Introducing My Weird Side (If you haven’t met her already!)

Posted on December 18, 2013 by playinghousewi

About a month ago, I was enjoying a delicious tootsie pop at work when I noticed that I had gotten a wrapper with the Indian shooting the star! I don’t know if any of you remember collecting these as a child, but I immediately got excited. Now, maybe it was the 2pm sugar rush or just one of my punchy moods, but either way, I decided to send it in with a little note in hopes of receiving my free tootsie pop in the mail.

My note said something like this…

“I found the indian shooting the star! Can’t wait to receive my free tootsie pop in the mail! PS: It took me 672 licks to get to the center of my tootsie pop.”

I chuckled a little, shoved my post-it note letter and wrapper in an envelope, dropped it in the mail and forgot about it. That is until last night, when I received two packages from Tootsie Roll Industries. My first reaction to the large manilla envelope was, “What the…” and then I burst into laughter as I remembered my weird and random fan mail.

Here’s what they sent me…

Okay, so maybe I only made it three licks before biting the dang thing in half. But still, my award makes me so happy.

“We truly don’t know why or where this rumor started.”

Not gonna lie… I didn’t read past the title! But, in case you care… I just wanted another tootsie.

Symptoms

I have not been sleeping very well. My lower back has been achy and I have just been feeling really uncomfortable. I’ve been starting to sleep on my side because I haven’t been able to get comfortable on my back, but even this is causing me issues. They say you should lay on your right side, but that makes it so my back is to my husband, which I don’t like. But, when I’ve tried to sleep on my left side, without fail, I wake up with a tingling and totally dead arm! Any suggestions? I want to go back to my zombie sleeps.

What’s One Thing Most People Don’t Know About You?

Posted on December 17, 2013 by playinghousewi

In attempts to get in the holiday spirit at work, despite the total cluster… fluff… going on in the background, my colleague and I have been playing “elves” and games all week. It started with a glitter fest… err… stocking decorating for the office last week.

Katie and I using excessive amounts of glitter… in the holiday spirit, of course!

A handful of the finished products.

This week, we have been filling the stockings each morning with miscellaneous goodies to brighten everyone’s day. In addition, we have been sending out employee trivia. Each day, there is one question and the office is tasked with determining who selected each response. Yesterday’s question was, “Who is your celebrity crush?” and today’s is, “What is the weirdest thing you’ve ever collected?”

To say that these two little elves have brought some much-needed sugar and laughs to the office would be a mild understatement.

But, I’ve digressed. Tomorrow’s question is, “What is one thing most people don’t know about you?” In the spirit of I’m probably not going to be working here for much longer, I figured what better time and easier way to make my pregnancy announcement than that. So, my response was, “I’m three months pregnant.” My colleague, Katie, and I are excited to see how many people think it’s her with the big reveal.

So, I’ll let you know how it goes!

Symptoms

I forgot to mention this yesterday, but on Saturday, we were at my favorite place ever: CostCo. It was insane there… the dairy section was a total zoo. As I battled carts and oncoming traffic, I suddenly got an overwhelming feeling of dizziness / “Holy Shit, I’m going to pass out.” I’ve never passed out in my life, so I was a little shaken by the whole thing. I don’t know if it was because the feeling made me uncomfortable and a little scared or because it was simply long-lasting, but the whole experience lasted at least 30 or so minutes. Then, yesterday, while I was in the midst of my BINGO madness, I got the feeling again. Thankfully, I was sitting down so it wasn’t as bad, but I really hope that this isn’t something that’s going to happen very often. I don’t enjoy it.

I looked it up last night, and apparently, dizziness is quite common. In fact, my mom was put on disability during one of her pregnancies because she kept passing out. Here’s the article I read if you’re interested: Dizziness in the Second Trimester.

Feeling Lucky

Posted on December 16, 2013 by playinghousewi

Not only am I a jolly pregnant lady with an amazing husband (who will be an amazing pops)…

How cute is he practicing with our friend’s sweet little babe??

BUT, on top of that, I get to go play BINGO instead of working today. My boss, colleague and I like to pick an afternoon every month or two to get together and have “Department Bonding Time.” This month’s merry activity is BINGO and I couldn’t be more excited. I have my good luck charms all picked out and am ready to dobber up a storm. And hey, maybe I’ll even win a few bucks. I’ve been practicing my BINGO cry and think I’m ready for a big win!

Wish me luck!

