Home Sweet Hearne

Two

2011-03-12T12:00:00.000-08:00

How did we get here? How did I so quickly go from cuddling my tiny angel boy, sniffing his sweet head (wait, I still do that), savoring how his soft little body fit perfectly onto my chest to snuggle; and now I have a toddler?! That soft, sweet, yummy baby is now a full-fledged little boy. A boy who is always running, says "Momma" a million times a day (sweet music!), gets mad when we don't let him watch movies 24/7, and lights up a whole room with his smile.

I love that I can see his little personality developing more every day. I love that as he gets better at communicating his wants and needs, he is visibly proud that we understand. I love that he is OCD about things being "just so". I love that something as simple as submitting to his request for crackers gets a "yay!" and a little dance. I love that he is so appreciative of gifts and nice gestures, and nearly always says thank you whether I ask him to or not (and gifts get an adorable "oh wow!" too). I love that when we sit down to eat, we say "let's pray", and he bows his little head and starts mumbling, then finishes with "A-men!". I love that he still lets me snuggle him before he goes to bed. I could go on and on.

I know that 2 will be hard. Discipline, tantrums, attitude are all hard already. I dread potty training and getting rid of his beloved paci. But nobody promised me it would be easy. Just that it would be the best time of our life. Happy Birthday to the most amazing, precious gift we have ever received! We love you so much sweet boy!

Feast of Casseroles

2011-01-13T17:25:00.001-08:00

The first event we got to host our new home was the annual Feast of Casseroles. Several years ago, our group of friends decided to start the tradition of having our own pre-Thanksgiving dinner together. We decided on a menu, with everyone's traditional holiday favorites. We realized the majority of the menu was a casserole of some sort, and thus the name. This was our 4th year, and we had about 50 guests. We deep fry turkeys and everyone brings a dish to share. It was the best feeling to look around our house and realize there were so many people there, and comfortably. It made the headaches of construction all worth it. We are certainly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful group of friends!

We moved the furniture around to make room for enough eating tables

Of the 50 people, about 15-20 were kids under the age of 6!

Year in Review

2011-01-10T11:46:00.000-08:00

Since it's been a year since I updated this here blog, I thought I would just bring it up to speed in one fell swoop. So, get ready for what is certain to be the lengthiest post this blog has ever seen. (Or maybe not, we all know my memory is pitiful) But I promise pictures (!) and a slide show (!) to break up the boring.

January:
Andrew got tubes, turned into a totally different child once his ears weren't a nightmare.
Andrew pulls up on the furniture.
Bought land next to some friends to build a house.

February:
Put our house on the market

March:
Andrew turned 1! Had a big party with friends, family, chocolate cake, and lots of presents.
Andrew started walking toward the end of the month. He is 30.5 inches tall, and weighs about 24 pounds.
Andrew's friend Caroline turned 1.
Grieved with our dear friends the loss of their precious baby girl Jillian.
It was so hard to have so much of the happy and the devastating all at one time. Quite an emotional month.

April:
Accepted an offer on our house, begin packing. Still tweaking plans for our home to be built.

May:
Moving day comes at the end of the month. It was kind of hard to leave our house, though we were both ready for more space for us and more room for Andrew to play. This was our first home together, where we brought Andrew home from the hospital. A little bittersweet. We moved to a duplex to save money (ha!) while our house is being built.

June:
Break ground on the house.

July:
I traveled to San Jose CA for work, leaving Andrew at home with Chad for 5 days. HARD to say the least, but we all survived.

August:
We are becoming weary of apartment living.
Andrew is growing and talking a LOT.

September:
House is almost finished!
Hmmm. I'm sure something else happened this month.

October:
MOVING!!! Spent this month getting settled in our new home.
Andrew is now 18 months old, weighs 28 pounds, and is 34.5 inches tall. He loves his new house, and is enjoying all the room to play.

November:
Celebrated Thanksgiving with my family at Mom and Dad's.

December:
Chistmas at home! Both families came to our house to celebrate. It was so nice to have plenty of room for everyone! Celebrated New Year's with a quiet night at home. May 2011 be so much better than 2010. This was a very hard year, for so many reasons, most of which I don't feel I should put on the blog. But we had babies born, strengthened relationships, happy times, and a sweet boy to celebrate too.

Playing Catch Up

2010-12-12T13:08:00.000-08:00

Um, hi. I guess it's been a little while since I've been on here. Where do I start? I guess the easiest way to get caught up on the past 8 months is a slide show (or twenty). This has been one of the most emotionally exhausting years I have ever experienced. Up and down, happy and sad, grieving and rejoicing. I am worn out. First step, make blog pretty and festive. Check. Hopefully, the second step will be complete before too long. My goal is to have an actual post up here before the one year mark rolls around. Wish me luck!

