Aidan has finally arrived. My water broke at 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. Aidan was born at 9:03 a.m. the next morning. I'll write more later, but haven't slept in three days. Here are pictures of him. Dan and I are so in love with him. He's the most amazing thing I've ever seen.....Oh - and he's perfect.
Dan and I had a nice (though very quiet) Christmas. He woke me up eary - about 8:30 because he was so excited to open his presents. Such a little kid, but it's adorable.
I took a few photos around our new place because I was bored. I made a shutterfly album if you want to take a peek. Here's the link: Christmas 2006
MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!
I'm sitting at the kitchen writing you again at nearly 2 a.m. It's 2 nights in a row. Well today was another busy day. Had a few more Christmas things to purchase, and there are always more things to buy for baby Aidan. Today it was cube stackers from Target. Dan built it tonight, I'll try to post pics of the nursery soon. It's just about done - except for the dresser which is just going to have to wait a while. In the mean time I bought a cheap little plastic drawer thingy.
The temperature dropped a lot today. Early in the day I was out in flip flops, t-shirt and knit pants. By the end of the night - we made a late-night trip to Walmart in search of some ant spray (who on earth gets ants in their house in the middle of winter?) and I was wearing a hat, sweater and pants. Still had to keep the flip flops on because that's about all my swollen feet can fit into. Another picture you need to see - my grotesque feet Seriously, I never thought it was humanly possible to have feet this fat. Maybe I could be in the Guiness Book of World Records?!
Have I mentioned my back pain is worse? Much worse. Sometimes it's just numb. Sorry to complain so much. I think that's what you're supposed to do this late in the game though, right?
I think Dan is getting into the Christmas spirit a little more. I had to sneak around today to get his presents and I quickly wrapped them before he got home. He came in with a huge smile when he saw the presents under the tree. Then he started shaking them like a little boy. Then he started in with the 20 questions, and he kept wanting me to give him a hint. I did, but he only got more confused. It's so cute to see grown men act like children. He wanted to open a present tonight, but I told him no way. I guess I should get used to this, it's only going to get worse when Aidan gets older.
Have I mentioned he's still not here yet? Aidan that is. Obviously, I probably won't be blogging from my hospital room. Anyway...I'm fully committed to the drugs now, well an epidural. No silly nonsense about trying the whole natural thing. The only thing I worry about is not being able to feel that I need to push. I watch these baby shows and they always show these crazy mothers who say they feel "serene" during the whole thing - natural birth mind you. I think they're nuts. How can all that pain feel serene and glorious? No thanks. Give me some meds stat please. :) Amy where are ya when I need you? (She's an anesthesiologist, is or will be soon...)
Well, probably boring you guys to tears. Going to try to go back to sleep now. Might not be possible, Dan's giving me a run for my money in the snoring department right now.
Today I spent the afternoon and evening walking through 2 different malls. Not an easy task when you're about to pop. The past few days have been extremely difficult because of my back pain. I had some earlier in my pregnancy, but it seemed to subside for several months. Now it is again rearing it's ugly head. I imagine it's because he's getting so big. Aidan definitely doesn't have much room to move around. He's poking my ribs and causing me all kinds of trouble.
I am sooo looking forward to him coming out. I feel like I say that every 5 seconds, probably because I do. :) I think if I was one of those women who go past their due date, I would go insane. I seriously think I would have some sort of mental breakdown. Luckily my doctor already said Jan. 2 will be the latest - hopefully he remembers saying that.
I'm not feeling very Christmasy this year. Neither is Dan. This is probably the most unChristmasy I've ever felt - well except the year I was in Iraq. I'm not sure if it's because of Dan's orders or if it's because there's so much anticipation surrounding Aidan's birth...Probably a combination of both. Also, the weather doesn't help much. This is the first year we've actually stayed in Texas for Christmas. Usually we go to St. Louis where it's much more festive and cold.
Every little twinge I feel I think it could be him coming. Then I realize it's just wishful thinking.......One more day down - How many more to go? That's the magic question. Keep your fingers crossed.
