Got it.

Me: "I don't think you have any idea how hard it is to be pregnant."

RJ: "I don't think you have any idea how hard it is to be married to someone who is pregnant."

He wins.

First Place!

Left to Right: My dad, the guy who owns the bike, Jessica (Nick's GF), Nick, and a guy from RMR

So my brother's always been into motorcycles, and won first place this weekend at Rocky Mountain Raceway. My mom asked him if he went over 25 mph....ha! Just a tad more...It was actually 148 mph! He got that super sweet trophy and some cash too. I'm proud of him for doing something he loves and being so good at it.

Hospital Visit!

Whew...the first week of school is over! And I am exhausted...in a good way! This being 8 months prego is tiring...and with having ten more students than last year, even more tiring.

SO....I had the most eventful first day of teaching in my four years! Woke up at 5, ready to go. RJ and I have a tradition of going to breakfast the first day of each school year, so to IHOP we went. It was a bust...neither of the menu items we wanted, grouchy server...oh well, still fun. On my way to school he texted me to check under my seat and to check my email. This is what I found...a "First Week Kit":

He had emailed me an explanation of each item...medicine for my new prego symptom: acid reflux, money for a diet coke each day, baby socks, my fave candy bar, and a few other treats. So sweet. It's definitely weird to be at school without RJ this year (he's staying at home to finish school and take care of the baby).

The day went well...fun group of kids! Until about 4 when I started feeling sick. I figured I just needed to eat and I'd feel better. Got home and had a piece of toast...which did not go well! I got SO sick and could not stop throwing up. It hurt so bad, and I was so dizzy, had chills then a fever, etc. Ugh...so gross! ThenI started having some contractions. We called the doctor and went to the hospital. They got me on IV fluids and medication, monitored the baby's heartbeat and contractions. I felt better in a few hours and came home. It was a scary night....but all is well! I had to miss the second day of school...I felt SO bad! But my principal is great and called in a good sub and all went well. I took my class donuts and chocolate milk the next day to make up for it.

So...now that baby and I are bug-free and school is coming along, all is well! RJ is so sweet, he took such good care of me. He went to the store to get my prescription and called to check what kind of saltines I like best...Who does that?! He's so thoughtful to even know that there are different kinds, and that I prefer one over the other. Ha...which reminds me, in the hospital when the nurse was looking for my vein...she said, "Wow, your vessels are really weak!" RJ, being the wise-cracker that he is, said, "I've been telling her to go to the gym." The poor nurse got a stunned look and said, "Oh no....I just meant because she's dehydrated...." ha....poor lady probably that I had such a jerk for a husband, making me go to the gym 8 months prego and so sick.

Anyway...been an adventure this week....only 50ish more days to go!

Excited!

The countdown is on!

For two things...school starts day after tomorrow! Ah, I can't believe it! And in other news, see that little "ticker" thing to the right-----> only 8 more weeks until baby, give or take. That means by weeks I'm 8 months prego! Wow...it really has gone fast! Speaking of, all you moms out there, when someone asked how far along you are, did you go by weeks....as in, "8 months" because 32 divided by 4 is 8, or by months, as in "7 months" because I'm due in October....insight?

The only reason I'm sad summer is ending is because I was really looking forward to one last lazy day at the pool with the essential items...diet coke, ipod, magazine. But alas, it's pouring outside. As RJ said, "You know, this rain is symbolic. It shows the death of summer for all the kids...and you." Blah. Good news is that The Sandlot is on right now...that's a good way to spend the afternoon.

But, I really am excited for school. This time of year totally reminds me of You've Got Mail when Meg Ryan says she loves the smell of freshly sharpened pencils in the fall. I LOVE school supplies and organizing my room. Like really. As in, when I was I think 7 my wish list for my birthday consisted of paper clips, a stapler, highlighters, post-its....seriously. And I was ecstatic when that's exactly what I got! And I still get super excited to go buy supplies...then excited all over again when I get to use them. Ah...a new pen!

Here's to a new school year!
And a new baby too!
Big year ahead!

Better Picture

Alright, alright...I've had lots of people say I need to take the horrible dog picture down...it really makes your heart hurt for those poor dogs.

So...I just saw this cute picture of RJ on his blog and love it...I think it's a fine replacement!

Michael Vick bugs me.

I'm watching 60 Minutes. They're interviewing Michael Vick about the dogfighting ring. Ugh. He bugs me.



"I knew the consequences of my choices the second they shut that jail door on my first day there." No, I don't think he did. I think remorse takes more time than that. And he lied about it all for so long...to police, to family, to the Falcons coach who backed him up.....He just keeps saying how he's so sorry, "hurt I've never felt before", and how "I cried myself to sleep many nights in jail." Cliche. And yeah, you better have at least cried.