This and That

2010-01-12T17:51:00.000-08:00

We have been so super busy since since Christmas! Speaking of Christmas, Andrew's first was so special and so much fun. He finally got the hang of opening the gifts, though he did need to taste each "flavor" of wrapping paper before he would move on to the next. We are definitely set on toys and clothes for a while now! Chad and I were both off for 2 weeks, and we spent most of that time hanging out at home as a family. I told him it's funny how A has changed us. Before him, if we had a week straight together, I would be begging for some space, or leaving the house a lot just to have time to myself. Now I am perfectly content to just be here, and I miss him more when he's gone.

Andrew is still having trouble with ear infections, so this Friday he will get tubes. I'm a little surprised at how calm I am about it, but I'll do anything to make him feel better and rest better. I'm thankful every day for how healthy he is; if this is all I have to worry about, I'm certainly not complaining.

Today Andrew is 10 months old. I can't believe it's already time to start thinking about his first birthday party! (I said thinking, not accepting). New Year's Eve, he started crawling, and then pulling up, and even cruising a bit. All at once I have this mobile child! We've already taken some tumbles, and had some bumps and bruises. I told him to get used to it, this is the way he'll look for the next 18 years!

We have a busy year ahead of us. At work, we moved into a new building and will open up there on Sunday. I can actually see more than just a brick wall and the dumpster from my office window now. My dept has been in the same space for more than 50 years! Chad and I are in the process of buying a piece of land to build a house on, so that means trying to sell ours, moving, building, then moving again. Whew!

For several people near and dear to us, 2010 will be the hardest year they have faced. I am so thankful for my sweet healthy boy. As I looked around at dinner Sunday night, though, I was also thankful for the many friends we have as part of our family, and the fact that we all help to hold one another up when we may not feel like we have the strength to stand. Thank God for the blessing of friendship!

My Hope

2009-11-21T09:41:00.001-08:00

There is a song that is played on KLOVE that really struck a chord in my heart when I took the time to listen to the words. I don't remember artist's names that well, so I'm not sure who sings it, but the chorus is simply beautiful. If I could make a list of the most important things I want Andrew to know, this would be the list.

"Be strong in the Lord, never give up hope. You're going to do great things, I already know. God's got His hand on you, so don't live life in fear. Forgive and forget, and don't forget why you're here. Take your time and pray, thank God for each day."

It's still so overwhelming to think of the awesome responsibility given to us, but when I see it like this, it really seems so simple. My hope for Andrew summed up in these words; to live a life pleasing to God, to always be thankful of the things we have, and mindful of those who don't, to have faith in God and believe in the plan He has in store for him. What a blessing!

Give Thanks

2009-11-21T09:33:00.000-08:00

Give thanks to the Lord, for He is good. His love endures forever. (I Chron. 16:34)

Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name. (Psalms 100:4)

Let us come before him with thanksgiving and extol him with music and song. (Psalm 95:2)

This Thanksgiving, I am thankful for: Chad and Andrew, our family, my friend family, a good job, a home, health, and our church, just to name a few.
I have so many things to be thankful for this year, but most of all, I am thankful for my sweet sweet boy. I could never have imagined how much our life would change, but I wouldn't trade it for anything!

It's Fall Y'all!

2009-11-15T16:35:00.001-08:00

I will never cease to be amazed at how lightning fast the time is passing! How has it already been 2 months since I last posted? My sweet boy is now 8 months old, has 2 teeth, had his first Halloween, and his first ear infection (awful!). He weighs just over 20 pounds and is 28.5 inches long. He isn't crawling yet, but is just starting to get on all fours and rock a little bit. Before we know it, he'll be everywhere and into everything, probably about the time the Christmas tree goes up!

Andrew got to go to the Pumpkin Patch and see all of the pumpkins, gourds, and mums there, and for Halloween, he was Yoda (from Star Wars, if you are wondering). Feast of Casseroles is tonight (YUM!), then it's time for Thanksgiving and Christmas decorations!

6 months!

2009-09-06T14:39:00.001-07:00

This weekend, my baby boy will turn 6 months old. I am shocked (and saddened) at how fast this time has gone. Andrew is such a big boy now! He weighs just shy of 18 pounds, and at his last checkup was just over 26 inches long. He wears a size 3 diaper, a size 3 shoe, and 6-9 month clothes. He started eating cereal a couple of weeks ago, and has tried some vegetables too. He loves loves loves to eat! He usually tries to "help" me by grabbing the spoon with both hands to shove it into his mouth and hang on! He went to Bible class for the first time this week, and loved it too.

I was reading back through some of my early pregnancy posts where I wrote about how humbling it was to be a part of God's creation, how amazing it was that he chose us to be Andrew's parents. Every time I look at his precious face and his gorgeous clear blue eyes, I thank God for my little piece of heaven, gift wrapped in a onesie and smelling of Johnson's baby lotion. How I pray that I will remember every inch of him right now, every giggle and whimper, the way he licks my face when he gives me "sugars", and holds my finger when I snuggle him, his favorite books and toys, his sweet happy face, and the curiosity and wonder in his eyes.

