A Day from Hell

Have you ever had a day when the world seems like its on your shoulders and your life seems like it's upside down? Today was that day for me. Since around 1100a I have received nothing but bad news. Over and over and over again.

I was alright with most of the news received. It was hurtful and devastating but not as much as learning that I may not be able to continue graduate school due to a lack of available funding. That was the biggest blow of all.

Over the past few months, I have lost all my material possessions. I have been embarrassed, humiliated, demeaned, and degraded. But nothing hurt more than learning that I may not be able to continue my educational pursuits which was my silver lining in a sky of dark clouds. That was the final blow to my TKO.

I have cussed, cried, and now I am calm. I don't know what I am going to do. But my spirit reminded me of the words of the Apostle Paul, "Yet, in all these things [I] am more than a conqueror in Him [Jesus Christ] who loved me." Romans 8:37.

Dress-up

Having a little girl is so much fun. I just love all the little outfits that NyCee has that just make her look so incredibly cute. But today just really topped it off. I bought her a pair of boots about a month ago simply because they were cute. These are not her winter time boots but just boots for fun.


How incredibly cute are these, huh? Don't you just love the little tassles?

50! Hooray!

Today my mother celebrated her 50th birthday. For most people, this would be a grand gala. Not for Sylvia. She didn't want balloons and fanfare. She simply wanted a nice dinner with her family.

After dinner, roast in gravy, mashed potatoes, greens, and cornbread, we enjoyed red velvet cake. Of course, no one remembered to get the 5 & 0 candles, so we improvised and used 5 small candles. Each represented 10 years.

My mother stated that she spent the day reflecting over her life and "she knows that she is blessed because a lot of people she didn't make it this far. She is 1/2 a century old."

50 wonderful years down; 50 more wonderful years to come. Happy Birthday Mommy!

"Mom, I can do it by myself."

"In the morning, I am learning to brush my own teeth."

"I can put lotion on my legs."
"Also, I know that my diaper has to go in the trash can."
"But I didn't know where to put these clothes. So last night before my bath, I just threw them in this round bucket like you do."

My guess is that she thought the bathroom trash can was the laundry basket. I spotted the clothes in there while I was preparing to take my shower. Thank goodness or I would have been looking everywhere for her bedroom shoes.

Dayna's Vagina Monologue

This morning, I had a doctor's appointment to check on the baby four weeks after the ultrasound. The baby's heartbeat is strong and stable.

But that is not what intrigued me about the visit. As I sat in the waiting room, holding my urine in a cup inside of a plastic bag on my lap, my mind began to wonder what in the world my cousin Max does at work all day long. He is on OB/GYN in Minnesota.

Women no longer had faces but were old vaginas, young vaginas, fat vaginas, skinny vaginas, clean vaginas, stinky vaginas, white vaginas, and my lonely black vagina. I was the only black person in the entire building. But that was not my original focal point. I began to wonder was everyone's vagina broken or sick in some way? Let's face it, that is the only time you go to the gynecologist. I know that somewhere in the world someone is having a baby everyday but not in this office I presume. What would make anyone want to fix vagina's all day?

I guess the same could be asked of the heart surgeon, eye doctor or brain surgeon. But honestly, I just don't know if I could stand to wake up in the morning knowing that I was going to have a day filled with vagina looking. Weird.

The other weird thing was that I was carrying my urine around in a container that I placed inside of a plastic bag. It was not an inconspicuous container so that no one would know what it was. Nope, that would have been too easy. It was a clear container filled with urine that sat on my lap in the waiting room.

So now, not only am I self-conscious about the urine on my lap and wondering if every vagina in the room is wondering why I am carrying it around-I am consciously aware that I am the only black person in the building. Not just in the waiting room. In the entire building. Then I begin to wonder why I was the only person with urine on her lap and why I was the only black person in the entire office? There are black people in Port Huron. Am I the only pregnant black woman in Port Huron? Or are there no sick or broken black vaginas in Port Huron? And, was I made to bring my own urine in a cup because I am the only black pregnant person in Port Huron? Strange.

After all of that, I was called to the back to see the doctor who is a white man but very nice. He was a bit late for my appointment as he had to go across the street to the hospital and deliver a baby. So I guess in between healing sick and repairing broken vaginas, OB/GYN's take a break to assist in the miracle of birth.

