Murdocks Mama

[Happy Valentine's Day]

2012-02-14T01:35:00.000-06:00

Love,
The Hubbards

My Future BIL Is Going To Be A Dentist...

2012-02-08T07:03:00.006-06:00

I'm soo so so excited for my ~~future~~ brother in law, Bradley!! Monday he was officially accepted into the University of Iowa College of Dentistry!!

I've already told you how kind & sweet this boy is. So here's my chance to tell you how stinkin' smart he is!

He's only TWENTY years old. 2-0. He's graduating from University of Northern Iowa this Spring with a 3.5+ GPA [Biology w/ a biomedical pre dental focus]. He'll be graduating from Dental school at just 24 years old. ~~And he'll me married to my baby sister and have 2.5 kids at that time. I kid!~~ But seriously he's so smart. I just hope he remembers...nieces & nephews [& their parents] get free dental work for life! :)

PS...I guess I can't make fun of him for requesting 'American Scientific' magazine for Christmas anymore...it's totally paying off! :)

Congrats Brad...we couldn't be more proud of you!!

A Perfect Night At The Lakehouse

2012-02-07T06:10:00.000-06:00

Last Friday...

It was the perfect night at the lake house. The night I've been hoping/wishing/dreaming of since we bought the place last June. I have no real photo to show you, it was one of those memories that would have been ruined by a camera. But the night will be etched in my mind for a long time!

It was just my little family...Adam, Jordyn, Murdock, & Me. We picked up a pizza from Pagliai's on the way, so when we walked in the door we dropped everything [cranked the thermometer], started a fire, opened a bottle of wine, & sat on the couch to watch Season 2 SoA.

No work, no visitors [although we love you all!], no stress! It was the perfect 'first winter we had the lake house' moment'! :)

Now? Bring on the visitors! We're ready for sunshine, water, & adult beverages with friends and family!! :)

Mishmash!

2012-02-02T09:39:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling very random today, so here goes...

We've eaten grilled food for dinner every night this week. And? I'm LOVING it! The past three days have been almost 60* and it’s been great! Such a nice surprise for an Iowa winter.

As much as I loved the sunshine and warmth this week, I’m secretly ecstatic for the possibility of a huge storm this weekend! 8-10 inches are predicted, so we’ll see! :) There would be nothing better than to get to the lake house and getting snowed in for the weekend!! A girl can dream! :)

Adam and I are getting into the Sons of Anarchy series [late, I know!]. We’re finishing season 1 tonight and if all goes as dreamed planned this weekend, maybe we’ll get to watch all of season 2 at the lakehouse with snow falling & the fireplace crackling!

We just booked a vacation with our friend for May…so exciting! We’re going to South Padre Island for a week! :):):) The car ride should be interesting with me little ones! :) So excited to cross Texas off my list of states to travel, can you believe I’ve never been there?!

Work has been so good and so bad at the same time. I’m reminded every day home much a LOVE the student portion of my job. I love that I am busy & I love tackling some of these big projects [with important due dates]. I don’t however love the attitude of my new secretary! :( Things are getting stressful and it’s just so stupid! I wish like crazy I had someone, anyone to relate to at my job. Hopefully they will hire someone under 55 soon…that would be such a breath of fresh air!

I just found out 3 friends [or friends of friends] are expecting. So exciting! :) And another 3 are due this Spring! :) Can’t wait! Plus, I just got invited to my first virtual shower, so cool right? My friend is out of the country with her husband on military duty, so her family is throwing an eShower where we Skype her. Unfortunately, we’re busy that day! Boo. But it sounds super cool!

I’ve had a couple more people ask me to take photos [maternity, birthday, & infant]. Feeling so blessed!! :) Other photo related news…I have about 1653462084086 photos that need editing. Sigh. Maybe I’ll work on them if we’re snowed in this weekend? A girl can dream I guess. Oh, and have I mentioned that the only thing my husband has been asking me to do since July is to post photos of our lake house?! ::horrible wife:: :(

Still with me? Kuddos to you if you are! One last thought…Pinterest is being stupid and won’t let me repin. Just 'like'. ANNOYING!! :(

Okay…Happy Thursday!

The Night My Husband Saved My Life

2012-01-31T09:56:00.000-06:00

No, literally! Here's how it all started...

Last Friday [January 20th] I woke around 3am with terrible stomach pains. I was supposed to watch my Godson all day, so I was really trying to shake off the pain. Adam googled stomach pains and it said most of the time stomach pains is gas or flu related [both of which nothing is typically done for] so I waited it out a little longer. Finally around 8am, after flailing around the floor for 5 hours, I decided I couldn't take it any longer and drove up the road [~ 1/2 mile] to Urgent Care. Adam stayed home [by my demand] and fed Jordyn & got her ready for the day.

It really didn't feel like gas or a bowel issue, much more like contractions. My stomach hurt from my rib cage to my pelvic bone and across my entire front. I was vomiting, but not sure if it was from pain or sickness. I checked into Urgent Care and they had me in a room within 5 minutes. They took blood & urine samples. After getting sick in the office, they gave me a shot for pain. After getting sick in the office again, they gave me a shot for nausea. 15 minutes later, all was well. I was ready to go home. Dr. Colby had other ideas. After 2 x-rays, a jug of yucky juice, a CT scan, & 5 hours, it was confirmed it wasn't a bladder or kidney issue, but rather my appendix. I was sent directly [but I begged for 5 minutes at home to tell my baby goodbye] to the hospital.

[Oh yes, Adam met up with me. And my sister watched my baby. And my parents came down for the weekend to watch my baby more.]

After 3 or 4 hours sitting in the ER at the hospital, I finally made Adam go up and demand more pain meds or to admit me. After all, this was EXTREMELY URGENT when I was begging for 5 minutes to stop at home. So, after Adam worked his magic, I was taken directly into a room. Within 30 minutes my 2nd IV was inserted, blood was drawn, and I was being wheeled into surgery. Luckily [or maybe not so luckily] I knew my Surgeon, Resident Surgeon, and Student since I work with them everyday at the hospital. I must admit it's a bit awkward having 'coworkers' insert your catheter and cut open your stretch marked belly! :)

For those of you who don't know, for a non ruptured appendix they perform surgery laparoscopically with three small incisions. One right above your belly button, around your pelvic bone, and one larger incision off to your left side. The whole procedure only takes about 15-20 minutes. Mine went well. I was in, out, & off to recovery. I got sick, which is common, but was transported to my room where in no time. There, Adam talked to the surgeons and waited for me to sleep off my anesthesia. Then, according to Adam my breathing became shallow and I quit responding to him. That's when he ran to the hall and called for a nurse. She quickly came in, didn't feel my pulse, and called a code blue [which is cardiac arrest/non breathing patient]. Adam was escorted out of the room and they performed chest compressions on me. I woke up fighting the oxygen mask with my gown open, and 20-30 physicians/residents/nurses [read again: coworkers] around my bed.

They said it was a good thing Adam was there to call for a nurse because I wasn't hooked up to a pulse oximeter which would notify them if I quit breathing & the nurse thought I looked alright. To keep things light they laughed and said they're positive I don't use any recreational drugs, because people get this dosage of narcotics often after surgery with no issues. But in all seriousness, they said to notify people that I'm allergic to Dilaudid in the future.

Working at a hospital, I hear code blues called often, but it's definitely something I never thought I would be a part of. I'm so thankful I insisted on taking the 5 minutes to run home and kiss my baby goodbye. At the time I was planning on coming home that night, but after this incident I stayed overnight [my first night away from my daughter]. I'm especially thankful I kissed my baby goodbye [even though she had no idea] when I look back and realize that could have been my final words to her. Without going into details, this experience shook my husband up pretty bad. I cannot imagine if the roles were reversed and I saw him unresponsive and being worked on. I'm so thankful for every day I get with my little family, even when I get overwhelmed. I cannot imagine my life without them. Thank you God for not picking me yet!

1st Time Skiing

2012-01-30T12:01:00.000-06:00

Sunday we went skiing with Adam's family for our niece Vanessa's 15th Birthday. It was a first for Jordyn. Although she was too little to go skiing with us, I still took a few photos of her on the slopes! :)

Skiing for the 1st time - Jordyn 3 1/2 months

Thankfully Adam's uncle, Rick, owns Seven Oaks Recreation in Boone, IA so we're able to ski/tube/camp...whenever we want! All of Adam's family grew up snowboarding, skiing, & tubing, so Adam's convinced Jordyn will be skiing next year! :)

Don't send hate mail! It was warm & very sunny yesterday, so I took her snowsuit off for .0923849038 seconds to snap a few photos! I promise...she's not neglected!! :)

Jordyn Lynn [3 Months + Photos]

2012-01-23T06:59:00.001-06:00

Happy 3 months sweet baby!

This has been a month of firsts! You started going to Miss Courtney Monday through Thursday, and LOVE it! She has a 1 1/2 year old boy, Caden, and almost 3 year old girl, Ava. Ava loves you! She's constantly comforting you and talking to you! :) You also stayed with Gram and Grandpa for the first time when mama had her appendix out. You did wonderful, and daddy and I were so busy, we didn't even have time to dwell about your first night away!

You have changed so much physically this month; you no longer look like a newborn, but a baby. So bittersweet! You've found your hands and it's oh.so.cute! You're constantly sucking and chewing on them! You are also starting to get a bald spot that I've been dreading for a while. Hopefully your hair will grow out and it won't be noticeable for long!

