Friday, November 23, 2012
Happy Thanksgiving!!
A quick check in from Disney World to send a Happy Thanksgiving (a day or so late...) to everyone! We were able to spend a few days together on vacation, enjoying the rides and all too cold weather, before the hectic holiday season really starts. We're truly enjoying the smiles on the kids faces as they get to experience their favorites here at the parks :) Big Boy loves the Rockin' Roller Coaster and got to ride multiple times in one day! Princess skipped the ubber expensive Bibbidy Bobbidy Boutique and did some beautiful face painting instead! Little Boy loved riding the Toy Story rides and the Pixar Parade :) What a wonderful week!!! <3
Wednesday, October 31, 2012
Belly Violation
Although this should be an update post, I couldn't help but jump in for a minute just to remember my FIRST pregnancy belly violation! I wasn't even looking when Ms.Frances (little girl's preschool assistant) reached in for a rub. If only that had happened in a previous pregnancy... Before I felt pregnant and beautiful but this time I'm just pregnant and fat - or so it feels ... Either way I'm excited to document this first in my pregnancy experiences- Although I'm certainly not hoping for it to repeat itself anytime soon! :)
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
48 hours
...remain until the ultrasound. I COULD find out what we're having. I could break my resolve to be surprised in March. I could...but I won't! The first 19 weeks have flown by. I'm sure the next will happen just as fast :) So, 20 weeks until we discover the gender! I can do it!!!! :D
Sunday, September 23, 2012
The room...
I'm sitting across the hall from the ER room where my last pregnancy went all wrong. It's strange to be so close to a place that was so overwhelmingly painful and emotional - while experiencing my next happy, healthy pregnancy. You can't help but feel a little regret (if that's the right word) for what could have been. My due date was the end if September and here we are, September 23, and I sit looking at the dark empty room. What could have been?? No matter, it's in God's hands. He had a purpose far greater than I could ever understand. And although there will always be a sadness for what we lost - I am so happy to look forward to what is in store for our lives with this new baby. Room 6... 1/2 of 3. Three is our number this time - the "lucky" number that is an answer to quiet prayers.
Additionally, I'm sitting across the hall from the room because DH is being checked over for his hernia issues. It's been a crazy year, with 2 surgeries already under our belts, and 2 more on their way very soon. Please keep our family in your prayers as we are all healing in one way or another from different health problems. It's been a year of roller coaster rides - I'm looking forward to getting off this ride in 2013 and moving on to a new, less bumpy experience! Fingers crossed!!!
Additionally, I'm sitting across the hall from the room because DH is being checked over for his hernia issues. It's been a crazy year, with 2 surgeries already under our belts, and 2 more on their way very soon. Please keep our family in your prayers as we are all healing in one way or another from different health problems. It's been a year of roller coaster rides - I'm looking forward to getting off this ride in 2013 and moving on to a new, less bumpy experience! Fingers crossed!!!
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Monday, September 17, 2012
The Number Three....
After a long break, when I absently put my convenient 11" MacBook in my desk drawer, I am back. I decided this evening to fish it from the back of the drawer, pull out the power supply, curl up on the couch with the remote, a bottle of water, and a fuzzy blanket, and catch up! Yay!
...funny, as I type this right now, little bit KNOWS I'm talking about him/her!! For the first time this pregnancy, I can feel my silly baby bouncing around and, if I'm not mistaken, dealing with hiccups!!! <3 What a joy to finally "know" my baby is ok!!!! :)
Since my last useful post, I've moved to the second trimester, had my screening ultrasound, met with my doctor again, the kids have started school, the two little ones had a few days away with the grandparents, and ... I've become addicted to Pinterest! (random, but I needed one more thing to wrap up that long list of exciting events)
Baby Update:
(as of September 10th)
Weight - 140.2 (not moving down any more but not moving up either...)
Blood Pressure - 102/60
Baby Heartbeat - 152
Baby size - 4.0 inches / 2.4 ounces (appx)
We are still on the surprise side of the table...although the anticipation is getting harder! I keep having dreams (ie. nightly) about the baby's gender and events right after delivery...things like we don't have any pacifiers on hand and SHE won't stop screaming! Yes, all of my dreams show the baby as a girl... :) I asked DH to promise me he would keep me from finding out. The closer I get to our ultrasound date, the more I think I just want to know...then the "you're better than that and can wait" side of me fights against it. So instead I convinced myself it would be fun to use the Intelligender test to guess the baby's gender. After some research, I found out the rate of success is around 80-90%!! That takes the fun out of it! Had it been 50/50, I might have agreed...but that is too high and then I'll just have a good idea which way to lean when it's time.
Moving on...well, more on the gender situation... Babies R Us puts on a big sale once (or twice - no one could tell us for sure) a year as a trade-in event. You can take in your old/used baby gear and get a coupon for 25% off new gear! Not knowing how often this sale was going to take place, I convinced DH to take advantage for a few bigger items that we needed to replace. We loaded up Peanut's old butterfly swing (sniff, sniff - such sweet memories...), Big Boy's original high chair that had been through all 3 kids and I've hated since day one!, and the baby bouncer that my sweet sissy got for me when Peanut was born. I loved that thing, but both new and not-new used it until it lost it's bounce and the toys no longer lit up/sang. Three coupons in hand, we headed to the back of the new Toys/Babies R Us and began browsing. HOURS later, we were empty handed! We could not find a gender neutral item we liked! So we had to choose...boy or girl?!?! Sounds like we would jinx ourselves, but my thoughts - this baby already knows what it is so it doesn't matter what we decide on the outside. They will be who God wants them to be :) So we drew papers!! Hahaha! Big Boy asked the lady at the registry counter for a piece of paper and a pen. I tore them into 10 pieces and wrote "G" on 5 and "B" on 5 more. We grabbed a make-shift cup and dumped them it. Big Boy chose first...a G (he wasn't too thrilled with that choice...). Next was Peanut...another G!! (she cried hysterically because she thought she drew a G for her brothers name! lol) Baby Boy took his turn...a B!! Now it is 2-1. DH and I drew and opened at the same time....DH - a G, Mommy, a B!! Final score: Girl - 3; Boy - 2. So we picked our most favorite girl items and happily bebopped out the door! Saving a good chunk on a new bouncer, swing, and high chair! Also, a tip for other parents like us.... Make a registry of the things you are buying. Buy them off of the registry and you have up to 30 days after the baby is born to return or exchange the item! Even though their standard policy is 90 days with receipt - this was a great way to get the items that we needed on sale in the gender we chose, and be able to go back in March when we're wrong! (or not...) lol
Now, on to the most exciting news of the last few weeks!!! I mentioned to my OB on my first appt that I wanted to schedule an induction for March 3rd. The lady thought I was nuts and blew me off saying we would worry about that in a few months when things got closer. Two months later and I decided to bring it up again. This was a new doctor for me - she was added to the practice around January of this year. Loved her! She was so funny and relaxed - and went to school at WVU so there was lots to talk about in that room ;) (the grandparents that came to pick up the little two happened to be there for the appt as well...). She asked if I had any questions and I said just one....I want to talk about inducing on March 3rd. She just smiled big and looked at my chart. She said, "I see your due date is somewhere around March 4th or 6th..." (the last ultrasound in August dated me March 4th!) "Since you will be 39 weeks, that is just fine!" YAY YAY YAY! Someone finally confirmed that a doctor in my practice will be willing to induce on the 3rd!! So .... lets review:
My Birthday: 3/3/83
Baby Birthday: 3/3/13
My Age: 30
My baby: 3rd
Starting to see a pattern? I believe it is fate! :) I am so excited to potentially be able to share my 30th birthday with my new bundle!! That will be so amazing!!! No promises to myself that it will all work out - with my track record, babies like to try and come out too early. Hence the making the promise to myself to do everything I can to keep this baby put until it's time for delivery. That means taking extra good care of myself, drinking plenty of water, and remembering to take it easy! I have to stop trying to be superwoman during my pregnancies! Sit down and rest - a lot - I, and the baby, need it!
