tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-42967962314240024712024-03-13T07:02:50.926-04:00OMG! We're Pregnant!Your trip through our first pregnancyShanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.comBlogger64125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-80449780194558451042009-02-21T15:41:00.002-05:002009-02-21T15:42:48.817-05:00New BlogSince I'm no longer pregnant we need a change of venue. Check out the happenings of Brielle, Ben, the furkids and I at our new blog: <a href="http://omgwereparents.blogspot.com/">OMG! We're Parents!</a>Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-44844502351228100892009-02-11T12:43:00.004-05:002009-02-11T13:08:12.986-05:00SHE'S HERE!!!!!Please welcome to the world Brielle Marie. She made her arrival on Tuesday, February 10, 2009 at 5:09pm. She weighs 7 pounds 12 ounces and is 20 inches long. We are completely in love!<br /><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301597504460250866" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SZMO11tzXvI/AAAAAAAAADg/RvFKwtjjriw/s320/Brielle%27s+Birthday+005.jpg" border="0" /></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301602335668820274" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SZMTPDXr2TI/AAAAAAAAADo/VEzV4aCPxow/s320/Brielle%27s+Birthday+008.jpg" border="0" /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5301602849827747554" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SZMTs-wuduI/AAAAAAAAADw/Wu1BB40zpgo/s320/Brielle%27s+Birthday+023.jpg" border="0" />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-48746677464464494492009-02-08T00:27:00.001-05:002009-02-08T00:31:56.468-05:00Older SiblingsI know I've mentioned them before but I thought I would share some pictures of Brielle's older "siblings".<br /><div><br /><div align="center">Kita<br /></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300289376553628610" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SY5pGxhBc8I/AAAAAAAAACo/78E57t_ueUI/s320/For+Labor+088.jpg" border="0" /></div></div><div align="center"></div><div align="center">Kira</div><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300290331572696978" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SY5p-XPT95I/AAAAAAAAACw/Ruzxfwgty9o/s320/Christmas+126.jpg" border="0" /></p><p align="center">Naughtia <img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300290770542895026" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SY5qX6h9n7I/AAAAAAAAAC4/aGR63m7IHnY/s320/For+Labor+092.jpg" border="0" /></p><div align="center">Sierra</div><div align="center"></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300291443234747938" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SY5q_EgMtiI/AAAAAAAAADA/mLr0nogMDKM/s320/Picture+094.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Mia<br /></p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300293352305130418" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SY5suMWC-7I/AAAAAAAAADY/nXaBPsSm-Q8/s320/Christmas+028.jpg" border="0" /> <p align="center">Ella</p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5300292971232581890" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SY5sYAvRWQI/AAAAAAAAADQ/qgJqmqXw1xo/s320/Christmas+077.jpg" border="0" /><br /><br /><p></p>Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-45770072932857935182009-02-07T23:11:00.002-05:002009-02-07T23:23:32.438-05:00A few more thank yousI want to take a minute to tell everyone, again, about my awesome friends! Last weekend while I was worrying about Kita and the arrival of Brielle my friends were busy doing good deeds.<br /><br />First on Saturday my best friend, Lori, came over to help me clean my house. Boy did it need it too! I had baby stuff all over the place! Lori helped me organize the items, get laundry done, dust and vacuum! My house was my own again when she was done! On top of that she spent the day sitting around talking to me. It was just the distraction I needed.<br /><br />Later that night 4 other friends joined the group. Jennifer, Dan, Shane and Kelly all came over to help pitch in. Shane helped Ben get the chair rail and door trim up in Bri's room. Everyone else painted our upstairs hallway! Wow! With 4 people working on the painting there was no room for me. I sat in awe at the work everyone was doing. Not to mention I kept reminding myself how lucky Ben and I are to have the most awesome friends in the world. We're beyond lucky!<br /><br />After a hard day of cleaning and painting our group went out for some dinner. We all managed to eat and laugh too much! I personally ate so much that I couldn't sleep! Once I did fall asleep I was out.<br /><br />I wish I would have got myself out of bed because my friend <a href="http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=5540447">Erin</a> dropped off a gift for Brielle's room. She made a plaque with Bri's initials. It's beautiful and you'll be seeing it hanging in her room soon.<br /><br />Thank you to everyone who has helped us out. If I missed thanking you on here I apologize. It doesn't mean we don't appreciate what you've done, it just means I have baby brain!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-40094086802238054552009-02-06T22:52:00.001-05:002009-02-06T22:53:43.402-05:00The End Is NearLess then a week till my due date. Wow! It's hard to believe that I've managed to get through a pregnancy. It wasn't nearly as hard as I thought it would be....but then again, I haven't gone through labor yet.<br /><br />The last few weeks have been crazy! First off Kita has been ill. We thought she had a digestive track blockage. Well we got things "moving" in her and she still wasn't right. Last weekend things got worse. My girl who always greets visitors with a bark wouldn't even lift up her head to look at anyone. No playing. No waggles. No eating. Just sleeping. After thinking of all of the horrible things that could be wrong with her and crying a whole day, Monday finally arrived! As soon as I could I took Kita to the vet. We talked about what could be wrong and all of them were not good news. The doctor decided to do a complete workup on her. I agreed and left with instructions to come back for Kita in an hour. I managed to waste time hanging out at Panera, sipping hot chocolate. That had to be the longest hour ever!!<br /><br />I got back to the vet's an hour after I left. The put me in the consultation room were the doctor, thankfully, did not leave me waiting for long. After a sigh he told me that the blood work showed that Kita was diabetic!! I could have kissed that man! LOL! My reaction of "that's it!" was greeted with a laugh by the doctor. Yes, it sounds crazy that I'm happy my dog is diabetic. You have to understand that this is something we can control. We honestly thought she was going to have cancer or something else we wouldn't be able to do anything about. After talking about her blood work numbers we talked about treatment - Two insulin shots a day. No problem! Thank goodness I took that diabetes class back in the summer. Giving the shots to Kita is VERY similar to giving a shot to a person.