Photo compliments of Aunt Ashley

You eat 6oz. of Enfamil Newborn Formula at 4a, 8a, noon, 4p, & 8p. You graduated to the full size Avent bottles. You seem to be spitting up less, but you're a drooling fool nowadays! You weigh approximately 13 pounds now.

You transitioned to your crib with no issues. In fact, at 11 weeks you started sleeping through the night in that crib, and mama and daddy are so proud! You typically go to bed by 8:30pm, I wake you to eat at 4 and put you right back in your crib at 4:30. You usually wake up for the day between 7 and 8am. Daddy changes you, feeds you, and gets you ready for daycare each morning.

You are such a happy baby, although you can't tell by this months photos. You're smiling even more now and love to make faces! You love to look at ceiling fans, and as much as I hate it, the TV too. We see you focusing more every day and following movement. You love when we talk to you, especially daddy! You still rarely fuss, but your worst time of day is probably between 6 & 7pm. You're tired, but it's too soon to go to bed.

You pee on the person changing you less and less, but you're still the gassiest baby I know! You love to poo at Miss Courtney's house! And Mommy & Daddy thank you for that! :) You're still in Size 1 Pampers diapers and your onsies and clothes are 0-3 months.

You're getting so big and so much fun...Daddy and I are bursting at the seems! You were born to sparkle baby girl!!

Love You,

Mama and Daddy

Family Photo Outtake

2012-01-19T09:15:00.000-06:00

Okay...now the 'real' family photo. Unfortunately for me, this was the best photo of the most people, so we kept it. I should really look into swapping my scared smile to a normal smile from another shot...

I'm Going To Let You In On A Little Secret...

2012-01-15T23:03:00.000-06:00

Baby Monitor

BEST APP FOR A MAMA!

Download this app on a smartphone [they make it for both iPhones and Android phones]. Take you phone off sleep mode... set the sensitivity level... and enter the phone number [land line or cell phone] to call. If your baby cries the phone by the baby will call you to let you know.

PERFECT for ~~the lake house~~ traveling! Thank goodness for technology...what did parents do before?! :)

Single Mama

2012-01-09T20:54:00.000-06:00

WOW! It's 8:47. I'm in bed...totally exhausted with an aching back and throbbing head. Tonight I was a single mom. Just a couple of hours actually. While Adam went to play poker with the boys. And boy oh boy did I get a reality check!

The stove is sizzling over, Murdock keeps nudging be for food, the dryer is buzzing, the baby is crying, my phone is going off, and a sink FULL [if you don't believe me, you didn't see the photo I posted to Twitter last night!] of bottles. Honestly that was all going on at the same time here tonight. Madness!

I didn't get the carpet vacuumed, the bassinet taken down, the laundry done, or our icky microwave cleaned out like I had planned to do tonight. But? I needed this. And Adam did too. It reminded me just how thankful I am to have Adam here to help me every night. To help me divide things up. He cooks..I clean up. I bathe Jordyn...he lotions and dresses her. I pick up and prep for the next day...he feeds our baby her evening bottle.

I need to appreciate him more. When I'm feeling like I do everything to keep this house going...I must remember I have a husband who gets our baby up, dressed, fed and to daycare and our puppy fed, medicated. taken out, and kenneled and himself together all before 8:30am every.single.morning!

I'm SO blessed! Even if my chores will be waiting for me when I leave for work at 4:30a and I get home from work at 4:30p. :)

New Year|New Resoluations

2012-01-01T05:13:00.007-06:00

Sidenote: This also marks 2 years that I have been blogging...whoa! In case you're like me & enjoy reflecting on old posts... here are my 2010 Resolutions and 2011 Resolutions.

I was pretty successful with my home & personal goals for 2011, but failed miserably with my travel & financial goals. I even crossed a few things off my bucket list this year [becoming a mama, purchasing a ~~lake~~ house, & traveling to South Carolina].

Here are my goals for 2012...

{HOME}

Remodel the bathroom at the lake house

Update the siding & windows at the lake house

{TRAVEL}

Oklahoma

Chicago - Cubs Game
Minnesota - Vikings Game
Iowa City - Iowa Game

{FINANCIAL}

Pay off my Student Loan

Pay off medical bills

{PHOTOGRAPHY}

Delete bad photos & organize photos when I upload them

Continue to improve my camera skills

{HEALTH}

Start Running again

Let grudges go!

Run 100 miles in 2012

Loose 20 lbs.

{FUN w/ ADAM}
Have a date night at least once a month

Take a dance class & cooking class

Since my main priority for 2012 is to pay off debt & save money I also have a quarterly plan...

Month 1 [4 & 7 & 10] No Manicures/Pedicures

Month 2 [5 & 8 & 11] No Manicures/Pedicures or Eating Out

Month 3 [5 & 9 & 12] No Manicures/Pedicures or Eating Out and No fun purchases [better plan ahead for Christmas!]

What are your resolutions {goals} for 2011?

[Maternity Leave]

2011-12-30T08:12:00.000-06:00

Alternately titled: 10 weeks of sickness, stress, & appointments

I'm currently sitting in the waiting room while Adam is getting a procedure done. It's giving me time to reflect on my maternity leave...or rather, how I feel like I got screwed out of my maternity leave!

Maternity Leave: an employee benefit that provides paid or unpaid time off work to care for a child.

[That italics part is where my anticipated maternity leave is far different than my actual maternity leave...]

When I was planning my maternity leave in my mind it was full of napping with my baby, snuggling on the couch, and dancing around the house until daddy came home.

My actual maternity leave has been filled with...
27 hours sitting at the vet
3 appointments for Adam's Upper GI/Scope procedure
5 other medical appointments for Adam & I [sickness, check ups, x-rays, etc.]
3 pediatric appointments for Jordyn [Expected]
1 post baby appointment for me [Expected]

and endless hours of stress and headaches! Praise God I have a happy, healthy [read: easy!] baby who doesn't mind being schlepped around everywhere! :)

I call a redo!

Tybee Island [GA]

2011-12-29T15:17:00.009-06:00

I am very behind in this post [with photos that still haven't been edited], but I wanted to make sure to get a little something down about our trip to Tybee Island, GA before the close of 2011.

For a week in July we went to Tybee Beach on Tybee Island in Georgia to celebrate my in laws 40th Anniversary

We stayed with Adam's Auntie Marilyn before flying from Omaha, NE to Atlanta, GA and finally landing in Charleston, SC. We rented a 2011 Blue Ford Focus from the airport and drove down the coast stoping in Beaufort for lunch and arriving to Tybee mid afternoon.

We stayed in a condo right by the beach [I doesn't get any closer to the beach] with shops and restaurants surrounding us!

Mornings were spent enjoying the sunrise...

Most of our days were spent enjoying the perfect weather on the beach...

and eating out & trying ice cream as often as we could

one [108*] day we traveled to Savannah

My oldest 3 nieces & nephew even learned to surf! :)

After spending the week in Tybee we packed up the car and had lunch in Hilton Head and spent traveled to Charleston for dinner and to stay over before flying home early the next morning.

Oh...I should mention that I was 6 months pregnant when we went! :)

[Merry Christmas]

2011-12-24T04:10:00.000-06:00

Jordyn Lynn [2 Months]

2011-12-23T14:00:00.001-06:00

You are 2 months old sweet baby girl!! You are such a great baby!

Growing like a weed just like you are supposed to be doing at this age! Your pediatrician confirmed you're as perfect as your mama and daddy think you are! You weighed in at 10 lbs. 13 oz. [44%] and 22 3/4 in. long [60%].

You haven't started daycare yet, but you're on a feeding schedule now. You eat 4-5oz. of Enfamil Newborn Formula at 8a, noon, 4p, & 8p with one feeding in the night [usually between 4-6a. We're still using Avent bottles, but moved to stage 2 nipples. You're starting to spit up a little, so we're watching it. Your Ped. said reflux problems typically start between 2 and 4 months, so we're praying it's just a fluke and you won't have that.

We've set up your video monitor and plan to transition you to your crib soon. You're starting to move around more in the night and we think you'll enjoy your sleep more if you aren't hitting the sides! :) We've started swaddling your with your arms out, since you were having nothing to do with your arms being tucked in all night. You typically go to bed by 9pm and wake between 4 and 6am to eat. After that, it just depends on the day. Sometimes you're up for good, other days you sleep until 9am!

You are such a happy baby! You have hardly fussed since you were born, but this month you found your smile! You melt our hearts! Especially daddy's...you already have him wrapped around your finger! :) That being said, you've also found your voice! We found that out when we took you in for your 2 month shots...break.mama's.heart! :( We came home and you slept most of the day. You we're a champ...didn't even take Tylenol!

You're still having issues pooing. That being said, twice this month you have exploded on your Aunt Alicia. You no longer pee on the person changing you, but you're still the gassiest baby I know! :) You have transitioned to Size 1 Pampers diapers. Your onsies and most clothes are 0-3 months.

The best present I have ever received!

Three days after your 2 month birthday we celebrated Christmas. You were SPOILED! From your parents, grandparents, and aunts & uncles. You received everything from cash to a bookshelf to clothes to a rocking chair to tons of toys! We cannot wait for Christmas next year...you'll be so much more aware of what's going on! :)

You love to be snuggled! If you aren't being held, you are a little wiggle worm! Which is why at just 5w 2d you tumbled off the ottoman to the chair and eventually the floor! :( Broke mama's heart, but thankfully you didn't even know what happened.