I think that's enough for this update. The kids have started school and Big Boy has went through some significant strides to have a great year this year. Peanut is doing amazingly well but is HATING leaving Mommy every day. So much so, that it's become a hindrance in her day-to-day life! More on that later! I will be sure to send a few more updates about some other randomness going on in our lives. I will also make sure to keep my handy little Mac out of the drawer!! Duh!
...funny, as I type this right now, little bit KNOWS I'm talking about him/her!! For the first time this pregnancy, I can feel my silly baby bouncing around and, if I'm not mistaken, dealing with hiccups!!! <3 What a joy to finally "know" my baby is ok!!!! :)
Since my last useful post, I've moved to the second trimester, had my screening ultrasound, met with my doctor again, the kids have started school, the two little ones had a few days away with the grandparents, and ... I've become addicted to Pinterest! (random, but I needed one more thing to wrap up that long list of exciting events)
Baby Update:
(as of September 10th)
Weight - 140.2 (not moving down any more but not moving up either...)
Blood Pressure - 102/60
Baby Heartbeat - 152
Baby size - 4.0 inches / 2.4 ounces (appx)
We are still on the surprise side of the table...although the anticipation is getting harder! I keep having dreams (ie. nightly) about the baby's gender and events right after delivery...things like we don't have any pacifiers on hand and SHE won't stop screaming! Yes, all of my dreams show the baby as a girl... :) I asked DH to promise me he would keep me from finding out. The closer I get to our ultrasound date, the more I think I just want to know...then the "you're better than that and can wait" side of me fights against it. So instead I convinced myself it would be fun to use the Intelligender test to guess the baby's gender. After some research, I found out the rate of success is around 80-90%!! That takes the fun out of it! Had it been 50/50, I might have agreed...but that is too high and then I'll just have a good idea which way to lean when it's time.
Moving on...well, more on the gender situation... Babies R Us puts on a big sale once (or twice - no one could tell us for sure) a year as a trade-in event. You can take in your old/used baby gear and get a coupon for 25% off new gear! Not knowing how often this sale was going to take place, I convinced DH to take advantage for a few bigger items that we needed to replace. We loaded up Peanut's old butterfly swing (sniff, sniff - such sweet memories...), Big Boy's original high chair that had been through all 3 kids and I've hated since day one!, and the baby bouncer that my sweet sissy got for me when Peanut was born. I loved that thing, but both new and not-new used it until it lost it's bounce and the toys no longer lit up/sang. Three coupons in hand, we headed to the back of the new Toys/Babies R Us and began browsing. HOURS later, we were empty handed! We could not find a gender neutral item we liked! So we had to choose...boy or girl?!?! Sounds like we would jinx ourselves, but my thoughts - this baby already knows what it is so it doesn't matter what we decide on the outside. They will be who God wants them to be :) So we drew papers!! Hahaha! Big Boy asked the lady at the registry counter for a piece of paper and a pen. I tore them into 10 pieces and wrote "G" on 5 and "B" on 5 more. We grabbed a make-shift cup and dumped them it. Big Boy chose first...a G (he wasn't too thrilled with that choice...). Next was Peanut...another G!! (she cried hysterically because she thought she drew a G for her brothers name! lol) Baby Boy took his turn...a B!! Now it is 2-1. DH and I drew and opened at the same time....DH - a G, Mommy, a B!! Final score: Girl - 3; Boy - 2. So we picked our most favorite girl items and happily bebopped out the door! Saving a good chunk on a new bouncer, swing, and high chair! Also, a tip for other parents like us.... Make a registry of the things you are buying. Buy them off of the registry and you have up to 30 days after the baby is born to return or exchange the item! Even though their standard policy is 90 days with receipt - this was a great way to get the items that we needed on sale in the gender we chose, and be able to go back in March when we're wrong! (or not...) lol
Now, on to the most exciting news of the last few weeks!!! I mentioned to my OB on my first appt that I wanted to schedule an induction for March 3rd. The lady thought I was nuts and blew me off saying we would worry about that in a few months when things got closer. Two months later and I decided to bring it up again. This was a new doctor for me - she was added to the practice around January of this year. Loved her! She was so funny and relaxed - and went to school at WVU so there was lots to talk about in that room ;) (the grandparents that came to pick up the little two happened to be there for the appt as well...). She asked if I had any questions and I said just one....I want to talk about inducing on March 3rd. She just smiled big and looked at my chart. She said, "I see your due date is somewhere around March 4th or 6th..." (the last ultrasound in August dated me March 4th!) "Since you will be 39 weeks, that is just fine!" YAY YAY YAY! Someone finally confirmed that a doctor in my practice will be willing to induce on the 3rd!! So .... lets review:
My Birthday: 3/3/83
Baby Birthday: 3/3/13
My Age: 30
My baby: 3rd
Starting to see a pattern? I believe it is fate! :) I am so excited to potentially be able to share my 30th birthday with my new bundle!! That will be so amazing!!! No promises to myself that it will all work out - with my track record, babies like to try and come out too early. Hence the making the promise to myself to do everything I can to keep this baby put until it's time for delivery. That means taking extra good care of myself, drinking plenty of water, and remembering to take it easy! I have to stop trying to be superwoman during my pregnancies! Sit down and rest - a lot - I, and the baby, need it!