Now, how do I make it SLOW DOWN!!!?

So Good Granola

2009-09-06T14:34:00.000-07:00

I thought I would break away from my usual posts about how adorable my child is to post a recipe. My favorite things in life are my family, friends, and food, so it just made sense. Plus I had a couple friend request this recipe, so now the rest of you (all 2 of you!) have it too. This is adapted from two other granola recipes that I couldn't decide between one day. I just sort of meshed the best parts, and this is what I ended up with. The best thing about is some of the ingredients can be "optional" (coconut, pecans, almonds, etc.)

Homemade Granola

2 1/2 - 3 cups oats (not quick oats)
1 cup coconut
1 cup chopped pecans
1/2 cup sliced almonds
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/3 cup wheat germ
1/4 cup butter
1/2 cup honey
2 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt

Combine dry ingredients. Melt butter with honey, add vanilla. Pour over dry mixture, fold together until well incorporated. Spread on large baking sheet. Bake at 350 for 8 minutes. Stir. Bake 8-10 minutes more. Cool. Store in an airtight container.

Where did the past 4 months go?

2009-08-01T13:41:00.000-07:00

Whew! Has it really been over 4 months since I have typed actual words here? I'm finally going to update this old blog o' mine.

So much to say, where do I start? The best place I can think of is my sweet angel boy. He's is 4 1/2 months old now, and I am amazed at how it really does go by so fast! I keep saying it's a cruel joke that God plays on us by making the time of our baby's life that we are the most sleep-deprived and out of it is the time that he will grow and change the most!

So, a little about Andrew: I'm guessing he weighs about 17 pounds now (doctor's appt next week so we'll know exactly) and he's about 25-26 inches long. I am shocked at how fast he's grown. His legs are rock solid and he loves to stand up. He has the best and biggest toothless smile! I love how he lights up when I talk to him. He loves his daddy, but he is a bit of a momma's boy. He has rolled from his belly to his back, and I think he's close to going the other way too. The child LOVES music and watching loud movies with daddy. I thank God for him every day; a child really will make you appreciate all the simple things in life. I wish I had been better about blogging weekly, there are so many things that I know I won't remember.

Some things I've learned so far:

1. Nursing a baby is natural, but certainly not easy. It takes a LOT of encouragement and pain tolerance to stick with it, but it is so worth it.

2. I am amazed at how big my heart smiles just watching Chad and Andrew together.

3. I never knew I would cry so much. Frustrated cries, tired cries, worried cries, happy cries, definitely a change for me.

4. My mom is amazing, and I know even more just how much she loves me.

5. I can worry about anything. Is he sleeping too much? not enough? Is he eating enough or too much? Should his poop be that color? What is this scratch from? Does he miss me when I'm gone? Arghhhhhh!

6. I can operate on even less sleep than I used to.

7. I can be content for hours at a time with no tv or noise, just holding my baby. (he doesn't really let me do this anymore, though)

8. I have amazing friends. Too many reasons to list.

9. I have an awesome husband, who has turned out to be a gentle, caring, even patient daddy.

More later...There's so much to tell! I just hope I remember it all by the time I'm on here again!

2009-06-21T11:38:00.001-07:00

New Post Coming Soon!

2009-05-21T09:57:00.000-07:00

Who knew it was so hard to write even short blog posts with a newborn???? I'm working on figuring out a slideshow to post too, so it may take awhile, but I promise there will be something new here soon!

Side note: Can anyone help me remember how to get that pregnancy ticker off my page without messing up my layout?

Andrew's Birth Story

2009-03-15T12:38:00.000-07:00

I have said ever since A was born that I need to write down his birth story so I don't forget. Then I tell myself, surely I won't forget that! But knowing my stellar memory, I'm going to give it a shot. (especially considering that I'm actually writing this just a month before his 3rd birthday, oh well better late than never!).

Tuesday, March 10, 2012
I went to Little Rock to do a little shopping and meet Nana, Bobpop, Grandma, and Payton for lunch at Cracker Barrel. Not really anything memorable about the day, I just remember feeling tired and huge. Same as most every other day. At my last doctor's appoinment (the previous Friday), I was dilated to a 1 or 2, and 90% effaced.

Wednesday, March 11, 1:00 a.m. (ish)
I wake up feeling awful. Not really sure how to describe it. I was crampy, like I needed to use the bathroom, and just generally uncomfortable. I tried to go back to sleep, but woke up off and on the rest of the night.

(8:00)Chad got up and went to work, I was on Spring Break this week, so luckily I didn't have to be anywhere. The weather was cold and dreary, so I got up, took a shower and put on some comfy clothes, and settled in on the couch. I had contractions all through the day, but never very close together.

