28 Weeks - Hello 3rd Trimester!

I can't believe it - I've survived 2 trimesters of pregnancy. Okay okay, it wasn't that bad. I know that when I look into Lyla's eyes, it will all be worth it. Still, 12 weeks still seems so far away. I look at my bulging belly and can't believe it's gotten so big so fast. Did I swallow a basketball overnight? And with 3 months to go, how big is this thing going to get? I've gained 20 pounds so far and my body is definitely feeling it (as is my face, buttocks, and hips). I'm having a hard time remembering what I looked like before all of this pregnancy bliss. And when does that glowing thing start? I'm not asking to be greased up like a Thanksgiving turkey, but I'm ready for a healthy prenatal glow dang it!

Let it snow...

So today is the 2nd time in a week that we've been blessed with snow and it's absolutely lovely. Nothing is more cozy than throwing on my pjs, curling up on the sofa with Rock, Brisket, and Halley, and drinking some hot cocoa while we wait for Miss Lyla to keep cookin'.

Speaking of baby Mueller, she is kicking up a storm in there. It seems constant now. Before I was pregnant, I was so curious what it would feel like when the baby kicked - now I know and it's pretty awesome. We attended a wonderful Christmas Eve church service at Watermark and the loud music convinced the baby it was time to dance. So she rejoiced in the Christmas spirit! Then she enjoyed a smorgasbord of tasty meats and treats courtesy of Texas de Brazil. Yum, it's so nice to enjoy meat again.

My tummy is growing faster than Suri Cruise running in high heels. It's SO big already and we have 3 months to go! If this stomach doesn't slow down, I'm surely going to explode and that just won't be pretty...I've been off work for the past 2 weeks and I'm sure I've doubled in size since my co-workers have seen me. However, everyone keeps assuring me that it will all be worth it and I'm going to trust that it will.

Here's a pic of our Brisket enjoying the snow last week...

Goodbye November, Hello December!

Well, we survived Turkey Day. I envisioned lots of relaxation during my week of Thanksgiving - hahahahaha...


Monday was spent shopping with Mom. After one antique mall, an hour at Neiman Marcus, and a quick stint at Babies on the Boulevard, I had to call it quits. I was exhausted! I used to have serious shopping power - now just when I'm in the groove of spending, I have to sit and rest. And I'm not even sporting heels these days!


Tuesday was pie-baking day. I went over to my Dad's to use their new oven so I could bake all the pies at once. Sadly, our oven is old......perhaps the first oven ever invented. It's an inch bigger than our microwave and definitely not up to par for holiday baking. So I hauled all the ingredients over there and baked away. That evening was spent packing for our trip down to the in-laws. It's one thing to pack myself, but I can't even imagine what it will be like to prepare a baby for a few nights away from home. Even packing all of Brisket's necessities was tiring. We had her bed, chew toys, regular toys, food, treats, blankets, etc. - this dog does not go without. I think we're in for quite a shock :)


Wednesday - travel day. We left a tad later than planned, but everyone can blame me because I hit the snooze button about 3 times. The traffic was a breeze, thankfully. We made it south of Dallas in 20 minutes and for the first time EVER, I did not take a nap. Although, Rock probably preferred I had slept for a bit. I'm sure he planned to have a relaxing quiet drive, listening to George Strait's greatest hits and me snoring. However, I was full of energy and overly chatty, which made for a quick trip. We arrived and hugged all of the family. My beautiful sister-in-law, and her family drove down from Michigan and it was so much fun to spend time with all of them. All of the kids had grown at least a foot since our wedding last year. We all ate fajitas and the women headed to BINGO. The highlight was definitely riding with my mother-in-law as she drove 90 mph through all the winding country rodes to make sure we weren't late. I had a small heart attack, but we survived. Sadly, none of us won, but we did have a good time.


Thursday - bring on the turkey! I've never seen so much food. Turkey, ham, pork roast, broccoli casserole, green bean casserole, cranberries, 7-layer dips, brownies, queso, cookies, mashed potatoes, yams, cole slaw, dressing, gravy, pecan pies, apple pies, OH MY... I lasted until the 3rd quarter of the Cowboys game before falling deep into a coma on the couch. Waking up with drool on your face surrounded by family is always a treat. Thank goodness for those maternity pants - if I hadn't been sporting an elastic waistband, it could have gotten ugly.


Friday came and it was time to head back to Dallas. Brisket was sad to leave, but so exhausted from playing with Annie the German Shepard and Shawn's nephew that she didn't move the entire way home. I kept checking the backseat to make sure she was still breathing. Thankfully, traffic wasn't bad during our return and we made it home safe and sound.


All in all it was a nice holiday. We went with my parents Saturday night to see The Blind Side, which we loved, and relaxed the rest of the weekend. Well, AFTER putting up the Christmas tree and decorating the house. 23 weeks pregnant and never a dull moment...

Half-Way Mark

So I'm officially 20 weeks pregnant today. Half-way there! I can't believe we'll be holding our little baby girl in 20 weeks - time has absolutely flown by. And yet we still have so much to do...

We're in full swing of working on her nursery and not to disappoint some of you, but we will not be doing pink and brown. I know, I know, it's shocking. I've loved those colors forever, but I think our wedding covered it beautifully. Now it's time to expand our hue horizon. Baby Lyla will enjoy a more rustic-themed room, complete with a faint turquoise accent wall. I've scoured the earth for the perfect wicker wreaths to hang over her crib, distressed "L" decor, and vintage birdcage to hang (ok, Rock will be hanging it..........and painting for that matter). I think I've kept Etsy in business single-handily, ordering this and that. I LOVE Etsy! So her nursery is a modernish shabby chic with muggy turquoises, creams, and perhaps a splash of fuchsia here and there.

