Tis the Season!

My status has fallen from "Trying to make an effort" Blogger, to "Top, Extreme Pretend" Blogger, lol. My update is long overdue... I feel as though it can be excused due to this glorious time of the year!

The Holidays are upon us - yay! This is our family's favorite time of the year! Jace and I always break down and start listening to Christmas music right after Halloween (ok, sometimes before!) and try sooooo hard to wait to decorate until after Thanksgiving... which we also couldn't wait for either. This year, we have a lot of changes. For starters, we have so many presents under the tree! I think we went a little spending crazy on a certain little one who doesn't really know what Christmas even is yet, lol. Another change is that we will be having Christmas all on our very own this year. Jason unfortunately has to work Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and the 2 days after. I'm excited for all the cooking I get to do, but I'm sad I won't be with my parents and brother on Christmas morning - the first time ever! I mean, not that I expected to always be with them, but I just expected we'd have more kids and be more established before we were setting family Christmas traditions. I guess I wouldn't be as sad if Jason would at least be home for David's first Christmas morning. He's got a great job and when you're in the medical field, you know that you're bound to work on these holidays... I'm just not used to the idea yet.

Well, our apartment is decked out in our Christmas best, presents are wrapped and under the tree, our lights are hung outside but there's something I really want to do for Christmas... keep Christ the center of our celebrating. Any ideas??? I can't think of how best to do it besides reading scriptures (we're actually reading about Christ's ministry in America right now in 3 Nephi - good timing, right?). I mean, our picture of the Savior we have hanging in our living room was covered up by the tree... I think we're off to a poor start, lol! Growing up, I knew the reason for Christmas, but I want my kids to focus on it more than I did when I was young. Yeah, David's only 9 months old, but might as well get started :)

The week ahead looks like cleaning and preparing for our party on Friday. We MIGHT get home early next week for a day or 2. I really need to reorganize everything... we just bought a washer and dryer and new TV so everything is kind of all over the place. Oh! We also got our Christmas pictures taken right before Thanksgiving! We went to the Picture People as usual and we wore our Christmas PJ's - it was too cute! Here's my fav:

Merry Christmas!

TEETH!!!!!

They've finally arrived! And with less excitement than I anticipated. All I've heard is horror stories about teething and how all he'll do is scream, but let's face it, I have the perfect child! LOL But seriously, I don't know why I worry so much about what others say, David has proven on a number of occasions to be a very calm and tolerant child for which I am highly grateful! Anyway, he has both bottom teeth and one on top. He has also started doing this hilarious smile where he scrunches up his face and has a very wide grin - it's so freaking cute! Someday I'll catch it on camera... it just happens so fast! His personality is really starting to show more, too. He's so much fun and will do anything to make me laugh - he's going to be a really fun kid!

It's a great month!

I thought that when I had a baby, I would have so much to blog about... yet I sit here and have few words. It's only the second day of the month and already November has been considerably warmer than October! Mother Nature's early birthday gift to me! lol I love winter - I really do, but summer was quite mild (which I would take over scorching temps) which means the cool weather came all too soon!

We had a terrific Halloween season! We went to our Trunk or Treat the weekend before Halloween and it was a lot of fun! David was the cutest cowardly lion, I was Dorothy and Jace was the scarecrow whose costume looked very similar to that of a lion, lol. Eh, we had fun! David got to "trick or treat" for the first time and passed out after visiting only a few cars - he was so sweet! We went out for a little bit on Halloween night, too, but it was too cold to stay out very long. Especially when the only person who dressed up couldn't even eat the candy he was collecting, lol. No big loss there.

David continues to amaze me every time we weigh him. He now weighs 19lbs 5oz and is 30" long!! He's definitely going to take after his daddy! He can get up on all fours and will probably be crawling soon... I cannot believe how big he is and how fast he's grown up! I was organizing his clothes a few weeks ago and I found the outfit he came home from the hospital in and almost started to cry! It was so teeny!! And it was BIG on him when we came home! I don't know what I'm going to do when he has his first day of school, starts driving, or is away from us for 2 whole years! I'll look back on these days and cry, lol.

It's here! Fall is finally here!

Today is the second day of October and it is very chilly outside - My favorite time of the year! I love when the leaves change and fall (especially when I don't have to rake them up!!). The sun seems to shine brighter, like it doesn't have to work so hard making everything scorching hot so it can focus more on light - strange, I know, lol. It is a welcome reminder of things to come. Jason and I are excited to go home next weekend to my family's annual pig roast - it is always so much fun! Then trick or treating. David is going to be, by far, the cutest Lion anyone will see on Halloween!
I love this particular change in season for the change in cooking that comes with it! I made Chicken Pot Pie from scratch last night and Jason and I were blown away with how yummy it was - we had forgotten, lol. Every day, as it gets colder and colder, Jason and I get more and more excited for our favorite holidays - Thanksgiving and Christmas. Oh man... we have been fighting the urge to watch our favorite Christmas movies and listen to Christmas songs for weeks! We love the time with family, the yummy food, driving around to look at Christmas lights, putting up our own decorations, and (probably our favorite) cutting down our Christmas tree! We also have a tradition of buying a new, special ornament for our tree. We already bought David's first Christmas ornament, but now we need to find our family ornament. I am so looking forward to the next couple months!

