Bump Check: Week 19

Get excited, because this post is dedicated to how your breasts change during pregnancy.

SPOILER ALERT: They get bigger.

One of the first symptoms I felt during pregnancy was tender breasts.  This is a very common first symptom for women, including one of my students.  Here’s a recap from a conversation I recently had with one of my students before she knew she was pregnant.

Student: Hey Miss.  What’s in mean when yo’ titties hurt?

Mrs. Dicus: I hate the T-word, first of all.

Student: Fine…breasts [in a sarcastic tone].

Mrs. Dicus: Well, could you be pregnant?

Student: I don’t think so.

The next day she showed up to school with a note from a local clinic with information on her positive pregnancy test.  First she cried about it, but after about 20 minutes of quiet reading, she decided that she was excited and already had names picked out.  Seriously, my pregnant students act like they’re adopting a dog.  It’s very odd/sad.

Now, onto everybody’s favorite subject, my breasts.

I always like to joke about my “Nearly A’s”.  But seriously, these bad boys are hard to control as of late.  Recently, I noticed my bras weren’t fitting properly…and by not fitting properly, and mean didn’t even cover my nipple.  That’s a problem (Scott might argue otherwise).

My mom has taken such good care of me during my pregnancy…okay, she takes good care of me all the time, but she’s being extra gracious and thoughtful right now, which has been so wonderful.  She came up to Kansas City for a day of shopping and I said, “Mom, before we look for maternity clothes, I really need to buy a couple new bras.  These just ain’t cuttin’ it anymore.”  Okay everyone, prepare to be amazed or disgusted..  The bras I was wearing on an every day basis were the exact same bras my mom bought me at Weaver’s in Lawrence my freshman year of college.  That’s right, 2002.  My bras are 9 years old.  Don’t judge.

Now, these particular bras purchased in 2002 were “demi bras”.  Lingerie education: demi bras show more of your boob than normal, but are still supportive.  They made me feel a bit cuter.  I have created illustrations to help you along this journey.  Below is my illustration of a boob in a demi bra.

  

After 19+ weeks of pregnancy, the size of my bust has indeed increased.  With the help of my PG-friendly nipple, below is how my demi bras have started to fit.

My mom and I ventured to Macy’s where we clearly thought we knew my breasts best.  We shopped for the sizes we thought I needed (I had been wearing a 34A, so we picked up 34B’s and 36B’s).  After some failed attempts in the dressing room, we finally had a bra fitter come in and size me.  I apparently went from a 34A to a 34D!!  What?!  That is a lot for me to manage (I mean, literally, how do I manage these?  Do I give them a bonus?  Do I put them on a discipline referral for their annoyance?  How do I manage them?). 

We tried to find a bra that fit but wasn’t too matronly.  Based on Scott’s reaction to the bra, I’m not sure we accomplished that goal, but they’re comfortable none-the-less.  I wore one of my new bras out of the store, so when I walked into our house, I put my shopping bags down and lifted up my shirt to show off my new purchase.  Scott’s reaction?  “Whoa. That’s a big bra.”  Below is my illustration.

 [Wah waaaah]

*Side story: Mom noted this was so much better than the first time we went bra shopping together circa 1997 and I cried in the dressing room.  I would wait until I got to school to put on my sports bra because I didn’t want my dad to feel it when he hugged me goodbye in the morning.  When I got to school, however, it was a different story.  I’m pretty sure the neck of my favorite Free Willy shirt was permanently stretched out from me pulling at my neckline to show off my bra strap.  I was such a hussy.

 

How far along: 19 weeks

Current fruit comparison: Baby is the size of a cantaloupe.  What?!

Total weight gain/loss: +10lbs – yikes! 2lbs in one week.  Gotta slow down on the Chick Fil A…

Sleep: Pretty good.  Have a body pillow now that I thought would boot Scott out of the bed, but it hasn’t!  Yay.

Best moment this week: Watching Scott put together baby’s bassinet while I cleaned out the nursery closet

Movement: Not yet…boo!  I thought maybe I was feeling something move in there, but then I farted.