The crib should be here next week - so excited! I do feel a bit helpless - all the hard stuff is on Shawn. The painting, the shelf-building, the crib putting-together.........wait a minute - I am carrying this child! I suppose it almost equals out in the end..............well not quite. But it's nice that he is home and can help out. And we're still happily married after exhausting trips to Ikea, in which he patiently let me look at every inch of the store.

It is awesome to feel her moving around in there. She definitely responds to sugar........loves her sweets (unfortunately, just like mommy). I can't wait for Rock to be able to feel her. He is talking to her everyday and I do my best not to pee on myself from giggling. It's still so weird to have someone down there talking to your belly. I'm sure he is getting sick of me constantly asking him to inspect my belly for stretch marks, veins, or any other imperfections. I just know they're coming regardless of how much coco butter, vitamin E, almond oil concoction I'm basting myself with everyday (fine, twice or three times daily). I'm glistening more than a freakin' butter ball turkey!

Speaking of turkey, I can't wait for Thanksgiving - we're going down to Hallettsville to be with the in-laws and luckily, Shawn's sister and family are coming down from Michigan. We don't get to see them nearly enough, so we're excited. It's always fun to go down there and breathe fresh country air, look at the thousands of stars, and relax. And of course we'll do a belated Turkey Day with my Dad and Beth the weekend after - thank gosh for flexible family!

It's a.....

GIRL! I guess Shawn was right along........as usual. It must be nice to be so confident because I didn't have a clue what this little person growing inside of me was going to be. Unfortunately he was out of town to miss the doctor's appointment, but luckily my Dad was available and proved to be an excellent stand-in support figure. I think he really got a kick out of seeing the sonogram.

I was encouraged to ingest as much sugar as possible before heading to the doctor's office. I took the liberty of eating 2 Oreo cookies, a bagel with peanut butter, and a large orange juice. Ok, so I also ate a half bag of skittles on the ride over. And it paid off! She was kicking up a storm in there. On the other hand, I was incredibly ill from all of that processed sugar. As soon as the doctor said it was looking pretty girly, I knew my husband would be so proud of himself. We switched to another machine to take a closer look and sure enough, there she was. It really was a rush of emotions to finally know what this thing inside of me was. It gave her an identity and now I feel like I can really bond with her (obviously we're bonded........sharing a blood supply and all).

I didn't waste much time in shopping. As soon as Dad dropped me off and I caught up on some work stuff, I headed to buy some girly items. For the past 17 weeks I window-shopped, bouncing back and forth from the adorable corduroy pants in the boys' section to the tutus in the girls' section. It felt so good to actually buy something that our daughter will wear. And hanging it up in her empty closet was super fun.

So Rock is officially surrounded by women. Halley was overjoyed with the news, but I could sense that Brisket was a tad disappointed. I know her heart was set on a little boy to rough and tumble with. I tried explaining to her that our baby girl would be just as much fun, but she wasn't having it. I guess you can't please everyone!

Feels Like Home Again

Shawn's been home since Thursday night.........thank you Lord. Having him home has been more amazing than I'd envisioned - 6 weeks was way too long. And we're going to do our best not to have to go that long in the future. The timing of his arrival was such a blessing - I'd had a rough week at work and with a couple of days off and a weekend, we could actually spend time together. And I'm loving every minute of it.

His reaction to the belly was definitely comical. I don't think I've realized how much my mid-section had expanded. He took notice immediately and that was fun. And I swear that it's gotten bigger by the day since he's been home. I'm blaming him for none of my clothes fitting and the oh so sexy maternity pants that I'm sporting these days. Nothing says "hot" like elastic waist bands that stretch all the way up to your boobies. The sad part is that I'm not complaining one bit - I'm actually slightly scared that I may never want to wear regular pants again. These things were built for comfort and me likey!

So in the past 4 days, my poor husband and I have dinnered, shopped, cooked, visited, state-faired, and daycare researched ourselves to death. He's going to need to go back to work just to get a break from all that we have going on. Friday was a full day of shopping and running errands. Shawn was so sweet to buy me some maternity clothes and we had a good time looking around. We had dinner with my parents Friday night for my birthday - they call it "dinner" but I called it "glutton fest 2009" - the amount of food was ridiculously delicious! Saturday was spent barbecuing for Christie and Chuck (it was our turn to deliver dinner for the new parents) and I escaped for a peaceful mani/pedi before we dropped off dinner, kissed baby Cohen, and met up with friends and family to continue my 30th birthday celebration at Victor Tango's. Side note - I had no idea chicken and waffles could be so delectable - yum!

And you'd think we would slow down from there, but wrong. Sunday we hopped on the Dart Rail and made our way to the fried extravaganza known as the Texas State Fair. This was Rock's first visit and the food did not disappoint. The dog show, however, did. Being preggo, I can give you a review of each and every bathroom in Fair Park. Every 20 minutes, I'd look at Shawn and he'd find the nearest restroom while waiting patiently by the nearest homemade fudge and ceramics station. I was surprised by my unwillingness to eat anything deep fried - I thought this pregnancy thing gave me free reign to eat like an 8 year old stuck in Willa Wonka's Chocolate Factory. Sadly the fried butter, fried pecan pie, fried Twinkies, and fried latte did nothing but repulse me. I settled on 3 giant freshly-squeezed lemonades and a caramel apple. Tired, sweaty, and in need of a shower, we made our way back North and relaxed for the rest of the evening.

