Waiting list after waiting list!

Who knew that finding a daycare would be so impossible?!

The other day at work I was talking to one of my coworkers about her son's daycare and our future need for one. I was like, "When do I need to take care of that?" She says, "You need to get on a wait list like 2 months ago." I was like, "Uh... wait list?" Well, I did a little research, and I found one daycare for Baby Ratcliff. ONE. From everything I've read and heard, St. Paul's Preschool is the best. I excitedly called, and they told me I could wait 16-18 months. Really?! Should I have really called and put my name on the list in like March of 2010? That's ludicrous! I immediately needed a back up plan. 


Thanks to my coworker for showing me a handy website from the State of Georgia. It basically tells you everything any daycare has ever been cited for doing wrong. I had been considering a couple different daycares, but when Christine and I looked at a few, it said that one place left a 2 month old baby with a bottle propped and didn't clean the changing tables - WHAT?! You have to be kidding me?! Another one let infants "sleep in other than appropriate positions" or something along those lines, i.e. that's really bad. Needless to say, I didn't go with any of those.


I found no other good options in Savannah even though we wanted something close to work. Well, we resorted to Bluffton, SC, since it seemed to actually have some decent places. We called Amazing Creations and hope to get on that list soon. Apparently, you have to fill out a form in person, and with drop/add and the first week of the quarter going on, we won't be making it there until things slow down. That joint has a 9-12 months waiting list, so we needed another option.


I looked around and did some research. I used this handy website to check out places in SC.  I found Lowcountry Day and it had good reviews. No complaints or anything fishy. I called, and the lady in charge was really nice. My biggest issue is that the toddlers are given cheese puffs. I mean, I don't eat cheese puffs, and I sure as hell don't want Baby Ratcliff eating cheese puffs. Otherwise, the menu looked decent, but we'd like to have the little guy in St. Paul's by the time he's actually chewing, so no worries - right? 


Well, if any of the people I know in the Lowcountry have heard of this place and it's terrible, please tell me. It has openings as of July which is what I need. She said they're full until May, but July is doable. 


Who ever dreamed that just finding decent childcare would be so hard? I assumed all daycares had the sense to wipe down a changing station after they use it - you know? I mean, come on - it's poop! That's like not wiping your butt after you use the public toilet, ICK! Wait, it's worse. It's like someone rubs her butt on the toilet all dirty and then you go rub your dirty butt on it, and then nobody cleans up anything. Now, you can't tell me the thought of that isn't disgusting. 

Kumquat?

Today marks 10 weeks on our calendar, so we're in double digits on the weeks counter. A small milestone... Yay! 

My handy weekly updater tells me that Baby Ratcliff is now the size of a kumquat. Really? That's the best fruit or vegetable you could come up with? I've never even eaten a kumquat. I guess these are kumquats...

I mean, those look pretty big to me. The other fruit/vegetable ticker says that Baby Ratcliff is the size of a prune. Kids, I know what a prune looks like, and I've eaten them. That makes sense to me. I guess kumquat is more fun to say, though. 

As far as Baby Ratcliff is coming along, I don't feel as terrible as I did. I'm not AS tired or AS grouchy - Derek may disagree. My bloating seems to have disappeared, and one of my coworkers said that will happen before the true belly arrives. I'm just going to enjoy wearing normal clothes for now.

Speaking of which, I ordered some maternity clothes today because Old Navy is having a crazy good sale. Some of that stuff is 9 bucks! I love it! 

I guess if Baby Ratcliff continues on his citrus-y path (next week, he'll be a lime which is very exciting :D), then he'll be popping out before we know it! Then, I can wear those maternity clothes that I saved some mad cash on.

The Bloat Belly Part Deux

As I sit here using someone else's unsecure network to even look at the internet, I figured it was time for a Baby Ratcliff post. 

We moved this past weekend to Alston Park in Bluffton. Thank you, God. That shit hole on the Islands was really cramping my style. I could go on for hours about what a pain in the ass that place was and how much I hate the staff and community manager, Randall. Yes, he and I have a first-name relationship. All I will say is this: we were paying as much rent at Colonial Grand at Hammocks as we're paying for our house. Yes, that should make you shudder. All that aside, Baby Ratcliff is relieved to be in a new, clean, and healthy home. This place is fabulous. There are running trails and a happy little park in the center where you can walk your dogs. Iggy, Maggie, and I just returned from a delightful evening walk. It was perfect. 

Now that leads me to my next topic: three different people today told me that I'm "showing." Normally, this might not upset an expectant mother, but when the expectant mother is a mere 9 weeks along and her baby is the size of a green olive (reference the ticker at the top), it's a very bad thing indeed. Ann, our office Administrative Assistant who is amazing (I must add that), even asked if I was expecting twins. Ouch.

