10 Weeks

Heard the baby's heartbeat at the doctor's office yesterday and I don't think until then that I really thought it was real...that I could really be pregnant. It was a very emotional moment and of course I cried like a baby (pun intended). Mike was there and I could tell he was pretty amazed by the moment. I think for him it became even more real too. I am feeling much better these days. Less nausea but still tired all the time. My appetite is picking up and my pants continue to get tighter and tighter. Not sure how long I will be able to resist those maternity pants but I will sure try. And yes I will continue to wear my heels until it is really almost impossible to! I have a rep to protect you know. If Nicole Ritchie can do it, so can I!!!

Mom also made a comment yesterday that only just dawned on me. My due date of July 18th was also Grandma M's birthday. As unlikely as it might be, I think it would be fitting and amazing for me for my child to share a birthday with her. In my own way of thinking that things always happen for a reason, I like to think that she had a say in things happening the way they have. Even more of a reason for me to believe that she is out there watching over me in some way.

I am looking forward to my annual hosting of Christmas Eve tomorrow. It is a tradition I truly relish and I am glad both sides of the family (including the dogs!) will be gathering together. Happy holidays to everyone!

8 weeks

So the honeymoon had to end sometime I suppose. Other than being extremely tired, I was feeling pretty good. Until the nausea set in. The all day, all consuming, bad news nausea. 24/7 of constant queasiness. You get the point right? Not one for getting the flu all that often (I don't think I can recall the last time I actually had it) and not one for being a huge fan of vomiting, I never thought I would want actually want to throw up. Believe me, throwing up would have been ideal compared to the constant state I have been in. All I can wonder is why again do women actually enjoy being pregnant??? The past couple of days have been slightly better. I was actually able to get myself out of the house and into work and have been able to focus ever so much more. My hope is that the worst has passed but prepared for it to come storming back again. What I am eagerly awaiting is this supposed point in pregnancy where all you want to do is eat and you have all these wonderful cravings. Right now, I am barely excited about my beloved McDonald's and have resorted to eating more fruit than I think I have ever eaten in my life. Canned fruit is a wonderful treat these days. And I have heard it all that this will all pass in the next 4-5 weeks and I will feel much more energized and ready to chow down. But excuse me as I try to lift my very exhausted head from my desk and remain pessimistic for now.

My friends have given me plenty of books to read and while I am thrilled to receive them, I find them to be very overwhelming. The books tend to focus on what could go wrong, what you should worry about, how not eating right will affect your baby, how caffeine will screw your child up, etc, etc, etc. I have a hard time reading that and thinking about how women have been doing this pregnancy thing for thousands and thousands of years and never had this level of information at their disposal..... and yet somehow after all the supposed wrong things they were doing their babies ended up just fine. I agree that over time we have learned very valuable things with better science and data at our fingertips but I also fear that we are in an over sensitive, over protective world. This is not to say I will be reckless and not do everything possible to ensure my baby is ok but I will also approach with a sense of realism that you cannot avoid all the bad, harmful things in the environment around you unless you live in a bubble. I find I will rely more on those who I know who have been through pregnancies as their experiences are much more valuable to me than anything written in a book.

6 weeks

No I won't be writing about my experiences each and every week but just the noteworthy ones.

I still feel ok but the past couple of days have been a lot more yucky. It is about all I can do to keep my head off my desk, off the pillow on the couch, off the island in the kitchen and take a nap. I am not a napping kind of person but it is all I really want to do these days. Talk about being drained!!

As for the rest of it, I don't have morning sickness where I am tossing my cookies all day but rather I am in a constant state of minor nausea. Enough that nothing is appealing to me in terms of food and I really don't crave anything. I force myself to eat something at this point. Not sure how I will gain any weight at this rate! But don't despair....I still manage to force myself to eat McDonald's. No one can say I am not doing my part for the economy. :)

The worst part has to be the enhanced sense of smell I seem to have. Everything is so strong these days! The kool-aid in the refrigerator is killing me because it smells so strong!! I have to run away whenever Mike opens the fridge. So you can imagine how horrifying it is on the lovely Metra day in and day out with all the fine smelling co-riders I encounter......

