Currently {link up} x15

Currently linking up with Harvesting Kale for the fun weekly post to see how we're all doing.
This week's prompts are {facing, snapping, counting, loving & hopping}

FACING:  Today - and this entire week - has been centered around me facing the fact that not everything is going to go the way I expected.  People are not always going to be considerate.  Things will not always go our way or in our favor.  And the only thing I can control in those situations is MYSELF and my attitude.

SNAPPING: Oh, am I snapping today.  All along the home buying process we have had it set up to close one day and then gain possession two days later.  All along I thought that we were signing on the 28th but the house wouldn't technically be ours until the 30th.  It wasn't until our insurance agent told us today that wasn't the case - that we would need to start insuring the house on the 28th because it is ours the 28th!  ALSO MEANING, if anyone injures themselves while moving out before we gain possession, it could come back on us.  W-T-F!  I was NOT happy about this and if I would have been under full understanding of this then I would have insisted that we gain possession the day we sign.  My realtor explained that if anything went wrong with the signing that the sellers would be screwed because they would have the stuff out of the house and nowhere to go with it, essentially.  WELL, even if something went wrong, THESE PEOPLE ARE PLANNING TO SELL THIS HOUSE ANYWAY!  Plus - my realtor is working with the BUYERS NOT THE SELLERS.  I love my realtor, I really do, but today... I just was so upset at learning this.  I wish I was made aware of this sooner and the implications here.  Doesn't help that the fine people at First Tennessee were lazy and uncourteous (is that a word? is now...) today.  SO, I was snapping today.  Of course it was more like venting than actually voicing my disappointment with the actual people today.  TOMORROW IS A NEW DAY AND A FINE DAY IT WILL BE.

COUNTING: Down the days.  Well at this point, I guess I could just start counting down the hours.  TOMORROW is signing day!  And Sunday (if all goes well) is moving day.  So that means 68 hours, 56 minutes until we move in! But unfortunately it COULD be that we won't be able to move in until Monday.  And I need to brace myself for that.  But I will be so bummed.

LOVING:  That this is allllll almost over.  In a few days, we won't have to worry about paperwork and bullshit - we will just get to BE!  And I love that.  I am also LOOOOVING the new Disney movie - Frozen.  So in love with that movie.  It's adorable.  But is it just me or does it feel super short?  Also, loving the theory that Tangled, Little Mermaid & Frozen are all connected.  YES YES YESSS.

HOPPING: I swear, as odd of a prompt as this one is, I feel like it is the theme of our week.  We are currently hopping through the many hoops to owning a home.  Stupid little thing that irks me at the moment?  Wiring money.  I've never done it before and it honestly pisses me off that we are having to pay a bullshit $15 fee JUST FOR SPENDING OUR MONEY, essentially.  Why can't I write a damn check or better yet, BRING YOU CASH to closing?  I know, I know... really, it's only $15... but when you consider it is an UNNECESSARY charge that you are getting nothing from... just irritates me.  Call me irrational or hormonal, but I am not one to just pay fees and not ask questions as to why it's necessary.



AND, since I did my fair share of complaining here today... I will not forsake you and leave you on a bad note!  Here are a bunch of reasons why I am currently one happy person:

25 Week Pregnancy Reflection {baby two}

How far along?:  25 weeks along in my second pregnancy!  Which means about 15 weeks to go!

Side by side comparison of both pregnancies.
Left: November 2011 & 25 weeks along with Presley
Right: March 2014 & 25 weeks along with Molly

I'm feeling:  Lazy.  It's a lot easier to become complacent with lazy behavior when you're pregnant.  Sad but true.  I am just tired most of the time and then when I can sleep, I am too uncomfortable to get the best kind of sleep.  How long after the baby comes that we all start sleeping again?
Size of baby:  About the size of an eggplant - 9 inches long and weighs about 1.7 pounds!

 

Movement:  Definitely has been a mover/kicker here lately... mostly feel it on my right side.  Molly was a kicking machine while Presley was sitting on my lap earlier this week and it just made my day.  Presley on the other hand was supremely unphased.
What I miss most:  Not feeling huge.  For example, I'm starting to miss comfortably bending over to pick something up. 
Cravings:  Doughnuts.
Best moment of the week:  Tonight we went to the buffet inside Horseshoe Casino in Tunica, MS.  A-mazing!  Not a huge fan of buffets unless they are executed very well and this one is definitely top notch.  Seriously a pregnant woman's dream - you can have things like fried rice, shaved ham, and cheesecake all in one sitting (plus way more) and it's TOTALLY NORMAL!  Plus, my in-laws met us for dinner so it was awesome - Presley had a blast!  She devoured butter noodles, shredded cheese, and whip cream like it was going out of style.

