The May Family: 2008

Tuesday, December 30, 2008

The Exit Polls Are In...

We've heard what the pundits had to say:

Jill: Convinced the baby was going to be a boy just because she wanted a girl and Murphy's law would indicate a boy.

Cliff: Dreamed about a boy and initially called the baby a boy but changed his prediction to "too close to call."

The Grandmothers: Obviously predicted a girl since they both had plans to make blessing gowns.

The Arm-chair Obstetricians: Twin girls because a single child does not move this early and only a girl can make one this sick.

Cliff's Dad: Too close to call.

Jill's Dad: Too close to call for most of the time, and at the last second declared victory for the pink team.

Final Tally (including anonymous voters on the blog):
Pink votes: 20
Blue votes: 15
"Too close to call": 2

Now, we find out how close democracy was to reality. We went to Yokosuka yesterday, and the ultrasound revealed:

It's a girl! Ultra sound pictures most likely to come later, once we get them scanned. She was on her tummy most of the time, so the pictures might be a little different than the typical ones, but she is certainly doing quite well and is very active.

Friday, December 26, 2008

Baby Bump!

Here I am in all of my not so glowing limp haired glory!! This picture was taken the day before yesterday and I am a little over 19 weeks.

Quickest update:

This baby is a KICKER. I feel the baby move constantly and Cliff does too. We were even watching my stomach bulge in different places this morning IT IS SO WEIRD!!! I think he/she likes my right side more. You can actually see that my stomach/uterus? is higher on that side most of the time.

I am still feeling much better and have only thrown up violently two or three times since my last update. Unfortunately one of those times was yesterday (Christmas) but what can you do?

Cliff and I have our names picked out but haven't decided if we should tell everyone yet.... ;)

Monday we find out the gender!!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

She's Alive!! (or clawing my way out of a hole)

Tomorrow will officially be one ENTIRE week since I last threw up! I think the end is finally here!! (knock on everything wooden within reach...) It isn't that I don't still feel a little nauseated here and there and I did gag in the shower today but the good is definitely outweighing the bad at this point. And not a moment too soon! I am over 17 weeks!! 12 weeks and you are over morning sickness my behind! It's alright, though, I am a very happy camper. I have gotten my appetite back and foods are sounding good to me again. I have gotten a little of my energy back as well and the other day I cooked, baked, sewed, AND went for a walk! This is NEWS - people! There were about 2 1/2 months where the very thought of the kitchen sent me running for the bathroom! I have found that I can eat some dairy products again so I have been eating yogurt like it is going out of style and I was even able to keep one of those silly prenatal vitamins down today!

Now that my appetite is back I am taking this eating for two business VERY seriously. I don't want to scare all of you but in the past two days I have been enjoying food and I can't even begin to describe how wonderful this is after a long "famine." We went to a Christmas party for Cliff's squadron last night and I actually had... *guilty grin* two dinners... and two deserts... I am going to try not to go overboard, but I figured that as I haven't really gained any weight yet (I had actually lost weight) it can't hurt for me to enjoy life a little. Here are some of the foods that I just can't get enough of right now:

Fruit - any kind of fruit but especially apples, pears, bananas, kiwi, strawberry, grapes, WATERMELON, etc. honestly just fruit in general. LOVE IT! I had dreams about fruit last night. Just stick me in front of any party platter and I will go to town, add a little cheese and I am really in heaven.

Yogurt - I really missed this. I wake up every morning to a banana and a yo-plait yogurt and sometimes... a second banana...

Salad - with Italian dressing. I am normally a bleu cheese girl but the tang of Italian is really doing it for me right now.

Anyway... I guess that is it for now. My fingers are crossed that this lasts!!! Oh yeah, and we made our appointment for my second ultrasound for the 29th of this month. Cliff is going to be able to come too!

Oh! I also want to give a shout-out to EVERYONE who commented on my last update and to everyone else that has been so wonderful and kind. I was feeling really lonely in my nausea and it was so nice to read all of your comments and thoughts. You guys are the best!

Monday, December 8, 2008

Thursday, December 4, 2008

Another Mini Pregnancy Update

I will try to balance this with both the good and the bad, (I don't want everyone to think I hate being pregnant...;)

Good:

- I am at 16 weeks which brings me ever closer to actually having a baby.
- I have felt the baby move! Quite a bit, actually! Cliff got to feel him/her last night too! I had suspected that I might be feeling some movement a week or two ago but I thought that it was too early or that it was probably just gas or something but lately it has been for sure the baby and not anything else. It feels like a pop or a little nudge or squirm or something... kind of hard to explain and I have to be sitting or laying pretty still. Cliff said he thought that it felt like something flicked his hand lightly from inside me. :)
- I have the beginnings of a baby bump. I won't post pictures yet because I think only I can really see it but Cliff said he can sort of see it and can definitely feel it now.

