6 Months!

Today, we are at 6 months of a pretty good pregnancy. I have no previous experience but I've been very lucky to not have had many of the horrible side effects I have heard and read about. I didn't have morning sickness at all and didn't have to rush to the bathroom every 5 minutes, until recently. Evan moves a lot now and I'm finally showing. It's kind of thrilling. Mike was able to feel Evan kick just the other day, which elicited a smile! I go to the regular OB doctor on Thursday to hear the heartbeat and measurements and next Thursday is another ultrasound.

Our next project is to re-paint Mike's old toy box. We are thinking about painting it into a firestation or a firetruck. It is rectangular and both long sides open on the top (hard to describe). Mike's dad made him the toy box when he was younger. Our progress might be slow so it will be a while for the pictures.

No More Vacations!

Vacation time is over. I am quickly approaching my 24th week so I guess I'll stay put near home for a while. There will be plenty of things to do around here, luckily. This weekend we are going on our maternity tour at Northside and then we have a wedding to attend in Monticello for our friends Shaye and Raymond. Next weekend is the Baby Faire at The Galleria and next weekend, the weddings start back up at church. Since I can't give my Lead Wedding Coordinator job away at church (I already tried to quit once), I am still the go to person to schedule altar servers and people on the guild to help. I enjoy it for the most part, until the weddings stack up!

Our trip to Minneapolis was alright. When we got there, it was chilly and rainy. I think we brought the weather back with us too! We are the worst at taking pictures so I have none. We will be better with pictures when Evan arrives. I hope everyone else's weekend went well.

One Last Long Trip

We leave again in the morning for Minneapolis, MN. I am going to work Sunday through Tuesday and Mike is going because I got an airfare deal and I will feel better with him there. I'm afraid I might get stuck with messing with heavy things since our work exhibit is huge and heavy. I should be more trusting of the other people going with me, but I'm not. I guess I've been the only one working at these insurance shows before! This will probably be our last big trip before Evan arrives. I'm not looking forward to airport security hassels with my insulin but it's probably not as bad as I imagine it to be. I hope the silent people that read this blog, and Andrea and Katie who actually comment, have a good weekend!

Our Typical Dinner

Baxter and Romeo waiting for their share

This is the picture we get to look at every night that Mike's home from work and we eat at the dinner table. Both Baxter and Romeo sit patiently and wait to see if we are going to share with them. Tonight was no exception with our feast of Publix chicken. Mike did share some with them since we are leaving again on Saturday for Minneapolis. I am attending a work conference and Mike gets another small vacation for 4 days.

Our Vacation

Sunset in Tampa 9/5/06 (from a moving car)

We started our vacation on Sunday and drove to Valdosta to see Katy and Derrick. We went to lunch at Mellow Mushroom and visited. After lunch, we drove the additional 4 hours south to Venice, Florida. We stayed in Venice with our friends Erin and Brent (from Dallas, TX), Erin's parents and their 3 month old baby, Alannah. We had a good time visiting. We couldn't go to the beach because of red tide but Erin's parent's house has a screened in pool so we were able to get some swimming in there.

We left Venice on Tuesday evening, after some shopping at the nearby outlet mall. We were going to stop and stay with Katy and Derrick but Mike got a phone call on the way home to take a flight (his second job is being a paramedic on medical flights). We decided to take a detour into Tampa and visit Landry's, a resturant that we went to almost 2 years ago before we went on our honeymoon cruise. It was a very nice dinner during sunset on our 2 year anniversary. Afterwards, we drove home and arrived here just after 3:00 AM.

Today, our neighbor brought us over a ton of boy clothes and I did some Goodwill shopping while in Florida so I don't need any more baby clothes!

I hope everyone else had a good Labor Day Holiday Weekend!

Packing Procrastination

I am the biggest procrastinator when it comes to packing to leave on a trip. I have done everything else today so that I didn't have to pack. Now, at 11:23 PM, I finally have to get some packing done or else I'll be up all night. That won't work either since I'm not a morning person, and I have to drive in the morning. Today I went to Macy's, again, home a few hours, church, then back to Ross and finally home to wash clothes and eventually, pack. I hope everyone has a good Labor Day holiday. I'll post something on Wednesday when we return home.

Labor Day Weekend!

I can't believe vacation is almost here! It took forever for this week to end. I had issues with a coworker all week and it was torture to get to this day. That's how it goes working with women, someone's always moody and I know I'm guilty many times too. We don't get to leave until Sunday morning when Mike gets off of work but it will be worth it. We will make a stop in Valdosta to see Katy and Derrick then head to Venice, FL. Tuesday evening, on our 2nd anniversary, we will drive back to Valdosta and crash there, if we get the okay with Katy and Derrick! I figure Mike won't be as tired of me going to the restroom every 30 minutes if we only do 4 hours of driving Tuesday and then 4 hours home on Wednesday.

