‘Life’ Category Archive

Miscarriages Suck.

So, some serious stuff has gone down for me recently, and the blog is about to reflect that.  And only because I’m mostly in the bag off of my most amazing sangria, do I feel that I can tell you all about it.  (I’m sure I’ll regret this later, but whatever…)

I was pregnant.  Was being the operative word here.

It was a complete surprise when we found out.  I was half “Oh holy hell, how am I going to do this again?” and half “Yay! I can haz babieeeeeeeees!”  But, after only a few short days, my momma instinct kicked in and we started happily planning.

My head was full:  We’ll make the loft into a full room.  We will have to buy new baby stuffs.  The girls will be so excited! I will make them special shirts to wear on mothers day!  We will have sleepless nights but many more happy giggles!  After a sad year of loss, there will be a birth!  I probably won’t be able to participate in the Komen 3-day as a captain, but I will go as a walker-stalker, so that’s okay.  I guess I can’t go to FitBloggin‘ either, so no point worrying about that.  But there will be so many other firsts, so it will be ok.  Everything will be okay.  Better than okay!

Yeah. That wasn’t meant to be.

We had an sonogram appointment where we didn’t see what should be seen.  The doctor said a whole lot of “blah blah blahs” and I was poked and prodded and drained of bodily fluids and told to wait.  Just, wait.  Then come back again, and get prodded again, rinse, repeat.

It was exhausting.  And annoying.  And stressful.  Really fucking stressful.

And one day, it just happened.  {You should be well warned here, it’s about to get really REAL up in here.  Those of you that are faint of heart should probably leave.}

I had a spontaneous miscarriage.  That mostly means I bled like all of my insides were coming out, and I cramped as if I were having contractions.  It was intense and scary and I was totally unprepared.  Of course it was a Saturday where my doctor was out of reach.  And they don’t make a “What to expect when you’re miscarrying” book.  {But, if they did, the first chapter would be, “This is going to hurt and be as scary as fuck” and the second would be, “Oh, by the way, this will last for weeks.”  And the publishers of the book would totally encourage you to use it as kindling when you were done with it.}

Anyway.

To make matters worse, hardly anyone close to me knew. Not about me being pregnant, and certainly not about miscarrying.  (Some are finding out right now.  My bad.)  My husband knew of course, our parents, a good friend, but that was it.  So on a day where my girls (who didn’t know at the time) were celebrating at the church picnic, I was doubled over in my bedroom.  A few hours later I had to attend the big end-of-the-year play they were in.  In the throws of intense heartache and pain, I had to pretend all was fine.  That, my friends, was horrible.

And on and on and on that went.  I had to ditch out on regularly scheduled activities, but I couldn’t bare to tell people why. When I couldn’t get into the pool on the opening day, I had to come up with some lame excuse.  The pain and cramps came and went and came back again.

Then there was the obnoxious stuff that got to me too.  The lady who took my blood (for the 4th time in a few weeks) who finally asks me “what are you here for, anyway?”  Really lady?  Did you not read the order that plainly says miscarriage?  {I should have told her they were checking for the Plague.}

Or being ushered into the doctor’s office and leaning back for the sonogram, only to be greeted with the baby-themed art hanging on the ceiling.  You’d think an OBGYN that big could at least devote one room to non-pregnant patients.  As if having to say to the receptionist why I need to come in — “I’m having a miscarriage” — isn’t bad enough.  As if having to re-tell the nurse and doctor isn’t worse.  Let’s just hit the hypersensitive lady over the head with what she isn’t gong to have while she’s in the most exposed position known to man.  Yeah.  Thanks for that.  Assholes.

Even the well-meaning people who were just living their lives got to me.  There were babies and pregnant people everywhere.  Random talks of “having more children” vs. “being done” were a new trend too.  My precious well-meaning kids kept asking for a baby sibling constantly….we’re talking screams of “Mommy, have another baby!” hurled at me every day.  All while I’m trying to say goodbye to something that was barely anything inside of me.