Quilt made by Auntie Esha's friend Sam

Your daddy and I love watching you grow and develop each day. Thank you for being such a sweet baby girl. You have no idea how much you've enriched our lives Miss Jordyn! We love you to the moon and back!

Love,

Mama and Daddy

Because the power is out

2011-12-15T12:03:00.001-06:00

and I can't vacuum... or cook lunch... or do laundry
I'll sit down and update this blog that once got so much attention.

Murdock is doing so much better. He is back to eating his regular [hard] dog food. Lots of spots still...the vet said this is going to be a long [6 month] recovery, but we're headed in the right direction I think. We have a follow up with Dr. Foster tomorrow. We're hoping she's feeling as optimistic as we are.

If you missed Jordyn's 1 month photos [since I back dated it] they can be found here. I cannot believe my baby girl will be 8 weeks on Sunday...so crazy how much life has changed in just 8 weeks! :) My doctor's appointment yesterday confirmed what I dreaded...10 pounds of baby weight remains. I'm not even attempting to work it off until the new year...why set myself up to fail with the holidays?!

I just can't seem to get in the Christmas spirit this year. I'm trying so hard. I have just a few gifts to finish up. I've been cranking the Christmas music. Wrapping all of the gifts instead of using bags like I usually do. You would think I would be more in the spirit this year since it's Jordyn's first Christmas and we're starting new traditions. Maybe it's the money issues. Or the fact that it's been raining for 48 hours and on December 15th we still have NO SNOW!

Tonight is girls night with my sister. We're headed downtown for some holiday shopping. Carriage rides. Ugly hat contest. Hopefully this will help my holiday spirit! :) PS...Adam's first night watching miss Jordyn by himself. So excited for him to be able to bond more with her! :)

Tomorrow night we get to watch our Godson & his 2 pups overnight. We are so excited!! I'm also taking his NINE months photos this weekend. NINE MONTHS?! What happened to 2011?!

Did I mention that our power went out a couple of weeks ago, too? Some punk kids in the neighborhood flipped a few breakers outside. I swear to goodness they better not be the reason my power is out this morning! I've been hand rocking my baby for over an hour. I guess I should keep up on my battery purchases since the swing would work with 4 C batteries. We only have 2! :( Oh and the smoke detector [in Jordyn's room no less] has been squeaking all morning. That needs a D battery...we currently have 0 of those.

I should probably wrap this up and head to the store for the batteries...and lunch. Can't cook without power! :)

Have a great weekend!

Are You Listening God [Murdock & LIFE Update]

2011-12-08T16:18:00.000-06:00

Wow...this week has just sucked! Just when I don't think it can get worse...it does! I'm trying really hard to stay positive and be thankful for everything I have...a happy, healthy baby... an awesome relationship with my husband... a warm home ...awesome family... But I'm not going to lie...it's been tough!

Again, thank you everyone for your [unanswered...sorry!] calls, texts, FB messages, emails, etc. We really do appreciate all of your thoughts and prayers!

Here's an update since Murdock became sick and went to the vet...

Monday night Dr. Foster called to check on Murdock. He wasn't getting worse, but he definitely wasn't getting any better. He had eaten about 5 jars of baby food all day. She suggested we start the medication tomorrow [Wednesday]. I was to call her after Adam's surgery.

Tuesday Ashley took vacation to come over and dogsit Murdock for us. [I should also mention that while she was here she cleaned my house!! Thank you sis!] I took Adam and Jordyn to the clinic where Adam was having his Upper GI. Long story short, the doctor ended up giving Adam 3 times the normal about of sedation medication but he never really was 'out' enough for her to be able to complete the procedure. So...she said he would have to see his family physician to get approval for anesthesia and reschedule at the main hospital where he could be put under by an anesthesiologist. Awesome...did I mention that we're trying to get it done by the end of the year for insurance purposes?! Adam came home and slept for hours as the doctor said he would because of all of the medication he received.
Dr. Foster [the vet] called me back around 6pm and went over the 4 prescriptions she was calling in for Murdock. She wanted them started that night. After a whole ordeal at the pharmacy [& $275 later] I was home and wondering what in the world I was going to do with a dog that was physically unable to go up and down the stairs from our house to the back yard to go to the bathroom with a medication that makes him urinate way more [speaking from his last experience on this steroid] and a husband that was unable to walk without getting dizzy let alone carry a 88lb. dog up 20 stairs! So...Adam and I decided it would be best if I took Jordyn and Murdock down to the lake house [with no stairs and hardwood floors in case he had any accidents]. We made it to the lakehouse I was was able to give Murdock his first dose of medicine around 9:30pm. Adam's parents stayed over with me to help with the baby and pup.

Wednesday was not fun giving Murdock his medications [see below] but with the help of my father-in-law, we survived. We spent the day hanging out at the lake house. At 5pm [when Murdock hadn't started urinating all over the place like anticipated and seemed to have a bit more strength] we decided to head home. I felt pretty stupid going to the lake house since he doesn't seem to have the uncontrollable urination problem like we anticipated, but I know that it wasn't fair to make Murdock walk up and down the stairs at our condo any more that he had to, especially since Adam was going to be home from 8:30a to 8:30p. We got home last night around 8:30 and called it a night shortly after.

Today he seems to be doing about the same. He fell coming up the stairs for me again around noon, but luckily we were only 3 stairs from the top and I was able to [slowly] carry him up one stair at a time. I won't be taking him out anymore before Adam gets home. Watching your dog fall up the stairs is the hardest thing ever! :( So far today he has eaten 1 jar of baby food, 1 cup of rice, a scrambled egg, and some bites of chicken. Getting him to eat has been increasing difficult since we've started his medications. The problem is, we can't open his mouth enough to toss the pills in and have him swallow them so we have to crush up the pills and 1) mix with water and syringe into his mouth or 2) sneak into his food. The medications he is taking are extremely bitter once you break the capsule, so every time we stick something in his mouth he thinks we're giving him the 'yucky stuff.'

-------------

Here is our medication process...twice a day :(

All the meds... [Pain, Infection, Blood Cell Count, Infection, Steroid]

Doxycycline | Pentoxifylline | Prednisone | Clindamycin

Open the capsules

Dump the capsules into a bowl

Crush the tablets

Not Cocaine...I swear!

Mix together & Add water

Load the Syringe and quirt into his mouth [3-4 times]

Here are his current eating habits...

'Meat' Baby Food & Canned Wet Dog Food

Rice to mix with the baby food & wet dog food

Update [Murdock is Sick]

2011-12-05T17:43:00.000-06:00

Thank you so much for all of the sweet comments and emails regarding Murdock. I haven't replied to anyone since it's been soo crazy around here, but please know that I really appreciate all of your love and support. Thank you!

If you missed the beginning of this news, read here. [Warning: Very Graphic Photos Below]

About 5:30 Friday night we finally got the okay to go home. They biopsied several locations on his body. He has 5-8 sets of stitches that need taken out in 10-14 days. When he was under anesthesia for the biopsies, they loaded him with fluids. They sent us home with pain medication to give him every 6-8 hours. Since he hadn't eaten since Wednesday, Dr. Foster recommended we try to give him meat baby food. We started that Friday night, and it's gone pretty well since. He's been eating 2-4 jars each day, which isn't nearly what he needs, but it's better than nothing.

Murdock 12/02/2011 After Surgery

This morning he seemed to be acting better. I took him outside [downstairs since we live in a 2nd floor condo] to urinate. On our way back upstairs he fell and couldn't get up [or down] the stairs. Thankfully, Adam was still home so I could yell for him to come carry Murdock up the stairs. I honestly don't know what would have happened if he was already gone. We had already made arrangements to go weight Murdock at our local vet [Dr. Dotz] this morning. After Murdocks fall, we spoke with our specialist [Dr. Foster] and she recommended we have his blood glucose tested. Adam called into work and took him to the vet with me. His glucose levels seemed fine, so we're assuming he fell because he's so weak.

Murdock Close Up 12/02/2011 After Surgery

We're hoping to have the bacterial portion of the biopsies back tomorrow, but the fungal portion will take 10-14 days for results. He weighed 87 lbs. this morning [-1 since Friday]. So far, he's eaten 3 [small] jars of baby food today, which is progress. Although, we just noticed he has a large [golf ball size] open wound on the inside of his left leg. We're really starting to worry about his increased risk of infection with all of these open wounds.

Murdock 12/02/2011 - Back of Back Leg

Have I mentioned that Adam has an upper GI procedure tomorrow, so we're dealing with that too? Since he's going to be put out, he'll need a driver so...I'm off to find a dog sitter for tomorrow since we still can't leave Murdock home alone yet.

Murdock 12/05/2011 - Inside left leg [thigh area]

Dear lord...please grant me strength!

Is the week over yet? [Murdock is SICK]

2011-12-02T16:53:00.000-06:00

That moment this morning when my daughter [5 weeks & 5 days old] when tumbling off our ottoman hitting the chair and crashing to the ground [when I was supposed to be watching her]...that is when I knew I was officially over this week!

You see...it's just sucked!

Their is something big going on that I haven't blogged about. Part because I've been busy, partly because I'm scared, but mostly because I've just been hoping that if I ignore it long enough it will go away.

It's Murdock.

He's sick. Not just sick...he's been sick before. But like sick, sick!

