It's A . . .

The cupcakes we used to reveal the gender of the baby

On December 6, we found out the sex of our baby. We originally decided we weren't going to find out. When I had an ultrasound at 15 weeks, the tech couldn't determine gender, so it didn't matter if we wanted to know or not. When we went to this appointment, I was 19 weeks, and the tech (it's always the same guy) asked what the baby was. We told him that he wasn't able to determine at the last appointment. He asked if we wanted to know, and before there was even any discussion, John blurted out "yes." So, he told us what my intuition knew all along. We are having a baby GIRL! John promptly said "but I already have 2 girls." And the tech, who has a very dry (if any) sense of humor responded "well, now you have 3." We were so excited to know, although I kept telling John "I'm sorry it's not a boy." I know ultimately we both just want a healthy baby, but I also know that he wants his little boy. For now, he will just have another girl who will wrap him around her finger.

Once we knew, the discussion started about what to do with the information. At first, we decided we were just going to live with the knowledge, but still not tell anyone else. I was worried about how Kassie would react, because she has been very adamant about only wanting a brother. It's not like there is anything we could do to change it, but a tempremental teenager isn't always the most level-headed person alive. So, for a while, we just lived with the little secret between the 2 of us.

I was excited that we could start saying "she" and "her" instead of "it" or "the baby" all the time. But, eventually I really wanted to say something. I made a small slip in a comment to someone on Facebook, and my mom jumped all over that. She knew that we knew, and it was killing her that we wouldn't tell. So, we decided to make a game out of it with my family at Christmas time.

On Christmas evening, after dinner, we told everyone that we had dessert. First, I made everyone pick a pink or blue napkin, according to what they thought we were having. There were a lot on the boy wagon out there, because my brother Brent was the only one who picked pink. We had ordered cupcakes with pink frosting injected in the middle. So, when everyone bit into their cupcake, they would see what we were having. We made everyone wait and start eating at the same time. My mom's reaction was priceless. She was genuinely surprised, and excited at the same time. After having 4 brothers herself, and then raising 4 boys, she's pretty excited about all the granddaughters she has.

It was a lot of fun to be able to tell my family at the same time, with such a fun activity. I certainly didn't think of it myself, but it was still a lot of fun. Now, to pick a name . . .

Everyone with their napkin

Choosing a cupcake

Getting ready to "dig in"

It's another girl! A priceless reaction

Brent was the 1 girl "picker"
(The next day, Rachel also chose pink)


Inside of the cupcakes

Mommy and Daddy to be

Scott, Cory, Rachel and Emily got to find out the next day

Emily got her own pink cupcake

Christmas 2011

Our Christmas "season" started out with a trip to Elgin to celebrate with my mom's side of the family. In order to facilitate everyone's schedules, we got together on the 17th. It was a week early, but good that everyone could make it.
At a recent doctor's appointment, we found out the sex of our baby. At first, our thought was that we still weren't going to tell anyone, even though we knew. I mistakenly made a comment on facebook that my mom honed in on like a hawk. Then, she started giving me a hard time about it all, so John and I discussed how we wanted to reveal the gender. We put a plan in place, but it wasn't going to take place until Christmas. My mom has been convinced we are having a boy, and after this recent development started to give me a hard time. At first, she told me she was going to buy me a bunch of things for what she thought we were having. Then, she changed her mind, and said she thought it was a boy, so she was going to buy a bunch of pink things, and our little boy would have to wear pink. While John and I were getting dressed to go, I realized that we were both wearing blue shirts. I knew my mom would zero in on that for sure, and think we were sending a message. So, we decided to play a little game of our own. We stopped at Wal-Mart, and bought a $5 pink shirt. It was a ladies shirt, but all we could find. So, we showed up for Christmas dressed in pink and blue, and told my mom we were ok with boys wearing pink. She didn't think it was quite as funny as we did, but a bunch of other people got a chuckle out of it! We had fun hanging out with family for the afternoon, including the traditional White Elephant gift exchange. There were some fun things this year, and we actually came away with something useful. I traded for an opened package of pull-ups, which my aunt Diane said they had only used a few. I figure we will need them at some point, so why not get a head start??