Then he goes on about how he's "so disgusted" about what he did. The interviewer asked why he was disgusted. "That I couldn't tell the people I was doing it with to stop, that my family and my career were at stake." Then the interviewer asks, "What about the dogs?" "Oh yeah, I was disgusted about the dogs....Football doesn't even matter." Weird...you JUST said your career was at stake and said NOTHING about the dogs. Ugh. I don't think I buy it. I think his lawyers and his involvement with the Humane Society (and is that a sentenced involvement, or by choice?) are to aid his career image.



I just can't buy that someone can do that to innocent animals-graphic, horrible deaths- for SIX YEARS and can suddenly be "healed". I believe that's a character issue. We all make mistakes, we all do things we regret. But more like one time things. Not inhumane, awful things like shocking, beating, electrocuting, drowning for SIX YEARS. Then suddently understand it all after the jail door slams on day one.

This is actually one of his dogs. I mean really. I know that some people just aren't animal people, and that's fine. You can certainly choose to not own one, not to ever pet one. But to subject a helpless animal to THIS?!


I'm done venting now. What do you bloggers out there think?

Story: Part 2

Finally, I'm going to go with Story: Part 2. Refer to Story: Part 1 here. The gist was that any life is important, and save-able....shown by a portion of my book where the gal saves a caterpillar while her friend is thoroughly grossed out. Then further shown by my sweet mom who saves every creature that meanders into her home....even the ugliest of spiders or hordes of ants are spared.

So... the other day my friend's Facebook status said that he saw some guys (he used a more direct term) run over a cat and leave it dying on the side of the road. My friend pulled over, called Animal Control, and stayed with it to comfort it until they got there. SO... it reminded me of our cat, Rocky.

Rocky's Story

About 2 years ago, when RJ and I were engaged I decided for his birthday he needed our first pet. I thought a dog was probably a bit much then, and decided to go with a cat. I called the family I used to nanny for who own two local veterinary clinics (Mtn. View Veterinary) for insight about the best place to rescue a kitten. She said..."Well...are you set on a kitten? We have a great cat that needs a home." She went on to tell me he had been recovering in the clinic for a few months while waiting for a home. I went in to meet him and got his full story.

A few months before, the vet was working away in a room when her receptionist came running in saying, "You need to come out here. Someone is here and you need to come out here." Not knowing what to expect, she ran out. In the lobby stood a tall, built man head to toe in Army fatigues....bawling. He was holding a cat that was clearly in pain. He said that he had been driving along and saw the car in front of him hit the cat, then leave it. So he pulled over, got the cat, and brought it to the vet. She said she'd take care of the cat, and he could go ahead and leave....she claims she's not good with crying men, especially big strong Army men!

Rocky had crushed sinuses, crushed part of his skull, and broken multiple bones in his limbs. It would have been easier to just leave him on the side of the road. Or easier, and surely cheaper, to just put him to sleep. But the vet had mercy on him and fixed him all up. Then she named him Rocky because "he had a rocky start at life". She told me of his spunky, quirky personality while recovering. When I visited him, I knew he was just the cat for us...the perfect first pet.

The day I gave him to RJ I had been giving him clues all day about what his present was...Garfield toys, Catwoman figurines, and other "cat-related" treats...until he guessed what he was getting. Sweet Rocky was quirky from the start, and still very much is. He had some depth-perception problems that turned out to give us a few laughs....he would run into things, misjudge jumping up on to things, fall off things.... He will only drink running water from the sink, and also loves to sleep in the bathroom sink.

Anyway...this is part two of the story because I am so grateful that there are people in the world that will pull over and help a hurt animal...calling Animal Control to help it, taking it to a vet....and kind vets to do the work at their own expense. And it all remided me of the part in my book because, as I said, I come from a home that saves the life of ALL...ugly or cute, big or small.

I'm THAT girl...

...who cries at work!

It was my last night at Sabor (for this summer at least)...no, no, that's not why I cried...

I was running some ceviche out to someone else's table, took a left turn into the room...which of course was PACKED...a busy Friday night. And slipped. Hard. Not like a graceful, I-almost-fell-but-caught-myself-and-noone-noticed. Oh no.

Full on sprawl across the floor. Ceviche splattered across the room, chips everywhere. Dishes shattered. Customers gasping...then dead silence. Followed by me laughing and saying, "Watch out...it's slippery right there!" You know, trying to lighten the mood after the prego fell. Awkward.

Luckily a sweet busser who is among my favorite people ever was there to help me up and make it not SO awkward. I laughed it off....then walked into the kitchen and just started crying! I'm SO not a crier...but it just wouldn't stop! So I was doing the half-laugh, half-cry. All the cooks were so cute, so awkward and not knowing how to handle it! One kept saying, "Katie, mucho be careful!" while fanning my face with a hot pad. One server offered to take a tip jar around the scene of "the incident" and collect for "the girl who just fell"...I could have made some serious money!