Bad

- Uh... I'M STILL SICK!!! I WOULD DO ANYTHING TO NOT THROW UP EVER AGAIN!!!! I threw up both my lunch and dinner the other day and my dinner came up right in front of my neighbor when I was getting out of the car. Words cannot convey the misery that comes from vomiting every day and the doctors have already given me medication. Here are all of the things that I have tried (and believe me I have tried a lot of things)
-ginger (ginger ale, ginger snaps, ginger herbal tea, etc.)
-Vitamin B6 and Regelin (medication) The doctor doesn't want to give me anything stronger even though I have thrown up blood. They say that as long as I am hydrated that I am ok. Yeah... whatever their def. of O.K. is....
- eating small meals and always keeping something in my stomach. I wake up to crackers and I fall asleep to crackers. I am so sick of crackers. I have even tried eating crackers in the middle of the night when I wake up.
- Cold foods. This worked for a while like the sorbet. Then I threw it up. :(
- Drinking tons of water. I just throw up tons of water. Which isn't as bad as some things but come on!
- preggie pop drops. They tasted good but I don't think they did much. I still threw them up.
-I am still tired and achy and I have begun to have trouble sleeping ( I am a stomach sleeper)
- I still sort of fit into my normal clothes but they are beginning to be uncomfortable and I am way too small for the maternity pants that I bought. This is a predicament, any suggestions?

Ok I guess I will stop there for now because I was trying to BALANCE the good with the bad and I don't want to complain all of you away but life is just sort of the pits right now. I want to experience this "golden trimester" that everyone talks about. I'm thinking it must be a fantasy...

I did feel the baby move.... :/

Thursday, November 20, 2008

Pregnancy update

Okay, so I throughout the pregnancy so far I really hadn't been craving anything. In fact, if anything just the IDEA of food made me want to hurl (and I often would,) but finally I have found something that I want almost all of the time. Haagen-Dazs Strawberry sorbet is really doing it for me. Actually cold cold COLD fruit in general. I am also addicted to these little Dole fruit cups but ONLY the pear kind. I tried a fruit cocktail cup and that was a no go. I am still getting sick at least once a day but that is a TON better than 5 or 6 or 10 times a day. The doctor prescribed Regelin for me and that has helped quite a bit. I am now at 14 weeks and supposedly this nausea stuff will go away pretty soon, but I'm not going to hold my breath!

In other news, I had another appt today and got to hear the baby's heart beat which is always fun. I guess that since I am not really showing at all it is fun to hear the heartbeat to know that there is really someone in there! I would put up belly shots but there really isn't anything to see yet. I think I have gained maybe... 2 lbs? At least I'm not losing weight anymore!!

Wednesday, November 19, 2008

Guam-o-ween part three (scroll down for more!)

We went for a "hike" on the Saturday that we were there in the wilderness of Guam... It wasn't much of a success and we all nearly died of heat exhaustion but we saw some beautiful views of the island.

One of said views. You can't see them in this picture but there were wild orchids growing all over the place and they were lovely.

Here is the view we had from the restaurant that we ate at after the hike. They had Greek food!!!! I didn't realize how much I had missed feta and tzaztiki!!

This was the view across the street from the restaurant. I felt like we were in the show 'Lost.'

All of the "hikers" went out for dinner that night. This was the restaurant in our hotel. Juliet and Michael (on the right) are stationed in Guam right now, so they were the tour guides.

Last night in Guam we took some more pictures of the beach.

I really really like that fan plant so I had to take a picture :)

Here we are in front of it.

Good bye beautiful beach!!

The day that we left, Cliff and I got massages!! This was our room :) Cliff's bed was behind me.

And here he is with our last fruity drink! 'Til next time, paradise!!

Monday, November 17, 2008

I'm bored

8 is great.

8 TV shows I watch:
-Pushing Daisies
-Dancing with the Stars
-Desperate Housewives
-Project Runway
-America's Next Top Model (I know.... shameless)
-I used to watch Buffy ALL THE TIME
-Arrested Development ... discontinued...
-Myth Busters?