Little Nogradi

Well it's official - I am going to have a child! It seems very strange to write that and even stranger to say it out loud. I was the one who was not too keen on kids or rather was too caught up in being career woman to really think about it. But now that it's happening, I am excited about what is to come. And at the same time, I am freaked out to the core. Most of my life has been about being prepared for what the next steps in my life would be so that I would know what to expect. Surprises are not my thing. This is increasingly true in that I will not be one of those women who waits until her baby is born to find out the sex - I need to know as soon as physically and scientifically possible. I know what to expect in my job and I prepare myself and plan around what the next steps are there. I know what my day to day is going to be like and can adjust to whatever challenges are thrown my way. I somewhat knew what to expect getting married to Mike - that it would be no different really than what our day to day life was before we got married. That is what I wanted as I did not want those surprises after the wedding day. Having a child throws all level of expectation out the window. I don't even know the first thing to do to even become prepared. Yes I can rely on those who have been had children of their own to bestow their wisdom on me but I am someone who has to live and learn on my own - I have to face the challenges and deal with them myself. I am nervous about all the responsibility that will be put on me and my ability to deal with that. I have not been known to handle stress very well - somehow I think I need to change that :)

I am excited and happy and somewhat surprised (those darn surprises) that it didn't take as long as I had thought to actually get pregnant. My hypochondriac thinking had me convinced that my womb was broken. In all my excitement, I remain very cautious. One never knows the true science of the woman's body. In the meantime, I am enjoying the extra attention that Mike is paying me and the fact that he is taking on all the fun tasks I once had to do (cleaning litter pans, vacuuming, etc). It will be interesting (and maybe somewhat scary) to see a little Mike enter this world. I think that is a scary thought for many people!!

I will continue to keep everyone posted here about the changes, the ups, the downs, and hopefully a beautiful baby come July.

Another thrilling Sox memory

Was lucky enough to be at the game last night and it was truly amazing. Fans all dressed in black - it really was a sight to see. The atmosphere was electric and everyone was so friendly with each other (as opposed to those Sox/Cubs games!). A Sox/Cubs world series would not be a good thing in any way shape or form.

While there are definitely very stressful and scary things going on in our world and our economy, it is nice to have baseball to fall back on to generate excitement, passion, and fun. No matter the state of the economy, people will find a way to be present or at least invested through watching at home the games like this. It will be yet another moment to remember in the long list of Sox ups and downs.

I think my heart has returned to normal after the win. The stress will return shortly but glad to have a day of rest.

Go Sox!!

Random Thoughts on a Friday

Random thoughts after spending way too many hours at work sitting in a conference room monitoring the market for any blips that will impact my company:

-J.P. Morgan moves a whole lot of money in a given day - the totals are mind boggling and I don't quite get how it is possible to move that much money and still say the economy is hurting.

-I think I have this peeing on a stick thing down to a science. Mike is very fond of having to purchase more for me. That's what he gets for not having to work on Fridays.

-Wallpapering is fun (but no I do not want to do that again for quite awhile).

-Ozzie experienced mental confusion after being sedated for his teeth cleaning. I wish my mental confusion was only a result of being sedated.

-Ghost Hunters has to be the best show on tv. I don't know how you cannot believe in spiritual entities after watching this show even once.

-My White Sox are going to give me a heart attack. Bad enough that the darn Cubs have to be so good right now. Painful.

-If you could see what is considered art here in my building....I could be an artist.

-I do not like the new 90210 show (yes I watched it)....I am too attached to the Walsh family.

-Incompetent, useless people are a waste of my time at work.....especially when there are probably very smart, very talented people out there losing their jobs as we speak.