In the mean time, we've been doing great! Jason is doing well at his job and has decided to get his CMT (Certified Medical Technician) license in January. Basically, he'll be allowed to pass out medication and get a big raise - we always like more money, lol. David is growing ridiculously fast and talking up a storm. He finally said "Dada" last night after months of only saying "Mama". I was so excited, but felt bad for Jason - he wasn't home to hear it. I'm sure he'll get to hear it soon, though. The next big milestone? Crawling! I am very anxious for it to happen, but, at the same time, it is a sad reminder that my little boy won't be my baby for long. I beginning to think he'll probably walk before he learns to crawl, lol. He doesn't really like to be on the floor. He's such a social person that he feels left out if he's on the floor. I'm not worried at all. Every baby develops at their own rate and I think that following a time line or comparing to other babies that are around the same age is stupid. And, quite frankly, one of my biggest pet peeves!

All in all, Jason, David ans I are doing great! Enjoying life and excited about things to come

New

This has been long overdue... My first blog since being back in Springfield! Jace and I are loving Springfield! Jason started his new job today which we are totally overjoyed about! We worked very hard - I say we because WE worked as a team on this one for sure! I drove around to get the applications and filled them out while Jason was at school. Once he came home he signed them and did the interviews the next day. So far, we're very impressed with his new job (the benefits/perks... not the facility so much). Jason is also in school full time this semester.
David is acclimating very well to his new home. He has his own room which I have been greatly anticipating since I was pregnant - I have been wanting to decorate a nursery since I was nesting and haven't had the opportunity. He is eating solids everyday and LOVES sweet potatoes and carrots!! He started sitting up all by himself at just under 5 months and recognizes his own name! He loves playing with mommy and daddy and loves to be in front of my camera and camcorder - he's so funny.
I am just enjoying being a stay at home mom and PC consultant. I'm not super busy with shows, but will hopefully be picking them up soon - especially with the holidays coming up! Jason and I are so happy with our decision to relocate for awhile. Things are going great!!

Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes

6 Days!!!!!!!!!!! I am eagerly counting down the days until Jason and I make our big move - we are just so excited! This week will be an overwhelming one, though. Today is my one and only full day I have to pack. Tomorrow, Jason will be helping my dad move hay and we will have our marathon faxing event - our new apartment complex will be mailing us our lease, we'll sign it and fax it back so our friend can pick up our keys! I might be able to finish some light packing. Wednesday, Jason will be working and David and I have Dr's appointments in Chesterfield/Creve Coure area so that'll be an all day event. Thursday, Jason and I are going to the temple because Brianna is getting her endowments before her wedding on Saturday - YAY!!! We are also going to set up our DJ stuff at the church that afternoon. Friday, hmmm... I can't remember what exactly has to happen that day besides packing the trailor. Saturday we will be having cake and ice cream with our nephew for his birthday, then having my little brother's birthday party, then DJing Brianna's wedding that night - busy! Sunday morning we take off at 5 in the morning for our new home in Springfield, MO. Soooooo crazy!

As a side note, I got a new digital camera since mine bit the dust a couple weeks ago - it's great! It's a Sony Cybershot with 12 MP and 4x zoom - we love it!!!

A New Level of Sympathy

Today was a looonnnngggg day - even that is an understatement. Jason had a 16 hour shift today which is typical of a Monday so I had David all day by myself. David woke up around 6:30, ate, and went back to bed. He woke up the second time around 8:30 with a huge bugger in his nose - I mean it was ginormous! Didn't you want to know all about my son's buggers? I thought so... Anyway, I fed him again and once again around 10:30... it was all downhill from there. Alex had been watching him for me and as I was walking back over to the couch, I could hear David having something like the hiccups and gasping. I got over there just in time for him to puke all over himself and my pillow. He's only puked like this once before and it was no big deal so I figured this would follow suit - wrong! As I was holding him 20 minutes later, he puked all over me. He threw up again 15 minutes later so I called the pediatrician. They told me to give him a teaspoon of Pedialyte every 15 minutes for an hour and if he kept that down, to bump it up to a tablespoon every 15 minutes for an hour. I could resume breastfeeding after he keeps fluids down for 4 hours. After he puked the fourth time, David was in bad shape. He had no color, his eyes were only opening half way, and he would barely stay awake for a couple minutes - I was so scared. I was trying the Pedialyte, but he wouldn't keep that down either. I called the doctor back and they wanted me to bring him to the hospital for IV fluids. I didn't want my 4 month old to have to have an IV needle, so I thought of other things to do. I let him sleep for awhile before starting over again with the Pedialyte. Then, in the midst of my tears, I knew David needed a blessing. Jason was in the middle of his 16 hours and his dad was in Nauvoo. I got the impression to call a member of the ward who lives just over a street. I looked up his work number and asked him if I could come over when he got home from work because David needed a blessing. He said he would be happy to. David woke up shortly after I got off the phone and already seemed to be improving. I went to the ward member's house and got a terrific blessing for David. As soon as we said Amen, David sighed, looked up at Brother Robertson and smiled - I started crying. I knew that my little man was feeling better and all because of the sweet blessing a worthy priesthood holder gave my son. I am so thankful for the priesthood and the men who are worthy to hold it. I am so grateful for the peace I feel knowing that when Jason is unavailable, I can call on someone for the things I need. David is still not 100%, but atleast he is able to be sleeping peacefully in his swing

Why am I so...

Blessed? I am blessed.