8 favorite restaurants:
-Sweet Tomatoes!! I LOVE that place. Cliff and I used to have Friday night dates there just like all of the senior citizens... :)
-The Loop (great chain for gourmet pizzas and burgers in Jax)
-The Fish House in P-cola
- El Taco Veloz in Atlanta (REAL down and dirty Mexican) Hot Hot Hot!
-Zyka Indian restaurant in Decatur (GA) This should actually be at the top of my list. It is my absolute favorite place in the world and totally authentic according to all of Cliff's Indian friends from tech and the customers you see in there (all Indian or hippie)
-Saigon Cafe in Woodstock (Thai)
-KJ's Kitchen in Jax (soul food)
- I'll go ahead and say McGuire's in P-cola for Cliff. We do love our McGuire's.

8 things that happened yesterday:
- Threw up when I first woke up.
- Taught Sunday School and made my kids happy with treats :)
- Spoke Japanese to a friendly Japanese member who saved me a parking spot :) Arigato gozaimasu!
-Cried in Relief Society while talking about college?? I totally blame the pregnancy. I NEVER cry this much!!
-talked to Cliff on the phone and quoted "A Mighty Wind" with him. (They were watching it on the ship)
-actually updated my blog! I had been meaning to blog about Guam for quite some time.
-Had a delicious breakfast for dinner over at my good friend Crystal's house.
-Watched some Buffy with Crystal... ah Buffy :)

8 things I'm looking forward to:
-um... not throwing up anymore? Will it really happen?
-CLIFF COMING HOME!!!!!!!
-Thanksgiving and Christmas!
- The bazaar that is coming up at Zama. I want to get a step tansu!
- Finding out the gender of the bebe.
- Going to Cirque du Soleil on Christmas day at Tokyo Disney (how cool is that??)
- Decorating for Christmas
-sorry to repeat, but NOT BEING SICK ANYMORE!

8 things on my wish list:
-a healthy baby
- some new furniture (i.e. step tansu, desk, some comfortable chairs for the living room...)
- a new computer
-for Arrested Development to return to television...
-a weaker sense of smell
-to go to Thailand
-to go to Australia
-For Cliff to come home... now :)

8 things I love:
- Cliff :)
-my family
- the ocean/ beach
- usually I love cooking, but not so much right now...
-reading
-creating things, (sewing, drawing, painting)
-traveling
-going for walks

8 things I can't stand:
-the taste of bile. can anyone stand that?
-the way I smell right now... no matter what kind of shampoo or how many times I shower/bathe a day. Its just the smell of me right now. Did that happen to anyone else when they were 'with child?'
-the smell of Japan right now
- SPIDERS ugh
-waking up early... yeah I know I need to get used to that...
- people biting their nails... I know a lot of people do it... I just can't stand it.
- substitute teaching
-being away from my husband and family. I'm making it work, though :)

I tag... Katie, Stephanie, Sara, Loradona, and Jeanette

Sunday, November 16, 2008

Happy Guam-o-ween part dos

Part of the pool. There were like three different waterfalls in the pool and it sort of wound around the hotel gardens in a swirly 'S' shape. I really enjoyed the pool because it was shady and sometimes you needed a break from the sun in the middle of the day. (Especially with my fair skin.)

The pool was right in front of the beach.

And again, here was the beach. We were in Tumon Bay so the water was pretty much always this calm and clear. A little further out there was a little bit of coral and seaweed and lots of fish so a lot of people would snorkel right off the beach.

This was also in front of our hotel at a little beach side grill where Cliff and I enjoyed fruity drinks while listening to 80's soft rock and contemporary tunes and gazed out upon the glassy perfection that was the water in Guam ;)

It doesn't get much better than this :) Cliff had the pink drink.

I want to go back.... right now.

Water slide at the pool.

Cliff standing by yet another waterfall at the pool.

This was right after Cliff first got in. I was soooo happy to see him. This is in the Hotel lobby.

It's a little late, but... Happy Guam-o-ween!!!

I had the opportunity to meet Cliff in port in Guam for a few days including Halloween, and even though I was still quite sick we had a BLAST! I didn't know much about Guam before going there but I learned a lot in the few short days that we had.

Guam is a tropical island in the pacific that is part of Micronesia. It is a very popular Japanese tourist destination because it is much less expensive than Hawaii and closer too! It is a U.S. territory, but because of all of the Japanese tourists and the local Chemorrans sp? (I'm probably going to be shot for spelling that wrong,) you get an interesting tri-cultural experience. Think exotic tropical island with both a Japanese and American twist. The beaches were absolutely gorgeous, though and we had a spectacular view from our balcony (or where I stayed with Chrissy until Cliff got in,) and our hotel/resort was right in the thick of things. The only downside to Guam, in my opinion, is you have to watch out for some of the massage parlors unless you want a "happy ending" and the island is a a little dingy in some areas because of the depressed economy, oh and it smells a little like Japan in some places but that is just me being ornery and pregnant...

