This week has been a rough one. Alex has taken those terrible two tantrums and bouts of defiance to a whole new level this week and trying my every patience. Remarkably my patience has lasted through them, but with all these hormones raging through my body from this pregnancy, he brought me to tears yesterday. I was actually able to call Dan and he talked me through it; he is always good about that kind of stuff. Today was better, only little melt downs here and there but nothing we couldn't quickly work through.
We were getting ready for bath time when Dan called. He had 45 minutes between meetings and was able to talk to us for quite a while. Alex's face lit up when he heard his voice. He kept telling him "I miss you dadda." Made my heart melt! Bath time obviously got off to a late start.
This has been a very busy week and I am really looking forward to a less stressful day tomorrow; no work and Alex is at school. This translates to tantrum free errands.
Thursday, October 28, 2010
Monday, October 25, 2010
Is it a girl or a boy?
Friday was the day Dan and I have been so anxious for; it's the day that I had my ultrasound to determine if we were having a boy or a girl. This whole week has been a crazy one with work deadlines and some unfortunate news in the family dealing with my father-in-law's health, so I really have not had a chance to get too excited before hand. I dropped Alex off at school and headed over to the hospital. I got checked in and received a call from Dan who was checking to see that everything was on schedule and when to call back to get the results. Shortly after they got me ready the tech began with the brain, and then moved to the heart; deep down I wanted to tell him enough already, tell me what we are having! I knew they had a progression of measurements, etc that they needed, so I tried my hardest to have patience. Finally he got down to the legs and positioned a perfect bottom up view. I was looking at two legs sitting indian style and a set of buttocks with nothing inbetween. The tech said, "I think we have a girl." I said, "are you sure, you sure it isn't just hiding." He told me that he was going to move around and get some more measurements and he will come back for another look, but he was pretty confident based on her positioning that it was in fact a girl. I was so giddy with excitement and so wanted to be sharing this with Dan. I think he checked another 3 times for me just to make sure. I am thrilled that we are having a little girl and was anxious to share the news with Dan. After the appointment was done, I eventually got a call from Dan to share the news. I am still a bit in disbelief that we are actually having a girl!
This weekend was supposed to be a cold, wet, and blustery weekend. Saturday, Alex had a Fall Festival party at his school. They had pumpkin carving, face painting, and art tables set up. Alex dressed up in his Halloween costume, a flight suit that Dan recently sent him. He got so many oohs and aahs from teachers as well as parents. He was definitely adorable! Despite the fact that the party was right during nap time, he had a really fun time. What toddler wouldn't love stickers, drawing, stamps, and playdough?
Sunday was a pretty uneventful day. It rained all Saturday night and continued into the morning and the wind had really kicked up. After church, we went to JoAnn's to start my search for the perfect little girl nursery fabrics. Alex was having no part of this, so this trip was short lived. The rest of the day was spent napping, doing laundry, and cleaning the house; not much to write about.
Dan, we really miss you and hope you get our care packages soon!
This weekend was supposed to be a cold, wet, and blustery weekend. Saturday, Alex had a Fall Festival party at his school. They had pumpkin carving, face painting, and art tables set up. Alex dressed up in his Halloween costume, a flight suit that Dan recently sent him. He got so many oohs and aahs from teachers as well as parents. He was definitely adorable! Despite the fact that the party was right during nap time, he had a really fun time. What toddler wouldn't love stickers, drawing, stamps, and playdough?
Our little navigator.
Face Painting time; so serious and so still.
Yeah, playdough time!
"What are you?" Teletubby. Tele who?
Making a Halloween door hanger.
Yummy pumpkin spice doughnuts.
How much chocolate can I get on my face?
Sunday was a pretty uneventful day. It rained all Saturday night and continued into the morning and the wind had really kicked up. After church, we went to JoAnn's to start my search for the perfect little girl nursery fabrics. Alex was having no part of this, so this trip was short lived. The rest of the day was spent napping, doing laundry, and cleaning the house; not much to write about.
Dan, we really miss you and hope you get our care packages soon!
