Thanks for welcoming celebrity blogger,Jenna von Oy!
Best known for her roles asSix onBlossomand Stevie onThe Parkers, von Oy is also a musician who has released two albums and is set to publish a book,The Betweeners.
She’ll next appear inLukewarm, slated for release this spring.
von Oy, 35, wed Brad Bratcher on Oct. 10, 2010, and resides in Nashville with her husband andfive dogs.
They expect their first child, a girl, in June.
You canfind her on Twitter@JennavonOy.
Up until now, the ideas have flowed so naturally, it was as if they’d been waiting impatiently to come out. This month? Not so much. Now, it seems the only thing waiting impatiently to come out is my daughter, who is quite the mover and shaker lately despite her ongoing spatial challenges.
At the risk of offending both of my guests, I’m not a big fan of either of them. Thanks to their antics, words seem to be leaking out of my head faster than I can type them. You will find that I’m all over the place with this month’s blog, vaulting from one concept to the next with reckless abandon.
Allow me to introduce the following vignettes, regarding some of the things I’ve been tackling lately…
“Birthday” — The Curse Word of the Month.
Truthfully, my 35th birthday slipped my mind until my husband and parents reminded me of it. I’m well aware that it comes on the same day every year (May 2nd), so I really shouldn’t have been surprised that it was on the horizon. But let’s be real, I’ve been slightly preoccupied lately! If I could skip May entirely, and miraculously find myself in the throes of June, I would be thrilled.
Don’t get me wrong, it’s not the birthday itself that requires avoidance. In fact, I wasn’t apprehensive about turning 35 in the least. As my grandmother used to quip, “You are only as old as you feel.” Well, I feel like I’m 25 years young and ready to conquer the world! It’s just that I’m so darned excited to meet my little girl in June; May has me feeling like I’m stuck at a perpetually red traffic light.
As zany as it sounds, I’m even looking forward to going into labor, though I’m the first to admit I’ll be retracting that statement the moment the contractions begin. But I digress…
The “Shower” That Wasn’t.
Putting on a brave face while opening presents in front of our closest friends makes me cringe. I simply can’t fathom cooing over frilly dresses, nipple creams and Diaper Genies … it turns out that’s where I draw the line on my acting chops.
(For the record, this is not a new concept for me. I felt similarly about our wedding as well, and opted out of such things as the bouquet and garter tosses, as well as the bridal party dance. Even our cake cutting was relatively subtle. I guess I’m not terribly comfortable being the center of attention in that aspect.)
So, for our shower, Brad and I opted to have a coed celebration… or as Brad fancies calling it, “BBQ, Babies & Beer.” (Which, I realize, tends to sound a bit ominous, depending on how you phrase it … Rest assured, we have the best of intentions!)
I’m elated that society seems to be a bit more accepting of our coed plans than I initially thought it might be. After all, we do live in the South, and sometimes tradition prevails here. I defend our coed choice with this: my poor husband has helplessly seen me through nine months of retching, 4 a.m. binges, displaced hormones, breastfeeding classes, and the obligatory, preparatory talk of infant poop. He should, at the very least, be honored at some fun festivities before he is catapulted into the throes of Daddy-hood!
As for me? I couldn’t be happier about the laid-back feel of a BBQ. It’s exactly what the doctor ordered, especially since it means I was able to get away with wearing a sundress and flip-flops. Let’s be frank, at eight months pregnant, my desire to dress up is about equivalent to my desire to run a marathon in the Sahara Desert donning a space suit. A casual atmosphere suits me just fine!
As one of our friends so eloquently put it, “The enjoyment is in being a part of this new life coming into the world. It’s about sharing a little piece of making her into the person she will be, and playing a role in helping her to grow up.”
Such a neat thing to hear from a friend, because it makes you realize you aren’t the only one invested in your child’s future … It truly does take a village!
The Nursery: Pink Is the New Black. Sort Of.
Based on my career trajectory, I realize the outside perception of my life might be that it is a bit on the glamorous side. However, my husband and I live a very non-Hollywood lifestyle here in Nashville. We opt to be relatively “no frills” people.
In order to satisfy the artistic hunger in me, we worked really hard to find creative ways to set money aside for my “pet project.” The result? Our nursery was built on a lot of love, along with the overwhelming generosity of our family and friends.
Brad’s mom bought us our crib, his sisters sent us all kinds of goodies that their kids no longer needed, and friends called every now and then with a “Hey, I’ve got a package of newborn diapers for you… can I drop them off this afternoon?” (Thanks,Lila!!)
As for the nursery design, and much to the surprise of my friends and family, I actually chose black, white, silver and … wait for it … PINK! I know this comes as a shocking revelation, based on my aforementioned aversion of said color.
