It's sno-cone time again!!!

This was the perfect sweet treat for me...I am so super happy and think I will be getting one of these just about every day!!! I had been craving one of these for quite some time now, thankfully a lady from my office chose to take me to fill my craving!

Wild Strawberry & Banana...Mmmmmmmm!

Happy Summer everyone!!!

Happy Birthday to my sweet HUBBY!!!

Happy birthday to my sweet hubby, he didn't want anything special today but he didn't have a choice! He was kinda busy today, so he wasn't in the best of moods...but it all changed later! I took him a cookie cake to work, then some co-workers took him to lunch and then I took him to a nice steak dinner (which he thoroughly enjoyed!), and we finished the evening off with cake at my parents. He just wanted this day to pass on by and no one notice but I made sure everyone knew it!

Here's to many many more wonderful years with you sweetie! I love you!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Crawfish season is upon us!!!

So it is that time again...it's CRAWFISH season!!! Jason decided to have his team over and boil some crawfish...they were oh-so-yummy!!! I think I did a little too much, by the time the company was arriving at the house I think I was ready for the house to be empty. Too long on my feet and just not in the mood, but it turned out ok once the crawfish were done and I could start eating!!!

Mmmmmmm, I can still taste them! We peeled the leftovers and will be making some crawfish etouffee this week!

Kids in the Kitchen

As most know, I'm a member of our local Jr. League. I serve on a committee that's pretty low-key when it comes to time commitment. We have one big event in the Spring, called Kids in the Kitchen. We are encouraging children in the community to get in the kitchen and make simple but healthy snacks. We show them a few recipes, let them try everything, then play games with them then send them home with a goody bag filled with all sorts of snacks!

  I was in charge of the Apple Boats...this was my example I made for the kiddos to see

This is our committee, minus a couple, but we had a blast!

I was sure glad to get home and rest though! I have "plumped up" quite a bit in these past few weeks and it's really starting to get me down...

Our last Rodeo night

Well, it was a fun 3 weeks but I'm happy to say that the Rodeo is finally over!!! I think we were all pretty happy for it to be over this time too. The last night for us was Brad Paisley, Jason's favorite and it was the Rodeo finals so we got to see lots of Rodeo!! The photo is a little bright but we finally managed to get a photo of all of us...including the baby :)

 

Our last night :(

It's kinda hard to see...lovely quality photo from the iPhone...but that is Brad Paisley at the end of the state and up on the big screens

Jason went back today for the final day, I stayed due to a family emergency. 

Until next year, here's to you Rodeo Houston 2011!!!

Houston Rodeo...Miranda Lambert

This is the baby's first Rodeo so we have been taking lots and lots of photos! We took some friends of ours to see Miranda Lambert last night, it was oh-so-much fun! This was their first Rodeo trip so we got to show them everything. We got there early and did a little shopping, then went inside for some COWBOYS!

Me and April in front of the "8th Wonder of the World"

Headin' to our seats

Me and Leon the Clown and Corey Wall the bullfighter (who took quite a hit a few nights ago!)

Me and my honey!

Let me explain the next photos, these are shots of the Calf Scramble. We get a kick out of watching this! There are 28 kids that come out there, 14 calves are released and they have to try and catch them, by any means possible and then put a rope around it and bring it to the center. If they do, they will get a cash prize to purchase a calf to show in future years. These kids are absolutely hilarious! They get kicked, stomped on, bucked around, all just to get a cash prize. After a while, they bring out the bull fighters to help them out when it's taking them too long, those bull fighters can run and catch those calves!

The beginning, they release them and announce for the kids to go

Still trying...

A little bit more...

And then we get to our favorite event, the Mutton Bustin', Hudson's future! Here, you have 4 and 5 year old kids riding sheep. It's adorable! Some get up crying, but most get up and wave to the crowd like they just rode a bull! They all win a trophy, but one lucky winner gets a very nice belt buckle...that will be Hudson in a few years...just sayin'!

Some just let go right at the beginning...

But others hold on as the sheep run out of there!

Holding on for dear life!

"The tradition continues!" and the show starts!

I met a friend on the way to the car...dang officer can't look at the camera! The horse was very pretty, and very sweet!

Only a few more shows to go...tonight is Jason's favorite...The Zac Brown Band...pretty sure we'll be buying shirts and all the memorabilia to remember this night forever! 

