Virginian Rhapsody: Things that make me smile + The not so pretty

Things that make me smile:

I know I shouldn't be boasting about beer right now (in my oh so delicate condition) but really I'm doing so for Jody. The guy loves beer, craft beers specifically, and a solid IPA even more specifically. He's a frequent drinker of Dogfish Head's 60 and 90 minute IPA's, and has been searching for the 120 for quite some time. He finally found it last week, but was sold only one due to it's special-ness. He cracked it open last night and allowed a smallish sip for me. It was pretty tasty, but I'm still desperately missing a good bottle of wine more so than beer. If you want to know my newest fave, it's Dogfish Head Chicory Stout, although I don't really drink beer anymore, as we all know. Sad.

Jody surprised me and taped (er...DVR'd?) Frosty the Snowman and even sat and watched it with me last night! I may act like a four year old, but Frosty is just one of those special memories I have of growing up. Next week is Rudolph the Red nosed Reindeer, and you can bet your bottom dollar that I won't be the only member from the Schuyler household tuning in.

My morning routine. The alarm goes off at 5, and while I used to jump out of bed, hop into my workout gear and speed off to the gym, now I snuggle in bed for, I don't know, 2-10 snoozes. Mohaha! It's wonderful. The weather is cold, and my fitness level is nay...which sort of makes me want to sleep all day. I'm trying not to feel guilty for not working out as much as before, but am instead embracing slower mornings and good smelling coffee. I like making breakfast for Jody, and then sitting myself down at the table for oatmeal and devotions. I pray 1 Peter 3:8-9 for our little guy/girl every day. I've chosen this verse for our kiddo, and my commitment is to pray it daily throughout my pregnancy, and to speak and be an example of it's words after he or she comes along.

(Is he/she, him/her, son/daughter getting old to anybody else? It might be time to find out the sex.)

My Cluster-Belly. I'm not quite sure what to do with or make of it yet, but it's still completely intriguing. I like to poke it, scratch it (I am an itchy, itchy gal) and, well...look at it. I wish it to grow much more pronounced in the next few weeks, as I'm ready to finally look pregnant, and not just feel like a giant pile of...pregnant.

This tea. It makes me happy, and oh, Trader Joe's! I'm obsessed! It smells great, and it tastes great! I was adding honey and a bit of vanilla almond milk during my cold, and I'm convinced it made me feel better.

I am growing more and more uncomfortable in my own skin as each day passes. I know, I know...I'm pregnant. I'm growing. What's happening inside me is...beautiful, a miracle, natural, temporary...sure. But right now what's happening inside of me is hormones, heartburn, nausea, and unfamiliarity with my own now slightly bumpy and dimply figure. These feelings are selfish and wrong, but natural too, I think. I'm at an awkward phase. I hadn't gotten to a point in my life where I was dreaming of pregnancy and having a baby with Jody yet, so I'm dealing with a bit of a resistance to the changes occurring

I'm bummed to have now missed two of Janelle's baby showers, and am now sitting and waiting to miss baby's appearance. I also missed Jenny coming home from Missoula over Thanksgiving break, and I'm bummed that I'll only be seeing her for a few days during Christmas. I know I've beat this subject up enough, but I'm homesick. Missing my family, Casey, coffee shops, Black Otter Trail, and I really stinking want some Z Pizza, too.

Colds. I have been sick for over a week now, and I'm exhausted. What started out as a simple cough and cold morphed into something nasty over Thanksgiving break. There was coughing, sneezing, crying, puking, headaches, and near-death. Yep, all of those things. Except maybe the last one...