I think that's enough for this update. The kids have started school and Big Boy has went through some significant strides to have a great year this year. Peanut is doing amazingly well but is HATING leaving Mommy every day. So much so, that it's become a hindrance in her day-to-day life! More on that later! I will be sure to send a few more updates about some other randomness going on in our lives. I will also make sure to keep my handy little Mac out of the drawer!! Duh!
Friday, September 14, 2012
Water, Water, Water....
It's been a little while and I have a ton of catching up to do - but right now I wanted to pop in and throw a little reminder to myself, and any other pregnant person that comes across this...
drink...Drink.....DRINK!
Drinking Well - WhatToExpect.com
I never seems to stop long enough to drink. And when I do, I know I'm not drinking the right things. Convincing myself to carry a bottle of water to every little thing I do is just impossible! Third baby and I still haven't learned my lesson. But now I have an important achievement to meet on March 3rd so I have to make sure I do everything I can to get there. That's why I'm pumping myself up with the "you can do it" talk! Water, Water, Water, Water, Water...... Here I come!
More on the March 3rd plans soon ;-)
drink...Drink.....DRINK!
Drinking Well - WhatToExpect.com
I never seems to stop long enough to drink. And when I do, I know I'm not drinking the right things. Convincing myself to carry a bottle of water to every little thing I do is just impossible! Third baby and I still haven't learned my lesson. But now I have an important achievement to meet on March 3rd so I have to make sure I do everything I can to get there. That's why I'm pumping myself up with the "you can do it" talk! Water, Water, Water, Water, Water...... Here I come!
More on the March 3rd plans soon ;-)
image courtesy of www.birthingtraditions.com
Sunday, August 19, 2012
Oh Yeah - Pregnancy
A few minor updates to the pregnancy....
Doctors Appointment - Monday, August 13th
Weight - 137 (down 4 pounds from first appt)
Blood Pressure - 112/71
Heartbeat - 166!!! (did I mention this is a girl...I'm convinced!)
Things are status-quo... Belly sounds good and growing well. Heartbeat is strong and speedy. Doc gave me some new prenatal vitamins that have ginger in them to help with nausea...not seeing a huge change with them but they are easier to swallow than those Centrum ones! Doc also said I need to stop heading backwards on the scale. I'm having a hard time eating anything these days but I'm hoping that will pick up as I head over into my second trimester this week. I also went to the store and stocked up on Boost Plus with 360 calories per drink. I'm trying to add at least 2 to 3 a day for a while to help maintain my weight while I wait for the "bleh" to wear off. As the week progressed, I will still dropping weight...at this point, I think I'm down 7-9 pounds from the initial weigh-in. Seems good in theory but not when you are growing a little bean :)
Next Appointment - Wednesday, August 22nd - Ultrasound! :) Stay tuned for updated bean photos
Doctors Appointment - Monday, August 13th
Weight - 137 (down 4 pounds from first appt)
Blood Pressure - 112/71
Heartbeat - 166!!! (did I mention this is a girl...I'm convinced!)
Things are status-quo... Belly sounds good and growing well. Heartbeat is strong and speedy. Doc gave me some new prenatal vitamins that have ginger in them to help with nausea...not seeing a huge change with them but they are easier to swallow than those Centrum ones! Doc also said I need to stop heading backwards on the scale. I'm having a hard time eating anything these days but I'm hoping that will pick up as I head over into my second trimester this week. I also went to the store and stocked up on Boost Plus with 360 calories per drink. I'm trying to add at least 2 to 3 a day for a while to help maintain my weight while I wait for the "bleh" to wear off. As the week progressed, I will still dropping weight...at this point, I think I'm down 7-9 pounds from the initial weigh-in. Seems good in theory but not when you are growing a little bean :)
Next Appointment - Wednesday, August 22nd - Ultrasound! :) Stay tuned for updated bean photos
Potty Time!
It would make sense that this post would still be about me, right? I mean, a pregnant chick is obviously very familiar with the potty....
Well, now I'm even more familiar with the potty as I take the little monster there regularly! I have forced us into the world of potty success. We have done so well...an accident here or there, but really, he is doing great. Funny though - this is another reason I'm crossing my fingers for a girl. The middle kid was so easy to train. Actually, I feel like she practically trained herself! She was wearing "big girl underwear" from around 13 months! She loved going to the potty!! This boy - not so much. I have never seen such strong-willed stubbornness in all my life! If he doesn't want to go, he won't! End of story! He can hold "it" for hours!! I'm sure it's not good for him but, gosh, he is too too smart to be avoiding the bathroom. I think it is just a matter of determination - will mine or his win?!?! I have decided that from this point on, we will only have "Cool-Ups" on at bed time. No matter the number of accidents I have to clean up in a day... going back and forth is confusing and isn't sending the message, "when I pee down my leg, it's gross!" I can see the message already starting to make more and more sense to him as the days go on.
No matter... I "eagle-eyed" him enough over the last few days that he couldn't escape me to go Poo in him pants and we had big success in the potty! For the first time, we were home and could give him his reward for his success...Chuck E Cheese! We had been hyping it up for weeks so he was thrilled when it was actually time to jump in the car and go this afternoon.
He rode the same darn mechanic back-and-forth car over and over again. He couldn't get enough! Luckily, it was feet from the table so I could sit back and enjoy the site while he kept dumping the coins in again and again. I finally convinced him to move on and play some games that were "worth-while" - you know, the ones where you actually get tickets! The best part of Chuck E Cheese is getting to pick your prize at the end!! After the day was done, we collected a grand total of 180 tickets! That's 60 per kid... That gave them squishy bugs, mini plastic tops, random stars that I'm still not sure of their purpose, and candy.... success! Although, the big one wised up as we were walking out the door and said next time he was going to keep his tickets for himself so he could pick from the top shelf. Sorry little ones, big bro finally caught on to Mom's plan...
Also, a big shout out to my Big Man, who turned 9 on Friday!! :D This Suzy-Homemaker made 2 marble Lego cakes with home-aid butter-cream icing! He had lots of fun celebrating with family and is headed to LaserQuest tomorrow for a few games of laser tag with Dad and friends. A splendid 9th birthday in my books :)
Well, now I'm even more familiar with the potty as I take the little monster there regularly! I have forced us into the world of potty success. We have done so well...an accident here or there, but really, he is doing great. Funny though - this is another reason I'm crossing my fingers for a girl. The middle kid was so easy to train. Actually, I feel like she practically trained herself! She was wearing "big girl underwear" from around 13 months! She loved going to the potty!! This boy - not so much. I have never seen such strong-willed stubbornness in all my life! If he doesn't want to go, he won't! End of story! He can hold "it" for hours!! I'm sure it's not good for him but, gosh, he is too too smart to be avoiding the bathroom. I think it is just a matter of determination - will mine or his win?!?! I have decided that from this point on, we will only have "Cool-Ups" on at bed time. No matter the number of accidents I have to clean up in a day... going back and forth is confusing and isn't sending the message, "when I pee down my leg, it's gross!" I can see the message already starting to make more and more sense to him as the days go on.