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY! Someone please drink a green beer for me! I started off with a Green Tea Frappuccino from Starbucks this morning...it's green :)

Happy Anniversary

It's really hard to believe that it's been 2 years of wedded bliss for Jason and I. I feel like it was just a few weeks ago that I was stressing about every little thing. A lot has happened in 2 years. A first anniversary, a promotion, a pregnancy, some pretty exciting vacations...you get the picture. Jason and I had agreed to treat it like just another day, no gifts, nothing, just a nice dinner since he was working. Jason did get me a cup of flowers yesterday. He did some yard work and they were growing in our yard so he picked them all and placed them in a cup for when I got home from the grocery store. It was sweet. At dinner, this lil' piggy stuffed her face, I couldn't believe it, and by bed time the baby was moving all over the place and I was finally able to get Jason to feel a kick! So it was an unexpected gift for Jason for our anniversary. He was sleepy, but I think he was pretty excited. So, all in all, a nice relaxing day.

Sweet visit!

I got a visit from a sweet friend, Hilary, whom I haven't seen in almost a year...so we got to plan a last minute lunch date and catch up on everything that's been going on! It was so nice!! Since we don't get to see each other too often, she took a couple of photos to remember...thanks so much for these Hil!

 The bump!

I love catching up!

I really do love this time of year!!

I know I like to gripe about it, but I really do love the Rodeo time. We have so much fun going to and from Houston, night after night. Friday night we went and saw Lady Antebellum, they were pretty good, the boys weren't too impressed but I sure was. Parking was a little rough...we got there before everything started but apparently everyone was going to the Rodeo during Spring Break because traffic was HORRIBLE! We had to park a little farther away and had to walk, no shuttle this time. We finally get to park, I get out of the truck to put my boots on and am having a little trouble...yes, the time has come, my feet are swelling and I can't wear my boots to the last week of the Rodeo :( I have to say that I am a little sad. I managed to squeeze my little porkies into the boots but by the end of the evening they were numb, I had to take them off for the ride home! Rodeo was great though, super packed because it was a Friday night! However, I must say, getting out was 10x easier from the place we were at...of course, at times, we do tend to "make our own" ways home. Boys will be boys...but I do enjoy the time I have spent with Jason and my Bubba over the past couple of weeks.

We went back to the Rodeo on Saturday, got there really early so we could shop...BIG MISTAKE! There is so much stuff for lil' baby cowboys and I wanted it all! Bubba found some lil' boots and they were so tiny, they both could fit in the palm of my hand. Outfits and animals, the possibilities were endless, but we finally went inside to watch the entire show. We got there early enough that I was able to get the baby an autograph book with some cowboy signatures in it. I had to get a photo with some of the bull fighters though, these guys took a beating the night before and it's amazing that they are still walking around and doing this! The guy in the red hat usually wears a helmet cam so he gets some pretty interesting shots! The other one is a lil' ball of energy and runs all over the place.

"Us" and the bull fighters

All in all it was a nice evening, we had so much fun! Now we get a few days break before we head back for 4 days straight!!!

Baby James March 2011

Well, we went to the doctor this morning, baby is growing like a weed! I gained another 1/2 a pound, bringing the grand total to 5 pounds at 25 weeks. I guess I can't complain too much about that. Dr. Appleton says everything is looking good, he's kicking like he should be when she pushes on him, I asked about some general things, all pretty normal concerns that she (with a smile) told me were nothing to be worried about. She tried to get him to move around so Jason could feel him but he wasn't budging, however, he has become quite active this afternoon and evening. Guess he was napping at the doctor today. We got paperwork to fill out about registering with the hospital, paperwork on a pediatrician, some exercises for stretching and getting me to be "comfortable"; all sorts of fun reading material!

Other than that, everything's going good. I feel fine, pregnancy-wise, I am getting a little bit of a head cold again, Jason and I both have it. We both have Z-packs that we are taking to try and combat it. Neither one of us can afford to get sick right now, and let's be honest, I don't like being sick right now...it gets me down 10x worse than normal. I do have a constant ache in my back, hopefully a prenatal massage will fix that! I have two to use before June! Everything is starting to stretch more and more, so I feel aches all the time. It's getting harder and harder to do normal things, sitting and standing for long periods of time are getting difficult. Obviously the bladder is getting smaller and smaller, I have learned that on road trips here recently. If I think I have to go even just a little, I better ask to stop and go!