But after thinking about all of that, I realized that I really need to get out of the house and join the workforce again to keep my mind from wondering toward such ridiculous thoughts. I did ask why I had to carrying my urine around in a cup and was told that for pregnant women, the test conducted on the urine sample provides the best results from a sample taken first thing in the morning. Okay, that makes sense. Next, I just have to figure out how to tactfully ask about repairing vagina's all day and if I am the only pregnant black woman in Port Huron.

Thanksgiving dinner, over and over and over again.

All day, I have had the pleasure of re-living Thanksgiving day dinner. Every two hours, NyCee walked up to me, patting her bottom saying, "poo-boo." (Her combination of boo-boo and poopie,) Sure enough, when I opened her diaper, there was Thanksgiving Dinner.

I am guessing it was good but a little too rich for her stomach to handle.

I just hope that I will not have to re-live the leftovers tomorrow.

After Thankgiving Day Dinner

Well, I guess this is evidence that everything prepared for dinner was very good.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Worn Out

I don't know what the heck goes on at the learning center every day but all I have to say is:

"KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK!"

NyCee has been going to the learning center for nearly a month and bedtime is no longer a battle. Prior to going to the center, she wouldn't fall asleep until 9:15 or 9:30p after whinning and crying for an hour. That was cutting into my "Mommy Silence Time."

Now, she gets a bath at 7:15p and I let her play in the tub for about 10 or 15 minutes, pj's on, story & bible verses are read, good night hugs and kisses are given, and by 8:15:



The center is closed for two weeks over the Christmas break. Whatever I am going to do to wear her out for two whole weeks?

Bedtime Chat

So tonight, I decided that I had to talk to NyCee about the baby. I sat her down and gently explained that she will be a big sister which means that she will have to be more responsible and a "big girl." We also discussed the fact that when the new baby arrives she will have to share mommy's time but it doesn't mean that I don't love her--she just has to share me like she does her toys.

After all that talking, she just sat there and looked at me.



From the expression on her face, she does not give a flying rabbit's rip about me, the new baby or anything else but her Thomas the train book that she was enjoying before I rudely interrupted with my "chat".

NOT a good idea...

It is not a good idea to try and sleep on your stomach at nearly 5 months pregnant to avoid smashing your hair against the pillow resulting in flat spots after having just had it done.

I did NOT get a good night's sleep.

But more importantly, I did NOT mess up my hair.

The simple things.....

This morning, I read my cousin's blog, Undomestic, and she wrote a beautiful, heartwarming entry about enjoying the simple things in life and being grateful for the things we have.

Well, as you know, I am in graduate school and I take courses on line. I had to take a statistics course in the spring last year and it nearly wore me out. I ended up with a "B" so I was happy. I tried this quarter and next to enroll in the other statistics class that I need for my graduate program taught by this specific professor. (Students have raved about his teaching abilities and how he is an awesome teacher.) Both times, I was seemingly unsuccessful in trying to secure a spot in his class. There are 17 sections of this statistics class and his two sections were closed.

Well today, the retention manager from my school called and stated that she had good news. A spot opened in the stats class that I need and she was able to enroll me. WAHOO!!!!! That may not seem like a lot but it is the simple things that make you smile. I wanted to get that class out of the way before the baby is born because I know that it will take a lot of concentration. (I am living in the house with a math wiz but she is trying to complete her Master's program also so she will not be readily available to help me.)

That little bit of good news put a bounce in my step, a smile on my face, and the remembrance in my heart that God truly cares about the simple things in our lives.

All Gone

For the past several months, I have been under a tremendous amount of stress. I have heard of people being "stressed out" but never really understood its effects. Stress can have horrible side effects on the body. In my case, I noticed that my hair was shedding like a cheap fur. In the beginning, it was just a few strains. Then, it began coming out in comb fulls. So, I decided that I had to cut it to salvage any remaining healthy hair and let it grow out from that point. (Actually my sister decided for me.)

When I first came home in August, my sister cut just the parts that were broken off. Well, last week, the breakage was very evident and could not be hidden anymore. So, here is the before shot:



And the after shots:




I am very pleased with the cut. It is easy to manage and my sister decided against cutting it all off. She saved what was healthy and cut only what was necessary.