-Brian Regan is hysterical....if you have never seen him, catch him on comedy central. Funny live too.

-Our neighbor Beth has a young couple that lives behind her. She has been trying to get us to meet them as she thinks we will be best buds. We have discovered that they are frequent runners....we cannot be friends with runners. Or joggers for that matter.

Back to Reality

Another Fagan family vacation has come and gone. It will live on of course in the continued comments and talks about the funny moments ("Sandy!") as our family is known to rehash these moments for all eternity. It is something that I always cherish that we can look back on the entertaining moments and smile. And as with any Fagan family vacation, there is the full gamut of hilarity, drama, sadness, and definite togetherness. One would think it would be near impossible to put 17 people together with differing personalities and differing patience levels and to not have anyone kill each other.....with the exception of Kyle & Randy threatening to duel however. All in all everyone got along and some great memories were made. As our family continues to get bigger and bigger, these vacations together hold even more meaning and allow for even greater memories. I cherish the time with the Rays and wish they lived closer so that we could see each other more often than the every 3 year vacation or wedding. I look forward to whatever the next adventure trip is with this family.

Most know at this point that Mike and I have decided to start trying to have a baby. It has been something we have talked about for some time but it is now that we are both ready to go down that path. We agreed we will try and see what happens - if everything aligns and we are meant to have a baby then I know that will happen. If it is not in the cards, then we will accept that as well. For now, my body is trying to right itself from being on the pill for so many years (about 16) so it may take a few months for things to line up. Rest assured I will keep everyone posted if anything happens :)

Bye Old House

The house at 2556 Congress is officially in the hands of someone else. It was a challenging last couple of days to get to closing and finally put an end to this long journey but it is a done deal now. The frustrations and annoyances of the last 2 days were in my mind avoidable but I have to always remember that others do not always operate in the same common sense world that I do. But even all the aggravations didn't take away from the fondness I will always have for my first house and my accomplishment to own that all on my own. Many great memories and even some ghostly haunts will remain with me always. As the number of foreclosures around my old house increase and the area invites more questionable characters, I just hope that I don't find myself driving through the subdivision and see my house in any state of disrepair. I am hopeful that the new owner takes as much pride in that house as I did and is determined to keep it in good condition.

Take care old house.....

The Adventures of Minnie the Pug

Minnie has led an adventurous life since the moment we picked her up at this little house in the middle of nowhere Indiana. She was raised in this house with a monkey, several other animal species, and a woman whose idea of stylish wardrobe included a t-shirt that read 'If I want your opinion, I'll beat it out of you' (or something to that effect). She was the last of the litter to be bought and I still believe we got the runt of that litter. She has had parasites, rashes, seizures, and a mysterious limp - and she is only 2 years old. She also now barks at her food bowl if it gets to close to Ozzie's, if there is food behind the bowl, or if the bowl makes too much noise as she nudges it across the floor. We lovingly call her our special needs dog.

Her latest adventure basically gave me an immediate heart attack. I was working at Mike's sister-in-law Nancy's house during the day since we would be heading to Ashley's graduation that evening. We drove up to Winthrop Harbor that morning with the dogs in tow and Mike headed off to work. The dogs enjoyed playing with Snickers (or rather torturing the poor pup) and I managed to get some work done. Nancy and Ashley headed off for various hair, nail, and shopping excursions and I subsequently let the dogs outside to roam and do their business. Not 5 minutes later, I look outside to check on the dogs and I see Ozzie standing by the edge of their above ground pool looking down at a hapless, sad, and floating Minnie. She managed to get herself into the pool and on top of the solar cover (that looks like bubble wrap). I screamed and ran and was basically prepared to jump into the pool to save my little girl - but then thought wiser about it and realized that that level of dramatics wasn't really necessary. I was able to pull the cover towards me with Minnie aboard and pull her out. She then ran towards the house like nothing was amiss. After my shaking subsided, I continued to ponder how in the world she even ended up on the cover. Minnie is never one to jump in, walk on, or go near anything she isn't sure of - that is more of Ozzie's thing. And how she ended up safely on the cover and not in the bottom of the pool I will never understand. There are theories that Ozzie nudged her in with the hopes that he would be the only dog once again.