(Oh, and I know the time on this post won't be correct, but it's 2 a.m. and I can't sleep for the life of me.)
THE SANDS OF CHRISTMAS
by Michael Marks
I had no Christmas spirit when I breathed a weary sigh,
And looked across the table where the bills were piled too high.
The laundry wasn't finished and the car I had to fix,
My stocks were down another point, the Chargers lost by six.
And so with only minutes till my son got home from school
I gave up on the drudgery and grabbed a wooden stool.
The burdens that I carried were about all I could take,
And so I flipped the TV on to catch a little break.
I came upon a desert scene in shades of tan and rust,
No snowflakes hung upon the wind, just clouds of swirling dust.
And where the reindeer should have stood before a laden sleigh,
Eight Humvees ran a column right behind an M1A (tank).
A group of boys walked past the tank, not one was past his teens
Their eyes were hard as polished flint, their faces drawn and lean.
They walked the street in armor with their rifles shouldered tight,
Their dearest wish for Christmas, just to have a silent night.
Other soldiers gathered, hunkered down against the wind,
To share a scrap of mail and dreams of going home again .
There wasn't much at all to put their lonely hearts at ease,
They had no Christmas turkey, just a pack of MREs.
They didn't have a garland or a stocking I could see,
They didn't need an ornament--they lacked a Christmas tree.
They didn't have a present even though it was tradition,
The only boxes I could see were labeled "ammunition."
I felt a little tug and found my son now by my side,
He asked me what it was I feared, and why it was I cried.
I swept him up into my arms and held him oh! so near
And kissed him on the fore head as I whispered in his ear.
"There's nothing wrong, my little son, for safe we sleep tonight
Our heroes stand on foreign land to give us all the right,
To worry on the things in life that mean nothing at all,
Instead of wondering if we will be the next to fall."
He looked at me as children do and said, "It's always right,
To thank the ones who help us and perhaps that we should write."
And so we pushed aside the bills and sat to draft a note,
To thank the many far from home and this is what we wrote:
"God bless you all and keep you safe and speed your way back home.
Remember that we love you so, and that you're not alone.
The gift you give you share with all, a present every day,
You give the gift of liberty and that we can't repay."
I never get any responses, sometimes I wonder if I'm talking to myself. Hopefully not, that would make me a little nuts.
Yeah, so Aidan still isn't here. Obviously, or I wouldn't be writing, right? Today I was going through his closet so I could wash some of his things, and I realized that everything in there is pretty much 0-3 months. In the off chance that he's not huge, he's going to be swimming in his clothes. I think he only has 1 newborn outfit??? He does have tons of little onesies and those little sack thingies. I'm so ready to meet this little person, I can't even begin to tell you how ready I am for him to come out. I can't wait to read him books and rock him to sleep. I wonder if he'll have any hair. I doubt it - I didn't until I was about a year old. And I don't think Dan had any for a long time either.
Did I mention our house is *almost* put together? I'm really trying hard to get everything done before we have guests. Just this weekend we finally bought a shower curtain and other accessories for the guest bathroom. It's been bare this entire time. Definitely starting to feel more like home.
So Dan and I drove to Austin to go the giant Babies R Us today, and we had to have the a/c on because I was sweating like a mad woman. It was 85 degrees here. It certainly does not feel like Christmas here in Texas.
We didn't even end up buying anything that productive because I was way too indecisive. They didn't have the dresser/changing table I had seen online, but they did have one that matched the crib - only it was $150 more than I had planned on paying. It was $400, and I couldn't decide whether we should get it or not, so we decided to wait and think about it. We did, however, end up buying a bunch of decorations for his room. I'll try to post some photos soon.
I need to get in gear with my Christmas cards - we're just really behind with everything this year. We should probably start shopping for presents too, don't ya think?
Well I contacted the unit Dan's going to be with, and they don't really know anything. They said the Army is still flip-flopping as far as where they're going. It could be many months before they know. Summer-time is their deployment timeline. So even though he won't be home, he won't be overseas for a while. (*if at all???!!!*) Hard not to get my hopes up. We'll see.
