Happy New Year!!!

As you can tell by the time I am posting this we didn't have a whole lot going on on New Year's Eve which is just how we like it! We just got back from dinner with Jaclyn and Corey at Shogun. Neither one of us had big plans and we hadn't seen each other in awhile so we decided that we would go out to dinner. Some how all the stars aligned just right and we didn't have to wait long for a table and we had a wonderful time! We spent dinner catching up and chatting about baby stuff. I miss not seeing her everyday but hopefully since the holidays are winding down we will be able to get together more.

In baby news, I am 28 weeks which means only 12 more to go!!!! I am just beside myself with excitement! Brent has put up a counter on our computer counting down the days. I haven't decided if I like it or if it annoys me. Every time I turn on the computer it is the first thing that pops up and it makes me anxious and makes me realize there is so much we still have to do. I'm hoping to get started on Belle's room next week. I have lots to make and need to get on it. I told my Nanny to clear her schedule for the next couple of weekends that we had sewing to do. She was thrilled! :) The clock it ticking and I have got to get on the ball! So if I seem scattered over the next couple of months excuse me, I've got too much on the brain!

Here I am at 28 weeks!

Brent, me, Jac, and Corey

The pregnant chicks. Thanks to Brent's beautiful angle, I look like I could eat Jac!

Me and Brentie. Too bad he couldn't tell me BEFORE the picture to fix myself!

28 Week Check Up

I had my monthly doctor's appointment today. As usually everything was looking and sounding good. Well, everything but the weight I gained! I literally almost fainted when I did the math in my head on how much I gained! I made the nurse double check the numbers praying that I had miscalculated. Sadly I hadn't. She told me I should have two spikes in weight, one early on and then another. I told her I better not have another one since I was already at the 7 month mark! They may have to pick me up off the floor next time! Of course the doctor found no concern in the number but she wouldn't. She ain't the one packin' on the pounds! She tried to comfort me in saying it was just Christmas weight and that I was still right on track. I was NOT comforted! I was bound and determined not to tell Brent because I feel there are things a husband shouldn't know about their wives, weight being one of them. But as soon as I called he asked and begged me to tell him. I made him swear he wouldn't freak out or say anything about it IF I told him. He agreed and I told my weight. Being the good husband he is, he told me that it was no big deal and that Belle needed to grow. Ahh, good husband...until he got home and called me big momma! Excuse me?! He almost lost his life after that one!

I'm trying not to be one of those pregnant women who trips over the amount of weight they gain. I know I'm still not that big and I know that I need to gain for Belle and that is fine. I'm just thinking about all the work I'm going to have to do after she is born to get it off and let me tell you, me and exercising just don't go hand in hand! I'm not a very motivated person when it comes to exercising so I'm afraid I will find excuses not to. Hopefully with it being spring after she is born I will be more willing to go out and walk and be active. If not, strap a 'Wide Load' sticker to my hindend!

Our Last Christmas

Brent and I enjoyed our last calm Christmas before children enter into our lives and bring Christmas alive again! When we were done opening our gifts at my parent's, we all looked around and realized gone are the days of our normal Christmas. Next year paper will be flying and toys will once again need to be assembled as soon as they are opened. Granted Belle will only be 9 months by Christmas next year but it will only be the beginning. I am actually quite excited about it! I have enjoyed Brent and I being able to sleep in on Christmas morning and starting our day off with just each other exchanging gifts. But the thought of having a baby around next Christmas makes me smile. We will all get excited once again about Santa coming and what surprises he will bring! It will definitely be interesting around here next year.

As our last Christmas, we did our normal routine, well kind of. Normally my parents, my brother, and Brent and I go out to eat somewhere in Bowling Green and walk around the mall to watch all the last minute shoppers scurry around. This year, however, my Dad felt like cooking so we invited my grandparents over for dinner at my parent's house. He cooked my favorite meal in the world and actually has become Brent favorite as well, Jambalaya! My dad was born in New Orleans so we have always enjoyed the Cajun cuisine. I lied, I haven't always enjoyed it but I have grown to love it! Jambalaya is by far my favorite but red beans and rice comes in a close second.

Anyway, we had a nice dinner with my grandmothers and later that night my mom, Brent and I headed off to our church's Christmas Eve service. This was a first for me and my mom and we loved it! Brent and his family have always gone on Christmas Eve and I thought it was the neatest thing and a great way to start your Christmas Day. The service was wonderful and I think we have started a new tradition.

Christmas Day started with Brent and I exchanging our stocking. We decided when we got married that for now we will just get stocking stuffers for each other and exchange on Christmas. After gifts it was time to head back to my parent's for brunch and open gifts with them. When all the packages were open, it was nap time before we headed to my Nanny's to have Christmas with my mom's side of the family. Our Christmas Day was full of gifts and food, but it wasn't over yet.

Saturday after shopping with my mom and brother's girlfriend, Leslie, we headed to my dad's mom's house for dinner and presents with that side of the family. Brent had to work of course so he missed out on the festivities but I made sure I brought him a full plate of leftovers for dinner!

Friday we will be heading to Muncie to celebrate with Brent's family. Our holidays are always extended and we love it!

Belle is a Genius!

Despite Belle being in the complete dark and not having any anatomy classes, the girl knows exactly where my bladder is and knows the exact moment I have to pee! She has decided to combine her knowledge of anatomy and her moving skills to create some very interesting moments. The first time she figured out where my bladder was, was yesterday in church. I peed before we left for church, had no liquids between the house and church, but still after the second song I had the urge to pee. Since it was not an overwhelming urge I figured I could hold it. And I would have if Belle hadn't started playing volleyball (I would say soccer but that is a forbidden word in our house. Brent has stated under NO circumstances will our children play soccer!) with my bladder. And of course we had to go into extra stanzas! I was near tears by the time I made it to the bathroom!

Then today I was working and once again got just a slight urge to pee. I was trying to finish up what I was doing before making a beeline yet again to the bathroom when Belle decide to come alive and spike my bladder! I jumped up so fast you would have thought someone yelled "fire!" I'm praying that she will get bored with this new hobby but I'm afraid it could only get worse as she gets bigger! I may have to grab some Depends! Haha!