Our gender "joke" on my mom

John's parents were the only ones of his family in town for Christmas, so we had a low-key get together with them on the 22nd. They came over to our house for dinner and to exchange gifts. We had a nice time visiting with them, and ended the evening packing to leave the next day.

Again, we were fortunate enough to spend a long weekend with my family for Christmas. John's restaurant closed on the 23rd and the 26th, so we were able to head out of town. We left early on the 23rd and made it to La Vernia early in the afternoon. We had a lot of time to spend with my family - eating, playing games, eating, watching football, eating, exchanging gifts, eating, talking, and did I mention eating? It was nice to just relax and hang out, as we know next year will be far different for us! It was different for us to have Kassie here with us this year. In the past, the only times we have seen John's girls for Christmas is when we have traveled abroad. I think it was a very different experience for Kassie to see so much family at the holidays.

My family's get-together was on the 26th. My brother Scott had to work Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, so we did our Christmas when everyone could be there. We had a fun time, and had our own White Elephant exchange. I think Emily enjoyed it the most, because every gift was for her - or at least in her mind. Every time someone picked a gift to open, they would ask her to help and she would say "another present for Emily." I don't think she noticed that she left with far less gifts than she actually opened.

We had a great time, and many times pondered how on Earth we will make this trip next year, when we will have much more stuff to pack. Even with a decent sized SUV, we had to cram stuff in. Our dogs are really going to start cramping our style!! We might have to start saving now for the cost of boarding them.

After church on Christmas Eve

I've definitely got a baby belly now

My Birthday

Yesterday was my birthday. My 36th (yikes!) and my last without a child. I'm ok with that. There are times that I wish this adventure was starting a little earlier in my life, but that's not how things were meant to be for me, and so I'm embracing them as they come. There are many advantages to starting a family at a younger age, and I suppose less risks as well, but I can't dwell on those things. I am thrilled that we are having a baby and adding to our family!

My birthday was low-key, which is what I wanted. It was our last day of school before the Christmas break, and I spent it with a bunch of hyper 5 year-olds. After a day like that, I really wasn't up for anything with a crowd of people. We were supposed to have game night at my friend Wendy's house, but her husband got sick, and she didn't want to expose any of us to it. It was kind of a bummer, but my best friend invited us over there instead. She and her boyfriend cooked a fantastic dinner, and we hung out and played Phase 10. I would have enjoyed a glass of wine or 3, but there's always next year.

Overall, it was a really nice day/evening, spent with some people who are dear to me!

I Found The Bliss

Everyone says the 2nd trimester is the best time of your pregnancy. I've finally discovered what everyone is talking about! It took a lot longer than 12 weeks to get over my everyday nausea. Not that there is anything saying that it will only last 12 weeks, but a lot of people, including my doctors, told me to hold on until about 12 weeks and it should get better. Once 12 weeks came and went, and I finally got Zofran, things started getting better. It really took until almost 20 weeks (halfway) before I wasn't nauseous on a daily basis. If genetics have anything to do with it, this may be what I'm destined for with any future pregnancy, because it's what happened to my mom. Although it can really get miserable to suddenly feel like you're about to lose the contents of your stomach, I don't really have any other symptoms to complain about. I have been feeling really good, although I get around a little slower than before. I haven't gained any weight, but my shape is definitely changing. Almost all of my pants still fit fine, but I'm starting to have issues with most of my shirts. My "baby belly" is sitting higher, and my shirts just don't seem to cover as well as they used to. At least I'm not in need of a whole new wardrobe at this point.

I can see why this is the good trimester. I have started feeling baby flutters, and that is exciting. The first time, I was laying on my side watching TV in our bedroom, and it was kind of like a rolling pin rolled across the inside of my stomach. Weird for sure, but so exciting. For now, it's mostly still just little flutters now and then, but I love it every time I feel it.

