Spotted in Auburn

Some of you may remember the Sonoma......well I saw it in Auburn today at Walmart. It took me a while to convince Josh that it was in fact my first vehicle ever! We can all remember the excitment we felt turning 16, especially if our birthday present involved a car. Well right before I turned 16 my Grandbobby mentioned to me that he may get me a new car for my birthday. After months of being tormented by the threat of the Ford Tempo that was broken down behind his barn.... hearing him say that was such a relief! Here I was about to be 16 and getting  a car, I was beyond thrilled. He even asked me to think about what I would like to drive. Unfortunately before I could tell him my thoughts on the purchase he shows up with this.....

As grateful as I was and still am for the gift, it was not at all what I would have picked for myself! But I drove it for a couple of years and managed to keep it one piece. It definitely had its own unique look and I can almost guarantee that it is a one of a kind truck!!! It cracks me up to know someone is still driving this truck and doesn't even realize how much it meant to me or how much my Grandbobby loved driving it. I miss him so much.....

34 weeks

We are super excited because we found out last week that Sully will have a friend right down the road! Josh's cousin Melissa and her husband Justin are expecting!! We could not be happier for them...they will make great parents!

As for me, I am at 34 week today and go back to the Dr. next week. When I was there last week we had the dreaded discussion about having, or rather, not having an epidural. If my platelets get to a certain level I can't have one. This really makes me nervous even though I was already on the fence about getting one. Now I may not even have the option at all. I had to have my blood drawn again last week and they said they would call if they were concerned.....still no call from them so I am hoping that maybe they have stopped dropping. Regardless I will still have to get my blood drawn every so often until Sully arrives and even for a few weeks after to make sure they are going back up like they should.

I have to admit all of this has made me a little anxious about labor and delivery but I know God will get me through it! I am trying to read up on natural childbirth to prepare my mind for the whole process. I guess the scary part is knowing he could really come at any time and not knowing when is what make me so nervous. His movements have definitely changed in the past few weeks. Now it feels like he is just rolling around and I only feel the strong kicks and jabs when I lay down on my side. He can get pretty aggressive in there and I can definitely tell he is packing on the weight! Everything I have read about the 34th week says he is between 4 1/2 and 5 pounds and 15-20 inches long. I just can't believe we are so close to meeting him and am amazed everyday at how quickly everything is happening!

I am off to separate yet another Chihuahua fight.....the little ones have been at each others throats, literally, all day!
 

Busy Christmas!!!

We have been sooo busy as I am sure everyone has the past week and it is so nice for things to slow back down. In preparation for family to have Christmas lunch at our house I went to the grocery store about 12 times. Finally I decided if we didn't have it we were not making it! Christmas Eve we went to my Gran and Pops' house for dinner with my dad, sister, brother and his girlfriend Olivia. As always we had a wonderful time visiting. Christmas day we had my mom, her boyfriend, my Oamu, Aunt Karen, Roger and Linda all over for lunch. All went well and I think we did a pretty good job of feeding everyone. We fried our first turkey, cooked a ham and had an assortment of veggies and desserts. Saturday we headed back to Montgomery for Christmas with Marti and her side of the family. Being pregnant through the holiday has been an eye opener on how busy we will be once Sully arrive. Hopefully next year we can have more family come to our house!! We still have one more Christmas left and this one does not involve turkey or ham. We are going to have dinner with Stephen (my stepdad) and Dori. They are cooking a standing rib roast which I am very excited about and can't wait to eat!!

It amazes me how fast it goes by. We are extremely blessed and thankful for such great family and friends! Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas!!

Of course no family gathering is complete without Rock Band.......

Merry Christmas!

Josh really wanted a Snuggie (surprised me..I had no idea!) but he was nice enough not to steal his dad's in the first game of Dirty Santa. Finally, the second time around he was able to get one!

 

We had a great time celebrating Christmas with both sides of Josh's family! This week we do it all over again with my side.

I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!!

Things I miss most.....at 32 weeks

tying my own shoes on my own (obviously not Josh and I in the picture but this is how my shoes are tied now).....putting on socks by myself without falling over....drying my feet off....sleeping longer than 3 hours straight....having shoes that actually fit.....being able to squeeze by a slow person in an aisle....rolling up my pants legs with my pants on....being able to eat a hamburger....having the energy to do anything longer than an hour without getting tired....letting the dogs sleep in the bed with us....

I am pretty certain there are about a hundred other things I have forgotten to mention, but for now this list will do. Even with all the things I miss there are ten times more on my "things I love about being pregnant" list. This has to be one of the greatest feelings ever...especially now that I know and feel Sully's movements even though I may not know what part is moving.