(12:00) Leanne and Lauren came over around lunch time. I was able to carry on a conversation with her, but would have to stop and catch my breath when I had a contraction. They were definitely getting stronger at this point. I called Chad to keep him in the loop, but told him not to come home yet. I don't remember if I ever truly timed them, I just kept a general idea of how far apart they were. They were pretty sporadic, 10 minutes, 20, then 7 or 5, lots of back and forth. I talke to/text Rita through the day to tell her what's going on. She tell me that I am definitely in labor.

(3:00) My contractions were starting to get much stronger, and I began to pace the house for relief, stopping to breathe through each one. I called Chad and asked him to come home. I spent the next couple of hours walking around the house, I never really wanted to sit down. I did sit on the "birthing" ball some and lean against my bed to help relieve the pressure. We called my parents sometime around all of this, but told them we weren't going to the hospital yet, so they could wait and come after church if they wanted. They are 2 hours away, so they decided to head up now rather than risk missing something. They arrived probably around 5:30.

(6:00) My contractions are very strong and by this point I am pacing in Andrew's bedroom, using the footstool to the glider to drape myself over and rock back and forth. This actually helped tremendously. More than the pain, I remember the intense pressure I felt in my butt, like he was literally going to out the wrong way or something. Very strange. I call Rita and she offers to come over when she gets off work to check me.

(7:30) Rita comes over to check me. She gets a panicked look on her face, then asks to check me again. I'm between a 5 and a 6. (she later tells me she thought I was at least an 8 at first and needed to go to the hospital!). I told her to go home and see her family and get some rest and I would call her when I decided to go to the hospital.

(8:30) My contractions are coming very quickly and becoming very strong. I decided I wanted to go to the hospital. We got checked in and settled in to a room. Chad's parents arrive somewhere around this point. I am unable to speak to anyone now, and focus instead on breathing through each contraction. Leanne arrives after church, along with Cindy. My room is full of people watching me writhe around on the bed. I remember thinking, "why doesn't somebody make them all go away??, but I could't verbalize it. My dad ends up leaving the room because he can' stand to see me in pain. I'm not sure why I wasn't still walking around for relief, all I could think about was the pain and all the people in the room looking at me.

(10:30 ish)The nurses attempt to get in a heplock, but can't since I wasn't smart enough to be drinking any water during the day, and I'm a little dehydrated. They end up having to call the anesthsiologist to try to get it started. I remember suddenly feeling panicked and thinking, well if he's here now, if I decide to get an epidural later, will he be able to come back in time?...I know, totally wacko. I whisper to Chad that I want an epidural. He asks if I'm sure, and I nodded. Rita ask me if I'm sure too, because she knows I was adamant about not getting one. She asks if I want to try something to take the edge off first, but I again requested the epidural. (note to self: listen to your friend!) I remember feeling first not relief that the pain would be lessened, but guilt that I had "failed". The epidural does allow me to be able to rest some. It wasnt' perfect, though, and I could still feel every pain on the left side, and of course still the pressure. I was glad to be feeling something, I never wanted to feel like I wasn't in control of my body.

My time detail gets a little fuzzy at this point. I think around midnight I was dilated to a 7, I know the epidural seemed to slow everything down considerably. At some point they had to break my water. They ended up turning me onto my side, which seemed to help, and by 2:30 or 3:00, I was ready to push. My mom and Chad stayed in the room with me. I wasn't sure how Chad would do with all of this, considering the jokes he kept making during our childbirth class. He was a wonderful labor coach! I was so proud of him. And I was proud of my mom, for letting he do most of the coaching. I wasn't making a lot of progress pushing, I remember they got a towel for me to hold on to, and the nurse held on to the other end. She told me to pull as hard as I could while I pushed, and I nearly pulled her on top of me! TMI alert...I was so afraid I was going to have a BM while in labor, that I think that was keeping me from pushing as hard as I could! I pushed for about 45 minutes, then I could tell that he was crowning. What a beautiful, weird, intense feeling! They called in the doctor (not my doctor, but that's another story), I pushed a couple more times, and he was here (3:48 a.m.)! They had to cut me some when he head came out, so while they checked him out, I was getting stitched up. After about 1/2 hour of so, they let our families in to see him. Both sets of parents were here, as was Chad's sister. Leanne (big and pregnant too, of course) and Cindy had both sat in the waiting room most of the night, and Rita stayed on after working a 12 hour shift the day before to make sure everything worked out. Amazing friends? You bet! I remember nursing Andrew then going to sleep. I was absolutley worn out at this point, having labored for about 26 hours. I think everyone left the hospital by around 5:00 a.m.

The next day is a blur, they didn't let him come back to our room (funny how now I don't exactly remember why, but I do know they did a chest xray on him) so we spent most of the next day going back and forth to the nursery to feed him and becoming increasingly upset that he wasn't in the room with us. Finally around 7:00, they brought him back to us, we had a room full of visitors at the time, so Andrew got to meet lots of friends! There are a lot of things about this day that I will remember and/or change for the next time, but I'd say the outcome (healthy baby, healthy momma) was perfect!