Food cravings: Apples still…oh, and Chick Fil A lemonade.  It’s sooo good!

Free food from students: Homemade sausage & egg sandwich.  That’s all I got this week!  What’s wrong with these selfish kids?!  Don’t they know I’m hungry?

What I miss: Goodcents.  Seriously…apparently you can’t eat lunchmeat when you’re knocked up because there’s a risk of a bacteria called listeria.

Milestones: Consistently groaning a bit while tying my shoes.  Is that a milestone?

Bump Check: Week 18

Hello all! Okay, so based on feedback from some friends and family members, I've decided that updating my blog throughout my pregnancy is an easy & nice way to keep everybody informed on the happenings in our little part of the world. My plan is to post once a week (probably Mondays or Tuesdays since I hit a new week every Monday). At the bottom of each post, I'll answer the same few questions week to week and watch as things change.

WARNING: This blog will inevitably contain awkward information about nipple pads, how vitamins change the way my poop smells, and other such topics. Read at your own risk. I wasn't really born with a filter.

I guess I'll quickly catch everyone up on the last 18 weeks...& I'll make it as short as I can.

Finding out we were pregnant: Baby Dicus was no accident. We planned for this little bundle. However, we had read all these horrible things about trying to get pregnant and how patient you have to be, risk of miscarriage, etc. So, when after our 2nd month of trying, we got a positive test, we celebrated very hesitantly because we just felt it was too good to be true. Two sonograms later, there's pictorial proof that there's a baby in there!

1st Trimester: I feel completely lucky that I really wasn't terribly nauseous during my first 3 months. There was one sick moment, which I will now describe in detail. You're welcome.

Driving home from work one evening, I could tell that I was feeling a bit nauseous. I'd felt queasy every day for awhile, but eating a little snack always fixed it (I mean, what problem does food NOT fix, really). Not this time. I felt like I was on a race to beat my gag reflex home to my house. I walked in the door, gagged as I unset our alarm, and luckily made it to the sink before my afternoon snack of Sun Chips greeted me again. I threw up on the garbage disposal side of the sink, because I am, above all else, a planner. I knew where to aim. Unfortunately, there were some dirty & stinky dishes on the other side of the sink. Here's a play-by-play of the sounds that were happening in the kitchen this day:

Vomit sound

Inhale through nose

Smell dirty dishes

"Uhhh...ugh...ehhhhh..."

Vomit sound

Inhale through nose

Smell dirty dishes

"Uhhh...ugh...ehhhhh..."

[Repeat for 60 seconds]

You'd think that this little story would have taught me to keep the sink area cleaned up and de-odorized, but it definitely has not.

I love you! Happy Tuesday to you!

How far along: 18 weeks

Current fruit comparison: Baby is the size of a mango!

Total weight gain/loss: +8lbs

Sleep: Not super good lately because of my back pain (more on that later).

Best moment this week: Taking 2 days off work and spending one of them talking, reminiscing, shopping, & eating with my mama!

Movement: Not yet, but Scott checks a couple times a week, I guess thinking maybe he’ll feel it move before I do.

Food cravings: Gala apples! Just ask my mom…she listens to me eat one almost everyday on my way to work.

Free food from students: Easter candy, popcorn, an M&M cookie, & a homemade cannoli!

What I miss: Being able to sit/stand/do anything without back pain.

Milestones: Noticed my normal Old Navy tank tops no longer stay placed below my belly.

Huggies® Jeans Diapers Hit the Streets!

Holy Job, Batman!

I'm a proud WHS Bulldog!

Yes...that's right...I found a teaching job! I feel so blessed/excited/anxious/thrilled about this opportunity. I'll be teaching Desktop Publishing, Computer Applications, & Business Math at Wyandotte High School in KCK. Not only did I get a job, but I got the offer at the very start of summer which means I've been able to spend some time already lesson planning as well as garage sale-ing for good deals on classroom supplies. I leave you with a couple pictures of my classroom. XOXO

My Happy Place

Ever since I can remember, my mom referred to Barnes & Noble as her "happy place". She would frequent the store, sometimes shop, and usually grab a magazine she didn't want to buy and read it in the cafe. It was a place that made her feel so good and comfortable. After a really dramatic, odd day (funerals, major medical issues, etc), she would want to do something that made everything feel "normal"...and shopping did just that.

