Martha Metzler.com

Looks like I need to practice droppin` it. If you have time today will you go vote for me?

Knocked Up Time: 32 Weeks!

Weight Gain: 13 pounds

Big Moments: We’ve had a sweet week of saying farewell to Winston-Salem and our dear friends here. I sang yesterday at church for the last time and Daughtry was just boogying around in my tummers the whole time. I’m still in denial I’m moving in 2 days but it’s exciting to know I’ll be moving to a place where our family will make so many new memories. In this new city, Sam and I will have our first son, see each other for the first time after being away from each other for months, and start a job that we feel so passionate about.

OB Notes: The doc gave me the green light to fly on Wednesday so we’re good to go!

I’m a bit nostalgic today as I packed up the rest of my stuff to have shipped out to Washington. I realized that this is my last few days in the state that I have lived in since I was born. I’m breaking a 28 year streak and moving across the country! It made me so thankful for the memories that I’ve had here. Here are some good old flashback photos:

Mojito night with Andrea- circa 2008?

Graduation present from Dad- 2005

My Raleigh brothers- circa 2007

OH SNAP we're engaged! Circa 2005

College roomies and beaus- circa 2006

Family halloween- circa 1985?

I graduated! Circa 2005

Parker-Metzler Fishing Extravaganza- Circa 2009?

Start `em young!

Here is the really late 31 Weeks update:

How far along: 31 weeks

Weight Gain: 12 pounds

Cravings: any kind of cold fruit or SORBET OH THE SORBET, mustard on any kind of burger or sandwich, lots of water

Aversions: rich foods

Energy: still pretty good but I’m having to make myself go for walks, I can definitely tell Daughtry (like how I just slipped that in?) has gone through a growth spurt because I’m feeling large and in charge.

Fun Events: a fun week with the hubbs and fun visits with friends. Breakfast of Course with Anna and Screaming Rooster with Poodle… life has been good so far! We had our last appointment with our doctor here and he said everything looked great and I’m ok to fly next Wednesday. Daughtry’s heartbeat is still going strong at 140.

Gotta love catching a glipse of yourself in a reflection... I thought I'd capture it this week

Sorry I’ve been MIA for a few days! My parents came to Charlottesville to hang out with Sam and me for a few days over Easter. It was nice to have everyone together but it was strange driving off with my parents and saying goodbye to Sam for 2 months! Blurg.

I’ve been holding it together pretty well if I don’t say so myself. It’s hard and I was Grouchy McGrouchy Pants today about it but I ate a Fruit Roll Up and a few Peeps and felt better. I’ve been trying to see as many friends as I can before I leave NEXT WEDNESDAY and trying to tackle my massive to-do list.

Easter was a sweet day as always as we celebrated the risen Lord. I’m eternally grateful for what He did and am really glad I get to celebrate His resurrection every day and not just on Easter. Sam and I spent some time praying together and walking outside with Roy, just soaking in everything we’ve been blessed with.

And of course, when we got back to Winston-Salem, we did what every normal American family will do on Easter afternoon… Dad and I went turkey hunting. Now I will say that turkey hunting while 32 weeks pregnant is not as comfortable as one would think. We sadly didn’t have any luck but ate supper at the river house and watched the sunset on the back porch with my “uncle” Bert. Here are some pictures from the whole weekend. Hope yall had a great weekend as well!

The rents and me in front of Mitchie's Tavern

The hubbs and me at "the mall" where I had the BEST frozen yogurt at Sweet Frog... be still my heart.

Dad thinks my belly is hilarious and wanted to see if it stretched across the whole sidewalk... thanks Dad

I'm a walking Jeff Foxworthy joke

Dad & "Uncle" Bert

There are 2 women in this world that I have always wanted to spend time with. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. Now, people claim that Amy P. is my doppelganger so I can pretty much die a happy woman. Any one who has taken a picture of me, spent 2 seconds around me or seen a picture of me knows I have an issue with facial expressions. You see my issue is that my face decides to turn on me and contorts in ways that even Ernest himself would be scared stupid. I’m going to try and go through my pictures and make my own expression chart but here is the one that my friend Zeke sent me.

My other woman love is Tina Fey. She is incredibly witty and I plan on going to buy her new book, Bossypants TODAY even though I have other books that I should be reading about this crazy thing called BIRTH I have coming up. I’ve been keeping this journal to my son of letters and prayers for him since I got pregnant. I might share some of the things I’ve written later on since they are full of invaluable wisdom like how to pick all of the marshmallows out of the Lucky Charms box without anyone noticing. When I read this prayer for her daughter that Tina (we’re on a first name basis) wrote, I almost peed in my pants. Please enjoy:

May she be Beautiful but not Damaged, for it’s the Damage that draws the creepy soccer coach’s eye, not the Beauty.

When the Crystal Meth is offered, May she remember the parents who cut her grapes in half And stick with Beer.

Guide her, protect her
When crossing the street, stepping onto boats, swimming in the ocean, swimming in pools, walking near pools, standing on the subway platform, crossing 86th Street, stepping off of boats, using mall restrooms, getting on and off escalators, driving on country roads while arguing, leaning on large windows, walking in parking lots, riding Ferris wheels, roller-coasters, log flumes, or anything called “Hell Drop,” “Tower of Torture,” or “The Death Spiral Rock ‘N Zero G Roll featuring Aerosmith,” and standing on any kind of balcony ever, anywhere, at any age.