Can life get any better?

2009-03-13T14:43:00.001-07:00

Welcome to the world, my angel!

Andrew's Room

2009-03-04T14:34:00.001-08:00

The blank wall will eventually be home to some sketches of Chad's cars.

Bookcase courtesy of Grandad.

I'm There

2009-03-02T16:01:00.001-08:00

All you moms out there probably know what I'm talking about. That time where you get to the point where you're just like "okay, time to come out now little one. We're done, let's go, get on out". We'll I'm there. Not that I haven't truly loved being pregnant (most of it), and am still amazed and fascinated at the way our God created us to be able to do this, but I'm good. I've experienced it, I feel like a big bulky fat girl, and I'm done. I'm ready to meet this little guy. I'm getting whiny and I don't like it. I'm not impatient, just antsy. I'm not miserable yet, just not myself. I'm not used to being tired, and retaining fluid, and walking with so much effort, and having people look at me like "geez lady, you haven't had that thing yet?". I haven't progressed a whole lot, still 90%, dilated to about a 2 now. Time will tell, there's a full moon coming next week!

36 1/2 Week Belly

2009-02-22T16:09:00.001-08:00

Countdown

2009-02-21T08:34:00.000-08:00

Has anyone noticed the little counter at the top of the page? It says "24 days to go". 24. 24 very short days. That's less than a month. Not that I'm freaking out at all, nooooooooo, but seriously, 24? Plus, the way I keep contracting, I'm pretty sure it's even less than that. I went to the doctor on Thursday and I'm dilated a little more than a 1, and 90% effaced. Apparently, this boy is very low, which I knew already. He hasn't dropped (I don't think), that's just where he's been this whole time. We got some more stuff hung up in his room, so I'll get more pics up soon. It's so stinkin' cute and very colorful! Please continue to pray for us, because you know what? We're having a baby! Soon. 24 days. And it's so very real to me now.

Andrew's Bed

2009-02-17T12:13:00.001-08:00

There is actually more stuff in his room now, but it's still too messy to want to put it on here. More pics coming soon, just as soon as we hang the window treatment and get a few more things in.

34 Week Belly

2009-02-04T10:41:00.000-08:00

Well, here it is.

He's really starting to shoot right on out there, huh? At my 32 week ultrasound, he was measuring 4 pounds 12 ounces, which puts him on track to be a big boy. Everything looked good, and he is head down. Just waiting now for him to put on more weight and get ready to meet us in about 6 weeks!

I am getting really TIRED lately. I'm not enjoying this or getting used to it at all. Every day I think of the things I need to do when I get home, then once I get there, I'm so tired that most of it goes out the window. Exhaustion is a feeling I am not accustomed to experiencing on a daily basis. Because of this and also the fact that I am getting another cold, I've become a tad grumpy.

I go back to the doctor this week, then one more 2 week visit before we start weekly checks. It has gone by SO fast, I can't believe that it is nearly time for him to be here. I'm still overwhelmed and terrified and nervous and all those good things, but mostly I am excited to meet him and hold him and kiss him, and prayerful that he will be happy and healthy and we won't screw him up too much!

Ten Things Tuesday

2009-01-20T15:21:00.000-08:00

Today, I am thankful for:

1. A healthy active baby boy. This little guy moves almost nonstop! Not only does it constantly reassure me that he is growing just the way he should, it also provides a source of entertainment throughout the day as I watch my belly roll and jump all by itself.

2. Friends who have been there, done that, and want me to know all about it. I have never been one to be bothered by "too much information". I'm so lucky to have friends that want me to know all the wonderful and not so pleasant aspects of pregnancy, childbirth, and the post-partum time. I feel so prepared and so less anxious, just because I know no topic is off limits.

3. My nieces and nephews. Perhaps I've mentioned them before? Well, they're still so precious to me, and I can't wait for Andrew to be able to meet all his cousins!

4. A new sewing machine. Okay, so I've technically had it since June, but just recently decided to get over my fears and use it. It's a wonder what a modern machine with new parts can do, as opposed to the 1972 model from my Grandmother that I was "using". I'm so proud that I've been able to do most of the bedding and such for Andrew's room myself. (okay, so Mary helped me A LOT, but still).

5. Insulated mugs and plastic straws. I am able to remember to drink lots of water so much easier when I can keep a ton of it on my desk staring at me all day long. I can always feel a difference on the days when I don't get at least 60-70 ounces in.

6. 3 year old chatter. I'm looking forward to spending an evening with my favorite 3 1/2 year old little girl. You never know what is going to come out of her mouth!

7. Other people's blogs. I have found the most helpful blogs recently, that have helped to spur me to do better at trying new foods and planning ahead with our menus and grocery shopping.

8. New recipes. I sometimes get overwhelmed when I sit down to look at all my cookbooks or magazines (which has probably contributed to my lack of desire to plan meals right now), but I do love a new idea or new flavor combinations.