I am sure there will be many more Minnie adventures to come - it just seems to be in her nature. But hopefully the next ones do not threaten to stop my heart again!

Saving 2nd Base

I admit that before this past year, I don't know that I thought so much about breast cancer. Sure I am a woman and it should always be in the back of my mind somewhere but there was always this invincibility aspect in that nothing bad could ever happen to me. When I heard that Uncle Ken was diagnosed with breast cancer, I thought that while I know it is possible, it just didn't make sense. You really don't hear all that much about men getting breast cancer. My subsequent little scare in January made me even more aware that I am not as invincible as I might think. I am much more aware of any changes going on in my body. I think because of these 2 instances, the Avon 2 day walk carried even greater importance and value.

I know Mom has done the walk a few times and I always thought there was no way I could do that - walking 5 miles alone in the Walk and Roll was always just enough for me. But I was determined to do what I thought would be impossible. I can say that the walk was challenging, rewarding, emotional, and uplifting. I was amazed at the number of people walking and even more so how the overall event was put together. Although where was Reese Witherspoon???? The final 3 miles on Sunday were the most challenging - I really didn't think I would make it. But as I saw 2 women who clearly were going through cancer treatments or in the remission stages, I realized that if they could go through those painful and difficult steps to beat the disease, I could take the painful steps needed to get to the finish line. It made it that much more rewarding to cross that line and see the supportive, happy, and cheering folks along the way.

During the walk, we all laughed about the many names for breasts that one could ever come up with however I was also aware that it was very female centric. Wearing our 'We Ken Do It' shirts on Sunday and Mom travelling around with the Ken doll hanging outside her backpack prompted a lot of people to ask questions about what the doll and shirt was in reference to. I am glad that we were able to bring a little awareness to folks who may not realize that this isn't just a woman's disease.

I am incredibly proud of my mom and sisters for all that they did in advance of and during that weekend. I think the Avon foundation does great work and the grants they provided because of the money raised can only be positive steps towards treatment and maybe one day complete eradication of this disease.

My Second Home

My trip to Napa was just what I needed as a time to get away from the stresses even if for just a short time. It is true that I love a good glass of wine and I like learning about new wines and getting an appreciation for where it comes from. The largest producer of wine in the entire USA comes directly from Napa as it is one of the only areas in the entire country that has all the right elements for grape growing. And while my initial reasoning for going to Napa was that it was somewhere Mike had never been and a place where we could try new types of wine, it was also the fact that California, no matter where in the state, has been a place that I always long to go to and a place that always make me feel at home as weird as that may sound. The weather, the scenery, the smells, the palm trees all give me comfort and give me a certain joy that I don't otherwise get here especially during the winters. Immediately when I get off the plane, I feel that I am where I belong. I am sure that part of it is the connection I will always have to grandma and grandpa McDonald and the fact that I spent a lot of time there with Jenna who was at one time such an integral part of my life. And for a long time it was like a second home. Mike and I have always talked about where we would like to live someday - he is partial to Florida and me to California. But since I have essentially dragged him to San Diego and now San Francisco & Napa, he is coming around to my line of thinking. I truly believe we will end up there someday most realistically as a potential retirement locale (so don't worry - not planning to up and move any time soon!) but in the meantime, I plan to take numerous vacations back there and I know I will enjoy every visit. However if JPMorgan ever decides to buy a west coast bank, I might be the first to raise my hand to relocate!!'

In other news - I am more than relieved that the house has finally sold. I am hopeful that everything will go smoothly until closing on June 30th. I imagine that the finality of the house selling will hit me at that point and I will officially be sad to let my very first home purchase go.