Although I'm extremely fortunate to not have had any dramatic/odd days lately, my own personal "happy place" is still a wonderful and comforting place to be. I love me some Nelson-Atkins! I didn't start visiting the museum until college, and typically it was with my then boyfriend, Scott Dicus (you may remember him). One of my favorite things ever in the world is holding hands with my husband: at home, at church, over a restaurant table, in the HyVee parking lot, or walking through a museum. The Nelson is a huge, open, beautiful space for me to hold hands with my husband and have wonderful conversation. We actually learn a lot about each other from the museum. Being their can spawn conversations about travel, religion, home decorating, and culture.

In 2008, we became members at the Nelson. For those of you who have been, you know that there's technically no charge to visit the museum, but they do encourage a donation. During our cheap college days, we just considered the Nelson a free date spot...so I feel as though it's our responsiblity, in our supposed "grown up" status, to give back to the Nelson. Being a member has made me love the museum even more! We've taken advantage of so many of the opportunities available there including exhibit openings, free tours, special events, and discounts in the gift shop. :)

I asked Scott where his "happy place" was. Okay...that sounds dirty now that I think about it, but his response wasn't like "in my pants" or something awkward like that. He said, "on the disc golf course." He explained that no matter which course he's on, even though they're all in sketchy parts of town, they're calm, green, open spaces.

Where's your PG-rated happy place??

Little Yellow Button

This year for Christmas, my adorable husband, knowing how much I pine for a full wardrobe from Anthropologie, bought me a new shirt from there! My favorite item that I own from Anthro is a Little Yellow Button brand, gray, "Mr. Rogers" sweater. Scott, being cute, found a gray, polka dot, ruffle top that is also Little Yellow Button brand. They don't have a picture of my exact one on the website, but here's the striped one:


However...it didn't fit. :o( I was so sad! The small was a little tight so I exchanged it for the medium, but it ended up being too long in the torso (story of my life) and my nearly A's were nearly exposed. I've become more conscious of the neckline of my clothes now that I work in a high school. Not only do I want to look professional and not have people talk about me being a tramp or something, but I do lean over kids a lot helping them and I just don't want to go there.

So I returned my new polka dot shirt and pouted because I really like to wear things that my husband chooses. Last night, we went back to Anthro to look for a replacement Christmas present and I insisted that he do the selecting and I would do the trying on. This was what we found instead!

I love it. Though the neckline is still low, it lends itself to wearing a tank under better than top #1. The ruffling around the neck is my favorite part about the shirt, but mostly, I just love that Scott picked it out because I know that every time I wear it, he'll think I look pretty (cheesy but true). Scott reminded me that we're slowly building up my Anthropologie wardrobe...I love that man.

Travel Dreams

My Travel Dreams

I've said many times that I would travel anywhere in the world where it is safe to travel (no war, American hatred, etc). Below are some of the places that come to mind. When any of you win the lottery & are thinking about how to use your winnings, please keep my list in mind.

• Maine/New England: I've been to NYC, but most places I've been on the East coast are Virginia & south. I've seen advertised in magazines New England/Maine riverboat cruises. They look adorable and I imagine that there would be lots of delicious lobster. Scott doesn't like lobster, so I'd have to bring along some Goodcents in a cooler.
• Brazil (specifically Rio de Janeiro): my grandma Worswick had a charm bracelet & as her and my grandpa traveled the world, they would collect charms for it. Growing up, I always loved her charm of Christ the Redeemer that they bought in Brazil. Since then, I've always wanted to see the statue in person.
• Santorini, Greece: Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants...that is all.
• Prince Edward Island: My parents get to go here this year and I really want to hide in their luggage! Plus, I'm sure I would find a bosom friend in Avonlea.
• Italy: Sigh. Our church choir is planning a group trip around Italy for summer 2011. If I get a full-time teaching job this fall, we might be able to go. I know they have a payment plan which is really nice. I sort of feel like if we didn't go to Italy now, we probably wouldn't be able to go until we have kids who are old enough to really appreciate it (high school/college aged), and that would be pretty expensive, since we plan to have 43 children. For those of you reading this who have been to Italy, here is info on the trip including a link to the PowerPoint the woman at our church put together who is planning the trip. What do you think? If you had to guess, how much do you think this trip would cost for 2 people to do on their own?
  