Not much else going on. We had our first birthing class last week. Most of the info was stuff we already knew. I have a breast feeding class tomorrow, and then we have birthing class #2 Thursday. He's going to be here so soon!
Well, we had our ultrasound. Apparently baby Aidan isn't toooooo big, although he won't be tiny. Right now he's around 6 pounds. Now I read on the internet that babies can gain 1/2 to 1 pound per week in the last month, so he still has the potential to be very large. I meet with my regular OB on Monday, so we'll see what he has to say.
In other good news, not so good news, Dan received orders Friday night to report to Fort Jackson, SC, on Feb. 4 to "support Operation Iraqi Freedom." Now we don't really know what that means, or where he'll be going. From Fort Jackson he'll be going to Fort Benning in Georgia where he'll be put in the 131st MPAD. That's a National Guard unit out of Montgomery, Alabama. I've contacted my own sergeant major so he can find out where the unit is going and what they'll be doing, before Dan gets there. As soon as we know more, we'll let you all know.
I'm just thankful Dan will be here when Aidan is born. So many men in the military miss their children's births and I just think it plain sucks. The Army really doesn't care about your family at all. Anyway - we're trying to stay positive, and I think Dan has been more successful about that than me. I'm trying though. :) Keep him in your thoughts - maybe he'll just stay in the US somehow...
Well I finally got the matching mobile up, and I put the bumper in, although I haven't tied it down. It's all coming together.
Aidan now has a crib! I'm thrilled that's finally done. Now we just need to get the matching dresser/changing table, glider and a breast pump, and we'll be all done! This weekend we also bought Aidan a little Baby Einstein play mat. It's adorable...plays music, has lights, animals and a little mirror for him to stare at himself. I was playing with it yesterday. Very fun indeed. :)
We also got our Christmas tree today. We went to the same tree farm we went to last year. The older couple who owns it is so adorable. They sell handmade breads, jellies, peanut brittle, etc. They also have tutherball (which I played all the time as a grade-schooler), a tree house, and they give out hot cider. I love going there. Most people aren't that nice in Texas (at least sincerely nice. It's mostly a fake nice, but that's another issue entirely.)
Dan has a huge paper due tomorrow, so we're not going to decorate it yet. But I'll put up pics once we do. I'm wondering if little Aidan will be here for this Christmas...
Aidan's Baby Einstein play mat. 
his crib along with some of his Moonbeam decor.
wooden letters from Target I painted blue. I'm going to attach ribbon and hang them on the wall above his crib .
For next Friday afternoon, so we should know more details about little Aidan's arrival.
Dan and I are headed to Austin this weekend to buy Aidan's dresser/changing table combo. We figure one piece at a time and hopefully we'll have everything by the time he greets the word. Do you think white furniture is girly? I heard somebody say that the other day. I am planning on buying all white furniture for Aidan, but I think it's just innocent, not feminine. Silly people.
The last of the III Corps left today. Very sad indeed. I hate saying goodbye to people, especially under these circumstances...Now they're officially calling the war in Iraq a civil war in the media. I can't wait for the day this all ends, hopefully leaving the Iraqi people better off than they were before.
Had my 35 week appointment today. Only 5 weeks to go! (If I make it that far.) The doctor said my fundal height is measuring about 36 1/2 weeks, even though I'm only 35 weeks. Therefore, he's sending me to get another ultrasound do determine his size more accurately. The doc said there's a possiblity he may be too big for me to deliver, that I may need a c-section. But we won't really know any more until the ultrasound. The military hospital is backed up with their radiology dept., so they're outsourcing my ultrasound to a local civilian hospital. They should be calling me soon to schedule an appointment. I'll let everyone know more as soon as I find out.
The weekend was a good one. On Friday I used my gift certificate which John and Heleena gave me for my birthday to get a preganancy massage. Oh it was glorious. Best present a pregnant woman can get, in my opinion. (THANK YOU JOHN AND HELEENA!!!)