What I'm excited about:  Moving into our house in 4 days.  Less than a week to go and it still doesn't quite feel real!

Happies & Crappies.

It's been a while since I've participated in this link-up. 
It's always a fun one and good for emptying the brain!

• We are closing on our home THIS WEEK!  Which means HOPEFULLY moving in THIS WEEKEND!
• We are finally getting caught up on movies... slowly!  We have American Hustle, Dallas Buyers Club, Frozen, About Time, Rush, Prisoners, Runner Runner, Percy Jackson: Sea of Monsters, and Hours up on deck for the next few movies to watch. 
• May seem silly, but I am so excited for Presley to have some of her favorite toys back.  She has done SUCH a great job with our current living situation & has been LOVING on the toys she does have for now... but I will be happy for her once we get everything set up for her soon in the new house!!!
• Another one that might sound silly - but I am so ready to start eating out less & making meals at home again!  I'm excited to meal plan on a regular basis and also prepare meals in advance for easy freezer "dump" meals!
• Also, hoping to start making baby wipes for Presley again once we get settled.  It'll be nice to not have to use the store bought ones.  I just don't like them as much and I can literally see that Presley's bum doesn't appreciate them as much either.
• This age/stage that Presley is at is just the best.  I can't stop laughing at all her hilarious antics and she is just smart as a whip!  She is counting so clearly and says her ABC's as well.  She loves to sing and dance and does so great at remembering lyrics from her favorite songs on the radio (Dark Horse, Royals, Happy... etc).  She also remembers lines from her two favorite movies (Tangled and the Croods).  The twos can be semi-ugly at times... but for the most part I think they are terrific.

•  My older sister and my good friend, Katie, are both still pregnant!  Just to recap - both are having boys and both are due the first couple days in April (1st & 3rd) and so, the wait continues!!!  Hoping for healthy labor & delivery for Katie, Amanda, Matthew & baby Lemaster!
• I think I might've gotten the proper motivation to start writing again for my Marriage Monday series.  We'll see about it but I hope it'll work out because I'd love to start it up again.  If you are interested in contributing to Marriage Monday by writing a marriage-related post for my blog, you can go here to read a little bit more about it!  You will also find my contact information there as well.
• If you didn't catch my mention of this in an earlier post - be on the look out for some exciting stuff coming to my blog for my readers in early April!!!
  

• There are several things that need to be addressed as soon as we move into the house.  AKA, things we need to fix.  Most of them are minor but some of them are not.  It would have been nice for a bunch of these things to have been covered by the seller beforehand.  Totally doable... but just dreading some of these stupid little projects already.  (And my homeowner friends are all like, "Welcome to owning a home!")
• Had a bad experience at Kooky Canuck's tonight in downtown Memphis.  Which sucks because we used to like that place.  And now it is dead to me... cue the Lily Eriksen look...
  
  
  And now, we hate it.  All because we brought in a Restaurant.com gift certificate that was still valid and for whatever reason the manager on duty (shout out to Chris Farsee - YOU ARE A DOUCHE) refused to accept it and suggested to take it up with Restaurant.com.  If you know me, you know I don't take "no" for an answer - especially in a situation like this from a sketchy, non-professional manager such as this guy was.  I wasn't in the mood to deal with his bullshit and resigned myself to just deal with it through contacting Restaurant.com.  We'll see how they deal with it... I've already sent an e-mail to them for them to contact me so let's wait and see.  I'm sure I'll have another rant about it again soon... so stay tuned.
•  This up and down weather.  I thought Spring meant rain... but this year it means you will just start to get used to warmer temps before they begin dropping again!  BOO!
• Stories like this.  Seriously?  Who is the sicko who designed this scheme?  And why target children?  It just makes me so angry and upset.  Karma, karma, karma.

50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind (Part Seven)

It has been a long while since the last time I answered any questions from the 50 Questions That Will Free Your Mind. And I'm very excited to pick up right where I left off!
(part one, part two, part three, part four, part five, part six)

31. At what time in your recent past have you felt most passionate and alive?
I remember feeling so alive on our wedding day.  Yes, it was all going by so fast and now seems like such a blur - but it was such an amazing day.  I know it sounds silly, but when I was working at the zoo I always felt passionate about what I was doing and very excited to be there.  It had been over a year since I had worked outside the home - so I know that entering back into the work force (though it was brief) was really great for me.