(If any of the above for mentioned is too much information for you, I apologize. This is who I am and this is what you get when you read my blog! You are only getting a small glimpse of what my family has had to endure for 26 years!)

In other news, this weekend my mom, Brent, and I headed down to Rivergate to do a little last minute Christmas shopping and to start our baby register. We dropped Mom off at the mall and headed to Babies R Us. WOW! is that store huge or what! We were completely overwhelmed and spent 2 hours in there! Luckily we found several things that we liked and got a good head start on our registry plus we found a crib! We, and when I say we I mean Brent, was stressin' because we hadn't decided on a crib. We saw this one at the store and liked it well enough to go ahead and buy it. It was a big relief and we are so glad we have that checked off our list.

I was so excited about our new purchase that I made Brent put it together that night. He was thrilled! I'm exaggerating because it had been a long day of shopping, we had just gotten home from dinner with some friends and it was 9 o'clock at night and he was looking forward to relaxing! But being the wonderful husband he is, he satisfied his pregnant wife and put the crib together.

Here are a few pictures of my handyman husband...oh and he informed me when I got the camera out that there would be NO posing! HA! Too funny! As if I wanted him to pose!

Belle's new bed!

Things I Can No Longer Do...

1. Sleep through the night without having to get up to pee. This isn't anything new but at this point it is down right annoying!

2. Paint my toenails.

3. Bend down to put on socks and shoes. Even though I'm not very big, my body still isn't used to packin' the extra weight and bending has become a breathe taking experience, literally.

4. Ride in Brent's car. This is actually a huge perk! I HATE his car or go cart as I call it. I have to roll in and roll out since it sits so low to the ground. Last week it just became frustrating so I told him I would no longer ride in his car.

5. Get up off the floor as quickly as I used to. IF I have to get down on the floor, there is a lot of grunting and heavy breathing when getting up.

I know this list will only get longer as I continue to get bigger (and yes I'm getting bigger every week despite what some of you think!) and that's fine. It gives me a great excuse not to do stuff. I'm not sure how many times I have already told Brent "I can't do that because I'm pregnant." He typically rolls his eyes because I say it on the simplest tasks like helping bring in the groceries. Bless his heart this road hasn't been easy for him!

In other news, Belle has started to really kick and move around. So much so that our new nightly entertainment is watching her kick my belly out! Each month brings a new experience and I can't wait to see what happens next month!

Christmas Is In Full Swing

Have mercy! This is the first time I have had a moments time in two days! Christmas is in full swing and we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off with all the Christmas parties and Christmas shopping. My week started with an ornament swap with a group of ladies from my old church. Since switching churches, I haven't seen many of these women in awhile so it was nice seeing them and catching up. The house was full of chatty women and the most amazing food! I have never seen such a spread of finger foods and my poor plate was overflowing! After filling our bellies it was time to swap ornaments. It was very simple, you drew a number and when it was your number was called, you picked out the gift of your choice. There was no "stealing" from one another; whatever gift you opened you left with. Some ornaments were traditional and gorgeous and others were on the funny side. I think I remember seeing a huge green glass frog with a Santa hat!

During the week Brent and I did a little Christmas shopping. The stores didn't really have what we were looking for so we did a little online shopping when we got home. I LOVE online shopping! No crowds, no lines, no women shoving you out of their way! Internet is a wonderful thing!

Friday night I had my monthly Bunco game and it being Christmastime we invited the boys and had a little Christmas party. The food was wonderful (thanks, Nat!!!) and we had the best time. Brent wasn't feeling playing Bunco, but some of the other husbands did and what a blast they had! I have never laughed so hard at a grown man screaming Bunco and getting so excited! Our games are usually pretty quite because most of us are worn out from a days work so we can't roll dice, count and talk at the same time. Friday night there was NEVER a quiet moment or dull one for that matter! One of the husbands said when we were at his house we looked like the Golden Girls rolling dice! Boys are just a lot more vocal and get into the game a lot more than we do. I'm not sure if we can handle their excitement every month but we are definitely going to have to do that again and hopefully I can get Brent in the game.

Saturday I had a full day. I had to drop Colt off at the groomer early that morning, went and did my grocery shopping before the crowd hit Wal-Mart, unloaded the car, then headed back out to meet my mom and Nanny at the mall for some Christmas shopping. I got a few more people knocked off my list but I still have so much more to do. Town was crazy so by early evening I was ready to head home. Which was good because I still had a cake to bake for our Sunday School progressive dinner that night. I'm not sure I sat down yesterday and when I landed in bed around 10:30, I was so exhausted I couldn't even close my eyes!

Thank goodness this week is not as busy..yet anyway. I'm sure I will find a million things that I need to do, but today I am relaxing. I have already had my 2 1/2 hour nap (yep I slept that long and I promise I will still go to bed at 10!) and I am about to get ready to go to my parent's church to watch my mom's Christmas program. It is a great way to get in the Christmas spirit!

24 weeks

Here I am at 6 months and I finally look pregnant!!! And look, my butt even sticks out like a pregnant woman's! I can finally no longer zipper up my non-maternity pants and I have out grown my normal tops. Brent still says there's not much there, and he's right, but I can tell a big difference. Why just the other day I walked past our full length mirror and had to go back and check out my rump. I'm not sure why that part of your anatomy gets bigger but when I took a second look 'Baby Got Back' started playing in my head! :) I still feel great and am doing well. I'm starting to get the hang of sleeping on my sides but a new phenomenon has entered my life. It's called a Charlie Horse. Friday night I got three of them, 2 right in a row on opposite legs. It is not a fun way to wake up in the middle of the night nor is it a good time to find out that your arm is completely asleep. Trying to rub it out becomes twice as painful. On the third Charlie Horse, rubbing it wasn't working so I tried to walk it off. Bad idea. My foot decided that it would curl up so it made it impossible to walk on it. After many attempts at trying to stand on it, I bit the bullet, let a few whimpers and just put all my weight on it. Thank goodness that did the trick because I couldn't stand the pain any longer. Through it all, my husband never broke his stride in snoring! The kid can sleep through anything! Baby monitor is definitely going on his side turned all the way up!