Before Jordyn was born we noticed a large bump under his right eye. We let it go for a while, thinking it would heal on it's own. Since then, we have been to Dr. Dotz three times. Although unsure what it was, he was pretty convinced it would open, drain, and heal on it's own. Now, almost two months later Murdock has probably a hundred bumps all over his body. They are under the skin, but eventually break open. He has lots of other symptoms too. Increased temp, heart rate, sleep, urination, and thick drooling. Decreased appetite [like none at all] and activity. He's sleeping approximately 23 1/2 hours a day and struggles to get onto our bed or into the back of the SUV. He's just plain sick and not himself. This week he stopped opening his mouth altogether. In the past two months, he's lost about 18 pounds; this morning he weighed 88lbs. :(

So...our vet recommended we bring him to the Iowa State University where they specialize in Vet Med to have the specialists look at him. Yesterday we spend 7 hours in the Dermatology Department where they tested blood and urine samples and took x-rays. His x-rays looked great. They heard a slight heart murmur and the blood work had some areas they wanted to pursue, but nothing that said what the specific problem is.

So...they had us come back to the hospital today. I had to have Murdock in here at 7:30 am for an echogram to check out his heart and the valves around it. The echo looked great, allowing them to put him under anesthesia for a few biopsies. They placed his IV Catheter and Tracheal Tube, but they weren't able to open his mouth far enough for a biopsy. We're all unsure why his mouth is unable to open and how it is related to the nodules at this point. They did however get a biopsy from other areas. The bacterial portion of the biopsy should be in Monday. The fungal portion will take about two weeks. Until then we're headed home with pain medication to hopefully take the edge off enough so he can eat. If he hasn't eaten by tomorrow, Dr. Foster will call in a script for depression [to increase appetite...hopefully!].

At this point we have no answers. We've set a financial limit and already went well over just to start finding the problem. We haven't even discussed treatment options at this point. Dr. Dotz wasn't kidding when he told us to plan for thousands. We're really at a loss over what to do. He is practically our first child and we've had him for 3 years. He is honestly the best dog I know; he's kind, loving, and gentle. It makes me sad to think Jordyn may never know him. One the other hand we've already spent more in testing than we did for all of our medical bills having Jordyn [and I thought that was a lot...ha!] We're just not sure where to draw the line. It's easy to say you would do anything for your pet, but when it comes down to it, how far can you really go? This month is hitting us pretty hard with Murdocks many vet bills, Jordyn's hospital bills, Christmas, and me on maternity leave. Let's just hope this isn't a glimpse of how 2012 is going to go...

We love you Murdock...feel better soon...we miss you! Mama, Dad, & Little Sis

Mishmash! [New Life, Working, Laptop, Schedule, Sick Pup]

2011-12-02T12:19:00.001-06:00

Okay I started this post Tuesday...waiting to post until I added the photos...since I still haven't uploaded the photos from my camera I'll go ahead and just post without them... :(

Yes, I am still alive [I've had a few emails checking!] :) I cannot believe my last post was ~~10 days~~ ~~13 days~~ weeks ago...that's probably a new [horrible!] record for me. Life is just going by WAY too fast! I can't handle it! I'm trying my hardest to cherish every.single.moment with my precious baby girl. It's really very easy since she is such a good baby and I pretty much hold her all day! However I'm thinking about going back on my anxiety medication. That panic feeling never seems to go away...SO much to do and NO TIME! I hate it. I'm forever feeling torn between holding my baby, taking/editing/ordering photos of her, blogging about her, and everything else in life like cleaning, going to appointments, writing thank yous, laundry/dishes and on and on! I'm not even working yet...imagine how torn I'm going to feel with 40 hours of work taking my time.

Speaking of work...I've tried my hardest to convince my husband to let me stay home but he's informed me it's just not practical for me to stay home at this point. I carry our insurance and flex spending. I'm trying my hardest to stay positive and be thankful for a job during this horrible economy, but deep down I NEVER expected to be a working mom. Ever since I was a little girl when someone asked me what I wanted to be when I grew up I said I was going to be a stay at home mama. When I met Adam I just kind of assumed that's how it would happen since both my mom and his mom stayed home. However, to maintain a semi similar lifestyle, I will continue to work. Praise God I only work 4 days a week and I'll go in by 5am so I'm home by 4pm and I have a wonderful boss who is very flexible.

I'm writing this post from my new laptop! If you remember I treated myself to a large, splurge item the day after Thanksgiving last year. I did the same this year too...a new MacBook Pro! :) Truth is I had been needing a new computer for several months. My other MacBook was bought about 3 1/2 years ago and was failing...big time! The CD/DVD burner quit, the camera no longer worked, the screen only worked in one position, and the frame was cracked and held together with tape...it was a great computer and was used LOTS before I finally decided to replace it. I opted for the MacBook Pro this time since I completely filled the hard drive several times with the old one. Now... the 50 hours of time it's going to take to organize and transfer everything over to the new one...fun times! :)

Mac 1

Mac 2

Yesterday was Day 1 of attempting a 'schedule' will Miss Jordyn. She is a very good baby...hardly crying, eats well, sleeps well. The only issue I never really know when she'll be sleeping or needing to eat. It makes it tough to schedule appointments...and let me tell you, we've been scheduling lots lately! Between Murdock, Adam & I, and Jordyn we're always running to some appointment. But...back to the schedule...I think it went really well! She ate at 6a, 9a, noon, 3p, 6p, 9p. She slept after her 9p feeding until 1:30a and went right back down from 2a to 6a. We'll see how the rest of the week goes! Hopefully this will make planning things easier! :)

Speaking of appointments and Murdock...I'm making him another one today. Our pup is sick...like sick sick! :( Over a month ago he got a bump under his right eye. Since then he's got hundreds more and they just won't go away. On top of that he's hardly eating now, drooling lots, not playing with friends and urinating more frequently. We've been in and out of our vet 3 times since this started. He ran blood tests a month ago ruling out cancer, but said he has no other answers for us. He recommends we go to the Derm and Internal Med specialist at Iowa State [which is what we have decided to do] but warned that we shouldn't be shocked if our bill is 3 to 5 THOUSAND dollars! Ugh...talk about stress. He's practically our first born but how far should we go for a dog. It's KILLING us to watch him go through this. Remember that anxiety I mentioned in the first paragraph, ya...this stress is definitely NOT helping! Especially when we just got our doctor bills for Miss Jordyn...Merry Christmas to us! :)

[Happy Thanksgiving]

2011-11-24T07:27:00.000-06:00

Jordyn Lynn [1 Month]

2011-11-23T06:23:00.000-06:00

My baby girl is 1 month already! You are so amazing...words cannot describe how it has felt to be your mama! You are happy and healthy and melt our hearts every single day! You don't go back to the doctor until you're two months, but you weigh approximately 9 1/2 pounds already! :)

I never want to forget the way you squeak when you drink a bottle. You're not on any schedule, but you pretty much eat 3 ounces every feeding. You typically go to bed around 9pm and wake around 3am to eat. Sometimes you go back to sleep easier than others. You use Avent bottles and stage 1 nipples.

I never want to forget the way you look like a little birdie with your mouth open almost all of the time. You smiles lots...mostly right before and after you sleep. You drift to sleep with cooing sounds and wake up with huge eyes! They are blue, just like your mama. You get your reddish/brown hair from your daddy.

I never want to forget the way you lift your knees up when you poo. Although we don't see that much since you don't even go once a day. You do however love to pee on anyone changing you! You wear Newborn diapers and clothes. Your onsies are 0-3 months. You still like to be swaddled each night when you go to sleep in our room.

You're more and more active each day. Your daddy and I cannot wait to see all of the changes you make each month as you grow healthy and strong. Thank you for making us parents sweet baby Jordyn. We love you to the moon and back!

Love,

Mama and Daddy

Jordyn's Newborn Photos

2011-11-16T05:45:00.001-06:00

[All taken in the hospital]

A Letter to My Husband [2nd Anniversary]

2011-11-15T12:15:00.000-06:00

Happy ~~2nd Anniversary~~ 25 Months. Unlike last year I'll keep this post short and simple. I'm obviously a month behind...I'm pretty sure that is the new flow of life for us. I started a letter to you just before our 2nd Anniversary, but God threw us a little curve ball the day of, therefore delaying this post.

I cannot believe we've been married TWO years. Most of the time, I feel like we're still dating. It's weird to think I've known you almost 5 years. I love that you were my best friend before we started dating...I can honestly say you're still my very best friend. I have no idea what I would do without you. You have the biggest heart and your goal is to make everyone happy always. You remind me that we've already rented the movie I'm about to rent again, you know exactly what I need when I've had 'a day,' and you support me no matter how crazy my ideas are [even when I want to crackle paint the lakehouse & take doors off the cupboards]. I still getting butterflies thinking about you and the way handle Jordyn sends chills through my body. God blessed us with the most perfect, precious baby girl exactly two years to the day we officially gave ourselves to each other...we could not have received a better gift.

I love you more than I thought possible. Our life just keeps getting better & I cannot wait to see where we go from here. Thank you for the amazing chocolates, wonderful dinner downtown, and making me a mama!

I Love You!

Jordyn's Birth Announcements

2011-11-14T15:33:00.000-06:00

Thankul [30 days]

2011-11-10T15:02:00.000-06:00

Tuesday, November 1st Today I am thankful for my new baby Jordyn Lynn.  She has added more to my life than I could ever have imagined. I prayed so long for a baby and God gave me a beautiful, healthy, amazing baby girl. I have no words to express what she means to Adam and I. After just 9 days, I cannot remember our lives without her. My heart has exploded!