9. Our nation. Even though I did not vote for our President, I am hopeful that the promises he has made and the changes he is working toward will be a positive thing for our country. God tells us to respect our leaders, and I have no doubt that that certainly includes the ones that we don't agree with. I have faith that He will continue to carry our nation, and that we should look to Him for guidance and answers in the years ahead. "Troublesome times are here, filling men's hearts with fear..." but his is our Rock and our Salvation! We are still blessed to be citizens of the United States.

10. A husband with a sense of humor. We probably giggled more than we should have during childbirth class, but I am so grateful that we don't take ourselves or each other too seriously. And while I have promised a swift kick to the groin if any jokes are made during the actual labor, I know that's his own way of dealing with stress, and that I will probably need a little "mood lightening" then!

On the baby front...

I am 32 WEEKS pregnant! That means I only have 8 weeks (or less! yikes!) left until we get to meet our little guy. Where has the time gone? I am definitely feeling pregnant now. I get uncomfortable a lot, especially in my back, and get tired so much quicker than I am accustomed to. We have 3 or 4 showers scheduled this month, which is amazing (see how blessed we are?), so we should have everything we need soon. I'm working on getting things lined out at my job for my maternity leave, and have begun my last semester of teaching at UCA. So many changes right now, but I know it's all worth it. We're preparing for the biggest and best change of our lives!

Pics of Andrew's bed and my belly coming soon.

Is it really January already?

2009-01-01T07:52:00.000-08:00

Where has the time gone? It's January, y'all. That means that in just over 10 weeks (or less, as everyone keeps pointing out to me), this little guy will come to live with us. Ours. Totally dependant on his momma and daddy for everything. Can you say "scared out of my mind"? Reality is starting to set in, and while I can't explain the happiness I feel, I also am just plain terrified. Pregnancy hormones are a beautiful thing, aren't they?

I didn't realize having a blog would be so hard to keep up with. I haven't posted anything since Thanksgiving, but really, what do I have to talk about, besides my belly is getting big? Or, gee, it's a little harder to get up off the couch now? I don't want to use this as a place to post complaints or give everyone lovely details about pregnancy related "joys". But I figured since we just had Christmas and New Year's, maybe that would give me something interesting.

We had a great Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with the Hearne's, and then the weekend with my family. Chad got his precious Blu-Ray player, and we have spent the week watching movies and playing Rock Band together. He also did very well on his gifts to me, which he is so proud of. I got a new cookbook, and under counter cookbook holder, a personalized chef's hat, and 2 Wii cooking games. I'd say the guy knows me pretty well, huh? Andrew racked up; I think I opened a total of 7 presents with his name on them, most of them thanks to Aunt Amanda.

I've been off work for 2 weeks now, and have one more week to go. We've been working on the nursery a lot. We finished painting, hung new blinds, and got the furniture up. Next up will be finishing bedding and then just putting everything away. I'm still amazed at the amount of stuff we have been given already. I'll post pics of the room as soon as it's presentable.

We are starting 2 week doctor visits now. I had my glucose test this week (not pleasant, especially considering the waiting room was a toasty 80 degrees), and will have another ultrasound in a couple of weeks. Andrew is growing and beginning to be quite the wiggle worm. It's so funny to me to be able to sit and watch my belly jump around and twitch with his movements. I'll post a belly shot below. Since I haven't posted one in over a month, you should be able to see quite a difference. Everyone seems to enjoy pointing out "as big as you are, you'll probably go early", and "that's a big boy in there". Doesn't really add any calm to my current state of nervousness! Even Chad takes great pleasure in reminding me what a big baby he was and that "Andrew will probably be 12 pounds". I'll take whatever size the good Lord determines I can handle, as long as he is healthy. 2009 is going to be a year where our lives change forever, in the best way possible. We'll become a little family of 3. Happy New Year everybody!

Below are some Christmas pics of us, the nieces and nephews, and a belly shot. Enjoy!

10 Things Tuesday

2008-11-25T07:46:00.000-08:00

A couple of friends regularly do a "10 Things Tuesday"post in which they list 10 things they are thankful for that week. I thought it especially pertinent this week, as we prepare to celebrate Thanksgiving.

1. My husband. As much as he has been known to annoy and lo, even frustrate and irritate me, there is still no one else I would rather spend my life with. He loves me, and I have never once doubted or questioned that. Plus, he's pretty cute!

2. Friends. I have the best friends anyone could ever ask for. We are quite a diverse group of folks, which makes for fun times and great memories. Even the friends that I don't get to see as much, you'd never know that time has passed when we do get to visit.

3. Baby showers! I had my first shower last week, given by my UCA co-workers. It was a great shower, and I got lots of good stuff to get us started. My super terrific Grad Assisistant gave us a diaper bag and made us a too cute fleece blanket.