Below are pictures from my most recent ultrasound. I told the tech I wanted a good profile picture for our Christmas card, to which he replied that good pictures aren't up to him. As if on cue, our little munchkin decided not to be so cooperative. We got a decent picture, but not as good as I was hoping for. The baby was facing backwards, and refused to turn over. Of course!

Our baby at 19 weeks, 4 days

I cropped the picture for our Christmas card

Thanksgiving 2011

We used this picture for our Christmas card this year

We were able to spend all of Thanksgiving weekend with my family this year. Where John is working right now is only open Monday - Friday, and they were closed Thanksgiving day and the day after. So, we were able to go out of town for a long weekend, which was really nice. Kassie and I were off the whole week from school. I had a Dr. appointment on Monday afternoon, so Kassie and I loaded up our stuff and the dogs on Tuesday morning and headed out to La Vernia where my mom and stepdad live. John had to work Wednesday, and so did my brother Todd. So, they were planning to ride together Wednesday evening.

During the day Wednesday, my mom and I went on a hunt for baby bedding patterns and material. I got an idea in my head of how I wanted to decorate the nursery, and I just wasn't finding anything that really suited those ideas. I actually found some bedding that someone was selling on Craigslist that I really liked, and was gender neutral (which was one of my necessities). They didn't live close to us at all, but I arranged with the guy for John and I to drive out there after a Saturday event at my school at the end of October. I told the guy I had a commitment in the morning, and it would be 2:00 or so before we could make it out there. We had this all worked out on Friday, and on Saturday, just as we were headed that way, I checked my email and the guy sent an email saying they were leaving for the day at 1:00. I was so ticked off, that I just wouldn't even make plans to try and meet them again. From our house to theirs would probably be close to an hour trip, and even though he was the one that changed the plans, he wasn't willing to meet anywhere even a little bit closer. So, I gave up on that and decided I would figure something else out. My mom and I found a couple of different patterns - I liked different things from each one. We also found materials in the colors I wanted, that we think will be really cute together. I really needed to get that done on this trip, because I wanted to paint the nursery over my Christmas break, and I needed material to match paint colors. I knew it would be much easier to match paint to material I already had, rather than the other way around. It was a long day, but we accomplished our mission, and then headed back to the house to start our Thanksgiving cooking.

Todd and John hit a lot of traffic problems heading out of Houston, and instead of a 3 hour trip from our house, it was more like 4, or a little more. They finally made it, and we of course sat up talking and playing a game, as is typical when my family gets together. Thursday morning, we were all up early, getting ready to head to Elgin. My mom's family was getting together at the Lutheran church in Elgin where my aunt and uncle go to church. My grandpa lives in a little house right next to the church, and we didn't want him to have to travel far. We had a delicious meal, and lots of time to visit with family that we don't see often enough.

The church playground was the desired location for the family's youngest members, my niece Emily and my youngest cousin Kyndall. It was a little chilly that day, but nice and sunny, and hard to keep those girls inside. John and I had that moment of realization that next Thanksgiving, we will be toting our own little bundle around. We certainly had so much to be thankful for this year. We always cherish time with our families, and this year we are of course so thankful for the life growing inside me.

We left the church in time to make the trip back to La Vernia for THE game of the day - the last Longhorn-Aggie game for the forseeable future. I can remember watching this game from very early on in my childhood, so it was a little sad that this will be the end for now. It wasn't a pretty game on either side of the ball, but Texas came out on top, and that's what is most important!!

We had a fantastic weekend with family, and can't wait for next year!

John and I

Emily wanted to swing with Kassie

She wanted to "go high" and "touch the tree" like Kassie, too.

Uneventful So Far

Everything with the baby is going great so far! I truly feel blessed that aside from a couple of unpleasant symptoms, my pregnancy has been uneventful. I lost about 15 pounds in the first couple of months because I was so sick and didn't eat much. I have been maintaining about the same weight - no significant loss or gain so far. Both of my doctors are very pleased with how things are progressing.