Lead her away from Acting but not all the way to Finance. Something where she can make her own hours but still feel intellectually fulfilled and get outside sometimes And not have to wear high heels.

What would that be, Lord? Architecture? Midwifery? Golf course design? I’m asking You, because if I knew, I’d be doing it, Youdammit.

May she play the Drums to the fiery rhythm of her Own Heart with the sinewy strength of her Own Arms, so she need Not Lie With Drummers.

Grant her a Rough Patch from twelve to seventeen. Let her draw horses and be interested in Barbies for much too long, For childhood is short – a Tiger Flower blooming Magenta for one day – And adulthood is long and dry-humping in cars will wait.

O Lord, break the Internet forever, That she may be spared the misspelled invective of her peers And the online marketing campaign for Rape Hostel V: Girls Just Wanna Get Stabbed.

And when she one day turns on me and calls me a Bitch in front of Hollister, Give me the strength, Lord, to yank her directly into a cab in front of her friends, For I will not have that Shit. I will not have it.

And should she choose to be a Mother one day, be my eyes, Lord, that I may see her, lying on a blanket on the floor at 4:50 A.M., all-at-once exhausted, bored, and in love with the little creature whose poop is leaking up its back.

“My mother did this for me once,” she will realize as she cleans feces off her baby’s neck. “My mother did this for me.” And the delayed gratitude will wash over her as it does each generation and she will make a Mental Note to call me. And she will forget. But I’ll know, because I peeped it with Your God eyes.

Amen.

So, I have a new obsession… getting pregnant. Just kidding. My new obsession is this amazing site called Pinterest. OH.MY.GOSH. It’s amazing, have I mentioned that?

Since I’m newly retired (I eat the Denny’s buffet at 4:30), I have been thinking of all of the projects that I want to do. With Pinterest, I can rip off other people’s great ideas and “pin it” to my board. That way instead of bookmarking all of the ideas I see on blogs, I can just pin it to my Pinterest board! WHOMP THERE IT IS!

http://pinterest.com/marthametzler/

Seriously, go request a invitation and in a few days, you’ll get one in your email box! It was like Christmas, Easter, Birthdays, Columbus Day all wrapped up into one.

I skipped 29 weeks…oops! I had my maternity pictures taken at 30 weeks so I have been dying to see them and Kristin Boone, the photographer did an amazing job! We went out to my parents’ river house and took a bunch of pictures. Since Sam couldn’t be there, I tried to incorporate some things in the pictures that reminded me of him. I included the guitar in the pictures since Sam loves to sit and play guitar to his new little family. The baby pillow in the picture is Sam’s baby pillow that his mom passed down to us! It is so sweet and has Sam’s birthday on it, so special.

It was fun being outside and Kristin made me feel so comfortable. The dress is from Francescas… PLEASE don’t even get me started on how many precious things you can wear from that store that still work as maternity! Also, if you are in the Triad area, use Kristin Boone for your engagement, maternity, wedding, senior, gold fish portrait pictures! She’s amazing.

I’ve included the link to my maternity pictures and you’ll get plenty of 30 week belly pictures there.

Maternity Photo Shoot

Stats:

Cravings: Salt and Vinegar chips cravings are back in full force, fruit- pineapple in particular, and lemonade. But this past weekend I literally could not get full! I think I ate ALL day on Saturday and Sunday… it was wonderful.

Aversions: still can’t stand fish or heavy meats

Movement: I love it, he’s a wild man. Sam got to see “alien belly” this past weekend as my entire belly was moving because he was flailing his limbs everywhere. He clearly is an active babes!

Nickname Update: I’m pulling for Daughtry now (the middle name) but I haven’t fully gotten Sam on board yet… my womanly wiles are not exactly on par with a giant belly. Feel free to send him pressured emails that it could be hazardous to his health to disagree with a hormonal pregnant lady.

Weight Gain: 13 pounds

Did I mention that I get to spend all this week in Virginia with Sam!!!! So I’m clearly a happy lady! Happy Monday friends.

Dear Emotional Version of Martha 2.0,

This whole new side of you that has all of sudden decided to show its face is a bit jarring to me. You see, the non-hormonal version of you would pride herself on not crying when she was hurt. In fact, you used to freak your brother out because when you’d get hurt, you’d start laughing. The only other times that you would see me cry were at a SPCA commercial, Free Willy (what!? his limp fin was heartbreaking!)  or when they didn’t have any sorbet flavors at the yogurt shop. But now sweet melodramatic-emotional-bundle of a hot mess, you cry a lot. Your Irish side  is coming out in true form. You’re cry when things end. You cry imagining your birth story unfolding. You cry thinking about the hubbs holding his son. You cry when you say goodbye to coworkers. Good Lord woman, this is new.

Love,

Your former self

Today was my last day at work. While most people would look forward to this, I was dreading it. I love my job. I love the people I work with. It’s been an amazing year working there. Saying goodbye to everyone was so much harder than I thought! It was hard because I am going to miss them like crazy but it was also hard because it made it seem very real that I’ll be moving soon. I’ve been in a bit of denial that it is happening so soon. This week my heart has been a bit heavy as I prepare to move and prepare my heart for some major changes. Of course, the good news is it is paired with the excitement about our adventure and sweet growing family. We have so much to look forward to and I just want to embrace it with a bursting heart.

My amazing friend Andrea has started a series called “Scars for Love” in honor of Cesarean Awareness Month. She must have been feeling crazy one night because she asked me to write for the series. I tackle some ways we can handle our fears within pregnancy and parenting.

Check the article out over at her site!