32. If not now, then when?
I guess we are in such a current state of limbo at the moment that I just feel like life is paused, despite our constant going on living.  I just keep thinking, "Oh, things will be different once we get back into a house of our own."

33. If you haven’t achieved it yet, what do you have to lose?
I definitely think I have a lot left to achieve when it comes to feeling passionate and alive on a regular basis.  I think it just requires stepping outside my comfort zone.  For example, it's easy to stay home and relax while Presley plays with blocks or watches a movie.  It's easy and it requires little effort on my part.  Like I said, I tell myself it's only temporary and "life" will resume once we get into our own home again - but what is keeping me from changing these behaviors now?  I thought our life would be on "pause" one or two months at most - but we have been in the "in between" for three months now and it's been about four months for Tony.  Hard to believe!  But the end is in sight and once our new opportunities are here, it will be up to me to change our routine for the better.

34. Have you ever been with someone, said nothing, and walked away feeling like you just had the best conversation ever?
I can't say that I have been in a completely similar situation - but I remember feeling this way (a lot) about Tony in our earliest days.  Granted, we were really young so it was quite different, but when we went on the ski trip together in 2001, I remember just walking through downtown Gatlinburg next to him, riding in the van near him, and in situations like that - I just felt so emotionally charged, regardless of any conversation between the two of us.

35. Why do religions that support love cause so many wars?
I think it's got to be the lust of power.  Once you have any amount of power it goes right to your head and it becomes a slippery slope - you are so afraid of losing that power that you get desperate and you will go against your teachings in order to safeguard even the idea of your power.  And then, of course, once you've found the Lord you can excuse just about any behavior that works against the teachings of your religion in some way or another and people will still think the world of you.  It's sad, really.

Pregnancy #2 Q & A

You may recall from my first pregnancy (if you followed along back then) that I filled this sucker out about halfway through my pregnancy with Presley!  I came across it yesterday and thought about filling it out this time around and figured why the heck not.  I think I will leave my answers from last time just to (potentially)  laugh at myself and see how my answers differ this time around.
Pregnancy #1 Answers in pink
Pregnancy #2 Answers in purple

Your name?
Ali Duggan

Baby's fathers name?
Tony Duggan

Are you still with him?
Most definitely; married to him so he is stuck with me!
Going on 3 wonderful years of marriage!

Were you trying to get pregnant?
Nope.  I was actually informed in January that I had PCOS (Poly-Cystic Ovarian Syndrome) and because of it I rarely ovulated.  My Dr. also told me that when we wanted to start having kids that I'd most likely want to look into fertility drugs.
Yes!  This time around it took about 5 months of trying.

When did you find out?
July 5th (2011)
October 30th (2013)

Where did you find out?
The bathroom of our old apartment in Silvis.
The bathroom of our old rental home in Moline.

How far along were you?
About 6 weeks.
I found out just before even missing a period, I believe.  So according to the crazy way they chart pregnancies, I was technically considered two weeks pregnant.

What was your reaction?
Shocked.  Then happy, scared, excited, worried, etc! :)
Oh goodness.  I don't really even remember the day we found out.  Is that bad?  I think so!  I was definitely shocked again and so excited and HAPPY!

Who was the first person you told?
Definitely Tony.  And then I called both of my sisters... I can't remember who was the one that picked up, though!  Maybe Ashley?  All I know is I sat there for a very long time trying to let it all sink in!
If I remember correctly, this time Ashley was the first to know.  I sent her a picture message of the pee stick and asked her if she thinks it looked positive or if it was a "crazy line" - as in I'm crazy and seeing things - because it was so faint!  I think I remember telling her Tony didn't even know yet and that I should surprise him somehow.  Well, that didn't happen.  I grabbed him and pulled him into the bathroom to get his opinion, too!

How did you tell the father?
I was screaming, "Oh my gosh, oh my gosh, oh my gosh, TONY!  Oh my gosh...." and when he came in I showed him the positive test.
This time around there was no really telling him... we both were trying to figure it out together since we found out so early this time around.

What was his reaction?
He was happy and very surprised as well!  But the emotion that registered was definitely excitement!
I don't really remember.  He was wanting to play it safe and wait a few more days to test again before getting our hopes up.  But I remember he was supportive and kept saying he saw the positive line - even when it was so faint!