<br /><br />So with Kita feeling better (within an hour of her first insulin shot she was outside chasing squirrels again) it was time to concentrate on me.<br /><br />On Monday before I took Kita to the vet I went for my last ultrasound. Brielle is doing great! She's still in the 50ish percentile for size, my placenta is holding up and the umbilical cord is doing it's job!<br /><br />On Tuesday I went to my regular doctor (Dr. K). They took my blood pressure and it was a little high. The nurse then hooked me up for my weekly non-stress test (NST). After the required 20 minutes Dr. K came in. We talked about how the NST looked fine. Then I asked if she had the ultrasound report. She hadn't seen it yet. So she flip through my chart. Then she stops and looks at me with a sad expression. Then the word I never thought I would hear came out of her mouth: "We have to induce you". I was shocked, scared and disappointed.<br /><br />My first question - Why? The high risk doctor doesn't want me to go over 39 weeks (yesterday). After telling her I don't want to be induced she agrees to check my progress. There was no real change in a couple of weeks. So we talk more about an induction. Dr. K is torn on what to do. So we come to an agreement. I'll do a 24 hour urine collection to check for preeclampsia. The doctor's office will schedule the induction for Monday (go in Sunday night). I have to come back on Friday (today) for another blood pressure check and to see how I'm feeling.<br /><br />So on Tuesday night, Wednesday and Thursday I did everything I could think of to induce labor. I woke up this morning feeling like Bri was sitting a little lower. I went and had my hair trimmed and then headed to my doctor's appointment. My blood pressure was still a little high. After consulting with a doctor in the office the nurse agreed to ask Dr. K to put off the induction for me. While I was talking to her about other things (namely Kita and her dogs) the nurse asks me "how long have you had those contractions?" Come to find out she could see my abdomen contracting! She was the second person in 24 hours to tell me they could see the contractions. So things are moving along.<br /><br />This afternoon I received a call that Dr. K was not changing her mind about inducing me. So I have to head to the hospital Sunday night and will get the full on induction Monday morning. I'm hoping that the contractions I've had along with the feeling that Bri is sitting lower and the cramping is signs that I'll go into labor on my own. My dad is SOOO hoping I have her on his birthday....tomorrow! We'll see though.<br /><br />I'm pretty sad that I may not have the birth experience I wanted. I'm trying to move things along and I've even thought of excuses to not go in on Sunday. After talking with Ben though I think I just need to make peace with the induction. I'm working on it but I flip back and forth on being o.k. and being sad. I guess that's to be expected. Just about everyone else around me is excited. I'm getting on the bandwagon slowly but surely. The fact remains that I'll get to see and hold my daughter sometime on Monday at the latest!! How awesome is that?!?!!<br /><br />So I may not have another post until after Bri's arrival. I will be sure to post pictures of her here as soon as I can. Yes I know I still owe everyone pictures of the nursery. It's still not done though! Bri will be "bunking" in our room for a week or so. As soon as I can I'll get those pictures up too.<br /><br />I'll take any and all labor vibes and wishes I can get! I'll admit I'm greedy and want to do this my way! LOL!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-78753393892629866602009-01-31T10:11:00.003-05:002009-01-31T10:22:03.107-05:00Things are moving along. Won't be too much longerI've been busy nesting this week. My dad and I have Brielle's room painted. Ben is working on getting the chair rail and door trim up. The carpet will be another week or so before we have money to buy it and have it installed. Today our friends Kelly and Shane are coming over to help with painting our upstairs hall. Lori is coming over to help me with whatever I need done. I've been up since 6:30 this morning getting things in order. I may not have Bri's room completely ready but I'm not going to bring her home to a dirty house. See.....nesting instinct in overdrive! LOL!<br /><br />I've had cramping on and off for about a week. Yesterday the cramping was pretty steady and I lost my "plug" (sorry if that's TMI). Not to mention the nesting took on a whole new level yesterday. Yes, I don't think Brielle will be waiting too much longer to make her arrival.<br /><br />Monday we have our final ultrasound. After that the next time we see Bri will be when she makes her big debut. I'm excited, nervous and scared all at once. Of course those feelings pretty much sum up my whole pregnancy.<br /><br />I took some time last night to spend time with a group of girls from a chat board I'm on. What a great time we had! There was so much yummy food! I drooled over the bottles of wine and the great looking cocktails. Not too much longer until I can indulge.<br /><br />This entry is pretty choppy. That's how my brain is functioning right now though. Small, short, efficient clip. Gets the job done and you can move on. Later I have to write another post to brag about my awesome friends some more! Until then, be well!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-47324922267765069662009-01-25T12:02:00.002-05:002009-01-25T12:13:43.777-05:00FirstsTagged by Sara for this:<br /><br />My First<br /><br />1. Who was your FIRST prom date? Myself. I didn't go to Prom with anyone....either time!<br />2. Do you still talk to your FIRST love? Every now and then but not very often.<br />3. What was your FIRST alcoholic drink? Do you mean legal alchoholic drink? If so it was a strawberry daquari<br />4. What was your FIRST job? Line server at Old Country Buffet<br />5. What was your FIRST car? 1995 Neon.<br />6. Who was the FIRST person to text you today? No text today.<br />7. Who is the FIRST person you thought of this morning? Kita. She had to go potty (hey! She's a person!)<br />8. Who was your FIRST grade teacher? Oh geez! If I think about it long enough I might remember.<br />9. Where did you go on your FIRST ride on an airplane? Florida<br />10. Who was your FIRST best friend and are you still friends with them? Nicole O. and Jenny Z. I don't talk to either one nearly enough!<br />11. What was your FIRST sport played? Softball<br />12. Where was your FIRST sleep over? Uh....I don't remember.<br />13. Who was the FIRST person you talked to today? Kita (what can I say, Ben's out of town! LOL)<br />14. Whose wedding were you in the FIRST time? I was a flower girl in my uncle's wedding years ago!<br />15. What was the FIRST thing you did this morning? Let Kita out.<br />16. What was the FIRST concert you ever went to? Firehouse.<br />17. FIRST tattoo or piercing? I had my ears pierced at 3 months old.<br />18. FIRST foreign country you went to? Uh.....Canada! LOL!<br />19. What was your FIRST run in with the law? I got a speeding ticket when I was about 19 or 20 years old.