I know everyone meant no offense, and most people would love to hear that. I, on the other hand, would rather be told how small I am and how little weight I've gained. A good, "Oh, wow! I didn't even know you're pregnant!" would be much appreciated. Instead, my stomach is showing all of the heinous food I've eaten over the past couple days. I mean, come on! We were moving! What were we supposed to do? Making a f&^$#ing salad?!? Right. I couldn't even find my forks for two days!

I promise this, dear readers, that I will get up in the morning and exercise from now on. I've been slacking because we're unpacking, but today's comments have been burned into my memory and will be a constant reminder that just because I'm pregnant doesn't mean that I can have a Quarter Pound Cheese Coney.  

Well, Baby Ratcliff,  if there's anything I should gain weight for, it's you, but  I really wish you didn't like ice cream and macaroni and cheese.... and 810 calories worth of Coney. :( 

I just wanted to take a break from creating a fantastically entertaining database of hotels to share the Royal Suite of the Burj Al Arab. I hate to imagine that this would be the best I could do for Baby Ratcliff's babymoon, but in these uncertain times it's just so important to be grateful for what we have.

The Bloat Belly

I figure the number one thing people care about during a pregnancy is the belly - right? It's cute and tells the entire world you're having a baby. Well, I don't actually have a belly yet, but we need a starting point. Today, my skirt didn't really fit, and I thought, "Okay. It's time." Right now, I'm just disgustingly bloated, so that was likely the culprit. I don't really want to miss the opportunity, though. Anyway, here you have our starting point:

8 weeks. I feel like I've gained about 20 pounds, but Derek insists that I haven't. Regardless, I'm not wearing that skirt anymore because I couldn't hardly breathe today. Maybe it's all the Easy Mac... 

I do think I may have already gained a couple pounds because of the lack of running. I still run, but it's a lot harder. After about 10 minutes, I poop out and just start walking. I really want to run as long as I can, and I'm sure I'll have more energy later. I walk a lot, and typically, I'm pretty good at watching what I eat (save the Easy Mac). Today was a bit of an exception: at work, we had cake and brownies for one of my coworkers, so that really tanked the diet.Then, Derek and I had cheese sandwiches for dinner because I've already packed up our pots and pans. Go me! Everyone loves ridiculous amounts of fat and convenience food! 

Well, I'm sure you're sick of me griping about food since that was the topic of the last post. I'll post another, heftier picture in a couple weeks. 

The weirdest thing...

For the first time in what seems like forever, I'm not absolutely starving. Of course, this immediately freaked me out. I feel bloated - especially bloated - today, but other than that, it hasn't been so bad. Typically, I'm starving by 10 am. I should add that when I'm starving, I'm also the world's biggest b word, so don't let me get hungry. Back to the absence of hunger, I wonder if it's my breakfast switch...


Two days ago, Derek realized we had no food for breakfast. Sad, I know, but we're getting ready to move. He runs to Wal-Mart before work, and he comes back with his choice breakfast: double fiber bread and peanut butter. For me, he got

Delicious!

I would not typically eat this cereal. Usually, I'll have Cheerios, and that's good. When I eat cereal, kids, I eat cereal. Giant bowls. Well, I'm thinking I had about 500 calories worth of cereal this morning (maybe more, let's hope not), rather than the 200 I usually have. I'm wondering if that's the reason...

Around 11, I had a brownie from our office sweet supply. We have sweets in this office nearly every other day. It just wasn't that great. Now, I'm eating my lunch - my usual Easy Mac. I know, I know. It's not "healthy."  I want macaroni and cheese, and I want it to be convenient, damnit! Anyway, it tastes okay, but not as absolutely delicious and gooey and wonderful as it usually does. 

We'll see how today progresses, and I'm going to finish my Easy Mac. Maybe it's just new the breakfast cereal and my abnormally large quantities of it.

Let's get this started...

Well, I suppose it's time to make this official, and by making it official, I mean starting a blog. Yes, we are expecting our first child in April 2011. Currently, our due date is set for April 10, 2010, but because I have wacky woman parts, it could fall anywhere between April 1 and April 10. I don't really get how that happens, and that's fine. 

We're currently at 8 weeks, and we're chugging along nicely - according to the doctor. We saw the heartbeat last week, and I am currently moody, fat, and hungry. From what I'm reading on all these sites, it's pretty normal to feel that way right about now. I don't think I've ever felt so fat... or hungry. And, I'm sure Derek would say that I've never been this moody. 

We look forward to sharing our adventure with you! If nothing else, you'll gain an appreciation for my sarcasm, even with matters as precious and wonderful as having a child.