I survived my first Thanksgiving meal on my own today. Granted I only made a turkey breast, everything turned out really well. Wow, do I feel old. Some of Dan's friends came over, but we still have tons of left overs. I must say it doesn't feel like Turkey Day. I had to turn on the AC. It was 80 and with all the cooking, I was sweating. I lit a few pumpkin candles to put everyone in the Thanksgiving spirit. We watched a lot of football, everyone took naps, and watched some more football.
What are you thankful for this year? I'm thankful for all my wonderful friends and family, and if you're reading this, you're most likely in one of those categories. I'm especially thankful for our baby, who I hope is going to be a healthy one. I'm also thankful I'm not headed for my second tour to Iraq. If it wasn't for Aidan, I'd probably be on a plane in the very near future with the rest of my unit. They'll be gone well before the new year, so if you could keep them in your thoughts, that would be great. I wish them another successful, safe tour in Baghdad.
Just about 5 and a half weeks until Aidan comes! Or possibly earlier, which is what my gut is telling me. But we all know how that goes - I thought he was going to be a little Audrey! My belly seems enormous - I'm sure it's grown quite a bit just since our trip to St. Louis. I'm also swelling a lot more. My hands, my legs, my face, my EVERYTHING. Oh, and I officially have cankles. So lovely, I must tell you. I've tried drinking lots of water and elevating my feet, but it's not doing much for me at this point.
So I've totally decided to rethink the whole "no drugs" thing. Something was going on the other night, not sure if it was Braxton Hicks or not...but it was painful. So if that was false labor, no way on earth I'm making it through a million hours of REAL labor with no drugs. Just not happening. I think I'd rather stab myself in the eye with a pen. Delightful image, is it not?
I really wonder how much this guy weighs? I'm thinking he's going to be a 10 pounder. He just "feel" so heavy, does that make sense? Watch him come out weighing just 6 or 7 pounds. I'd be thoroughly embarrased by all my moaning and complaining about what a fatty Aidan is.
You know what's crazy, even though I'm so big and I feel him move every day, sometimes it doesn't feel real. It's incredibly difficult to image a little baby living with us. A baby we made. It's just so strange and nearly impossible to fathom. Aidan really is almost here. Amazing.
I keep having nightmares that Aidan comes early and we have nothing ready for him. So in order to help me get over that, Dan and I decided to go buy a Pack N Play this weekend. Wasn't quite exactly what I was looking for, but we got a great deal at the PX on Fort Hood. Plus, no tax and they were having a 10% off special. Now baby Aidan will have a place to sleep if in fact he does arrive before January. We still need a crib desperately, but hopefully that will be taken care of in the near future. I'm hoping anyway. Here's a picture...
Just had to include a photo of this baby Ram's jersey I simply couldn't resist buying at Babies R Us during our recent trip to STL. How adorable is that? I hope he at least gets to wear it a couple times. 
What a mess...Can you believe all the stuff this baby has already?
There are still many boxes around our house, especially in the garage. That's ok, hopefully we've still got about 6 weeks before the little man comes. Dan and I both got sick again. How come we went to St. Louis and felt fine? I definitely see that as a sign. Anyway, Aidan's room is still a mess, but his closet is already getting full. It's amazing how much stuff this baby already has...
Things are still going well with the pregnancy. Aidan keeps getting in these strange, uncomfortable positions that make it difficult to walk though. Hope he's not trying to come out early on us. :) My snoring has gotten terrible. So terrible that Dan rarely sleeps in the bed with me anymore, not that I really mind having the extra room. (But don't tell him that, it's our secret.)
It's getting cool in Texas. FINALLY. But the weather STILL has to be crazy. Just the other day it was 90. This morning when I woke up they said it was 35 degrees. That's probably why I'm sick again. Stupid Texas.
