Awesomeness defined

Jim is a maker of awesome pancakes. I'm serious. You have to check out Jim's Pancakes to really appreciate what I'm talking about.

But as an avid eater of all things breakfast food, this is phenomenal....

Sneak preview:


A freakin' 3D Ferris Wheel of pancakes. BAM!

Happenings

Just a quick list:

• Got a new AC unit installed at the house yesterday - yeehaw!
• Still pregnant, with ~3 weeks to go.
• Getting a new computer at work...eventually.
• Planning to work for ~3 more weeks...
• Desperately need to bathe the dogs!!!
• The yard folks planted some cute flowers w/o me asking - good stuff!
• Baby laundry is done and ready for a little person to start wearing it.
• Heading to the lake this weekend, and will plan on sparing people the sight of me in a bathing suit.
• Car seat is installed - thanks Danielle!!
• Amar started a new job and is enjoying it - also yeehaw!

I think those are the main highlights. I know I need to post another picture...we'll try to get to that this weekend.

Facebook Privacy Settings: The Tangled Web

The New York Times has a good summary of the various ways to setup your Privacy settings on Facebook. I just went through and updated mine, because it seemed that most everything had defaulted to allow "everyone" to see things about me.

Take a few minutes to do the same, especially if you're concerned about what info is floating around on the web about you...

NYT Article: here

33 Weeks and growing

Squeamish...

Hooray for (hopefully) the last blood draw for quite awhile!

I had my 33 week check-up today (I will post another progress picture soon), and much to my surprise, I had to get my blood drawn again. Now, if you know me, then you likely know that not only do I not like medical things in general, but I have a specific aversion to needles.

So you can imagine my disappointment when the nurse told me that due to a new 2010 law, all pregnant women have to get an HIV test in the 3rd trimester. I asked her if I could just swear that I didn't have HIV, but she said no. They would just test the baby later if I refused to give blood today.

So my dear future daughter, I took one for the Rama team today. Be sure to thank me later ;)

Seriously though, I think this is the 4th or 5th blood draw since October and I'm glad to have it behind me. There is one phlebotomist in particular that I dread having take my blood. So I was specifically praying that I wouldn't get her today (had her the first time and don't want to re-live that). When Amar suggested that maybe that wasn't the best prayer, I switched to "please let me get someone who is compassionate" and gave that a spin.

Well, the first prayer was definitely answered: I didn't get the person I was dreading. However, the second prayer...not so much.

I typically explain to the nurse that "I'm not so good at the needles and blood thing" and they typically respond with "Awww, we'll make sure this isn't too bad." This is a dialogue I can support.

However, when I started my speech this morning, the guy barely acknowledged that I was speaking. Not a good sign.

After I closed my eyes, he then proceeded to jab the needle about halfway through my arm. Pain when shooting through my body. Then when he was done, he started wrapping the gauze and tape around the (still throbbing) wound. When he went to tear the tape off, he pressed (rather firmly) right where he had poked me. Yikes!!

I'm SO glad that Amar was there with me (even though friends/family are supposed to wait in the lobby). I got out of there as soon as I could, and then started to feel a little weak on the way back to the car. And, not surprisingly, I started crying.

Hormones!! Gotta love 'em.

To summarize:
All is well
I still don't like needles
I (still) know without a doubt that I was never meant to be a doctor