The new house is still coming along. We finally have sod in the front and the back yard and sides have been seeded. Mike and I probably look really silly standing out on our deck looking to see how much grass is coming up. Mike has taken to tending to the new lawn - funny he never cared as much in the townhouse and let me do all the work! He is meticulous about watering it and we have toured the neighborhood looking for some good landscaping ideas.

A possible offer??

So there has been increased traffic at the townhouse which should be a good sign. I have also learned today that someone is really interested and has seen the house twice with a third showing this week. Agent indicates that we will likely see a contract this week. We remain a little jaded since we have heard this before but maybe this time it will stick and we will actually get this house sold! But we will believe it when we see it.

As a side note, Mike and I were over at the house over the weekend to clear more very important things out of the garage (obviously haven't been missed too much....). I was in the house and checked out the refrigerator to turn it down a notch and noticed how dirty it was. Someone who I am married to who will remain nameless did not clean it out initially. So upon my cleaning of the fridge, I noticed a bag of potatoes on the top shelf. These were not potatoes we left behind (because they would have been really gross) and I am really confused as to where these potatoes came from. Maybe they belong to the ghost.......

My Love

I am thankful for so much in my life and feel that I am incredibly lucky. I have my little family at home that I adore however I have been asked by my husband why I am not mushy and romantic (sounds like more of a woman to man comment doesn't it??) So in appreciation and respect and utter love, here are my favorite things about my betrothed:

He laughs at my stupid jokes and finds it very amusing when I laugh so hard I cry (which is typical when I watch 'The New Adventures of Old Christine' - funniest show on tv).

He cleans the acid off of my car battery and jump starts it like he has done this all his life.

He tells me I look beautiful or pretty almost every single day.

He buys me shoes for my birthday and for Christmas.

He takes the dogs out every morning even on weekends letting me sleep in.

He puts up with my constant change of mind on where furniture needs to go and never gets aggravated when he has to undo what I asked him to do the first time.

He watches America's Next Top Model with me even though he despises Tyra Banks more than anyone on this earth.

He lets me decide the restaurant every time even though he knows it will be Italian 99% of the time.

He lets me control the radio - even if it is to force him to listen to the latest goofy hip hop song. I still can't get him to let me listen to Josh Groban in his presence but we'll get there.

He became a Sox fan and is almost as passionate about them as I am (well maybe not quite....)

He checks in on his mom and dad almost daily.

He tears up when he gives me a mushy romantic card.

He cooks me dinner (and is excellent at it too!)

He goes to Baskin Robbins/DQ/McDonald's whenever I have a late night craving.

He guides me along icy patches in the winter when I insist on wearing high heel boots.

He dusts the hardwood floor and vacuums the carpet without having to be asked.

He tolerates my mood swings and cranky days.

He makes me laugh.

He loves the dogs unconditionally.

He tells me he loves me every night before we go to sleep.

He is my best friend.

Update

I removed my last post regarding a certain perception of our family not because I am at all concerned if anyone reads it and takes any exception to it but rather to protect those who could get hurt unfairly by the off chance that it is indeed read by people other than the 4 of you who do read this blog. My intent was a venting session and to voice my displeasure at the lack of respect that our family receives by others.

In other news, the house on Congress Avenue is still not sold. There have been 2 second showings however no one seems to be moving real fast nor do I think they feel the need to. We have lowered the price once again and really are at the lowest level we can go. Having as many forclosures around the house certainly doesn't help either as we are in no way able to compete with sell off prices. I am in a lose-lose situation and it is probably the most frustrating thing I have ever had to deal with. They always tell you that buying a house is much better than renting since you are able to actually build equity however at this point I will be losing money on the house in an effort to just get rid of it. Good thing I love the house I am in now as I do not foresee myself wanting to sell ever again!

