:-)

Once again, its been forever since I last updated. I mean, I find my life quite interesting, but doubt that others find it as interesting as I do. :-P Anyway, I'm doing exactly what you think I'm doing-spending most of my time taking care of Miryam. She's grown quite a bit in the last 2 weeks (I'm guessing she's close to 15 lbs. & around 25 in. long), taking ~29-30 oz. of formula every day & a little bit of cereal, & becoming stronger & more coordinated. She's been rolling from her tummy to back for awhile now, & she's starting to roll from her back to her side (think it's gonna be awhile before she has enough strength to make it to her tummy), she's reaching for/trying to grab everything & putting whatever it is in her mouth. She doesn't realize that she can't grab pictures yet. :-P She's also drooling more-not full blown teething yet, but close. She enjoys looking at books, watching cartoons, listening to music, & bouncing herself silly in her jump-n-jive. It's fun to see her learning new things all the time. She's started to resist being put to sleep at times. She'll be so tired, but if she thinks you're putting her to sleep then that's just unacceptable. It's nice that she doesn't want to be rocked to sleep all the time though. I love rocking her to sleep, but I like being able to just put her down & know that she'll fall asleep (she still really likes her swing & bouncy chair). She's still sleeping in her pack-n-play...lol Hey, it works. We've been crib shopping for awhile now & haven't come across anything that we really like. Dan's parents informed us that they want to buy her crib (hey, that makes shopping more exciting, right?) :-P The other new thing she's doing is realizing when we're (mommy & daddy) not around. She doesn't cry every time we give her to someone else, but she started doing it on & off about a month ago. I have to admit, it makes me feel good. I tell people that I waited a long time & spent a lot of money to have my own baby cry for me. :-) A few people have offered to take her off my hands during bible study so I can go to class & not have to take care of her while trying to listen. I'm able to pay more attention if she's in there with me. If she's not there I'm constantly wondering if she's okay. I did hand her over 2x, & both times she ended up getting really upset. It's just easier to have her in there with me than it is to have to calm her down for 15-20 minutes post meltdown. Anyway, I guess it's pretty obvious that I enjoy being a mommy. So thankful the Lord gave her to us.

I was chatting with Mieca today & she mentioned that she enjoyed reading my blog. I thought about that for a few seconds & laughed b/c I hadn't updated my blog in almost 3 months. Well, that's what happens when you use facebook all the time. I've already admitted to not being much of a blogger, but I think I have the engery for it today.

Dan & I went to TX in Sept. to visit my family & had a great time. My mom, sisters, aunt, & mema gave me a really nice baby shower. It was good to see so many friends that I hadn't seen in years & catch up. The baby got a lot of great gifts, the food was yummy, & I was a tad overwhelmed to be at my own baby shower. I've had 2 other showers since the first (with my church peeps & work peeps) & I have one more next week. Some people are asking what the baby really needs & I tell them diapers. Believe it or not, I haven't gotten many diapers at my showers. I think I'm good for the newborn size, but I don't have many 1's & 2's. I'm going to buy some every week until she gets here though, so we'll have a decent stash.

Miryam is doing fine as far as we know. When I went to the doctor in October she said I was measuring a little small. She didn't seem worried about it, but did say she wanted to do an ultrasound at my next visit to make sure the baby was growing like she should be. I called both of my sisters about it & they said they measured small with their kids as well, but the ultrasounds confirmed that the kids were growing just fine. I laughed about it later that day b/c Dan & I are not big people, so we really don't expect to have a big baby. I know, that doesn't mean she won't be big (you don't have to tell me that). On Nov. 12th, the ultrasound tech told us that she weighed 3 lbs. 14 oz. which put her in the 30th percentile (that's about how much I expected her to weigh), all of her measurements looked good, she has hair, her hands are by her face a lot, she's definitely a girl, & we saw her yawn real big & stretch. :-) She's head down like she should be. I knew about where her head was b/c I could feel her hiccups...hehe Her bottom is up around my stomach, which is where I have been the most uncomfortable. The skin around my stomach is just a tad numb, too. Her arms/legs/feet are around the middle to right side of my tummy. She moves around quite a bit--not so much during the day when I'm at work, but when I'm just relaxing in the evening/night. That's still my favorite part of being pregnant. It's really cool to sit & watch her roll around in there. Dan enjoys seeing & feeling her move. He's been putting tummy butter on me at night & he can really feel her move then. We're still trying to make out body parts. It's not always easy to tell what is what yet, but we try. My feet have been hurting for about 3-4 weeks. They hurt if I've been on them too long. And, today, I noticed they are starting to swell...fun fun. I just try to take frequent breaks. My back hurts quite a bit, but mainly when I've been sitting down for awhile & then get up. I told Dan not to be surprised if I fall on the floor when I get out of bed & try to walk...lol Those first few steps are a bit shaky. I've proably gained 20-25 lbs. & most of it is around my stomach, butt, & hips. I've never been so heavy in my life, but I'm not disappointed in the way I look. I just look pregnant. :-)

I still don't have any crazy food cravings. I'm still liking sweet/sour candy more than usual. But, for the most part, I'm eating the foods that I've always eaten. I try not to eat too much at once b/c I fill up quick. I mean, with her big baby bottom pushing on my stomach, I don't have much room in there. :-P I still have to take my pill from time to time if I start to feel sick to my stomach, but it's not even close to being as bad as it was.