Blessed to have the love of a man of whom I feel completely undeserving - A man who puts up with my crazy as we have come to call my pre-during-post pregnancy hormones. A man who works 16 hours shifts so I can stay home and spend every waking moment with our son; who will always put me before himself, and not get upset when I forget how often I take advantage of it. I have truly married my best friend and know Heavenly Father gave me the BEST one!

Blessed to know the love of a parent-child relationship. To go through the hardest 9 months ever and to experience the worst pain for 20 hours and not hold a grudge to the little man who caused it all. To have a sweet baby look up at me and know that I am his whole world... to know he loves me unconditionally.

I love my beautiful, little, ETERNAL family!

That time of year again

Today is the first day of the Lincoln County Fair. I've been a part of the fair in some form or another for 12 years now and I can't believe it's been that long! I've either been showing, judging or on court and it looks as though things will remain that way for some time. Alex and I took his sheep up this morning and weighed it in for the market show tomorrow - 100 pounds even! This year is quite interesting having David around. He was a big hit this morning with everyone in the sheep barn... he's definitely the favorite, lol. Tomorrow, Alex will be showing his lamb and I will be doing my Pampered Chef booth. Thursday Alex will sell his lamb and the fair will be half way over - it goes so fast! Friday I will be judging the Lead Line... Kids dress up in wool and walk around with their sheep to show the versatility of wool. I used to do this when I was younger and it really sucks when it's 100 degrees. Fortunately, this year won't be quite that hot - yes! Saturday is the worst day in my opinion. At 9 in the morning, the breeding sheep show starts and will last until about 5 in the evening - yuck. I may have to show Alex's sheep since he also has a baseball tournament all week long. It's a stressful and hectic week we have ahead of us... why do we all think it's so fun?

Days go by

As we approach county fair "season", I am beginning to realize that my summer is basically over... The next week and a half will be full of preparing for the fair, then we will have state fair, then we will be moving - I love and hate the fair for that reason. The fair is a lot of fun and I get to see my friends I graduated with, but it also means summer is slowly slipping away. I feel bad because Jason keeps commenting that he hasn't enjoyed summer yet. I need to fix that...
David is still amazing! He's now rolling over and teething like crazy. He is SUPER ticklish under his arms and smiles and laughs so sweetly! He's learning to scoot his way across the floor an I'm already having to buy size 3 diapers and 6-9 month clothes. I never really got to experience a newborn sized baby seeing that I gave birth to toddler, lol. I am still absolutely in love with being a mommy and am trying to find a work from home job so I can have income while staying home with my love! :)

What a crazy life we lead!

It has been a busy couple of weeks for us lately. We moved back home for a few months while we decide our next step... We were going to be buying a house in the fall, however, both our cars have been having problems lately and since I'm not alone in the car anymore, Jason and I decided it was time for a new car (Thanks David! lol). This past week, Jason and I sold my old Impala and bought an '08 Chevy Cobalt - it is beautiful! I don't think I've ever owned a car this new and I'm loving it! Jason's next car? A new Chevy Malibu! We wanted to buy it this time around, but it was just too much car for our budget... We'll try again in the future.
Jason has started a new job (we both lost our jobs last month). He has returned to the nursing home where he did his clinical hours for his CNA program last fall. It's not an ideal situation since he makes less and has an hour drive each way, but it's better than nothing. With the hours he works, he makes just about as much as we both did combined. I'm now a stay at home mom and I love it! I do miss making an income and working, but being able to stay home with David is amazing. He has grown so much lately and is so much fun!
We also took our first family vacation the first weekend in June - We set off for Salt Lake City, Utah! Our plane left Thursday night the 4th and we came home Monday night the 8th. We visited our friends and family and had a blast! I also got to see one of my missionary friends! Her and her companion were the ones who taught me before I got baptized - it was awesome to see her again! We also got to go to temple square which was amazing! We didn't get to go do anything inside the temple since we had David, but the spirit was amazing just being on the grounds. I laughed because there were so many couples being married that day!! When Jason and I got married, there was an older couple being sealed that morning, then us just after noon and that was it! Of course that was St. Louis and not Salt Lake. I'll upload pictures as soon as my computer stops acting dumb

Welcome Home

We got home last night from our first family vacation! Jason, David and I packed up Thursday, hopped on a plane, and ventured to Salt Lake City for a long weekend and we had a blast! Sadly, mt camera batteries were almost dead so I didn't get many pictures.

A Mommy's Greatest Day

Mother's Day... A Day I've always celebrated, but (obviously) just for my mother. Yesterday, however, the day was for me. I was woken up at 5 by my sweet son. Since he sleeps from 9-5, when he wakes up, I'm typically awake for the rest of the day. I may drift in and out of sleep, but all that restlessness does is make me tired. So I fed David, laid him on the bed next to me and read the scriptures. Once David was content, I went and took a shower. When I turned off the water, David let me know he was awake with all of his cooing and baby babbles. I walked back into the bedroom and was given the best Mother's Day gift by my son - a HUGE smile and giggle. It just melted my heart. I walked away to get my hair brush and David let out a shriek. I walked back over to make sure he was ok and as soon as I was in eye sight, David gave me a matching smile and giggle. I tested my theory: I walked away again, another shriek, met David's gaze, and another smile and giggle. He knew exactly what I wanted for Mother's Day, my sweet boy! I made breakfast and got ready for church. After church, Jason and I went to see my family. Jason's mom was out of town in Nebraska for a wedding, so we called her in the car. We spent the afternoon with my family and had a bonfire that night. It was a great day!!! Once we got in the car, Jason started to not feel well. By the time we got home, he was running to the bathroom. I nursed David and got him to sleep before helping Jason... I rubbed Jason's back until he fell asleep, then FINALLY got to bed at midnight. I pulled out the hide a bed in the living room (so David would be able to sleep and not be woken up by his sick Daddy) and passed out! My Mother's Day was amazing from start to finish.