We spent our weekend with Brent's good friend from college, Matt, his wife, and their unbelievably precious 4 month old daughter. Since her birth, we have yet to lay eyes on Maci so this was our first meeting and she was sooo adorable. She came in grinning and didn't stop! She was the best baby and it was so fun having a baby in the house. It definitely made us both anxious to have own here.

Our weekend was very relaxing as it usually is when we get together. We did a little shopping on Saturday then came home to watch some football and just hang out. We had a wonderful weekend and our only wish is that we lived closer to each other. Hopefully we will be able to get together one more time before Belle comes. After that it could get interesting having 2 babies around!

Belle Has A BFF!!!

How is that Belle has a best friend forever and she isn't even born yet? Well, today Jaclyn went to the doctor to find out what she will be having and she found out that she is having a GIRL!!! I'm sure she was shocked to find out that her bundle of joy was a girl because all a long she was convinced it was a boy. She wasn't sure why she thought that; just assumed she would have a boy first. Her husband, Corey, was convinced up until a couple of weeks ago then decided that he thought it would be a girl. Looks like he was right!

Jac, I am so happy for you two! It is so exciting finally knowing what you are having and makes shopping 100 times better! You are going to be a wonderful mother and Baby Konow will be extremely blessed having you and Corey has parents! I love y'all!

A Week Full of Thanksgiving

Our Thanksgiving celebration started last weekend when we went to Muncie to visit Brent's family. His mom cooked a wonderful meal and we were able to relax and hang out with the family all weekend long. We were also able to spend some quality time with our niece, which we LOVE! She is at the age where she is fun to be around and you never know what she will do or say next.

On Thanksgiving Day, we did things a little different than we normally do. Normally we go to my Granny's house (dad's mom) and spend the day hanging out with that side of the family. Then on the Saturday after, my mom cooks for her side of the family. This year my mom decided to cook on Thanksgiving day so we had lunch with my parents, brother and my Nanny. After lunch, my mom had a family open house for everyone in the family that wanted to come over for dessert and to hang out. This worked out wonderfully! We didn't have to run around here, there, and yonder all day and we were able to actually enjoy each other's company. Since Brent has to work really early the day after all the holidays, our holidays sometimes pass in a blurr with the running and we don't get to sit back and relax. That was not the case this year and I hope we have started a new tradition!

On Friday, I had to work the first half of the day but that afternoon I met up with my mom and Nanny to do a little shopping. I usually avoid big holiday shopping days because I HATE crowds and people breathing down my neck while I'm trying to look but thanks to my Nanny she kept me entertained enough that I didn't worry with the crowds. It has been awhile since we have done a shopping trip together and I forgot how much fun she is to shop with. She is an unusual shopper because if it ain't on sale enough or if she doesn't have a coupon, she ain't buyin'. And if something is marked wronged or the price doesn't suit her, she just walks off leaving the clerk and item in the dust. These things used to embarrass me when I was little but now I think it is funny and I do the same things! I'm not as extreme as her; I might buy the item then return it later, but I don't pay full price for much. She called me a tight wad at one point and I asked her just who she thought I got that from! It truly is an adventure shopping with her and I can't wait for our Christmas shopping date I have planned!

I also finally got all my Christmas decorations up; after 3 days! I usually do it in one day, but I kept getting tired so I had to stretch it out this year. Thanks to my in laws, we got a new tree this year. Well new to us. The tree didn't suit their needs so last weekend they gave it to us. We were so excited A. because it was pre-lit and bigger than our old one and B. because it was FREE!!!! (Something else I got from my Nanny, we LOVE free stuff!) Our tree no longer looks like the Charlie Brown Christmas tree! Ha! It wasn't that bad but it was still pretty pitiful! Now everything looks great and I am officially in the Christmas spirit!

Belle is on the MOVE!!!

That's right folks, Belle is moving around in my stomach!

Last week I started feeling little bubble like movements. Thinking it probably wasn't gas since nothing was coming out (thank goodness!), I just knew it was Belle moving. She didn't move around a lot at first, but as the week went on she really started moving more. On Sunday night I was laying in bed feeling her movements stronger than before. I put my hand on my stomach just to see if I would be able to feel her on the outside. Well I did! I got so excited and yelled for Brent to come back there so he could feel. I put his hand where she had been kicking and every time I felt her I would say 'did ya feel that?' 'How 'bout that one?' 'There she goes.' Finally he told me to stop talking because apparently he needed full concentration when trying to feel her. He is almost positive he felt her, but also said it could have been me moving.

The next night she really had a fit and was kicking and moving around like crazy. Once again I yelled for Brent and told him how to lay his hand. As soon as he laid it on my belly she kicked him one good time! His eyes got big a saucers! He laid there for awhile and every time she kicked he would say 'did ya feel that?' 'There's one.' I said 'hello who do you think she is kicking!' It is by far the coolest thing so far in the pregnancy!

They say you can tell what her sleeping patterns will be when she is moving around and if that's true then I am extremely happy! I usually feel her right when I wake up at about 5:25. I set my alarm about 15 minutes earlier than I need to get up so while I am laying there those few extra minutes she usually starts moving around. Then I can typically feel her again several hours later and then she is on the move right before I go to bed. Tonight, however, she has been moving most of the night. I have a feeling she is trying to make some room in there after the HUGE lunch I had at work. We had our Thanksgiving lunch today and I stuffed myself to the brim! I'm pretty sure when I go to the doctor next week, I will have gained about 6 pounds from this week! Oh well! It will be well worth it!

HIS Daughter

Brent called me yesterday at work saying he wanted to go shopping for some "outfits." Knowing my husband I knew when he said outfits he could only be referring to baby clothes. I said, "are you wanting to get clothes for Belle?" (That's what we call her since I'm scared Brent will accidentally say her real name in public. Ha! and yes we have a name!!!!! And wouldn't you like to know what it is :)!!!) He said he felt bad because we haven't bought anything for HIS daughter yet. Since I love to shop, especially now, I was totally game!