So, now we play the waiting game. I have about a month left. We're hoping to have her at the end of Dec. b/c it will save us a ton of mulah. We'll just have to see what the doctor says about that. Please keep us in your thoughts & prayers. We've waited a long time for this & can't believe it's getting so close. Wow! :-)

Okay, it's obvious that I'm not much of a blogger. :-) I think I blog about once a month. Oh well, something is better than nothing, right? I'm sure you all know by now, but we found out on August 20th that we're having a girl. She was very cooperative & allowed the ultrasound tech to tell us the gender within 5 seconds. Neither one of us expected her to tell us the gender so quickly--it took a few minutes for it to sink in. Needless to say, we're super excited. And I started shopping as soon as I got home that evening. The registering part was a bit overwhelming. I had so many questions & so many things to choose from. So, thanks to all the peeps that helped me with that adventure.

I've felt her moving every day since August 4th. We were at a Chinese buffet & I really wanted a Dr. Pepper with my meal. I didn't plan on drinking all of it, but it had been such a long time since I'd had pop & it tasted so good with my meal. Anyway, the baby seemed to like the Dr. Pepper & started moving around quite a bit. I've felt her every day since. I feel her moving the most at night--especially when I get into bed. Dan has felt her move twice. :-) Feeling her move has been my favorite part of being pregnant up to this point.

I still don't have any weird/off the wall food cravings. I've wanted potato chips & Starburst more than anything lately. One evening, on my way home from work, I suddenly got a craving for something sweet/tart/sour, so I pulled into a gas station close to the house & bought some jolly rancher chews & chewy/sour life savers. When I got into the car I ate a watermelon flavored jolly rancher chew & almost cried b/c it tasted so good. I'm also into the wild berry Skittles. Normally, if I want something sweet, I go for chocolate. But, the baby isn't all that interested in chocolate. I'm having an easier time eating overall. I still need my medicine from time to time, but when I need it I don't feel nearly as bad as I did 6+ weeks ago...so thankful for that. I need to know how to crave healthy foods! I do the best I can, but the baby usually gets what the baby wants--and it's showing. ;-) I'm also walking in the neighborhood quite a bit & getting on the eliptical here & there.

Dan & I are heading to TX next week for about 10 days. We're super excited b/c we haven't been on a real vacation all year. That's not normal for us! My sisters/mom/aunt are giving me a baby shower while I'm there. I'm so exicited for that. I've never been to a baby shower for me & never knew if that day would come. So, I feel blessed that it's finally my turn. I just found out today that my sister, Kim, is having another girl. She was really hoping for a boy b/c she already has 2 girls. I was hoping for a boy b/c that's what she wanted & b/c I was going to get all of her girl stuff. She called & said, "Looks like I won't be sharing my clothes with you."...lol I'm still very excited to have another niece.

Anyway, that's the update. Hope everyone is doing well. Thanks for being great friends...& family. ;-)

It's about time for another update. :-) I went to the doctor on Tuesday for a regular check up. I think my measurements are good & the baby's heart rate was 143. We'll find out on August 20th if we're having a boy or girl. I still don't have any strong feelings as to what it could be. I'll be happy with either a boy or girl. :-)
About 3 weeks ago I was suddenly struck with a bladder infection. Wow, it came on so quick & made me so sick. I had to take 2 rounds of antibiotics, but I still don't think it's completely cleared up. I called the doctor's office yesterday & asked them if I could stop by & leave them a sample so they could check if infection was still present. I told her that my right kidney was throbbing from time to time & that I felt discomfort all the way down to my bladder. They didn't even make me come in, but just ordered another round of antibiotics. I'm not freaking out about it. I mean, I really hope I don't have a kidney stone hanging out up there, but I know bladder infections are common for some people during pregnancy. And I had a hx of UTI's before becoming pregnant anyway. On a good note, I've been feeling better overall lately. I still need my nausea pill here & there, but I don't feel nearly as sick as I used to before taking the pill. Eating has been a bit easier in the last week or so as well & I'm not needing to eat as often. Hey, I'll take what I can get.
I've been asked if I crave certain foods. I haven't had any really strong cravings the entire pregnancy. And I haven't wanted anything out of the ordinary. It's more like...what can I eat? I've definitely eaten a lot of cereal & a lot of snack food. I have noticed that I don't want dessert very often. Normally, I would eat some kind of sweet snack after lunch or dinner (and 99% of the time it was chocolate). Now, when I want something sweet, it's usually Starburst or Skittles. My tastes have been very simple. Give me a piece of bread with cheese & I'm happy. So, no ice cream & pickle type cravings for me.
I'm trying to exercise more now that I'm feeling better. Please pray that I can shake this bladder infection, b/c it's holding me back. I think if I could get over it I'd feel great. And I'd really like to be able to enjoy some of my pregnancy. The only thing I've enjoyed, so far, is the excitement of having a baby. I know it will be worth it. :-)