When I think about my journey leading up to becoming a mom, I almost start to cry. When Jason and I found out we were expecting, we were shocked and so excited! The next few weeks brought exhaustion and nausea. Once I entered my second trimester, I got even sicker, spent more time in the hospital than preferred, and eagerly started our collection of cute, little BLUE clothes. During my final few months, we finally enjoyed a honeymoon, were surrounded by family and friends at baby showers, and endured many sleepless nights. Once my due date had come and gone, we anxiously wondered if each passing day was going to be THE day. Walking up to the hospital the day of my induction was like crossing the finish line to the most anticipated marathon. I was filled with so many emotions, but when Dr. Sopuch (the same dr who delivered me) placed David on my tummy, I was overcome by a flood of emotions as my life was changed forever. There would always be someone relying on me for everything (besides my emotionally needy husband, lol). Being a mommy is my favorite and most rewarding job. It's a lot of work, but I get the best rewards in coo's, smiles, and love. No one will ever know how fast you can love someone until you have a child. I love my husband, I love my son, and I love my perfect little family. I always get a little sad at night when we all go to bed... it's 8 hours of needed rest, but 8 hours until I get to kiss my husband or giggle and sing with David.

As Promised

I love the Picture People!

1 Month Check Up and Pictures

Today I took David to the Pediatrician and to the Picture People for pictures. Things went great at the Dr's. David now weighs 11lb 14oz and is 24 1/2 inches long - that's the 85th percentile for weight and off the charts for length! He's growing so big!! Then we met up with Auntie Linda and Mason at the Picture People and had a blast! David's pictures are ADORABLE!!! I cannot wait to put them on here! It was a good day

Mommy Team!

Motherhood has been an amazing experience for me. I have been blessed with the most amazing son!! I wish so badly to know what he's thinking in that perfectly shaped head of his. Even on the hardest of days, all he has to do is look up at me with his AMAZINGLY blue eyes (seriously, they're so blue!) and I melt. This morning has been difficult already... David woke up to nurse at 3:30 and around 4 I was hungry so I went into the kitchen to get a snack when David projectile vomited probably everything he had eaten this morning. Then he just turned and looked at me like "Mommy, help me please!" He never cried, just looked at me so sadly!! So we had bath time at 4 in the morning and I snuggled him to sleep. Even though being covered in puke very early this morning was not part of my plans, it's just part of the uniform for "team mommy". I love my family!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Just chillin

Isn't he sweet? I'm so lucky that he loves his swing!! It gives mommy time to do very important things like blogging and facebook, lol

Oh my son

I freaking love you so much! Who would have ever guessed how quickly you can fall in love with someone and how much you can love them. Even in the middle of the night, I love just to snuggle him back to sleep after he eats. Motherhood is definitely everything I have hoped for an so much more!

David's Birth Story!

The morning of March 19th was a very special day for our family. Jason and I woke up and were finishing some last minute chores when the phone rang at 10:30 – it was my call from the hospital telling me they were ready for me to come in and start my induction. We packed the last couple of things into the car and left for the hospital. We called Grandma Lisa (my mom) and met her at the hospital. After getting settled in, we started the Pitocin at 12:30pm and got things underway. Things started slowly and not much progress was made. After walking to see how things would go, the doctor decided to break my water at 5pm and things progressed quite quickly (at least the intensity of the contractions progressed quickly). We tried watching several movies like Jurassic Park 3 (mine and Linda’s obsession lately, lol) and Robin Hood – the animated Disney version. Dad and Alex came to spend time with us in the hospital (around 9pm) hoping to see David before leaving for Spring Training. They walked in during some VERY tough contractions and Alex quickly took his place by my side, holding and stroking my hand trying to comfort me. He was doing good until mom suggested he help me breathe… he was doing fine, except that he was breathing on me which was so very annoying, lol. The nurse came in shortly after saying they were going to put in an internal contraction monitor because my external one was not working properly. After they had finished, I was bawling! The contractions were approaching the 80’s in intensity and coming about every 2 minutes… I decided I needed the epidural. With Jason by my side, the anesthesiologist came in and gave me the epidural which was arguably the worst part of labor. The relief came quickly for which I was very grateful. The epidural was in full swing around 10pm and I decided to get some sleep. Since you have to switch sides every 30-45 minutes when you have an epidural, my sleep wasn’t very productive. The nurses checked my progress every 2 hours. They had to switch off the Pitocin twice because the contractions were coming too close together and were very strong. The second time it was turned off, David’s heart rate was dropping in response to the powerful contractions so I was also put on oxygen. Things evened out quickly, though, and I was taken off oxygen. At 4am, I woke up in a lot of pain. We called the nurse who came in and checked my progress, I was at 8cm and fully effaced. We found out the pain was being caused by David’s head pushing on my public bone – he was face up! They gave me a second dose of the epidural and I was able to sleep again. We had to say goodbye to dad and Alex around 4:30am - they had to catch their plane. I was so sad they weren’t going to get to see David before they left for Florida!!! At 6am, the nurse had to come back in to replace David’s internal monitor because he kept wiggling out of them… 5 of them to be exact. The nurse was preparing to replace his monitor when she said we were going to have to call the doctor. “Why?” I asked – I was exhausted and wanted to go back to sleep, not wait for the doctor. The nurse said that we needed the doctor because she could see David’s head! I was in shock! How could I be ready to push? Was I even fully dilated? I’m too tired!!!! Plus, the second dose of epidural was a pretty heavy dose so I could NOT move my legs at all! We did a couple practice pushes and the nurse promptly told me to cross my legs until the doctor arrived. We got the room ready for delivery and got the cameras ready! Dr. Sopuch walked in, got ready, and gave me the thumbs up. 4 short pushes later, David came into the world at 6:56am on March 20th. He was welcomed by mom, dad, Grandma Lisa, and Auntie Linda. I could hardly believe that my sweet little boy was finally here! We shortly found out that he was anything but little. David weighed in at 9 pounds 11 ounces and 22 ½ inches long! Dr. Sopuch put him on my stomach and it was love at first sight! He was so calm and just looked up at me while the nurses dried him off. He is such a calm little boy! Even when he’s hungry, he rarely does more than whimper. We were moved up to recovery at about 8am. Over the next few days, we were surrounded by family and friends coming to see out sweet boy. Jason and I love being able to spend all our time with our sweet little man. We can hardly believe how perfect our little family is. David, I’ve loved you longer than I know and always will.