I would just like to say thanks to everyone who came and participated in our suprise baby shower when we were in St. Louis. Here are a few photos from the event. Dan and I had so much fun and it was great to see everyone. Thanks again for your hard work pulling it off, as well as the wonderful food and generous gifts. And a big thanks to my mom who spent tons of time planning the party and managed to keep everything a secret for so long. Aidan already has tons of clothes in his closet. I'll try to post some pics of my favorites in the near future.
Oh-I was wondering if anybody has pics of me and Dan at the shower that they could email me? I don't have any. Thanks!
I'm 33 weeks now, so we have just 7 weeks left. I can't wait until the little guy arrives. My belly feels so heavy these days and it's hard to get in the bed now. I'll probably be on the couch soon. Dan's also tying my shoes now, it's just too difficult for me to do now.
Unfortunately our trip to MO is over, and we're back in Texas. At least we have a working refrigerator now. They bought us a brand new one, and it's bigger than the old one. Boxes are still everywhere, because we haven't been home.
I wasn't thrilled to have to go back to work today, but luckily I get a 4-day weekend because of Veteran's Day. Thank a veteran, would ya?
Oh, and I know this is very late, but I'd like to do a belated friendly reminder about Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It was October, but so what. Do your self exam now, you should be doing them monthly. If you're over 40, schedule your mammogram for the year. Please. Just do it. :) Need more info? www.komen.org
We're finally in St. Louis! We got in yesterday morning, and then we slept a lot. Today Dan's parents suprised us at the door of my mom's house. It was a fantastic shock. They're coming to our big pre-Thanksgiving bash tomorrow. Since I can't be here for Thanksgiving, my mom decided to throw a party for us, and it's turned into something much bigger than I ever imagined. Dan, John, Heleena and I went to Busch Stadium today. It was my first time seeing the completed stadium. It's beautiful.I am anxiously awaiting the start of downtown revitalization.
Well, we're all done with the horrible Country Place Apartments. WOO HOO! Without getting into long, drawn-out details, those people were absolute monsters. We checked out today. This weekend we rented a truck and moved all our stuff. What a nightmare. I've moved many times, and this was definitely the worst. Oh-and let me tell you, you sure find out who your friends are when it's time to move, especially if you're nearly 8 months pregnant. Let's just say I have NONE! Luckily, Dan had a few that spared us a couple hours of their time. I was moving stuff too, and Aidan was probably wondering what the heck all the comotion was.
Our new place is VERY nice. I'll post some pics if I can ever find the box with the connecting cable for my camera. We got DirectTV installed last night, and Dan is in heaven. We also got the HD option, so we can finally put our good tv to use. On the downside, we have a refrigerator that DOESN'T work. Very frustrating. We had to throw out practically all of our food. It made me so mad.
Anyway, today is Dan's birthday! He's the big 28!!! I'm no longer robbing the cradle. Unfortunately, he's been sick. I think I gave it to him, poor guy. We went to our favorite diner, Mel's, for dinner. We saw tons of cute little trick or treaters there. I can't wait to dress little Aidan up next year. I think he'll be a pumpkin. Just about 8 more weeks. So crazy.
We'll be driving to the Lou Thursday, so hope to see you all soon. Oh and by the way; GO CARDINALS! 2006 WORLD CHAMPIONS!!!!! (That still blows my mind. I was thrilled beyond words. My mom and I were watching together while on the phone, and I was screaming my brains out!)
Well, I'm just sitting here watching the Cards play in game 3 of the World Series. We're up 2-0. Just hope we stay on top. Wish I could be in the Lou for a game. Like I've said before, at least I get to watch this time. Work is crazy. Way too much drama and much too stressful. I wish I wasn't even editing, especially since I'm so huge now. I just want Aidan to come, so I can stay home and play with my baby. Sorry-our baby...Looking forward to coming home next week! I want to go to Babies R Us and buy Aidan some cute Cards/Tigers/Rams apparel. They have the best stuff. I could probably spend a million dollars in there.