Wednesday, November 2nd
Today I am thankful for my wonderful, amazing husband! He is honestly everything I am not...he is the half that makes me whole.  He treats me like a princess and does everything he can to provide for this family.  Adam is an awesome husband, and an even better daddy. He reminds me each day to relax, laugh, and look at the big picture. I love him more today than the day I married him. I cannot wait to raise our family, live our life, and grow old with this man...he gives me butterflies every.single.day!

Thursday, November 3rd
Today I am thankful for family. This word has a whole new meaning to me now than it did two weeks ago. I am thankful for the wonderful family Adam and I were blessed to be raised with and the wonderful family Adam and I have started. It's amazing to me how much love and emotion can be squeezed into one word!
We have awesome parents & sisters who have always been there for us. We both grew up with stay at home moms, married parents [26 years & 40 years], and ~~mostly~~ loving sisters!
I thank God every day for 'my' little family. My wonderful husband, happy baby, and loving pup bring me more joy every day!

Friday, November 4th
Today I am thankful for grandparents.  Jordyn was blessed with amazing grandparents. I don't know what I would have done without all of their help the past two weeks. From helping with Jordyn so I could nap, to the gifts and food they brought, to the knowledge they have shared...I appreciate it all! Thank you God for giving Jordyn awesome grandparents that could not love her more!!

Saturday, November 5th
Today I am thankful for date nights! :) Grandpa and Gram are watching our little baby so we can go out for a date night. Sushi, wine, & a night out with my hot hubby. This night is perfect & without grandparents it would not be happening so soon! As much as I love my daughter, I loved my husband first and without him I wouldn't have Miss Jordyn. I pray that we never loose that fire and we can show our children now important a loving marriage really is.

Sunday, November 6th
Today I am thankful for all of the visitors we have had. We are so lucky to have so many caring and understanding friends and family. I can't even count all of the visitors we've had in the past two weeks. So many phone calls, visits, gifts, meals, and awesome guests. Life gets busy, but thank you for blessing us with some many loving, kind people in our lives.

Monday, November 7th
Today I am thankful for our health. Jordyn had her two week baby appointment today and perfectly healthy! Thank you for all of the teaching and modern medicine so we can have an amazing pediatrician. Working in a hospital, I see so many families dealing with long-term, life-threatening illnesses. I thank God every day for an overall healthy family.

Tuesday, November 8th
Today I am thankful that I live in a state with all four seasons. Today was our first snow of the season, and while I know that I'll be sick of it soon, I really do love it. I cannot imagine living somewhere that I didn't experience all seasons. I cannot wait to take Miss Jordyn skiing and sledding in this beautiful white snow! :

Wednesday, November 9th
Today I am thankful for my sisters safety. This morning her car was stolen right in front of her in a matter of seconds. While I cannot believe someone would steal a car, I am so thankful she was protected. Her things can be replaced...she cannot! I am also thankful that we live so close to each other and she was able to come spend the day with Jordyn and I.

Thursday, November 10th
Today I am thankful for our jobs, especially in such a rough economy. Although Adam's job is very demanding I am thankful for it's flexibility and ability to support our family. Without him, I wouldn't be able to stay at home until the end of the year with our new addition. I am also thankful for my job; the ability take so much time off, the flexibility throughout the year, and the insurance they offer. I also love that I enjoy [most of] my job. Lastly, I am thankful for Adam's ability and willingness to DJ and my photo shoot opportunities that add to our family fund from time to time.

What are you thankful for this holiday season?

Jordyn Lynn [2 weeks]

2011-11-09T18:41:00.000-06:00

You're 2 weeks old!! I have already forgotten what life was like PreJordyn; it seems like you've been with us forever! You are a wonderful baby...you sleep 3-4 hour stretches, drink breastmilk & formula from the bottle, and eat 2-3 ounces every 2-3 hours.

You do however struggle to go to the bathroom, causing tummy aches every other day. Passing gas is not an issue for you! :) You don't really mind baths, but you're not a fan of getting dressed! :) You wear size Newborn clothes & size Newborn diapers.

You've went to the doctor twice, the mall twice, and the library once since you've been born. Saturday night Gram, Grandpa, Auntie Esha, and Uncle Bradley watched you so daddy and I could go out for a couple of hours.

I have never met a baby that makes as many crazy faces as you...they are priceless! :) You use a pacifier ['binky'] and will suck your hand if you don't have it.

Your brother is constantly checking on you; he insists on being in the same room as you and always peeks in your bassinet.

[Stats]

You weighed 7.7 lbs at birth, 7.7 lbs when we left the hospital [2 days old], 7.1 lbs at your first appointment [4 days old], and 7.10 lbs today at the doctor [14 days old]. You're now in the 27 percentile for weight. You measured 19 3/4 inches tall at the hospital and 20 1/4 inches today, putting you in the 50th percentile for height. Your head measures 13 1/2 inches and 14th percentile.

What if...

2011-11-09T14:27:00.000-06:00

What if I were to get pregnant?
Well that would be interesting since I just delivered 2 1/2 weeks ago! :) But it would be fun to have two children so close together. Plus...I think we could justify me staying home that way! :)

What if I could have any job in the world?
I would LOVE to be a stay at home mama! I would also LOVE to have a part time photography business.

What if I had a day to myself?
3 weeks ago I would have chose to have a spa day with friends. Now? I would sleep! and read and blog and soak in a bubble bath at home! :)

What if I could get married all over again? I wouldn't change a thing...okay I wouldn't change much. I would have written out my speech so I didn't forget 90% of it and I would have taken a few moments with just Adam to relax and chat.
What if I could live anywhere in the U.S.? After having Jordyn, I'm not sure that I would want to live anywhere without family. For us, that means staying in Iowa for a while! :)

What if I were to have more children?
We would be thrilled! :)
What if I could have any talent in the world?
I would love to be able to sing!
What if you met me in real life?
You would probably think I'm shyer than what you expected.
What if I went back to school?
I would love to go back and get my Master's Degree some day.
What if money weren't an object?
I would like to think we would buy a real house, get Adam a truck, travel all over the world, and invest lots.
What if I could only shop at one store for the rest of my life?
Probably Target since it has a broad scope of items.

What if I could go on a trip right now?
I'm not sure, definitely somewhere we could take Miss Jordyn to!
What if I had to choose between a house cleaner and a professional chef?
I would choose a professional house cleaner since my husband is practically my personal chef already! :)

What if I had the option to get plastic surgery?
I would take it!

The Birth Story [Jordyn Lynn]

2011-11-03T07:47:00.002-05:00

Saturday, October 22nd

11pm - First contractions [although I thought I just overate]

Sunday, October 23rd [our 2nd Anniversary]

2am - Contractions 5 minutes apart

4:45am - Arrive at hospital

5am - 3cm dialated & 90% effaced - 4 sticks to insert the IV

5:30am - Dose of Fentanyl through IV

6:15am - Vomiting through contractions

6:30am - Epidural is placed

8:45am - Dr. Casper broke my water

9:45am - Dialated to 5-6

10:00am - Setting up for the delivery

10:30am - Dose of nausea medicine

11:15am - Dialated to a 9

12:15-12:30pm - Pushed - Inserted internal heart rate monitor - Took a break from pushing

12:45pm - Dr. Tran arrives and we start pushing again

1:26pm - Jordyn Lynn arrives crying & healthy

3 days old

[Stats]

7pounds 7.3ounces

13 1/2in. head

13 1/4in. chest

19 3/4in. length

Blue eyes

Dark blonde/redish hair

October 25th

10:45am - Arrive home

Wordless Wednesday [Princess Jordyn]

2011-11-02T08:23:00.001-05:00

[Wordless Wednesday..]

5 days old

Go here if you want to see more Wordless Wednesdays! Or Join Here...

Just Arrived

2011-11-01T12:48:00.000-05:00

Jordyn Lynn

October 23rd, 2011

1:26pm | 7lbs. 7oz. | 19 3/4 in.

Just Closed.. [Water for Elephants]

2011-11-01T05:37:00.000-05:00

Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen

4 1/2 stars

29/25

View my complete list of books at Goodreads.com

[Happy Halloween]

2011-10-31T15:45:00.000-05:00

39w1d [+Bump]

2011-10-21T12:22:00.003-05:00

Sorry for the delay...it has taken me a bit to get photos uploaded!

How far along: 39w1d

Total weight gain: 35 lbs *I keep telling myself it's water weight, but I know better! :)

Size and growth of the baby: just over 7lbs. & about 20 inches long

From my weekly email: Your baby's waiting to greet the world! [S]he continues to build a layer of fat to help control body temperature after birth, but it's likely [s]he already measures about 20 inches and weighs a bit over 7 pounds, a mini watermelon. [Boys tend to be slightly heavier than girls.] The outer layers of skin are sloughing off as new skin forms underneath.