Bring on Monday! Waking up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed, we decided it was time to visit some daycares. We are still leaning towards a nanny for the first year, but insist on keeping our options open. Thankfully I'm able to take 3 months off of work for maternity leave, but childcare for such a little person is a serious decision. So I made a shortlist of nearby daycares to visit and we set up appointments to go check them out. And boy did we receive an education! Our first stop was a private daycare facility that had excellent reviews. It was amazing. Web cameras throughout the facility where parents could log in anytime to see their child learning Spanish, playing instruments, or sitting in tiny chairs at tiny tables working on big computers. Everything was immaculately kept, sanitized, and organized. Children ages 5 and below were so well-behaved, groomed, and dressed perfectly in matching uniforms. There wasn't a Kool-Aid stain to be seen! And for the low low price of $1400/month, our little 3 month old blob (I say that with love) can sleep, swing, and be fed by master-degreed child education specialist. I get that the exquisite curriculum provided here will be uber-beneficial for a preschool aged child and I see no problem with spending that. However, our little blob won't be speaking Spanish, playing the violin, or trading commodities with Japan online for at least another year. Moving on....

The 2nd daycare was also private and similar. While there were no web-cams (the Director told us they fear that pedophiles can hack into their system at anytime and don't wan to risk it), it was a tad cheaper and still very nice. The retina scan, fingerprint, and identification code security system did not disappoint. However, the same philosophy that applied above - Baby Mueller isn't going to absorb all of the amazing activities available, so not sure we want to pay college tuition for a professional to change our baby's diapers.

The 3rd stop finally paid off. I had heard from someone at work that the church close to our house had a fantastic infant nursery and daycare system. So we stopped in. Very secure facility - I didn't have to provide a blood sample to gain access, but it was acceptable. There was a clean and friendly environment. The Director took us straight to the baby room and both of us were impressed. We instantly felt like this was the ideal place for Baby Mueller. And the price was right - not comparative to a small jet yet not cheap enough to cause concern. Unfortunately we had to sign up for the waiting list, but we're hopeful...

Just to be thorough we made one last stop to a daycare in a nearby neighborhood that I found online with good reviews. The old building was questionable, but I reminded myself to keep an open mind. Then we entered the front door. Well security wasn't an issue because there was none. There were no adults in sight and no one greeted us. Just as I noticed the horrible carpet needed a good stretch, we saw a toddler standing in the door completely unsupervised. It was as if he was begging us to free him. Shawn immediately turned my shoulders around and we walked out. I'm still haunted by that tiny boy's cry for help...

So this is definitely the beginning of our search, but at least we're making progress. I thought it was early to start looking. After visiting these places, I'm thinking we should have started at conception.

I'm sure I've exhausted Shawn, but thankfully for his sake, I'm back to work and he can enjoy some much needed R&R. Brisket is over the moon excited to have Daddy home.........Halley - well she likes to keep her feelings bottled up inside. I'm dreading next Monday when he leaves us again, but am so incredibly thankful for the next 5 days we get to have him home.

Bring on the Second Trimester!

So it's been a while since my last post - that whole "work" thing has sucked the life out of me for the past few weeks. Any free time I'm blessed with has resulted in much needed sleep or relaxation. We're at 13.5 (those halves mean A LOT to me) weeks. Considering the fact that I'm not physically ill anymore, I thought it was time for a quick update on the happenings in our household.

1. Rock is STILL GONE! It's been 6 weeks of separation and I think we're due for some face time. Friends often joke that it's so "convenient" a work project sent him states away during the first trimester of our first pregnancy. Looking back on those weeks of queasiness and misery, I'm thankful that both of us didn't have to suffer. Not that it wouldn't have been nice to have the occasional breakfast in bed or back massage. Thankfully he still has plenty of that in his future :). He flies home this Thursday and I'm counting the minutes until he's home. I'm almost as excited as Brisket - she still goes room to room in search of her dad even though I've explained to her multiple times that he's not playing hide and seek with her.
2. Not to jinx myself, but I feel that I could be turning a corner with this whole pregnancy thing. Even though my appetite hasn't increased, I'm not nauseous anymore. I'm beginning to think that an apple smeared with peanut butter is the perfect dinner. And I'm still yawning like crazy, but that could be chalked up to the 70+ hour work weeks. My leg is still going numb at random, but it's not painful. The only problem I'm annoyed with is random breakouts - thanks a lot hormones! Again, Shawn is lucky not to have to look at me every day :).
3. Brisket Louise - there's really no way to sugar coat it.........the boxer girl is struggling. There's just only so much stimulation I can assist with. After a long day at work, I'm not up for taking her to the dog park or a walk. So her attention % has been decreased with Rock's departure. But I do my best. Unfortunately, she's started some behavioral problems that I could live without. Shredding magazines is not lady-like behavior. I realize I'm not going to do all the exercises in Women's Health, but I still like to read it! And she's started this aggressiveness with me when we're outside that just flat out hurts my feelings. I did not send your daddy away, lil' missy - this attitude needs an adjustment! I'm no psychic, but I do see some serious professional training her her future.
4. Baby Mueller is developing nicely. Everything looks normal at this point. I had a sonogram last Thursday and he/she looked like a real baby finally, profile and all. The doctor checked the neck tissue and seemed glad that her nasal cavity had formed (which I guess is good). I go back at week 16 - I just want to find out if we're having a boy or a girl so I can start my shopping spree. There's only so many grays and yellows one can have in their wardrobe.

