21 Weeks

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: No really sure...it looks like maybe 1/2 to 1 lb.

MOVEMENT: Had what I imagined as an actual punch or kick this weekend.  I was reading after waking up with Nick still snoozing.  My hand was on my belly and, Kung-fu punch (or kick)!  I think I could just barely see my belly move with it.  Cookie didn't do it again and Nick has now taken to always keeping his hand on my belly to try and get that first feel.

CRAVINGS: Watermelon.  I saw it in the grocery store and immediately started drooling.  We bought one and got to share with good friends and their 2 year old on Sunday.  It was bliss.

SYMPTOMS: The weather every since Sunday has been hot, hot, hot.  The hottest days I've ever experienced living in San Diego in my eight years here!  Last night was pure misery trying to sleep.  It never cooled off until around 5AM this morning.  I made an ice pack with a hand towel and Zip lock bag full of ice which helped for a while, but I woke up with it leaking all over me and had to give it up.  Nick was blissfully sleeping next to me...I was really jealous.  I just hope this isn't the start of insomnia.  By belly and double D's are itching like crazy.  I wake up scratching the heck out of them.  I've been using baby oil and lotion, but it only helps for a little while.

BELLY BUTTON: Still an innie, but still getting shallower by the day.  Now when I press at the top of it, it goes from an innie to a full on outtie.  I have to say, this is the one part of pregnancy that creeps me out the most (other than delivery).  It looks pretty gross when I do it.

PREPARATIONS: The paintings are almost done.  I've started the last 2 and just have some touch ups on the 2 other ones.  All the birds are done for the mobile, including stuffing.  Now I just have to go out and get some sticks and put it all together.  Nick has been impressed with my crafty talents, I told I just needed inspiration.  We haven't done much to the nursery.  We were going to begin painting on Saturday until it was 95 degrees at our house.  It's been postponed until next week.  We registered for all our gear and my wonderful girlfriends Tara & Amanda have begun preparations for my baby shower...Nick & I feel so touched to have such wonderful friends!  Still debating on the carpet, but I think the navy blue may be winning out

MILESTONES: As noted above, I believe I saw the first movement, but nothing since Saturday morning so I'm not sure if I imagined it or not.  Repeat ultrasound on Friday!  Think positive thoughts about those little legs being uncrossed.

WEEKLY WISDOM: Enjoy this time.  I may complain about some of the symptoms, but I'm constantly in wonder at what's happening in my body.  I was complaining about, ahem, the feeding parts of my double D's exponentially growing to my mom and she told me I should be happy and proud and that it was beautiful because my body is making a miracle and getting ready to help that miracle adjust to the world.  At that point I was bummed at the ugliness of what was happening, but it really put it in perspective to me.  Yes, it's uncomfortable, yes, I don't feel like the sexy woman I was before, but, yes, it's a miracle and when I feel Cookie move around it's the most wondrous thing to realize you have an actual person in there.  It also amazes me that I made this person with Nick and there will never be another one like our Cookie.

20 Weeks! Half Way There!!!

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: Only 1 lb this week, but my belly seemed to really explode over the weekend (that may be my imagination).

MOVEMENT: Cookie is getting stronger and stronger.  I feel the flutters all throughout the day now (especially when I'm sitting still).  Nick still can't feel the movement and I know he's dying with jealousy.

CRAVINGS: The McDonald's cheeseburger craving has subsided somewhat, lately I've been really, really, really wanting fresh broccoli...there's a bowl of it next to me right now.  Finally, a healthy craving!

SYMPTOMS: My feet disappeared on me.  I looked down over the weekend and they were gone.  It was a sad moment for me.  Ankles are also starting to swell by the end of the day.  I have a foot rest in the office, by my shoes are always very tight by the time I leave work.  I've traded in cute heels for tennis shoes.  I tried flats for a while, but they weren't supportive enough.  I can no longer wear my wedding and engagement ring.  That was an even sadder moment when it wouldn't go on my swollen finger.  I cried.  Emotional ups and downs are ongoing...Nick is still being a trooper.  I've got the back pain under control with experimenting with chair positions and different stances when I'm standing for longer periods so it's much better now, but will get worse as this bump gets bigger.  No crazy dreams over the last week...baby brain continues.  It's very embarrassing.

BELLY BUTTON: Still an innie, but if I pull it from the top, it's practically flat.  Maybe a couple of more weeks and it will be flat?

PREPARATIONS: Working steadily on my paintings.  Four of them are actually done and halfway done with the fifth.  Then only four more!  made the first bird for the mobile (although I still need to stuff it).  It was more difficult to sew it together than I though it would be, but it's going to be really, really cute.  Nick moved the lighting fixture to the actual center of the nursery and has started patching the old hole.  We still need to find a new one...my idea is to find a ceiling fan, possibly spray paint the blades (if we need to) and then find alphabet decals to add to the blades.  We may not replace the carpet now...the  navy blue may go good with the light orange walls I'm thinking of...stay tuned.