Sex: Unsure, but I think we've finally found a name for both genders! Vote on my poll [outside of Google Reader]

Maternity clothes: yep...packing up the summer clothes though

Sleep: not terrible for being full term

Movement: less and less

Best moment(s) of the week: hearing that we're 1cm and 80% effaced...progress! :)

Food cravings/aversions: nothing specific...maybe popcorn

Symptoms: nothing excessive...typical 39 weeks symptoms [heartburn, swelling, light cramping]

Belly button in or out: flat

What I miss: rolling over without pelvic pain

What I'm looking forward to: Adam and my dad are installing the ceiling fan and hanging the mirror in the baby's room this weekend! :)

Just Closed.. [My Fair Lazy]

2011-10-18T11:00:00.001-05:00

My Fair Lazy by Jen Lancaster

Three stars

28/25

View my complete list of books at Goodreads.com

::Real Time::

2011-10-16T10:59:00.000-05:00

Murdocks Daddy and Grandpa are off working on the duck pond and duck blind...what exactly they're doing....I have no idea.

I've spent the morning relaxing with Murdock, reading Water for Elephants, skimming magazines, and uploading photos in front of the [first] fire at our Lakehouse. It's been great. Although I've been nesting lots at home the last couple of weeks, I find my time at the lakehouse peaceful and calm. I'm soaking up as much rest and relaxation as possible this weekend...it will soon be coming to an end! :)

Yesterday ended up being busier than desired, but we ended the night with a family dinner, so that was fun.

I received some irritating/stressful/unexpected news Friday while at the shop getting new tires on the SUV of all places, luckily Adam was with me. It turns out our OB physician is out for the next several weeks/has left the practice? Nobody will give me a straight answer...

Well that's the weekend update. I better go get ready for our nephew's football game. It's the last one of the season...two games....less than 50 degrees outside right now... guess I better get used to sitting in less than ideal weather for kids sports! :)

Happy Sunday!

38w1d

2011-10-14T05:33:00.001-05:00

How far along: 38w1d

Total weight gain: 34lbs :(
Size and growth of the baby: just under 7lbs. & over 19 1/2 inches long

From my weekly email: [S]he has a firm grasp, which you'll soon be able to test when you hold his/her hand for the first time! The organs have matured and are ready for life outside the womb. Wondering what color your baby's eyes will be? If your baby is born with brown eyes, they'll likely stay brown. If they're steel gray or dark blue eyes, they may stay gray or blue or turn green, hazel, or brown by the time [s]he's 9 months old.

Sex: pools have started at work...your guess is as good as mine! Vote on my poll [outside of Google Reader]

Maternity clothes: mostly

Sleep: not terrible for having less than 2 weeks left

Movement: yep

Best moment(s) of the week: packing the hospital bags and opening our camcorder

Food cravings/aversions: angel food cake...mmm!

Symptoms: lots of swelling...it's progressed to my hands. The wedding ring came off Sunday morning and I feel very achy like I have arthritis in my joints [I'm sure it's just weight and fluid]. Nesting is at an all time high, sleep is at an all time low! :)

Belly button in or out: flat

What I miss: being able to dance & wearing high heals

What I'm looking forward to: our doctor's appointment Monday and our last weekend at the lakehouse without a baby.

the [pumpkins] aligned

2011-10-12T19:57:00.002-05:00

[the stars aren't out yet, so we'll just say the pumpkins have aligned...]

Our nights have finally calmed a bit, even though it's been the busiest work week all year for both of us. I realized I've got just 9 days to prepare over 10 weeks worth of work. Considering I'm a one man office this task is very overwhelming.

The bags have been packed [for both baby and us], the camcorder and camera are ready to go, and the spare bed has been delivered and ready for guests. We are ready for Baby H to arrive. Lots of people have made comments guessing the sex of Baby H, so I decided to put a voting button up. Click out of Google Reader and make your guess! :)

Today the 70 & 80 degree days we have been experiencing were replaced by low 60's, tomato soup & grilled cheese sandwiches were made for dinner, and the pumpkin spice candle is lit...Fall at it's finest!

37w1d

2011-10-06T17:01:00.000-05:00

How far along: 37w1d

Total weight gain: 31lbs :(

Size and growth of the baby: about 6 1/3lbs. & over 19 inches long

DOCTOR'S NOTES: Anticipating a 7ish pound baby and a couple of weeks before the arrival. Heartrate was 150.

From my weekly email: Your baby is now considered full term, even though your due date is still three weeks away. If you go into labor now, his/her lungs will likely be mature enough to fully adjust to life outside the womb. Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long.

Sex: the guessing games have started!

Maternity clothes: Oh yes!

Sleep: better...we now have SIX pillows & the HUGE maternity pillow in bed!

Movement: yes

Best moment(s) of the week: hearing we should be able to hold our little one in just a couple of weeks! :)

Food cravings/aversions: nothing special

Symptoms: lots of swelling in my feet!

Belly button in or out: flat

What I miss: not much...just excited to hold my baby!

What I'm looking forward to: finishing the nursery and packing the hospital bags

WARNING....If you aren't a feet person DO NOT SCROLL DOWN

[This is for my own documentation purposes only]

The photo doesn't completely show the 'roundness' of them. They're about the circumference of a can of soda.

A little itchy, a lot tight, really weird to feel fluid move in the top of your foot when you walk.

Toenails compliments of my husband! :)

48 Hours [w/ Aunt Abby]

2011-09-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday we went to the lakehouse for the weekend, which is the same town that all of Adam's family lives. We didn't have plans to remodel anything at the lakehouse, so we filled out weekend with Aunt/Uncle duties! :) I had so much fun soaking up some 'just being an aunt' time. As much as I can say things wont change after we have a little one of our own, I know they will, so I wanted to enjoy this last weekend as much as I could. Here's a little peak of our first 48 hours...

Thursday night...

Aliya's Volleyball Game

Murdock Rides while daddy and uncle Adam seed the grass

Friday [skipping daycare!]...

Paper Chain Countdown [until Baby H arrives]

Dance Parties

Lunch on the floor

Bug Collecting

Bug Analyzing

Mya's Guitar Solo [after the peprally]

Park time..

Peyton

Ava

Saturday...

Pet Love

Molly & Murdock

Painting Grandma's Resturant

Football with Uncle Adam

Mya

Keaton

Vanessa's Homecoming Dance

Not pictured this weekend...naps, book reading, Vanessa cheering at the Homecoming football game, digging Grandpa's duck pond, attending a friend's baby shower, impromptu football party, & deck building at Uncle Dude's house.

36w1d

2011-09-30T13:36:00.000-05:00

How far along: 36w1d

Total weight gain: 29lbs

Size and growth of the baby: almost 6 lbs. & over 18 1/2 inches long

DOCTOR'S NOTES: My swollen feet are perfectly normal...no preclampsia, no blood clots, no gestational diabetes! :)

From my weekly email: Your baby is gaining about an ounce a day. [S]he's shedding most of the downy hair that covered his/her body, as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that protected the skin during the nine-month amniotic bath. Next week, your baby will be considered full-term.

Sex: it's a surprise!

Maternity clothes: Almost always...new shoes may be my next maternity purchase. With all of this swelling most of them don't fit anymore! :(

Sleep: still not great...waking for potty breaks, but mostly for water...I cannot get enough water during the night!

Best moment(s) of the week: hitting the one month mark & finishing up our maternity photos! :)

Food cravings/aversions: tootsie rolls! :)

Symptoms: lots of swelling in my feet!

Belly button in or out: in, flat

What I miss: sleep... but I'm pretty sure this is going to seem like refreshed compared to after Baby H arrives! :)

What I'm looking forward to: seeing family and friends from back home for the last time before Baby H's arrival.

Movement: yes

1 month

2011-09-27T17:23:00.000-05:00

from today Baby H is due! I simply have no words. It seems like so long since we found out yet so quickly that our lives have changed. Time seems to stand still at moments and fly at lightening speed the next.

I find myself dreaming of physically holding Baby H... wondering wether we'll be blessed with a little girl or a little boy...if our baby will have Adam's smile to light up the room or dark hair like I had at birth. And while I dream about holding our baby, my eyes swell with tears thinking I'll no longer be able to feel the movement from inside my belly. Bittersweet.

The feeling that we 'could go at any moment' is indescribable to me too. Although I'm sure Baby H wont make his or her arrival until November, I still think about every pressure coming from inside; is the baby lowering into position? Is this what a contraction feels like? How long has it been since I felt the baby kick? I'm sure all of this is normal, but it's new to me. It's completely surreal that one month from today I'm due to become a mama...

We're off to take maternity photos! :)

Just Closed.. [Heaven Is For Real]

2011-09-27T10:59:00.000-05:00

Heaven is for Real by Todd Burpo

For being less than 200 pages this book is filled with thought provoking facts from a three year old boy's experience of heaven.

Four stars

27/25

View my complete list of books at Goodreads.com

Murdock's New Favorite Room In The House...

2011-09-24T12:34:00.000-05:00

Alternately Titled: Nursery Sneak Peak

If Murdock is missing...this is where we find him. I think he is as anxious for Baby H's arrival as we are! :)

35w1d [+bump]

2011-09-22T11:58:00.000-05:00

How far along: 35w1d

Total weight gain: 27lbs

Size and growth of the baby: about 5 1/4 lbs. & over 18 inches long

DOCTOR'S NOTES: He anticipates the baby to be around 7lbs [which is reassuring]. On a disappointing note I show no progress of going into labor anytime soon!

From my weekly email: Because it's so snug in your womb, [s]he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times [s]he kicks should remain about the same. His/her kidneys are fully developed now, and the liver can process some waste products. Most of the basic physical development is now complete – [s]he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.

Sex: more people are starting to guess boy which is a big change...overall everyone still thinks girl though.