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Fall is here
This weekend was a fun and busy one. The weather was gorgeous; it was sunny, and (despite starting out in the low 50s) it warmed up to the mid 60s. It was perfect weather for a trip to the pumpkin patch. We headed out early, around 9am, to Craven Farms so we could beat the crowds. We started off by getting some hot apple cider to warm up and some fresh kettle corn; something I have been craving. It was really foggy in the valley, but that didn't stop us or Alex from wanting a hay ride. He had been talking about that hay ride for days. The hay ride goes around the pumpkin fields and then into the corn fields, winding here and there through scarecrow decorated clearings. I don't think Alex's eyes ever saw the scarecrows; his eyes were fixated on that humungous tractor. After the hay ride, we headed over to the pumpkin fields and picked out our pumpkin. I think Alex had his eyes set on some larger ones, but Mamma helped convince him that the medium sized one was a good choice as well and one that I could actually manage to get back to the car. Alex had a really fun time in the pumpkin fields, but by the time we were all set to go, Alex was covered in mud; Mommy forgot his rain boots.
Sunday was a day of errands and baking, but it was another gorgeous day, so sometime had to be spared for some backyard fun. We are preparing another care package for Dan. I baked zucchini bread and homemade brownies for him. I always enjoy preparing his packages, especially when there is an upcoming holiday that you can incorporate into it.
Alex loved the kettle corn
Here you go Dadda
Our little pumpkin
Alex liked the really big pumpkins
Searching for the perfect pumpkin
He felt the need to brush the dirt off every one
Alex discovered the big ones make perfect seats
....and the little ones stacked make a great perch
That afternoon we got the front porch decorated for Fall and Halloween. Alex had helped me pot some mums and while he was down for a nap, I put out the Halloween decorations. He is not so keen on all the spiders, skulls, and monsters that he keeps seeing at the stores, so I knew he would probably not like this part of decorating.
After getting all the halloween stuff up, I took him out to see it all and was surprised that he did not seem frightened by it at all. He was very cautious not to get to close to any of it, though.
Sunday was a day of errands and baking, but it was another gorgeous day, so sometime had to be spared for some backyard fun. We are preparing another care package for Dan. I baked zucchini bread and homemade brownies for him. I always enjoy preparing his packages, especially when there is an upcoming holiday that you can incorporate into it.
During one of our errands, Alex got a new pair of Thomas sunglasses. This is him sporting his new shades at home. He doesn't like them over his eyes, so this is the only way he wears them. Funny thing is, whenever we were outside, he was requesting them.
Dan has been gone nearly 6 weeks, but it seems like it has been a lot longer. I am sure the next 2-3 months will fly by with all the holidays. USS Abraham Lincoln along with the rest of it's fleet has made their way through the Pacific Ocean and continuing through the Indian Ocean. Last weekend they had a port visit in Malaysia, near Kuala Lumpur and he got a chance to get off the ship.
Petronas Towers
Kuala Lumpur
Petronas Towers at night
(I love the moon right over the towers!)
This weekend USS Abraham Lincoln along with guided missile cruiser USS Cape St George made their way into the 5th fleet area of operations. They will be providing support for coalition forces in Afghanistan, support for the drawdown of forces in Iraq, as well as to support existing maritime security operations. It's a huge area of responsibility and if he thought he was busy already, things are about to get even busier.
Dan we love you and miss you! Alex and I both look forward to going to the pumpkin patch with you next Fall.
Friday, October 8, 2010
17 weeks
Today was my 17 week OB appointment. I was so excited to hear the baby's heartbeat and to review my "plan" for the rest of the pregnancy. Because of the complications during Alex's delivery, one of the midwives was a bit apprehensive about seeing me and thought that I may need to switch to the maternal and fetal medicine clinic, the high risk clinic. I was told at my last appointment that my case would be discussed and then a plan for the remainder of my pregnancy would be determined.
It was determined that the risks were not as high as initially thought by one of the midwives and that a more thorough schedule would be set up, which would include two additional ultrasounds and fetal stress monitoring every 4 weeks during my third trimester. They want to make sure that as the baby grows that there is no stress on the blood supply. This is more just a measure of reassurance for them since the complications I experienced with Alex were so rare, that they don't have many cases to go by. After our conversation, I felt reassured and confident that this little baby would receive the best of care and only pray that she/he is born full term and without complications.
