A Year Full of Changes

I've been absent from my blog postings for a few weeks, so I thought I would at least post something tonight while I'm feeling up to it. The "night" sickness is slowing getting better, although I'm still super tired. I am usually in bed by 8pm-9pm so it's actually pretty amazing that it's almost 10pm and I'm still awake! For those of you who suggested Preggy Pops and Preggy Pop Drops -- they have been wonderful and definitely help -- thanks for the great tip!

We had our 12 week appointment last week and it went really well. It was amazing to see how much the baby had grown! Still can't tell if it's a boy or a girl, but we plan on finding out when it's time so I'll keep you posted. I haven't scanned in the last photos from the sonogram, so I'll try to do that soon and post those too.

We received some really BIG NEWS today that my DH (dear husband) has been selected to become an Officer in the Air Force! He has been working so hard on this next step in his career ever since he graduated from Mercer University last year. It's huge!! If you only knew how much paperwork he has had to complete to submit his "package" to become an officer...it's insane! We have had a few ups and downs through the process, but it was such a blessing to finally get confirmation that he was selected -- hooray!

Now for the crazy part... My DH will have to report to Officer Training School (OTS) on August 6th and will be there until he graduates as a 2nd Lieutenant on November 4. It's sad to think that he's going to miss 3 months of my pregnancy, but at least he will only be in Montgomery, AL (although I won't get to see him). Once he graduates and pins on as an Officer, we'll be moving a few days later. So, basically, we'll be moving the week of November 4th to either San Antonio, TX or Pensacola, FL so he can go through 10-12 months of Navigator training. Once that training is complete we will be given a new location assignment based on the aircraft he will be flying on and we'll be there 2-3 years.

We're both very excited about this opportunity, yet naturally a little nervous about all the drastic changes in such a short amount of time (separation for 3 months, moving to a new state, having a baby....)! God is in control, so we have complete faith that He will guide us and take care of us. It's just going to be a challenge, but I'm confident it will all work out just fine.

So...let the fun begin!

A rough week...and a new craving!

I know this will eventually pass, but I'm still feeling pretty crummy. I'll be 12 weeks on Monday, so I'm crossing my fingers each day will be better than the last. The evenings are the worst, so I've been going to bed pretty early (7-8pm!) and have completely neglected my email and personal life! I really need to try the Preggie Pops that everyone recommends...it's just a matter of finding a place that sells them here in Warner Robins. I plan to do my research today because I've heard that they really help.

On a funny note...I had a very strange craving this week. I've never really liked mayonnaise, so I'm not much of a fan of things that are mixed with it either. Well, pregnancy will completely change your taste buds because this week I had a strong craving for cole slaw! Not only did I want cole slaw, but I wanted it on a hot dog bun...so basically, I was craving a "Slaw Dog"! I think I ate it for dinner 3 nights this week...very odd. My latest food aversion is mushrooms (which I love!) and I can 't stand the smell of matches (or really the smell of a match after it's been lit and then blown out - the smokey smell makes me want to throw up)!

I have my 12 week doctor's appointment on Tuesday afternoon, so I'll be sure to post the newest sonogram pictures when I get them scanned in. I can't wait to see how much the baby has grown!

A Relaxing Weekend

I am so thankful we didn't have plans this weekend. The next 4 weekends are full for us, so it was a blessing to have a weekend of pure rest. I thought that since I was coming to the end of my 10th week that I would start to feel better...boy, was I wrong!

I went to bed early on Friday night and was up at 7:45am on Saturday morning. I finally crawled out of bed at 8am and was feeling really good. I did a few things around the house and then went out to water my flowers. It was a HOT day in Georgia (I think it got up to 100 degrees)! We ran into some neighbors and played with their kids for a while and then I had to go in because I was starting to overheat. We spent the rest of the day napping and relaxing and then (like clockwork) I started to feel icky again at around 6pm.

I didn't sleep well on Saturday night (I ended up on the couch), but I was determined to make it to church on Sunday morning. I have been absent the last few weeks because I have felt so miserable, but I wasn't going to let it get to me this time...and I made it! The service ran a little long, so at one point I thought I might have to excuse myself, but I remembered I had some peppermints in my purse. I think I ate about 4 of them during church and thankfully they helped with the nausea!