<br />20. When was your FIRST detention? Bwahahahahahaha! My junior year. That teacher DID NOT like us!<br />21. What was the FIRST state you lived in? The good ol' Mitten!<br />22. Who was the FIRST person to break your heart? My first love of course. I should thank him for that!<br />23. Who was your FIRST roommate? Ben<br />24. Where did you go on your FIRST limo ride? Uh....my brother's wedding a few years ago.<br />25.Who will be the FIRST to repost this? I have no idea.<br /><br />Tagging: Anyone else who wants to participateShanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-40940551113070283742009-01-24T23:45:00.005-05:002009-01-25T00:13:22.727-05:00Beyond thankful!This last week has made me so incredibly aware of all of the awesome people in my life.<br /><br />Over the weekend a couple that Ben does some work for every now and then gave us a snow blower. They didn't want any money in exchange. We just had to get it running. We were able to do that so now we have a great snow blower! That will save a TON of time!<br /><br />On Tuesday a GIANT box full of baby goodies arrived at the house. My friend <a href="http://robersonsunderconstruction.blogspot.com/">Sara </a>was so kind to not only allow us to use her car seat since we don't have one but she sent us a bunch of clothes, a play pad and other goodies. We would be completely at a loss without her generosity!<br /><br />On Thursday I went and picked up a swing from my friend <a href="http://allisonsadventures-maribeth.blogspot.com/">Maribeth</a>. She sold it to us for such a great price! I have a feeling we'll be getting a lot of use out of that swing. To top it off she gave me a bunch of swaddle blankets too!<br /><br />Friday I as made aware of a stroller that I wanted for sale very, very cheap! After Ben and I looked at pictures of it and talking about if we could afford it we decided that we couldn't afford to pass up the deal. I made arrangements to purchase the stroller and pick it up on Sunday (tomorrow). Today my mom invited me to lunch with her, my grandparents and my uncles. After telling my grandma of my great stroller deal, my Uncle Tom came over and gave me money to buy the stroller. He and Dorothy wanted to get us a gift and they were waiting to find out what we wanted/needed. He felt that a stroller was the perfect gift. I could have cried when he gave me the money. To top it off my Uncle Richard bought my lunch!<br /><br />If that weren't enough I was on a chat board that I frequent saying how much I wanted a photo screen for Bri's room. Buying one would be a splurge for us but when I went to purchase one it was gone. My friend <a href="http://khollystudios.com/blog/">Kristen</a> was quick to tell me that she had a photo screen that needed a home and she wants to give it to us as a gift to Brielle! Her gift is beyond kind and I'm so grateful that she offered to give us this wonderful gift!<br /><br />So as you can see I have a ton of amazing friends and family! The kindness of everyone this week has moved me. I don't think I can thank everyone enough. Because of these amazing people preparing for Brielle's arrival has been so much easier! Everyday I am so grateful for my wonderful friends and family. Ben and I are so thankful to each and everyone of you! Thank you for being a part of our lives. Some where done the line we'll find a way to pay you all back!<br /><br />P.S. Just over two weeks until my due date. I had a doctor's appointment this week and things are moving along! Also painting has started in Bri's room. It should be done in a day or so!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-59929281938226614842009-01-11T06:07:00.002-05:002009-01-11T07:36:03.517-05:00What a great showerOn Saturday (just a few hours ago) my two best friends and my two sister-in-laws threw me a wonderful baby shower! They served a great brunch complete with fuzzy punch and cake! So. Good.<br /><br />Many of my wonderful friends and family came out (in not so wonderful driving conditions) to celebrate the impending arrival of Brielle. Thanks to their generosity we are closer to being ready for my little beauty's arrival. I just wish I had more time to sit and talk with everyone personally. I know not everyone wants to sit around all day chatting away though.<br /><br />Ben and I spent some time looking over all the lovely gifts we received. The generosity of those we love just blows us away! We still have a lot more to purchase to get ready but boy are we lucky to have the help of those who love us. I managed to keep it together during the shower but let me tell you that tears of joy freely flowed at home. I am amazed and beyond thankful!<br /><br />Now if I could just sleep! It seems that is escaping me tonight. My darling Bri has taken to making mommy just uncomfortable enough that the slightest noise keeps me awake. Combined that with a kitty (Kira) who thinks breakfast should be served at 3:30am-ish and you end up with a wide awake me! I'm hoping that a warm bath and a gossip magazine will help lull me back to sleep here shortly.<br /><br />Thank you again to all of those who came out to the shower. I had a wonderful time!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-73534524431430015352009-01-09T23:07:00.006-05:002009-01-09T23:20:18.902-05:00Making up for the last post.<div><div><div>Since the last post was full of complaining I thought I better do something to make up for it. Be warned: this post will make you want to steal my Ella! </div><div></div><br /><div>A few weeks ago a friend gave us a bouncy seat that her daughter had quickly grown out of. We brought it in the house and the seat was quickly claimed by our youngest kitty Ella (she a year old now). Over the last week or so we've snapped some pictures of her in her new comfy spot. She loves playing with the over head toys and doesn't even mind the vibrate option. </div><div></div><br /><div>Enjoy! </div><div></div><br /><br /><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289512780698468530" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SWgf2VhrwLI/AAAAAAAAACI/av_1yNNELPU/s320/Ella+002.jpg" border="0" /></div></div><br /><br /><p>Ella was rudely awakened by her dad taking pictures of her. She looks soooo sleepy! </p><br /><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289513555161515586" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SWggjaoEBkI/AAAAAAAAACQ/onSbq947nJk/s320/Ella+007.jpg" border="0" /></p></div><br /><p>Just before I snapped this picture she was playing with the over head toys. She's trying her best to play it cool. </p><br /><p><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5289514234463535474" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 320px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 240px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SWghK9OSQXI/AAAAAAAAACY/R_DJzVFkHrA/s320/Ella+011.jpg" border="0" /></p><br /><p>Ella's seat was moved over by the slider. This was great fun since she has a good view of the birds and squirrels that hang out in the back yard. </p><p>I hope you enjoyed Ella and her bouncy seat. Now I have to make sure the doors are locked so no one tries to come steal her! </p>Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-15394583453074358562009-01-09T17:01:00.004-05:002009-01-09T17:23:34.706-05:00Happy Year I become a Mom!!Yes, I know. I've been slacking on the updates. Truth be told I haven't been the happiest of people. I don't want to complain to others so I just bottle things up. This leads to poor Ben finding a bawling, pregnant wife a few times a week. I've since learned to keep the crying to "business hours" so my poor husband doesn't explode from that extra stress and the stress of life. He seriously has taken on more then any one person should have to. I think his teeth are paying for it with all the grinding he does at night. I remind myself every single day that I am lucky just to have him, not to mention all the other wonderful people in my life.