I had my 30 week appointment today, yup, 30 weeks, can you believe it? Everything with the little man is just fine. They gave me a flu shot and a special tag for parking at the hospital, which is wonderful since it's constantly packed. I also got some meds for my lovely acid reflux. I've never really had that before, but I'm experiencing it daily now. Apparently it's a common pregnancy problem. Yummy. We also get to sign up for all our classes: birthing, breastfeeding, labor/delivery tour, etc. That time is getting close!
Our apartment is such a disaster, but I suppose that's life right before ya move. This is my 25th time moving in my life, or somewhere around there. Definitely something I'm used to. I hope we can find a great place to live post-Army life. I'd like Aidan to have a life a bit more stable. Not that I haven't enjoyed my adventures. See many of you soon!
Ok, so here's a photo of our new place and one of our new Nissan Pathfinder. We affectionately refer to him as Pathy. It's a few years old, but basically looks and feels brand new. Leather seats and Bose sound system, which Dan loves. Anyway, we love it.
What an exciting night! I can't believe the Cards are going to the World Series, and I actually get to be in this country to watch it. Aidan was going crazy in my belly tonight, probably because of all the excitement. Yeah Cardinal Nation!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, this has been the busiest month of the year for us. Last week we sealed the deal with our living situation. (FINALLY!) So we won't be homeless. We take posession of our duplex next Friday, and I can't wait to get the heck out of this horrible apartment complex. (here's a picture from the company's website, although we'll be renting the other half)It has 3 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, much better than our current which is 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom.
We've also been looking for a baby-friendly car. So Dan's Accord is history, it was getting really old, and we have ourselves a new-to-us Nissan Pathfinder. While it's not new, it's in nearly perfect shape. Black with leather interior and a Bose sound system. (Dan's favorite features) Dan's still taking classes and we're planning our trip to St. Louis the first week of November.
Oh-and Dan's birthday is the 31st, so he can finally catch up with the old lady. :)
Things are going fine with the baby. After a weekend of barely moving, baby Aidan is kicking up a storm. I'm definitely not minding, it's a relief now to feel him busy in my belly. I think I hit yet another growth spurt this past week, because I feel enormous.
In other news, between everything else that's been going on right now, I've remained devoted to my beloved Cardinals. I've watched every game of the postseason, and I must say it's been quite a fun ride. I need to get myself a little red soul patch like Spezio.
Dan and I are sooo busy. We're trying to buy a bigger car, we have to move at the end of the month, and of course, we have tons of baby stuff to buy. Not to mention we're heading to St. Louis in the beginning of November. Life is chaotic. Sorry I don't write more often. Things are going well with the pregnancy. My belly is gigantic, and Aidan is moving around like crazy. His feet are strong, maybe he'll be a punter for the Rams someday.
After many trials and tribulations, I finally managed to put Aidan's video together. It was originally 23 minutes, and I chopped it to 3 minutes. Hopefully you can watch the whole thing, especially because the best part is the end. Let me know what you think!
A
It actually feels older than I thought it would. That, combined with the fact that my class just had its 10-year reunion, have made me feel very old. Anway...
Regardless, yesterday was a great day and it culminated with Dan and I going to Austin for our 3D/4D ultrasound. Here are some of the pics. I may be biased, but I think he looks completely adorable and chubby.
Again, though, he refused to cooperate with the ultrasound tech. His head was buried low in my uterus next to the wall, and his feet were up high on my right side. Because his face was smashed against the wall of my uterus, it was hard for her to get really good photos of his face. I tried walking around, jumping a little bit, even trying to coax him with our voices, but he basically refused. Plus, he was moving like a maniac, which made it that more difficult. Needless to say, we got a few shots. Hope you enjoy. I think he looks a lot like Dan, but maybe with my chin. =) Oh- and she got a great money shot! It was so adorable, about halfway through, the umbilical cord was up by his face, and we got to see him sticking his tongue out. THe tech said he could probably feel it on his face, so he was trying to get it. It was the funniest thing. He also had his hand constantly up by his face, so she really had to work to get any shots. It was definitely worth it though. We also have a DVD, but it's 20 minutes long. Tonight we're going to cut it and post some of it on the blog, so stay tuned.