As far as appointments, etc everything is about the same. i went back last wednesday for my 4th platelet check (because tuesday's were low) and suprise...they were lower than before. They were 104 tuesday and wednesday they were at 95. My doctor does not seem to concerned and will continue monitoring them...gestational thrombocytapenia (can't believe I spelled that right) is just one of those things that happens for no reason. So if she is not worried I am not worried, I know they will continue to have Sully and I's best interest at heart when caring for us. My iron was a little lower as well so I am now taking a low dose of iron. I go back next week for my 33 week checkup and more bloodwork. Last Saturday Josh and I went to a breastfeeding class....very informative if you plan on breastfeeding. As for Sunday we went to church then I headed to Montgomery for Brady and Christina's baby shower...pics to follow. I had a great time and seeing all that pink made me want another baby...I know crazy right....Sully is not even here yet and I am already talking about number 2! Josh and I have had many discussions in the past few months about how many children we want, God willing, and we definitely want a brother or sister for Sully sooner rather than later! But that is a different story for a later date!

Can you believe Christmas is a week away???? I am looking forward to a great weekend filled with family, friends and two dirty santa parties! On top of that we have two people coming in town Friday evening to hunt for the weekend! It is going to be a busy week...hope everyone has a great one!

Sideways Baby

yep..Sully is laying across my belly (like a sausage is what the dr. said)!! Which is fine by me as long as he moves into the right position in time for delivery! I think this is why I have been much more comfortable the past week or so and have not felt so much pressure. At my appointment today the Dr. said everything looks great and I am measuring right at 31 weeks. I had to go have more blood drawn for my 3rd platelet check...I am praying they remain high and have not dropped again!

Josh and I have had a busy week and it keeps getting busier the closer we get to Christmas. As I have mentioned in previous posts our guest bedroom had carpet so we wanted to get that out. We were prepared to put tile down and when Josh pulled the carpet up he discoverd hardwood floors which are beautiful! Now all we have left to do is redo our kitchen cabinets and island.

We also got our Chrismas tree up and decorated! I can't believe how organized I was last year because everything was in a Christmas bin! I apparently took advantage of after Christmas sales as well because I had wrapping paper, gift bags, tags, bows and tissue paper in there as well. Hopefully I will be up to doing the same thing this year.  This weekend we are going to a breastfeeding class that I have heard is very helpful. We also have a baby shower for my cousin and his wife. They are expecting a little girl who is due a week before Sully. Brady (my cousin) and I were very close when we were little so I think it is so much fun that we will both become parents at the same time.

Well that is about it for now.... Josh and I are about to watch a movie and enjoy this rainy afternoon!!

Nannette

Today would have been Josh's mom's 60th birthday, a birthday she was very excited about celebrating. She was a beautiful woman inside and out!! The Christmas season was one of her favorite times of the year and she loved decorating the tree with her grandchildren. This picture was taken about this time last year when all the kids were in town to visit and help their Nana decorate the tree. We miss her so much and are thankful for so many wonderful memories.

10 weeks to go

I have been told that these last 10 weeks of pregnancy will creep by. I honestly can't imagine being tired of carrying Sully. This pregnancy has been pretty easy and I pray it continues to stay that way. With Christmas quickly approaching I am pretty sure the next four weeks will fly by! I am interested to know exactly how much he weighs....it is crazy to think he weighs less than one of our chihuahuas and he can take up so much room. Sometimes I will place one of them on my stomach to compare sizes then they freak out and jump off because Sully kicks or punches them.

As for Thanksgiving we had a great time filled with lots of family and great food! We started out at Josh's aunts for lunch then off to my grandparents house in Montgomery for dinner. We also celebrated Mama Joy's (Josh's grandmother) 77th birthday on Thursday. I love this time of year and getting to share the day with so many loved ones and the good food doesn't hurt either.

Today my office held a surprise baby shower for us this afternoon which was so much fun! Sully got some cute stuff to keep him warm as well as some toys and gadgets to keep him happy. I am really going to miss everyone at the office. I work a few more days this month and I officially become a stay at home mom-to-be until Sully's arrival. I am so blessed to have the chance to stay home with my little man but I will definitley miss working!

29 weeks

Well we finally have tile floors in the living room!! I do not know how people live with carpet in their homes....and thankfully I never have to think about it again...that is until the next time I go in the guest bedroom. The guest bedroom is last on our list of updates but that carpet is coming up and very soon. The amount of dirt you track in every day is amazing, especially if your husband is a hunter! The tile floors make it so much easier to clean. Once we get everything where I want it I will post a few pics. My sinuses have improved dramatically since the carpet came up and I can actually breath again just in time for Sully to invade my rib cage! He is doing great by the way. We had our 29 week appointment today and the Dr. said I am measuring right on track and that everything looks good.

The christmas tree farm opens tomorrow and it will be all I can do not to get a tree tomorrow. I want to at least wait until after Thanksgiving so we will probably pick one up Saturday and start decorating!!

I hope everyone has a safe and happy Thanksgiving!!!