<br /><br />So yeah. Things are rough. We're running out of money. We have none. Actually we have less then none. Bills are coming in pretty freakin' fast and time is NOT slowing down. We're getting by (barely) but we keep telling ourselves that what is most important is the health of Brielle and ourselves. Everything else has to wait. Unfortunately that means even things for Brielle have to wait. We're short a few items that we need for her but I'm hopeful that some how we'll get them.<br /><br />Anyway - On to happier things<br /><br />On Tuesday we got to see Brielle again during our 35 week ultrasound. She is doing great. She's actually beyond great! Usually with gestational diabetes babies are way too big at this point. Not our little Bri though. She's absolutely average! She weighed in at 5 pounds 12 ounces. That's right at the 50th percentile. She's already a little over achiever!<br /><br />On Wednesday, after a desperate call to my mom to pick me up because my car wouldn't start, I went for my regular OB appointment. I too am doing great. My weight did jump a bit but I think I was really retaining water that day. I'm sure the few sweets I've indulged in recently didn't help either. Other then that my blood pressure is great and my urine is good (they check your urine each appointment for signs of protein and sugar).<br /><br />So things aren't all dire. We're healthy, we have our house (thank goodness for a wonderfully, understanding mortgage company) and we have awesome family and friends. Things over all are good (that's what I keep telling myself). Before you know it Brielle will be here and everything else really won't matter. It's hard to believe I have less then 5 weeks left! Now I get to worry about labor. Oh joy! LOL! First things first though: remember those great family and friends I mentioned? Well they're throwing me a shower and it's tomorrow! That should help my mood a ton!<br /><br />Thanks for listening to me complain. I promise to make the next post much more happy!<br /><br />P.S. Thanks to my friend Jenn I found another water aerobics class to go to!! Oh boy! That really helps with the aches of pregnancy! Thanks Jenn!!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-66510459385329499722008-12-29T23:04:00.001-05:002008-12-29T23:05:21.063-05:00Tick tock, tick tockI feel like time is slipping away from me soooo fast! I'm quickly approaching the end of this pregnancy and I'm not ready for it to be done!! Bri's room isn't done! I don't have all the things I need! I'm not sure I'm ready for labor and the decisions that come with giving birth! UGH!!! I'm a planner and things are not going as planned. I. Don't. Like. It! Welcome to parenthood right? LOL!<br /><br />Sleeping is starting to suck! The worst part about that is I'm wanting to sleep more. I tend to only get a couple of hours in at a time before I'm sore everywhere. To top it off today I was suddenly struck with a cold. I have no idea where the heck it came from but I don't feel like a happy pregnant woman!<br /><div><div><div></div><div>O.k. I'm done complaining. On to better things....<br /></div><div>Christmas was wonderful! Lots of great presents for myself, Ben and Bri. I had to laugh at my nieces. Not too long ago Aunt Shana was the one to hug and kiss. Now Brielle is the one to hug and kiss. They're just a little excited for her to get here! </div><br /><div></div><div>This weekend my friend <a href="http://www.madeyoulookphotography.com/">Courtney</a> took some maternity pictures for me. Honestly I didn't want to do them. It was a crappy day for me and I wasn't in a good mood. Boy am I glad I changed my mind! I've only had a sneak peak of what we did but they are beautiful! See for yourself! </div><br /><br /><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285426689069872002" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SVmbkgBg84I/AAAAAAAAABg/FUhlmiavCQk/s320/BS1email.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285427214501453634" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SVmcDFaKn0I/AAAAAAAAABw/I7G8cG-link/s320/BS8email.jpg" border="0" /></div></div></div><br /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285427440780162914" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SVmcQQXNt2I/AAAAAAAAAB4/c0xBjLR4Yw4/s320/BS19email.jpg" border="0" /><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5285427590058042066" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 214px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SVmcY8d1YtI/AAAAAAAAACA/yFh7n6UV45Y/s320/BS27email.jpg" border="0" />Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-74299818968303387802008-12-19T13:30:00.004-05:002008-12-22T13:14:34.371-05:00Old Wives TalesOne popular old wives tale is that if you have heartburn while pregnant your child will be born with hair. If this is true Brielle should come out looking like a hair model! LOL! The heartburn I've had this week is unbelievable. Actually its been down right painful! It seems today things are under control but we'll see how long that lasts.<br /><br />This week we had our final birthing class. During the class we practiced some comfort measures that can be used during labor. While practicing the instructor asked Ben "when you're facing Shana and she has a contraction what can you do to comfort her?" His answer was "give her a kiss and tell her I love her." LOL! That wasn't exactly the answer the instructor was looking for. Apparently it was a very good answer though since all the girls in the class thought it was so sweet. The instructor said "That's a wonderful answer! I'm sure she would appreciate that. What I was looking for was back rub though." You gotta love my husband! He's so sweet!<br /><br />Ben fired the drywallers this week. He wasn't too thrilled with them so he told them to get out. Ben's dad, my dad and Ben hung the drywall this week. We're getting it finished soon. We were able to get someone to do it that does AWESOME work! We're very excited to have him helping us.<br /><br />While time seems to be flying things are going along slowly but surely. It would be great if time would slow down a little bit and everything else would get done faster. LOL! I don't know that there's any real happy spot for a pregnant woman though.<br /><br />Well I'm off to shovel some snow! That has become my favorite activity of late. Yeah, I know I'm crazy. I can't help it though!