If only it would make me coffee

The printer/scanner my dad gave me for Christmas is amazing - every day I learn a new feature. The best part is it is wireless so I can print from across the room or the house... Now if only I could teach Docker to fetch the print outs!

Push Pillows

My pillows are done and my bag is packed. It must be almost time!
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Open Letter to the Beaverdale Dahl's

Dear Beaverdale Dahl’s Management Team:

Yesterday evening at approximately 8:00pm I had an unfortunate experience at your store that I’d like to share with you. I stopped by your neighborhood store to pick up a few dinner essentials and other items on my grocery list for the upcoming week. While I checked out, the young woman (approximately high school or college aged) at the register, in an innocent attempt to make small talk I am sure, asked me “What’s the story with all the cookies?” I had purchased three bags of ready-to-mix cookie dough along with my other items so the question itself was not entirely out of left field. After I shared with her that I was buying the mixes for an upcoming family reunion to help make the cookie making process a bit easier, she replied “Oh, is that because you’re fat?”

It is probably helpful for the background of this story to share with you that I am eight and a half months pregnant. I am not now, nor have I ever been, an obese woman and I have never been called “fat” (aside from one ill-feeling ex-boyfriend in college, but that’s neither here nor there). I have gained less than 20 pounds so far with this pregnancy, which is my first, and I began as a size 8 so although these days I might feel at times that my stomach sticks out into another zip code, I was understandably a bit taken aback by this question. The woman must have noticed my discomfort and quite frankly stunned reaction to her question because she quickly attempted to cover it up by sharing “My friend is eight months pregnant and that’s always what I call her. She has gotten so large every time I see her I tell her she is getting so fat. You know, as a joke.” I tried to cover my lingering shock from her initial question with a half smile and lamely mumbled something about just trying to make life as easy as possible these days with pre-mixed dough and left the store. I wish I would have taken the opportunity at that time to turn the exchange into a teachable moment right then and there, but I honestly just didn’t know quite what to say at the time and to be perfectly honest that doesn’t happen very often.

Given some thought, this is what I wish I would have shared with the young woman at the checkout counter: I am a thirty year old, happily married woman. My husband and I have intentionally waited five years into our marriage before making the conscious decision to conceive a child. We feel blessed each and every day that a power greater than the two of us has deemed us worthy to bring another human being into this world and I can only hope that we are up to the challenge of raising a contributing citizen of this world. I don’t need a code word, and certainly not the word “fat”, to describe my pregnant state. I am proud of my pregnant belly, proud of my family’s decision, and proud of the circumstances surrounding my pregnancy. I don’t know who your friend is or what the circumstances are surrounding her pregnancy, but I can’t help but think that anyone eight months pregnant would rather have your love and support and concern than your off-putting jokes or ill-timed humor. Calling someone fat, even the skinniest woman in the room, isn’t appropriate. Joking about calling someone fat doesn’t make it better. You never know what the circumstances are behind someone’s appearance. A woman who is size 0 may be suffering from a medical problem or psychological disorder that prevents her from gaining weight. As a fellow female, I shouldn’t have to tell you that you don’t need to point out someone’s weight for them, even in jest. We females are all too aware already what size we are and how it compares to everyone else in the room, and if we aren’t we merely have to turn to the nearest checkout counter magazine rack to take notice. I appreciate your attempt at small talk, but unfortunately this wasn’t the appropriate conversation or word choice to have with a customer. Next time, I would encourage you to stick with safe topics like the weather or just a simple ‘hello, how are you?’ would be fine, too. “Fat” is not an appropriate word for any conversation.

As I mentioned, I wasn’t in the right frame of mind after this exchange and unfortunately “teachable moments” were the furthest thing from my mind as I left the store. But I am sharing this story with you now not in hopes that you will reprimand this woman but that you will turn this exchange into a learning opportunity for your staff. I know that you take pride in the friendly, neighborhood environment at your store and up until this point I have always had jovial exchanges with the check out staff. However, I would hope that part of your staff development and training emphasizes the importance of appropriate conversation level topics just as much as it emphasizes the value of connecting with the customer. Unfortunately, this is one customer that you won’t be able to connect with again for a long while.

Sincerely,

Brandy Cunningham

Something to Look Forward To...

