Happiness is: Size 11 Bamboo Circular Needles

Seriously. I love the feel of bamboo needles. I now own two pairs, both circular. One is a size 6 and the newest is size 11. Biiiig difference lol. The 11's are now the largest needles I own and I really dig the way they feel in my hands. Both because they're bamboo and because of their size. I finished the second mitten I was working on, but the pair still feels like it's a child-size. I bought fatter yarn a few weeks ago and just got these size 11's to further increase my gauge. I'm only 10 rows in, maybe that much, but I'm already soooooo much happier with the size difference. I don't know what the original writer of the pattern was using, but it was waaaaay off for me, even following the directions exactly. At least I have experience with holding the yarn double now, which was something new and not at all as hard as I was expecting. I like this new yarn I got, it's not the same wool-acrylic ratio as the Patons (which I think was 50-50), but it's soft and fluffy. It's also a lot darker than the other yarn, which I'm sure will be fine, it's close enough to the original and not a crazy color like orange or something.

Couldn't Resist

We had our last Baptism Prep class today and I didn't notice this giant notepad until we were leaving. I made Dan take my picture with it. Apparently whoever used the room prior to us was teaching teenagers about chastity. I think my picture is way more awesome though ;)

Surviving The 3 Hour Glucose Tolerance

Here's what I learned about my whole experience getting the 3 hour glucose tolerance done:

1. Make an appointment. I used Quest Laboratories and they usually have a whole bunch of walk-ins, so an appointment is helpful. When you do make the appointment, talk to a real person and explain that you're going for the 3 hour test, not the 1 hour, this will help you avoid being turned away because the online system let you make the appointment to close to closing time (ugh).

2. If you can't make an appointment and have to be a walk-in, get there before they open. I'm not sure what other labs are like, but I got to Quest at 6:20am (they open at 6:30am) and there were already at least ten people standing in line outside the door.

3. Fasting is easiest if you have an early morning appointment. That way you can just sleep through the fast. If that's not possible, make it an afternoon appointment and have a really big breakfast before your fast starts. I had eggs, bacon, and a bagel, and it was the right combination of protein and carbs to keep me from hunger pangs almost until the appointment time. It was hard to remember not to snack though, so watch out! ;)

4. When you get there, tell whoever is at the front desk that you are a 3 hour glucose tester. This will make sure that they can get your drink and start your clock right away. I did not find the drink particularly nasty, but I'm a fan of sweet stuff and sugar anyway. I got a 100g bottle, which was still only 10oz. Even though they increase the sugar, they don't increase the amount, so if you can get 10oz. down quickly, you won't have too much of a problem.

5. Bring something to do! I can't stress this enough. Since I knew that I couldn't leave the office and I'd be there for at least 3 hours, I brought my iPod (loaded with new podcasts) and a knitting project. There was another woman who was also doing her 3 hour tolerance who didn't bring anything to do at all. I can't imagine how bored she was. I, on the other hand, got through several podcast episodes and am now almost finished my knitting project. Time did seem to slow down, but it would have been so much worse if I hadn't brought those things with me. If you're a reader, bring a big book or a book you've just started (or a Kindle/Nook if you have one). There were also kids in the waiting room playing on their DSs, which is also a good idea.

6. You are going to get stuck with needles at least 3 times. I was stuck 4 because they drew a fasting sample, so I got there, they stuck me, then I got the drink and the clock started. 3 more sticks after that. I did get to leave after the final stick, no final paperwork to do or anything like that. If needles bother you (they don't bother me, but I can't watch myself get stuck or I'll flinch), be aware of how much you'll get stuck for this test.

7. Have a post-test plan. My plan was food. Originally, when my test was yesterday afternoon, my plan was to hit the fast food place right by the office and get something to eat in the car on the way home. Even though I didn't have the appointment that day, I still did that because I was starving. Today I got out at 10am, right before all the fast food places switch over to their lunch menu. Since I had already been up for 5 hours, I wasn't in the mood for breakfast food, so my plan changed. I headed over to the mall to kill time before the lunch menu started and then went to Chik-fil-a when I was ready. While at the mall, I stopped in Motherhood Maternity and got two t-shirts on sale (I needed more short sleeve for work). My favorite is the one I'm wearing in the picture, I love pink and it's about time I got some color in my shirts! Winter time is apparently all about black and gray maternity clothes, no fun.

The test that never happened.

I hate it when I try to talk to a real person and companies are so set on customers using technology, that you just can't get a real person ever. Two weeks ago when I attempted to set up this appointment, my first thought was to talk to a real person since it's a 3-hour test and I should probably let them know that's why I'm setting up the appointment. The website appointment making section didn't have a whole lot of information on it and only had 10 minute slots set up, plus it didn't have that many and they weren't on a Saturday and they didn't go past a certain time. I attempted to call the office to make an appointment and only got a voice recording and no options for what I wanted. Not wanting to spend 20 minutes on the phone talking to a computer, I took 5 minutes and picked a time that worked into my work schedule where I could just leave early for the day and not need anyone to cover my classes.