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-91802210974119345592008-12-11T21:19:00.004-05:002008-12-11T21:35:12.157-05:009 weeks to go and counting!Today is week 31 of my pregnancy. Where the heck has the time gone? I feel like it was just yesterday when I was at the store buying the pregnancy test. Now here we are with only 9 weeks (maybe less, maybe more) left!<br /><br />Nothing too exciting to report this week. I had an appointment with my doctor. I'm still measuring ahead but as we know Brielle is the perfect size. Ben and I had some questions for the doctor about her feelings on some procedures and the whole labor process. I think the talk helped ease both of our minds....for now.<br /><br />Tonight I went to <a href="http://btotaltraining.blogspot.com/">Erin's</a> for my workout. Due to the holidays and other happenings it's been almost two weeks since I've been there. Boy oh boy! I could tell I have been slacking off at home! Tonight was a good reminder that I need to keep up on my strength training not just my cardio. So back to using my hand weights I'll go. At this point I don't want a set back with my fitness.<br /><br />No pictures of Brielle's room yet. The drywallers didn't make it over last weekend. They should be here this weekend so I'll have pictures soon!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-4970882006057963082008-12-08T01:06:00.004-05:002008-12-08T01:14:00.048-05:00A couple of photos<div><br /><br /><div>I had Ben take a couple pictures of me on Thanksgiving day. I was 29 weeks pregnant. Sorry about the lack of smile. I had no idea when he was going to click the pictures and I was kind of talking to him still. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div align="center">Front Shot</div><br /><div align="center"><br /> </div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277297449461523826" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/STy6Eek6pXI/AAAAAAAAABQ/7mzmJZl8JGc/s320/Picture+071.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><br /><div align="center">Side Shot. Holy Belly! It almost feels like it showed up over night! It took a few weeks though. </div><br /><div></div><br /><div></div><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5277298146570413490" style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 240px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 320px; TEXT-ALIGN: center" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/STy6tDgoJbI/AAAAAAAAABY/fEGUaMo7wos/s320/Picture+072.jpg" border="0" /><br /><div></div><br /><div></div></div>Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-5827818813025574892008-12-04T00:45:00.002-05:002008-12-04T01:07:14.051-05:00Ultrasound Number 5Sorry about the lack of posts. There really hasn't been too much going on.<br /><br />On Tuesday we had our 5 ultrasound (4th growth ultrasound). Ben wasn't able to get away for the appointment due to a busy schedule (yay for someone in our house working) so my mom came along. I think she had fun seeing Brielle.<br /><br />Going to the appointment I was very anxious. This was the first ultrasound Ben could be at. I was convinced that I was going to get bad news. At my previous two doctor's appointments I've been measuring ahead. Significantly ahead. I was sooo worried that Brielle had a big growth spurt in the last 5 weeks and was huge (which would be a problem).<br /><br />The appointment started off well. My weight is good, my blood pressure is awesome, my sugar numbers are where they should be and my urine was good. The ultrasound was fun. We were able to see Brielle open her eyes and she "talked" to us. When Dana (she's the ultrasound tech) was done with all the measurements she let me know that I have no reason to worry about the baby's size! Brielle weighs about 3 pounds 6 ounces! She's in the 54th percentile. Basically she's PREFECT!! I was so happy to hear that news.<br /><br />The doctor came in and asked me a few questions. When he did his usual check of my ankles he told me I have a little bit of edema going on. EEK! He said I shouldn't worry about it. It's normal for swelling to start happening in the third trimester and the swelling I have is very minimal. Drinking plenty of water (which I slacked off on a few days before my appointment) and putting my feet up will help with the edema. All in all it was an excellent appointment.<br /><br />So now with only 10 weeks left I'm dealing with some anxiety. I'm worried about labor, I'm worried about being prepared, I'm worried about things I know are completely irrational but I worry about them anyways! I think it's all part of the "joys" of being pregnant. Oh, one of those other joys is aching hips! Holy cow! It hurts to sit, it hurts to lay down, it hurts to stand. Basically I constantly feel like an old lady. Lovely!<br /><br />Hopefully in the next few days I'll have some pictures of Brielle's room. We've been taking pictures along the way. The drywall will be going up this weekend. Before you know it the walls will be painted and we'll have the crib in there.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-62508613994943270262008-11-22T23:13:00.000-05:002008-11-22T23:15:44.834-05:00Buying Maternity ClothesThis week I finally received an unemployment check. After paying bills I decided I could finally use some maternity clothes. After all, I am 7 months pregnant and my regular jeans were starting to get uncomfortable. Since my mom recently lost her job too (she worked at the same place I did) I figured it would be fun for the two of us to go shopping together.<br /><br />So there we are. I'm a first time preggers and my mom hasn't been pregnant in over 30 years. We're standing in the maternity section at Kohl's. We pick out a bunch of tops, a few pairs of jeans and head to the dressing room. While trying on the clothes nothing really feels right. After a small discussion we decided to head to Motherhood Maternity. We figure there we'll be able to get help with how things should fit and what size I should wear.<br /><br />When we walk into Motherhood we are promptly greeted by three very nice sales women. They ask what I'm looking for and I tell them some warm tops and jeans. The sales girl explains that the sizing goes based on your size before you were pregnant. Just get the size you were before in maternity clothes and they'll fit. Then my mom asks the question we've both been thinking "How large do your sizes go?" The answer isn't what we were looking for. They only carried up to XL which is a size 16/18 pre-pregnancy. My reaction was "Oh. I guess I won't find anything here then." The sales girl looks at me and says "what size do you think you need? What size were you before you got pregnant?" So I tell her I was a plus size. She then asks how far along I am. Once she hears I'm 7 months she says they'll have plenty there for me to wear.