When I was pregnant with NyCee, my hair was full of body, was bouncy, and healthy. I am taking pre-natal vitamins again so I anticipate that it will grow back rather quickly. It was hard when she made the first cut (hence why my eyes are closed) but in the end, I think she did a FABO job!

No guilt..it was good for me

While sitting in front of the computer working on an assignment, I managed to consume a 4.60oz box of Skittles. (You know the jumbo box.)

Initially, I felt guilty.

Then, I read the nutrition facts on the box and learned that there is 35% Vitamin C in the box of Skittles that I consumed.

Guilt? What guilt?

23 years later...But it was well worth the wait!

Finally! After a 23 year courtship, my Aunt Rosalyn Marie and her beau Leslie Jermone tied the knot on Saturday, November 10, 2007. They looked so adorable and everyone had a good time celebrating with them.

My aunt was NOT the typical bride: she catered the event herself (because she is a caterer and stated that she will not run out of food), well she DID NOT run out of food. My cousin, her daughter, was the head chef. I, and all of my belly and 19 month old toddler, did the best we could in the kitchen to help Phebe get the food organized and out for serving.

Everyone lended some sort of helping hand to be sure that the occasion when went. My aunt has been a part of every occasion, in every one's life, in my family. This day belonged to her and was well deserved.

Congrats to the happy couple.

Let the festivities begin....

Tonight, was my aunt's bridal shower. Although she protested and cited that she didn't want a shower, she seemed to have had a really good time.

As she began to open her gifts, there was one that she wouldn't let us see...(I wonder what that was.)

There was a gift titled, "Roses for Rosalyn." It was beautiful silk bathrobe set...

Bath scents to accent that silk robe...

My aunt's all time favorite---cold hard cash....

And an another silk bath robe set, just to name a few items.

My aunt Roz has been apart of every special occasion in every one's life in my family. I am so happy that it is finally her turn to be the bride and enjoy the spotlight. It is well deserved.

Countdown to the wedding..just a little over 48 hours.

Pregnancy Misery

Being sick--icky.

Being sick and pregnant--yucky.

Being sick, pregnant, & caring for an active toddler--miserable.

Being sick, pregnant, caring for an active toddler, and in graduate school---I don't even have a word to describe how I feel.

Just worn out.

Pregnancy Perks

Hot apple pie.
Swedish fish.
Cold pizza.

At bed time.

Zero guilt.

The baby was hungry.

Strike a pose

I forgot that I had this picture in the camera when I posted the blog showing off her Halloween costume.

How sassy is she with her hand on her hip or should I say imaginary hip?

Proof

I guess it's true what is said about every pregnancy being different. When I was pregnant with NyCee, I found out because I went to the doctor about a week before my monthly cycle should have commenced but immediately my body began changing. I had to wear maternity clothes at 7 weeks! (I was a lot smaller then.)

Everyone keeps asking how could I have not known that I was prego with this baby because my monthly cycle would have stopped. Well, not in this case. I was on a birth control pill which caused the cycle to be extremely light. Mine was lighter than normal anyway so the pill made it almost non-existent. My breast were not tender neither did my belly poked out of from under my clothes. In fact, until about a week ago, I was still wearing regular clothes.

Well, there is no more denying it. Whether I feel my body changing or not, a little Thompson is growing inside there. And here is the proof:



I guess I can no longer be in denial citing that the original doctor lied to me because I don't "feel" prego. Well, whether I "feel" prego or not--I am in fact prego. According to the ultrasound taken on Tuesday, I am now 16 weeks and 5 days prego. (Isn't it amazing how technology has evolved? I wonder how they can figure out the exact date. I will have to ask my cousin Max who is an OB/GYN. Hopefully, he can explain it to me in layman's terms and not medical terminology.)

Everyone keeps asking about the sex. Well, I can't find out until about 25 weeks into the pregnancy. But the images that I received of the baby are very clear. (NyCee's pictures are smaller and you can not see any details.) The machine used at the hospital gave excellent, very clear images. I saw the face, the toes, fingers, nose, etc.

Ready or not, my little Thompson is arriving in April--some time around the 15th. I told the doctor that I am free to have the baby any day except for a Thursday because I have to watch Grey's Anatomy and ER. I hope my little one is listening!