A rough week or so

I have been having a rough week or so... besides battling illness (still!) I am dealing with an especially stubborn little boy and a rough weekend! All last Thursday I had been having contractions that were progressing pretty well. I saw the dr that afternoon and saw the dr who said I was 2ish cm and about 80% effaced (which I have been for about a month now). Once I was finished with my appointment, my contractions were still continuing so mom came home with me and helped me get things ready (bags packed, dishes done, dinner made). Once Jason came home from school and ate, we all were waiting and timing contractions. Once they reached about 3 minutes apart - we were off to the hospital. They checked me again and said I was dilated to 3cm so it was nice to know I wasn't going through contractions for nothing! So they monitored me for an hour and let me walk for an hour, but I didn't progress anymore so they sent me home. I did learn some interestinng information that night though. While they were admitting me, they asked if I had had or been exposed to MRSA (reisitant staph). Well, I've had it for most of my pregnancy, so I was immediately put into "isolation". Since my regular dr neglected to do follow up cultures, we weren't sure if I was still carrying the bacteria (I haven't had a repeat infection in 2 months so I'm assuming not). Anyway, what this means is that I probably will not be able to get an epidural. I was planning on having a natural birth anyway... but ill get into the problem this presents later...So Jason and I finally made it to bed around 2am and very much enjoyed catching up on our sleep.
The NEXT day, Jason and I were walking fools! lol, we walked and walked and walked and it paid off (well, somewhat). I started having some really hard contractions around 8 and about 10, they started to be very painful and regular but I wasn't ready to go to the hospital because I didn't want to get sent home 2 days in a row. So I stuck it out, fell asleep, and at about 3am, the contractions stopped all together. Since then, my contractions (if any) have been few and far between.
I saw the dr again this morning and we've set an induction date - March 19th - this thursday! I am excited to FINALLY hold my sweet little boy, but I'm terrified to death! So, basically when you are induced, they break your water and start you on Pitocin (the drug that makes your uterus contract). Pitocin is THE WORST drug you can be on... Pitocin contractions are longer and stronger and suck completely! So... if David doesn't make his apperance by Thursday, I have to be induced - I have to have Pitocin to make me be in worse pain... and I CAN'T have an epidural. Oh crap. I'm still hoping for the best, but I am absolutely terrified and bargaining with my little guy to not make his mommy go through all this!!!!!

Due Date Tomorrow!

It's finally here!!! The day I've been waiting for the last 9 months. Am I going to have David tomorrow? Probably not, but atleast I know he's made it all 4 weeks and is doing great! I've been dilating for atleast 3 weeks and it could be tomorrow but most likely not... any day now, though!! I've been doing really great and ould totally give myself a gold start lately, lol. I've been really sick the last couple of days which has sucked pretty bad, but I still keep going! I've been to work everyday and working when I get home cleaning or whatever. With Jason working and going to school every night, the responsibility has to fall to someone and the dog isn't very helpful around the house, lol.

Anyway, I am excited that the day is finally here... even if David isn't, lol

I'm not sure I've ever been so shocked

K, so why is it that the people who are supposed to love us no matter what, can be so hurtful? Oh my family... why can't we all just get along? Here are some things I think families should give unconditionally:

• Love - imagine that



• Understanding - not everyone can be their best 24/7



• Respect - we all have our free agency and we should respect each other's opinions and choices



• Space - people want to spend time with their own families first and foremost (I could spend every second with Jason and not think a thing about anyone else) and shouldn't be chastized for not wanting to entertain 24/7

I think sometimes people are just looking for ways to entertain themselves by putting others down and that is so sad in families. I have been wronged so many times by my family, but I love them and HATE being upset with them. I understand that no one's perfect but there's a difference between venting and trash talk.

I couldn't find a pic of Jason's family on my computer so I'll just settle for these!