{Slightly inappropriate side note:  I totally had a “Good Will Hunting” moment in all of this.  You know the scene where the shrink says to Will that it’s not his fault, over and over, until Will breaks down?  Well, my Mom is talking to me on the phone, and she’s all, “It’s ok to grieve, honey” and I’m all, “I know, Mom.”  And she’s all, “No, really, it’s okay.“  Am I’m all, “I know Mom.”  Until I realize I’ve hung up the phone with her, I’m realizing fully what I’ve lost even though it was so small, and I’m totally full on ugly crying.  I had to laugh (and cry some more) at the fact that I totally just lived out a scene from a movie.}

Needless to say, this has been so … tiring.  I honestly am telling you all of this because it’s just not something I can keep inside any longer.  I don’t feel like making excuses and I don’t want to tip toe around it any more.  I want it to be over.  I need to say goodbye.  I need to let it go into the universe and move on.

Of course, blogging is the best way to do that.  Duh.

So, if I’ve been MIA, or ignoring you, or not available, or just “off,” then now you know why.  I’m becoming okay.  I have worked through the stages of grief — the sixth being blogging with a glass of my excellent sangria — and have almost made it mostly intact through to the other side.  I’ve made improper jokes to mask the pain, but at least I got it all out.  And I finished the sangria.  So there.

 

A Peeta is a pouch of bread

So. Excited.

Happy Hunger Games!

But I finished book 3 too early and I can’t go to the movie til Saturday! 

If you are dying in anticipation like I am, you’ll enjoy this:

May the odds be ever in your favor!!!

Uncertainty

 

Uncertainty.  Ahhh, that little thorn in my side.

I can’t stand uncertainty, yet my whole life is governed by it.  It’s the way of all of us last-minute mommies, is it not?

 

Will I make it to the event on time?  I don’t know! How exciting!

Will I finish making the Easter basket before the sun comes up?  Not quite sure!  Stressful racing of the clock is fun!

Will I totally ruin my kids for life?  Just have to wait and see!!! Wheeeeee!

 

I have no idea what I’m doing 90% of the time, yet I hate uncertainty.  It makes me break out in hives and get twitchy.

Today is a good example – I was driving all over town to try to find Scooby Doo birthday invitations.  Uncertain of where to look, three stores later, I hadn’t found them.  Not one Scooby/Mystery Machine/70′s invitation to be found.  Blasphemy!!  (But, on the plus side, I realized it was totally possible to have an inner monolog running in the voice of Scooby Doo…)

Rut-roh!  No rinritations here reither!?  Rut rill re roo?!

{Yeah.  I’m uncertain of what I just said too.}

Cut to a few hours later and I’m in a huge party store – with kids in tow – that I was certain would have the invitations.  Yeah, no such luck.  And what happens?   The kid decides, upon seeing theme after theme of items that they did actually have, that she is uncertain of what she wants anymore.

Roooooooooh Nooooooo!

Seriously, kid?  I’ve been driving all around God’s creation, spending hours of my life, looking for this special thing to make you happy… and now you’re not sure?

*twitch.  twitch.*

Uncertainty strikes again!!!

 

I think, though, it’s pretty hard to be certain when you’re a parent.  You can’t be certain that you are doing the right thing.

Ever.

We always question ourselves.  Did we help enough?  Did we step back enough?  Did we encourage?  Were we firm?  Did I let her eat too many jelly beans?  Was letting her stay up that late a horrible decision?  Should I fight for her harder?  Should I coach her more?  Do I let her embarrass herself?  Should I force feed the squash down her throat?  Should I cave and get the cell phone?  Does she need more independence?  How can I be certain she is safe?  Will my job ever be done?