My sister-in-law Heather wrote me to let me know that her and Elena are doing good. Elena was born 8/30/06 at 6:23 AM (Texas time) and weighed 7 lbs 5 oz, 20.5 inches long.

I'm sure I'll find something to blog about in my boredom tomorrow as I was clothes and clean the house. By the way, Macy's is having a good children's sale. Broke me, of course, couldn't resist just a little something on the Macy's card.

Evan's Pictures

Evan is 22 weeks and 4 days old today. I went in to the doctor to get his pictures taken this morning. I don't think he liked the Diet Coke that I had with breakfast though. He rolled around and around for the first 25 or so minutes of the ultrasound and he wouldn't move his arm out of the way of his aortic arch of his heart. The doctor and sonographer really wanted pictures of it and he didn't want to cooperate. After 40 minutes, he started fighting the ultrasound probe back. He was kicking and moving. He showed his boy parts well today too so we definitely know he's a boy. He is currently 1 lb. and on target! I am up to a 3 lb. weight gain myself, which I am pleasantly surprised with. The doctor thinks the small weight gain is fine too. We get to see Evan in another 4 weeks, 8 weeks, and then twice a week when I hit 32 weeks. I'm not looking forward to the twice a week appointments, just 10 weeks from now, but at least they will make sure that he's okay.

Ultrasound tomorrow

I go see the Maternal Fetal Specialist at 8:30 AM in the morning for my monthly ultrasound. I guess the frequent ultrasounds is the only advantage to being high risk. I am going to start my morning early with a nice caffine-full diet coke so that Evan will be awake this time. Last month, he wanted to sleep and the ultrasound lasted 45 minutes. Hopefully Evan's growth won't be too far ahead and everything will check out okay.

On a side note, congrats to my brother-in-law, Rob and his wife, Heather. They welcomed Elena Barbara Falk early this morning. I don't have many details. They live in Houston, Texas and started the Falk family baby wave. I'm next and Katy is due in late January. We can't wait to meet Elena at the next family function!

More Nursery Pictures

Lamp base and firetruck picture frame. The shade is on my Babies R Us registry.

Loved from the Start frame that Christina gave us. (I love this Hallmark Collection of frames)

My Craig's List firetruck rug. It was a deal at $8!

Wall hangings over crib with the new firetruck hooks

Firetruck pictures

Diaper stacker

I had nowhere else for this but I think it's a toy holder. We are going to put pictures in the white frame. There was also no other place for the cordless phone!

I'm playing with the curtains still. They are super long and over the curtains that were already there.

Ditto from the above picture

Mike helped me put the firetruck hooks up and hang the few pictures we have. The nursery is almost done, except we haven't stolen Mom's rocking chair yet. We also need the little nursery items but that will come in time.

Venting!

So it isn't bad enough that I work in insurance and contracts for bone marrow transplants all day at work! I don't understand why OB/GYN offices don't know how to check your benefits and not charge you an arm and a leg for a baby that I haven't even had yet. I fired my last OB/GYN's office because they would not refund my money after I met my out of pocket for the year. Today, I get home and have a nice letter asking me for $440, payable in 2 easy payments of $220 in September and in October. HELLO!!! I have met my out of pocket for the year. If I have to pay them more money this year, I will be completly broke. I already owe my insulin pump company over $1,000 for my new insulin pump. Sometimes, I wish I didn't have to go to 3 different doctors all the time and pay so much money. If I knew getting pregnant was going to make me broke, I would have waited until I won the lottery.

My eBay Habit

Mommy's diaper bag for Evan!

Firetruck hooks for our three wall hangings

I am addicted to eBay. I have been searching for the perfect diaper bag and I finally found one that I love. It arrived today, along with my other purchase, some firetruck wall hooks for the three wall hangings that will be hung over Evan's crib. I am now waiting on Mike's diaper backpack to arrive. I didn't think he was a big fan of the Waverly stripes and monogrammed bag. I have him a new Baby Bjorn City Blue Backpack on the way. It was a steal at only $20, much cheaper than my splurge.

It was a long day today so I was thrilled to have two packages waiting for me at the door when I got in from work. I'm exhausted too but luckily, my wonderful husband washed the sheets on the bed and the're inviting me to sleep. Sweet dreams to all!

One week until vacation!

Mike and I get to go on vacation one week from today! We are going to see our friends Erin and Brent who live in Texas. We also get to meet their new daughter, Lana. We are going to Venice, FL to stay at Erin's mom's house. We haven't seen Erin and Brent since shortly after our wedding and theirs, almost 2 years ago. Erin took all of our great engagement pictures and firestation wedding pictures.