Symptoms

I’ve been feeling pretty good lately. Nausea seems to be gone… and actually, I don’t seem to be waking up every night to pee anymore. One thing that hasn’t changed too much is how tired I am. But, I’ve been attempting to power through it… minus yesterday, when I made it my goal to become one with my couch. Other than that, the biggest thing seems to be my tummy, which is puffing out a bit. At moments, I actually find it a little cute. Not a super cute baby bump quite yet, but it has potential.

I’ve also decided that I need to get my cravings and bad eating habits in check. My first trimester seemed to be laced with pig-out sessions and bad food choices, but now that I’m feeling back to normal, I’m determined to get my shit together. Goodbye candy (yes, I’ve been eating 1-5 tootsie rolls and starbursts a day – not necessary), goodbye Christmas cookies… hello vegetables, whole foods, and healthy living. I’ve been doing pretty well at working out 3-4 times a week and am feeling good about that. I feel like the better shape I’m in, the better off I’ll be to power through delivery. So, despite the freezing temps (this am it was literally 2 degrees F), I’m committed to dragging my ass to the gym, getting in some yoga, and keeping my body in the best shape possible. I mean, my job is to create a happy and healthy home for my little babe, right?

12 Weeks (December 13, 2013)

Posted on December 13, 2013 by playinghousewi

12 Weeks (December 13, 2013). We finally hit the 12-week mark! So exciting. As for my tum, in this picture, it doesn’t look much different, but clothed it’s more noticeable. Could be bloat, could be baby, could be fat. Regardless, there is more there now than there was before. And the baby is the size of a lime!

When Life Hands You SOUR Lemons…

Posted on December 10, 2013 by playinghousewi

When Life Hands You SOUR Lemons… Add a Shit Load of Sugar and Start Squeezing!

With all of the happy going on in my life these days, one could say I was a little bit, well… kicked on my ass… when my boss took my colleague and I out for drinks (non-alcoholic for me, of course) on Friday and suggested that we start looking for new jobs. To say the least, the company’s outlook is not ideal, and, being in marketing… AKA 100% overhead… we would be the first on the chopping block. So, having just read in my pregnancy update that I would begin showing soon, all I could think was, “SHIT!” I mean, when people think of the ideal time to go job hunting, they must imagine waddling into an interview, baby bump front and center, and face in full swell… that really gets employers ready to negotiate.

Okay, enough wallowing. Since hearing this news on Friday, I’ve been trying to figure out my next step. Prior to this, my hope was to begin working for my parents once the baby came, while staying on at my existing job on a part-time basis to help supplement the pay cut I’d be taking by working for my parents’ company. Now that the part-time job portion of the plan is no longer an option, I’m faced with losing my insurance and taking a pretty significant pay cut, oh, and adding a mini person (and mouth to feed and butt to diaper and so on) to our family. On the positive, working for my parents will allow some great flexibility… ie: every day will be ‘bring your baby (and dog) to work day’. Can we say, hello dream world??

So, I’ve been trying to figure out some other options to supplement the lost income, while still allowing me flexibility and ample time to dedicate to growing my parents business. So far, the best option I’ve come up with is trying to secure some contract work. This could add a flexible 10-15 hours of work per week and would be a great supplement. Of course, this isn’t as easy as I originally thought. Because of course, on top of figuring out what to charge… which apparently isn’t as simple as dividing my current compensation by 2,000 (number of hours worked / year) – think social security taxes and fun stuff like that – but it also takes CLIENTS. DUH, right?

I’ve never been a big sales kind of person, so already this is not ideal. But, I bit the bullet and sent my first solicitation email this morning. What I’m offering specifically is a little TBD, but I guess the only way to start figuring it out is by gauging demand, right?

Anyway, wish me luck as I attempt to navigate Entrepreneurship 101.

Symptoms

The theme for the week is to make amends. With friends who I’ve been arguing with. With myself… it’s time to allow myself to forget, forgive and focus on being jolly. With my job situation… make lemonade, right? My week and a half of emotional crabbiness has taken too much out of me. It’s exhausting and frankly, just not much fun. While I’m sure I’m still going to have my little meltdowns, I’m really going to focus on letting go, smiling, and appreciating everything I have around me. Life is good.