The Rodeo shows have been good, baby sure does like the music, he dances around while the music is playing. We absolutely LOVE to watch the Mutton Bustin', it's our favorite event next to the Bull Riding and the actual concert show. There was a little boy the other night, his name was Hudson, and he wanted to be an alligator wrestler when he grew up...a sign???

Anywho, Happy Hump Day everyone, have a wonderful Wednesday!

Rodeo & shopping weekend

This past weekend I went to Houston to the Rodeo without the boys for once! Jason had to work, and originally (before he was promoted) Trey had to work as well. Carrie had mentioned wanting to take her daughter and that her sister loved him too, well, I had 3 extra tickets so it was perfect! We went down there early, got to do a little bit of shopping then headed to the show. It was quite nice to go to the concert and get to sing and dance with the girls...a lot different than when you go with the "manly men!" After the show we went to this uh-mazing Mexican restaurant! The next day we went shopping for the baby, and us too! The baby got lots of new outfits and I got a couple of things for myself. We had gone to lunch at an awesome restaurant, BJ's Brewhouse, and come to find out, they are building one in Bryan!! By mid-afternoon though we were exhausted and ready to come home!

Billy Currington

 

The baby's new outfits...the baseball one in the middle is a gift, the shirts in the bottom right are my two favorite :)

A proud baby sister!

This is a short post, but very important news. It is with great pride that I share that my big Bubba was promoted to an Investigator position with the Brazos County Sheriff's Department. I can't express how proud of him I am, he works so hard and it all paid off for him. He officially started today! So good luck Bubba, I'm so proud of you!

Baby Bedding

We got the baby's bedding in on Wednesday but with the Rodeo this week, I hadn't had a chance to open it all up and look at everything! I absolutely love this bedding! It is a gift from his grandma & grandpa James.

This is the window valance, we will have to order another one, silly me didn't think to measure our windows and it is too short

 Here is a close-up of the monkey on the valance

Diaper stacker

 

The monkey lamp

Close-up of the monkeys on the lamp

A "super soft blanket" for those "super cold nights" we get!

Dirty clothes hamper

Canvas wall art - these are so stinkin' cute!

The sheets

Close-up of the sheets

 

And finally the blanket



Like I said, I absolutely love this bedding! Now we get to choose paint colors and we (Jason) gets to paint the room! I think we have some spare time come next year! :)

I'm off to Houston for the Rodeo this weekend...I best get to packin' if I'm going to catch my ride!

Bye bye 2nd trimester!!!

Woo-hoo, I can say bye-bye to 2nd trimester, hello downhill slope! I got to drink the YUMMY orange Dextrose today, was pretty much sick all day long after, but hopefully everything will come back "normal." He explained to me what will happen if they come back abnormal and I really don't want to have to drink any more of this stuff!

 

24 weeks

I can say now that the baby is super active. He moves around a lot more now a days. Jason still doesn't really feel it, I guess it's just totally different for me since I can really feel it all. I hope he gets to feel these movements soon, it's really exciting when he's kicking my hands. He didn't like the glucose syrup, he was moving around like crazy today, and the other day I had a coffee, he didn't care for that too much either! It reminded me of Alvin & The Chipmunks when they were given the coffee and were bounding all over the recording room...that's about the feeling I felt in my belly. Tonight we went and had some crawfish and after he was moving around, so I don't know if that means that he likes the spicy or if it got him moving all over. Either way, he was dancing in my belly. Jason's still busy searching family history. I don't think we'll ever decide on a middle name, it will be delivery day and we will draw a name from a hat!

Baby's first Rodeo

Yes, it's that time again...we are making those nightly trips to Houston for the Rodeo. Last night was the first night, Clay Walker, and it was awesome! Baby was dancing around the entire time Clay Walker was playing. We got there a little early and got to experience some of the good life up in one of the VIP Club areas. We decided that we would get a photo of baby at his first Rodeo.

WOW...check out that belly!

We got back about midnight...and thus starts our long days and 4-5 hours of sleep at night...I just love this time of year, however, this baby thing has really come at a bad time of the year. Next time Jason and I need to plan better! :)

Prego Monday

Jason surprised me at home this morning, he remembered me griping about how I didn't have any photos of my belly along the way and was sad. He left after his shift briefing and came home to take a photo of me before I left for work. He's so sweet!