MILESTONES: HALF WAY THERE and 10 more days until we get another go at Cookie's gender!

WEEKLY WISDOM: If you're a stomach sleeper it, enjoy it.  I've gone 8 weeks not being able to sleep on my stomach anymore because it just isn't comfortable (and now it's literally impossible).  I miss it more than coffee, soda, and booze.  And if you know me well, you know that says something.  Sleeping on your side blows...no matter how many pillows you have.

19 Weeks and Counting

For those of you who don't know, WE'RE PREGNANT!!!  We're at 19 weeks and our little Cookie is doing well.  Many people have asked me the nickname "Cookie" came about.

Cookie came about because when I travelled a lot I had access to the US Airways Club Lounge.  They had the most delicious daily made cookies and I would always bring Nick a couple home.  The day I took the pregnancy test, Nick didn't know I was taking it.  When I came out with it behind my back to tell him, he took one  look at me and my face and asked if I had a cookie for him that I had forgotten in my suitcase.

Now, it had been three months since my last trip, but he had such an excited look on his face, I laughed and tossed the test at him and told him the news.  He was very happy, but a little shocked and looked at me and said, "I thought it was a cookie"...and Cookie was named.  I think the nickname may stick after Cookie is born...stay tuned.

I'm going to copy one of my friend's (thank you CJM) blogs who is also pregnant (she's just 2 weeks ahead of me).  I'm hoping she takes it as more of a compliment and isn't annoyed by it...

TOTAL WEIGHT GAIN: A lot...I was very, very ill my fist trimester, but shoved food in my stomach three times a day any way.  The problem was, the only thing I could keep down was either cheeseburgers from McDonald's or plain pasta, potatoes, rice, and so on.  I also couldn't move much or I would throw up (don't ask me how I made it to work every day!).  I basically laid in bed every moment I was home and still threw up once a day (gross!).  So given I was eating high carb, high calorie foods and wasn't getting a lick of exercise, hello 12 lbs in the first trimester (I don't recommend it - you don't look pregnant, but really, really, really fat - because you are)!  The second trimester weight gain is more hitting the 1-2 lbs per week that is expected.  Total weight gains since the beginning of the first trimester (starting at 14 weeks): 5 lbs (that's 17 lbs total for those of you wondering).

MOVEMENT: Yes!!!  It started last Thursday at the Padres game...could this little one be a baseball fan???  The movement has been happening on and off ever since and it is seriously the coolest feeling ever!  The movements feel like anything from rolling bubbles, butterfly wing flutters, and involuntary muscle twitches.  I feel them daily, some days more than others, but it's there.

CRAVINGS: Not too much...the biggest thing I get a hankering for is cheeseburgers with extra pickles and ketchup.  Yes, my craving is that specific.  It also has to be McDonald's cheeseburgers to really quench the craving.

SYMPTOMS: Yes.  Ginormous boobs...went from a C cup to I don't even know how big anymore...let's just say I outgrew DD.  Scary, scary, scary.  I'm told they're only going to get bigger.  I've been trying to hold out on buying a really nice new bra because as soon as I get the next cup size, they grow again.  Some indigestion, my back KILLS - it's got to be the growing chest, but as much as the boobs have grown, the belly grew more, it now sticks out farther than my chest.  When I look down I see my bump popping out.  Very cool.  I also have baby brain like no other.  I feel very, very, very stupid and like I'm going crazy half the time.  Pregnancy dreams - they're really crazy...I won't even tell you what my twisted mind is coming up with, I just hope it's not affecting Cookie's psychological health.

BELLY BUTTON: Still an innie; however, it's getting shallower by the day.

PREPARATIONS:  The "junk room" has been emptied out and will become the nursery.  All the room baseboards and trim around the doors has been removed (we're going to replace it).  I haven't settled on a paint color, but we are replacing the carpet to a beige color (currently ugly navy blue).  The crib and mattress and changing table have been purchased.  I've also started painting these really cool pictures that will hang in the room.  I also have plans to make my own mobile (thank you again to CJM for the idea - and the pattern).

MILESTONES: 19 week ultrasound today!!! No gender though...Cookie did not cooperate and would not uncross his/her legs...even after 45 minutes of doing all kinds of things.  We do need another one...Cookie was uncooperative enough that the ultrasound technician couldn't get the most detailed look of the heart she wanted so we get one more chance in 2 1/2 weeks (Oct 1st, mark your calendar!).

WEEKLY WISDOM: Be thankful for your husband (if you have one), this has been a roller coaster so far - I'm happy, I'm scared, I'm angry, I'm hungry, I don't believe I'm actually pregnant - and through it all with a shoulder to lean on and nothing but a supportive, loving attitude has been Nick.  He even tells me how beautiful everyday no matter how fat I'm getting...