Oh, and by the way, my boobs still hurt 🙂

Playing in a Winter Wonderland

Posted on December 9, 2013 by playinghousewi

It was a SNOWY, COLD, and BEAUTIFUL Wisconsin weekend. As with most of our weekends lately, we were overbooked and jam packed. Here’s the update…

Friday we had a lovely dinner with some of our favorite new parents and their sweet little baby. It was great! The pup came with and “played” with their GIANT golden doodle. My friend gave me the book, Belly Laughs, by Jenny McCarthy. I’m pretty excited to read it.

On Saturday, I got my nails done with my mom, sister and niece, then got my hair done. It was a nice little morning. Then, it was off to celebrate my friend’s birthday with some cookie making and dinner!

Apparently this is what 29 looks like… one martini and three waters. CHEERS!

Little Erica making a wish!

The birthday girl.

And look at the sweet little onesie my friend, Carrie, got for the babes…

The apple of my eye.

On Sunday, the snow began. While it’s a pain in the butt and obviously very cold, it’s also pretty darn fun! I think Toby is a fan…

Then, we trekked our way out to have a Santa brunch with my parents, grandparents, sister and her fam. It was delicious and a blast. It’s not every day that you get to hang out with Santa AND his reindeer.

Winter Wonderland…

The Reindeer!

Making sure Santa knows exactly what we want this year… one healthy baby, please!

Of course, I must include photos of my cute little nephew.

And another…

Post-brunch, we went back to my parents house to curl up on the couch, watch a little football a shitty movie (word to the wise, skip Girl Most Likely… it was painful!), and relax. We did watch the show Naked and Afraid, which was pretty awesome. Also, my parents – who are crazy Brewers Baseball fans – gave us a cute little presie for the new baby!

First little sports outfit! Can’t wait to take the tiny child to a game… and eat so many hot dog nitrates 🙂

And now, it’s back to Monday… the work week begins… again. But, on the positive, at least everything is looking beautiful!

Pulling out of our neighborhood. Beautiful snow, beautiful sky.

Symptoms

The biggest symptoms lately have been my emotions and my boobs. Holy smokes are they sore. And giant. It makes me quite sad. I’m not a fan of my growing chest and am starting to worry about just how big (and painful) they’re going to get. I’m going to have to get special bras if they keep this growth spurt up. Yikes. And they are definitely very tender and achy. The other prevailing symptom is my roller coaster of emotions. I am a very snappy, tearful, bipolar version of myself, which is REALLY exhausting. One minute I’m ecstatic, one minute I’m crying, and then the next, I’m threatening someone’s life. It’s too much. This week, my goal is balance and mental stability. Think centered thoughts, think centered thoughts.

11 Weeks On the Dot (December 6, 2013)

Posted on December 6, 2013 by playinghousewi

11 Weeks (December 6, 2013) – I feel like every week of this trimester has looked different, but not progressive. I’m guessing that my BFF, bloat, has been playing a large role.

And just for fun…

Toblerone hanging with his best puppy friend.

Breaking the News at Work… or Not??

Posted on December 5, 2013 by playinghousewi

“I’m sure I told you I was pregnant…”

I’ve been trying to figure out when I should tell my boss about my little bun in the oven. Part of me would really just like to wait until I’m giant and can’t avoid acknowledging my growing body… the other part of me feels that might be a bit rude or inappropriate. So, when is the best time to tell?

December 20th officially marks my first day of the second trimester, so in terms of when it’s “safe” to break the news, that would make sense. But I’m just not sure.

Here are my hold ups…

Being that my company is not having its best year, I’m guessing the idea of bonuses or raises is a total joke… HOWEVER, I still can’t help but think I should wait until after that’s a sure thing before making my announcement. I mean, I don’t know the thought process that goes into this decision, but my guess is that employers don’t often throw more money at pregnant ladies who will soon be collecting maternity leave. Just a guess…
My maternity leave is feeling frighteningly up in the air right now. As of last year, the company utilized FMLA (Family Medical and Leave Act) standards for maternity leave; however, our firm has since dropped below 50 employees, which means we are no longer required to uphold FMLA standards. So, I feel that waiting until the 2014 handbook is issued might be a good idea.
My boss is a man. Even if by some strange chance he surprises me with genuine excitement about my news, I am confident it won’t last. No one likes the idea of paying for a staff member to be MIA for 6+ weeks. And have I mentioned that I feel 6 weeks is way too short?
As I’ve mentioned before, I don’t really enjoy telling people. It feels so awkward to me.

