Woof... what a week!

Holy Moses, where do I even start? How about here:

I feel pregnant... oh, so pregnant... I feel pregnant, and heavy, oh yay!

This was the first week where I've actually felt pregnant. Here are some examples for you:

• Zumba on Monday about killed me. Really. I almost died.
• I'm pretty sure I have shin splints and plantar fasciitis at the same time.
• While walking, I frequently trip over my own feet and occasionally full-on biff it (there are bruises to prove it).
  
• I can't "scoot" by anyone or through any skinny places anymore.
• My dysphagia teacher asked me if I was due in a couple of weeks (yeah... if a couple = 11).
  
• My cute baby plagues me with constant Braxton Hicks contractions--they don't hurt... they're just there.
• Water retention has arrived! It's not horrible but my ankles aren't quite what they used to be.
• I've gained about cough*twenty*pounds. It's right on track, but boy... I feel it.
• I. Am. Hungry. All. The. Time.
• I take pee breaks about every 45 minutes. It makes my two and half hour classes REAL fun!
• I have a baby shower this Saturday!
• I think my love for cardio-fitness runs in the family because little man is a mover and a shaker.
• My doctor told me there's pretty much no chance our baby will be breech (yay!) and pointed out how baby's head was straight down and forcefully pushing against my bladder.
• I'm taking a birthing class BEFORE my next doctor's appointment.
  

It's all really new to me and some of it isn't pretty but it's fun! Here are two pictures... the first is from yesterday before zumba and the second was taken this morning--it's week 29!!!

I couldn't flip this picture... I tried!

"Proud-of" Accomplishments:

• Spencer is amazing and LOVES his new job with Calloway Labs. They finally found his female counterpart (because he can only test males) and Spencer will start training her next week.
• I will be done with classes FOREVER in just a few days!
• My backlog of theses at work is up-to-date! (If only you knew how awesome this truly is).
• I made chocolate-chip peanut butter cookies and they lasted longer than 24 hours.
• Zumba/yoga/cardio classes are still happening every day but at a MUCH lower intensity.
• Spencer's volunteering on campus doing research with his environmental biology teacher.
• Spencer and I planned every meal this week and actually stuck to the plan.
• So You Think You Can Dance started up again last week... It's not a personal accomplishment but I'm pretty excited about it.
• I'll say this now because Game 5 happens tonight but The NBA Finals are 2-2 right now and the next game' is in Dallas. We REALLY hope the Mavericks win it.
• I learned that the part of little man that likes to stick out and move around all over the place is actually his little bum :)

How I Became the Worst TA of All Time:

It all started this morning. I had my Doctor's appointment at 9:15 and when I got out of the office I checked my phone and had FIVE missed calls and voicemails. I saw a bunch of phone numbers I didn't recognize so I decided I'd better listen to my messages. Sure enough, I had a couple from frantic students asking me to call them back as soon as possible and wondering where their final exams were.

Wait, what?!

I am a teaching assistant for Dr. Fujiki's ComD 636 class - all about the multi-cultural aspect of speech-language pathology. This entire semester I've been in charge of grading quizzes and make-up papers for all the students in my class. A few days ago, I met with Dr. Fujiki and he asked me to be in charge of distributing the final exam via email and making sure that the students finished the final within a two and a half hour time limit.

*The following conversation has been modified. The quotations are not completely accurate but the conversational content is true.*

"When should I email the final out?" I asked Dr. Fujiki.
He replied, "The last week. Thursday--during their normal class time"
"Okay. Finals Week. Thursday. 8:20 to 10:50 a.m. Does that sound right?"
"Yes," said Dr. Fujiki. "Let me know if you have any questions."

Well apparently, by "the last week" to two of us had very different interpretations. I figured this meant next week on Thursday because... well... next week is the "last week" before the semester ends. In addition, next week is finals week and originally the class had their final exam scheduled for next Thursday. At the same time, Dr. Fujiki figured this meant the last week of class. By his interpretation, "Thursday" translates to TODAY! More specifically, this morning. Ack.

So basically, I had a ton of frantic students calling and emailing me because they were up at 8:20 this morning prepped and waiting for the final exam that they never got. Needless to say, I felt HORRIBLE. I had to call Dr. Fujiki... in the morning... on his cell phone... while he's on vacation... in California. Student of the year award, right?! We got the whole situation straightened out and realized that miscommunication, not forgetfulness, was to blame (thank goodness). So much for being a communication disorders major, eh? As a result, I've been sending the final out on an individual basis and making sure each student gets two and a half hours.

For a little taste of how pleased the students were, here's what one of them put for a status update on facebook this morning:

"worst final ever: the one you we all show up early in the morning to take, and then it's never sent out... we demand blood"

Um... I think some students are going to be getting some "I'm sorry" cookies from a very neglectful TA next week.

Luckily, I'm a Cornett... which means I have a tough skin. I won't let it bother me TOO badly. And other than that little incident, I'm doing great! I start my internship in a week and half... I'm definitely terrified but I'm even more excited. Now I just have to tell my internship coordinator that I'm preggers... and that I'm due 4 days after I finish my internship. YIKES!

The three of us are loving life... we hope you all are, too! Till next time...