Go Tigers!!!
Well, tomorrow is our 26 week appointment, just boring routine stuff...But Tuesday afternoon is the 4D ultrasound and I'm thrilled!
Saturday was my 10 year high school reunion. Obviously I didn't go, but it's crazy to think I'm that old.
I know you guys are sick of looking at the little guy, but here he is again. Gettin big. Approx. 1.5 pounds!
Very excited to say Mizzou is off to a great start this football season, 3-0. Can't wait to take baby Aidan to a game. He will be forced to root for them. Right now we're watching the Redskins vs. Cowboys game with some of Dan's friends. Hail to the Redskins.
I had dreams of going into our ultrasound and finding out it was in fact a girl, but nope! Luckily he's still a boy! LOL. I would have been so mad, you hear so many stories like that.
Everything looks great. At first he was turned around the wrong way, so the tech couldn't see anything except his spine. Then I got up and walked around a little bit and coaxed him out of that position. Luckily it worked, and she could see the 4 chambers of the little guy's heart.
Did some shopping today. Have I mentioned how expensive maternity clothes are? 2 shirts, a pair of pants and a diaper bag cost $150. They're out of their minds, but I gave in. I'm so sick of wearing t-shirts and yoga pants. I've already outgrown the maternity clothes I bought a few months ago, which is very frustrating. Never thought I'd say I can't wait to run again. Shhhh-don't tell the Army.
We're planning on making a trip to the Lou sometime in November, probably the week before THanksgiving. I can't travel past 34 weeks because if I was to deliver early, the Army wouldn't pay for anything. And that's the entire reason I'm staying in-so Aidan will be free! (Plus they have excellent child care on post and it'll cost less than $400 a month, which is a complete steal by the way.)Anyway, so if you're in St. Louis, hopefully some of you can fit in a visit with me and Dan (and Aidan of course, we're a package deal.)
I'm so excited to see baby Aidan again tomorrow. I'm sure he's gotten sooo big by now! Our apt. is 8:45 a.m...I was reading in my handy week-by-week pregnancy guide, and it estimates Aidan's weight at nearly 2 pounds. What a big boy. I also scheduled our 4d ultrasound for my birthday, Sept. 26. Can't wait to see the details of his little face.
We're still looking for a house and recruiting people to help us move. I basically will have to be a total bum and sit this move out.
I've read about false labor, and I'm really wondering what it feels like. Will I really recognize it when it comes? Creeps me out a little.
Glad to say things are still going very well. Just a few more months to go until we meet the little fella.
Wow. I can't believe I'm 6 months pregnant. I know I say that at every major milestone in my pregancy, but this one is the weirdest by far. I'm going to give in and post a lovely picture of my belly, fully clothed of course.Aidan is the only one showing any bare skin on here. I took the photo of myself, obviously. Nothing quite like a self portrait. I'm hoping to schedule our 4D ultrasound in the VERY near future, so check back!
People keep asking......so Dan and I just finished registering at Babies R Us and Target. Both are listed under Nikki and Dan Welch.
Yesterday we went to Waco to the Texas Sports Hall of Fame for a story I'm writing for the paper. It was more fun than I thought it would be. Then we ate at Rudy's, Dan's fave BBQ place. Oh- and we watched Mizzou kick Ole Miss' butt! I told Aidan he needs to start rooting for his team now. Can't wait to buy him Mizzou apparel...
Well, these are some of Aidan's new clothes. The bug outfit and the little man outfit I bought at the outlet mall in Austin over the weekend. Gretchen gave him the little Cardinals onesie. He's going to have a lot of clothes to wear! He's kicking more and more everyday....
