Another pregnancy rant

I only have a few more months of these crazy pregnancy hormones! We'll see if I get to go back to being a little less opinionated about everything...but until then, here's a few things that have been bugging me lately.

One of my biggest pet peeves lately has been just lack of consideration by people in general. Maybe I'm becoming cynical and overly sensitive, but it seems like so few people care any more. And I know that's a really generalized rant. I could break it down for you...

Grocery carts. It bugs me that so, so many people don't bother putting their carts in the spaces provided for them, and half the time, when they do they just barely get it into the cart corral. No pushing it into the other cart, no pushing it in past the very entrance, sometimes they even put it on the side where the gate is closed. There's nothing quite like going to the store and turning into a parking spot to find 3 or 4 carts abandoned there....5 yards from the cart corral.

image found via google search

Drivers haven't gotten any better in the past few months. Yesterday a van didn't even come to a stop while waiting for my friend and I to cross the crosswalk (where we had a walk signal)...they came within about a foot of hitting us.

I know I'll probably step on a few toes with this one, so I'm trying to be careful to say this in love...but this particular thing seems to be common among a lot of people and is something that has really started to bug me recently. All the badmouthing and complaining about the President. I know that he hasn't done the greatest job. I know that a lot of people are unhappy with how things are going: that Obama got reelected, that the economy seems to suck, that Obamacare is going into effect, the talk about gun control...but everytime I see another post or share or cartoon about how awful he is I think of these verses in Romans 13:1-7 (NKJV) "Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. ² Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God, and those who resist will bring judgment on themselves. ³ For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to evil. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have praise from the same. ⁴ For he is God’s minister to you for good. But if you do evil, be afraid; for he does not bear the sword in vain; for he is God’s minister, an avenger to execute wrath on him who practices evil. ⁵ Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. ⁶ For because of this you also pay taxes, for they are God’s ministers attending continually to this very thing. ⁷ Render therefore to all their due: taxes to whom taxes are due, customs to whom customs, fear to whom fear, honor to whom honor." I know you may say that Obama isn't doing God's work, much less doing a good job, but that doesn't change the fact that God is the one in control, and God is the one who allowed him to be re-elected. Unless the President is trying to make you do something that goes directly against one of God's commands then he still deserves the respect due someone in a position of authority. Regardless of whether you like him or not. I'm not saying you can't disagree with his politics, that you have to fake loving him and approving everything he does. Just stop to think for a few minutes if you are obeying how God commanded you to act concerning the authority He placed over you.

I know, that was a little heavy...so here's a few sillier ones for you.

It seems like nobody has maternity patterns anymore!

Speaking of maternity...the clothes available are just not made for my body shape, or they're just ugly, or too expensive for something that I will only be able to wear while pregnant. And what's with extra large regular clothes that still only seem big enough for a size 8?

Wal-mart. Nuff said?
They gave me a run-around about a sewing machine for over a week.
It was in stock.
No. Wait.
It was still in the truck, check back tomorrow.
Sorry, it actually wasn't on the truck. But it was available for next day pick-up thru site-to-store.
Cancel that...and cancel your online order.

Finally we went to JoAnn's and bought a machine. And guess what? Yesterday Wal-mart had the one I was planning on getting. I probably ended up with a better quality machine this way.

Shoe shopping. It's frustrating...or maybe I am just way too picky about what I wear?


I thought I was almost done with cleaning and organizing my house before baby comes, but I keep noticing more things I want to get done. Did you ever notice how dirty light switches get? the little "on" and "off" are just dirt encrusted! How do I get that clean again anyway? The tracks on all the windows and doors haven't been cleaned for ages and it's obvious, the paint is chipping off of the screws in the plate covers in almost every room. Is it taking the nesting stage too far to spend $.47 a piece on new switch and outlet covers for the entire apartment? Speaking of dirt build up...the ceiling vents are gross, and the screws are put in crooked. The patching jobs on the wall are atrocious. There is one patch in particular in the master bedroom that looks like someone threw a big splat of plaster against the wall and then painted over it.

See? I told you my hormones are making me a wee bit ridiculous...maybe I need to do a whole post on my obsessive cleaning and organizing the past few months...

Jacob 15 months.

Some days I look at my baby and I see a little boy...I don't know where the time has gone! But I am so thankful for his chubby legs and elbow dimples, because it reminds me that Jacob is still my baby for just a while longer, and to cherish every minute of it.

So, at 15 months Jacob weighs about 21lbs, and I can tell he's getting taller but I won't have any exact measurements for another week. He is now wearing mostly 12 month clothes and is still in size 3 disposable diapers.

I am proud of my little guy! In the past two months he has gotten through a few big changes and milestones. Jacob is now completely weaned from his pacifier, completely weaned from nursing, and he sleeps in a toddler bed! He has consistently been sleeping through the night...about 10-11.5 hours straight. And in the last week he has decided it's time for only one nap a day. Today is only day two of keeping him up longer before his nap and letting him go without a second one, so we'll see if it is as successful as yesterday.

Jacob is a chatterbox. I really have no idea where he got it from, but he talks constantly. He's learned quite a few words now. He says "bath", "M&M", "medicine", "amen", "shoes", "nigh-night", and "bye-bye". I may be forgetting a few. In sign language he knows "milk", "water", "eat", "all done" and "more".

Alex and I keep finding ourselves amazed at the intelligence of our little guy. Jacob loves to go outside, and he knows we need shoes to go out and play, so he loves to bring Alex and I our shoes and help us put them on. He always brings each person the correct shoes, in matching pairs. And yesterday when I was sitting with one of my feet under me Jacob was getting upset. I finally realized that the foot he was able to get too was the wrong foot for the shoe he had. (We've been trying to point out the difference between left and right every time we dress him and put shoes on him. I guess it's sticking?) A bit later Jacob brought Alex his shoes and Alex said "We're not going to go outside, put the shoe back."
 Jacob started walking toward the livingroom and Alex corrected him, that the shoes go by the kitchen door. I pointed out to Alex that he had told Jacob to put the shoe "back" not "away" and that his shoe had been in the livingroom when Jacob got it. We both just kind of shook our heads in amazement.

There have been so many instances like that where we are just floored at what Jacob knows and understands! Just this morning I had Jacob throw his diaper away, and when he started to put it in the recycling trash can I said "No, the other one." and he switched it to the normal trash can.

Jacob doesn't really have favorite toys. He likes anything to do with household chores, and tools. He now has his own little broom and swiffer and he loves carrying them around the house. Most toys bore him after a short time of playing. If I had to pick I would say his favorite right now is his Little People Noah's Ark.

  Jacob has the sweetest personality any parent could wish for. He loves to share and often offers people bites of his snack or meal, he likes to pick up things and take them to people, he is still very sensitive to anybody getting hurt (or even thinking they are) and lately he has become more of a cuddle bug. He likes sitting on mine or Alex's lap, he gives kisses, and usually wants me to kiss any bump he gets...and he gets a lot of them! Jacob has started carrying around his blanket and every once in a while stops to hug it, and then bring it to Alex or I to feel how soft it is. He also loves stuffed animals, and will hug and kiss on them and carry them around.

He's not without his stubbornness though, and we definitely have our rough days.

I love getting to watch my little guy grow and learn. I feel so blessed with such a sweet, obedient (most of the time) boy. It's amazing to watch him and see him do what we've been teaching him to do -even doing it without knowing we are there. It's been a challenging and a
learning experience to know that we are responsible for what Jacob learns, for training him how to be a godly young man, and that we are the biggest examples he will see of how to live rightly. It's definitely a huge reminder to Alex and I that everything we say and do could influence someone else, but especially our little boy.