Eviction Notice to my Son

I am issuing 30 day notice for EVICTION. Tenant will have 30 days in which he can either gather his belongings and promptly vacate the premises, or wait until the final day. After which, he will be physically removed from the property. He's being evicted due to breech of contract and destruction of property. Expansions only to the FRONT of the house, within reasonable limits, were discussed. Not only have these limits been exceeded, but additions to the back of the house were also made! Remodeling and gutting of the home was never approved, nor was changing the initial layout and base structure. And due to property damage, there are now leaks in both the upper AND lower levels of the home. On top of which, the landlord has received numerous complaints about nightly disturbances. After 30 days from this day that he doesn’t comply with the notice will result in immediate and forceful removal at my discretion.

My Brother's "Grumpy Grampy"

So, I got home from work today and got a call from my older brother wanting to know if I knew where mom and dad were... he sounded pretty anxious. I told him mom was in class and dad should be at home and asked him what was wrong - He told me his grandpa had passed away. It was a pretty big shock to hear although I hadn't seen him in years. He and Matt were very close and I remember his grandpa always signed his cards to Matt "Love, Grumpy Grampy". I was very young the last time I spent time with him, but I remember him always being super nice and very funny. There's not going to be a funeral, but Matt, Stephanie and James are coming up tomorrow to spend some time with our families.

What more could I ask?

Yesterday was my second and final baby shower and it was amazing! My day started pretty calm - breakfast, hanging out with Jason... the usual. I started getting ready and realized that in the mad rush to get out of the house the day before, I had left my jeans at home - I had no pants except my cut off sweat pants! It was awful. Of course I had no clothes at my parents' house that still fit so I was screwed. I had to run to Wal Mart and buy some pants whch I plan on returning the next time I go, lol. Anyway, I got to mom and dad's church and people were already there which made me late. Things did start to get better once things finally got started. The games were fun and the food was AWESOME! My family is so full of good cooks! I started to open presents shortly after and got so much stuff! Clothes and blankets and toys - plus a TON of diapers an wipes. I'm sure they won't last as long as it seems, but what a great start! I was surprised by my aunt and grandma who got us a crib! It's beautiful... too bad I don't have room for it, lol. Someday when Jason and I are super grown up and own a home we'll definitely have a use for it. My parents also surprised us by offering to buy the travel system we want! At first they both thought it wasn't worth the money since it's used for such a short time so we'll see.

Both my showers were so great and I loved every minute! It's so great to see how much love can come from so many people who haven't even met him yet! It's so easy for me to love him already and I can't wait for everyone to be able to hold him!!!!

How to stay patient

That is a very good question and one I am desperately seeking an answer to! I had my 37 week appointment last Thursday and finally had the dr check me because of an issue I had the day before. Anyway, I am dilated to 2cm and partically effaced (dr didn't specify how much) - crazy! Yesterday I thought I was going to have to go to the hospital and got kinda freaked out. I was doing the laundry when I had a contraction... no big deal until it ended and I had another one, like, 15 seconds after the first one ended. This continued for about 20 mintues and then they gradually died off. I was releaved because they hurt but sad b/c I was excited thinking I could be having a baby soon! I had some more contractions this morning and, just like yesterday, they ended pretty quickly. I talked to my mom earlier who doubts I'll make it to my due date - yay! But, really, who knows! Everyone can make predicitions, but David will come when he's good and ready... but I hope it's soon! My back is absolutely killing me!! I woke up in the middle of the night needing the bathroom and could not roll over or get out of bed - my back is in really bad shape. Not to mention that I have to climb over Molly's gate to get to the bathroom which almost always trips me. I was sad to miss church this morning because I just could not manuver me and my big belly today. I am trying so hard not to take medicine so I'm just taking it easy.

So my first baby shower was last Saturday and it was a blast! We got tons of clothes and had some really yummy snacks - thanks so much Linda for hosting it for me! My next shower (with my family) is a week from today and I am so stoked! The more mom and I talk about it, the more I wish it would hurry up and get here!!!

Weekly Review

So, the last week or so has been pretty crazy: getting my house ready for guests (Jason's brother Robert stayed with us while he went to classes - WOW did they eat a lot! and my bestest Kjirstin came in town for my baby shower - yay!), having my first baby shower, and the perpetual baby preparation.

My baby shower was awesome! Linda was sweet enough to host it for me and we had a blast! She put sooo much work into it (like A TON!) and it was amazing. My friend Kjirstin came in from Kansas City and it was great getting to spend time with her!! (I hadn't seen her since my wedding) So she came over and helped me organze all my new baby stuff and we talked forever. Then she went to church with us the next morning and had to leave too soon! So once she left, it was back to a normal Sunday.... kind of. Jason and Robert played video games for, basically, the rest of the day (imagine that!) and I sat around with the puppy - joy.

Tomorrow Jason and I are picking up the last major baby accessory we need - a dresser. I found it on craigslist and it is beautiful! It's basically brand new and has a changing area on top. It's exactly what I've been looking for and can't WAIT for the blue baby clothes that are all over my room to find a new home!

Anyway, it's been an awesome week (mostly) and one week closer to meeting David - yay!

Drum Roll Please...

Over the past 9ish months, Jason and I have been back and forth over these baby names and we finally have a winner!!! And it isn't even a name we were considering, lol.
Coming March 4th (ish): David William Duree!
David is Jason's middle name and William is my dad's middle name - so perfect! Not to mention the name David has strong roots in my family also. It's not a particularly unique or "new" name, but we love it. So, now I all have to do is make it through the next 4 weeks, 3 baby showers, and finishing getting things organized for him to come - it'll be here so soon... and so will David!

