfortable watching it with him. She needed him around to sit and watch the game with her... She did cheer for the Steelers in the Super Bowl at our Super Bowl party last year. (dad was a very good friend of one of the coaches for the Steelers)
Since Daddy spent his adult life coaching football, college football was a little tradition in the Mayo home. Mom would come home from work on Saturdays and sit in her recliner next to dad in his recliner and they would watch the college games. She could tell you more about the players, the teams, the coaches, the universities, the offensive and defensive coaches and players and all the families tied into the organization. It was remarkable. Same with the pro teams too. She knew it all. But when dad passed wanting Alabama to will the title last year (UF won) she wanted no part of it.
So you have to see, when I got the call to watch the game and she went on and on about the teams, I was more dumbfounded than anything. I was elated. I was happy. I was sad. I was over joyed for her. She came a long way this year not having my father around.
And you have to look at it like this...having the sound of football on in her house is like hearing
Yo Yo Ma play with the London Philharmonic....Heavenly.
We watched the Florida/South Carolina game that day. I don't even like college football, and Dan really isn't a big fan of it either. But we did it that day, just because mom asked us to and because she was so happy with the game.
The book of Ecclesiastes in the Bible tell us... For everything there is a season. A time for every activity under heaven. A time to be born and a time to die. A time to plant and a time to harvest. A time to kill and a time to heal. A time to tear down and a time to build up. A time to cry and a time to laugh. A time to grieve and a time to dance. A time to scatter stones and a time to gather stones. A time to embrace and a time to turn away. A time to search and a time to stop searching. A time to keep and a time to throw away. A time to tear and a time to mend. A time to be quiet and a time to speak. A time to love and a time to hate. A time for war and a time for peace.
She's finding a time to plant and harvest. She is finding time to heal, to tear down and build
again. She is still cries but laughing so much more. She still grieves and she dances like an angels to the sound of a harp. She is scattering stones and collecting them, she can embrace even harder and can't seem to find many reasons to turn away. She continues to search ans in some cases stops searching. She has found plenty to throw away, and she can mend the tear, find quiet time, has lots to speak about and more and more to love each day. there is no time for war in her, not even a personal one and she can find peace in her day each and every day.
This phone call was a little bit of mom's time shinning through and I could not have asked for a better phone call.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
The Transformation
My husband said to me tonight that I do pregnant very well. I smiled and hugged him.
I have to say I think he is correct. I do not mean to gloat, but the pregnant walk that I am on has been a beautiful one. It has been extremely easy for me. I have no idea why I was chosen to have such an easy pregnancy, but so far so good. I am comfy and happy and seeing the hearts of the people I love come to love this unborn child is amazing. Last week my brother in law almost squealed when he saw my belly popping out. He was so excited. Even people at work. It's funny.
I think that if this pregnancy happened any time before this it most likely would not be the way it is now. But it's all the right time and I have to say, I am so glad this has happened now and not sooner and not later. This time in our marriage in my life seems to be the right time for our son to be born. We cannot be happier and Dan and I say every day to each other, how excited we are to meet our son Joey.
So according to the calender I am 23 weeks along in being pregnant. I have officially started my six month and this blows me away. I cannot believe it. ALREADY. So it's all moving so fast. There is so much to think about and what to do. Physically I am experiencing changes in my body that is so funny. The belly has popped and now I can rest my hands on it like a shelf. Just my hands, I cant eat a bowl of cereal off it yet, but I am sure that day will come soon. Getting comfy in bed is a challenge, but I cannot wipe the smile off my face. My heart is so happy, yet I cannot tolerate being around people. I have no tolerance for ignorant guests at the hotel. I cant stand incompetence, which I am faced with on a daily basis and people who do not do their job just should not have even bothered showing up for work. I cry at the drop of a dime at a TV commercial or a blow 'em up shoot 'em up movie and I have no ankles. My weight gain is great. I have only packed on 17 pounds since I found out I was pregnant. The funniest thing is though I have no craving right now. I have gone through the past few weeks with so much indecisiveness for food, that my poor husband just needs to call the shots on supper because I have no wan for anything.
Is this what it is suppose to be like? I mean I will eat? Sure, but when you ask what I would like....do me a favor and don't even ask. Nothing comes to mind.