When is your due date?
First it was February 24 and now it's the 26 (2012).
July 9th (2014).

Did you have any morning sickness?
Yes, I definitely did.
Oh yes.  Absolutely had it again.

What are your fears?
Big fear of not having a strong bond with the baby.

I spend a lot of time worrying about sleep - or lack thereof - especially with two kiddos this time around.  I worry I won't be able to give enough attention to Presley and that kills me.  I worry about how to keep my sanity with two little ones... how to keep "me" time a priority when there isn't enough time for that.

What are you most happy about?
 Hmm... I honestly have no idea.  I guess just all of us being together and being able to love on this baby all the time! :)
I am so happy that we were able to get pregnant.  I am sooo excited to see Molly in the clothes Presley wore when she was little.  I'm excited to see Presley interact with Molly and begin to understand what it means to be and to have a sister.  I am so happy that I get to hold another baby and I can't wait to see her tiny baby features.

Did you want a boy or girl?
A girl. :)  But I'd be so ecstatic either way.
A girl.  And then I thought there is no way I will get lucky enough to have another girl so I started to get used to the idea of having a boy so I wouldn't be upset either way.  By the time the gender scan rolled around I was so sure it was gonna be a boy that I was SHOCKED to find out it was another girl!!!

What did the father want boy or girl?
Of course, he is hoping for a boy!
Hoping for a boy again this time around!

Do you know what your having?
Not yet...
It's a baby girl!

Do you have a name picked out?
We have several names we like - but nothing set in stone!
Yes - a family name - Molly Lou Duggan!

How much weight have you gained?
About seven pounds!
That's hilarious.  One - I don't even know and Two - I sure wouldn't want to share it.

Have you felt the baby move?
Yes - but it's not very distinct yet.
Yes!  She's moving right now.

Do you plan on a natural or medicated birth?
Laugh at me as much as you'd like, but I am hoping to go into it with an open mind.  I'm tending towards no drugs, but I'm also not opposed to doing what's best in any given situation (which might just end up being take the meds!).
I pretty much plan on a medicated birth.  It worked swell last time and I honestly have nothing to prove to anyone by trying it natural!  I understand the risks and I also understand the pain involved in birthing a child and I will just go ahead and be clear that I'm 100% open to accepting medication again!

Are you scared about labor?
Yes and no. I used to be terrified and now I am pretty okay with the idea.
No, not really.  As scary as it was and as much as it hurt (and as long as it lasted) - it was SO exhilarating to push Presley out.  And after everything was said and done, I felt so accomplished!  That is an amazing feeling.

What do you think will be the worst part of labor?
Pooping on the table.  Oh, and the pain of it all.  Also, I'm worried about my body never being the same afterward.
Good question.  I guess only time will tell because no two births are ever the same!

Who will be in the delivery room?
Doctors, nurses, my husband.  If my sisters come up to visit I would love for them to be in the room.
Same as last time... doctors, nurses, and my husband.  Maybe Ashley (my sister) if she wants to/can be there.

Are you having the birth videotaped?
No thank you.
I would be more open to something like that this time around, for sure.

Do you think you will cry when you see the baby for the first time?
I sure hope so! :)  I feel like I will but sometimes when I get in such big, important moments, my tears are nowhere to be found!
I definitely feel like I will.  I feel so much more equipped emotionally for bringing a baby into our family this time around.  I wish I had been able to REALLY see it then... but all the signs were there that I would have some post-partum depression last time - well before even giving birth.

What do you think the fathers reaction to the baby will be? Awww.... I have no idea!!! I can't wait to see his reaction!  I'm sure he'll laugh, honestly!  :)  He's just funny like that, especially when he feels the pressure to have some sort of big reaction.
I think his reaction will be stronger this time around too.  We just were so not ready for what was to come the first time around!!!!  Presley has taught us SO much!

How do you think family and friends will feel?
Oh man, I know our parents and my sisters are thrilled and so are our cousins, aunts, uncles, grandparents, and friends.  We are lucky to have so many people who love us and are so ready to love our little baby-in-the-making!
Very excited!  I'm sure it'll be tough for our Midwestern family members since we are so far away... but the flip-side of that is that our Southern family members will get to share in the excitement a little more this time around because we are so much closer!

24 Week Pregnancy Reflection {baby 2}

How far along?:  I'm 24 weeks along in my second pregnancy - which means 16 weeks or less until GO time!