That's really all I can think of at the moment. I'm sure there's more, but I'll blame my lack of interesting info on "pregnancy brain" (surprise surprise). Next update will be a recap of the much anticipated visit from my husband - hurry home babe!

9 weeks down.......31 to go

I'm officially 9 weeks pregnant today. It feels like yesterday that I was taking the pregnancy test before leaving for the New Kids on the Block concert. Time flies when you're having fun.........wait a minute, this hasn't exactly been "fun." This week has definitely been better than the previous weeks though. I haven't experienced anything projectile-related, although I've had some close calls. I still feel exhausted. All of it is a small price to pay for the magic show happening inside of me right now. I still can't believe it.

I love these websites that email me weekly to inform me that Baby Mueller is the size of a martini olive. It still seems so tiny. Yet to grow from a tic-tac to an olive that fast - pretty incredible. Rock is still in Ohio and says goodnight to the baby every evening before we hang up. He's pretty lucky to be missing all of this "fun." However, I'm about as much fun as a nursing home bingo tournament these days so he's fortunate to be working away. He can come home during the 2nd trimester when supposedly I'm more energized and "glowing." Ooooh I can't wait to glow! Right now my skin is leaving very little to rejoice about, so the thought of a nice pregnancy-induced sheen sounds fantastic.

I went grocery shopping last Sunday morning and I found that to be extremely challenging. I wanted to put all these random things in my basket - Easy Mac and Cheese cups (eeeewwww fake cheese), cheese lasagna, french toast bagels........none of which were healthy nor nutritious. As a matter of fact, some of it was just gross. I gagged walking past all of the beef and even opted out of any fish or chicken. I just couldn't look at all that raw carnage. I didn't even stop for ice cream. Plain tasteless carbs are what my body is craving. I can't wait to enjoy food again - until then, pass me the pasta with garlic sauce...

He Flew the Coop

So Rock is officially gone - - - ooh that makes it sound like he knocked me up and abandoned me. Allow me to be more descriptive.....he left the state to work on a project in Ohio, which is a bit more responsible I suppose. As much as I'm really excited for this opportunity for his career, I'd be lying if I said I wasn't missing him like crazy. He hasn't traveled since we got married and before that, he was gone lots. I guess I was just used to it back then. Now it seems harder. Well, the bun in the oven may have something to do with it. I already miss him talking to the belly; it was hysterical. Speakerphone really doesn't have the same effect.


And Brisket...........poor sweet Brisket Louise. Our boxer is a year and four months, and is so attached to Rock. Where he goes, she goes. So you can imagine her despair when he packed up his truck and headed north without her. She seems so confused. She walks around the yard looking for him and goes into all the rooms throughout our house in hopes that she'll find her daddy. Her expression is devastating when she collapses at my feet unsuccessful.


Dang Brisket, things could be worse. You do have your mommy here, after all. Am I that bad? No, I don't barbecue all the time or take you for daily car rides just because. I'm not able to escort you to the dog park EVERY day like Dad did. But I promise to love you, feed you, cuddle, and even massage your sweet face. Take it or leave it!

Even Halley seems sad without our big guy at home. Even though she is a spoiled brat, deep down I know she loves Shawn. She also searches the house for him when we get home from
work........so sad.


But enough sadness. He'll be home eventually. Until then, I just have to keep focused on work (which is CRAZY right now), staying healthy for this baby cooking away, and spend time with the girls......our doggies. Thank gosh for our friends and family who are always a phone call away - I seriously would NOT make it through this without such amazing people.

And Baby Makes 3...

So apparently I've answered my own question from a few blogs ago.........pregnancy IS contagious! It's official, Rock and I are expecting our first child. We feel incredibly blessed and know that from this point on, our lives are forever changed. It's an amazing feeling, this baby thing. I've always tried to imagine what being preggo would feel like and I can honestly say that I may have "romanticized" this condition just a tad. Yes, I'm eternally grateful for God's blessing. There are still a few points I don't think I was mentally prepared for:

• Food aversions - ewwww! Nothing tastes good except for fruit. If I see one more hamburger commercial I may die. The thought of meat is enough to send me to a state of nausea so severe that I could lie on the bathroom floor all day. If you know me, then you know that I love food.......I'm really good at eating. I love sweets...........or so I used to. I haven't wanted ice cream, cake, cookies - nothing! So maybe there's an upside after all...



• Peeing constantly - I understand that my body is changing and yadda yadda yadda, but having to get up 3-4 times a night to pee is super annoying.



• Tenderness in the chesticles - I can barely wear a bra people! These things hurt and the fact that I have a little extra in that area only complicates matters. They are everywhere and apparently only going to get bigger - dear gosh!



• Nausea - I'm constantly in the bathroom thinking I'm going to be sick. This queasiness hits me in the late afternoon and lasts until I can fall asleep and if I have to go through one more box of saltine crackers and liters of Ginger ale, I may freak out.



• Back pain - what the heck is going on back there? Why does my back ache when I'm this early in this pregnancy journey? It's as if I can feel my bones spreading and it's not fun.



• So sleepy - I seriously almost fell asleep while driving the 3 miles home form work yesterday. Each traffic light was like a mini-snooze and the car honking behind me was an awful alarm clock. Something about late in the day triggers my body to want to nap and it's kind of unfortunate considering my job requires alertness and actual brain-power.