 

I guess you can see the annoyed look on my face...I was running late and really needed to leave but he did come home just for me :) Whoo...the belly is getting rather round! I am 23w4d today, I still think I am doing ok on weight, probably right about 5 or 6 lbs. total to date, we'll find out next week when we go to the doctor!

I forget sometimes...

Pregnancy and becoming a mother is one of the most amazing things that can happen to a woman. I realized that I forget just how much it means to others or how I treat others at times. I (jokingly) talk about how things are hard for me, how things are constantly changing for me, but I never take the time to tell you about the appreciation that I feel towards all those in my life that have helped me through the process.

First and foremost, Jason. He has always been great with kids, he's a kid at heart and I knew I couldn't wait until that day that we would become parents to see him really flourish. Well, with each and every day I see just how much this means to Jason and I can't wait until our son is here this summer. I have to admit, in the beginning, all I wanted to do was bitch and moan about everything little thing (and still do at times!) and at times it seemed like he could have cared less, but Jason took everything in stride. If I was grumpy or not feeling well, he just knew to leave me alone (of course I thought he didn't care); he did things around the house for me without me having to ask (all along I'm thinking thank goodness!), but in the end I realized that he was dealing with this in his own way. I know now that I couldn't have made it through this pregnancy without the help, and sometimes just quietness, of my sweet husband. Jack & Janice, you have raised an amazing son that I know is going to be an amazing father.

Our families. God Bless our mothers and their 1950 ways, I know I learned a lot of patience here. You see, it has taken me a while to realize that our mothers worried about different things than we do now, so something that they stressed about in their time is maybe not so important now and so forth, but in the end I have come to realize that they are just as excited about this new addition to their family as Jason and I and want to make sure that we (I) take care of me. Our fathers, the strong and quiet souls that they are, well behind closed doors they are just as happy and worried. When I came down with a sinus infection a couple weeks ago, I found out that my dad was begging my mom to please check on me because he was so worried. Guess I'll always be daddy's lil' girl so matter how many babies come along. Next come our siblings, now I can't speak too much for Jason's sister, but if I had to guess she's just like my brother. I thought the grandparents were going to be the main spoilers...oh no, my sweet brother is giving them a run for their money! I'm so glad that our son is going to come into this world with so many there to love and cherish him.

My friends. Oh my dear sweet friends, especially my co-workers. I get the little hints here and there of how annoying I may be, and it does hurt my feelings more often than not. Then I think, they were each in my shoes at one point in time too and I probably told them that they were being mean and bitchy and it probably hurt their feelings just as it hurts mine. I am thankful though that I can come to them each and every day with questions and they will give their feedback. Sure, sometimes I don't agree with the feedback, but I appreciate their concern they have for me. I am truly blessed to have such an amazing support system in my life.

So thank you to each and every one of you. Jason and I are blessed to have you all in our lives to be there for us, to share in our happiness and support us in this exciting time. Thank you to my wonderful, amazing husband; Jason, I know I may be a handful at times...ok maybe a lot of times, but I couldn't imagine going through this with anyone else.

Sweet Dixie

We have been doing a lot of research into Jason's family history to try and decide on a middle name for the baby. Jason has actually found a lot of interesting things out about both of our families through Ancestry.com. We took a break to pick on Dixie hoarding all her tennis balls.

She's cowering down, just waiting for Jason to grab one...

Then he makes a move for it...

But in the end she won and got the ball back!

And then it was nap time, but she kept a paw on them at all times :)

We are anxiously waiting for our bedding to get here for the nursery so we can finally decide on paint colors for the room. And..."someone" needs to get the desk out of there and into our bedroom...

It's crazy, but I only have about 3 months left! I will be 24 weeks this coming Thursday, I get to drink the yummy orange drink and get my glucose levels checks...joy, but before you know it, baby will be here!

Oh that's right...

So I've noticed a lot of things while being pregnant, especially so in the past couple of weeks that have raised a question in my mind with the only logical answer being "oh that's right..." Thought I would share :)

- I gained another 2 pounds, what the heck?!?! Oh that's right...

- Why am I crying at a papercut? Oh that's right...

- Why can't I stop eating everything in sight!? Oh that's right...

- Um, could someone please tell me why can't I remember anything anymore? Oh that's right...

- Why all the hormones and low tolerance for anything?!?! Oh that's right...