4. Pumpkin. I love all things pumpkin, and I really love that fall is the time when everyone else realizes how great pumpkin is and makes more desserts and puts it on sale (10 for $10 at Kroger!). Plus, Vitamin A is good for me, so I can eat as much of pumpkin as I want!

5. My nieces and nephews. What a sweet group of kiddos! They are growing up way too fast, and I can only hope they know how much Aunt Dawn loves them.

6. Being pregnant. I am privileged to be a part of the creation of life, and am humbled to think that God chose us to partner with him in bringing this amazing boy into the world.

7. Chocolate. I can't mention pumpkin and forget about chocolate! It makes me happy.

8. Exercise. I am very thankful for the fact that I have been able to keep up the same exercise schedule, because I know that is helping me keep my weight under control, and is why I still feel so good. Plus, our instructor 2 days per week was pregnant this time last year, and brings me a little something every week as her baby outgrows things.

9. My parents. I couldn't ask for better. They love me, they love Chad, they have raised me in the church and are great examples of marriage and parenting for us.

10. Smiles. I love that I walk into work every morning and am greeted with multiple smiles and "Good Morning!"s. I'm thankful that I can give a smile to someone and feel better for it.

Belly shot below! This was taken 2 weeks ago, at 22 weeks. I'm a little slow getting them uploaded, so they'll probably always be late. I go for my 24 week appointment this afternoon. So far everything is great! Andrew is turning into quite the wiggleworm lately, and prefers to use my bladder as a trampoline. It's such a comforting feeling to be able to experience his movements as he grows!

"I am fearfully and wonderfully made"

2008-10-30T07:55:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is so small, it was hard to get it to upload right. Ain't he purty?

Below is the belly shot I promised (and warned you about). This was taken at 18 weeks, so I'm about 2 weeks bigger now.

Blessed

2008-10-27T14:56:00.000-07:00

For those of you who don't know already, the little angel that chose us to be his parents just happens to be a little boy! A dirt and bugs, rough and tumble, sports and cars boy! As my friend Dawn said when she found out her little one was a boy, "What am I doing to do with a BOY?" Luckily, I've had two precious nephews and a host of other little boy buddies to give me plenty of practice. There's nothing like a momma's boy! I should know, I married one. And when they have a good momma, you can't ask for anything better. I just hope and pray my angel turns out half as great as his daddy, quirks and all.

After we opened the "envelope" (aka napkin note) on Thursday and started calling people to tell them our news, it hit me just how blessed we really are. Between the four of us, we made 10 calls in the first 5 minutes. My phone went dead from making calls, because there were so many people waiting to hear our news. Later that evening we viewed the ultrasound video with some friends, and almost got teary seeing them be excited over it. This sweet boy already has so many people that love him and are as anxious to meet him as we are. Our "family" continues to grow, and for that I am truly thankful.

This weekend we visited my brother and sister in law and the kiddos. Both of my nephews have a birthday in October, so this was a combo visit. We had a lot of fun, and even decorated some pumpkins (or "punks", as Hannah calls them). Of course, forgetful Aunt Dawn didn't remember to bring her camera, so I can't share with you their interesting creations. I also got to visit with my friend Ashley, and her daughter Ella, who is so much fun!

I hit the halfway mark tomorrow, 20 weeks! I'm showing now, and finding it even more difficult for clothes to fit. It's weird to think my belly will get so much bigger, because its hard as a rock and seems at its limit now. Amazing how our bodies know just how to handle all these changes.
The baby's room is cleaned out now, and will soon get a fresh coat of paint and shiny new furniture. We make all these preparations, but can we ever really be "ready" for this? I'm praying we're up to the challenge, because I know this darlin' will turn our world upside down in the best way possible!

Oh My Word, I am Cranky!

2008-10-09T15:38:00.000-07:00

Wow, hormones have definitely set in full force! So far today, I have snapped at several people (some for good reason, some just because I was annoyed, one was my boss), had my feelings hurt by something that should have rolled off, and nearly been in tears multiple times. NOT myself, by any stretch of the imagination. Oh what a lucky man I get to go home to tonight!

Other than the highly volatile and increasingly unmanageable emotional state, I feel great! My belly seems to have just popped right out there, so I am officially down to 2 pairs of pants for work. Even the safety pinning does me no good anymore, as the zipper won't go up enough to be decent under my shirts. You'd think I'd be excited about the fact that I am forced to spend money on clothing, but I am still at a weird point where nothing fits quite like it should. My sweet friend Mary did buy me a few new tops to wear, so I don't feel quite as repetitive with my wardrobe.

I've been in the mood to cook a lot lately (when I can actually remember the names of the recipes), but am having some trouble with my leg going to sleep when I stand too long. A weird and annoying feeling, but I am trying to manage it with the help of my chiropractor aka sister-in-law. Speaking of the memory thing (wasn't I?), I sat down to plan menus for Chad for the next couple of weeks, and couldn' t for the life of me remember what I cook or what he likes to eat! Names of recipes simply were lost in the fog that has become my pregnancy brain. Poor thing, he may be stuck eating nachos for the next 5 months.