No matter... I "eagle-eyed" him enough over the last few days that he couldn't escape me to go Poo in him pants and we had big success in the potty! For the first time, we were home and could give him his reward for his success...Chuck E Cheese! We had been hyping it up for weeks so he was thrilled when it was actually time to jump in the car and go this afternoon.
He rode the same darn mechanic back-and-forth car over and over again. He couldn't get enough! Luckily, it was feet from the table so I could sit back and enjoy the site while he kept dumping the coins in again and again. I finally convinced him to move on and play some games that were "worth-while" - you know, the ones where you actually get tickets! The best part of Chuck E Cheese is getting to pick your prize at the end!! After the day was done, we collected a grand total of 180 tickets! That's 60 per kid... That gave them squishy bugs, mini plastic tops, random stars that I'm still not sure of their purpose, and candy.... success! Although, the big one wised up as we were walking out the door and said next time he was going to keep his tickets for himself so he could pick from the top shelf. Sorry little ones, big bro finally caught on to Mom's plan...
Also, a big shout out to my Big Man, who turned 9 on Friday!! :D This Suzy-Homemaker made 2 marble Lego cakes with home-aid butter-cream icing! He had lots of fun celebrating with family and is headed to LaserQuest tomorrow for a few games of laser tag with Dad and friends. A splendid 9th birthday in my books :)
Saturday, August 11, 2012
dOuBlE dIgItS
Kinda crazy, huh? I have already made it to the double digits of this pregnancy. I guess that is not exactly a "huge" milestone, but it sure feels like it. That means I'm in the countdown now...
3 Days - Next doctor's appointment
11 Days - Next Ultrasound
11 Days - Second Trimester
116 Days - Third Trimester
207 Days - Due Date!!!
I'm sure there are many other dates that will stand out as important, but right now, these are the BIG ones.
In what is supposedly 11 days, I will magically feel like a normal human again, without the gagging and general exhaustion. I'm anxious to see if that really works...the magic second trimester happiness!
In other pleasantries - school starts in 16 days. This has it's pluses and minuses all in one bundle of emotions. We were able to get Big Kid switched within the district to a new school - great news! I'm so relieved that we won't have to be sending him back to that "hole" of a school he has belonged to for several years! Hopefully the change of scenery will be a positive encouragement for his success. I'm not battling how I'm going to get Middle Kid into a preschool setting without going broke. Using the public More At Four system seems like the way to go but several factors may set us back... 1. I should have enrolled her in May. 2. It is based on need and income, neither of which we really qualify for. 3. Do I really want to start her down the same terrible path that we watched Big Kid suffer through?? No... So, for now, I'm going to continue pondering how to get her started in her educational endeavors. Wish me luck. The final nut head, Baby Boy - he's a terrorist in his own sense and will be needing some strict routine and boundaries as the school year begins. He reminds me so much of my youngest brother! Trouble everywhere but so darn cute it's hard to correct him! And his ability to finagle the adults into getting what he wants is uncanny!! All that is about to come to an end as he is "loosing" his spot as the baby in the family. Time go grow up Baby Boy...time to throw away the "B" and to loose the Pull-ups. On to big kid things...
Wish Me Luck!!
Friday, August 3, 2012
3 am
It's three o'clock in the morning ... And I'm eating pickled cauliflower ... Oh, and did I mention straight from the jar??
You might be pregnant if ...
You might be pregnant if ...
Monday, July 30, 2012
Pinch me....
So, I hear there is a baby on the way... I believe there is a due date sometime in early March? Really?!?! Why did no one tell me!!!
So, of course, I'm talking about myself. Yes, I am pregnant and expecting in early March. But the reality of it hasn't hit me yet! I still have to pinch myself regularly to come to grips with the fact that we are expecting our fourth child next year. I guess that's a good thing?? Life is rather status quot in my "reality". I am so excited when I pinch myself enough to remember I'm pregnant, but when I'm not in actual reality, I can take the time to focus on the other things happening in our lives right now.
And when I do pinch myself hard enough - what am I doing with this pregnancy?
Right now I'm still gagging at the site of, well everything... My face looks like a dot-to-dot page from a coloring book (thanks hormones) ... I'm dealing with sore boobs, heartburn, exhaustion, sleepless nights, peeing incessantly, dying of thirst, and an expanding waistline. It's a wonder I can "forget" about the pregnancy on a regular basis.
But, I whine - I am honestly thankful for each one of these symptoms (well, maybe all of them but the waistline one...) as it is a sign of a happy, healthy pregnancy.
So, of course, I'm talking about myself. Yes, I am pregnant and expecting in early March. But the reality of it hasn't hit me yet! I still have to pinch myself regularly to come to grips with the fact that we are expecting our fourth child next year. I guess that's a good thing?? Life is rather status quot in my "reality". I am so excited when I pinch myself enough to remember I'm pregnant, but when I'm not in actual reality, I can take the time to focus on the other things happening in our lives right now.
And when I do pinch myself hard enough - what am I doing with this pregnancy?
Right now I'm still gagging at the site of, well everything... My face looks like a dot-to-dot page from a coloring book (thanks hormones) ... I'm dealing with sore boobs, heartburn, exhaustion, sleepless nights, peeing incessantly, dying of thirst, and an expanding waistline. It's a wonder I can "forget" about the pregnancy on a regular basis.
But, I whine - I am honestly thankful for each one of these symptoms (well, maybe all of them but the waistline one...) as it is a sign of a happy, healthy pregnancy.
Morning Sickness....
Isaiah has it....
"Don't worry" ... it's such a true statement, but so hard to practice. I believe worrying is actually a sin! It is against God's will for us to spend our time worrying about what is in His control. This is a lesson that I have been hit with hard this year. Between our family, the loss, the business, and everyday life, I have been fighting with worry a lot. I think I'm going to print something like this and hang it in the office... We all need to stop for a few minutes and rely on our faith to guide us - not our fears! Today, I ask you to take a few minutes to give YOUR worries to God. Allow Him to handle your fears and concerns. He promises to give us strength and to never leave our side.
God - Please be with me over these days as I struggle with worry. I need You to take over my concerns and fill me with Your peace. I know that You are in control of our lives and we are following Your path. Give me strength to take each day as You give it and enjoy the blessings around me. Thank you for everything You've done for me. Love - J <3
Friday, July 27, 2012
Tuesday, July 24, 2012
Sick...sick...sick...