7 Months

I know I say it every time I post but time is flying by!! The past week has been super busy for us and we can't wait to meet our little man! Yesterday we got the results back from my blood work and found that my platelets have dropped again. If you know me you know I google everything!! So of course this has been no different. From what I have read this happens in about 5-8% of pregnant women later in pregnancy and typically needs no treatment. Next week when I go back we will be scheduling more blood work to keep an eye on things. I came into this pregnancy with a serious fear of needles. We are talking nurses chasing me around the room, crying, pitching a fit, cussing and desperately searching for other alternatives type of fear!! Now I do not even flinch even though it does make my stomach turn still. I am happy to say my fear has been pretty much eliminated. Knowing that there are things that need to be done to ensure that Sully is safe and happy makes me stronger and less fearful. Now if we can only control my weak stomach, I know Sully will certainly cure that and with a quickness!

Yesterday was also a fun day for us because we got to see Sully again and this time on the 4d ultrasound. It is so amazing that technology can create such beautiful images of our little man. My mom and Linda (Josh's stepmom) got to come with us and absolutely loved seeing him. He was very active as usual so we had trouble getting some of the images. We were able to solve the mystery as to why I have so much pressure in my lower abdomen already....he is head down with his feet and arms curled up to his head!! It was the cutest and most uncomfortable thing I think I have ever seen. The umbilical cord was all in the way which made it difficult to get clear images of his face but I think we got some good ones.

Lazy Sunday

This has been a great weekend filled with visits from family, childbirth classes and of course shopping! Friday my mom came up to go out to dinner and to have Josh fix her computer. I love when my mom comes to town, we have so much fun together! Saturday we got up bright and early for our 3rd childbirth class which was all about pain management via relaxation and meds. This was the most informative class and eased some of my fears on having an epidural. But, I am still not set on whether I will have one or not. We also were able to tour labor and delivery during this class. The rooms are a lot better than I had imagined and surprisingly people do try to steal babies. Thankfully there have been no attempts at the hospital and they have excellent measures to keep this from happening. Saturday afternoon we had my stepdad and stepmom over for dinner. We had a great time and really enjoyed the visit. This was there first time here so we rode them around the property and introduced them to the herd. I love how our dining room has turned out and just had to take a picture! We love having "grown-up" dinners and this weekend has definitely made me so excited for our first Christmas dinner with family and friends at our house!! I have averted my eyes from Christmas decor long enough and can't wait to start decorating the house in the coming weeks!! I was disappointed with the game this weekend and so glad we have an extra week to prepare for Alabama. Have a great week!! War Eagle!!!

27 Weeks

Only 13 weeks left.....time is really flying by! As you can see I am quickly growing out of my favorite Auburn shirt. I go back to the Dr. in the morning to check my platelets and iron levels again since they were a little low last time. I am hoping they are back to normal and plan on eating a nice piece of red meat for dinner just in case! We are going to Mikata and I can't wait, I love that place! I have begun to notice that when you are pregnant your belly becomes public property. I am not one to be rude but I am getting very tired of hearing people's reaction when I tell them how far along I am. While some say I look right on track there are those who think it is okay to tell me that I look like I am due any day now. This drives me crazy!! When is it ever appropriate to comment on someone's size...I mean really...I would never say something like this, especially not to a hormonal pregnant women! I have not gone crazy on anyone but would like to slap a few peoples hands from my belly every now and then. Mainly just the strangers who think it is okay to touch my belly...very annoying.

As far as pregnancy goes I think I have had a relatively smooth ride. I am having more back pain and what I think are Braxton Hicks contractions. It is kind of scary because I do not really know what to expect. I have noticed that they usually happen when I am busy doing something and when I rest and drink some water they go away. The past week has been tough because I get tired so easily and can't do everything I want to when I want to. I can tell that my nesting phase, which Josh thought never would begin, has started. This afternoon I re-organized our kitchen cabinets, boxed up 3 sets of china and got rid of some furniture (with Josh and Mitchell's help). By the time the floors are finished I hope to have everything else done.

I have also been taking pictures with my NEW camera...Yeah!! I finally got a new camera and absolutely love it!! It is the Canon SX200 IS and it comes highly recommended. I haven't had much time to play with it but from what I have seen it will be a great camera!! Also on the list of fun new things is my very, very comfortable chaise lounge which I will be spending countless hours on in the coming months. Now we just need to find Josh a new chair and couch.....
Well I guess that is it for now. Crossing fingers for a finished nursery this weekend!!! Hope everyone has a great week!

Nursery Updates

Finally!! We have started working on the nursery again. I have posted some pics of what we have accomplished so far. I have had my bedding for a little over two months now and finally put it in the crib. It needs to be ironed again but I just had to see what it looked like in Sully's crib. Also we have positioned the dressers, which were my great grandmother's, and placed one of the twin beds in the room as well. I am still not sure if I want a glider and thought this would be a good alternative. Josh made finishing touches to prep the wall before painting so that should be done tomorrow. I am going to get the closet system, new curtain rods and door knobs tomorrow so hopefully by this weekend we will have a fully functioning nursery! Here are a few pic of what we have so far....please excuse the lighting on these...I am having to use my BB since my camera is dead....
Today was also my 26 week appointment which went well. The Dr. did say my iron and platelets were a tiny bit lower than what she would like so I go back for more blood work next week. I am beginning to feel like a pin cushion and still have bruises from my 3 hour glucose test. Other than that though everything looks great! As for the belly....I feel like I have no more room....it is literally getting bigger by the day!!!! My mom took some pics of it over the weekend so as soon as she sends them I will put some up.