I'm feeling:  The effects of pregnancy.  My belly is just starting to get in the way more and more - putting on my socks, bending down, being intimate with my husband (don't act like you didn't know we were intimate... HELLO, I'M PREGNANT!), and things of that nature have become a little bit more difficult.  It's also hitting me more and more each day that I will be unpacking our whole house while pregnant during the end of my 2nd trimester and beginning of my 3rd!

Movement:  No news on the movement front... she still kicks me most when I'm lying flat - in the wee hours of the morning or just before falling asleep each night.  She kicks in the afternoons when Presley is napping and evenings after Presley goes to bed.  So basically, anytime I am relaxing.  And usual, when Tony puts his hand on my belly, she clams right up. 

Size of baby:  This week, Miss Molly is roughly the size of an ear of corn - or 8.5 inches and 1.5 pounds!

What I miss most:  Sleeping on my back!!!!  Ack.  Side-sleeping is getting uncomfortable these days.

What I'm excited about:  I'm excited for Presley to feel Molly move one of these days.

Cravings:  Still craving Chinese food.  We just don't get enough of it here anymore!  (Whereas before moving we lived less than a mile from our favorite place.)  Corn on the cob sounds delicious.  Also would love to split a rack of ribs with Tony sometime soon.  BBQ down here just can't be beat!!!

Currently {link up} x14

Joining Ot & Et and Harvesting Kale for another week of what we're Currently up to!
The prompts this week are {battling, surfing, jumping, taking, making}

BATTLING:  So, we hit another substantial hitch when it comes to home buying and I am TRYING desperately to maintain the "glass half full" perspective of it all.  I really am trying.  For someone who is not always trying to find the bright side... it's a struggle.  So much of a struggle that if things don't improve by Friday, we will be walking away from this home.  And starting all over.  From scratch.  That will be such a defeating feeling.  Not to mention we will now be out of a small amount of money to do that.  Could be a lot worse but I just hope hope hope we are meant to be in this house and that it doesn't come to that.

Well, I wrote this post earlier today, without finishing publishing it... and thankfully since then we can now breathe a HUGE sigh of relief!!!  Things are looking UP with the home situation.  So great that things are BACK ON TRACK!!!!  And it is looking like we may still be able to attain possession NEXT WEEK!!!!  We could be home owners in one week.  Oh. My. Goodness.  Now there is a whole other kind of worry!!!  Like how in the world will we be able to get everything done by then!?  But it's such a great worry to have!!!  We have to time things perfectly so that once everything is out of the house we will have the carpets cleaned and stretched and then move our things in.  ONWARD & UPWARD!!!!

SURFING:  As you may know, we are Neflix people.  We frequently surf Netflix just to feel like there is nothing new that catches our eye.  (That's sorta rare.  Let's face it - there are so many options on there.)  After seeing Blackfish, Tony & I have watched two other documentaries on killer whales that have been awesome!  And the more recent show we've watched is "An Idiot Abroad" thanks to our friend Chris.  HILARIOUS.  What else could you expect with Ricky Gervais as the mastermind?  I was laughing and crying so hard watching it that my stomach was hurting.  Great show to watch... especially if you just need a pick-me-up!

JUMPING:  Who else is jumping for joy over the official beginning of SPRING being tomorrow?!  March 20th is also a special day for me & Tony as it marks the beginning of our dating eleven years ago!  (Though it's hard to wrap my mind around that fact.)  I am hoping for a spring full of fun weather and new opportunities (which will include moving into our next home - wherever that may be) and lots and lots of growth (my belly, growth as a family & as a couple, and of course my two babies growing)!

TAKING:  So many pictures and videos of Presley!!!  I swear she learns at such a progressive rate these days that everything is so new and funny and special to me.


MAKING:  A baby.  Well, my body is doing that for me.  It's just pretty incredible.  And what's especially incredible about this week?  We've hit the VIABILITY MILESTONE!  As in, "Babies born now in hospitals with top-tier facilities for premature babies have about a 50% chance of surviving... each week, your baby's chance of survival goes up."  Obviously, as it says, I want Miss Molly in there safe & sound and where she belongs - but it's incredible that there are stories such as THESE that are just FULL of miracles!  Obviously nothing is promised.  But the viability week is a reason to rejoice!


HEADS UP...  There will be an awesome opportunity coming up for my super fantastic readers here on the blog sometime in the next coming weeks... so make sure and stay tuned for some upcoming excitement!!