Anyway...totally embarrassing, but good times!

RJ's still funny....

Today we went out to breakfast (At noon. School's starting soon, we have to enjoy noon breakfasts while we can.)

Me: Talking about my classroom....

R.J.: "So, how's your new Micro Machines commercial coming?"

Me: "What?!" (confused look, pretty sure I was being made fun of but not sure how just yet)

R.J.: "Becausewhenyoutalkaboutschoolandgetexcitedyoutalkreallyreallyfast!"

It's true, I do. And I totally had forgotten about those commercials!

P.S. Story-Part 2 is coming...I'm just not in long-posting mode. Soon.

Till death...or lack of blogging space do we part

I cannot believe that it has been almost 2 weeks and my wife has not mentioned MY new blog. Well I am crashing my wife's blog again to let all of you Katie followers know that there is a new blog in town. If you want to get the down and dirty lifestyle of Mr. Rick Jason Cox, then head on over to http://mrmom20.blogspot.com/ and validate my free time. Are you team Katie or Team RJ?

Story: Part 1

OK So I have a post I've been meaning to do for a while...then as I was reading my book tonight, I read a great part that reminded me again of my intended post. So...as a preface, here is the excerpt from my book. Story to come tomorrow. It'll be two long posts, but I think it'll be worth reading. And if you think it's not...well...sorry, I owe you!

[Two friends are arguing because one has done something that she believes makes her a bad person.]

"Nat," she murmurs. "Let me remind you of something. Not so long ago, you and I were walking to the station. I can't remember why. Anyway, we're walking along and you shout, 'Wait!' And you crouch down and I see this hideous fluorescent green caterpillar on the pavement. It's the biggest bloody creepy-crawly I've ever seen. I wouldn't even dare stamp on it. And I watch you pick up this creature..."

"Oh yeah," I say, "he was really cute, he was a bright green pudgy thing, he was stranded-"

"And I watch you flap around, looking for a the right leaf to place this thing on, and eventually you find one, and the caterpillar won't stick, and I hear you say-hear you with my own ears, say- 'Come on, darling, you've got work to do, you've got to become a butterfly!'"

She pauses,. "Now that," she adds softly, "is a person with a beautiful soul."

This reminds me of my post for tomorrow because this is exactly the kind of house I grew up...ants in the kitchen? My mom swept them up and took them outside to live. Too many to sweep? Then she vaccuumed them up and emptied the vaccuum out in the garden for them to live. A big, gross spider? Even he (or she) must have a family in a web somewhere waiting, and he deserves to go outside too...even if it involved frantically carrying the cup he was trapped in and then throwing it as far from the door as possible...we even had a designated "Spider Cup" that was kept on the dryer!

Stay tuned...

Dizzy's New Fave

Has anyone seen these?! It's dog ice cream...and it's great because Dizzy loves it and because it takes her a long time to eat. So I can give her one then duck out the door without making eye contact and feeling guilty for leaving her home.

Chi O Baby Shower

Alexis hosted a wonderful baby shower for Baby Will/Cal/Drew ...it was so fun, and such a great way to catch up with everyone! It was at Lex's parents' house, and they have a beautiful backyard. Yummy food...and an adult sized diaper...yikes! Luckily I didn't miss too many questions in the game, that Beef and Gravy baby food...blech!


The whole clan...

My mom and Jessica (Brother's sweet girlfriend) braved all the Chi Omegas and came! It was so fun to see them....They were very kind, even when the pinata flew off, hit a giant Diet Coke and a candle...they had Coke and wax all over them!

Post pinata incident...and after the golf club broke in half and went flying!

Dizzy loved the giant binky when I got home! Should be interesting when baby gets here and real binkies are all over...


It was a great night...thanks so much everyone! We had a wonderful time, and got amazingly generous gifts....a great group of friends!

Some people say that pets are extra attentive when their owner is pregnant...like they can sense it.

Getting to Know You

A while ago, in fact as a Christmas stocking stuffer I think, I bought us these books:



They were so fun! Each night RJ would give me a back massage as I filled out a page or two. Then I'd give him a back massage as he filled out a page or two. Good bonding...or at least a good excuse for a shoulder rub and a reason to turn the tv off and chat.


Then we'd compare answers. There are random quiz questions--some things one should definitely know about a spouse, and also some random tidbits that are just interesing!


I'd recommend it for anyone getting married or already married...great conversation starters, fun topics.

Movie...

We saw "The Ugly Truth" today...and it was....ugly. Not a cute romantic comedy, not super funny, just bleh.

This should sum it up...as we stood up to leave afterwards, RJ was glancing all around the seats. I said, "Did you lose something? What are you looking for?"

R.J.: "My dignity."