25 Weeks

It has been a while since I have updated everyone on Sully so here it goes..... I had my 24 week appointment last week and the Dr. said everything looks great and he is definitely growing! While there they checked my weight (total gain is 8 pounds), BP (100/65), checked for proteins and sugars (none), fundal height (measuring a little ahead as usual) and of course Sully's heartbeat which is in the 130's. My pregnancy book says that Sully weighs around 1 1/2 pounds and he can now recognize light and will turn his head toward a flashlight shining on my belly. He is moving all the time and has formed a schedule which I have heard can be consistent with his schedule once he is born. I feel him starting around 8am and from there it is every 2-3 hours. Every night Josh and I spend at least 30 minutes talking to him and watching him move around. Being able to see and feel him move around is incredible!! We have been trying to hear his heartbeat with a stethoscope my mom gave us a while back and last night we think we heard it. Sully is very playful and constantly kicks at it when we are trying to listen.

While at my 24 week appointment they scheduled me for the 1-hour glucose screen that I failed by 4 points. Apparently this is not uncommon and probably had to do with the fact that I ate some fruit for breakfast before taking it. Yesterday I went for my 3 hour glucose test. I was completely dreading it because I was not able to eat or drink anything after midnight. So I go in and I had to drink the lemon-lime glucose drink which doesn't taste that bad but made me feel awful. I sat there for three hours having my blood drawn every hour. Apparently I have vanishing veins so they had to stick me in six different places with the top of my hands being the least pleasant. As you can imagine I look like a bruised up drug addict today! But that is okay because I passed!!!

I go back next week for my 26 week appointment and will continue with visits every two weeks. Our 4D is scheduled for the middle of November and I can't wait to see our little man again. It feels like it has been forever since our last ultrasound! This pregnancy is flying by and I can't believe we only have a few more months left to prepare. The nursery and house updates have been at a stand still but we are hoping to have them finished by Thanksgiving at the latest.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!! War Eagle!!!!

Strength

The past few weeks have meant so much to me. Being able to spend almost every waking minute with my Grandbobby was priceless and I will always look back on those weeks with appreciation. Appreciation for the 81 years he lived telling the best stories and jokes, making friends wherever he went and loving every minute of his life, even the rough patches. He was a good man who meant so much to so many. In his last few weeks he told stories about his life and reminisced with old friends who came to visit. He was always smiling even though he knew he was losing his battle. One of the last things he said before he passed away was, " I've had a good ride, we all had fun and we all got to know each other along the way and that is what is important." I do not think it could have been said any better. Being with Grandbobby in his last moments was something my mother, aunt and I never thought we could handle. But, God knew we were strong enough and we are all so thankful to have been there.

When Josh's mom was put in the hospital I made a trip to the bookstore one afternoon and found new devotionals for Josh and I. I had forgotten how much I loved daily devotions. When Josh's mother passed away these devotionals were our strength to make it day by day. The days lined up beautifully with what we were going through, as if they were written just for us. The words spoke to us so strongly during such a sad time. Over the past few weeks our devotionals have lined up again and given us that extra bit of strength we need.

One month. One month from diagnosis my Grandbobby lost his battle with a cancer none of us saw coming. If you were told you had this much time to live would you be as certain as my grandfather was about where he was going after his life on earth was finished. I do not think anyone can ever be prepared for the death of a loved one. No matter how much time you have with them there are always things you wish you had said or done. One of the most important things you can talk about with those you love is your faith. Sharing the word of God is one of the best gifts we can ever give someone.

Thank you all for your prayers, they mean so much to us!!

On the pregnancy front I have to take the 3-hour glucose screen (yes, I failed the 1-hour, but only by 4 points) so I will update on that later in the week. Hope everyone has a wonderful evening! I will enjoy mine snuggling with my husband, watching Sully kick around and watching a movie.

Well it has been a rough week and a half, to say the least! My grandfather went to the Dr. on the 5th and they found a few small spots in his brain, so he is now going for radiation in addition to the chemo. He had his first Chemo treatment Wednesday with the second on Thursday. He was supposed to have his third on Friday but his blood pressure was really low and his heart rate was erratic and high so they just gave him fluids. Other than that he was feeling good so we packed up and took him to visit some friends who were having a get together for him. He has such amazing friends and it meant so much to him to be able to spend the afternoon with so many of them. Unfortunately it really took a toll on him and his BP and heart rate never were both still not where they needed to be. So this afternoon he was admitted to ICU where they are keeping a close watch on him. We are hoping that the only reason for all of this is the chemo treatments and that his medicines need to be tweaked. Hopefully he will be back up and running and they will release him in the next day or two.