<br /><br />So my mom, two of the sales girls and I walk around the store picking out jeans and tops for me to try on. All of them in size XL. They set me up in a dressing room and I walk in fully expecting to not be able to fit into anything that I've picked out. My heart turned heavy at that thought because I had some really, really cute items picked out. I take a deep breath and step into a pair of jeans. They fit! OMG they fit!! I quickly pull on the adorable sweater that I really want. It fits too!! Needless to say I'm beyond happy. I step out of the dressing room for a little fashion show. My mom loves the outfit as does another mom helping her daughter shop. The sales girl comes over and asks what I think. "I love it! It fits!" I say. She loves it too but she doesn't think it fits. She points out to me that the top is in fact too big!! The shoulders hang way to low on me. So she goes off and gets me a size Large.<br /><br />As I'm getting ready to put on the smaller sized sweater I remind myself that if it doesn't fit the larger size does. I slip on the sweater and it fits! It looks even better on me then the larger sized one! I practically ran out of that little dressing room to show off. Everyone agrees that the sweater looks much better. Then they ask if I tried "the pillow". What pillow? Well there's a pillow in each dressing room that adds 3 to 4 months to your belly. By putting it on under the clothes you know how things will fit down the road. So I go in to put the pillow on. I about died laughing right then and there! I looked so funny! Granted the pillow puts me at over due it was so amusing to see such a big "belly" on me. The good news is the clothes still fit.<br /><br />After trying on clothes for about an hour I narrowed down what I was going to buy. I decided to buy the tops in size Large and the pants in XL. I was a happy camper leaving the store. Not only were the clothes cute and comfortable but I actually looked pregnant!! When I wear my other clothes I just look fat. I was very excited to wear my new outfits and finally look pregnant.<br /><br />Today I wore one of my new outfits. I started getting annoyed with my new jeans. They kept sliding down. It looked like my butt was suddenly on the back of my thighs. Since Ben and I were at the mall doing some Christmas shopping I decided to stop into Motherhood to try on a smaller size. I said to Ben before we walked in "They'll probably be too tight but I would rather find out for sure." The girl that helped me the yesterday was working. She immediately greeted me and asked if I needed help. I told her the problem I was having with the jeans. She gave me a few suggestions but I had tried them already with no luck. Into the dressing room I went with a size Large jeans. I pull them on and they fit! Holy. Cow. I go out and ask Ben if they look too tight. His answer "nope". He asks the sales girl what she thinks. "They look like they fit" she says. I think they fit pretty darn good too. So I go in to get my other jeans back on. I can hear Ben ask the sales girl "So is the large a size 14/16 pre-pregnancy?" "No" she says. "They're 12/14 pre-pregnancy." I was over the moon hearing that!<br /><br />Can you believe it? In January before I got pregnant I was wearing a size 22 even some size 24. Now I'm pregnant and buying size 12/14 clothing! It just goes to prove it's NEVER too late to get healthy. Plus it's a great boost to my egoShanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-58917884857744611002008-11-14T23:56:00.004-05:002008-11-15T12:09:52.796-05:00Welcome to the Third Trimester!Well here we are - the start of the third trimester. I'm a little freaked out! I noticed today that I have only 90 days until my due date!! Holy. Cow. In 90 days or less I'll be a mom. I don't know that the world (much less me) is ready for that. LOL!<br /><br />Not much has happened this week. Brielle is as active as ever. I'm learning her waking and sleeping times. She's pretty darn predictable. I'm not sure but she may have had the hiccups the other day. It felt like a belly spasm to me. She's taken to stretching a lot lately. Some times the stretches can get pretty uncomfortable for me. I'm sure she enjoys a good stretch though.<br /><br />Next week we start our birthing classes. We'll be finished with them before Christmas! We're starting to talk about our birth plan too. All of these preparations just make me think of how much we have to do but how fast time is flying.<br /><br />Ben tells me that Brielle's room should be ready by the end of December. Right now it's just a matter of Ben getting over his cold (he's been sick all week) and getting our hands on some money. We had sold something that gave us plenty of money to finish the room and get our travel system but I haven't received any unemployment money in over a month. I'm fighting with them on that. All I can do is sit and wait to hear back from them right now. So needless to say things are tight and unfortunately that "extra" money is now going to go to bills. So much for that idea. We still believe that things will work out in the end.<br /><br />So not much going this week just a lot of freaking out and planning. I'll let you know if anything exciting happens.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-83314157252960339952008-11-04T14:17:00.001-05:002008-11-04T14:18:30.169-05:00Approaching the end of the Second TrimesterWow! It's hard to believe that I'm almost two thirds of the way through my pregnancy. I really am baffled. Where has the time gone? I feel like I just looked at that positive pregnancy test last night!<br /><br />While time is flying we're doing our best to get ready for the arrival of Brielle (hehehe! I love using her name). Ben is working very hard on the room. It will be done before you know it! Last night he was on a roll and didn't want to stop. I keep reminding him he needs to take a break every now and then so he doesn't burn out. I think the excitement is keeping him going.<br /><br />We've had two doctor's appointments in the last week. The first one was with our high risk doctor. We had an ultrasound and an echocardiogam to check Brielle's growth and heart. She is doing wonderfully in both areas! As of last Tuesday she weighed about 1 pound 13 ounces. They say she was a few days ahead but nothing to be worried about. Her heart is looking wonderful as well! They tell us everything is looking perfect.<br /><br />The second doctor's appointment was with my OB yesterday. She is very pleased with my weight and my blood pressure. She did mention I am measuring about 2 to 3 weeks ahead. Since we know Brielle isn't overly big there's nothing to worry about. I was having an overly emotional day yesterday. Every little thing was bugging me. The problem is I'm a freak about being prepared. Unfortunately somethings don't go on my timeline and it's hard for me to handle. Since it was my first day of being in tears we chalked it up to hormones. I'm going to keep on top of it though so things don't get out of control. At my next appointment I'll receive my Rhogam shot. That's one thing I'm not looking forward to.<br /><br />Today I called and signed us up for our birthing classes, a tour of the hospital and a car seat class. Talk about being slapped with reality! All of the sudden things seem really real! Wow! From here on out I have a feeling time is going to fly!!