...Of "morning sickness"! Who on earth came up with that term anyway?!?! A demented MAN who was never pregnant, I'm guessing...
Yeah, so I'm not feeling very well today - or any day for that matter....or any minute really. Honestly, it's not debilitating or anything. Just nagging. A nagging nauseous feeling.
It really seems as though I have been lucky enough to be "blessed" with all sorts of early pregnancy ailments at once. Morning sickness, exhaustion, restless nights, terrible skin challenges, blowing up belly and I could go on...
However, it is like an ever present reminder of the blessing God has given us. And I am thankful or every minute of it. The worse I feel, the more I'm reminded of the small life growing inside and how precious it is.
Thank you Lord, for blessing my family again.... <3
Yeah, so I'm not feeling very well today - or any day for that matter....or any minute really. Honestly, it's not debilitating or anything. Just nagging. A nagging nauseous feeling.
It really seems as though I have been lucky enough to be "blessed" with all sorts of early pregnancy ailments at once. Morning sickness, exhaustion, restless nights, terrible skin challenges, blowing up belly and I could go on...
However, it is like an ever present reminder of the blessing God has given us. And I am thankful or every minute of it. The worse I feel, the more I'm reminded of the small life growing inside and how precious it is.
Thank you Lord, for blessing my family again.... <3
Thursday, July 19, 2012
The View
It was time - time to find out what was going on inside of this belly of mine...
The lunch meeting prior to the appointment was silenced by my nerves and upset stomach. I ate a light salad and forced in as much of the chicken as I could. I felt like it was my first pregnancy and I had never had an ultrasound before!
I can't really say why my nerves were a wreck. Maybe, in the back of my mind, I was worried there was something wrong again. Maybe, I was truly scared there was two in there. Maybe, I am truly scared to handle one? No matter, I had prayed and been blessed with another opportunity to carry a child and deep down, under the nausea and nerves, I was thrilled to see my little "butter bean" for the first time!
I warned the ultrasound technician of my nerves and the reasoning behind them. She giggled and said, "Lets see whats going on in there ourselves." I bet a lot of parents get themselves worked up over nothing...and I bet a lot of parents get worked up over something while they are in there and find 2 or more kids!
The machine came on and slowly the uterus came into view......and then, the amniotic sac and the little yolk sac and baby blob.... one baby blob!
Phew! And :( .... Weird, huh? Honestly, deep down, I would have loved to experience twins, but honestly, deep down, I am thrilled to add just ONE more. :) Thank you Lord for blessing us with a little butter bean who has made it's home in the right place!
The Bean's Stats:
Ultrasound Date: July 19, 2012
EDD based on LMP: March 11, 2013
EDD based on ultrasound: March 6, 2012
Heart: 141 bpm
My Stats:
Weight - 140
Blood Pressure - 112/70
Sickness - all day sickness - no puking though! :)
What's growing in there? Let the guesses begin...
The lunch meeting prior to the appointment was silenced by my nerves and upset stomach. I ate a light salad and forced in as much of the chicken as I could. I felt like it was my first pregnancy and I had never had an ultrasound before!
I can't really say why my nerves were a wreck. Maybe, in the back of my mind, I was worried there was something wrong again. Maybe, I was truly scared there was two in there. Maybe, I am truly scared to handle one? No matter, I had prayed and been blessed with another opportunity to carry a child and deep down, under the nausea and nerves, I was thrilled to see my little "butter bean" for the first time!
I warned the ultrasound technician of my nerves and the reasoning behind them. She giggled and said, "Lets see whats going on in there ourselves." I bet a lot of parents get themselves worked up over nothing...and I bet a lot of parents get worked up over something while they are in there and find 2 or more kids!
The machine came on and slowly the uterus came into view......and then, the amniotic sac and the little yolk sac and baby blob.... one baby blob!
Phew! And :( .... Weird, huh? Honestly, deep down, I would have loved to experience twins, but honestly, deep down, I am thrilled to add just ONE more. :) Thank you Lord for blessing us with a little butter bean who has made it's home in the right place!
The Bean's Stats:
Ultrasound Date: July 19, 2012
EDD based on LMP: March 11, 2013
EDD based on ultrasound: March 6, 2012
Heart: 141 bpm
My Stats:
Weight - 140
Blood Pressure - 112/70
Sickness - all day sickness - no puking though! :)
What's growing in there? Let the guesses begin...
 |
| ONE baby blob :) |
Say WHAT?!?!?
A quick note....
I was faced with quite the scary theory multiple times over, from several different sources, that they were sure I was having twins. I'm not sure what the "gut" feeling was for them, but at least 5 or 6 different people alluded to double babies in my belly!!
THEN, the HCG levels.... the level the nurse gave me was indicative of twins in the 40-45 day of pregnancy... exactly where I was! Let me just say, I didn't sleep much between Monday and Thursday.
Don't get me wrong, the concept of twins would be awesome! As a matter of fact, I might go as far as to say I would love to have twins... but the reality of twins, when there are already 3 kids in the house, is way too much to think about. I believe whole-heartily in the fact that God will never give us more than we can handle. And that He would help hold us up through any point in our lives, including twins...but if someone told me I actually had to take care of newborn twins, I might want to run away and join the circus, or something equally as insane! God bless parents of multiples - and here's to praying we don't become part of the crowd!
I was faced with quite the scary theory multiple times over, from several different sources, that they were sure I was having twins. I'm not sure what the "gut" feeling was for them, but at least 5 or 6 different people alluded to double babies in my belly!!
THEN, the HCG levels.... the level the nurse gave me was indicative of twins in the 40-45 day of pregnancy... exactly where I was! Let me just say, I didn't sleep much between Monday and Thursday.
Don't get me wrong, the concept of twins would be awesome! As a matter of fact, I might go as far as to say I would love to have twins... but the reality of twins, when there are already 3 kids in the house, is way too much to think about. I believe whole-heartily in the fact that God will never give us more than we can handle. And that He would help hold us up through any point in our lives, including twins...but if someone told me I actually had to take care of newborn twins, I might want to run away and join the circus, or something equally as insane! God bless parents of multiples - and here's to praying we don't become part of the crowd!
A drop of blood
Monday I had my first blood draw. It was a process I had quickly become used to during the miscarriage/ectopic experience in February. The doctor had told me that when I became pregnant again, I should expect to have blood drawn every day to watch my Hcg levels for about 2 weeks.
Since we were out of town when I discovered I was pregnant, and that out of town trip last substantially longer than we had initially planned, my blood draw was delayed until July 16th. No one was worried about the wait - I guess the pregnancy "is what it is" and knowing on the 10th or the 16th wouldn't change much, unless I was having pain or bleeding. They scheduled me for a 48 hour hcg test and set up my appts for Monday and Wednesday at 11:00am.