I got home late last night and Josh and I have had a pretty productive Sunday. We ran some errands, got him some new toys for hunting season and did a little housework. Tonight we were watching Brothers Bloom and Sully decided to show us some moves. I have been feeling random movements from him for the past week or two but nothing major. So tonight we are laying around and I feel him move, when I look down I see it! It has to be the coolest thing ever! Josh was even able to see and feel it too. I can't wait to have it be a regular occurence!! I will be 23 weeks on Tuesday and can't believe how fast time is flying by! I am carrying all of my weight in my belly as it has gotten bigger just in the past week or so. I will try to post another pic soon of the growing belly.

With everything going on with my grandfather I have been so worried that me being upset would hurt him. Everytime I sit down and rest and focus on Sully I have felt him moving around. God definitely knows how to ease my mind! I am thankful for everyday I am given with those I love and look forward to many happy days ahead!

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!!

God Is Good!!

Tuesday we met with a wonderful cancer Dr. at UAB's Kirklin Clinic. The whole ride up there we were pretty quiet because we were so nervous/anxious/scared of what the Dr would say about my Grandbobby. The ride back was quite the opposite!! The Dr we met with was so nice, caring and funny, which we all loved! They explained to us that the cancer my grandfather has is small cell (oat) cancer. The best news we could ever get is that it is treatable. This was so good to hear because last week they told us the opposite. So today my mom, aunt and grandfather are going to the cancer center in Montgomery to meet with another Dr and discuss the treatment process. Everyone's prayers and kind words have meant so much to us all!! The funniest part about the whole thing is all the food that has been brought to my mom's house. Everyone knows my mom is not a big cook so they have loaded her down with all kinds of homemade goodies! Thanks to all who have fed us over the past few weeks! A good homecooked meal makes you feel so much better!!

As for Sully and myself we are doing great! Carpal tunnel has set in and can be quite painful, but I really don't mind so much. Round ligament pains have also started to be more noticeable but I welcome them because that means he is growing strong. We signed up for childbirth classes and will start them in November. As for my screening tests I assume no news is good news since I have not heard back from them on either test. I guess that is about it for now. Renovations begin in the next week or so on our living room and guest bedroom so it will be a busy couple of weeks ahead. As for the weekend, War Eagle and I hope everyone has a great one!

Update on Grandbobby and Sully

What a week this has been! I have always been thankful for every day the good Lord gives me to have my grandfather in my life. I am blessed to know such a wonderful and caring man, who by the way never meets a stranger! Thursday his Dr. released him to go home and believe me we were all ready!! There have been so many friends stopping in to visit and help wherever needed. He has an amazing group of friends who love him so much. One thing that everyone continues to tell us is how much he has impacted their lives in such a positive way. Even all his nurses and doctors at UAB absolutely loved getting to know him and he enjoyed joking around with them as well. As far as new info on the diagnosis goes we are still waiting for the biopsy results to come in which should be Monday. Then we will travel back up to UAB to meet with a team of oncologists who will help us all understand exactly what is going on and what the next step is. I pray that we have much more time to spend together, I honestly never thought we would ever be hit by something like this, it has completely shocked us and is still so hard to imagine. As usual though he is taking this with such amazing strength and has put his trust in God, as we all have. thank you all for your support and prayers!!

As for Sully, everything is going well. I went for my 20 week appointment Tuesday right before we made our unexpected trip to UAB. The doctor said everything looked and sounded great. Sully's heartbeat was 139 which remains consistent. I also had the quad screen and cystic fibrosis screening, which I was not excited about. I have very little concern on either one since I have no family history, but I am still a little anxious to get the ok from the Dr. which should be Monday or Tuesday. I have to say that there definitely was a bright spot to my week which was finally getting to show Grandbobby my latest ultrasound pics. He is so excited about Sully's arrival and introduced him to everyone this past week as I am sure he will continue to do!

Half time is almost over so I am going to get back to the game! Hope everyone has a great week!

Please Pray for my Grandbobby....

My grandfather, Grandbobby, means everything to me! He has been my rock and shoulder through every point of my life. He is the most caring, generous and kind mine I have ever known and I am so grateful to have him as my grandfather. He means the world to me and has since the day I was born! A few weeks ago he got his flu shot and hasn't felt good ever since then. Tuesday he came up to UAB to go to the emergency room since he still wasn't feeling well. The doctors ran some tests and scans and found what they believe to be the evil and dreaded "C" word. I hate to even think it or write it because it strikes fear in every part of my body to imagine him sick. So far it looks like it is in his lung and abdomen area, the tests they do tomorrow will determine to what extent. One lung has collapsed which explains why he has been coughing and having trouble sleeping lately. Tomorrow will be more tests and visits with doctors and hopefully we will be able to find out more about what is going on and possible treatment options. So for tonight that is all the news we have. We got up here tonight at about 1030 and were able to see him for about an hour. He is in pretty good spirits and is just ready to get home. We just got into the hotel and I obviously can't sleep.