This was the beach we went to

Another shot. Isn't that water gorgeous!?

From the balcony of the hotel room...

Inside the hotel room. Very soft bed, by the way. Chrissy and I flew in close to 3:00 am the first night so this bed was a dream come true.

Friday, October 24, 2008

First Comes Love, Then Comes Marriage, Then Comes....er... hmmm.... I can't seem to remember (pregnant brain.)

I thought about titling this entry "I'm going to go take a nap -wake me up in about 6 months" or "Not feelin' the Love, Jelly Bean." Obviously I decided on something a little warmer and fuzzier.
I was telling my friend the other day that it is one thing to move to a foreign country with your husband, it's another thing to move to a foreign country and then have your husband gone for months at a time. It's an ENTIRELY different thing when you move to a foreign country, your husband is gone, and you are pregnant and miserably sick. I had a hard time keeping this pregnancy a secret because I have been so sick. I think everyone and their mother has seen me puking in the grass by my apartment or when I am getting out of my car. Even Cliff's OIC has seen me throw up. Yeah... that's not embarrassing... I want to say it's not all bad, but... Ok, well today I had my 10 week appt. and I really do have to say that seeing that little Jelly Bean on the computer screen was pretty cool. I guess it hasn't really seemed real until I got to see the little guy/gal and the heartbeat. I mean, yes, It has been all too real with the way that I have been feeling, but seeing little Jelly Bean INSIDE ME makes it a little better :)

These past couple of months have been some of the most trying that I have experienced in a while but I am trying to remain optimistic and I am really looking forward to seeing Cliff again. I don't want anyone to think that we aren't excited because we are absolutely thrilled! I guess I just needed to rant for a second and it feels good to let all of this out. I just want to say that anyone that has ever experienced ANY degree of this so-called "morning" sickness (more like every minute of the day or night sickness) my heart truly goes out to you.

Mark your calendars for May 21st! That's right!! A May baby in May!!

Monday, October 20, 2008

There's a Saying...

That in the military your friends become your family. I am so incredibly grateful for the friends that I have made out here in Japan. Especially with Cliff being away for ... "a while" my friends really have become my family out here. I really don't know what I would do without them right now and I just hope that I can be a good friend too. Speaking of friends, I am just grateful for all of my friends. Whether they live in Maryland/Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Oregon, Japan...etc. I love all of you guys and you will never know how much you have meant to me. I truly appreciate all of the phone calls and the knocks on my door and the Halloween Hauntings and the e-mails. YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!!!

Sunday, October 5, 2008

I am alive...mostly

I noticed that I have not written anything for a long time! It's not that nothing has been going on around here - quite the contrary... I just haven't really wanted to sit down and gather my thoughts. I promise that I will write more soon and I may even post a picture or two. I know you are all on the edge of your seats! Ha!

Things that have happened recently:

- Cliff came home (Sept. 26)
- The hard drive on our desktop computer died
- My mom came to visit... oh how I have needed her lately...
- Cliff left again (Sept. 30)
- Before Cliff left, my mom and I got a tour of the George Washington (yes he is on a carrier now)
- I have gotten lost driving in Japan and survived
- I went to the Yokohama Zoo
- I have been to the IKEA in Yokohama twice (it's ginourmous)
- My diet has changed significantly
- I am still teaching English and I really enjoy it
- I have decided that Japan has more spiders than the whole south eastern us combined...
- I have made a lot of new friends

I really will write more soon...

Friday, September 12, 2008

It Starts...

What a goof.

So Cliff left this past Sunday on his first cruise. It's not for very long but it was still a little tough on both of us as this sort of the start of a new chapter in our lives. Thus far in Cliff's career in the Navy he has been in flight training and consequently he has been home almost every night. This is obviously unusual for others in the Navy. Deployments are just a fact of life. Well that hadn't been so much for us but now it has started. Cliff won't be gone long this time around but our days of seeing each other all of the time are drawing to a close. The first 4 days were rough because the ships' e-mail was down, but I finally got to hear from him last night and now I don't feel so bad. Actually I have been too busy this week to think about it that much. I have potentially picked up 5 English classes! I'm gonna be a sugar mama! Yeah... we'll see. Nights are probably the hardest time for me. It's just weird going to bed alone. I really feel for the wives that have to go 6 or more months without seeing their husbands! I don't know how they do it! I guess you just make it work. I get to stay up later now and cook whatever I want :)

I have been really lucky to have made so many friends quickly and I started driving off-base right away too so that has helped. I don't know... I seem to be doing well right now but check back with me in a few weeks ;)

Friday, September 5, 2008

Curtains! and... more dishes...