Parenting is one big ugly ball of uncertainty.  And so many of those questions we ask as parents will never be answered.  But I think that’s probably a good thing.  As much as I hate not knowing what is coming next, or where I’m going, or what I’m going to do, it’s probably a life saver in my job as a parent.  It makes me constantly assess, and change, and grow.

Because I know one thing for certain – if they keep growing and changing, then I need to grow and change along with them.  Otherwise I will be overrun within minutes.  And I certainly don’t want that to happen.

 

 

Pro-Cure

 

This past week has been very difficult for me. I’ve been quite ill, and pretty much unable to speak on one subject that has been hitting me upside the head, over and over again through the media: the Planned Parenthood and Komen debacle.

A little back story:

I have been a Susan G. Komen 3-day participant since 2008.  I have raised well over $7,000 for the organization.  The walks have literally changed my life for the better.  I walk more than I ever would have before, I give more, and they also opened my eyes to a community that is nothing but supportive and caring.

Planned Parenthood was a part of my life throughout my early 20′s.  They were my health care provider, and they were the only reason I was able to afford birth control.  They also were the ones that found a suspicious spot on my breast and then subsequently sent me to another doctor for a second opinion.  They also paid for that visit.  Things turned out fine, but it was a key moment in my life, I believe, that sent me eventually to Komen’s doorstep.

So, with all of the social and main stream media frenzy going on, I have found my self split in two.  It had me questioning if everything I’ve been doing these past 5 years has been right or wrong. It has left me heartbroken and confused.

But then, this week, a blogger that I silently followed and very much looked up to passed away….metastatic inflammatory breast cancer took her just two days ago. And with a blink of an eye I realized that all of these issues are nothing compared to how her family is feeling now.

I looked to Susan’s blog for answers or thoughts. Should I continue in this fight? What would she say about the events of this week? I really don’t know, but I did find this blog post (http://toddlerplanet.wordpress.com/category/pink-tober/) on her thoughts about the “pinkwashing” of October, and I find it may just point me in the right direction.

She writes:

“What I want to say here, and I don’t really know how, is that I APPRECIATE the efforts of all the people and organizations in the world bringing attention to a color that has already gotten a lot of attention this month: pink. There are shades of goodness in pink and shades that worry me. I realize now that they can co-exist, and that we can appreciate and enjoy all the shades of pink without declaring them ALL GOOD or all worthless, and that each shade of pink makes a contribution to the Fall mosaic around us that is bringing awareness and action to breast cancers, and is fighting the good fight in the way that feels right to them.

 

Today, I thank all the people and all the organizations formed across the globe that support the fight against breast cancer, that raise awareness, that raise funds for research, and that raise the spirits of those who struggle with this disease, in their own bodies or in that of the friends and family who they love. NEVER DOUBT that what you do makes a difference. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.”

This.

There have been a lot more variances added to the color pink this week.  Not all of them good, not all of them bad.  But all of them are still working to the same goal.

Did Komen go wrong in my eyes?  Yes.  Was this a total PR nightmare?  Yes.  Is Planned Parenthood any worse for it?  Not at all, better so in fact.  Do I fault anyone for going to another breast cancer organization?  No….it’s just another shade of pink.

Are there still women and men dying from this disease every. freaking. day?

YES. YES. YES.

Susan lived as long as she did thanks to the countless people who have supported the fight against cancer.  But Susan still deserved many, many more years.

This is why I will not walk away.  Komen, even with all of it’s faults, has advanced our cause by leaps and bounds.  I hope that they learn from this mistake and grow – and maybe this whole fallout was written in the stars so that growth could happen.  Maybe if I stick around, my voice will be heard and growth WILL happen.

I am many things.  I am not perfect.  I am not all-seeing and all-knowing.  Hell, I’m not even 100% on this decision.

But what I am is Pro-freedom of thought.  I am Pro-second chances.  I’m am Pro-women.  I am Pro-active.  I am pro-health and pro-longer lives for all.

I am pro-cure.