As a side note, since I thoroughly believe God has a sense of humor, I’m starting to wonder if my daughter is going to bleed pink, and constantly ask to wear princess dresses, tutus and tiaras. It would serve me right!
For your viewing pleasure, I’ve included a photo of the nursery, so you can see some of my design handiwork. It doesn’t show the entire room, but you get the idea … And before any of you get nervous about the crib bumpers in the picture, and wax poetic about the dangers they pose, please note that a lot of that stuff is there for current “cute-factor” photographing purposes, and isn’t necessarily sticking around.
Brad and I are doing our due diligence in researching everything possible, and then we are trusting our instincts at the end of the day… which is one of the key facets of parenting, in my book!
My “Almost-a-Mother’s Day”
So, I was on the phone with my mom in April, discussing plans for her May visit. (She and my dad drove up to Nashville for the BBQ…) She brought up the fact that there was a lot to celebrate in the short amount of time they were here, between our “shower,” my birthday, and Mother’s Day. To celebrate the latter, she suggested that the four of us go out to a nice dinner on the Sunday night after our party.
It happened that my husband, who RARELY has a night out on the town, had asked if I would mind him seeing the Levon Helm concert that same evening. Sadly, Mr. Helm passed away before the concert took place so this didn’t wind up happening, but I’d emphatically said, “YES! By all means, go!”
Brad has spent the last eight months being so concerned about getting home to take care of me, he hasn’t had much time to relax. No complaints from my end; he’s an amazing husband! But I worry he hasn’t taken enough time out for himself, which is also important, so I was seriously pleased at the prospect of him attending a concert he was over the moon about. (I’m no dummy. Pretty soon, going to a concert will be about as realistic as having tea with the Tooth Fairy.)
Knowing my parents would be understanding, especially since the concert was a one-night only event, I told my mother that Brad might not be able to join us for our Mother’s Day extravaganza. Her comment? “Well that’s okay if he isn’t there, you aren’t a mother yet anyway.”
I also figure the two months of “praying to the porcelain god” earned me the right to celebrate Mother’s Day this year — even if my daughter isn’t due for a few weeks yet. Can I get an amen?
Belly aches, Blemishes and More Bizarre Symptoms
Pregnancy sure brings about some strange little bodily idiosyncrasies! I’d heard of all of the typical ones: swollen hands and feet, lower back pain, heartburn. The list is never-ending. But there were also a few things that snuck up on me.
And who knew my right hand would go completely numb? Since I haven’t been able to feel my fingertips for over a month, I’ve burned myself on several occasions … I keep forgetting that I can’t properly sense temperature!
Mind you, I’d prefer not to think that acknowledging these maladies is equivalent to complaining. They are all, unquestioningly, worth it — I’ve embraced every one. But I also feel that keeping them a secret does all of us a bit of a disservice.
I’m delivering on that promise of honesty that I vowed in my introductory blog, and I’m unwilling to pretend my pregnancy has been the model of perfection. I’m no martyr, and I want you to know that I’ve had my share of uncomfortable moments during this adventure too!
Of course, you may be one of those rare women who had no issues whatsoever, and this segment doesn’t strike a chord. But if you were put through the wringer during your pregnancy, you are not alone. Everyone reacts differently, and let’s face it, shouldn’t we expect our bodies to protest loudly when our insides are being shoved aside to make room for the mini-human?
I’m comfortable saying that, despite any temporary pain or discomfort, I have absolutely ADORED being pregnant. Sure, I could give or take some of the side effects, but I never expected to get out of this experience without making concessions or enduring some mild malaise.
At the end of the day, I know my body was made for this process … these German hips were definitely made for birthin’! I hope you’ve been able to, or will be able to, look back on your pregnancy with fond memories, regardless of any aches and pains. Just remember, it all leads up to a little miracle!
On that note, I’m signing off. As always, please feel free to leave me a note here on PEOPLE.com, or send me a messagevia Twitter. I love hearing from you all!
Until next time (which might involve me typing while changing diapers…),
— Jenna von Oy
CelebrityFebruary 27, 2025
February 27, 2025
CelebrityMarch 05, 2025
March 05, 2025
Celebritya day ago
a day ago
Olivia Culpo Says She Couldn’t Work Out or Walk During First 4 Months of Pregnancy: ‘Really Making It Count Now’
Pregnant Olivia Culpo’s Sister Sophia Jokingly Calls Out the Model for How She Hid Her Pregnancy: ‘She Ain’t Stealth’
Pregnant Jesy Nelson Tears Up Revealing Medical ‘Complications’ from Carrying Identical Twins: ‘Hoping for the Best’
Pregnant Jesy Nelson Reveals She Needs ‘Necessary’ Procedure for ‘Best Chance’ at Saving Unborn Twins: ‘Pray for Us’
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies SettingsAccept All Cookies
source: people.com