So after work we headed to the mall and hit the department store first. I was pretty sure I wasn't going to find anything in there, but to my surprise we hit the jackpot! They were running a super sale and we found the cutest outfits! I even found a really cute Christmas outfit for next year that says Baby's 1st Christmas! Not only did the great sale surprise but Brent surprised me when he informed me that money was not an issue when spending it on HIS daughter. Ok, I'll play that game too! So I started grabbing more oneies. I'm only wondering how long those two things will last. I'm thinking sometime early April at 2:30 in the morning, she will become MY daughter and when she figures out the difference between designer and knock off money will be an issue. I was my daddy's girl but everything had a price tag! But hey I will ride this train for as long as it keeps chuggin'!

Let the Emotional Roller Coaster Begin!

I had my first breakdown today. Brent and I are in search of a daycare and we had a walk thru today at one of our top choices. Everything about the facility was wonderful! They take very good care of all the children and have plenty of staff for their growing numbers. But as soon as I walked in the room where newborns stayed, I had to fight back the tears. Actually I had to fight them back the whole time! It had nothing to do with the staff (very friendly!), or the babies (very content and happy!) but everything to do with the realization that I'm going to have to turn over my child to these people everyday and they are going to be just as important in her life as I am. I didn't see one bad thing about the place but that didn't stop the flood gates from opening as soon as I hit the car. I have no idea what came over me and at some point Brent looked over at me and said (in his oh my gosh my wife is crying again and I have no idea why voice) 'honey are you seriously getting this upset?' YES! He told me I could quit my job (not an option) but I know that there is nothing wrong with daycare. I was a daycare baby. I think kids need to be around other kids to develop social skills and have other kids to play with. I still can't for the life of me figure out why I got so upset and for that matter, still getting upset thinking about it. I'm praying that it is just the hormones and that I won't have to have a police escort the day I drop her off for the first time. The only thing that is helping me get through it is knowing that Brent is off one day during the week and one day he goes in at lunch. So technically she will only be there 3 and a half days a week. I feel so silly for already getting this upset over, of all things, daycare! I hope this isn't the beginning of a very emotional 4 months!

Too Stinkin' Cute!

We all know I love surprises! No matter how big or how little...I love them! Whether it is coming home to find the laundry done thanks to Brent or a new shiny piece of jewelry, I light up! Today I had the cutest surprise sitting on my desk.

My good friend that works across from me had left this little package on my desk. First, light up in my face. Then I open the package...

Then comes the second light up plus an 'oh my gosh! These are the cutest things ever!' They are little pink baby shoes with big pink and white ribbons! She got them from the children's store that I was just in this weekend. She saw them and couldn't resist getting them for us. She made sure they were the last pair so I wouldn't come in the next day and buy the same pair. Man, this girl is going to be decked out! Thanks Jennifer! You're the best!

20 Weeks

Or so I think! I forgot to mention on Wednesday when we went to the doctor that the baby actually measured a week earlier. Since it was only a week the doctor wasn't going to change my due date but told me not to be alarmed if I'm a week past my due date.

I'm still doing great. The only issue right now is sleeping. I can't seem to sleep at night because I'm not a side sleeper and that is the only position I'm supposed to sleep in. Not only just my side, but preferably my left side. I wake up a lot with my arm hurting from sleeping on it or changing positions. It is quiet annoying but I will just have to get over it. I'm also experiencing major "growing pains" that sometimes keep me up. I think on Saturday I woke up at about 4:30 and never really got back to sleep. Oh the joys of being pregnant! At least none of my body parts are swollen...yet.

As far as our weekend went, I stayed pretty busy. Since Brent and I were up with the chickens on Saturday we decided that we would start clearing out the pink room. We only got as far as the closet because I had no idea how much stuff was in there and I had already filled the other closet with stuff from in there so the rest of it went in the floor. I'm feeling at little overwhelmed with making room only because I HATE clutter and it is everywhere in my house! Our back bedroom is currently filled with maternity clothes and clothes I'm taking to consignment. The pink room floor is almost unseen with things that need to make their way to the attic. It is a mad house around here! I'm hoping soon I will get my house back!

Later on Saturday, my mom came up and we did a little shopping. There was a local gift shop having their Christmas Open House and I was on a mission to find Christmas stockings for us. Well I was denied, but at least my mom racked up and got some of her Christmas gifts out of the way. Next to the gift shop is a children's clothing store and of course I went over to look. They had the CUTEST things and I picked out several outfits that I wanted. They had a pair of bloomers that I just HAVE to have! I'm hoping since most of everything I picked out was Christmas stuff that she will run a sale after the holidays. We also went to the mall where my mom just had to buy a few clothing items for the baby! They were really cute and Brent and I had so much fun looking at girl clothes. OK, I had more fun that he did but he wasn't totally miserable. He seems to have an opinion on how I will be dressing her and we disagree on a few things. Like bows as big as her head. According to Brent they have to be proportional to her head so NO big bows! Ha! I will let him live that dream for awhile then throw on those big bows when he isn't around. They are just too cute!

Today, the hospital where I will be delivering had a pregnancy fair. We got a lot of free goodies and signed up for a million door prizes. We also got a tour of the labor and delivery wing. Things are starting to set in with me that I'm having a baby. That all this isn't just a dream. Brent is starting to really get excited and is hitting the door running with all the information we are getting. He actually asks more questions that I do. Actually, he asks ALL the questions. I seem to also be in a daze. Not sure why; maybe just overwhelmed and need time to process.

This is a wild journey and thank goodness I'm not doing it alone!!

Survey Says...

It's a girl!!! We were both 95% sure it was a girl and the doctor confirmed our hunch. We were both amazed at watching the ultrasound. We could hardly tell what anything was and I thought her legs were her arms and her butt was her head! You will see from the video below that to a normal person not everything is easy to pick out. There are a few moments where the video pauses and he was either taking a picture or showing us different things. At one point he puts the monitor right at her heart and you can see the 4 chambers and it beating (CRAZY!!!) and then another time he shows us her brain. There isn't a really good picture of her face because she decided to be difficult and have her arms up the whole time. Even now watching it, it still doesn't feel real. We are in awe and find it hard to believe that that is the baby inside.