The transformation is beginning....We have quite a bit more calender year left before our little boy arrives to our home. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and then our anniversary and then the Christmas holidays, new years and a bit more. The baby will have the spare bedroom as his haven. Tomorrow we will move the computer and printer into our room, and in a few weeks Dan's dad will be with us for a visit. We will then start working on the room once he leaves. You know the basic, blue walls, white trim, blue bedding, white crib. Boy stuff, Sports and Pirates and Dogs and stuff. I don't know. All I know is that I am sure the time will fly by and the next thing I know we will be walking into the hospital as husband and wife and a few hours later have a son. When we arrive home with him, Miles will greet us curiously and we will start our life as a family of four. Little by little, my closet is filling with baby stuff and baby clothes. People from work have given us so many things for the baby. Car seats, swings, clothes, toys, books, blankets all kinds of stuff, and I can't even think about what we need for him. The thought of interviewing the doctors is crazy...and so much more. Luckily I have been able to talk to a few people who have given me so much insight to how to approach things and what to think about. These women have just laid the foundation out for me and I can take or leave what they have said. Dan and I have to figure it all out on our own. It's kinda fun. We talk all the time about how we would like Joey to grow up and how we are looking to 'Parent" him and not "Befriend" him. (big difference).
With this transformation sometimes I get stuck. Sometimes I just cannot think about it and sometimes I just have to bury myself in a book or a puzzle to take me out of this journey. But as I said before, it's a walk that has been handed to me, to us with grace and love, unconditional love and each day I am thankful for the gift of little kicks and punches that I feel inside me...OOOO... Dan got to feel Joey kick the other night...he was so excited and naturally I cried, but to have this happen to us now....to transform us now...to be loved now....to love now...to be healed now....this is where it is all beginning for us, for me, for my family, and for my husband... It's all of our transformation, not just mine. I can't really sum it up either, it's just there and it's a good thing, this transformation.
I have to say I think he is correct. I do not mean to gloat, but the pregnant walk that I am on has been a beautiful one. It has been extremely easy for me. I have no idea why I was chosen to have such an easy pregnancy, but so far so good. I am comfy and happy and seeing the hearts of the people I love come to love this unborn child is amazing. Last week my brother in law almost squealed when he saw my belly popping out. He was so excited. Even people at work. It's funny.
I think that if this pregnancy happened any time before this it most likely would not be the way it is now. But it's all the right time and I have to say, I am so glad this has happened now and not sooner and not later. This time in our marriage in my life seems to be the right time for our son to be born. We cannot be happier and Dan and I say every day to each other, how excited we are to meet our son Joey.
So according to the calender I am 23 weeks along in being pregnant. I have officially started my six month and this blows me away. I cannot believe it. ALREADY. So it's all moving so fast. There is so much to think about and what to do. Physically I am experiencing changes in my body that is so funny. The belly has popped and now I can rest my hands on it like a shelf. Just my hands, I cant eat a bowl of cereal off it yet, but I am sure that day will come soon. Getting comfy in bed is a challenge, but I cannot wipe the smile off my face. My heart is so happy, yet I cannot tolerate being around people. I have no tolerance for ignorant guests at the hotel. I cant stand incompetence, which I am faced with on a daily basis and people who do not do their job just should not have even bothered showing up for work. I cry at the drop of a dime at a TV commercial or a blow 'em up shoot 'em up movie and I have no ankles. My weight gain is great. I have only packed on 17 pounds since I found out I was pregnant. The funniest thing is though I have no craving right now. I have gone through the past few weeks with so much indecisiveness for food, that my poor husband just needs to call the shots on supper because I have no wan for anything.
Is this what it is suppose to be like? I mean I will eat? Sure, but when you ask what I would like....do me a favor and don't even ask. Nothing comes to mind.
The transformation is beginning....We have quite a bit more calender year left before our little boy arrives to our home. Thanksgiving is right around the corner and then our anniversary and then the Christmas holidays, new years and a bit more. The baby will have the spare bedroom as his haven. Tomorrow we will move the computer and printer into our room, and in a few weeks Dan's dad will be with us for a visit. We will then start working on the room once he leaves. You know the basic, blue walls, white trim, blue bedding, white crib. Boy stuff, Sports and Pirates and Dogs and stuff. I don't know. All I know is that I am sure the time will fly by and the next thing I know we will be walking into the hospital as husband and wife and a few hours later have a son. When we arrive home with him, Miles will greet us curiously and we will start our life as a family of four. Little by little, my closet is filling with baby stuff and baby clothes. People from work have given us so many things for the baby. Car seats, swings, clothes, toys, books, blankets all kinds of stuff, and I can't even think about what we need for him. The thought of interviewing the doctors is crazy...and so much more. Luckily I have been able to talk to a few people who have given me so much insight to how to approach things and what to think about. These women have just laid the foundation out for me and I can take or leave what they have said. Dan and I have to figure it all out on our own. It's kinda fun. We talk all the time about how we would like Joey to grow up and how we are looking to 'Parent" him and not "Befriend" him. (big difference).