- Why does it hurt so bad when I get made fun of for being moody or fat? Oh that's right...

- Why is it so hard to get into bed? Or better yet, rolling out of bed?? Oh that's right...

- Why do I have to pee every 10 minutes (seconds)? Oh that's right...

- Why do I cry all the time now for every little thing? Oh that's right...

- Why did it hurt so bad to just bend over and pick that up? Oh that's right...

- Why can't I bend over and pick that up? Oh that's right...

- What the hell is that moving in my stomach right now?! Oh that's right...

- Why did I just get mad at Jason for ditching me at lunch? Oh that's right...

- Why do I have this "I don't give a flip" attitude about some things, I mean the laundry and dishes don't need to be done do they? Oh that's right...

- Why can't I bite my tongue sometimes? Oh that's right...

- Where did these boobs come from, I think they need to be registered for their own zip code right now! Oh that's right...

- Seriously, did I really just pee on myself when I sneezed?! Oh that's right...

- Why can't I ever get comfortable? Oh the aches and pains! Oh that's right...


I really can't help but laugh at some of these because I know I'm a crazy person! Oh well, thought I'd share some of my laughs with you!

Back from the dead...

Literally, thought I was dying this past week. I came down with a severe nasal infection that hit me in a matter of 24 hours. Valentine's day was nice but I was already starting to feel a little sick and not really able to eat much, well Tuesday was a lot worse. I stayed behind closed doors in my office because I was congested, I had a "survival kit" that included Lysol spray, cough drops, hand sanitizer, Kleenex and a LARGE bottle of water but by lunch time I was going downhill fast. I needed to go home but thought I had a meeting with someone at 3:00pm so I stuck around, then had to get dinner for us at 5:00pm so I stuck it out. Went and got some good TLC from my mommy and daddy and went home. I vaguely remember Jason getting home that evening from working at his Lions Club dinner, but the next thing I remember was waking up around 2:00am with a 100.4 fever that kept climbing, body aches like no other and a bloody nose from all the drainage! It peaked at 101.4 then finally started to come back down but I was scared, and my emotions got the best of me! Of course, Jason had to go to work, so I called in sick (yea I know, shocker!) and mommy came and took me to Urgent Care, along with every other sick person in this town! About 2 1/2 hours later we got to see a doctor, only to hear that it was just a sinus infection but pretty bad. The only thing I cared to know though was if the baby was ok, I could have cared less about me, I'll deal, but is the baby going to be ok?! With a smile though, the doctor assured me that everything was ok with both me and the baby. By the time we were leaving, he was kicking around letting me know he was ok too. Mommy took me to get my medicine and back home I went to sleep. Jason got home shortly after lunch from working, he was getting sick too. We both were worthless that afternoon. It was toast and Sprite for dinner for us...

I remember waking up the next morning, fever finally breaking but I had a hacking cough and lovely stopped up nose! I ended up calling in sick again...I know, I know, two days in a row...got plenty of rest that morning while Jason was getting tested for allergies. Jason came home early though, having a really bad reaction to the allergy testing so, again, we were both worthless the rest of the day. I was a little sad, had to cancel cooking dinner for a friend as well as a much needed prenatal massage but I was just too sick and tired for it. We did at least have an appetite by dinner time and ordered a pizza. Today I was somewhat back to myself...sounded horrible, but was feeling a little bit better, so I was back at work.

So...it's cleaning this weekend to get the baby nursery ready! Jason has to work all weekend, yahoo!

One of the greatest Valentine's Day

Next year I will have two Valentines to celebrate with, this year was the last one for just Jason and me. Actually it started yesterday, I got a Valentine gift from my sweet Bubba, some chocolate covered strawberries, he's in training out of town so we had to get them early. Then today started off pretty good, I got some chocolates from some co-workers...great for the prego! Then I got a lovely bouquet from my sweet Jason that actually came at 8:30am...they NEVER come that early for me!

I am starting to get sick so I've been cooped up in my office with the door shut all day but hopefully it will pass. I couldn't wait to get home because I had ordered some clothes for the baby and knew they were coming today! So I rush home only to find them not there yet :( They finally came right before I had to leave to go to the sorority house. PERFECT way to leave home for the evening!!