Now, the positives of making my announcement…

An explanation for my upcoming weight gain.
I can stop thinking about when I’m going to make my announcement.
Hmmm…

I think that might be it. Really, it seems like maybe I should just wait until someone asks me if I’m pregnant and pull the, “Yeah… I told you that! Remember?? Sheesh… you forget everything.”

Symptoms

I think my cold is on its way out! Excessive amounts of water and OJ (and a humidifier on my desk at work) have really done a great job of taking care of this cold in just a few days. I’m not perfect, but have improved significantly. AND, I slept through the night last night! Well, I got up to pee, but that’s my new normal. Other than that, I’m starting to think that the worst of my symptoms are behind me. I’m still decently bloated by the end of the night, but really, even that’s not too bad. And I’m feeling a bit more regular. I’ve adjusted my diet a bit to include a ridiculous amount of fiber, so I’m feeling good.

A Little Ray of Sunshine…

Posted on December 2, 2013 by playinghousewi

To say I was a ticking time bomb this weekend would be an understatement… I was such an uncontrollable mess of mood swings. Considering how blissful and happy I was feeling on Thanksgiving Eve, I have to say, I was just as surprised as anyone else. It started on Thanksgiving. I woke up with a rageful fire burning in my stomach just waiting to attack. It’s strange because I didn’t go to bed angry, no one wronged me in my dreams… it was just totally random. Luckily, it only lasted for a few hours in the morning and after a couple snaps at my husband and maybe one at my dad, I was shaken out of the trance and returned to my normal – but very embarrassed and sorry – self. I spent the remainder of the day bringing my husband plates of food, tail between my legs and white flag in hand.

Unfortunately, I didn’t seem to learn my lesson. While we had a pretty great weekend, I felt a little clouded with these random fits of rage. I think yesterday was the worst because there weren’t any weird lashings, just an overwhelmingly gloomy disposition. Until the evening, I think I may have smiled once. I just wasn’t in the mood for anything.

I’m feeling better and more myself this morning, so I’m hopeful this evil trance will end, but who could really say?

I guess for now, friends and family, BEWARE!

Here are some photos from the long weekend…

First candle lit!

My sweet nephew and I on Thanksgiving.

My sister, mom and niece cooking up Thanksgiving dinner.

Enjoying delicious food at a lovely wedding reception downtown.

The star of the day, Ms. Ellie Rae Turim, after her baby naming.

Little Erica giving us girls a lesson on breast exams. Duh… What are girlfriends for??

More breast exams.

AHH! And, one last (very exciting) thing! My dear friend, Carrie, just found out this morning that she’s having a little boy! All of us girls had made a bet and Kate and I won 🙂 We knew it was a little boy. So excited to meet the handsome fella.

Symptoms

While I haven’t mentioned this every day, which is how long it’s been going on, I continue to be a very bloated person who does not have any regularity when it comes to bathroom schedules. I’m sure between the iron in my prenatal and all the crazy hormones, my body is very backed up. Needless to say, I’m trying to take in as much fiber as possible. My new best friends: prune juice, broccoli, apples, and any other fiber-rich food I can get my hands on.

Other than that, I’m fighting a damn cold, which is really bringing me down. The last two nights I’ve had such a hard time sleeping, which is not good. Urgh. Fingers crossed for a quick recovery.

It’s Thanksgiving Eve and I Couldn’t be Happier (or More Thankful!)

Posted on November 27, 2013 by playinghousewi

Talk about a year to be thankful… this year I married the weirdest, most amazingly perfect man ever… we bought and moved into a perfect house that we absolutely adore… we celebrated 6 months of marriage in Fiji where we swam 100 ft under the ocean… and we found our we’re having a little baby. Oh, I also got a new job in there, too! Talk about a lot to be thankful for… I’m literally overwhelmed and overflowing with pure gratitude and love this Thanksgiving.

If it’s not obvious, Thanksgiving is literally my favorite day of the year. While I love my birthday and celebrate the entire month of May (which we refer to as Maylissa), Thanksgiving trumps all of that by a long shot. In our family, we squeeze anywhere from 15-25 people around one table and literally feast. This feasting is usually laced with some cocktails, so you can imagine how loud and rowdy it can become. At the end of the meal, as we serve up dessert, we go around the table and everyone says what they’re thankful for. I’m sure this sounds like a lame tradition, but in our family, it’s become something we all cherish and look forward to. It’s great because depending on the person or the moment, the “thankfuls” can range from tear-jerking to hilarious. My dad, who usually takes the cake for the drunkest of the bunch, tends to start with some drunkly, sappy “thankful” and end with a cheers to gin and tonic. It’s heartwarming and I wouldn’t change it for the world.