Late as always, I rushed in to the doctor at 11:05, apologizing for my tardiness, and was sent to the lab without complaint. There, I waited approximate 23 seconds...then it was my turn. The poke was quick and "painless" - and I was off. A short 5 minute visit (if even) for the 25 minute drive... I was realizing how soon this daily draw thing would get annoying, and fast!
Back home to work, and a busy day it was... "Ring, Ring".... It was 4:00 and the caller ID said Huntersville OB/GYN...
Not Good
Why would they be calling me unless something was wrong? I was scheduled to come back in just 48 hours to do this again. Did they really call to tell me the results? Nah, there must be something wrong....
Immediately, the lady's voice put in at....well, I'm not sure if it put me at ease but it put me "somewhere". It was so ecstatic-sounding, I had to assume she wasn't calling with bad news in that tone! "Hi Judy, this is Tonya with Huntersville OB. I was calling with your HCG results..." A lot of confirmation garbage and we were on to the important stuff. Her sentence, well, I'm not sure I'll forget it soon....
"Your levels were exceptional! It actually came back at 51,663! That is still pretty normal for a 5.7 weeks range, but we would like to get you in the office this week for an ultrasound to confirm everything looks good"
Ok, so just a recap. When I did my HCG for the first time in February, it was 765. See the chart below for and idea of where the standard range is for HCG levels. According to my LMP, I should have been 6 weeks on the nose. The level given to me was at the very top end of the 7 week mark!
That's a good thing, right?
The appointment and ultrasound was scheduled for Thursday and the second blood draw on Wednesday was canceled.
Since we were out of town when I discovered I was pregnant, and that out of town trip last substantially longer than we had initially planned, my blood draw was delayed until July 16th. No one was worried about the wait - I guess the pregnancy "is what it is" and knowing on the 10th or the 16th wouldn't change much, unless I was having pain or bleeding. They scheduled me for a 48 hour hcg test and set up my appts for Monday and Wednesday at 11:00am.
Late as always, I rushed in to the doctor at 11:05, apologizing for my tardiness, and was sent to the lab without complaint. There, I waited approximate 23 seconds...then it was my turn. The poke was quick and "painless" - and I was off. A short 5 minute visit (if even) for the 25 minute drive... I was realizing how soon this daily draw thing would get annoying, and fast!
Back home to work, and a busy day it was... "Ring, Ring".... It was 4:00 and the caller ID said Huntersville OB/GYN...
Not Good
Why would they be calling me unless something was wrong? I was scheduled to come back in just 48 hours to do this again. Did they really call to tell me the results? Nah, there must be something wrong....
Immediately, the lady's voice put in at....well, I'm not sure if it put me at ease but it put me "somewhere". It was so ecstatic-sounding, I had to assume she wasn't calling with bad news in that tone! "Hi Judy, this is Tonya with Huntersville OB. I was calling with your HCG results..." A lot of confirmation garbage and we were on to the important stuff. Her sentence, well, I'm not sure I'll forget it soon....
"Your levels were exceptional! It actually came back at 51,663! That is still pretty normal for a 5.7 weeks range, but we would like to get you in the office this week for an ultrasound to confirm everything looks good"
Ok, so just a recap. When I did my HCG for the first time in February, it was 765. See the chart below for and idea of where the standard range is for HCG levels. According to my LMP, I should have been 6 weeks on the nose. The level given to me was at the very top end of the 7 week mark!
That's a good thing, right?
The appointment and ultrasound was scheduled for Thursday and the second blood draw on Wednesday was canceled.
The Deets..
Ok, so I'm pregnant...
What are the details you ask??
LMP - June 3, 2012
Conception - ??? Who knows...
POAS - July 5, 2012
First blood draw - July 16, 2012
First Dr. Appt - July 31, 2012 (tentative depending on draws)
EDD - March 11, 2012
What are the details you ask??
LMP - June 3, 2012
Conception - ??? Who knows...
POAS - July 5, 2012
First blood draw - July 16, 2012
First Dr. Appt - July 31, 2012 (tentative depending on draws)
EDD - March 11, 2012
Peeing on a stick…
My last cycle started on June 3rd. According to the charts, I should have
started my next cycle on July 1st.
Give or take a day for hormones, emotional stress, and general
miscalculation, I should have had some activity from “the curse” by July 3rd. The 1st was my “I’m just done trying
to get pregnant because here comes my period again” day. I was a little crampy and generally cranky
too. Frustration had set in… July 2nd
and 3rd passed with no show from “the curse”. Surely, it’s coming! DH insisted I was getting myself messed up
with the drama over the pregnant/not pregnant cycles. We were getting ready to head to WV for the
annual 4th of July party with the Bartlett family. Wednesday, July 4th (Happy 4th
of July!) we headed north. Still no
curse… By now, I was convinced of the
pregnancy but sick to my stomach over the thought. Maybe I am, Maybe I’m not! Maybe I’m ready, Maybe I’m not! DH still wasn’t convinced – or maybe he was
but wasn’t ready to admit it?? We
arrived at his parents late that night and off to bed we went without an
answer. Thursday was an extremely busy
day…shopping all day and preparing for the party. I had no interest in spilling the
beans…yet… I needed to cope with the
news myself before I share it with the world!
Not sure that’s going to happen in this scenario!
Friday morning…holding my pee was “fun” to say the
least. We were in Philippi, West
Virginia. A tiny spot on the map without
much of anything there… Had I been home,
I would have ran to Walmart or a 24 hour CVS and picked up a stick on Thursday
night to pee on. However, in our current
scenario, it required making the Friday morning stick pee decision, getting out
of bed, convincing myself I DIDN’T have to pee, driving 10 minutes to the pharmacy,
stopping at the other 3 places the parents needed us to, and then finally
making it back to the house 45 minutes later!!
Phew! Now, that was a challenge! We made it back to the house and guests of
the party had arrived to beginning helping with prep… Ok, now HOW is this going
to remain a secret?? DH spilled the
beans to his parents as to why we insisted on leaving the house at 9 am so they
were waiting for the news themselves!
Thinking that this would be the last time I would pee on a
stick, I had envisioned a more epic series of events. Should I have surprised DH with the answer on
a stick? Should we have video taped our
discovery? Well, anything would have
seemed more memorable than the actual circumstances…
We went to the bathroom…finally, relief! I was hesitant to pee just because I was
nervous to confirm my suspicions. The
stick was activate (thank heavens for the digital stick – I hate have to
interpret) and I went about my bathroom business. The phone rang….DH answered…..it was the
Verizon guy….he continued his conversation about G’s phone damage (a whole
different story)…. He looked at the stick while on the phone and then showed it
to me while I was washing my hands….pregnant.