I know some of you may think I am crazy for putting something so personal up, but it feels good to "talk" about it without saying it out loud. To those who have tried to call me today I am sorry for not taking your call, the more I say the words out loud the more real they become and I do not know if I can keep it together long enough to hold a conversation. Thank you to all who are and continue praying for him, these prayers are greatly appreciated. I also ask that you pray for my grandfather, his doctors, my family and I that we are able to make the right decisions in the coming days. Also please pray that the stress of this does not effect Sully in a negative way, I am trying to stay as strong and calm as possible but its pretty tough! As soon as we hear something more I will be sure and update everyone. Thank you so much for your thoughts and prayers today and in the coming days!!!

thumb sucker

Today we finally had our anatomy scan!! From the moment the ultrasound tech started Sully was dancing and kicking like crazy. He is so much bigger now at 10oz, his heart rate is 139 and she said everything looks perfect and normal. I never thought I would ever love hearing that my child looks normal, but as many mothers and soon to be mothers know this is the best thing you could possibly hear. He is so active that I am surprised I do not feel him more often. The cutest thing was when he went to suck his thumb! The tech said that this is how you can tell if your baby will be right or left handed, depending on which hand he favors in the womb. No matter how little or how much water I drink I am constantly running to the bathroom and today I was able to see why. Sully is constantly kicking my bladder. The fact that he moves around so much is an indication to me that he will be just like his daddy who can't sit still, not even in church. Sadly Josh was not able to make it today because he was trying to finish up a job so they gave me a dvd to show him what he missed. I go for my 20 week appointment Tuesday and will have my triple screen done, yikes,I hate needles! But I look forward to another great report. We are also going to discuss the birthing class schedules and will probably schedule our 4D ultrasound next week as well. I can't wait to see who Sully will favor during the 4D which will probably take place in November. Hope everyone has a great weekend. WAR EAGLE!!!

Half way there.....19 weeks

I know I am not technically half way there but 19 weeks is close enough for me!! I am so excited about this week because we FINALLY get to have our big anatomy scan. When I went for my 16 week appointment the Dr. told me they would schedule it for 18 weeks. Unfortunately my file floated around the nurses station for 3 weeks while I waited not so patiently to find out when we were going. I had been calling for the past two weeks trying to find out why it hadn't been scheduled and no one could tell me. Finally yesterday I spoke to a very nice lady at the office who explained what happened and scheduled it right then. So we are going this Thursday and I am so excited and praying that they see a healthy happy Sully. I swear I felt him last night, it almost felt like somebody thumbing the inside of my stomach about 5 times. I am going to continue thinking it was Sully and not just some random feeling. One of the reasons I am so excited to see Sully Friday is because I have been having very bad dreams and feeling that something is wrong with him. I know these are completely irrational thoughts because I have had no symptom or sign that anything is wrong, but it still scares me every time I go to the doctor. Every day I pray that he is growing to be a healthy, strong and happy baby. I love him so much already and it amazes me daily that God has given us such a beautiful gift.

As for the past week it has been pretty good and the weekend was even better. Friday started out with a surprise visit from Dave & Allison who decided to come down a day early for the game and stay with us. They are great friends that we rarely get to see since they moved. It was so good to see them! That is one of the reasons we love football season because we get to spend time with so many great people who have moved over the years. As for Saturday we went down to Ms. Wanda's to watch the game along with all the usual suspects. As for Sunday it was church and then lunch with the neighbors. It turned out to be a pretty relaxing weekend. I am already looking forward to the weekend because Josh's sister and her family are coming up for the game. Well I hope everyone has a great week and I will post some new shots of the little man when we get them on Thursday! By the way....I finally took a picture of my belly which is finally looking like a bump and not like I ate to many cheeseburgers!!

Not your typical cloth diaper....

As some of you may know Josh and I have decided to go all out in an effort to save money and the environment by using reusable diapers. I know some of you may think we are crazy but after checking out a blog on LG's blog roll we were hooked. The blogger created a whole series following his wife's pregnancy which is very cool! You can go to his blog, Pacing The Panic Room, to see what he has created. I actually started following long before I was pregnant and love his photos! Which brings me to the point of this post, FuzziBunz. During the maternity series he discussed these cute little diapers and how his wife had used them before and loved them. The ease of use and cute patterns available completely convinced me that these were the way to go. Plus, the fact that they actually last amazed me! Which means they can be used if we ever have another child. Now he has started a contest with the owner of the company to give away a set of FuzziBunz for a new family. I am really hoping we win because how cool would that be!! I know some of you reading this are expecting and I think you should really check out their site to make your decision. I was reading online last week that the average family spends over $3000 a year on disposable diapers, that is crazy! I would much rather spend that money on something more productive that won't be thrown in the trash after a few hours. I have created a link to the side and one above for anyone interested in checking FuzziBunz out. below is my favorite game day FuzziBunz......Hope everyone has a great day!

Where are all the maternity clothes.....