Talk about baby hungry....

So, who hasn't heard about the woman in California who had octuplets this past week. If you haven't, turn off Lost and House and watch the news! lol (ps I LOVE those shows!!!) Anyway, I cannot believe that woman would risk her health for 8 more kids!! Not to mention that she had to pay for fertility treatments (which are not even close to cheap) THEN we all find out that she has 6 more kids at home! What the... 14 kids!??! I love big families, I think they are great! And, honestly, it's not even about the number, it's about the money! Mine and Jason's original plan was to wait to have kinds until we were mostly out of school. Now, obviously Heavenly Father had other pertinent plans for us but that doesn't change my mind about having kids in the future - Jason and I still want to wait until we can FINANCIALLY support a bigger family. While it was not our plan to have kids right now, we feel confident in our ability. We don't have to pay for a sitter b/c Rick and Linda are awesome and letting us take the baby to work. We are getting OUT of debt and not accumulating more! We're not super fond of our living situation right now, but it's allowing us to pay off bills and save money. My kids will not be a welfare check! I can attribute my independent "I can do it all myself" attitude to my mother who always encouraged me to make sure I could get my needs met (that I could do it without relying on anyone else for anything) and make smart choices.
Babies are amazing and great and I cannot wait to hold my son! But I think more people need to think about what's best for their situation. Kids are dang expensive and it's the parent's responsibility to raise them, not the governments

A snow day?

So, all I've been hearing about is this crazy winter storm we're supposed to get tonight... but I can't help but wonder if it will really be as bad as everyone's been saying. Let's face it, Missouri's weather is sooo hit or miss. Jason and I were so excited on Sunday when we walked out of sacrament meeting and saw that there was snow on the ground! The first snow of the winter! Well, for us. We were on our cruise the first time around. Anyway, we're hoping to have enough snow to cover the grass, but I'm kind of hoping for not much more. It makes me sooo nervous to ride in a car when the weather is bad! Jason's a rock star and drives pretty much everywhere, but sometimes he can get a little too excited about the snow and take off too fast, or talk about doing doughnuts, or acting like a 12 year old... not too cool. It would be fun to stay home and play with our puppy! Although, I don't see that happening. Since it's the busiest time of the year for work, we probably won't get to. BUT if the roads are super bad - you won't find me in a car!!! lol

Laundry Day!

So, why am I so excited? Well, probably because 1. I'm not actually doing all the laundry until tomorrow and 2. I washed the baby's stuff today and it was so fun! Strange how once you shrink the clothes about 12 sizes, it makes laundry fun, lol.

Uncontrolably Emotional... How Ridiculous!

I have nailed down the single worst part of being pregnant... screw the getting fat, not being able to breathe, puking until you can't anymore. No all of those fail in comparision to the truth - I hate that I am so undesirable to be around!!! I could not control my emotions if I wanted to and I know that makes me no fun at all. I can't take any criticism, everything offends me, I hate our dog because she wants my attention, and I feel like I pick the dumbest fights! I do not understand (nor will I ever) how Jason can still want to wake up next to me and tell me how much he loves me everyday. I've never actually suffered from depression or anything like it, but now that I feel so down all the time, I cannot imagine living everyday like this. Atleast I know that someday these feelings will end. I am so thankful for the days when I wake up and am so happy! I say a quiet prayer that I will be able to continue to feel like this the rest of the day or any day I'm feeling down. I'm just so thankful for Jason and for the help he gives me. 6 weeks and I am counting every moment!!!

American Idol and Church Ball

I cannot believe I actually watched an early show of American Idol! It was pretty comical... but it made me hate some new people... people who I've never even met, lol. It was awful yet entertaining for 2 hours.

Then Jason left for church basketball at 9. I do give him a pretty hard time about leaving me, but I don't really care. Well, I don't care unless it's Wednesdays AFTER he gets home and the next morning because that's when he comes home and tells me about the 42 ways he almost died at basketball, lol. There are several times when he has come home with HUGE bruises on his legs, or twisted ankles, he even needed stitches one time! Last night, while jumping out of bounds to save the ball (which didn't matter since he threw it so hard it went out of bounds on the other side of the court), he ran into the hard plastic curtain type divider and has a lovely imprint of it on his forehead... *sighs* He also managed to jam or possibly break one of this fingers and rupture blood vessels in another. I keep reminding him that is only church ball and not the end of the world. He goes for fun... but since when does fun include hurting yourself? hmmm...

Well, when Jason is running himself into the ground (by the way... he does not have health insurance), I watch the news and sleep, lol. I definitely get the better end of the deal because any injuries that happen while I'm dreaming, stay in dream world and that's the important thing!

So, I have a doctor's appointment today... good thing too because I have lots of questions. One thing I am definitely sure of is that the baby has dropped! So, that doesn't mean I'm going to go into labor tomorrow or even a couple weeks early, but it does mean that I have more room to breathe and I love it! It also doesn't make it easier to sleep which is super sad. Standing up is a lot stranger than it should ever be, and I get a little creeped out how low I feel this little guy moving. But I am all about mroe lung space so I will deal, lol.