When we got home from church, a surge of energy come over my DH and he was like the Energizer Bunny cleaning the house! Today he has done laundry, vacuumed, mopped the kitchen and both bathrooms, cleaned both bathrooms, put clean sheets on the bed and then made dinner! He's my hero!!! I did help with some of the cleaning, but he was running circles around me! What would I do without him?!! I took a little nap from about 3pm-4:30pm and woke up feeling crummy again. I ate 2 Popsicles (I seem to crave cold things in my mouth when I don't feel well) and crawled on the couch while my DH continued to clean and cook! Even in the 97 degree weather we're having today, he's out running with Waddles! I caught them as they arrived back home and got a few pictures for you to see (obviously the date stamp on my camera is set wrong)...

I can't believe they ran in this heat!
Waddles is all tuckered out!

Hopefully as I approach week 12, I'll start to feel a bit better and can help more around the house (or just have more motivation to do things in general). In the meantime, I'm so thankful and blessed that I have such a wonderful hubby! How did I get so lucky?!

My visit from Mr. Sandman

Today was a pretty good day. The nausea was at a minimum and I had energy for most of the day. I'm starting to wind down again and will more than likely be in bed by 9pm, but that's nothing compared to yesterday...

I had a pretty busy day at work yesterday. By the time I left a little after 5pm, I thought I might fall asleep behind the wheel during my 30 minute commute home. I arrived home around 5:45pm and my DH (dear husband) was pulling in the driveway right behind me. I came in the house, put my things away, changed clothes, and crawled on the bed for a little power nap...it was 6:15pm. My power nap turned into a 12 hour all night sleep! I woke up twice to have a little something to eat and to brush my teeth. I thought for sure I would be wide away at 4am, but I guess "baby" needed some extra rest to do some growing!

I'm thankful that my DH doesn't complain when I need to go to bed at 6:15pm and he's definitely been picking up the "slack" around the house. He's done tons of laundry, taken care of all the dishes, cleaned the bathrooms, changed the sheets on the bed, walked Waddles....need I say more?!! I'm so blessed!

So, off to bed for another great night's sleep!

Morning Sickness = All Day Sickness

I'm not sure who coined the phrase "morning sickness." It's completely misleading. For me it's been more like an all day sickness. Today has been one of those days where I've felt overly exhausted and nauseous since I woke up this morning. It's not fun. Now, don't get me wrong. I know this is just a small price to pay for the bundle of joy that will arrive approximately 7 months from now. It's just draining and my dear husband (DH) has been so patient with my ups and downs. I have to admit that I'm so thankful the "morning sickness" is typically only supposed to last during the first trimester, which means I only have about 2 more weeks of it (yay!). I've tried to do my best to eat healthy today despite the nausea, but today's diet consisted of popsicles, crackers, ginger ale, grits and jello. I'm hopeful that I'll bounce back tomorrow so I can make it through a full day of work and find some healthier food choices for the growing baby.

I think I might try to eat a bowl of Cheerios before I go to bed...one of my most recent food cravings!

The First of Many Baby Steps...

On April 29, 2008, we found out the best news of our lives -- we're going to be parents! My hubby and I were nervous and excited all at the same time (along with a little shocked!). Ever since the doctor confirmed the pregnancy, we haven't wiped the smiles off our faces (except for when I'm struggling with a bout of nausea or a tiredness I've never felt before...who knew pregnancy would wipe the energy out of you?!?). Overall, it will definitely be worth the ups and downs for the future addition to our family. And, since it's the first grandchild on both sides of our family, it's bound to be spoiled rotten!

At our 7 week appointment, we had a good visit with the doctor and found out our due date is December 30, 2008. Our sonogram showed a tiny baby nestled safely and securely in the womb. It was so small (the size of a blueberry) but put the biggest smile on our face. Here's the sonogram (the baby is between the two "+" signs):

At our 9 week appointment, we had another sonogram and actually got to hear the baby's heartbeat! What a little miracle!!! Not only were we able to see some amazing pictures and footage of the baby, it also put on a show for us and started dancing around! Thankfully, we captured it all on tape so we can share with everyone. In the meantime, here are the sonogram photos from our 9 week appointment. Baby is growing like a little weed and even has fingerprints!

So, for those of you who want to follow our journey to parenthood with us...here we go! It will be full of "Baby Steps" and a big leap of faith, but we feel extremely fortunate and blessed that God has given us this little miracle!