It's Alive! (And it wants a cookie!!)

So first of all...blogger changed their interface when you log in.  I know a lot can happen pretty quickly in "technology years" but nothing really brings home the fact that you've been a blogging slacker better seeing a big gray screen with a white box in it and not having any clue what's going on.

What's new in our world?

I just ate some of these cookies and they were awesome.  Mine had mini chocolate chips in them.  Highlight of my week.  I wanted to put a picture of a pregnant lady with a paper bag over her head but what I found was from the Getty Image library and since my sister used to work for Getty sending collection letters to people who used their licensed material without permission I decided that it wasn't a good idea.  (She still works for Getty but in a different department - I imagine the rules still apply.)

Baby number two is on the way.  But most of out readers know that because...well because I think I already mentioned it.  I also don't have that many and what few I had before probably have given up on me altogether and now resort to getting information via text message, facebook or phone call.  Or grapevine.  We found out that it's supposed to be a girl and she's supposed to arrive on or near August 30th but we're not getting rid of  Mini Mange's clothing until we see her with our own two eyes.  Or four.  But we really only need one eye between the entire family to figure this one out.

I was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes a few weeks ago which has been...discouraging but at the same time an answer to prayer.

The discouraging part was that I had this idea that only girls with a family history or were unhealthy or overweight were diagnosed it.  I've since learned that that's not true at all.  Well, the family history thing is true and that's a pretty major factor.  But the reason that you get it is not because you're overweight or don't exercise or eat poorly it's because the placenta produces hormones that interfere with the ability of the insulin that your body does produce to be effective.  Once you deliver the placenta?  Bam-o! No more Gestational Diabetes.  Or at least in most circumstances.  If that doesn't happen, it's possible that you already had diabetes but just didn't know it.  Unfortunately, once you're diagnosed with GD, you have a much higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes later in life if you don't alter your lifestyle and eating habits.  In fact, your lifestyle has a bigger influence than eating habits when it comes to warding off Type 2 diabetes.  The more you know...

So what I've been doing is testing my blood sugar four times a day, eating a little differently (meaning, I'm eating the way ALL Americans should be eating.  Though I'm not supposed to eat fruit or cold cereal first thing in the morning and that's been HARD!)  I'm also supposed to exercise regularly.  So really, no big deal.  I lost two pounds since my last doctor's appointment and I start my first trimester tomorrow and I'm still wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans (just unbuttoned and secured with an elastic hair tie.)

And how has this been an answer to prayer?  Well, I was telling my husband that I wanted to find a way to meet people outside of church and that I was having a hard time motivating myself to do it.  I'm an introvert but I've really morphed back into my pre-college introverted self and it's been discouraging and lonely at times.  Once I was diagnosed they said I was supposed to start going to gestational diabetes counseling.  Turns out that it's a group meeting!  Huh, imagine that.  A couple of the girls there are in the same boat as me - completely caught off guard by their diagnosis.  They're people that I would never have met before either; one's a beautician (I've been putting off getting my hair cut for so long now that I'm going to ask her tomorrow if I can make an appointment) one's a sweet little Mennonite girl (with an iPhone! I still keep track of my schedule with pen and paper).  There are two others that I only met at our last meeting but they seem really nice too.  Sooo...yay God for the diabetes and stuff.

Other Munger highlights that I'm excited about:

1. I've been learning to make lots of new things in the kitchen and we've been wasting less food because I've been more diligent about meal planning.
2. I'm going to be an aunt in December!  Matt's sister is expecting her first.  I'm hoping for a boy so that we can share Mini Mange's clothing with family.  But a girl would be nice so that our little chickadee has a little chickadee cousin.
3. Mini Mange is talking more and more every day.  I don't understand half of it but he's very earnest.
4. Mini Mange is also learning how to throw some righteous temper tantrums.  So far ignoring him is the best way for them to stop.  Unless he's hungry or tired and then mom needs to get her act together and fix the problem ASAP.
5. Mini Mange was also off the growth chart in height at his 18 month check-up.  He towers over most of the two-year-olds at the park.

So I think that's it.  I'm sure I'll think of more things later but hopefully it doesn't take me six months to post again.