33 Weeks and Counting!

So, up until this exact moment, my pregnancy has been FLYING by! And now, of course, when I am least comfortable, time chooses to drag on ever so slowly! No, I am not looking forward to super sleepless nights and diapers (not that it will necessarily be as bad as everyone makes it out to be), but I am looking forward to holding our sweet little boy and having my lung capacity back! lol. I miss breathing and singing. Jason (with the help of our bishop) has convinced me to join the ward choir, but it's completely useless because I can barely make it through the first verse of hymns in church! Let alone sing a special musical number that bishop has been reminding me I promised him when we moved in a year ago, lol.

I keep thinking about things to come that mean the very end of pregnancy... baby showers, buying the few last things I need, actually looking as pregnant as I am, lol. OK, not really looking forward to that, but I guess it has to happen sometime. By the way, I am still in pre-pregnancy clothes... good and bad. Jason and I are just very anxious to get the worst part over to enjoy the best parts that will surely ensue.

All you need is love...

So, here's what I'vee decided on in the last week or so... I cannot depend on anyone but myself and Jason, lol. But seriously, it seems like I always get let down at some point so I'm done being so trusting and thinking that maybe someone could be different. I'm so greatful for Jason - He's the BEST! Somedays are rough, but it doesn't make sense to try and elan on anyone else... instead of trying to fix your relationship and make hurt feelings better, your just talking badly about the person you are going to spend eternity with. What is up with that?!?! So, one of my resolutions is to be better at it, to lean on Jason even if he's driving me crazy! I know this is a totaly tangent, but I know that Jason will never hurt me the way others always manage to and that he loves me no matter what - he's shown me that time and time again.

Anyway, so, my mom is currently in Jamaica and I am totally jealous!! I wish it were sunny and warm here, but alas, winter doesn't end just because Christmas is over, lol. I'm super excited about how awesome my relationship has gotten with my mom. I never thought things would be this good ever again after the whole wedding thing... and then the baby thing... but things are great and I love going out there to spend time with mom dad and alex. OK, now i'm just rambling b/c I'm trying to stay awake until Jason gets home, but I think he's out of luck, lol

Oh Saturdays!

Saturdays are the one day a week we ae given to get all of our projects out of the way - a nesting, pregnant woman's dream!! Except for me, lol. However, today was definitely different from most Saturdays. I still had to work at 8:30 am for my landlord and had a back ache when I was done at 12:30. So I took a break, had some lunch, and got right back to work on my own stuff! I cleaned my house (well, part of it), made a gerocery list, went shopping, then felt guilty about asking Jason to come with me because I realized that he is fasting, lol. Then we got home, did some laundry, and UNdecorated our house from Christmas. Now I am finally sitting down to the internet and watching My Big Fat Greek Wedding - such a funny movie! Oh... and watching my belly move from the little man kicking me on the inside, lol.

I cannot believe that in a few short weeks (about 9) Jason and I will be holding our sweet little boy! I have been having such a fun time getting ready for him to come. I love all the gifts we've been fortunate enough to get and have had a great time shopping for the few things we've bought. I love it when Jason just randomly tells me how excited he is. I just wish we had a name picked out!! I guess when the time comes for us to ABSOLUTELY have settled on a name, we'll love whatever we pick, lol.

2009, PLEASE let me be wiser!

Jason and I had so much fun last night!! Mom drove all the way to our house basically just to pick up our puppy for us (she is awesome!) and we went to the doctor's office. I love going to the doctor's office! He's very quick to praise me which I feel like I need these days! My weight gain has been awesome, I don't call him 15 times a day with the same problem and he is very supportive of my choice to deliver naturally - yay! He's a very awesome guy and I am stoked! Then Jason and I ran some quick errands and got lunch at Applebee's (Thanks to my grandma for the gift card!). We went out to my mom and dad's house after that... Since they picked up Molly for us, I didn't want to blow them off. So we spent time here. Mom and I went to the store while Jason, Alex and my Dad played Baseball on the Xbox. Then I went to dinner with my friend from high school, Ashli and we had a blast! It was only about 45 minutes from the time we got there, ordered our food, ate, and got the bill. However, we ended up staying there for almost 3 hours just talking. We saw soooo many people we knew coming in and out so our table number would grow and decrease in size, but it was a lot of fun. I went straight from dinner to my friend Jamie's house where my family and Jason were waiting for me. We didin't stay too terribly long because I was getting pretty tired. So we came home and I fell asleep, but Jason woke me up just in time for New Years! I to watch the ball drop, got my kiss, ate some cereal, and went back to bed, lol.

Upon waking up this morning, however, all I can think about is one particular worry. The details are irrelevant, but I'm basically getting screwed over by someone who I NEVER thought would do this to me... and it makes me really sad. This isn't the first time where this person has been two faced with me and I'm just so shocked. That they would continue to do this to me and that I would let it. It's been going on waayyy too long. It's not like I can avoid this person, either. I just feel so hurt that they're not even pretending to be understanding or sympathetic of the situation at all. I guess it hurts so bad because, like I said, I never would have expected something like this from them. I don't even know how to approach the situation... I'm just at a loss and Jason doesn't know what to do either. It's just irritating how this person always says how willing they are to help if I ever needed anything, and now that I do (and it's not an outrageous request), I'm being told "Ummmm, I guess you better figure it out" Not a direct quote, but if they would actually say something to me instead of through the grapevine, I'm sure it would have sounded a lot like that. Thanks

So please, 2009, let me be wiser in the company I keep, the choices I make, and how to be compassionate to people who are in need... And then let me be an example to this person.