Now on to the questions...do we have a baby name? No, we had a boy's name but we haven't been able to decide on a girl's. Not that I would tell anyway. My Nanny told me that was rude, but that's just because she wants to know. But we decided that we aren't telling the names A. because we don't have one and B. because we are trying to pick out a name that no one we know has and if we finally settle on one we don't someone saying 'oh so and so just named their baby that.' Plus some things just have to be a surprise! I will guarantee you it will not start with an A or B. 3 out of the 4 great grandchildren on Brent's side all have A names and actually they all have AMM initials. No B names because Brent and his 2 brothers are B's. If you know anything about me, you know I love being different so I have to think outside the box. Don't worry I won't pick a weird name that no one will be able to pronounce (Nanny!).



Are we excited? VERY!!! As we were waiting to see the doctor after the ultrasound, I started rattling off Brent's To Do List. (as you will notice I said BRENT'S). :) He told me to chill out. That we still had 5 more months and that everything didn't have to be done this weekend. I am such a planner and it drives me crazy to do a little at a time, but to keep my husband happy I will have to learn how to take it slow.



Are you disappointed? Not at all! We have always said we wanted a boy and a girl so it didn't matter which one came first. Plus, with us being so sure it was a girl, today was just confirmation of our gut feeling. I think it will be fun for Brent to have 2 priss pots on his hands!



Well, here is the video of the ultrasound. It takes it a minute to starting showing anything so don't freak out when you stare at a black screen.

The Maternity Store Threw Up...

And it landed in my guest bedroom! Thanks to a wonderful family friend, I had a stack of clothes and 2 totes full of maternity clothes to look through this weekend. Plus, a girl in my Sunday School class brought me a bag full yesterday. It has been awhile since that many clothes were thrown from here, there, and yonder in my house. Sadly, I am not quite ready for maternity clothes yet. I was hoping my now I would have a noticeable belly, but that just hasn't happened. I know I should be grateful not to have spread from head to toe, but it would be nice to not get looks from people when I wander into the maternity sections. I am tempted to where a sign that 'Yes I'm pregnant. I'm allowed to be here!' Oh well! People are assuring me that one day it will all come, until then I will just have to accept my small swell. (I will post a new pic of me on Friday marking my halfway point)

Besides looking through maternity clothes, I spent the majority of my day Saturday with my Nanny. We were working on my wedding quilt. Yes, I realize I have been married 3 years and it isn't complete. I am bound and determined to have it complete by the time the baby comes. Hopefully, sooner because I have lots of other sewing projects lined up for the baby. Whether she likes it or not Nanny is stuck with me for the next couple of months working on this quilt because as I have said I love to sew but I am by no means as good as she is or all that great.

Sunday was a big day in the Miller household. It was Sunday afternoon football and our favorite teams were playing each other. Colts vs 49ers. I'm not sure I have ever actually yelled at the tv during a game before as much as I did Sunday. Our dog, Colt (gee wonder how we came up with that name), was trying to take his afternoon nap in my lap but I keep yelling and clapping and he couldn't get his full nap in. I knew the Niners weren't going to win but they did better than I thought. We only lost by 4 and we were the first to score a touchdown. It also helped Peyton wasn't at the top of his game.

Also on Sunday, I experienced my first "nesting" episode. Our house doesn't have that much storage and every closet is stuffed full. I worried about this issue before I ever became pregnant but blew off the task of purging until I was actually pregnant. Well, the day has come and I am proud to say I emptied out one whole closet and either made room for it in my closet or ditched it. I ran around here like a mad woman throwing clothes, hangers, and whatever else that got in my way. I can't tell you how much better I feel. I am now ready to tackle clearing out the bedroom for the baby. Depending on what we have depends on which room we clear out. When we painted our house we went ahead and painted the bedrooms according to gender. So Wednesday we will see if we are clearing out the pink room or the grey room. Oh what fun we will have! Please feel free to stop by if you like to be bossed around because with my limited lifting ability I'm pretty sure I will be very vocal on how exactly I want it done! Brent is super excited!!!

By Your Side

And I'll be by your side
Wherever you fall
In the dead of night
Whenever you call
And please don't fight
These hands that are holding you
My hands are holding you.

I heard this song on my way to work one morning after I heard the news that my grandfather probably wasn't going to be around much longer. I was having a difficult time with the news and was stopped at a railroad crossing and was just crying out to God that I wasn't going to be able to handle this on my own. I just didn't think I had the strength. This song immediately came on. If you haven't heard the whole song I encourage you to look up the lyrics or download it (it is by 10th Avenue North). God was trying to remind me there was no need to try and get through this alone; He was going to be there for me.

As many of you know, my grandfather (aka Poppy) passed away last week. The day that Brent and I announced we were pregnant to everyone was the day that Poppy was taken to the hospital for an infection that required surgery right away. I wasn't able to talk to him directly but I was told that he was super excited for us and told everyone in the hospital about our news. I can only imagine him smiling and giggling as Nanny told him the news.

I wasn't too concerned with him having to go to the hospital because for several years his health hasn't been what it was and plus I was pregnant nothing bad could happen. Well, I was wrong. With details I can't bear to relive, Poppy took his last breath last Sunday surrounded by his loving family.

Since I am pregnant it was advised that I shouldn't go to the hospital. Now I can only see that as a blessing because when I think about him, my mind doesn't have to fight images of him healthy and images of him in the hospital. I can simply see him the last time I saw him, sitting in his big blue chair, tv on, fussing at me over my tattoo. Despite my many attempts of waving my foot around, he didn't catch on til 6 months later. He always liked to fuss at me over changing anything; hair, piercing, etc. He always said he liked me just the way I was. Of course, knowing that these things bothered him, I always managed to go over there after a new hairdo, just to get a rise out of him. Even though he didn't like the change he still told me I looked nice.

I'm not sure there will be a day that will go by that I won't be tempted to pick up the phone just to hear his voice. Thanks to caller ID, he always knew when I was calling and would answer with a cheery 'hi.'