 This image provided by www.pro-cure.me!

12 ways to Check your Lemons

Donkey balls.  I suffered sat through basketball practice and wrote this whole post, then my stupid wordpress app deleted the whole thing. Grr.

Pretty much, it was to say two things.  (Only 2 because I am feeling sick and dealing with a rather annoying weather-related headache.  Stupid barometric pressure.)

Number one:

I think one of my main jobs, as a 3-dayer-for-life, is to educate others about breast cancer.  I may be falling down on this job, just a bit, but today I came across this awesome graphic that does this beautifully.  Before you peek, could you list 12 signs of breast cancer?  I’m not sure I could…but I think this graphic will definitely keep the signs in my head.

 

Click on the image to enlarge

 

Number two:

I’m still searching for your input on topic ideas for my audition.  Although, I’m beginning to think I am asking just to stall the actual writing.  I mean, I don’t have a great idea in my head, but I do know that bitching about it isn’t going to make the audition piece write itself.  {Note to self: stop futzing around and just write already.} {Response from self: Ok, damn, lay off.}

(Side note: do other people use the word “futzing?”  My mom has all sorts of words like this, from thingamajig to doo-gee-wap, but it occurs to me right now that it might be a “mom” word, and not a world-wide known word.)

Alright, I’m off to bed…

Check your lemons!

 

I’m good at reality tv

I am forever stuck in my teenage years.

(Actually, I’m not…and thank GOD for that.  Cause, that was some serious, serious crap.)

But, in the way that I love MTV reality shows – particularly The Challenge – I am still a teenager.

To prove it, this year I’ve joined a fantasy leauge to make it even better…if that’s even possible.

Yes, MTV goes against all that I want to stand for in Mommydom.  (No, daughters, you can’t get fall-down-drunk on television. No, daughters, you can not date a guy that jokes about his balls on television.  No, daughters, you sure as hell can NOT, but any means, have sex with random people while a man holding a video camera watches and records you all for the sake of television.  No, no, and HELL to the NO.)

But it pairs perfectly with my late night obsessions: wine and chocolate and the love of all things ridiculously over the top and cheesy.  This is my Mommy perk – I get to watch the shows that are devoid of anything useful to my intelect and full of debauchery.  I get to laugh at their dumb asses for making fools of themselves.  Even if it’s nothing I would ever want my kids to watch.  Cause I’m the adult.  And I said so.  So there.

To make my teenage regression even better, I’m going to add some gambling!  Pretty much, each player gets to pick 4 cast members, then we just watch the drama unfold.  You are awarded points when your cast member does anything you would feel horrible about in real life – fighting, excessive drinking, sexual acts – and when they win challenges.  All the points are added at the end of the season and the team with the most points wins the dough!

We did the draft the other day and I got Aneesa, CT, LeRoy, and Dunbar.  Not the best overall, but I’m hoping CT and LeRoy will take me far in that both are good competitors.  Also, CT is as crazy as crazy comes and LeRoy is nothing but a man whore.

{Yes, I am in fact watching the first episode and tallying my points while I write this post.}

You know what’s going to suck, though?  If I suck at this.  Because I totally blew in almost all of my fantasy football leauges this year, and if I suck at this too, I’m going to be pissed.  If nothing else, I should be good at reality tv.  Not doing it – again, I’m not about having sex on tv – but watching it, I am good at that.  {Wow, so not something my Mom is proud of.  Oops.}

With that being said, I’ve got to bail on this post.  Mama sees lots of bodies dripping in honey and my stomach is all in knots that my people aren’t going to bring their A games. No points so far!?  Dammit!

Just so you know though, if I have to choose between blogging and the combo of reality and gambling….reality gambling will win.  Every. Single. Time.

 

 

What to write?

Today I can’t really get a grip on what I want to write.