Jason and I finished the evening off with dinner at our traditional Cafe Eccell, Jason with the steak cooked just every so perfectly...my mouth was watering. I had a chicken pasta, would have loved my fish I normally get, but don't think that it would have settled well since I would only get it cooked medium rare. We were going to get dessert but opted out since I had baked a cake and it was waiting for us at home!

I am really starting to get a little sick...seems like a head cold, let's hope it passes because this is not fun!

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I can't wait for Valentine's Day 2012, I'll have two men to celebrate with!

Things I'm not supposed to stress over

I get e-mails from all sorts of outlets all the time, this is one from BabyCenter and I just had to laugh at some of the things!!

Things I'm not supposed to stress over
(why didn't someone tell me these things earlier?!)

"Don't stress if you can't get everything done that you had planned each day. The baby won't know if the housework isn't done!" - the baby may not but the hubby sure does...if the house is not in perfect order then it's like the houses he goes into while at work...

"It's okay to tell co-workers that you're not interested in their advice. Every pregnancy is different."

"Remember, every problem has a solution, and confiding in someone who's close to you or who you think can offer help or support is a step forward. Don't be afraid to talk to your partner, OB, or midwife."

"Don't stress about how you look. You're performing a miracle — growing a person inside of you — and that's a fantastic accomplishment."

"If you trust your OB, let her do her job and follow her recommendations; if you don't, find a new doctor who you do trust. You should never be afraid to call your provider with big and small problems."

"Don't stress about tough times with your partner. A baby tests any couple's relationship." - oh I know!

"Don't stress about things like food or weight. Just be sensible. There's no need to give yourself an anxiety attack over the pint of ice cream you just finished. Take it as your special reward for everything you've accomplished so far in your pregnancy, and move on." - I'd like to think I'm doing pretty good, 4.5 lbs in 21 weeks :) Now I look like I swallowed a house but the weight gain isn't reflecting that!

"If you're doing everything in your power to make healthy choices, don't worry so much. Women have been having babies since well before we knew what to do and what not to do."

"Mothers-in-law don't know everything!"

"Don't stress too much about things in the environment you think might harm your baby, like standing too close to the microwave or pumping gas. Remember, the vast majority of babies are born healthy." - it's kinda nice though to have someone come up to you and do things for you so you don't get near those harmful environmental things

"Don't worry about labor. It is what it is. Just educate yourself on your options, and be ready to make informed decisions. Beyond that, just take a deep breath and go for it. It's not as bad as you think it'll be."

"Don't stress about how the baby is fending in the womb. It's a roll cage, but your baby is probably comfortable in there."

"Every little twinge doesn't mean something is wrong." - but it sure does make the doctor laugh when I call for every little thing!

"No matter what decisions you make, someone will always disagree. Try not to let the negative comments upset you, and if you're really worried about something, talk with your doctor or a nonjudgmental friend." - hormones make you very emotional, and even the pettiest of comments can break you down and it sucks!

"There's no such thing as a stupid question, especially for first-time mothers. Being pregnant and birthing a child are unique experiences, and a woman will never know what it's all about until she's actually done it herself." - I think my doctor finds it comical that I start every phone call question with "I know this is going to sound stupid but..." and she answers every one of them for me!

"It's okay if you don't have everything ready for your baby. Newborns don't need a whole lot in the beginning."

"When I accepted heartburn, back pain, lack of sleep, and moodiness as a normal part of pregnancy, they didn't seem to bother me as much anymore."

"If you're worried about being a good mom, you probably have nothing to worry about. My husband keeps telling me that bad mothers don't worry about whether or not they'll be good moms."

"I had never really been around children, and I made mistakes, but as long as you love your baby and are careful with the important stuff, you can't harm him or her with small mistakes. You'll soon get comfortable with the routine."

"Don't stress too much over all the "rules" pregnant women now have. A bath warmer than lukewarm won't lead to disaster. If you accidentally eat a soft cheese you're not sure is safe, there's no use worrying after the fact. Our mothers had fewer restrictions than we do, and we turned out fine."


There was something about these that did bring a sense of calmness to me, I do have a great support system but sometimes you do feel alone in all of this if someone is not going through the exact same thing at the exact same time. Sure you meet plenty of people who have been there before, but everyone is different. Reading these was like having someone inside my head and explaining everything to me, nicely...