I was blessed with 26 years with Poppy and here are a few things I will miss...

1. His smell. The man loved to smell good! He did not leave the house without his Polo aftershave on whether he was going to the farm or church. Nanny even gave Kevin (the funeral director and our close family friend) a bottle so he could rub some on Poppy. Guess she thought he ought to smell good when he went to heaven.

2. The way he dressed. Now, other than smelling good, Poppy liked looking nice. So he would prefer for me to remember him in one of his suits, but that wasn't his everyday look. When I see him he is wearing his Red Wings, blue jeans, short sleeve button up, pocket protector in the left pocket of his shirt with an assortment of pens and pencils, and his ball cap.

3. How on Sunday mornings you'd swear you were at the opera house. He would sing his choir songs as he got ready and my brother and I would be sitting on the bed trying to watch cartoons, but couldn't hear the tv over Poppy. We giggled most of the time because when you are little you think people are crazy for singing in the shower.

4. His laugh. It was more of a hee hee kind of laugh instead of ha ha. You could always hear his laugh no matter where you were in the house.

5. Our Tuesday morning phone calls after watching the bachelor/bachelorette. Why he started watching this show I will not know, but he liked to call to do a show recap and talk about who we liked and wanted to win. We hardly ever picked the same one, but always agreed on who wouldn't get very far.

Pops, you will be truly missed by all who loved you. I know you are finally able to walk just the way you have dreamed about all these years. I love you!

It Was a DIY Kinda Saturday

I have been promising Brent that I would make us a headboard for our room for about a year now. Every time I found time to do it something would come up or I would have another project that needed to be done first. Well this weekend when our plans to go out of town changed I told Brent that we were making the headboard, no excuses. I was tired of him telling me how good the headboard looked (his cute way of reminding me to get it done).

So we woke up on Saturday headed to Hobby Lobby to get material; sweet they were running a sale on material. Lowe's for plywood, Wal Mart for batting (what no foam?), Hancock Fabrics for foam and back to Wal Mart for d-rings. We finally got home and I went to work. I think it took us longer to run around town for all the supplies then it did for me to make it and him to hang it. This is by far the easiest project I have done for the house. I was a little nervous that it wouldn't turn out the way I wanted but once we had it up I was satisfied, for now anyway. I am so glad to have this project done because I am bound and determined to have our room complete before we have to start working on the baby's room. I am so particular about what I want that it usually take me forever to decide on something. My final piece of the puzzle right now is curtains and I have been searching for curtains since last November! Hopefully I won't be this bad when it comes to the nursery or this poor child won't have a complete room when they are born!

Our finished product. Simple I know but who knows how long it will stay that way!

15 Weeks and The Big Debate

Today we went for our 15 week check-up. Everything was good and normal; heartbeat sounded good and I gained 3 POUNDS!!! Oops! My doctor said that I shouldn't worry about those 3 lbs; that I was allowed to gain that much, but HELLO! Guess I'm going to have to lay off those fries and chips I have been inhaling for the past couple of weeks! Dang and they were soooo good! But all good things must come to an end.

We also made our next appointment which will tell us if (as I put it to my parents) we see a Suzie or Willy. Brent and I are super excited and are counting down the days. Nov 4 is my appointment and trust me when I find out you will probably be able to hear my squeal from the doctor's office but in case you don't, I will of course post their first picture.

Now, to the debate part of my post. For the past couple of weeks Brent and I have had several debates about my growing belly or lack there of according to him. I keep assuring him that I am getting bigger and that I used to be able to button my pants. He, however, looks at my small swell and says he sees no change. REALLY? So each day it has been my goal to wear something that will assure him that I am getting bigger. This still doesn't help nor does him watching me bounce around the room trying to fit in my jeans. The boy just didn't get it. Well, lucky that all changed today. We had a bet going about my weight gain. He said none and I said 5 pounds. As soon as the nurse announced the number, I turned and said 'HA!' Of course then he had to tease me when discussing who was going to get the last piece of cake. With a big smile, he told me I looked like I needed cake. Hey its strawberry so it counts as a fruit, right? :)

How 'Bout them Niners!!!

Today is a great day...MY NINERS WON!!!!! This little fan is just excited and wishing the game would have been on here instead of watching Romo struggle. It has been awhile since I have been proud of my team, but I'm thinking this is their year!

WAY TO GO 49ERS!!!!!!

Oh and haters, I know they lost last week but the score was close and what can you do when Favre pulls a Favre.

Curiosity Killed the Cat

So for a week now I have been looking into different wives tales to see what the sex of our baby is. Brent says I am obsessed with wanting to know, but the thing is I wasn't until people started saying 'oh your having a boy because you are eating this' or 'you are having a girl because of this.' Now I do nothing but think about what we are going to have. URGH!!! Plus, it is really annoying because Brent is usually the impatient one, but for some reason he is not the least bit curious. Fine time for him to learn patience! Again, URGH!



Anyway, me and a few girls at work did some wives tales to guess the sex. The verdict? It's a boy!...or a girl! Wow that was enlightening! Did I really expect them to be able to tell me? No, but I thought that if all them came out with the same result then maybe. I guess I will just be forced to wait 6 MORE weeks. Brent thinks it is a blessing because for some strange reason he thinks I would go hog wild shopping (me really?) and he is just not sure he can handle 6 months of me running wild in children's stores. Prime example of why I married him...he keeps me in check.



Any of you mothers out there try any wives tales that turned out correct?



*Note to those not familiar with blogging: Anytime you want to leave Brent or I a message, if you will just click on the work COMMENT below each post it will show you how to leave a message.

Happy Birthday Em!!!

Emily with her "Lucy" cake. (She has a white dog named Lucy so when I saw this I couldn't help but to get it for her.)

The Storybook Sisters.

Today is my friend Emily's 25th birthday and last night my bookclub had a meeting/surprise birthday party for her. I was feeling a little gloomy yesterday and wasn't sure I wanted to go out, but after getting to the party I had a really good time. My bookclub consists of a group of girls that I have know my whole life and we are all from the same town. I have come to really enjoy getting together with these girls each month and we always seem to have a good time together. We laughed and talked the whole time and had fun celebrating Emily's birthday.