Hope everyone had a great Labor Day weekend! This weekend my Mom came down and we did some shopping, something we are both very good at! We went to practically every store in Auburn and Opelika looking for maternity clothes. Needless to say after about 7 hours of shopping we only came up with a few things for me to grow into. Target, Due Date and Ross were the only other places that actually carried maternity clothes. There is also a cute store called Fun & Fancy that has a few items perfect for game day. I have to say it was very frustrating to walk into a store and find that they had no maternity section. Why is it that no one carries them anymore? Needless to say I only got a few tops and two pair of pants. Which means I have got to bite the bullet and go to Montgomery. In just the past week my belly has really grown, it seems like it happened overnight.

On the home front we have some more remodeling to do before the big arrival. We will be pulling up the last bit of carpet that is in the living room and replacing it with tile. I am so excited about this because I absolutely hate to vacuum. Once we get the tile done we are getting new living room furniture. YAY!!! The couches we have are the ones Josh had way before we got married. They are nice couches but dog hair latches on to them soooo bad. I am loving the chair and a half to replace our loveseat. But I have found this super cute paisley chair and ottoman that I may love more at Big Lots, which definitely suprised me! I think it would look great with a dark brown leather couch, preferably one that reclines at the ends.

As for our big anatomy scan....I am still in the dark as to when it will be. It was supposed to be scheduled last week but it still has not been scheduled. So we may go this week we may go next week, I am hoping it is still this week because I want to see Sully again soon!

17 Weeks!

Wow, the past week has flown by! In only 23 weeks we will get to meet Sully! This past week we have been trying to meet in the middle with what we will be calling our precious little boy. Josh's brother says Mini Doppler. This comes from the many nicknames Josh's dad has, one of which is Super Doppler, because he ALWAYS knows what is going on with the weather. No matter where he is or what he is doing he can usually quote weather statistics and has an at home weather station that he monitors daily. EDIT: As a result of this we have just come up with another nickname, Radar, crazy I know but I think it is kind of cute! So who knows what we will decide on, he may have two nicknames by the time he is born! On the pregnancy front I am feeling pretty good and enjoying this part of pregnancy much more. However, there are some things I am not enjoying about it though: sinus infection, fluid behind my eardrum, hamburger meat, processed food and sleeping on my left side. Some of my new loves include: tums smoothies, romaine lettuce, spinach, frozen yogurt, bella band and decaffeinated coffee.

As far as the nursery goes I have picked out the fabrics we will use. It is called "Over the Moon" and as you can tell it is a collection of nursery rhymes in a toile pattern with a pale yellow background. I absolutely love this pattern and if we ever decide to have another baby it can work for a boy or girl! I went back and forth on what fabrics we would use because honestly I did not want one of those cheesy baby rooms, but I still wanted something that was reminiscent of a child's room. I think I have accomplished the look I am going for with this pattern. I am also going to be using red in the room as well but have not decided whether it will be in a gingham, stripe or polka dot pattern. The inspiration for the room are the Red Coats in the pattern. I have 4 beautiful paintings of fox hunts, with the hunters in their red coats, that I received from my great Aunt last year. When we found out Baby H was a boy I just knew they had to be a part of his room and I think they will look great with the fabric! We go back next week for our "official" anatomy scan so I will update next week on how it goes! Hope you all have a great week and WAR EAGLE!!!!

It's a BOY, Roger Sullivan Hornsby!!!

As you may know I am very impatient! I have a very hard time waiting for anything, especially this miracle in my belly! From the minute we found out we were having a baby all I could wish for is that it would be healthy and happy. I pray for Baby H everyday and can't wait to meet him! Whether Baby H was a boy or girl has been something we have wondered since day 1 so we finally decided to have a gender determination ultrasound a little early, 15 weeks 3 days to be exact! My doctor does not typically schedule another ultrasound until 18 weeks and I knew that I could not possibly wait that long. So Friday we went to our appointment and it was awesome! I think this appointment was the coolest thing ever! Baby H was very excited to show us the goods and did it within maybe a minute! Watching him move around and kick was so neat. Josh got to hear the heartbeat for the first time, which was 137. The tech said everything looked perfect which we were so relieved to hear! Like any pregnant woman I have fears that are probably completely irrational so it is nice to hear he is developing into a healthy baby with 10 fingers, 10 toes and everything where it should be. As for the name it is something Josh and I have always wanted to name a little boy! Josh's dad is Roger and of course Sullivan for my granddad. We are in a battle for what his nickname will be, I love Sully and Josh wants Rog, pronounced Roger without the "er". I spoke with Grandbobby (my grandad) and he is confident that Sully will be the winner, so for now we are calling him two different names!

The past week has been so much better, as far as pregnancy symptoms go. My energy is finally coming back and the nausea is fading away quickly. I am starting to get a bump and have officially gained 1 pound, which comes and goes depending on the time of day. We go for our 16 week appointment tomorrow and I can't wait to hear Sully's heartbeat again. I am seriously considering getting an at home doppler, if anyone has used one I would be interested to hear what their thoughts are on them. As far as the nursery goes it is coming along, we just have to put up the new trim and paint. We had the hardwoods refinished and they are beautiful! As soon as we are finished and get the crib put together I will post some pictures. Hope everyone has a great week!

