More baby news...

So, I'm sure everyone wants to see what Nikki looks like pregnant. Well, here you go! In this pic I'm 4 mo. pregnant, but I'm now 5 mo. and it's a little bigger and rounder. I'm sure you will all see it at Beth's Wedding and Lesley's get together. Well, out of 1062 baby boy names from babycenter.com that I copied into Excel then made a columns that says Mark, Nikki, and Both and then printed it all off front & back taking up like 26 sheets of paper. --Thanks mom for the ink! Anyway, so I picked out 16 names I totally liked and 7 maybe. Then, I placed each name on a scale of likeness from 1 to 10, ofcourse 10 being high. So, Out of all the 1062 boy names & also looking at my scaled down list, Mark only like 2 names - Brayden Israel. So, maybe that will be the little guy's name but it isn't official. Mark said we will put that on the contender list. But think about it... Brayden Israel Brendel...Brayden Brendel...BIB....hmmm...is this a good idea? I do really like that name though and he likes it tons. So, I don't know where else we are going to come up with Baby Names for our son if we went through a list of 1062. I would love to know ya'll opinion, not that it will influence Mark's decision on the name but I would just like to get a feel for the name, ya know? Anyway, I liked Micah, Riley, Edward-as a middle name only, Carson, Corey, Brayden, Ryan, Andre, Evan, oh...I don't have the list on me, but there's an idea of my shortened list that I liked. Mark said only the names Brayden and Israel stuck out to him. I think the names just have to pop for him. I would read off names and he would make a yucky face or a I don't know about it face...I'm really trying hard to let him pick the name although we did agree that I could veto as much as I want to the names that are definitely a no for me. Oh, by the way Brayden rated a 6 on my scale and Israel was on my maybe list at a rating of 5 because I did like that name but not as a first name. Well, I can't wait to hear from you!

I miss my Markey!

Mark has been gone now for 2 days and I miss him a lot. It's very hard for me to sleep when he's not here. I end of sleeping on the couch falling asleep to the T.V., which he hates but I can't sleep otherwise. I do turn on the sleep timer, so that's good. There's no one around to tell me to pick-up my stuff or what they want to eat for dinner. I think that sometimes I show that it annoys me that he tries to be a parent-like figure to me, but I actually think I kinda like it 'cause I need that accountability, encouragement, and someone to keep me in line 'cause I can be an extremely messy person. Mark is very neat and organized so I try my best to kepp things in somewhat of an orderly fashion for him because I love him and respect him. I do get to talk to Markey everynight, sometimes twice. He likes to call me when he's walking around NYC and tell me what he's doing and where he's been. At night, we talk more about how was his schooling that day and his feelings/apprehensions about school and the meetings and assignments he's faced with and such. I love that I can really talk to him. Yesterday instead of buying a babyname book I just got on line at Babycenter.com and found a list of 1062 baby boy names. I figured that will help us both with decision making. Mark does get to name the boy, but this way he can have a list that I definitely say NO to. So far the two names on the list that I like a lot is Keegan, and Evan. I even like André...but we will see what Mark likes when he returns. He gets back on Sun. so pray for a good flight and safety. My sister had her tonsils taken out today. Mom said the surgery went well and fast, but she is now in a 3 hour recovery period before she can go home to recover on her own. I wish I could be there with her. My mom, Dick-cassie's hubby, and Dick's parents-rick & Debbie are with her so atleast she has some people with her. I just want to be there though, she's my little sister, ya know? Well, I gotta get ready to go to school.
Love ya,
nikki