Here's a couple pics...
 

Cookie at 12 weeks!  Look at that Muscolino nose!



The 16 Week Bump



Cookie at 19 Weeks!



Remodel

So I've been trying to hold out on an update until all of our current remodelling is done...it's still not done, but I got tired of waiting. You'll have to hold out for pics when it's all done, but here's a run down of what's going on...

We met a fabulous contractor who has helped us with our family room. We discovered it wasn't insulated (and even though we live in San Diego, yes it needs insulation). So he and his sister tore down all the panelling in the room and insulated and put up new dry wall. They wired some new lights and added some switches and painted the room. They even sanded and re-stained the beams on the ceiling...it's breath taking.

There are no pictures right now because we had to move everything from the living room to the family room so that our floors can be fixed. Yes, there is a whole floor saga that has been going on since last August because of the horrid floor people. They'll be starting to tear out our ruined floor and installing a new one next Tuesday so new pictures will have to wait until it's done...stay tuned!

New Eyes...

So after 6 years of whining and saying, "I'm going to do it next year," I finally took the plunge and got Lasik. I let a man take not one, but TWO lasers to my eyeballs and fix them so my near sightedness and astigmatism would finally go away.

I know many, many people who say it's not big deal, it's over quick, blah, blah, blah. I didn't like it. Not one bit. In fact, halfway through the first eye I literally thought, "WTF am I doing? I'm done, I want out of this chair!" Unfortunately, the laser had already cut my eye open.

I went to Dr. Shanzlin at UCSD (University of California, San Diego for you non SoCal'ers) who has impeccable credentials. I mean, if I'm going to let someone toy with my eyes, he better be one of the best, right?

The facility was wonderful, staff great. They even have this viewing window and eye camera so you're "loved one" can watch. Of course Nick watched, I can't believe you're even wondering!

They walked me into this room and hand me this poor stuffed bear (which I got to keep) to hold in my hands for anxiety. Dr. Shanzlin said he was surprised the bear's head wasn't ripped off by the time it was all said and done.

He took a laser, called an Intralase, and lasered the top of my eye and flipped it back (called a corneal flap). In order to do this, they gave me a Valium, and a ton of numbing drops. It's true, you don't feel anything; however, they put this weird suction thingie over my eye to help keep it open and laser it. The laser pushes down on top of the suction thingie while it's lasering. The pressure is beyond uncomfortable! This is also the point when everything goes black. I was definitely feeling like my Valium wasn't working. Dr. Shanzlin had offered me an extra one about 10 minutes before the procedure, but I thought I was fine and declined it. If you ever get Lasik and they offer you more Valium, take it.

When the laser is done, they take the suction thingie off and put the eye speculum in, think Clockwork Orange folks. Also not the most comfortable contraption, but it was better than the suction thingie. I then see this tiny hook thing (although it's REALLY blurry) and Dr. Shanlzin hooks around my little flap all around my eye and then gently pulls my cornea back. Everything takes on this weird blurry, milky look.

Then comes the second laser. I didn't smell my eyeball burning which I've heard isn't a good smell and Dr. Shanzlin actually warned me about. He also said I might not smell it because I didn't need the laser as long as most...small victory for me!

Stare at the orange light, no one says the orange light turns into a disco dance party which makes me feel like I'm trippin'...the rainbow colors can't be described as anything but, "far out". ;)

Then the laser is done, lifted up, hook thing reappears, but is almost unseeable now, and the hook goes whip and cornea is back in place, and smoothed out. Drops are put in, but at this point I can barely keep my eye open so most of it goes on my eyelid, patch placed over it and I'm ready to do the other eye.

Only I don't really want to do it anymore, but I can't have one better than perfect eye and the other blurry, can I? My left eye would get an inferiority complex...

So the other eye is completed, dark goggles taped in place, and I'm done. I'm told to keep my eyes closed as gently as possible for as long as possible until my 1 day post op the next day. No problem, because honestly, I can't open my eyes at this point, they immediately fall shut from their poor trauma. The whole procedure literally took less than 30 minutes.

After they all warn me repeatedly not to "wrinkle my flaps" and wear my goggles to bed every night for the next week, Nick takes me home, the numbing drops are wearing off and my eyes hurt. After I've asked about 20 times in the 10 minute drive home if we're almost there, we get home, he gets me in bed and then looks through all the drops for my pain drops and gets it open for me.

No one told me the pain drops sting like hell. Ugh...I turn over and pass out. I wake up a couple of hours later, NOW I can finally feel the Valium. Scream for Nick for water for the cotton mouth I now have and then roll back over and fall back asleep. Nick wakes me up for dinner and then I call my mom to let her know I've survived. My eyes don't feel fabulous at this point, but not nearly as bad as when I first got home.