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-9630363625898770252008-10-31T18:15:00.005-04:002008-11-01T01:14:51.671-04:00I must admit - I made a mistakeYes, it's hard to believe but I made a mistake. In my sleepy, cold induced haze I said that no one had guessed the correct name in the hint #2 thread. Well looking back through the guesses last night (I'm writing this on Thursday afternoon. It will be posted Friday evening) I caught the proper guess. I scanned right by it twice!! So I apologize for missing it. Congrats to Jennifer on the proper guess. I have a slight feeling that a "little monkey" may have told you of a few ideas we were tossing around but that's what I get for sharing ideas. LOL!<br /><br />We have a plan on how to inform our families of the name so that is why I am delaying the posting of this entry. I'm actually adding a picture of myself so you can see for yourself how the announcement is being made. What do you think? <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SQuDAHUwemI/AAAAAAAAAAo/TaPfq9sPSxI/s1600-h/Picture+001.jpg"><img id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5263444627501906530" style="FLOAT: right; MARGIN: 0px 0px 10px 10px; WIDTH: 263px; CURSOR: hand; HEIGHT: 197px" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_VSseaiyZ53E/SQuDAHUwemI/AAAAAAAAAAo/TaPfq9sPSxI/s320/Picture+001.jpg" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><br /><br />Brielle Marie. We talked and talked and talked about her name for a long time. We have known for a little over a month (or two) that this would be her name (her middle name was decided on well before she was even conceived). We wanted to use it ourselves and make sure we were OK with it. At this point we are. Will things change in the future? I sure hope not but I do know plenty of people who have changed their minds at the last minute. I truly hope this doesn't happen to us.<br /><br /><br />So thank you all for your guesses. There were a few beautiful names thrown out there that I really liked as well. I was impressed on how many of you probably looked at a map to get name ideas! Happy Halloween!!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-16289053162412950882008-10-28T13:29:00.004-04:002008-10-28T20:30:57.385-04:00Job updateI received news today that I did not get the position that I've been interviewing for. It's been over 6 weeks since I started the interview process so it's been a long road. While it sucks not getting this job, I'm sure it is for the best. There is obviously something else out there for me. I've also been contemplating making a career change for some time. Maybe this is the kick in the butt I need to make the change.<br /><br />So I'm going to keep looking and thinking about what to do. Like I said before Ben and I have made some great decisions in the past. I'm sure we'll receive clarity on what to do from here on out soon.<br /><br />Thank you to everyone for your support and well wishes. Without them I'm sure this bump in the road would be horrible!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-16101354999682778512008-10-25T08:28:00.001-04:002008-10-25T08:30:55.255-04:006 months! (and name hint #2)Wow! Wow! Wow!! On Thursday we entered week 24 of the pregnancy. Holy cow! That's 6 months! I've been growing a little person for 6 months! That means I have as much as 16 weeks or as little as 12 weeks left. Wow!<br /><br />Thankfully the little person I'm growing has been good to her mom for the most part. She did assert her hold on me with wicked heartburn not too long ago. It was the most horrible heartburn I have ever had in my life! Thankfully a late night trip to the store and 2 Rolaids Soft Chews later I was alright. I'm not never far from those Soft Chews. (Yes this is the same story from a week or so ago. Can you tell how much it affected me?! LOL) I've also learned not to leave my house without snacks. You never know when an uncontrollable hunger is going to hit!<br /><br />With these new "accessories" I had to upgrade my purse to a slightly larger one. I now always have the aforementioned items along with my glucometer and a bottle of water. It's hard to think in a year from now my purse will more then likely be filled with toys and baby snacks!<br /><br />We've had some great guesses of the little girl's name. So far none of them have been correct. It's been a lot of fun to read the name ideas. Some have been very beautiful, some have been pretty common and others have been, uh, unique. Since we don't have a correct answer it is with great pleasure I give you baby name hint #2!!<br /><br />Her name is the same as an east coast city.<br /><br />Happy guessing!<br /><br />P.S. No new news on the job front.Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com17tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-50455866077593846122008-10-16T23:33:00.000-04:002008-10-16T23:34:01.437-04:00Staying Healthy While GestatingI've been doing my best to be a healthy gestator. I would say so far I'm doing good. I have lost about 20 pounds since getting pregnant (I was down a little more but in the last few weeks I've gained a little). I wasn't trying to loose weight but when you change your diet to stave off gestational diabetes that's what happens. Also I've kept active all through my pregnancy. I've done a variety of activities including kickboxing (no contact of course), zumba, water aerobics, walking and working with my trainer <a href="http://btotaltraining.blogspot.com/">Erin</a>.<br /><br />Out of all of these activities I have to say that the biggest help to keeping me healthy is working with Erin. I know if I don't keep up with my exercises and diet my workout will not be easy at Erin's! Not that Erin will "come down" on me but in order to keep up with what she wants me to do I need to be healthy (or at least well on my way to being healthy). As my pregnancy progresses my workouts with Erin have evolved. I no longer do much on the floor and we are concentrating on balance a lot right now. We have fun talking about being pregnant, babies and future goals. I always look forward to heading over to see her.<br /><br />Today Erin and I updated my measurements. While it may seem silly to take measurements while pregnant it actually makes sense. After all when you gain weight while pregnant you should gain a little fat and all the other weight should be due to the baby. This means your arms and legs should still be fit even though your abs give away. I am happy to report that since I've been working with Erin I have lost a total of 12 inches (6.5 of those in the last 10 weeks)! Yes people that's right. I've lost 12 inches while pregnant (we got our positive test back shortly after I started working with Erin).<br /><br />The most amazing measurement to me was my hips. My last set of measurements I definitely didn't have a baby belly. I'm starting to get one now. That posed a challenge for measuring my hips this time around. There really is no way to measure my hips right now without the baby getting in the way. I was completely ready for that measurement to go up. Well my hip measurement did not go up. It actually went down 2 inches!! That's with the baby in the way! WOW!