Goodbye and Good Riddance Mr. Favre

For those of you who know me well, you will be very familiar with my disgust and hatred for all things Cubs and Packers and namely one Packer in particular. So it is with great joy that I learned the news of Brett Favre's retirement this morning. It is a happy, joyous day for me!!

Now if only we can get the Cubs to move to another city......

Invader Be Gone

So the invader has been removed and the result is that it was benign. It's formal name is fibroid adenoma. Common in women 15-30 (I of course don't fall into that age bracket now do I?) and they believe they arise due to hormonal changes. It is unpredictable as to whether this will ever come back but the doc says that it is not likely to come back in the same spot if at all. These little adenomas are thankfully never cancerous. So some may say that this was a whole lot of worry for nothing but I for one am grateful at how much the doctors I have seen pushed to do all the necessary tests and routines and surgeries to make sure it was indeed nothing. I have heard too many horror stories of doctors who did not insist on further testing, sure it was nothing when in fact it was something. I will happily go for my annual mammograms and not complain one little bit when my boob is turned into pancake.

On the other side of the stress-meter, we are all moved into our new abode. I love the house and already feel "at home". The dogs were somewhat confused and Ozzie definitely did a lot more investigating than Minnie. The cats are completely comfortable and were not as traumatized as I feared. In fact, the move has seemed to make all the animals a little more tolerant of each other - possibly due to the fact that no one could claim they were there first. Rooms are slowly getting painted and new pictures are being hung on the walls. There is definitely a lot more space to cover! I was emotional about leaving the old house - after all I had worked so hard to get myself to a place where I could actually buy a home. I am proud of that house and even prouder now that I have been able to take the next step into the single family home. I am sure I will be even more sentimental about the old house when it actually sells. For now it is still there and I can go there whenever I want. To let it go completely will be somewhat heart wrenching. Of course having my summer and winter homes so close together is just delightful!! We have hired a new realtor and Kelly can attest that she is a very interesting lady. She certainly has the credentials (which she makes sure to present to you when you meet her) and her marketing strategy is very good. She even clued us in to a lot of things that my old realtor did not which is really unfortunate. I hate thinking that this house could have been sold already if we went with this current realtor from day one. But you live and you learn. So now the competition is on to see which house sells first - the lovely townhome in Aurora near all the great hotspots that Naperville has to offer or the designer home in Crest Hill near the Hookah Cafe :)

So 2 stresses down and 1 to go. I am surprisingly calm and positive. However check back with me on April 1st when I have to officially make 2 mortgage payments!!

The Boob Situation

I have long thought about whether to talk about my latest "situation" here or not since I am not really ever one to be so forthcoming about my personal life and personal situations. I usually try to keep things to myself and work them out on my own. But I have found that sharing this current bump in the road benefits every woman in my family and even my friends.

Not being one to do regular monthly breast exams, I was shocked to find while scratching my underarm a strange lump that was definitely not supposed to be there. Initial feeling was that of utter freak-out and immediately fearing the worse (I tend to be over-dramatic when things are "wrong" with me - also consider myself a hypochondriac). The C-word was the first thing to pop in my mind although not very logical for me to go to that extreme just yet. After all, I had no idea what it was but we seemed to always be taught in school and even in our yearly doctor visits to immediately see a doctor when any type of lump is found. I managed to get myself to work although I really wanted to just crawl into bed and feel sorry for myself. Again - the overdramatic side threatened to take over. When I got to work, I immediately got in touch with my good friend Web-MD. I look up everything on that site and in fact I believe I correctly diagnosed myself with post-nasal drip when I had a nagging cough for weeks on end!! The first thing the site said when I looked up "lump found in breast" was "Don't Panic!" I was kind of amused because of course I had panicked that morning. Apparently 80% of all lumps found are not cancerous and have varying reasons for being there. They outlined what are "normal" lumps and what would be of concern. I started to feel a little bit better but there was always the fact that Uncle Ken was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. The timing was pretty unreal. So I made an appointment with a new doctor out near me for my annual check up and to talk about the invader in my boob.