Emily, I hope you have a wonderful day!

Hallelujah

(The choir stands as the music begins)

Men's Choir
Hal-le-lu-jah!


Women's Choir
Hal-le-lu-jah!


All Choirs with great enthusiasm

Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hal-le-lu-jah!

I have FINALLY reached the light at the end of the tunnel! I am over being sick!!! (Knock on wood) I have felt pretty normal all week other than being tired but that just goes with it. I thought this day would never get here and if I had the energy to do a cartwheel, I would. Those were the longest 7 weeks of my life and now I may the desire to be pregnant again in the future. It was pretty ifie for a while that I would EVER do this again! I told Brent he better pray for twins because this wasn't happenin' again. Now, I'm feelin' good and hoping I can enjoy the rest of my pregnancy. WOO-HOO!!!

3rd Annual U of I Alum Party

Brent losing at a round of Catch Phrase and having to show off his Hula Hoop skills or lack there of!

Our newest game we added to the party this year...Badminton. You would think with a group of ex-baseball players this wouldn't be a tough thing for them, but I have never laughed so much at them playing this game. Thanks East!

For the past couple of years we have had a party for all of Brent's close baseball friends from college. The past 2 years we have hosted this event and we love having a house full of our friends. We do nothing but relax, play cornhole, and when night falls sit around a fire and tell random stories or play word games. We always have so much fun and hate when Sunday arrives and everyone goes home.

This weekend was our party, but we were fortunate enough to have one of the other couples host this year. They just bought a house and decided that they wanted to have the party at their house. When we made these plans months ago we had no idea this would be a blessing in disguise. As much as I love playing host and having everyone in my house, I just don't know if I would have had the energy. Luckily, I didn't feel bad this weekend and actually saw past 8:30 two nights in a row!!! Brent and I were very impressed that I didn't sleep the weekend away like I usually do. But there was just so much going on and so much catching up on I didn't want to miss a minute. Plus with this group of guys you NEVER know what random thing is going to happen and you don't want to miss it! By Saturday night our cheeks hurt from laughing so much. I hate that we are spread out between 4 states but we always look forward to these weekends. I am already counting down til next year!

The Bump

Can you see it?

I am 12 weeks and some change today. I have been feeling like poo the last couple of days and started actually getting sick in the last week. Which is a bad and a good thing. Bad because I do NOT do sick. I don't care if it is a friend, husband, dog, or myself I do NOT do sick. So much so that Brent and I have an agreement that I will handle ALL poop and he will handle ALL vomit. You mothers out there are saying it will be different when it is your own child. Ha! I think not because when I am hovering over my eyes have to be shut and ears have to be plugged. Just talking about it gives me chills. So the good part of it has been for me to see Brent's "assisting" skills in action. He is getting better, but only because after our first episode, we had to go over guidelines of what was proper and improper "assisting" manners. For instances, we don't make the one getting sick yell for the assistant 3 times. When finally getting to the bathroom, we are supposed to automatically know that the person needs a COLD washrag. It is not helpful to give a play by play of sights, sounds, etc. And last, it is very rude to make that person relive that moment by talking about it later. Like I said he is getting better and I'm just used to having a loving mother or friend hold by hair back and know exactly what I need, that I forget this was not covered in the vows.

Other than the trauma of getting sick I'm doing ok. Actually today I woke up feeling like poo, but the chocolate icing on my chocolate cake...yumm that sounds good. Wonder how I can convince Brent to get me cake?...Anyway my day turned around this morning when my best friend (Jaclyn, who I work with) called me into her office to tell me a good story. Excited that I was going to hear some random funny story I bounce in her office. What do you ask was this good story that turned my day around? She is PREGNANT!!!!! 9 weeks pregnant to be exact. Which means she is 3 weeks behind me! How awesome is that?! We have been through a lot with each other since meeting in 4th grade in Mrs. C. Berry's class and now we are going to get to be pregnant together and have babies together! I can't think of anything better than going through this with my best friend. Finally, someone who feels my pain about being tired, hungry constantly, and sick. I will be a mom and aunt all within a month of each other! I couldn't be happier! Well maybe I could, where is that cake?!

Greatest Invention...EVER!!

I haven't been able to button my pants for about 3 weeks now. Well I can button them, but breathing isn't an option. So I was using rubber bands, binder clips, and sometimes just leaving them unbuttoned which made me feel like a complete perv. I knew I was still too small for maternity pants but I was too big for my regular pants. What is a gal to do? Apparently some genius came up with this amazing product called BeBand. It is a stretchable band that goes around your waist that holds up your pants and hides the fact that they are unbuttoned. I am loving this thing and wondering why I haven't heard of this before because I could have been fitting into a whole new wardrobe that was left behind after I gained my "marriage weight."

I will spare you a picture of me in mine but here is what is looks like.

It Is Official!

We decided that we would wait until after we heard the baby's heartbeat to tell everyone. Well today was the day we heard a beautiful heartbeat and now it is time to tell the world our news...

WE'RE PREGNANT!!!!

How We Told the Fams

I love surprises! I love getting them and I love surprising other people. So the minute Brent and I decided we wanted to get pregnant, I immediately went into planning mode of how we would tell our families. Brent's mom had made a comment before about how she was gonna hate how she couldn't see our kids and his older brother kids everyday or every week like she does Aubrey, the first grandchild who lives where they do. As soon as the words left her mouth I knew that I wanted to get them a webcam. Now, I just had to figure out what to do for my parents. I'm not sure what made me decide on onesies, I think I saw it in a magazine, but I thought it was a cute idea.