Turns out I really did need the live person. That particular branch of lab closes at 5pm. My appointment time was supposed to start at 2:30. I got there at 2:20 so I could check in and do the insurance thing, they were running behind and didn't call my name for insurance stuff until 2:45. The girl behind the desk saw that I had a 3 hour test and then let me know that they close at 5. I was so mad. Not at her, because she was nice and I now get to fast AGAIN and go super early in the morning tomorrow (I'm asking for her when I get there, that's what she said to do), but mad that I couldn't talk to a real person and that the website let me schedule this stupid test without specifying what kind of glucose test it was. So something that should have been over and done with by now is put off until tomorrow when, by the time I get to the lab, I will have fasted for 16 out of 24 hours. I'm no doctor but I doubt it's good to make a pregnant woman do that much fasting. I better not have diabetes.

Sunshine

These are my daffodils. Well, they're not really mine, they just grow next to our walkway. They've been coming up every spring since we've been here and this will be the last spring that I see them It's just this one section, no other ones pop up anywhere else on our walkway. There are way more in the front of the house, but these are ours. They've been slowly opening since Sunday or Monday, and today they were finally all in full bloom, just in time for the really nice weather. Today was 68 and tomorrow is supposed to be in the 70's! This is my favorite time of the year, when we get to break out our warm weather clothes, but it's not stifling hot yet.

Tomorrow is my dreaded glucose test. I don't dread it because I think it'll tell me I have diabetes (which I don't think I do) but because it's at least 3 hours long and they have to draw my blood at least 3 times (I don't know if they'll draw once before the drink for a control or something) and I have to fast 8 hours prior to the test in addition to during the test. I asked my doc and she said I could have water which is good, but still, we're looking at nearly 12 hours (or longer) without food. I've done it before, when I was sleeping. This time I'll be awake for all of it. I'm taking knitting and my iPod with me. I have several hours worth of podcasts and I charged it all day today so it's ready to go. I also grabbed a new skein of yarn so if I finish the current project (which I'm thinking will probably happen) I can cast on the new one. I'm headed off to bed now (10 minutes to 8) so I can wake up early and eat a big breakfast before I have to start fasting. Appointment is at 2:30pm, which means I have to start fasting at 6:30am (thank you military time for helping me figure that one out). It does mean that I don't have to pack a lunch for work tomorrow, so there's a silver lining I guess. I went to bed super early last night (6:30ish) and had no problems getting up today, also haven't been as tired today as I have been the last couple of days. I think I was jet lagged from Daylight Savings Time and the long sleep last night helped shake me out of it.

No Frag Wipes!

I know that by "frag" they mean "fragrance", but I thought the sign was funny. I stopped by Babies 'R Us today to pick up a maternity support belt. I've had random and various hip/leg pains and I still had a gift card, so I figured at the very least, I could continue to avoid back pain. They didn't have the exact belt I was looking for, but they have something close and it seems like it will help a little bit. I'll give it a try at work tomorrow, which is one of my busy days.

Also it turns out I've been having Braxton Hicks. That's not new, not exactly anyway. I talked with my doctor yesterday about what I thought were Braxton Hicks, turns out I was mixed up. After she told me what they're like, I didn't think I'd actually had anything like that yet. Then I had one this afternoon in the car. What turned out to be Braxton Hicks I thought was the baby moving a certain way. I thought the baby was shifting his body to the front of my stomach, and this has been going on for weeks sporadically. Today I realized that it wasn't the baby moving, it was my whole stomach contracting, because my whole stomach was hard and then faded. It finally clicked today that those were really Braxton Hicks.

Side note: Jerk Alert. Hard to see in this picture because it's my cell phone, but the lady in front of the white sign is smoking. Not completely unusual except that there is only one door in and out of the store and she is right next to it. Since the majority of the customers going in that store are pregnant women and children, she's really inconsiderate. Inconsiderate people piss me off. She hadn't quite lit up when I walked out, but she was pulling her cig out of the box and I could see her smoking from my car as I was getting ready to leave.

Well if you're going to be so bossy

I've always thought this sign was hilarious for some reason. It's from where 70 East starts to merge with 695. 70 goes from two lanes down to one before it hits 695 and that's where this sign is posted. I feel like there should be signs preceding it that say "Form single lane nnnnnnn......" and then "NOW" when the dotted lines disappear and it's supposed to be one lane.

I had another doctor's appointment today. Everything's great, as usual, thank God. I finally broke 200lbs., I'm at 205--which still isn't bad. My stomach is measuring right on, which means baby is growing as well as he should be. I talked to my doctor about my upcoming glucose test, thankfully the fasting is food only and I can drink water. She was surprised that I'm doing the test after work but glad that I'll be eating a big breakfast before my fast. I stopped at Sonic on my way home again. I got the cheesesteak again, but this time I tried their cheese fries. I should have gotten the Ched'r Poppers, I love those.

Right now, I'm watching Return To Me and balling my eyes out. I love this movie. It's so sweet and Bonnie Hunt is a great storyteller. I'm about to pull the ice cream out of the freezer and have myself a good night in :)