I got to hear the heartbeat next. This was music to my ears and I am finally beginning to feel like this pregnancy is real and that the upset we had earlier this year is just a distant memory. We scheduled my next ultrasound, the one we get to find out the sex of the baby, for October 22nd! I am so excited to find out what "little boo" is, so that I can start to decorate the nursery. I have high hopes that it is a little girl!
I have been feeling her move a lot more today. It makes me remember the first time I felt Alex; I was 19 weeks and we were driving home from a day trip to Gettysburg when I started feeling these little flutters. This one is a little different in that I did not feel the flutters, but more of a popping feeling (like little kicks deep inside).
After my appt. I had a lot of errands to run and one was to purchase a booster seat for my little guy whom has decided he is too big for a highchair. He truly amazes me each and every day with how much he has grown physically and mentally in the last few months; I can't believe he is just 25 months old. He no longer speaks in grunts and one or two word sentences, but in 4 plus word sentences and he pronounces them so clearly. Our rides in the car used to sound like "ugh, truck" and now they sound like "look at that Mamma, it's a big truck". He can now sing the ABC's and can count to ten in spanish and english, but he seems to be better in spanish.
When we got home for dinner, I showed him his new chair and he was absolutely ecstatic. He had been just sitting in the regular chair, when he refused the highchair, and was having a hard time reaching his plate. He liked it even more when I pulled out my camera and asked him to pose for Daddy.
It was determined that the risks were not as high as initially thought by one of the midwives and that a more thorough schedule would be set up, which would include two additional ultrasounds and fetal stress monitoring every 4 weeks during my third trimester. They want to make sure that as the baby grows that there is no stress on the blood supply. This is more just a measure of reassurance for them since the complications I experienced with Alex were so rare, that they don't have many cases to go by. After our conversation, I felt reassured and confident that this little baby would receive the best of care and only pray that she/he is born full term and without complications.
I got to hear the heartbeat next. This was music to my ears and I am finally beginning to feel like this pregnancy is real and that the upset we had earlier this year is just a distant memory. We scheduled my next ultrasound, the one we get to find out the sex of the baby, for October 22nd! I am so excited to find out what "little boo" is, so that I can start to decorate the nursery. I have high hopes that it is a little girl!
I have been feeling her move a lot more today. It makes me remember the first time I felt Alex; I was 19 weeks and we were driving home from a day trip to Gettysburg when I started feeling these little flutters. This one is a little different in that I did not feel the flutters, but more of a popping feeling (like little kicks deep inside).
After my appt. I had a lot of errands to run and one was to purchase a booster seat for my little guy whom has decided he is too big for a highchair. He truly amazes me each and every day with how much he has grown physically and mentally in the last few months; I can't believe he is just 25 months old. He no longer speaks in grunts and one or two word sentences, but in 4 plus word sentences and he pronounces them so clearly. Our rides in the car used to sound like "ugh, truck" and now they sound like "look at that Mamma, it's a big truck". He can now sing the ABC's and can count to ten in spanish and english, but he seems to be better in spanish.
When we got home for dinner, I showed him his new chair and he was absolutely ecstatic. He had been just sitting in the regular chair, when he refused the highchair, and was having a hard time reaching his plate. He liked it even more when I pulled out my camera and asked him to pose for Daddy.
Dan, he is waving at you.
"Cheeeeese"
"Arrrgghhhmm" is his new sound when eating.
He sounds like a caveman ripping into his food.
Dan, we miss you and love you so much!
Sunday, October 3, 2010
First Kicks
This weekend was a pretty uneventful one. Friday night and Saturday morning I spent making a gift for a COW party that I was attending on Saturday evening with other military spouses. COW stands for Commanding Officer's Wife and a party is usually thrown after a change of command to welcome the new COW and present her with cow themed gifts (most are just gag gifts). I was making a cow print basket filled with a cow print wine bag (with a bottle of wine, of course), a cow print decorated christmas ornament, and cow pies (aka turtles). Alex was such a good little boy Saturday morning in letting me finish up this project and in turn I let him watch Saturday morning cartoons. Cartoons are something we do not watch in this house; he stays so occupied with his books, art projects, and toys that there really is no need for them. He does get to watch some Thomas videos every so often and his attention is usually only about 20 minutes or so before he takes off to do something else.