So between my trips to the bathroom, crackers in the bed, and frequent yawns, I do have moments of appreciation for this little alien cooking inside of me. I know millions upon millions of women make it through this just fine. It's just taking me a little getting used to. I thank our Lord every single day for Rock.........he IS my rock. The back rubs, the trips to the store, the Costco-sized boxes of crackers, the hormones-he has this ability to make everything better. So baby Mueller is 7 and 1/2 weeks and counting........March 26th can't get here soon enough!

29 Going on 16

There are particular instances throughout my life that I have to perform a self-induced intervention. I have an addictive personality. There, I said it. Sometimes these addictions are physical by nature. Sometimes they are mental. It wasn't that long ago that Rock turned me on to Jay's Boot Camp. As much as it pained me during the one hour torture session, that rush of serotonin was irreplaceable. And there was kickboxing - it was a stress reliever unlike any other. I went from going twice a week, to three times, and so on and so forth. Then I got distracted by some other form of outlet and moved on - not that I'm a self-proclaimed gym-aholic or anything. My habit of phases isn't limited to physical effort. I went through a period of "margarita overload." Or there was my Golden Girls rerun phase - sorry honey. Thank goodness my husband is a patient man.

My patterns have usually (not always) been age appropriate at least. So apparently, I've reached a whole new level of sickness on the addiction spectrum. And it is with shock and shame that I admit I'm an official TWILIGHTER!!! It's LITERARY CRACK. It hooked me with its first paragraph, invading my soul with the Edward/Bella drug, thus spiraling me out of control. The worst part about this whole thing is that I was the one teasing my friends about their obsession with this freaking series of books! The movie had no appeal to me. I mean, I don't do vampires. Not in movies, books, or HBO shows. I tolerated the Buffy the Vampire Slayer movie back in the early 90s out of sheer devotion for Luke Perry (hey, don't judge). Enter this freaking book! And just like that, I was sucked into another universe of forests, Cullens, werewolves, and romance.

I'm 29 years old for goodness sake! My poor husband can be in mid-sentence and sees that look in my eyes and just saves his breath, knowing that my thoughts are a million miles away in Forks, Washington. I read the first book in less than 48 hours. The second one took the same amount of time and the third flew by faster than a silver Volvo on a wet winding road!

And now I'm in the middle of the fourth and final dose of ridiculousness and with each page I turn, a little piece of me dies. The realization that it's all going to be over soon is too much to accept. I'm literally trying to slow down the speed at which I digest this fantastic word substance simply to prolong my relationship with this world. I am officially 16 years old. I realize that Stephanie Meyer did not write this beautiful, adolescent, and torturous love story for me. In no way am I her target audience. This stuff is for teenage girls! And here I am, a prisoner in my own home. Rock asks me to go to dinner. No thanks, I'd rather cook at home and read. Rock asks me to go see a movie. Nope, I'd rather escape to my couch where I can curl up and wait for one of Alice's visions. As if any film will captivate me in such a way that I'd rather sit in a sticky-floored theater eating stale popcorn. And I know that with each chapter I read, my sweet spouse is breathing a sigh of relief that it will be all over soon.

I've learned not to judge a book by its cover. Things aren't always what they seem. I admit I have a problem. But if I could just get back to my book...

Weekend of Bonding

We went from having a "free" weekend - meaning that we had no specific plans other than celebrating my dad on Father's Day - to a weekend full of "friend time." After a very challenging week at work, (an ad agency is full of deadlines, late nights, and mental exhaustion, but the fruits of your labor are abundantly clear when you land a big new client), I was looking forward to a night of relaxing at home. We'd make a little dinner and then curl up on the couch for a Dexter marathon or new movie on demand. However, much to my surprise, my husband called me on my way home and said we were going to a movie with the Baldwins. If you know Shawn, you know that he does NOT make plans. He happily accepts the fact that I negotiate our social calendar. But this Friday, he made a double date with Jason and Betsy to go see The Proposal.

Even though I was exhausted and visions of pajama pants and a glass of wine filled my head, I agreed to go out of sheer appreciation of his efforts. So we went. I love me some Sandra Bullock AND 2 hours of watching Ryan Reynolds was icing on the cake. The real highlight of the night was Betty White's performance. The previews didn't do this film justice - it was hysterical.

Saturday morning I met Christie at the Galleria at 9:30 (a.m.!) for the one day sale of Old Navy tank tops being marked down for $2. We rarely have 1:1 time and after our shopping extravaganza, we had breakfast at Paradise Bakery and enjoyed some girl talk. Then we met up with Betsy at the pool and proceeded to fry our skin for the next few hours. I'll always cherish our pool-time, floating in the water on the rafts, talking about everything from mucus plugs to what we'll be doing when we're old. I love these girls.

That night we had plans to regroup for dinner with the Registers, Baldwins, and Lori M. and her boyfriend Jon, a.k.a., "Tony Soprano" (he looks JUST like him). What a treat to be able to spend an evening with good friends at Mi Cocina. My skin was so sunburned, I was radiating enough heat to grill Rock's fajitas! Luckily, my mambo taxi cooled me down. And I found out that John's dad taught me math in high school at LD Bell - shout out to Mr. Roe!

Sunday was Father's Day and we had a great time with my Dad and Beth. We took them to a RoughRiders ballgame in Frisco and thoroughly appreciated having the time to celebrate Mo. Next weekend we're headed down south to Hallettsville to visit the in-laws......I can already taste the kolaches!