Maternity clothes: Almost always. Purchased another pair of [dark] maternity jeans and bought a lounge outfit for at the hospital last week.

Sleep: not great... lots of potty breaks and [slooowly] flipping sides. I'm wide awake [but still tired!] after about 5 hours of sleep. I suppose this is preparing me for being up all night!

Best moment(s) of the week: hearing the heartbeat and knowing that the dreaded Strep B test is OVER! :) Oh and the diaper bag has arrived!! :)

Movement: yes...not a lot of room for movement, but I still feel some.

Food cravings/aversions: Nothing specific...I feel like I graze more because I can't eat a lot at one time.

Symptoms: still lots of back & pelvic pain...my ankles started swelling this week [fun stuff!]

Belly button in or out: almost flat, but I think it will stay in

What I miss: sitting up and rolling over quickly [painlessly!]

What I'm looking forward to: finishing up the nursery!

Just Closed.. [Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea]

2011-09-20T06:26:00.001-05:00

Are You There, Vodka? It's Me, Chelsea by Chelsea Handler

I grabbed this book from the library after hearing so many people talk about it. I have no idea why there was a wait for this book; if it hadn't been such a short book I probably wouldn't even have finished it. This book had some [but very few] funny parts, but honestly had NO POINT! Very disappointing!

Two stars

26/25

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Camcorder::HELP!

2011-09-16T15:33:00.000-05:00

So my parents are buying us a camcorder and we want to pick it out early so we have it when Baby H arrives BUT I'm lost! I don't know much about them [as in I've really never used one]. My parents had something that resembled this growing up...

Not exactly, but definitely similar! Via Google

Note: No worries...they did upgrade to a handheld when those hit the markets!

But really I don't know what we need. We want something that will just hook up to our computer to make digital files [which I'm sure they all do by now] and something semi small so that we'll actually use it. I don't need crazy awesome quality, but I would like something decent. Good color, clarity, and image stability. We aren't brand specific. We have an apple laptop, canon camera, samsung tv...you get my drift.

Is a $100 flipcam good enough for our needs?

Or do we go with something a little bigger?

HELP!!

What camcorder do you have? What do you like/dislike about it? Is there anything we must know before we decide on one?

--the clueless parents!

34w1d [+bump]

2011-09-16T13:22:00.000-05:00

How far along: 34w1d

Total weight gain: 26lbs *With 6 weeks left I'm afraid I'm going to go over my 30lb. goal! :(

Size and growth of the baby: about 4 3/4 lbs. & almost 18 inches long

From my weekly email: Your baby's fat layers – which [s]he'll need to regulate body temperature after birth – are filling out, making your baby rounder. The skin is also smoother than ever. His/her central nervous system is maturing and the lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.

Sex: nobody knows!

Maternity clothes: pants for sure!

Sleep: not terrible... lots of potty breaks and [slooowly] flipping sides

Best moment(s) of the week: taking a tour of the baby ward at the hospital and purchasing lots of little odds and ends before Baby H arrives

Movement: some...it has picked up again. I woke with kicks to the ribs for the first time this week.

Food cravings/aversions: I can't get enough popcorn right now!

Morning sickness: is gone

Symptoms: still lots of pelvic pain

Belly button in or out: almost flat now

What I miss: having a Bacardi Razz during the football game

What I'm looking forward to: hearing the heartrate again next week.

Mishmash!

2011-09-14T22:32:00.000-05:00

My sister came over tonight...we had dinner, chatted, and put up my fall decor. It was just what I needed after so many busy nights in a row.

I've had a sore throat for several days now. If I'm not awake to go to the bathroom or because my legs have fallen asleep, I'm now awake with a sore throat! I'm sure it's just allergies and the large temperature changes [90s yesterday and 50s tonight] but Ugh...I"m over it! I just need some sleep!

The case we ordered for our Galaxy Tab arrived today! :)

I've been taking more and more photos lately. I got another email today inquiring about taking family photos...words cannot describe my excitement for these opportunities. I know I'm not the best, but I'm loving the opportunity to learn and experiment. So.much.fun!

I've got plans to go shopping tomorrow night...can't wait! Once upon a time shopping was no big deal and happened all of the time, but since getting arrived my shopping is been nearly extinct! I'm excited for girl time and getting all of my errands ran [2 baby gifts, home decor, nursery decor, maternity photo clothes, a dress for a wedding, and some warmer maternity clothes].

I seriously cannot share my love for Magic Erasers enough...those things are just amazing! It doesn't matter how many marks they remove, I still gasp every time. I have no idea what makes them work, but they're AWESOME! Perhaps this is part of my nesting, but I had Adam scrubbing every one of our white doors tonight. They're like brand new again! :)

Today I found an awesome oar for the lakehouse for $20. Last night a friend of ours gave us some baby items he's done with, including a perfect looking baby food maker/steamer.

I'm thinking of hosting a Scentsy book party next week...I'm craving some new things. We'll see how that goes...

I should get to bed. My coworker is off for the next week and a half, so it's crazy busy!!

Wordless Wednesday {Emmett ~ 6 Months}

2011-09-14T06:37:00.005-05:00

Go here if you want to see more Wordless Wednesdays! Or Join Here...

Just Closed.. [Sing You Home]

2011-09-13T07:05:00.001-05:00

Sing You Home by Jodi Picoult

I forgot I finished this book last week. Definitely not one of my most favorite Jodi Picoult books. Although it gets better as the book goes on. The main character Zoe is finally 7 months pregnant after several infertility issues. Life seems to be coming together for her and her husband Max until she suddenly loses the baby. As if losing the baby isn't enough she looses her husband too. See where life takes these two after they hit rock bottom... One thumb up!

25/25

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Good|Bad this weekend

2011-09-12T05:48:00.000-05:00

Good::We spent lots of time having fun with friends this weekend

Bad::It was HOT this weekend...I think I'm over the heat for the summer...where is our Fall?!

Good::I took Emmett's 6 month photos & photos of his parents this weekend

Bad::Murdock is sick again. Friday he was favoring his paw and today he has slept all day...guess I'll be calling the vet today!

Good::I got to babysit Emmett Friday

Bad::The Cubs lost Friday, the Hawkeyes lost in OT Saturday, the Vikings lost Sunday...not a good weekend for sports!

Good::We had another great baby appointment Friday!

Overall it was another great weekend. We're trying to savor the last few semi-free weekends we have as just husband and wife. We know the sleeping in and being on the run all weekend will soon come to an end! :)

33w1d [+bump]

2011-09-09T15:14:00.000-05:00

How far along: 33w1d

Total weight gain: 24lbs

Size and growth of the baby: over 4 lbs. & over 17 inches long

From my weekly email: Your baby is rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and the skeleton is hardening. The bones of the skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for your baby to fit through the birth canal. These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Sex: it'll be a surprise! :)

Maternity clothes: definitely

Sleep: not terrible...waking with acid and taking lots of potty breaks

Best moment(s) of the week: hearing the comments from family that hadn't seen us for a while!

Movement: some...it's less but what I do feel is harder. It still tickles a lot! :)

Food cravings/aversions: everything!! :)

Morning sickness: no more

Symptoms: typical 3rd trimester stuff...acid, pelvic & back pain! :)

Belly button in or out: flattening quite a bit!

What I miss: having lots of wardrobe options

What I'm looking forward to: having a weekend around home to relax! :)

[Labor Day]

2011-09-07T04:15:00.000-05:00

[ONE]

..Labor Day Party [& awesome weekend]

..fireplace [almost] finished

..deck stained

..bon fire

[TWO]

..photogenic boys

Blake:Cade

..babies to play with

..dozen handmade cupcakes consumed

..happy homeowners until the water heater quit

..times I scrubbed our floor on my hand and knees

[FOUR]

..days off work to spend at the Lakehouse

..kinds of meat/smoked grilled Sunday

..dogs at the Lakehouse this weekend

Carter:Mallory:Me:Bennett:Mackenzie

..kids I hadn't seen forever

..yard games played

Just Closed.. [Night Road]

2011-09-06T09:17:00.000-05:00

Night Road by Kristin Hannah

Kristin Hannah's newest book about life, love, & forgiveness. How do you pick the pieces up after your perfect life comes crumbling down? Maybe it's because I'm almost a mama, maybe it's just hormones, but this book really makes you think about the important things in life. Two thumps up!

24/25

View my complete list of books at Goodreads.com

32w1d [+bump]

2011-09-01T09:03:00.001-05:00

How far along: 32w1d

Total weight gain: 23lbs

Size and growth of the baby: about 3.75 lbs. & over 16 3/4 inches long

From my weekly email: You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, [s]he'll gain a third to half of his/her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as [s]he fattens up for survival outside the womb.

Sex: we aren't finding out ahead of time!

Maternity clothes: almost always

Sleep: still waking up with lots of acid in the night. Also, it takes me almost a minute to flip from one side to the other at night due to the pelvic pain!

Best moment(s) of the week: hearing the heartbeat [144] at our doctor's appointment. [Measuring 30cm]

Movement: yes, less each day though

Food cravings/aversions: Food is sounding less and less appetizing since I don't really have room for food in my stomach anymore.

Morning sickness: gone

Symptoms: lots of pelvic pain. I'm pretty sure my pelvic is veerrry sloooowly [but veerrry painfully] splitting into two pieces! Good times! :)

Belly button in or out: in, but flattening

What I miss: being able to stand up and roll over quickly

What I'm looking forward to: taking our prenatal class this weekend!