 

 

I could write about my total paranoia that takes over when surrounded by other moms.  (It all stems back to a horrible softball season when the “Mean Moms” shunned me.  It wasn’t pretty.  Well, let’s call a spade a spade: they were straight up bitches.  And now every time I’m in a group and no one is talking to me, I revert back to thinking that they are not only talking to me, but they are all talking about me.  Then my crazy ass kinda wants to assume the fetal position.  Or yell “Fuck YOU, you douche baguettes!” at the top of my lungs.  Both seem like a perfectly normal response.  Even if the moms are just exchanging tortilla soup recipes. Perfectly. Normal.)

Or…

I could write about how American Idol nearly set my girls up to fear me eventually walking out on them.  (“Mom, what do they mean that her parents ‘weren’t around?’”  “It means her parents couldn’t be there to parent her at the time…that they were having their own issues – drugs, or prison – or just couldn’t be good parents at the time.”  “Mom…..you’ll never leave us like that will you?”  {giant inhale of breathe as I steady myself and try not to cry a river} “No, baby, I will never, ever, ever, never leave you.  I promise.”  “Good.  Cause I’d come and say you owe me $1000 dollars if you did,” says the big one.  {At least she’s thinking about how to work her angle.}  “Ok, baby, but I’ll never leave, I promise.”  “And I’d be really really sad if you did,” says the little one while tearing up.  “I won’t go.  I promise.”  Thanks American Idol.  Fucking thanks.)

Or…

I could simply write about all how my daughter brought the globe into the bathroom with her…to read up on Djibouti while she did the doo-ty.  (Way to have educational and productive pooping, my child.  I approve.)

But..

I just can’t decide, so I’ll just leave it at that and go to sleep.  Last Minute Mommy, out!

 

You, at this exact moment.

 

Me, at this exact moment too.

From Pintrest…where you can find some funny shit when you don’t feel like blogging.

Like how to make the soda fountain at the pizza place pimp…

And some awesome new insult words…

And how to crack awesome Harry Potter yo mama’ jokes…

See?  Very enjoyable.

Underworld and that guy from Creed

 

It’s really funny to listen to my husband sometimes.

Tonight he has had a few drinks and he’s watching his (almost) favorite movie, Underworld.

Here comes some of the awesomeness:

 

*  Every time Michael comes on screen, he starts singing that Creed song…”Well I just hearrrrd/ the news todaaaaay…”  (Mind you, he hates Creed.)

*  “I like that girls dress.  It looks like two hands are grabbing her boobs.”

*  “I wish I had pecks like that.  Well, I do, but mine aren’t muscle.”

*  “She’s totally hot.  Ish.  For 1995.”

*  Me: “Latex.”  Him: “Great.”

*  Random reference to Felicity and how they canceled her show when she cut her hair.

*  “I totally love Underword.  I just wish that guy from Creed wasn’t in it.”

*  “He’s got a quality big forehead.  So does he.  And so does she.  There’s a lot of quality big foreheads.”

*  Later, “…With aaaarms wide opennnn…”  Upon my laughter, he says, “Yeah, you like how I just unsuppressed that thought from my head for you, don’t you?”

*  “Sara could probably watch this movie.  I mean, it’s not that scary.  Well, that guy from creed is scary, but just for society.”

*  “I’d seen Thriller about a million times by this age…and lets face it, Michael Jackson is a whole lot scarier than anything in this movie.”

 

There really was a whole lot more that got a lot funnier, but I started keeping track to late.

The point is this: My husband = funny = me happy.

The end.

Sunday is good.

image

Today I ate here.
And it was good.
Really good.

Then I hung out with my husband.
(It’s his birthday, and I love him.)
And that was really really good too.

My children called and I got to hear their sweet little voices.

Now I’m sleepy.
And getting over eight hours of sleep will be fantabulous.

There is no good internet connection for a long post and I don’t have much else to share, other than to say I am content.

So, sleep tight blog world, see you tomorrow. I hope that you had a lovely relaxing Sunday too.