Is Pregnancy Contagious?

So two of my closest friends are preggers, expecting, have a bun in the oven, knocked up, etc. I could go on, but I'll spare you an excerpt from my personal thesaurus. Christie is almost 6 months and Betsy is just over 2 months. So we're looking at a Register due date of September 14th and January 5th for the Baldwins. I was absolutely elated when I found out Christie was preggo - visions of being an "aunt" consumed me. And now with Betsy's bump - I'm going to be a double aunt! Needless to say, Baby Register and Baby Baldwin will be spoiled by Uncle Rock and Aunt Pretty (that's what I'm going to "suggest" they refer to me as...........kidding! Or am I?).


So I'm constantly looking up things pregnancy-related and it's so interesting. The fact that I'll get to witness 2 of my favorite chicas experience the miracle of life is amazing. Does this mean I'll finally be the skinny one? Haha.......one can only dream.

With baby talk surrounding me, Rock and I are constantly being asked when we'll start trying to reproduce (gosh, that sounds like we're planning to hatch gremlins). As much fun as it sounds to be preggers with both of my girlfriends, I think we're planning to hold off a bit longer. We know that our little bambino will be twice the size of the others, so it's only fair to give them a head start in growth! Of course knowing that my husband was a 13-lb baby is enough to make me go to bed wearing sweatpants every night (KIDDING Babe..........so kidding). Yep, eventually there will be a C-section with my name on it!

Until then, I'm definitely not drinking after Christie or Betsy - that baby thing is obviously highly contagious.

Mid-Week Fever

Why does the middle of the week draaaaaaaaag ooooooooon foreeeeeeeever? Mondays fly by faster than a Hollywood marriage. Tuesdays begin to slow down and Wednesdays spit out seconds as if they were hours. Thursdays tend to pick up speed and God bless Fridays. I suffer from mid-week syndrome. It's not terminal, but the pain is significant.

I'm a person who lives for things to look forward to--a Girls' Night Out, camping, a concert, dinner with friends, a date night with my husband. If I'm not constantly booking our social calendar, I find myself sinking. Is it compulsive? I'm not the one to judge. I like to go go go! No wonder I work as a project manager--planning is my life. I love entertaining, hosting dinner parties at our home, organizing nights out.

I know my friends humor me by allowing me to plan, and I'm forever thankful that they "get" me. Christie will have a great idea of something fun we should do and I'll constantly follow-up with her until she either plans it or just hands me the reigns and for this, I love her. Betsy is always up for anything too and it's a constant reminder why we all get along so well - we just like doing stuff. Even though, regardless of what fabulous event we plan, our most fun nights are at one of our homes, pot-luck style dining and just hanging out. You'd think that might slow me down...ha.

I accept the fact that I'm the kind of friend that wants to do everything for everyone (at nausea) so they don't have to worry about it (and I'm not too delusional to admit that I get the satisfaction of having everyone together). The good news is that Shawn sees it as less he has to worry about and complains very little about my antics--yet another reason we are so perfectly matched. I refuse to categorize my behavior as a "control" issue, but....

Spring into Summer....Gettin' that Heart Rate Up!

Summer is just around the corner and I'm so unprepared. Leading up to our wedding in the fall, I was a fat-burning machine. I was so strict with my diet and exercise that once the hoopla was over, I jumped right into the comfort zone. My fitness regimen deteriorated from 6 days a week to two (if that) and my nutrition was allowed to fly free from restriction. Enter miscellaneous poundage...

"Dear extra pounds, while you've obviously enjoyed your stay on my hips, thighs, buttocks, tummy, and arms--you've overstayed your welcome and it's time to make an exit."

A month ago, I knew that my arms and legs were far from "Spring Ready" and now summer is knocking on my door. Therefore, I've started a food journal and gotten back on the bandwagon of fitness. Now it's up at 5:15, hit the gym for an hour or so, then head to work where I do my best to avoid all of the yummy temptations surrounding. I adore my co-workers, but why are they all fantastic cooks?!?! And the baking! Don't even get me started on the baking...

It's also good for me to get back into softball, even if it is slow-pitch. All those years I said I'd NEVER play recreational slow-pitch and here I am, playing 3rd base every Monday night. Never say never...Between the batting cages and weekly games, it's a good form of exercise and the players on the Angry Beavers co-ed team are a lot of fun. Yoga is also a new love of mine. Thanks to Aly and Kate, I'm stretching, twisting, holding, breathing, and contorting in positions I've never dreamed of...........and being quiet at the same time! It's truly a miracle.

So it's back to getting healthy........then comes sundresses, sitting on patios and drinking mojitos, and laughing with friends. Bring on the summer....

Home Invader

Well we had an exciting evening. I got home from work before Shawn, parked in the garage as normal, and then entered through the kitchen. Groceries in hand, I left the door to the garage open while I unloaded the bags and freed Brisket from the captivity known as her crate. God bless the inventor of the crate by the way. Even though it's the size of a small shed and denounces any opportunity to contribute as a design element, it has allowed us to keep our sanity. She sleeps in it at night AND stays in it during the day when we're at work. It's her home, her safe haven. A boxer left alone to roam is like Britney Spears unsupervised in a frappaccino factory - nothing good comes from it.