The minute we found out we were pregnant I ran out and had the onesies made. My dad's said, "I (heart) G-Diddy." Since my junior or senior year in high school I started calling my dad Diddy. I'm not sure why that name, but it just one of those things that happens when you are on a mission trip and spend too much time on a church bus. My brother's, Jason, said "Uncle Mayo ROCKS!" Mayo is his long time nickname and most people don't even know his real name! Last my mom's said "Momaw Spoils Me." Again with the nicknames. I used to watch this little boy at church and he would just say the cutest things. One night Mom and I were talking with him and he mentioned going to see his Momaw (M0-mawah), his grandmother. For some reason this struck us funny and we thought it was the cutest thing to call a grandmother. When we got our dog, Colt, I started calling my mom that when I talked to Colt about her. Yes I'm weird. I talk to my dog! The crazy thing is you mention Momaw and his ears perk up. He knows who it is. The onesies didn't turn out exactly the way I wanted. I think me and the store that made them had communication problems. They would get the message across though. I just had to sit on them for 3 weeks until my brother came home. Urgh!!!





Finally, the day arrived for us to tell my parents. If I had been feeling better that day I would have been pumped, but as it was, it was also family picture day and the jeans I was wearing were starting to get tight and that never makes a gal happy! Right before we headed out the door, I told them I had something for them to wear during the photo shoot. I passed out their gift bags and Dad was the first to pull his out. He smiled and said 'uh-oh.' My mom looks up and her face goes blank. She said 'oh my gosh! are you kidding me?' I smiled and told her no and my brother had pulled his out and laughed. We did a quick pose for a picture and then Mom rushed us out the door. I told Brent once we got in the car that my mom has no idea what we just did. And she didn't. She called me later that night to tell me congratulations. She said she was in so much shock she forgot to tell us. I laughed and told her it was fine and that I figured she wasn't fully grasping what we just did. I'm sure it was a big shock since I have done nothing but discourage the idea of children for awhile just to throw people off.





We just had to wait 2 MORE weeks before we could tell Brent's parents. Luckily time passed by quickly, and the time came for us to meet them in Cincinnati for a little time together and watch some Reds' games. Their birthday's are both in September, and his dad's was the following Thursday, so we told them that they had to get a joint birthday gift this year. We handed Pam the bag and she opens the webcam. She smiles and says its nice and neat, not noticing the note I wrote on the front. She takes a moment and reads the note then looks up at me and smiles. She said 'really?' I nodded and we hugged. She passed the gift off to Tom who read the note but didn't seem like he was getting it. I waited a moment and said 'I'm pregnant.' He laughed and hugs all around again. Oh the note I put on the webcam said "Even though you won't be down the road; You'll always be able to watch me grow. Baby M."





I think we really shocked our families, which is what I wanted to do. Now I can't wait for everyone else to know!

My dad, brother and mom.

Brent's mom and dad.

You May Be Wondering...

How far along am I...11 weeks.





When are we due...March 24





You had no idea we were trying...That was kind of the point. No one did. I take that back, 5 people knew (2 strangers, 2 in laws, and my best friend). The only reason 4 of them knew is because Brent is horrible at lying and gets flustered when asked to. So instead of going with the story I had laid out for him, he just blurts out that we are trying when hanging out with his brother, our sister-in-law and his brother's boss and his wife. And of course this is something that best friends just sometimes discuss. Anyway, I am weird because I feel like when you let people know you are trying, you are just advertising what you are doing in your spare time and us good Southern Belles just don't advertise what goes on at home when no one is around! :)





How do I feel...Nauseous! And each week it seems to be a new level of it. The past 2 weeks dry heaving has settled in. My FAV! I will not complain too much to you, that is what Brent is for! I know this is a blessing and I should be grateful or at least that is what I tell myself when I run to be one with the porcelain!





How has Brent handled it all...TROOPER!!! Bless his heart! Even though we have been together for 8 years, he has never had the pleasure of being around me when I was sick. I am NOT a good sick person. I am grumpy and want to be left alone so I can sleep it off. Well there is no sleeping this off no matter how many naps I take during the day. So he has had to suffer through with my mood swings, or as we like to say my one mood swing (BAD) and my lack of motivation to do anything as soon as I get home. I feel sorry for him and I try my best to be nice, but if he would learn just to insert his head in my mouth it would make it a lot easier to bite off and things would run a lot smoother! :)





Are we hoping for a boy or girl...Of course we are going to say it doesn't matter and it really doesn't. I'm betting I have a boy my first go around only because Brent is 1 of 3 boys, his dad is 1 of 2, and his grandfather is 1 of 2. I know my side doesn't count, but my dad is 1 of 3, all my uncles had boys first, and my grandmother had 9 brothers. The odds are against us to have a girl. The only saving grace that I have that I will ever produce a girl is all 4 Miller great grandchildren have been girls. We shall see. Despite me hating to breathe the same air as my older brother growing up, I enjoyed having the extra protector when needed. So a boy first would be nice.

Two Perfectly Pink Lines

It is a scary thought but Brent and I have been blessed with a baby! I wish I had an amazing story of how we found out, like we floated hand in hand to the store, bought a test, and floated back home only to find out I was pregnant. But that just wouldn't be us. Instead, we head to Wal-Mart on our normal Friday night run where I pick up a test after patiently tapping my foot waiting for two teenagers to get their "accessories" for the evening that were below the pregnancy test. Then we headed to the grocery section to pick up the rest of our what-nots.

We get home and this is the one time I am not doing a jig to get the bathroom. So I unload groceries and we head outside for our evening porch time. Some 2 hours later, I finally have to pee. I come in and grab a cup on my way back to the bathroom, because if you have ever taken a home pregnancy test you know it is almost impossible to get the stick upside down midstream, hold for 5 seconds, keeping holding downward to put lid on, and then lay flat without making a mess. So I opted for the cup, which then brings on it's own problems if you don't get a big enough one which I didn't. Finally, I manage to get things under control and left the stick laying flat for the 3 minutes it suggested. I again patiently waited, not peeking as time ticked by. When I felt like my time was up I went in and looked down and what do I see...two perfectly pink lines. I immediately pick up the stick and the instructions to make sure I am seeing what I am seeing. Yes, indeed I was pregnant! I let out a giggle then started to shake. I walk outside to Brent and said 'Congratulations, your going to be a dad!' I'm not sure he believed me, because we had been down this road some many times neither one of us was expecting it to actually be positive. I showed him the test and he jumped up and gave me a hug. We were on cloud 9 for the rest of the night and could hardly believe we were going to have a baby!