We also celebrate our 2nd anniversary on September 5. Time flies when you're having fun and waiting on your first born to arrive!

I've been Tagged by Andrea

One Book that...

...changed my life

All of the 30 Minute Meals books by Rachael Ray. I can't cook well so they are a huge resource. I know they technically aren't book books.

...I've read more than once

I have a hard time reading books more than once, but as a reference, I've read parts over in The Pregnancy Bible and Your Pregnancy, Week by Week.

...I would want with me on a deserted island

I'll go with the consensus and say the Bible. I'm not a faithful bible reader but I am religious and spiritual and would definitely want God with me on a deserted island.

...made me laugh

Jenny McCarthy.. Belly Laughs

...made me cry

The book I finished about 20 minutes ago, Emily Giffin... Baby Proof. I cry when reading many books though.

...I wish had been written

How to read Mike's mind

...I wish had never been written

no idea

...I am currently reading

Just finished Baby Proof so no new book yet

...I've been meaning to read

The Breastfeeding Book. My cousin gave it to me and since I had to cancel my breastfeeding class, because my flex spending insurance money doesn't cover it, it will be a valuable resource. Also, I want to read Jenny McCarthy's Baby Laughs because her books are quick, brainless and funny!

I can't tag anyone else because Andrea is the only person I know with a blog.

Evan the Tax Deduction

The onesie my cousin, Christina, bought for Evan

I went to my new OB/GYN today and was very happy. The doctor and nurse practioner were so sweet and nice. They sat me down after we heard Evan's heartbeat and listened to my questions. They also said that we will probably have Evan around 39 weeks. That will make Evan a tax deduction! He may just arrive before 12/31/06! It would save us a little insurance money and I'm excited that we may get to meet our baby a little bit earlier.

Today, we also found out that Mike's sister, Katy and her husband, Derrick, will also have a baby boy. Their baby boy is due 3 weeks after Evan is due so we will have boys close to the same age! We're all very excited.

More good health news

I got my lab results back today from some blood I had drawn yesterday. My thyroid results were good but the one I cared about was my hemoglobin A1c. It tells my average blood sugar for the past 4-6 weeks. It came back great! I've been averaging 100-108 so my baby is reaping the rewards, and of course me too.

I see my new OB/GYN tomorrow. I had to fire the other practice I was seeing over an out of pocket money dispute. I think I'll only hear the heartbeat on doppler tomorrow and talk to the doctor, but at least I will get to see a real doctor. I never met a doctor at the other practice I went to. Other than that, nothing new is happening but I figured I would write something to bore the few people that read this. :)

Only 2 lbs!

I went to my endocrinologist today and found out that I have only gained 2 lbs, in my 20 weeks and 1 day. My scale at home has been playing tricks on me so I thought it was going to be more like 5-6 lbs. I'm happy with that since I was already overweight to begin with. The doctor was happy with it too, since we've tried everything over the past couple of years to get me to a normal weight. Don't worry, I'm not doing anything to harm Evan, just doctors orders.

20 weeks and moving!

Today is a milestone in my pregnancy. I am 20 weeks along today! It feels like a light switch has been flipped in the movement department too. Baby Evan is making his presence known. I first felt it for more than a few seconds today, during the NASCAR race, right when Mike's favorite driver, Matt Kenseth was winning the race. Not my choice of drivers but I guess he will be just like his daddy in the NASCAR choices. Now, as I'm about to go to sleep, I feel the prolonged butterflies again. It's strange but at least I know things are going as they should. I can't wait to feel more and more as the time flies by.

Cole's Birthday Party

This is actually a picture from Wednesday evening's birthday dinner for Cole. You can see that I've gained a little weight from my pregnancy.

Singing Happy Birthday!

The look when someone else blows out your candles

Getting ready to open presents

Mike helping to assemble some gifts

Yesterday was the day of the big birthday party. Cole had a great time and Christina did a wonderful job of throwing him a great party. We had fun too!

Happy 3rd Birthday, Cole!

My cousin, Christina, and my godson, Cole, at the Japanese Resturant

Riding the motorcycle game at Chuck E Cheese

Riding the firetruck

Mike and my Uncle Charles playing the firefighting game. Very serious!

Cole helping Mike play the firefighter game, or the other way around.

It was Cole's 3rd birthday yesterday. We started out at the Japanese Resturant to watch the cook light food on fire for Cole. Afterwards, we took in an hour of Chuck E Cheese. It was fun but it will be nothing compared to the party Christina is throwing him this weekend. After the fun last night, I curled up in the front seat of the car and slept for an hour. When we got home, I changed clothes and jumped right into bed, as usual!