So I freed the beast and as usual, she busted out of her crate like a bull out of a rodeo gate -- spinning, jumping, and licking everything in sight. I was escorted by both dogs to the master bedroom where I changed clothes, unknowingly still leaving the back door wide open. Moments later, we walked back up the hall towards the den and all of a sudden, something flew by my face! Terrified AND shocked, I immediately screamed and ran to the back of the house. Thinking our 52-pound boxer would check it out, I was disappointed to see her leap onto the bed and let out a cry that would rival a newborn baby. Poor Halley was so confused, she just started pacing.

At this point, I was convinced we had a blood-sucking bat in our home. The fact that it was 6:30 and still sunny outside did nothing to deter this assumption. Therefore, I did what any normal 29-year-old woman would do - I coaxed Brisket down the hall and encouraged her to find whatever was flying around our house. This turned into me pushing her across our hardwood floors against her will while I shouted, "What is it Brisket Louise? Go find it!" Needless to say, Brisket Louise was NOT amused or the least bit interested in humoring my antics.

Accepting the dreaded truth that I was all alone at this point, I let her run back to the bedroom as I grabbed a softball bat from under the bed (hey, I was a single girl living alone for a long time and old habits are tough to break) and slowly walked down the hall. As I peaked my head into the den, I saw something fly by again and land on the ceiling fan. I got closer and discovered that a tiny (and I do mean TINY) bird had accidentally flown into our home.

By this time, Brisket and Halley reappeared and as Halley walked around on her 2 back legs trying to get a closer look, our poor boxer ran back to her crate and whined. What a guard dog! After opening the french doors leading to our backyard, the baby bird finally escaped as Halley chased her outside and thankfully, no one was hurt. When Brisket did get the courage to come back out of her crate after all of the commotion subsided, I couldn't help but laugh at the look of shame in those droopy boxer eyes. Note to self -- closed doors make for peaceful evenings.

Spring Cleaning for Easter.......or so I tried

So our Easter weekend went by pretty fast. I spent Friday night with my mom in Fort Worth. We made dinner (and by "made" I mean defrosted a BBQ chicken pizza) and watched Mamma Mia - it was pretty great. I returned home Saturday morning and did my routine cleaning that I've come to enjoy. Since Rock works most Saturdays, it's just me and the girls..........Brisket and Halley.

As usual, Brisket was in an overactive state. I wonder how much faster I could get things done without her "participation" in household chores. Here's a quick rundown of how my Saturday morning went...

- I sweep the floors. Brisket chases the broom, simultaneously spreading the collected dust, hair, etc. back to where it came from.

- I Windex the mirrors and glass doors. Brisket runs off with the roll of paper towels, shredding them faster than a wood chopper.

- I take out the trash. Brisket attacks the Hefty bags, ripping them open to admire her new treasures of coffee filters, juicy meat packaging, apple cores, and junk mail.

- I vacuum the rugs. Brisket rips the electrical chord out of the wall and proceeds to play tug-of-war with me...........good times.

- I load the dishwasher. Brisket attempts to furiously lick each and every dirty item loaded while I swat her away yelling, "No Brisket Louise......No!"

- I fold laundry. Brisket carefully selects a special item to grab and escape to the backyard where she drags it through mud, grass, leaves, etc.

How our house ever gets clean I'll never quite understand. Eventually she tires out and sleeps while I "redo" everything she interrupted. If this isn't preparing us for parenthood I don't know what will. And still with all the craziness, I take one look at that incredible square face and hand her a new toy and kiss all over those ridiculous cheeks.

By the time Rock gets home, the girls and I are cuddled up enjoying an 80s movie. Christie & Chuck and Betsy & Jason came over and we ordered pizza and laughed hysterically at episodes of Eastbound & Down.

We met my parents early Sunday morning for church. It's a bit risky to try a new Church on Easter Sunday. Rock and I have been looking for a new church home since moving to Richardson. We loved Irving Bible Church so much and contemplate driving to Irving every Sunday. But we haven't given up hope that we can find the perfect church for us that's not far away. Unfortunately, the church we tried Sunday was not a match. A bit too funky with the music and not enough substance in the sermon for our taste. So the search continues...

We did enjoy an amazing meal prepared by Beth and it was so peaceful to just sit in their backyard once the weather cleared. Not a bad Easter for 2009...

Rainy Days and Mondays Always Get me Down...

Ok, so it's not Monday, it's Friday. The end of the week. The gold at the end of the rainbow. The weekly reward. Today feels like anything but a Friday. The fog is thicker than Michael Jackson's makeup and it's pouring down rain. I guess April showers are among us.


I left the office to get a spa gift certificate for a client and had the pleasure of sitting on 635 for about an hour. Apparently RAIN + ASPHAULT = INSANE DRIVERS. So my most loathed highway in DFW was backed up and I had time to sit.........and think...........and sit some more. All of these random thoughts kept coming to mind:


1 - Why don't they make Worcestershire-flavored pizza? Or chips for that matter? Worcestershire is my favorite condiment and the most under-rated in my opinion. It's less fattening than both mayo and mustard, has less sodium than soy sauce, and less sugar than bbq sauce. And don't even get me started on ranch dressing. I've been putting worcestershire on my pizza longer than I care to admit and I have an impressive conversion rate of others that have joined me on the dark side. In England, worcestershire-flavored chips were everywhere and it was delicious. Try it, you'll love it!


2 - Why are people still smoking in 2009? I get that it's addictive. I understand addictions are hard to conquer. It's not 1950 anymore and doctors are not appearing in tv spots promoting tobacco companies. All of the information is out there and the risks are proven. Nothing good comes from smoking - your body deteriorates........period. So why do I still see 13-year olds lighting up when I approach a mall entrance? Your 13 - don't be an idiot!