I typically do not deal with stress all that well and I was already dealing with the new house and the unsuccessful selling of the current house. Not sure why everything had to be dropped on me at once but there it was. My emotional state is already very fragile (I think Mike is starting to get sick of my crying spells!) but somehow I had to try to think positive and figure that there had to be a reason for all of this. I saw a nurse practitioner at my new doctor's office. She was very comforting and when checking the lump, she made a mention that it didn't seem to her to be all the worrisome. She in fact had to deal with a lump herself that turned out to be benign. She referred me to get a mammogram and an ultrasound to get the official film work done on what was going on. No woman can ever be prepared for what the mammogram entails. I know it was a matter of time before I needed to start going regularly but wasn't overly prepared to go now. There is just something not right about the whole process. It seems so outrageous that there is not an easier, less uncomfortable way to do this!!! I literally felt like my boob was becoming a pancake and I was sure that it was not going to go back to its original shape!! I find myself somewhat lucky in being not so endowed but I really don't know how the larger gifted women of this world go through this! If anyone tells you it's not that bad, they lie (and I have a very high pain tolerance!) But I made it through and then went to get an ultrasound. After the ultrasound, I waited a ridiculous amount of time and then the door opened with the radiologist, nurse, and the tech who did the ultrasound. I knew that this was not just nothing since I don't think all those people would be in the room. The radiologist said that it appeared to be of low concern but since it was a solid mass (and not fluid filled which is typical of a cyst), they suggested I get a biopsy. While it all seemed like good news, I was still a wreck that this whole process needed to continue and that I would have to see more doctors and have more procedures. So I went to a recommended breast surgeon yesterday for what I thought was a needle biopsy. I spent most of the morning nervous as can be with the thought of a long needle going into this lump. Mom & Kelly came to the doctor's office for support and Mike was worried all day for me. Turns out the surgeon decided that it would be in my better interest to have this lump removed and then have the biopsy done after that. He said it appeared to be a benign cyst but he figured I would be most comfortable with getting it removed altogether. I wholeheartedly agreed with that because I know I would always be checking it to see if it was still there and if it had gotten any bigger. So I do feel better after hearing 3 doctors say that it does not appear to be anything of urgent concern. I am scheduled to have it excised on Feb. 15th. I will get some of that twilight anesthesia, they will make a small incision, remove the lump, and sew me up with some dissolvable stitches. Then they will do a biopsy after that that and then I will go through the pain-staking process of waiting for the results. Simple as that. And then hopefully all of this will be behind me.

I would say my attitude about monthly self-exams has changed dramatically. I know for a fact that I will always be checking. With the family history we have, I am also urging my sisters to do the same.

Let me just say that I think more people have seen my breasts in the last 3 weeks than have seen them in my entire lifetime. For someone who used to be overly self-conscious of the size (or lack thereof) of my boobs, I find that I really have no shame now (although that doesn't mean I will be going to Mardi Gras and flashing for all to see for some lousy beads).

St. Joseph needs to work harder

No we haven't sold the current house and yes the new house is done.

Closing is Feb 7th on the new house with moving day scheduled for Feb 8th. Anyone else needing me to babysit their furniture can begin bringing it by anytime after the 8th. Went to walkthrough on the house this week and everything looks fabulous - I am so pleased with all my choices!! Mike really only wants to take credit for his so-called choice on the countertops.

This so-called offer that was supposed to come in on the current house appears to be a bust. Seems as if this realtor jumped the gun on claiming there would be an offer but he never sat down with the buyers to create this so-called offer. My guess is that they backed out. So the stress continues. I don't think St. Joseph is working hard enough.