As expectant parents, people are always sharing with us the highlights of parenthood that we have to look forward to. First giggles and kisses, little shoes and miniature buttons. You know, those kind of highlights. Unfortunately, The Telegraph recently highlighted another part of parenthood we can anticipate- the lack of sleep. And not just a lack of sleep- they estimate that new parents miss 6 months of sleep within the first two years! Awesome.  I'd start storing up on sleep now, but unfortunately this ever-growing furnace belly is keeping me from getting a good night's sleep these days, pre-baby. Apparently it's just some big conspiracy of motherhood that I'm only now becoming aware of.

 I'd share more thoughts, but I'm too tired... I think I'll go take a nap now... I will still get naptime after I have this kid, right? RIGHT?!? Oh, dear. I'm screwed.

Class of 2029?!?

I subscribe to a few different weekly baby updates these days to give me perspective and insight as to what is going on inside my rapidly growing belly and one of them recently shared with me some fun facts surrounding our baby's due date (September 17 - which coincidentally is only 60 DAYS away!!! How the heck did that happen?!?).

Read on to learn more about Baby Cunningham's stats:
•Zodiac Sign: Virgo
•Half Birthday: March 18
•Birthstone: Sapphire
•Birth Flower: Aster or Morning_Glory •Your baby will be born in the Chinese Year of The White Metal Tiger
•This time next year your baby will be 43 Weeks Old!
•Your baby will start kindergarten in 2016, be old enough to drive a car in 2026, finish high school in 2029, and will graduate from college with the class of 2033, give or take a year.
 
My kid is going to be part of the high school graduating class of '29?!? Woah. They really shouldn't spring something like that on you without the ability to have a drink following the revelation. 2029?!? I feel so old already.
 
On a related note, here's a pic from our ultrasound in May at 21 weeks. The little one is now around 4 pounds, so just picture it longer and fatter than it is here! :) And just to clarify, NO, we do not know the sex. NO, we're not just saying that. NO, we didn't decide to not find out the gender just to spite you or to make your gift selection process more difficult. And, NO,we're not taking any suggestions or (un)solicited advice regarding name options. Thanks for asking. We will however, take as many as your happy thoughts, healthy baby prayers, college fund donations, and well wishes as you can provide.
 

Yes, please.

The Iowa State Fair is right around the corner (27 days, 4 hours, and 50 minutes from RIGHT NOW, to be exact) and in preparation of this fun-filled event, they have released the list of food-on-a-stick that will be available at the 2010 fair. Here's just a sampling (full list here):


■Frozen s’more on-a-stick
■Chocolate-covered key lime round on-a-stick
■Pickle on-a-stick (mmm...)
■Pork chop on-a-stick
■Corn dog
■Cheese on-a-stick
■Turkey drumstick
■Fried pickle on-a-stick (oh, even better!)
■Monkey Tails (chocolate covered banana on-a-stick)
■Deep fried Snickers bar on-a-stick
■Fudge Puppy (waffle drenched in chocolate syrup and topped with whipped cream) (yes, please!)
■Chili Dog on-a-stick
■Potato Lollipop (4 thick slices of russet potato deep fried and on-a-stick with dipping sauces) (where do I sign up??!?)
■Pineapple on-a-stick (Fresh pineapple dipped in funnel cake batter and deep fried) (nothing makes fresh fruit better than the words "batter" and "fried")

Oh my goodness, I think I have to start a paper chain countdown today. This is a pregnant woman's dream (minus the August heat and Iowa humidity - a small price to pay for food on a stick!).   I will probably end up looking like one of Lawrence's State Fair Bingo Card answers (ask him if you don't know what I'm talking about), but that's okay. You only live once, and the state fair only comes but once a year. Let the lines begin!

Happy Anniversary to Us!

Five years ago we became Mr. & Mrs.! We've been through a lot the past five years - we've moved states (twice!), added two dogs to the mix, changed jobs (twice!), expanded our family (by welcoming my stepmom, Lawrence's birth family, two neices and a nephew, AND a baby on the way), lost some loved ones, and entered into our third decade of life. Through it all I'd say we've held up pretty well (pics below to prove it), and our relationship is all the stronger for it.

I don't know how I got so lucky, but I did. I love you, baby! Happy Anniversary!

July 3, 2005

July 3, 2010