14 weeks and a new baby!

My dear friend Rachel, who drove all the way down from Ohio at 6 months pregnant for my wedding, FINALLY had her baby last Thursday!!! He is a handsome and healthy little boy they have named Forrest. Congrats to Rachel and Keith who are going to be terrific parents!

On the pregnancy front I have been feeling so much better the past few days. If someone had told me months ago that we would be having a baby I would have probably laughed! I still can't believe we are going to be parents, it is something both of us have wanted for a long time and now I am at 14 weeks. The hours and days are slowly creeping by as we get closer to 16 weeks and finding out whether the little hummingbird, as we like to call the baby, is a boy or girl. My mom and I are going to go look at cribs and nursery stuff tomorrow and I can't wait! We have actually built a nursery just for the little one. If any of you have seen our house you will understand that we have plenty of room already. But, we have a huge sitting room/dining room/pool table room at the front of the house that we hardly ever use which is at least around 60x15. So we decided to take out the sitting room portion and create a nursery. All that is left to do is sand and stain the hardwoods, install the closet system, paint and hang the new light fixture. We are hoping to have it all finished in the next week. Please excuse the underline, not sure what is going on. Hope everyone has a great week!

New Addition to the Hornsby Herd!!!

We are going to have a little Hornsby!!!! We found out July 1st that we will be welcoming our first child in February. It has been so hard to keep this secret, especially for Josh! We are both so excited and now that I am officially 12 weeks, as of this past Tuesday, I feel comfortable letting EVERYONE know. I can't wait to find out whether we will be having a boy or girl because I am dying to go shopping! The picture is from our first ultrasound on July 1st, the detail is amazing, thanks to Auburn Diagnostic.

Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

It's Official!!!

Top Left Photo:Kathryn, John, Lauren, Paul, Rebecca, Mama Joy, Brody, Bella, Sarah, Josh and I

Top Right Photo:Gran, Dad, Sam, Marti, Eva, Josh and I

On Saturday, May 16th, Josh and I got married!!! I can't tell you how excited both of us are about this. After almost 6 years of dating and 6 months of being engaged we finally made it. The weather was not looking good all day Saturday and then about an hour before the ceremony was supposed to start it cleared up. We had the sun shining and a light breeze blowing which made for a beautiful ceremony. So many friends and family showed up and we feel blessed to have each and every one of them in our lives. I have to say we are both enjoying married life! We honestly thought it wouldn't be any different than before. It is such a great feeling knowing we will spend the rest of our lives together! We attempted our first homemade blackberry cobbler tonight and it is almost done. I can smell it as I type and will make this post short and sweet! I am hoping the pics are not to distorted. Sorry for the crazy display...I have not mastered how to fit these in yet. These are some photos taken by my Uncle Chris and new brother-in-law, Paul. Hope everyone has a wonderful Memorial Day weekend!













Bottom Left Photo:Stephen, Dori, Josh, me, Mimi & Uncle Chris


Bottom Right Photo:
Oamu, Aunt Karen, Grandbobby, Kevin,
Mom, Josh and I

What a weekend!!!

So the weekend started out on the bad side. Friday I meet Josh in the road saying someone stole his four wheeler! Our encounters with the sheriff's department have never been helpful and this was no different. Regardless by Sunday, the four wheeler was located and in the police department's possession. Thankfully Josh was able to pick it up Monday morning. Because of our little theft we now have the house locked down like Fort Knox. For the past three days Brinks has been installing a new security system and getting the cameras back up and running, since it just so happened they were down the day of the robbery.

On a brighter note, the shower hosted by Debbie and Casey was very nice! I was so excited to see everyone! I never realized though how uncomfortable these things are. Not only are YOU the center of everyone's attention but for most people this is the first time the extended families meet each other. It went very well and I got some great stuff! Josh's sister, Rebecca took pictures so as soon as I get them I will post a few.

Hope everyone has a wonderful week!
Beth

New Day...New Blog

So I have been getting questions as to why I have no blog, so here it is! I will make an effort to be current with my posts as Josh and I get closer to the Big Day and our new life together! This year has been an emotional roller coaster for us and we have been so happy to be able to look forward to the day we get married. It has been our "light at the end of tunnel" so to speak. It is approaching fast, as of today we are exactly one month away. Everything has been planned, and has been since January. Now it is down to finalizing the last minute details and waiting on the date. I also have my first bridal shower this weekend, thanks to some amazing women. My dear friend Casey and my mother's best friend Debbie are throwing it and I cannot wait to see everyone. As far as the wedding goes we will be having it on Lake Martin, our flowers will be Gerber Daisies, and we are having a picnic style reception. My favorite detail will be the delicious cupcake wedding cake Mrs. Vickie will be making. I can't wait to see how everything comes together!

This is the first time I have ever created a blog, so bear with me as I learn the ins and outs of it.

Have a wonderful day!
Beth