<br /><br />Needless to say I'm very excited! I'm a busy girl on the health front. I'm growing a little girl for us to love and I'm becoming a healthier person! How awesome is it going to be when I finally have my little girl to hold and I'll be a healthy mom!! It's an exciting time for me and I couldn't be happier!<br /><br />Ben and I were talking tonight about how we are going to stay healthy to be a good role model for our daughter. I always tell him stories about Erin's son Grady and how he knows that exercise is good for you. Grady has great role models in his parents. I want us to be great role models for our daughter. So Ben and I are making plans to start running together when I can run. Admittedly I hate running. I don't think many people really like running when they start. It's something that grows on them. We're talking of adding a running stroller to our registry. The best way to show our daughter how to be healthy is to have her involved from the get go.<br /><br />So thank you Erin, Geoff and Grady! Ben and I hope to one day have the healthy family that you have. Who knows maybe in a couple years we'll run one of those marathons with you!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-67593997126097674472008-10-15T23:33:00.000-04:002008-10-15T23:34:20.009-04:00Hello new friends!I've noticed that I have some new followers. How fun! I never thought anything in my life would be interesting enough to actually blog about. Then when something did happen I never imagined I would have so many hits on my blog. It's fun to share this journey with new friends and old. I hope you're enjoying this trip with us. It's hard to believe there's approximately 17 weeks left! Where has the time gone?<br /><br />Tomorrow is the start of week 23 of my pregnancy. Wow. Just....wow! Every day I'm so happy to feel our daughter "have a party" inside of me. She's so predictable that it makes me laugh. It also gives me hope that she will adjust to a schedule when she arrives. I may have just jinxed myself!<br /><br />Since my last blog entry a few things have happened. I went to a second interview at the company I really want to work for. It was very promising and I left there with confidence that I would be working soon. Here I am a week later and I'm not working. I'm not sure if I'm putting too much hope into this job prospect or what. I called to follow up on the interview and it sounds like they are close to deciding but it may be another week yet. Lovely. I just want to jump into this job and get as much done as I possibly can before I have to take leave. And how the heck do you tell someone "Thanks for the job offer! I need an extended amount of time off in 17 weeks or less."? Everything I read says I should inform them before I accept any offer they give me. That makes me worry that the offer would be rescinded. Legally they could say that I require special arrangements and they can't accommodate me. I know that if they did that I wouldn't want to work for them but deep down I can't blame them. And if they don't rescind the offer I'm in no way covered by FMLA. That means they can replace me when I go on leave. So much to worry about.<br /><br />If I don't get this job I have to give serious consideration to how hard I should search for a job. I need a job but is it worth it? Should I just wait? Should I work part-time? Can we survive if I don't work? All things I have to think about. All things Ben and I are tossing around. I guess when the time comes we'll know what to do. We've some how been lucky enough to make sound decisions up to this point. Hopefully our streak continues.<br /><br />On to baby news - Her room is coming along. It's completely down to the studs! We've been taking pictures along the way. I'll try to share some with everyone soon. Right now it looks like a tornado went through there! It's exciting to think about how it's going to look when it's done. I was just saying to Ben last night that I wished we had some more money. The ceiling could be a lovely tall ceiling that slopes towards the windows. I could add some beautiful pendent lighting that would hang so nicely from the slope. While those thoughts are nice her room will still be absolutely wonderful! Her closet will be widened by a whole foot!! What a lucky girl! It's already a huge closet. Needless to say mom is slightly jealous!<br /><br />Last night was my first experience with baby induced heartburn. Let me just say this is the worst heartburn EVER! Seriously I could not stand it! Since I didn't have anything in the house that is ok for me to take I had to head out to the store.....it was almost midnight! Of course being so late there was no way Ben was letting me go alone so he took me up there. I bought some Rolaids soft chews. Two of them and a bath later I was able to sleep comfortably. I was thinking that maybe it was the food I had for dinner but I had the same thing for lunch today with no problems. Apparently she was just letting me know who is in charge. LOL!<br /><br />I'm taking an idea from my friend <a href="http://www.blancodesinki.blogspot.com/">Amy</a>. We have decided on a name for our little girl. We have not shared it with anyone yet. While it may be a while before we share the name I thought I would give hints to what it could be. I know there are some people who read our blog that are super sleuths so this could be fun! If the name is guessed I'll have to get permission from Ben to confirm the name as we haven't decided when we'll share the name. In the mean time everyone can have fun trying to figure it out!<br /><br />Baby Name Hint #1: She will be the only member of our house (that's between myself, Ben and the furkids) that won't have the letter "a" in her first name. (LOL! Yep! I even did the same hint as Amy!) Happy guessing!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4296796231424002471.post-88779413069635395992008-10-06T23:57:00.000-04:002008-10-07T00:13:50.162-04:00Registery DONE!Over the weekend Ben and I finally had some time to go and register for the baby. We had a TON of fun doing it! At times it was a little overwhelming but we took our time and talked our choices over....mostly. I can't tell you how many times I heard the scanner go off while I was looking at something. I think I asked Ben "what did you just add?" about 100 times! LOL! The best add has to be the bib that reads "My mom is hotter then your mom". I about died laughing! If you know me I'm NOT hot. It's nice to know that my husband thinks so though.<br /><br />We do have one or two more items to add but we'll do that soon enough. For now we can check this task off our list!<br /><br />Oh! This weekend we also had the new windows installed in the baby's room. Oh my goodness! They are soo much better then the old windows. Ben said when they removed the trim from the outside the only thing holding the old windows in was two small finishing nails! He could actually spin the whole window! So it sounds like the new windows are safer, more quiet and more energy efficient! YAY!Shanahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13851172169531025185noreply@blogger.com3