Time for an update--where to begin? I'll be 14 weeks tomorrow. :-) I had an ultrasound this past Tuesday & everything looked good. The baby was moving a lot, putting hands up to the face (maybe thumb in the mouth), one time I saw a yawn followed by a stretch. The ultrasound tech thought that was really cute. Dan was running late. I wanted him to see the entire ultrasound, but he was still able to see a lot. He sold his rocket Civic & told the buyers to meet him at 1 o'clock, & my appointment was at 2 o'clock. I asked him why he didn't schedule to meet them after my appointment b/c people rarely show up on time &, if you're selling a car, they're going to want to look the car over & ask questions. Anyway, that's in the past. The car is sold & we're $6,000 richer. But he better be on time for the next ultrasound! :-)
The next ultrasound is in 6 weeks & we'll find out if we're having a girl or boy. I don't have any strong feelings yet as to what we're having. I think I'm leaning a little more towards girl at this point b/c of how bad I've felt (and it doesn't seem to be going away). I know that's not a sure sign, but it seems to be a sign in my family. The sicker you are, the more likely you're having a girl. But, like I said, the feelings aren't real strong yet. I always thought that I'd want all boys. When I think of having a girl I think of drama, periods, & having to deal with the whole modesty issue. But, once we make it through all that I have a friend for life. Dan would just be ecstatic if we were having a girl. When I think of having a boy I think low maintenance, loving their mommy, & hyperactivity. But, when he's older & gets married the relationship with him will definitely change. Those are just thoughts that roll around in my head. I won't know until I experience it. We'll be happy with whatever we're having though. Just so thankful to be experiencing all of this.
As far as the sickness goes...it's still there on & off. I think I'm going to buy some vitamin B6 & Unisom & try taking a little bit of that. I know that concoction isn't as strong as the prescription I'm taking, but that stinkin' pill gives me such bad headaches. I depend on it when I'm at work though. Oh well, just wanted to give something else a try. I might not even need the strongest thing for the nausea. I don't like thinking that I'm going to have to deal with this the entire pregnancy. I'm so excited to be having a baby, but, so far, I do not like being pregnant...lol.
That's my update!

I haven't blogged in awhile, so I thought I'd give an update. Things are still going well. I'll be 12 weeks on Monday. I'm still having to take my medicine. I take it almost the instant I start to feel sick, but I would say the sick feeling hasn't been as strong lately. This past Monday I felt a bit nauseated when I got up, but thought I'd just go downstairs & get a bite to eat to see if that would calm it down. Well, I started to feel worse instantly. I hurried up & took a pill & not 30 seconds later I was in the backyard puking. I was just mad that I wasted a pill! That was the first time something like that happened though. It came on me so fast. I told Dan that I can't believe the sickness has only been around for 4 weeks...seems longer to me. However, I know people that have had it much worse. I just hope it vanishes soon. :-) Oh, & about the backyard...that's where I puke. I don't know if I have a good reason for it other than I just don't like to throw up in the toilet. Dan calls throwing up in the toilet praying to the pagan deity commodius, & I definitely don't want to do that...lol.

I have a doctor's appointment on June 30th. The doctor wants the ultrasound tech to do my ultrasound since we had in vitro. I guess the tech is more thorough. I can't wait to see what the baby looks like. I'll be a little over 13 weeks at that point. My tummy has gotten a little bigger, but the main thing I notice is the shape. That's where I see the most change. The lower half of my tummy is kind of rounding off & feels a little sore. I have felt a few strange things in the lower left half of my tummy. I don't know if that's the baby moving. Everyone seems to feel the first movements at different times. Once the baby starts to move more I'll know for sure if that's what I was feeling.

Anyway, Dan & I are gonna go for a walk before it gets too dark. We're so happy. :-)

Hey everyone! :-) I'm 10 weeks & 2 days today. I had an awful day yesterday. I was able to work, somehow, but it was a struggle. My head was killing me! I took some Tylenol & that took the edge off for awhile, but it ended up coming back a few hours later. Nothing sounded good to eat, I felt sick to my stomach, & I went to bed way earlier than normal. I'm so thankful that I felt better today. I did go to the doctor's office for my first visit yesterday. I saw the nurse & answered about 500 questions. I told her that I was getting a lot of headaches (which I'm prone to anyway) & I don't remember what she said about it. I did notice that I'm allowed to take Excedrin Migraine (doesn't seem like I should be able to, but it's on the list of medications I can take). I told Dan that I'm overjoyed to be pregnant, but I don't like how it makes me feel...lol. I'm looking forward to that 12 week mark & hoping that the feeling bad part just kind of vanishes. My tummy is starting to show a little bit...mainly change shape. I'll post some pics when I get a little bigger.
Anyway, we're thinking about going to the US Virgin Islands at the end of August. One last "big trip" before our lives get turned upside down. :-D I'll let you all know if it's going to work out.