Just Closed.. [The Help]

2011-08-30T05:09:00.000-05:00

The Help by Kathryn Stockett

Finally a good book! I'm pretty sure everyone knows what this book is about already since the movie has been playing for a couple of week now, but in case not... it's the story of two black maids and a while girl living in the early 1960's. Skeeter returns from college and makes it her mission to write a book about the racial segregation of the South, but you'll have to read it to see just how far she'll go to get her point across. 450 pages and worth every one of them. Two thumps up!

23/25

View my complete list of books at Goodreads.com

31w1d [+bump]

2011-08-26T17:22:00.003-05:00

How far along: 31w1d

Total weight gain: 21lbs

Size and growth of the baby: about 3.3 lbs. & over 16 inches long

From my weekly email: This week, your baby is heading into a growth spurt. [S]he can turn his or her head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath the skin. Your baby is probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Sex: it's a surprise!

Maternity clothes: lots!

Sleep: it's been a bit better this week

Best moment(s) of the week: having our first baby shower!!

Movement: yep!

Food cravings/aversions: Loved banana nut muffins this week!

Morning sickness: nope

Symptoms: more back pain a heartburn, but that's to be expected, right?!

Belly button in or out: in, but flattening

What I miss: being able to stand up quickly

What I'm looking forward to: taking our prenatal class this weekend!

Mishmash!

2011-08-26T16:06:00.001-05:00

It's Friday...whoop whoop! I should be posting my weekly baby update, but I haven't uploaded the photo from today, so it will be coming.

I'm blogging from our new internet source...kind of exciting! We're taking it to the lakehouse Sunday, so we'll have to see if we have reception there. I'm excited to be able to Skype with family again [since the video part went out on my MacBook].

Just got home from a golf outing with the residents and some of the attendings at the hospital. I rode around and took photos of everyone. It was fun...until it started raining! :)

I finished 'The Help' this morning. Can't wait to share my thoughts about it!

We have got parcels in the mail everyday since Sunday this week, so I'm just waiting to see what we get today! Childish...yes, but it's true! :)

Tomorrow we have a baby class all day, so pray that it's interesting and we last all 7 hours!! After class we have a bachelor/bachelorette party for good friends of ours. Hopefully this preggo girl makes it until 10pm!! :)

We had girls night this week...went and saw Crazy Stupid Love. It was cute, but I would recommend renting it rather than going to the theatre. Movies are just so expensive nowadays! I say that, but I would really like to go see 'The Help' soon since I finished the book.

Missing these girls like crazy...can't believe they're 4 1/2 now and just started Prekindergarten!!

Okay...waiting for the hubs to get home. We're having company over tonight! :)

Happy Friday!!

The Real Truth About The 2nd Trimester..

2011-08-25T08:11:00.000-05:00

Whoop Whoop...we're on to the 3rd trimester!! As excited as I am to be getting closer to meeting our little pumpkin, I'm a bit sad knowing the 1st & 2nd trimesters of my very 1st pregnancy are over. :( Overall I cannot complain about this pregnancy so far, I have been blessed with an easy one! On to the fun truths about the 2nd trimester!

1. Heartburn...

actually it's more like nonstop bubbling acid in the top of your throat. Forget bending over for anything or laying down to sleep, unless you want to be choking on your own acid. Sounds fun doesn't it?! :) It's still better than the 24 hour nausea from the 1st trimester, so I'll take it! :)

2. Blown Up...

I already feel like a balloon about to burst! It was like all of a sudden my belly got hard and I popped out. It's crazy to think how much more my skin is going to stretch...yikes! Over the course of a week we spent about $500 on maternity clothes. I needed everything & quick. Not even my bra was going to last another day!

3. Leg Cramps...

I'm drinking over 100 oz. of water a day and still get 1-3 leg cramps a night. Having never experienced leg cramps before these are intense. They always come at night, waking you up. I try my hardest to breathe [because my reaction is to hold my breath] and not wake my husband, but it's kind of hard! They don't usually last long, but like I said 1-3 times a night really takes a toll on your sleep!!

Runner Ups...constantly peeing, feeling out of breath, & sleepless nights!

Just Closed.. [Straight Up And Dirty]

2011-08-23T07:07:00.006-05:00

Straight Up And Dirty by Stephanie Klein

I'm on a roll for choosing books lately...bad ones that is! This book lacked focus and vision I think. A few parts were interesting and the last half seemed to be better than the first. Just because I think it was a smidge better than the last book I read, I 'll give it just one thumb down :(

22/25

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..weekend..

2011-08-21T18:34:00.000-05:00

Another perfect weekend for us! Friends, family, and perfect weather!

Friday we got a glider/rocker for the nursery and went for pizza with friends

Saturday my youngest sister and her bf came to town and we spent the whole day at our friends pool along with my other sister and friend.

Sunday we had a couples shower with our friends and grilled out afterwards. [post to come]

Not sure I'm ready for Monday!! :)

30w1d [+bump]

2011-08-19T10:48:00.000-05:00

How far along: 30w1d

Total weight gain: 19lbs

Size and growth of the baby: almost 3lbs. & almost 16 inches long

From my weekly email: A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds your baby, but that volume will decrease as [s]he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Your baby's eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after [s]he's born, [s]he'll keep his or her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When the baby does open them, [s]he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision – which means [s]he can only make out objects a few inches from his or her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Sex: unknown

Maternity clothes: almost always

Sleep: not terrible, but lots of potty breaks [& leg cramps] throughout the night

Best moment(s) of the week: Passing my glucose test and hearing the baby's heartbeat again! :)

Movement: yes...I'm pretty sure the baby flipped [into position] after my visit to the chiropractor. Feeling kicks up high now and lots of pressure down low

Food cravings/aversions: nothing crazy, maybe pizza?

Morning sickness: no

Symptoms: some back issues this week [went to the Chiropractor to help]

Belly button in or out: in, but flattening

What I miss: flipping over in the middle of the night without it being a 'process'

What I'm looking forward to: our 1st baby shower! :)

my day [25]

2011-08-15T14:50:00.001-05:00

Today is my day. I can't believe I'm 25...a 1/4 of a century! This is the first birthday in several years I can say I'm truly satisfied. Growing up my mom always said birthday are no big deal [her birthdays that is...she always made our birthdays a BIG deal which I think is why I found myself a little depressed each birthday since I've moved out...but anyways...] I never really understood my she thought that, but this year I think I'm starting to understand it. It isn't so much a 'no big deal' feeling, more of a 'totally content' feeling. I have an amazing husband, a rockstar family, a happy puppy, a healthy baby on the way, a nice condo, a fun lakehouse, a great job and awesome friends...my heart is full!

I mean we still celebrated...lots...and it's been fun, but I'm okay with keeping it simple this year. No going out, so parties, no cake...just family and relaxation.

I'm off today...just me. A day full of everything that makes me happy.

..a shellack manicure..

..a haircut & color..

..reading..

..blogging..

..snoozing with my pup..

..a birthday dinner with my family last night..

..spending the weekend with my hubby..

..hearing the baby's heartbeat at a doctor's appointment this morning..

..great gifts & lots of cards & birthday wishes..

..a funnel cake at the state fair with great friends tonight..

This...is what life is all about!

Here's to 25 years of being happy, healthy, and overall blessed!

Thank you to everyone who shows me your love all year long...you make me who I am & for that I am grateful!

..home..

2011-08-15T12:30:00.000-05:00

is where we spent our weekend. It's been a long time since we slept in our own bed...not on vacation, with family, or even at our lake house. We spent our weekend

..getting an oil change
..reading
..dog sitting our nephew
..baking brownies
..watching Country Strong
..playing cards & making dinner with friends
..having cousins over for a big breakfast
..spending lots of time with my sister
..DJing a wedding
..being puppy free for the night
..watching Lincoln Lawer
..taking my 1st session of maternity photos
..meeting my family for birthday pizza
..watching TV with the hubs

I love weekends around home! :)

29w1d [+Bump]

2011-08-12T09:58:00.000-05:00

Sorry for ta-ta shot...it's impossible to get a 'view from here' shot without them these days!

How far along: 29w1d

Total weight gain: 18lbs

Size and growth of the baby: about 2 1/2lbs. & just over 15 inches long

From my weekly email: Your baby's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and the head is getting bigger to accommodate a growing brain – which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.

Sex: it's a surprise!

Maternity clothes: yes

Sleep: not bad...waking up for lots of poppy breaks throughout the night

Best moment(s) of the week: taking my glucose test [not because it was pleasant, but because it's exciting to be this far along already! :]

Movement: more and more!

Food cravings/aversions: not much this week, I feel like my appetite has hit a plateaued a bit.

Morning sickness: gone

Symptoms: some minor back pain and the acid seems to be getting worse again [if that is possible!]

Belly button in or out: in, but flattening

What I miss: bending over to pick things up and being able to breath at the same time!

What I'm looking forward to: finding out the results of our glucose test!

Just Closed.. [The Carrie Diaries]

2011-08-09T07:07:00.002-05:00

The Carrie Diaries by Candace Bushnell

Even though this is a young adult book I thought I might enjoy it since I love Sex In The City. WRONG! This [less than 300 page] book took me over 2 weeks to read because I was just pushing through hoping it would get better. Slow, boring, high school drama. The only good part about the book was that it gave the background of Carrie going to New York City. Two thumbs down :(

21/25

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