Nick brings in the laptop in the bedroom and watches some of his Netflix movie while I lay next to him with my eyes clothes...and you guessed it, fall back asleep. I don't know if it's the Valium or what, but I have all these nightmares about wrinkling my flaps, thanks Dr. Shanzlin!

The the next thing I know the alarm clock is going off so I can get up for my first post op visit. I tentatively open my eyes and while they're dry, nothing is blurry and they feel fine.

We get in the car to go and I CAN READ ALL THE STREET SIGNS!!! I literally cannot believe it. Nothing is blurry, I can see!

So far I have 20/15 vision as of that first visit. They think I may end up with 20/10 once my eyes are fully healed and re-moisturized....

So, all-in-all it was totally worth it, but I don't know what I'm going to do if I end up needing an enhancement!

Mammoth 2010

So this year's trip to Mammoth was amazing. We got there after a full week of heavy storms and there was nothing but fresh snow everywhere.

The only downside for this newbie was the storms that rolled in every afternoon right after lunch. They made conditions a little too rough for me. Hubby took me up a chair and I promptly melted down because of the high winds and pelting snow (yes, pelting).

Hubby was wonderful...he offered to get ski patrol because I was so petrified, I refused.

Hubby offered to unstrap us and walk down the mountain, I refused.

For those of you who know me well, I may be petrified, but I will never, ever back down from a challenge.

I reverted to falling leaf and sobbed at the top of my lungs all the way down, but I did it.

Here are some amazing picks I took on the way up and down. We didn't get a lot of action shots this year. It was so cold the battery kept going dead on us when we would pull the camera out...enjoy!

One of my last monitoring trips...

So as part of my New Year Resolution, I WILL write in my blog more to keep you all updated...


I HAVE BEEN PROMOTED!!! I start my new job (still with Quintiles) on Feb 1st. I will be a Strategic Site Recruitment Manager which means I will work with the Quintiles partner sites and help manage their recruitment and select studies which they can enroll into.


NO MORE OVERNIGHT TRAVEL!!! Will we hear the pitter patter of little Bambino Muscolino feet this year? It could be a possiblity since I will no longer be gone Monday through Friday!


This brings me to the point of this post...I was in Phoenix ALL week this week co-monitoring with another co-monitor and the site's assigned monitor. HORRIBLE site, can't even get into it. After a VERY LONG week, the co-monitor (who is also from San Diego) and I had the same flight. Only problem is that the it had been raining all week as severe storms swept into San Diego and headed east to Phoenix. We got to the airport and our flight was delayed from 8 PM to 9:30 PM...then 10:30 PM...then 11:05 PM...then 11:30 PM. We tried to stay positive even as the two other San Diego flights got cancelled on US Airways. All outbound Southwest and United flights had been cancelled...the storm continued to rage outside.


Our plane that was coming was re-routed to Las Vegas to wait the storm out...at around 11PM the FLIGHT MADE IT TO PHOENIX...yea! The other co-monitor and I did our happy dance, so, so, so happy to be going home after an awful work week...we waited for the plane to be cleaned and then disaster...CANCELLED!


So we go to the ticket counter and find out that they can't get us home until the next day at either 8PM or 10PM and we can either fly into Orange County or have a lay over in Denver...NO THANK YOU. We rented a hotel room and rented a car. By the time all this was figured out and we actually made it to our hotel it was 2 AM. One phone call to hubby and one hot shower later it's 2:45 AM. We're waking up at 6:30 AM to be on the road by 7 AM.


Wake up, hit Starbucks (thank God for double tall, non-fat, gingerbread lattes) and hit the road. All is BEA-U-TI-FUL in Phoenix and all the way out until...we hit the mountains and the thunderstorm that hit San Diego the night before was making it's way to San Diego.


We go up, it's windy, it's raining...no problem for this NW girl. Then, SNOW!!! OMG! SNOW! Could NOT believe it...check it out (courtesy of co-monitor's IPhone):



So this brillant girl (although in my defense I'd only had 3 1/2 hours of sleep) suddenly noticed that there was only an 1/8th of a tank of gas left. There are NO gas stations on this mountain and even if there are, the off ramps are COVERED in snow and we're in some Kia sedan. So we truck along, gas light comes on and we're still trucking along...we decend and make it to Alpine almost on fumes and fill it up. There is Zen in my life again. We're only 37 miles home.


We're both so excited and can't wait to make it. The co-monitor came home with me and her boyfriend was going to pick her up from there. We get there and...disaster no house keys. Hubby works in Camp Pendleton...45 minutes away and has the house keys.


SO...I'm writing this at Tige & Amanda's. Amanda graciously let me come over and hang out with her and Holling until Nick gets home at 6:30 tonight...this trip is still not over because I'm not home yet...


I WILL NOT MISS MONITORING!!!