Baby James February 2011

So we went to the doctor today, baby is doing just fine, growing like he should be and he is beginning to kick hard. I felt him for the first time really kick. Doctor Appleton was checking for his heartbeat and she was pushing around trying to find him...well he let her know just right where he was and it was almost like he was trying to kick her hands away saying "quit poking me!" I have felt a couple lil' kicks like that here and there in the past few days but today was the strongest. We tried to get him to do it again so Jason could feel it but he had settled down. Oh well, soon enough.

We have purchased a few items here and there for him but I'm really trying to refrain because people have already begun buying things for him. I got a couple of outfits from a friend at work, she said she just couldn't resist and I got my first gift with his name on it, so I guess it's time to share that. His name will be Hudson, we haven't decided/talked about a middle name nor do we have any ideas so be patient, but I do love my gifts:

 These are gifts from Carrie, a friend of mine at work. We plan on doing his room in Monkeys, and she's a HUGE fan of frogs so she couldn't not get him something with frogs on it :)

This was from one of my co-workers, Melissa, her sister makes these things and they are super cute...you can check out more of her stuff here.

We have finally decided on bedding too, his room will be a monkey theme and I can't wait to start decorating...if we could just get the room cleaned out!!! Maybe I'll work on it soon, when does the "nesting" begin?!?!

Go Packers!

Despite being trapped in the house on Friday, the weekend turned out to be pretty good. Got my hair done, not too sure about the "new" color yet but it's growing on me; a sweet friend brought Baby James some new clothes, our first to hang in his closet; and then Sunday was just all around awesome! Jason took off, we went to church and got a free breakfast from the boy scouts, then finished it off with a Super Bowl party.

I think I have finally managed to perfect the family tea cake recipe...although I haven't mastered how to bake them and not burn myself!!! Anywho, they turned out really cute for the SuperBowl party we went to last night. And the Packers won...yahoo!

Happy Monday everyone!

Ice Day

What to do...what to do...I'm seriously bored out of my mind! We had a slew of cold weather here that iced the roads over, got a little bit of snow, not much, just enough to cover all the ice on the roads. Jason had to work today, I was scheduled to go in to work a little late this morning. Jason was steady texting and calling saying I was not allowed to drive into work, well bless his sweet lil' heart, he said the roads were really bad (it's ok for him to get out in it but not for me)...well about 8:00am we got word that we were going to have the day off. So ok, it's hard enough to find things to do on Saturday and Sunday when Jason's working, now I have to find something for Friday, Saturday and Sunday...AHHHHHHHH!

I went back to sleep for a while but that got old, tried watching TV but again, that got old...so off to the office it was to clean out for Baby James. I managed to knock out quite a bit of cleaning in that room but we are far from being done!!! A couple of weeks ago Jason got tired of waiting on me to get in there and clean up so he got some plastic tubs and just threw everything in there...boy what a mess! Oh well, I managed to empty one tub as well as clean everything off the floor! Baby James is bringing out the inner cleaning monster that I'm sure Jason will grow to love! :)

Everything was frozen, so Dixie had a treat, she got to drink her water inside the house today...see, she's a messy drinker and sloshes water all over the place so we have been leaving it outside for her, well with the weather, it was frozen solid. I brought it in and let it sit in front of the fire for a while and she was in heaven, it was a treat for her to get to have her water bowl inside the house!

Well, that's it for cleaning...gotta get dinner ready for hubby, he didn't take a lunch break today so he's gonna be hungry!

Happy Birthday to my BUBBA!

Today was my Bubba's birthday, he's a little under the weather but we still went out to celebrate his birthday. I feel that I have to say a few kind words about him on his special day. Oh how I can remember the days of fighting and of you picking on me, but I can also remember as we grew up, you were the one that was there for me when I got my first C in school and got me out of trouble, an accident in the middle of the night and you came rushing to my rescue, and most importantly, you've always been there for me when I needed you most. I can also remember being there for you, remember your nurse when you tried your share of acrobatics! You'll probably kill me for posting this but oh well!

 

 Oh we were so young, and just loved each other dearly!

 

 And then you were there for me on my special wedding day, you see all those lights hanging in the background...well, he worked really hard to get them to be exactly what I wanted!!!

So happy birthday Bubba, you are a special person to me, and so many others, and most importantly, to your nephew that will be here this summer! I know, I know, you'll spoil him beyond repair, but I'm glad to pass down that torch to him that I once held.

Happy Birthday, I love you!