Over the past few weeks, we have acquired a few things for the baby. John has been in a tough job situation the past few months, so we have kept a look out for some good second-hand deals. We found a pack-n-play that was only used a few times by some people for traveling to see grandparents. It looks brand new, so we were happy to snag that up! We also got a dark wood bassinet to keep in our room when the baby is born for a fairly good price. We have picked up a few other odds and ends here and there when we see a good deal. I know we still have plenty of time to get the things we need, but I'm also anxious to have everything ready when the baby is born. I'm a planner!!

Below is our latest ultrasound. We got a cute little profile picture this time!

Unpleasant Symptom

My most undesired pregnancy symptom has definitely been the continued nausea. I find myself feeling very jealous of women who say the were "never sick at all" during their pregnancy! Mine has never just been morning sickness, either. It can strike any time, day or night, without warning. Sometimes it is bad in the mornings, and I find myself praying that I won't lose it when I have to roll out of bed. I have tried most of the tricks and home remedies that friends and family have recommended, with very little success. I tell John all the time that our baby hates me! I have been having the typical 1st trimester exhaustion, and the nausea just adds to it. I have found sometimes, that if I feel hungry, I better eat right away, because those hunger pangs soon turn to major nausea. Luckily the times that I have actually vomited are few and far between, but the feeling of it possibly happening still isn't any fun. Don't get me wrong, I am thrilled to be pregnant, but this is one side effect I could do without! I plan on asking Dr. Turner for a prescription next time I go in. Everyone has told me to hold on until 12 weeks and it should get better, but that doesn't seem to be happening, so I figure there's no use in trying to tough it out anymore - I'm going to ask for help!

The following pictures are from our most recent ultrasound - we got some 3-D pictures this time. Very cool!

New Doctor

Today I went to my high risk specialist for the first time. Her name is Dr. Chatman, and I really like her a lot. Luckily John was able to go with me, so we were both able to listen to what she had to say and ask any questions. She is very laid back, and instantly made us both feel at ease. She spent a lot of time with us talking about what to expect, and making sure she answered any and all questions we had. We both left feeling very impressed with how personal she was, and not just "in and out" like so many doctors seem to be these days. I even wrote her a thank you note when we got home.

Dr. Chatman definitely helped calm my anxiety about being "high risk." She assured me that they just want to keep a closer eye on things, and in the end, I will probably enjoy it because I will have an ultrasound every time I go to her. She said most women just get an early one and a 20 week scan, and that's it. We got to see our little kidney bean flipping around, and she assured us that everything looks and measures perfect at this point, so just keep doing what we're doing.

First OB Appointment

I had my first doctor's appointment today. I did not have an OB, so I had to find a new doctor. I knew that because I was already 35, my pregnancy would automatically be considered high risk, and I would have to see a specialist in addition to a regular OB. I checked with my insurance company and found the preferred high risk specialist in this area, and she is in a building right next to the hospital. So, I just picked an OB whose practice is in the same building. I figured if it worked out well, it would be convenient for everything to be right there in the same place.

I had already started quietly telling a few people at work about my pregnancy. I told my principal, and the school nurse, just in case any problems were to arise. I was still excited, but nervous to spill too much, in case there was a problem. Some of the teachers I work most closely with definitely knew something was "up" with me already, thanks to all that nausea and super tiredness.

John was able to be off work for the morning, so that he could go with me. Over the week leading up to my appointment, I had done way too much *gasp* internet reading, and had completely freaked myself out that surely something was wrong. I already had all of my new patient paperwork filled out when we arrived, and thankfully we didn't have to wait too long. The nurse took us back, and got my vitals. I don't think we waited too long in the room, but it sure seemed like forever at the time. The doctor came in and we both took to her immediately. She is very personable, and took time to answer our questions and concerns without ever making us feel rushed.

She did an ultrasound to confirm the pregnancy, and assure us there's only 1 baby in there. I was anxiously awaiting hearing the heartbeat for the first time, and it didn't disappoint. It was a moment I will never forget, and I cried tears of joy. John was able to capture the whole thing on video. I was instantly relieved that we heard a healthy heartbeat, and everything looked good. The baby was measuring about a week smaller than my dates were giving, so she gave us an official due date of April 28.