No tears, no happy squeals, no hugs or kisses – a pregnant
stick and an answer to our phone challenges…
Well, in the end, both things needed an answer so it was a good moment,
in theory… ;)
I needed some time to adjust my head to the “pregnant”
concept anyway. I instantly felt scared,
happy, nervous, overwhelmed, and thrilled all at the same time, the exact same
time! It’s a weird bout of emotions that
come out when you find out your pregnant.
No matter how it happened, it happened! Our new journey had begun. A renewed hope for a successful pregnancy and
delivery was instilled and I couldn’t have been happier!
2012 - A Recap
Bare with me...this is a long post - but it contains so many important pieces of what is shaping our family.
I think it’s important to notate this
year’s events before continuing the blog much further. It has been a pretty epic several months and
they’ve shaped a lot of things in our lives.
I’m thankful for so much and learned a ton over the months. It’s only through the grace of God that we
are where we are today and I would be remiss if I didn’t share in these trials,
tribulations, and successes.
It was a great start to 2012! DH and I decided it was time to finish our
family…we wanted to add one more kiddo to the mix and felt it was finally time
to start trying. Per past experiences,
it’s been pretty easy to conceive so I was planning another
October/November/December baby…maybe November 12th or 15th?? J We made the decision by the end of December
2011 and I stopped taking the generic birth control pill on December 28th. Figuring I would get pregnant in February as
always, we began our journey.
January was a busy month! We went to Disney for our second time
ever. The kids loved it! Unfortunately everyone ended up a little sick
but we still had a great time. The
Bartlett grandparents came with us for their first experience!! It was around that time (mid-January) that I
should have started my monthly curse… but I was too busy having fun at Disney
to pay attention to the date so I never thought much of it.
It was finally the end of January and
it dawned on me that I hadn’t started my curse yet. By now, I was starting to get a little
worried as to where it was. I mean, I
couldn’t have gotten pregnant – I JUST stopped taking the pill a month
ago! But what else could it be?? January 26, 2012 – pee on a stick…. PREGNANT!
Well, that was quick!! I decided
things were just meant to be. So many
things just fell into place. The pregnancy
just felt “right”. I called the OB the
next morning and set up my first appointment.
According to the doctor’s office, I was already 7 weeks along! Wow, being ignorant of the first few weeks of
pregnancy makes things fly by! The doc
set me up to be seen and have our first ultrasound on February 8th…
such a special day to have a great memory like meeting our newest little bean
for the first time! My dad passed away 8
years ago from pancreatic cancer (rest in peace Daddy) on the 8th.
On Sunday, January 29th, I
was feeling some pain in my side. I
thought it might be something I ate, so I just ignored it and went to bed. The next day, the pain was still there and
getting slightly worse by the minute.
Monday came and went and the pain was starting to affect my daily
ability to function. It was at this
point that I became super scared that something was wrong with my body. When I delivered Cole, I had an infection of
the amniotic fluid (chorio amniocentisis)…I thought for sure that had ruined my
body and my entire pregnany was going to be filled with the same pain I had at
the end of my last pregnancy. That’s
exactly what it felt like too…an extreme pain/infection in my side.
Tuesday, January 31st the
pain was unbearable. There were tears streaming
down my face most of the evening. I
couldn’t even cook dinner or stand up it hurt so badly. I knew I had to do something! I figured the best thing I could do was to
call the doctor in the morning and let them know what was up. I stood next to DH crying, feeling like
things weren’t right! I talked to a good
friend that evening and told her I had a terrible feeling I was going to loose
this baby. There wasn’t anything more I
could do than try to get comfortable and get some sleep.
The next morning, February 1st,
I called my OB and left a message with
the nurse. They called back 2 hours
later (forever in my world of pain and anxiety) and gave me some “implantation
cramping” excuse. Since I wasn’t
spotting/bleeding, they didn’t feel the need to see me. I pushed the issue saying I had 2 other
pregnancies with neither having pain like this and convinced them to see me at
2 pm. I needed to get a little work done
so I took a shower, got ready, headed to the office downstairs and did a little
work. It was 1:15 – we should have been
heading out the door at 1:30 for my appointment… that’s when things went
terribly wrong. In the office, sitting
in my chair in front of my computer, I had a wave of pain that was some of the
most intense feelings I’ve had thus far, then it stopped….. No pain at all…. Then it happened…. I felt like I had started to pee my pants. I sat there for a second trying to understand
why I was peeing when I didn’t feel like I even had to pee… Then it hit me…. BLOOD! I ran to the bathroom as fast as I could and
screamed for DH. When I sat on the
toilet, a gush of things passed from my body.
Blood seemed to be on everything.
All I could do was cry hysterically – this can’t be happening to
me! No one I knew had anything like this
happen to them. Why me?!?!
DH brought me a change of clothes and
we raced to the doctor’s office, strangely getting there at my scheduled
appointment time. They brought me back
rather quickly but annoying wanted a urine sample! Give me a break folks!! Bleeding uncontrollably here!! I asked, rather curtly, if I could provide
one at a later time and they kindly obliged.
First things first – the ultrasound.
I was so scared I was going to have to see something. I didn’t know what to expect. I was afraid the tech was going to show me
something terrible! Luckily, it was a
quick and quiet experience. The monitor
was turned away, she was quick to get what she needed and offered her
condolences as she left with the results.
The doctor and nurse practitioner (who I was scheduled to see) met
together to review the results while I was guided to an exam room. The NP is the one that actually came to
deliver the news. She said that the
ultrasound looked clean. There seemed to
be nothing left of the pregnancy in my uterus.
That means I must have passed the baby at home in the bathroom (I was
heartbroken!). They drew blood to check
my HcG levels and asked I come back on Friday to get a second test…making sure
the pregnancy hormones were dropping appropriately. My activity level wasn’t restricted but they
suggested I go home and take it easy on Wednesday night… We ordered pizza and sat on the couch. I was feeling ok internally by that
evening. The bleeding had practically
stopped. Now we had to figure out how to
readjust our lives after something so traumatic as loosing a baby.
Thursday and Friday came and went. I honestly was feeling OK, not great, or even
good, just OK. Emotionally, I expected
to be frazzled, but physically I just didn’t feel like I was getting back to
normal. Maybe that was normal?!? Who knows – I didn’t know of anyone I could
talk to about it. There was still this
aching in my side that wouldn’t stop! I
kept a heating pad near by to help ease the discomfort. They NP said I would experience cramping for
several days so I could only guess that is what was happening. Saturday, February 4th, good
friends came for the day to hang out.
They have 2 small kids and I just love getting a chance to hang with
them and enjoy their company. DH and
Man-Friend decided they were going to head to our office gym and get a little
basketball time in before dinner. That
left Lady-Friend and I to manage the 5 kids…. No troubles! Haha!!