• Egypt: safety issues aside, I would love to go to Egypt. In college, I had a wonderful Sunday school teacher who did a unit on Egyptian culture, specifically their views on afterlife. Additionally, I took 3 art history classes at KU and one of them was a general survey of the topic so we did get to talk a lot about Egyptian art. When we went to the Louvre, I spent waaay too much time in the Egyptian art exhibit - I just love it!
• England...or anywhere in the UK: I love hearing my husband talk in a pseudo-British accent, and he loves British culture/Harry Potter, so I'd love to see him visit a place he's always wanted to see.
  

Places I've been but would love to go back:

• Paris (France in general)
• Australia
• Jamaica, specifically the Jamaica Inn in Ochos Rios (www.jamaicainn.com)
  
• New Zealand
• Vancouver
• Nicaragua

Again...I really would go anywhere! When I'm a rich & famous teacher, we'll finally be able to afford all these trips. :o)

XOXO,
Michelle

Job Hunt 2010

2010: The Year of Finding a Teaching Job
As most of you know, I recently completed my student teaching in a high school business department here in Kansas City...and loved it! Unfortunately, from what I hear from current teachers as well as Avila University staff, it is going to be very difficult to find a high school business teaching job for the 2010-2011 school year. I began to research different options as far as what I should do for the next school year. I'm a para right now in a high school and really enjoy working with the kids...but our mortgage doesn't really enjoy the paycheck. :)

According to one of my favorite Avila staff members, various district recruiters, & current teachers, I need to make myself "more marketable", meaning I need to get certified in another area. Now that I have my certification in one area, I just have to take a content area test for a new subject and I can be certified in that area. Well, after reviewing the possible certification areas, I've decided to try to also get my middle school math certification - weird! I was in advanced math classes starting in 6th grade...but my parents remind me that I cried about it so much because I didn't think I could handle it. Hopefully this additional certification will open up many more employment opportunities for me so I can really begin my teaching career. I bought all the Praxis math study stuff today and I'm going to have to re-teach myself quite a bit and I hope it goes smoothly. I'll obviously still be looking for HS business jobs out there, but I just want to be as employable as possible, and math would definitely help. Here we goooo!!

My new mini!

Bonjour Mini!

Meet my new Dell Inspiron Mini...with a bird pattern! My HP laptop had served me well for 4+ years but has started to have a few problems lately (i.e. it typically only works when I press down on a specific spot with my elbow...which makes it very difficult to type). Maybe with my new mini will come new blogging, if anyone even reads this!

Hello? Are you out there?

Student Teaching has Begun!

Well my peeps, I have been at student teaching for a little over a week now, and it's going well! I haven't really taught anything yet (except for starting a lesson when my teacher had to step out). Next week I do my first full-blown lesson...freshmen want to learn about supply & demand, right?

I'm also helping with cheerleading, which I hope will be really fun! There are 12 girls on varsity and 11 yell leaders on varsity - what?! The two head coaches are really sweet and make me feel welcome.

This might sound weird, but knowing that my girl Corinne (your my girl, Corinne [Forrest Gump voice]) went to this school makes it feel more like home. I haven't gotten lost yet, which is awesome. Also, I have a sweet school lanyard and name badge that make me feel official.

I apologize for the boring-ness of my post this time around. Hopefully I'll have funny stories for you soon. But now, I will leave you with a picture of my new "teacher tote"!

XOXO,
Michelle