The first picture of our little kidney bean

Big News!!

We are expecting!! We were going to try and keep it to ourselves for a little while. We especially wanted to wait until I had seen an OB, and confirmed that, at least at this early stage, things were ok. It didn't happen . . .

Here's the story:

Around mid-August, I started experiencing some early symptoms. Moodiness, nausea, etc. I didn't think much about it, as I experience some of the same things most months right before my period. I was busy getting my classroom ready - which involved moving from one hallway to another. Despite all of the years I've been teaching, I still feel this rush of pressure to get everything done before school starts, and inevitably fall short. I didn't give much thought to being late, because of the stress.
A couple more weeks passed, and those pesky symptoms seemed to be hanging around, but I kept telling myself I would probably start "today or tomorrow." John and I had been trying off and on for around a year, without any success, so my morale about any baby possibilities was pretty low. Especially after hitting the dreaded 3-5 last year that officially made me old in the world of obstetrics. There were a couple of months that I was late, and really got my hopes up, only to be heartbroken. I wasn't really willing to venture down the "infertility" road. I still had a sliver of faith that if and when it was meant to happen, it would.

So, I was already 2 weeks late before I even mentioned anything to John, and then in some sort of early-pregnancy emotional meltdown, also told my mom. I told myself that if we got to Labor Day weekend, which would mark 3 weeks late, I would take a test.

The weekend came, and John and I went out to the store for a few things, including a test. As soon as we got home, he wanted me to run right upstairs and take it. I was coming down with a cold, and I didn't want to disappoint him again, though, so I said I was going to take a nap and would do it later. When I woke up, he was downstairs with Kassie, so I went to the bathroom. The test turned positive almost immediately, and I could barely keep myself from screaming. Tears instantly formed, and I said "thank you, God" about a hundred times. When I finished up I *casually* went out and called John to come upstairs. As soon as he saw my face he knew, and we both started crying as he grabbed me in a huge bear hug. I kept telling him "this isn't how I wanted to tell you." I always had these cute ideas for how I wanted to tell my husband, but it just didn't happen.

We quickly agreed that we weren't going to say anything for a while. I especially wanted to tell our families in person (at least as much as possible). I wanted to do something cute and creative to tell our parents. Well, you know what they say about the best laid plans . . . Apparently Kassie had seen the test in the bag when we came home, and asked John about it, and he couldn't keep his mouth closed. I was worried about how fast the word might travel from the mouth of an indiscreet teenager, so we went to plan b. Throughout the weekend, we slowly told our families, and John's other daughter, Kaitie. My mom had the biggest reaction, by far, with an ear-piercing scream!! I would have loved to wait until we could tell everyone in person, but it was also fun to share when we were in the giddy excited stage, too.

So, the news is out there . . . we are having a baby. I'm due April 28, 2012.

Here's our proof!

I had to get another test, just to make sure the generic one wasn't "faulty."

Happy daddy-to-be!

Mommy-to-be, who was under the weather

Let's Try This Again

I want to keep a blog. Really, I do. I follow several blogs, and I really enjoy reading them. I guess I have felt our lives aren't all that exciting . . . not really blog-worthy. I'm going to give it another shot, though, and see how it works. I'm sure, like anything else, it's something you have to make a habit.

Our biggest event in the last 8 months is that we have become full time parents to a 13 (now 14) year old. Many events led to the change, and it's too much to really go in to. John's older daughter, Kassie, came from Germany in January to live with us. It has been quite a challenge for us to jump into parenthood with a teenage girl. Even though John has been her father since birth, he hasn't been able to spend a significant amount of time with his girls in the last 7 years.

It has been challenging, and trying on all 3 of us, but we are figuring it out 1 day at a time. Kassie really seems to like it here, and is doing well in school. She has made a lot of friends that she really enjoys spending time with, and we feel we are doing what's best for her. I think the biggest difference between starting with a baby and starting with a teenager is that a baby doesn't know when you screw up, and a teenager has no problem pointing it out to you!! We're learning as we go, and trying to create a responsible, respectful citizen out of it al!