I went to the famous "China Pete's" on Tuesday with a friend and This is what I got. They carry a little of everything there from fine china and a lot of Noritake and beautiful serving dishes to everyday ware vases and figurines.

I got 1 dinner plate and 4 salad/desert plates but I have a feeling I will be back for more....
I love that these dishes have a little bit of gold to them as they will go with my china that I got for our wedding. I got a really simple pattern (It's actually called Simply Anna (Anna Weatherley,)) with the plan to mix and match down the road. I think it's fun to play with different combinations, what do you think?

I got a package in the mail yesterday with some fabric I had ordered and I was so excited about it that I got my sewing machine out right away on got to work! Here are some curtains I made for one of the windows in my kitchen. I've yet to tackle the larger window but I might get started on that today. I know it's very pink but I love it and I am going to be here a lot more than Cliff is ;)

I have my sewing machine here but I didn't have any of my rulers or even any measuring tape! I had to use Cliff's leveler. How awesome is that.... I think I mostly made it work, though.
I had to start over once on the second panel because I didn't measure it correctly but it's only noticeable if you are really looking. Anyway, I am excited about these curtains. Military housing can be very sterile so anything to liven it up a little, right? Now that I have gotten my sewing machine out I CAN NOT WAIT for our household goods to get here. Of course they are coming right after Cliff leaves - but at this point I don't care. I need my rulers and my rotary cutters and the rest of my fabric!! Cross your fingers that it comes this next week!

Wednesday, September 3, 2008

Bad Girl Ball

This past Friday I went to my first big event put together by the various wives' clubs here on base. It was called the "Bad Girl Ball" in tribute to the "Badman Ball" that usually takes place around this time every year. Most of the husbands are still out to sea with the carrier so we had a ladies' night instead. Every squadron had a theme and ours was "classy Vegas." I didn't know that there was such a thing! I thought we looked great though! The Lady Warlords really pulled it off! Other squadrons were police officers, cowgirls, hula dancers, and there was even an entire squadron of Britney Spears.... which was a little much....

When we walked into the Officers' Club we had fake money that we threw in the air. Our table was decorated with poker cards and a miniature roulette table. All of the guys from the squadron had their pictures taken with a message for their wives. (See above.)

Me and Angela. Her husband went to GA tech also.

My neighbor, Nancy. She and her husband live right above us.

Some of the Ladies.

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Settin' up Shop

Impulse buy.... I was in a 100yen store the other day (like a $1 store only not,) and I stumbled upon these dishes that match the kitchens here. I am not normally a "pink" person but as you will see when I post the pictures of our apartment - the walls of the kitchen are light light pink tile and the cabinets are a sort of peachy pink as well. Like I said - not my first choice but when life hands you lemons... make pink lemonade? I thought these dishes were super cute and the 100 yen stores around here carry much nicer things than a $1 store in the states. I love them! You can find ANYTHING you need. I got 4 place settings worth of dishes (5 dishes to a place setting) for about $27!!! I've decided to do my kitchen in a cherry blossom theme :) When in Rome... er... Japan.....

The dishes are from different sets but they all coordinate

All made in Japan of course. I thought it would be pretty dumb to pick out dishes that were made anywhere else while I'm here.

So as I have mentioned before, we have been here for about a month now. Our express move arrived on the 22nd of this month so we have a T.V. and working computer along with some pots and pans but no furniture. The Navy has rented us some temporary furniture like a couch and coffee table and a bed and nightstand but I am anxious to get our real stuff. That being said we HAVE acquired a few things since we got here.... :) CLIFF AND I FINALLY HAVE A REAL KITCHEN TABLE!!!!!

It's actually a square table. There is a leaf that we have taken out right now but with the leaf added in the table seats eight. It is bar height and the two extra chairs that we are not using right now at the table are actually pictured at our little bar right now!

We got such a good deal on the table and chairs that I couldn't resist buying all 8 chairs. We made the mistake of only buying our leather sofa when we first got married without the love seat and chair and now the design has been discontinued! We didn't want to make that mistake with this table and chair set.

We don't have a ton of room here in this apartment but we will one day. I am soooo happy to be able to eat on a real table now and I am in love with the big square tables. I think they are much more conducive to conversation during meals. We had been eating on a folding card table for the last year a half so I can't not even begin to describe how wonderful this is for us. Ask me how much we spent some time :) You will be amazed!