Not Enough Time in the World

I have been feeling rushed lately and my calendar is filling up more than ever! this is now when I start living by a planner. I keep telling myself, just make it through this semester than you'll have atleast a year off from school and then maybe then that & a family is the only thing you'll have to focus on and not have to add working 3 jobs to that pile! Right now I work 3 jobs, go to school PT, try to take care of our apt and my hubby, and dealing with all the pregnancy stuff. I feel like I am going crazy. So, tonight we were supposed to leave for Indy, but that might not happen until tommorrow morning (hopefully, early!) Everytimewe try to leaveon a Sat.it ends up being the afternoon...not cool 'cause than it's Sat.night by the time we reach Indy and our weekend is already half over. Well, here's the plan...Leave tommorrow early am, go to ICF for church on Easter, after church go to my gpa & helen's for lunch, then on Monday do Mark's laundry for his NYC trip, Finally on Tue. take him to the airport in the wee hours hopefully come back to my mom's to rest a little bit then drive back to Evansville because since I had asked off Tue. ofcourse my boss at my 2nd job had to schedule a mandatory meeting on that day so back to Evv I go for a Mandatory Meeting at 2pm. then off to pick up my ref shirt for my 3rd job that has to be picked up that day, then I'm going back to my apt. maybe...I asked off at the PAC, but if I'm already there maybe I should just work, ya know. Well, then the typical week takes over with school & work (3-jobs). Fri. I will be collecting tickets for the Dinner Theater at church and eating and watching the play, repeat that on Sat. night,but also on Sat. at 1pm. I have a bridal shower and then a bachlorette party for the same person, Kate. Then on Sunday I will be driving up to Indy in the wee hours of the morning 'cause I have to pick Mark back up at the Airport and then drive straight back because Mark has to be at the TV Station at 6am. for an Inspector Gadet Spot( a thing his work is making him do) on Monday morning. So that's just this weekend! On April 23 I have my next pre-natal appt. Yea! pee in a cup, check your weight, and give them $25. These appts. are kinda pointless, but necessary I guess. Maybe I'll actually remember to ask the doc about my nose bleeds and my arthritis. Well, then on the 27-29 we will be in Indy for Beth Gustitus' wedding - I'm so excited! I will also get to see Lesley and baby! yeah!!! May 11th weekend I'll be in Indy for Mom's day and my cousin college graduation - i think she's the first Barton with a college degree! Then let's see June... there's a wedding here June 2, then June 23rd my mom's is having my family shower in Indy..hopefully I'll be able to have a friend one on the 24th, but we will see. Then July...I have a wedding in Indy for Rachel Jones on 7/7/07 - what a cool date! and then here I come Hawaii! I'll be ready for a vacation for sure! I'll go to Indy Wed. July 11, Leave for Hawaii July 12, Mom get married on July 13, then Leave Hawaii on 16th and arrive on the 17th in Indy and drive back to Evansville and back to work on the 18th. So, yeah i'll be busy. i seriously have to fit people in my planner, I hate that. But, I'm a forgetful clumbsy pregnant woman so If I don't, I'll forget. Oh my goodness! I just realized that i don't even know when i'll have my Evv showers --1 for Fam and 1 for friends. So, we will see. Well, i gotta go to the bank then home to do dishes and pack..oh my it's 2pm and I haven't even ate the lunch I packed...I gotta do that too! Well, I gtg. I'll see most of you in NIdy anyway..well, me and my little belly. Love ya, Nikki

Human Garbage Disposal

I have been eating like crazy lately. They said that my appetite would pick up in the 2nd tri-mester, but I seriously think that I could eat as much as Mark and we all know that boy can eat! -- Mark hates that reputation that he has received over the years, but it is true. I've only seen Chris Matthews eat more than him. I don't mind that Mark is my human garbage disposal and now I'm right up there with him. Yay! He has an eating partner. :) Normally I eat all I can until I'm full and he finishes it. However, now I can eat it all on my own and then some. When I eat my meal, I get seconds and sometimes thirds. I normally eat until people are ready to go or when I feel that I need to stop because I have ate enough to meet my nutritional needs eventhough I so badly would like to eat some more. Sometimes I just have to stop myself. We had a little less than 2 quarts of strawberries, and for lunch I ate my usual double decker sandwich and almost all the strawberries, but 6 cut up ones. I looked down at the bowl and said, Nikki you've got to stop! So, I decided to save some so that Mark to take some to lunch with him the next day. It gets on my last nerve when Mark eats up something that I didn't get anything of or not much of, so I try to be considerate and let him have atleast a little of the food. :) We had to increase our budget/envelope on groceries by $50 because of my increase in appetite. I am totally not worried about weight gain. I'm supposed to be gaining a pound a week and so far it's been a few weeks and I've only gained 1 lb. Maybe this increase in my appetite will increase my weight. I'll be 19 weeks on Thur. and I've only gained a total of 6lbs. so far since the beginning of the pregnancy. I was 110 when I got pregnant and now I'm 116. Still a small girl, but I definitely got the prego belly going on. It amazes me how much your belly grows without that much of an increase in your weight. I've gained 5lbs. before here and there...and still had a flat stomach, so I'm amazed by this whole pregnancy thing. Things I'm not looking forward to... not being able to wipe after giving birth, maybe even pooping when I push - gross! Nobody ever tells you this when your not pregnant...maybe it's because they don't want to scare you. I'm not scared, just grossed out. Anyway, I have a test to take. I'll ttyl.