So today, as I sit at work attempting to get focused and finish the one dang task I need to get done today, I can’t help but be thankful.

Prepare yourself for some cheese, because here’s my Top 10 List.

I’m thankful for…

My husband and everything he brings to my life. Compassion, reason, love, protection, companionship, affection, sweet kisses, family, happiness, completeness. He’s literally my everything.
My hubs ❤
My parents. I am a very family-oriented person and couldn’t be more fortunate in this department. I live less than 15 minutes from my parents and see them at least once a week. They are amazing and supportive and fun. I can’t say enough about them. My mom takes my sis and me for manicures every week, she listens to every little thing I want to bitch about, she hangs out with me whenever, and she is just perfect. And my pops… I am literally him in female form… well, maybe version 3.0… but still, our humor and work ethic and thought processes are so similar. My success to date is a direct reflection of the qualities I received from my dad. Not to mention the fact that he’s hilarious (although I would never tell him that), fun, and provides such perspective.
My pops.

Me & the Momma.
My siblings. My sister has been so amazing and supportive and helpful during these first couple months of pregnancy. It’s so amazing to not have to Google everything… I mean, I do anyway, but I don’t have to! And my brother bear, who has named our baby Mattilda Geraldine (his name is Matt)… he brings the perfect level of humor-laced concern and care to my life and I really appreciate that. Of course, my family doesn’t end there. I have the most IT-savvy and funny brother in law out there who was 50% of the cause of the cutest dang niece and nephew a girl could ask for.
My siblings (and parents)!

With the Gabbers.

Can you tell I love him a little?
The other part of my family. I am also seriously blessed to have married into an amazing family. My MILly (Mother In Law) is literally the sweetest and most caring woman around. I can’t express enough how grateful I am for her calm presence in my life. And Pop, Mark’s 96-year-old gramps… he calls both my puppy and I “Short Stuff” and I just totally love him. He has the best stories and such a great vibe. Then there’s Mark’s dad, Ivan, and stepmom, Amy… just the sweetest people to be around. And so fun. Amy and I have a similar love of shopping. Two peas in a pod. And of course my sister in law, her husband and their two sweet little princesses. What a perfect group of people to “acquire” into my inner circle.
Pop’s missing from this one… but how cute are the rest of ’em?
My grandparents. While it hasn’t been easy, my Grams and Gramps recently made the move to Wisconsin and I couldn’t be more excited. Although they don’t know it yet, they are going to be able to be a part of not only my pregnancy, but also the life of another great grandchild. I’ve never gotten to live in the same state or even region as them, and this feels like the perfect time for it to finally happen.
How cute are they?
My friends. I have the most perfect blend of girlies in my inner circle. Each of us has a unique strength that ensures that there is always someone there for you for every type of happening… whether sad, happy, exciting, overwhelming, angering… you name it. And, they’re seriously fun. Not many people have the support circle that I’m lucky enough to lean on. It’s pretty amazing.
How gorg are these girls?

The sassy bridesmaids.
Health. I am so lucky that all of the people I love in this world are in relatively good health.
My job. While I complain about work quite a bit, I have to admit that I’m pretty damn lucky. I get paid to do what I love and to do what I’m good at… I get paid to be creative, to go against the grain, to be a pain in the ass and to say what people don’t want to hear. Not to mention the fact that I get to do it with some pretty cool people. People that aren’t just cool based on the surroundings. My “counterpart” at work is one of the goofier people I know and I totally love that about her. She definitely makes work feel less like work and more like I’m getting paid to hang out with a friend.
My pup and kitty. Seriously, they are so cute. And even when they wake us up super early or throw up on our stuff, I still just love them so much. They bring so much joy into every day. I never had pets growing up, so the fact that I get to come home every day to a wagging tail and purring kitty is just amazing.
Our little family.
Our baby. When I was young, I once took every stuffed animal out (about 30+) and used hot loops to attach them all together. I then dragged my entire brood around the house and claimed they were all my babies. Even then, I knew that I was destined to be a mom. While I love my job and the excitement of career, my life’s aspirations lie within family. I want to be an amazing wife and an even more amazing (and patient) mother. For years, I have had this looming fear that I wouldn’t be able to have children and look at me now… pregnant after our first month of trying. I am literally the luckiest girl in the world.