Poor Lady-Friend! Little did she
know what was going to happen that day!
We were sitting on the floor together playing with Smallest-Friend (
<3 her! ) when the pain in my side got really intense. I tried to move to the couch and use the
heating pad, but it wasn’t helping. I
had to excuse myself to the restroom when I curled into a ball on the toilet
and watched my girl-bleeding get heavy again….
The pain was becoming extremely intense.
I was gone for about 45 minutes in the bathroom trying to get the pain,
and myself, under control. I had to suck
this up! What kind of host leaves their
guest alone for so long, and left her with MY kids! I tried again. Back to the couch with the heating pad and
many apologies. That only lasted 5
minutes! Off I went again to the
bathroom where I threw up because the pain was so intense. At this point I was at a loss… I called a friend that used to work in a OB
office hoping she could at least tell me I wasn’t crazy…
Ring Ring Ring…
Friend: Hello? Judy:
Hi Friend (sniff, tears, sniff) I
need some advice. Friend: Sure, what’s a matter? Judy:
I’m bleeding uncontrollably and cant stand up. Is that normal? Friend:
Judy, Call the Doctor NOW!
Judy: But I have company and I
don’t want to go to the ER…I’m probably fine, right? Friend: Judy, hang up and call the doctor
NOW!! Judy: Ok friend, Thanks for reasoning with me….
Yes, bleeding uncontrollably and unable
to stand up – those are very good reasons to call the doctor! When the after-hours nurse line finally picks
up, they tell me to get my @$$ to the ER right away. What about my guests? What about dinner? What about DH and Man-Friend’s basketball
game?? So many other things I need to
care about, right? When Lady-Friend
finds me in tears and agony, she knocks yet some more sense into me and tells
me to get to the hospital. I call DH and
interrupt their game – which they hurriedly left and tried to race home at
lightning speeds. I assured them I was
fine (telling a bit of a white lie) and made sure they picked up the catering I
ordered this morning from Carrabba’s before coming home. I decided while waiting for him to get home
with Man-Friend and dinner, that telling him to take his time wasn’t in my best
interest. I kind of gave DH the “what in
the H3LL took you so long?” look when he got there (sorry honey!). By 8pm, we got Man and Lady-Friend settled in
with dinner AND our three kids, abandoned them at the house, and left for the
ER. By 8:30 I was hobbling in slowly desperately
gripping my side for relief. I tell the
desk person just what the nurse on the phone told me to….I think I have an
ectopic pregnancy. WHOOSH – away I went
to the back to begin getting worked up!
The doctor on call from the ER was literally walking in the door behind
me. I was so thankful they were slow
that night and quick to help me. The
pain was unbearable! “On a scale of one
to ten, what is your pain level right now?”
I say….20??!!??!! 6cc of morphine
later… “What is your pain level now?”
Pain, what pain?!?!? What a lifesaver
that medicine was! The ultrasound tech
at the hospital was extremely sweet and took her time to explain everything she
was seeing to me…the super-large amount of blood in my abdomen, the inability
to see anything useful because of the blood, and did I mention the blood? She told me this was most likely a ruptured
ectopic pregnancy in my left tube and would need operated on immediately. The OB doc on-call for the evening confirmed
and they swished me back to the OR by 11:00.
The surgery was quick and simple. I think I was in for less than an hour. They had to completely remove the tube and
the doc cleaned up a lot of scar tissue in there due to a previous surgery
(appendectomy) too. 12 hours of hospital
recovery time later, I was on my way home.
A few weeks of bed/couch rest, and a lot of help from family and friends,
and I am pretty much back to normal. The
doctor gives the ok to try again, if we’re ready, after 2 normal
cycles/curses…….
The follow-up:
The emotional drain of loosing a little one is very
challenging. I can’t explain the
feelings you go through and the pain it causes.
DH blamed the birth control since I was probably still finishing up when
the pregnancy happened. I blamed myself
for a while but honestly knew there was nothing I did wrong. It just makes you feel better to point
fingers at something, anything….
I was anxious to finish up my second cycle so we could try
again. I knew for sure I would be
pregnant right away since I was off of the pill for several months. April… May… June… negative!
It was getting discouraging. My
hope was in conceiving again – that would take the pain away and give me a new
life to focus on. I felt foolish for
being so sullen over the continued failures…think of how many people couldn’t
have one baby! Maybe it just wasn’t meant
to be? July 1st I asked DH
for the pill back. I was tired of being
let down. I was tired of trying. I decided that I knew best (silly me) and
thought taking the possibility away would make it less difficult. We could try later – in 6 months to a year –
when things settled a little. When I
felt it was right. I wonder when I’m
ever going to learn that it’s not MY plan that matters?? God had a different plan for this
family. One I was extremely surprised to
learn about only a few days later. DH
and I talked it through and decided the pill wasn’t the best option. We would just let it be…what was going to
happen will be in God’s hands. I only
prayed that I could be settled in that decision
Sunday, July 8, 2012
And then there were...
FOUR! Yes, four little people
will eventually overtake our home... Maybe it's a good thing we decided
on the 4,000 square foot house early on. The 2:1 ratio of short to tall
people is a little overwhelming to think about - but in the end, God is
providing for us and blessing our family just as we had hoped. DH and I
couldn't be more thrilled to be completing (I think...) our little - er BIG -
family with the addition of a little one in March.
Quick recap: Grant is 8 (turning 14…or
9 depending on the moment) and getting ready to begin 4th grade this
summer. He is into Lego: Ninjago and
video games right now. We think he might
start riding a Honda CRF100 this summer too – we’ll see how ambitious he is…not
to mention the folks that need to teach him… J Raegan is 4 now. She is a huge girly girl/drama queen. She loves Barbies, Disney Princesses, and
dress up + pretend play. She wants
nothing more than to play with her best friend Hallie on a daily basis! J Jackson “Cole” is our little guy at 2
years. Funny enough, he is the commander
and chief in the house! Somehow, he
manages to rule the roost and get away with every second of it. Being the baby, plus having his blonde
hair/blue eye combo, allows for some freedoms he probably shouldn’t have… His
favorite activities include shooting a gun or gun-like object at anything he
can and riding any motorized object he can get his hands on. Grant used to ride a little Yamaha 50cc dirt
bike..it’s now been passed on to Cole, training wheels attached. His riding pleasure is just beginning – and
he couldn’t be happier!
That leaves the menagerie of animals
and the two adults brave enough to undertake a house full of kids… Not to
mention the full time business that we run!
Yes, it’s a little hectic, but we love it! Stay tuned for the results of the pee stick
and the chaos that ensued afterwards……
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