I have no real interesting stories to share like Kelly does. Other than the rather interesting folks I encounter on the train every day (those that snore, those that talk very loudly on their cell phones, those that smell like curry), and the folks that are outside my building every day either playing the sax (the Simpsons theme is getting really old) or asking for money, I don't have any funny moments to share. I am stuck in my sad routine of train, Caribou coffee for hot chocolate, work, train, home, dinner, tv, hope realtor calls, sleep. I do find amusement on a daily basis from the animals in my house. Minnie likes to keep pooping on the floor (see Colin isn't the only one not poopy potty trained!). The sad thing is that she knows she is doing wrong but can't seem to help herself. Ozzie stays attached to me whenever I am home and he always needs to be under the blankets. I have found that when I put the blanket right over his head he looks just like E.T. Kraemer has been coming out of her hiding places a lot more lately. She is still playful and chases imaginary things on the floor but still gets pretty brutal with Ozzie. There have been some really good boxing matches between the 2 of them that would be a hit on YouTube if I had a video camera. Lucy is still Lucy - she needs a lot of attention and is always trying to start trouble with the dogs. I worry that the cats will be traumatized when we move - after all they haven't left the current house in over 3 1/2 years. They will be getting an early visit to the new house to get acclimated and seek out their preferred hiding spots. I think I am more stressed about the cats and how they respond to the move than anything else. Yes I am still the cat lady!

Aftermath of another holiday season

So Christmas and the New Year came and went yet again. As always I enjoyed all the time spent with the family - both mine and Mike's and I think I gained about 20 pounds with the amount of shrimp and mushrooms consumed (very exotic food mind you). I am saddened that this was the last Christmas Eve spent at the house on Congress Avenue but extremely excited to host it again at the new digs (with all the new Christmas stuff I could not resist buying at American Sales with their big after Christmas sale!). I think next Christmas Eve we will have both sides of the family over - we certainly will have the room for it. I hope everyone puts that into their little planners now.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching Colin and Landon open their presents - I am not offended in the slightest that the cool Illinois sweatshirt I got Colin was tossed aside. I know his mom will make him wear it with pride (even if they got their butts kicked on New Year's Day). As always, I love giving presents. I know their is often aggravation amonsgt the siblings that I refuse to abide by the rules of the grab bag concept but I just can't help it. It is a part of my whole Christmas tradition and I am sticking with it whether you all like it or not. Mike and I enjoyed our time at his sisters - yet again hearing his dad convinced he didn't have a stroke and telling Mike's mom not to eat anything exotic for fear of another blood clot. Always interesting to say the least.

Gift wise, I am thrilled with everything I got. The Altar Boyz show is going to be fun - I am looking forward to a night out with my sisters. Definitely something we have not all done together in a long time. I love my wine journal and box and enjoyed the Bodeans show that Mike got me tickets to. The Bodeans always bring out an interesting group of folks - excellent people watching.

We celebrated Mike's birthday with some friends at Maggiano's. If I had all the money in the world I would eat there weekly.

New Year's Eve was spent with friends and Mike even got a cake to celebrate his birthday there too. I think we celebrated Mike's birthday most of the weekend which was really not that fair! New Year's Day was a good time at the parents although I would have liked a better ending to the Illinois game.

We had a little scare at home when Minnie collapsed after vomiting. She appeared to have a seizure and was a little out of it for a short while. We got her into the vet and he confirmed what we thought and we are basically keeping an eye on her to see if it happens again. Could have been a one time thing or could be the start of something more. We won't know until blood results are done and we see if she has any more seizures. Was definitely scary because I felt completely helpless.

The house remains unsold. We have had a couple of showings but nothing more than that. Still no offers. The realtor for the one interested person we thought we had has not returned any messages from my realtor so who knows. All I know is that this is one of the most frustrating situations I have ever been in. The new house is well on its way to completion. We attend the final walkthrough next Tuesday (Jan 8th). Excited but tempered by the current house not selling and knowing that I won't be moving into the new one for another month.

So now it is back to work and trying to find motivation in this new year to be somewhat ok with going to work every day.