3 - Why do I want to see Britney Spears in concert? She's a trainwreck. She's not a talented "singer" (one heck of a lip-syncher though). So what's the fascination? Maybe it's the fact that the girl is in her mid 20s and has lived enough for 10 people. Maybe it's because I'm completely entertained by everything she does. Perhaps I'm curious if she's going to internally com bust on stage. I have no idea. I do know that I'm ashamed to financially contribute to such a hot mess. However, I still download her poppy songs on my iPod for my workouts, so I'm guilty regardless.


4 - Is it just me or are C-Sections taking the world by storm? It seems like everyone I know who has recently given birth has produced a life via C-Section. Shawn and I are getting close to starting a family and I'm constantly mesmerized by all things pregnancy-related. Is it that I haven't paid much attention in the past and everyone was doing it the "old" way. I understand the medical need for the procedure, but I also know people who requested it that way. What's the attraction? I don't get it. Although, with Shawn being a 13-lb. baby, I have a feeling I'll find this one out first hand, in detail...

1 Wedding, Cattle Sale, and a Game of Bingo

We're headed down to Hallettsville today. Something about that drive is so calming. Maybe it's the 2 lane farm roads, maybe it's the little roadside strawberry stands, or perhaps it's the interesting characters we encounter at each truck stop. Whatever it may be, I always look forward to visiting my in-laws and being surrounded by nature................because it's way way way out there.

I love being driven through "downtown" Hallettsville. The streets are lined with quaint little houses that remind me of Steel Magnolias. The town square is full of interesting shops, from antique stores to a pharmacy/general store to a movie theater that just introduced Dolby sound. The Hallettsville town square is known for the movie, "The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas" and being a HUGE fan of that film, the tour never gets old. Despite my never ending excitement to pass by his old high school football stadium, or his first job at that BBQ restaurant on the corner of something and something, Shawn always finds the strength to humor me.

So on this particular weekend, we have a full schedule. Tonight my mother-in-law is taking me into town to play BINGO. Now to some it's just a game for fun. My mother-in-law and her closest friends soon taught me that BINGO is serious business and you bring your A-game. They don't play once a week - they play 5 times a week. That's a job to most people! I'm pretty sure that my mom-in-law is a professional Bingo-er. All of her dobbers (the stamper thing that you use to blot your number when it's called) are color-coded to match each card (and her outfit). Needless to say, BINGO is a way of life to my mom-in-law and to be invited to join her is a big honor and I'm sure I try her patience when I'm looking around at all the other people and asking ridiculous questions such as, "Why does the man with the oxygen tank keep staring?" and "What does 4 card blind mean?"

Tomorrow I'm accompanying my mother-in-law while she gets her hair done - another adventure in my book. I can't wait to soak up everything a small town beauty parlor has to offer. Then we're attending the wedding of Shawn's cousin in New Ulm.........at a longhorn ranch! Oh man I'm excited. I've never been to a wedding overlooking a pond with ranchers and steer. What is the proper attire for such an event? And the reception is at a dance hall and that in itself sounds like a good time to me.

Wait - it gets even better. On Sunday, Shawn and his dad will be going into town to sell cows. They keep a lots of cattle on their land and my husband has a small herd that he sells once the calves are "big enough." It's no secret that I'm rurally challenged. Growing up in the mid-cities, I didn't tend to cows, ride horses, or have a "County Road" address. I grew suspicious when he deterred me from joining them the first time I heard of this "selling cows" business. Finally, my mother-in-law explained that the cows are auctioned off to slaughter houses and it's really not uplifting to watch them board the trucks when they leave. HUH?!?!?! Ewwwwwwww. Now I'm a girl that loves a well-prepared steak. What I don't want to know is how it made it's way onto my plate. But it's what they do and an honest source of income, so it's best that I stay home and mind my own business.

Needless to say, my bags are packed and we're escaping the concrete jungle for open green pastures, some gambling, a celebration, and a touch of trade. Not a bad way to spend the next 48 hours...

5 Months Married and Counting...

As of March 24th, Rock and I will be married for 5 months. Newlyweds. Time flies by faster than VH1 produces yet another trashy dating show featuring a D list celebrity. So life is good. We survived our wedding extravaganza. Having lived together prior to tying the knot, I wandered if life would be different once we were officially husband and wife. After all, how much could a legal-sized parchment paper impact our lives?

Well, the answer is, "a lot." In more ways than I had even thought, my existance no longer involves "me." It's all about "we." And it's absolutely amazing.

The name change affected me more than I thought it would. I've lived my entire life having people giggle when I say, "Tracy Hooker." Throughout my adolescence with sports, "Hooker" was all I heard. And now I'm a Mueller...........m-hue-lerrrrr. New drivers licences, new social security card, new credit cards, new email address, new new new.

Shawn hasn't skipped a beat. It's as if he was born to be married. So what's next? These days we're just enjoying being together. We have our hands full with Brisket Louise, the soon to be one-year old boxer in our lives. Even though there are days I want to put her on our front porch with a sign around her neck saying, "Free to Good Home," she's an excellent addition to our family and my husband's second love for sure. My little terrier is still going to work everyday with me and trying to survive the trials of sibling rivalry.

So I have no idea what the future holds for us, but I'm definitely along for the ride. I do know one thing for sure - when I saw him standing at the end of the aisle last October, I felt like I was walking towards the beginning. It was exciting, it was comforting, and it was just us..........the Muellers.