After finishing up the projects and having lunch, Alex and I both laid down for a nap. I have noticed that I have a lot more energy than I did in my first trimester, but by afternoon time I am ready to be rejuvenated. I had just woken up and was just laying on the couch for a bit before getting Alex up when I felt it. I felt three to four little pops and I was thinking to myself, "could this be it?" Then before I could get my hand to my abdomen to try and feel it, I felt another three to four little pops and then it was gone. I was thinking to myself that there were way too many of them to be confused with gas, but they felt more like popcorn popping than the butterflies that I felt with Alex. I was completely excited with the thought that I had finally felt this baby moving. It just makes the pregnancy seem so much more real. I kept waiting all weekend to feel it again and only felt a few little pops Sunday morning. I have my 17 week appt on Friday and I can't wait to hear that heart beat again and to schedule my ultrasound. Just a few more weeks and I will get to find out what we are having. I am so excited!
Saturday evening I took Alex to The Nest while I joined the girls for a fun night out at Alligator Soul. It was a fun evening despite the fact that I couldn't partake in the happy hour drinks. The food was ok, but then again growing up in Texas and having my fair share of really good creole style cuisine, my expectations are high. I don't think I will ever find a bar-b-que or creole restaurant in Washington state that will even compare to the food back home. None the less, it was a good time had and Alex had a blast at The Nest.
We got home late and were greeted by a call from Daddy; a perfect ending to a long night and the perfect way for Alex to fall asleep listening to Daddy talk. It was nearly 10pm when Alex fell asleep, so undoubtedly, he was going to sleep in Sunday morning and wasn't about to awaken him. After he got up, I started making Pumpkin Pancakes. They don't have a strong pumpkin taste (it's more of a nutmeg and cinnamon flavor) and Alex and I both love them; especially with some butter and syrup on them. Yummy! After breakfast we headed out to the outlet mall to get Alex clothed for the fall weather that was already moving in. I had coupons expiring today and there were great sales to be had. I am hoping this next week speeds by quickly; I am so anxious for Friday to be here already!
After finishing up the projects and having lunch, Alex and I both laid down for a nap. I have noticed that I have a lot more energy than I did in my first trimester, but by afternoon time I am ready to be rejuvenated. I had just woken up and was just laying on the couch for a bit before getting Alex up when I felt it. I felt three to four little pops and I was thinking to myself, "could this be it?" Then before I could get my hand to my abdomen to try and feel it, I felt another three to four little pops and then it was gone. I was thinking to myself that there were way too many of them to be confused with gas, but they felt more like popcorn popping than the butterflies that I felt with Alex. I was completely excited with the thought that I had finally felt this baby moving. It just makes the pregnancy seem so much more real. I kept waiting all weekend to feel it again and only felt a few little pops Sunday morning. I have my 17 week appt on Friday and I can't wait to hear that heart beat again and to schedule my ultrasound. Just a few more weeks and I will get to find out what we are having. I am so excited!
Saturday evening I took Alex to The Nest while I joined the girls for a fun night out at Alligator Soul. It was a fun evening despite the fact that I couldn't partake in the happy hour drinks. The food was ok, but then again growing up in Texas and having my fair share of really good creole style cuisine, my expectations are high. I don't think I will ever find a bar-b-que or creole restaurant in Washington state that will even compare to the food back home. None the less, it was a good time had and Alex had a blast at The Nest.
We got home late and were greeted by a call from Daddy; a perfect ending to a long night and the perfect way for Alex to fall asleep listening to Daddy talk. It was nearly 10pm when Alex fell asleep, so undoubtedly, he was going to sleep in Sunday morning and wasn't about to awaken him. After he got up, I started making Pumpkin Pancakes. They don't have a strong pumpkin taste (it's more of a nutmeg and cinnamon flavor) and Alex and I both love them; especially with some butter and syrup on them. Yummy! After breakfast we headed out to the outlet mall to get Alex clothed for the fall weather that was already moving in. I had coupons expiring today and there were great sales to be had. I am hoping this next week speeds by quickly; I am so anxious for Friday to be here already!
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