I still haven't gained a lot of weight, which is good for my super sensitive-I know I'm getting some eye rolls-afraid of gaining weight-self, but I have read that I should gain 10-14 pounds in my second trimester, which freaks me out tremendously. I know I know, I'm growing another human inside me, but it's still hard for a weirdo like me who has never had to "worry" about it. It's hard this week to eat as much as I need or as much as I want to though. I'm strangely full a lot of the time, and just don't want much.

For my good friend and new mommy Dawn, I promise I will post belly shots soon! For the rest of you, be warned! I am posting belly shots soon!

17 weeks and counting!

It's Been Too Long

2008-09-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

I shouldn't have waited this long to do another post because now I can't remember anything I was going to talk about!

We are still slowly but surely cleaning out the house to make room for the baby. It seems that we are selling everything we own, but we are replacing most of the items with smaller, similar stuff. We are almost to the point where we can get everything out of Chad's office, which means then we can go pick out furniture!

I still don't "feel" pregnant yet, though I don't really know what that is supposed to feel like. My belly is growing and making it difficult to wear regular clothes without the assistance of a safety pin, but maternity clothes are still too big.

I had my second doctor's appointment last week, and everything is perfect. I even got to hear the heartbeat, which was very surreal. I wish I had thought to call Chad so he could have heard it, but I wasn't quite thinking straight. We decided (okay, I caved) to find out the sex of the baby when we go to the hospital for our big ultrasound. We have both invited our moms to come along, and we plan to have them write it down and put it in an envelope, for us to share later. I really don't have a feeling as to what Peanut is one way or the other. I do hope I am able to feel the baby move by then.

It hit me the other day that God chose us specifically to be the parents to this angel. It's a very humbling thought to be reminded that He knows our child already and that He is preparing us to be the parents that He calls us to be. It's an amazingly scary thing to think of us as being responsible for another human life, but we already love this baby so much that it makes it a little less scary. We were watching a movie the other night with a story line involving a very smart mouthed teenage girl, and we both looked at each other and said "What have we done? Please don't ever come out and be like that, Peanut!".

It's an amazing journey! Pray for us!

13 Weeks

2008-09-09T14:42:00.000-07:00

I'm starting to feel like a real person again! The nausea is pretty much all gone, except for a few foods and smells that still set me off. But, in its place, I have developed a pretty mean head cold. Sunday was lovely, complete with nose bleeds, zero air flow through my nose, and that yucky tunnel feeling in my ears. I am much better today, still with symptoms and a weird voice, but feeling good.
We are in the process of cleaning our and rearranging closets in order to then pack up some things to go to the attic and clean everything out of what is now the office to make way for baby. You never realize how small your house is, until you need an empty room! We're working on downsizing a few things, but it's just a long tedious process that required too much decision making! I'm trying to not buy anything until the room is clear, but I'm going to a Rhea Lana presale tonight, so we'll see if I stick to that!

Pregnancy so far...

2008-09-03T08:58:00.001-07:00

As of yesterday, I am 12 weeks pregnant. So far, I have had what I assume to be a fairly normal pregnancy. I started experiencing extreme and constant nausea around week 6, and it seems to be (knock on wood) pretty much over now. I never knew that my favorite thing, food and cooking, could become so uninteresting and just plain sickening to me. I'm still not really able to sit down and look through my cookbooks to plan menus just yet, which has resulted in my poor husband having to fend for himself more than I would like.

I had my first doctor's appointment last week, and everything looked perfect! A good, strong heartbeat, per the MD. We only did the ultrasound this visit; the next one will be an exam and some tests, I think. I've only gained 1-2 pounds so far, but I have more "pooch" than I thought I would at this point. My pants are feeling a little tighter than I would like, especially since I have nothing else to wear at this point! I cut down my workout schedule a little at the beginning just because I didn't feel good, but now I'm back up to 3-4 days per week, doing the same stuff as I was before. Hopefully this will help me not gain too much weight and keep me nice and healthy for the delivery. It's still a really strange and wonderful feeling to know that there is a little person inside of me, growing and getting bigger everyday, when I still can't feel it.

I've had an amazing reaction from everyone we have told so far. We caused quite a scene at church, and the ladies at work keep calling me "little momma" and check everything I am eating. We're truly so blessed!

Are We Really All That Interesting??

2008-08-31T15:17:00.000-07:00

My sweet friend, Ashley, has talked me into starting a blog. Chad and I are expecting our first child, thus far known simply as "Peanut" in March, so mostly this blog will be about my pregnancy and our experiences over the next several months as we prepare for our new arrival. Who knows, maybe we'll even do something fun that someone else will care to read about! This is our first picture of Peanut, taken at our first doctor's visit last week. I am about 11 weeks pregnant, with a due date of March 17.