With this transformation sometimes I get stuck. Sometimes I just cannot think about it and sometimes I just have to bury myself in a book or a puzzle to take me out of this journey. But as I said before, it's a walk that has been handed to me, to us with grace and love, unconditional love and each day I am thankful for the gift of little kicks and punches that I feel inside me...OOOO... Dan got to feel Joey kick the other night...he was so excited and naturally I cried, but to have this happen to us now....to transform us now...to be loved now....to love now...to be healed now....this is where it is all beginning for us, for me, for my family, and for my husband... It's all of our transformation, not just mine. I can't really sum it up either, it's just there and it's a good thing, this transformation.
Sunday, November 1, 2009
Still Lives On....
I tried to get this up yesterday. i thought it would be a great way to conclude the month of October...since it did happen on October 31st, but I just did not have time....
So here I am November 1st..wondering how has time gone by so fast.....
Yesterday was a bit of a special day for the Mayo Family. My mother, sister, brother- in-law and myself...(husband was working unfortunately) all met at Witerberry Sports Field in Marco Island. The last game of the Marco Island Eagles Football Season. This was special to us for many reasons...the last bit of my father's coaching career was spent with this young organization. He helped some of the coaches become one and coach the kids of Marco Island on how to play football. Marco was a little behind the times when it came to a youth league. Naples had strongly developed themselves into many "pop-warner" teams and Marco had nothing....
Really, when I moved there sixteen years ago for the fist time, Marco Island really was nothing but old people. Few families and even the YMCA had little programs for kids. The elementary school had one first grade, one second grade, one third grade, and so on. Now things have changed. There are families and children all over the place and the small 4x6 island has developed nicely into a family community. The importance of these youth programs is rising and the members of the community have finally seen the need for them. It's a great way to keep the families of Marco Island together and on the Island. It's turned into a good thing.
So my father's involvement in The Marco Eagle Youth Football Program had basically meant good things for my dad. First it kept him on the Island. And if any of you who read this knew my father and the way he drove and the CAR that he drove, well then you would understand....when he became involved with Barron Collier High School freshman team, mom would cringe each day he would get in the car and drive up to North Naples to the high school. Long drive... So having him a few miles from home was always a good thing. Dad was a born coach too. He LOVED it. It was because of World War II that he became a football coach. Dad had a bright and promising career in the football world as a player in high school, college and most likely a professional league, but he sustained such serious injuries in the war that he could never play football again. Like many he did not give up, he studied the game and turned to coaching. (one thing to keep in mind is that dad was also a fan of all athletics...not just football...athletics itself was regimented, team spirited and brought out the best....just like the military which he also loved.) So he became a coach. From high school coaching to college coaching to professional coaching and scouting and much more, the Marco eagles brought him full circle, literally, for Dad started the first youth football league in the Boston area and now he had ended his career with a youth football league in Marco Island. Funny how these circles in our lives work....
The coaching staff of the Marco Eagles, called my mom and asked her if she would like to come to the field on Saturday Oct 31st and watch some of the kids play and wrap up their season. they also asked her to stay because they were dedicating the new athletic field as well as giving out the First Annual Coach Joe Mayo Award. The great part of it was...it was all such short notice, but my sister, mom and I all had the day off so we could be there. Very Special.
Mom and I were there a bit early and watched some of the little kids play their final game of the season, then it came to field dedication and then the presentation of the Coach Joe Mayo Award.
The head of the Coaching staff told a beautiful story about my dad and I was so touched. The award was given to a great young man who is in charge of the Parks and Recreation Dept. and also a coach with the Eagles. He played an integral part in getting the athletic field up and working and in better condition...what he did really...was give the kids of Marco Island a future.
Mom was to say a little something about dad, but she handed the microphone over to me and I spoke about how much he loved football. But I really spoke about how much heart each player and coach needs. That dad really believed in working together and not winning or losing, but having heart for the game and each other...in ALL sports and ways of life. I also told them that he was always after the perfect team and the perfect coaching staff....it may have taken him 60 plus years, but he found it right there in Marco Island... the small island in south west Florida proved so much happiness for my father at the end of his life. The men that he coached with, the kids that played under him, the mentor he became to all.. It was so nice for us to be there, and to see that although a year has passed in Sept.Daddy's legacy still lives on....
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