Sorry I haven't written in so long. Things just seem to get more busy each week. This past weekend was a 4-day weekend and my great pal Gretchen came from St. Louis to visit. We had so much fun. Sat. we went to Austin to the outlet mall. Bought baby Aidan some clothes. Then we went to San Antonio Monday. We ate in the revolving restaurant at the top of the Tower of Americas. Gret and I had been to one before (in Atlanta) but it was Dan's first time, and he thoroughly enjoyed it. Won't be going there again for quite a while, as meals are quite costly. Gret bought Aidan his first Cardinals apparel, a little onesie that's totally adorable. She also gave us a subscription to Parent's Magazine, which I'm sure will be quite helpful. I'll try to post some pics from the weekend soon. Only 2 more weeks until our next ultrasound. Aidan is growing so quickly...He is kicking constantly, and Dan felt his taps for the first time last night. Finally!
I have my 24-duty yet again today. I go in at 9 a.m. today (Sat) and get off at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Sun). Oh boy, what an exciting weekend.
The larger my belly gets, the more difficult it is to sleep...Can't believe we're only half way there. And by the way, why do they call it 9 months of pregnancy when it's 40 weeks? Sounds like 10 months to me!
It's hard to believe I still have 19 weeks left to go. It's already getting more difficult to move around, and especially to sleep. Nothing much exciting going on. Work is keeping me very busy. Dan is signing up for some classes this fall. That's about it. Have an OB appointment, but no ultrasound today. That is scheduled for Sept. 19.
Wow. That store is amazing! Dan and I drove to Austin yesterday just to go. (They have nothing in Killeen). The store is HUGE and so much fun. Dan and I looked at every little thing. We picked out the bedding we like, but still can't agree on a stroller. The beds were overpriced and made of plastic, just like they are everywhere it seems. The clothes were so much fun. We loved the little man outfits and the Halloween costumes. I liked the little pumpkin one best. Anyway, we didn't actually buy a single thing, but we definitely plan on returning. Babies sure are expensive. Here's a picture of the bedding we picked. I actually think it looks cuter in person...
Oh, and in even bigger news, during my surprise CQ shift Friday night (basically it's guard duty for 24 hours) Aidan was kicking! He must be growing quite a bit, because they were definitely kicks. They were light and actually kind of tickled. I couldn't help but laugh. Not looking forward to the painful ones.
I finally found time to post pictures from my ultrasound I had last Friday. The one on the left shows his male parts, the right photos shows his face and a little arm in the air. Yes, he now resembles an alien, as opposed to a duck like last time. The ultrasound tech. said it's because he doesn't have much fat on his face yet. We get to have another ultrasound Sept. 19 because she couldn't see everything she needed to measure. He was curled in a little ball sleeping when we first arrived, but he slowly woke up. Then he was moving like a madman. LOL. Dan and I are going to Babies R Us in Austin this weekend. They have really fun boy's nursery things on their website, so hopefully it will be even more fun shopping in person. Hope we don't spend too much money. In about 2 months we're going to have the 4D ultrasound/photos done, then we'll really be able to see what Aidan's going to look like.
Well, after months of speculation, we found out today that we're having a baby BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It was very evident in our ultrasound this morning. It was great fun watching our son. When we first got there, he was sleeping soundly and all curled up. He eventually woke up and was waving at us. The tech said everything is measuring normally. She checked his legs, arms, brain, etc. But he was so curled up that she had a difficult time looking at his little heart, so she had us schedule another ultrasound next month. Yay! Ultrasounds are so fun. She said he seems incredibly active. She asked if I could feel him moving yet, and I said "Oooooh yes!" LOL. Well so much for little pink bows, huh? And no, I'm not disappointed at all. I always wanted an older brother growing up, so I think it's a good thing to have the boy first. Dan and I are thrilled, and can't wait to buy him a little Cardinals and Redskins onesies. I'll post the baby's photos Monday when I can scan them at work. He does look more like a baby than the duck he resembled during our last ultrasound.
Well, BW is consistently doing little summersaults in my belly. Right now it's still rather amusing, but I am preparing myself for the eventual kicks, which I hear can be quite painful and disruptive. I'm especially looking forward to a time when Dan can feel the baby. I keep trying, but he says he can't feel anything. Still soft flutters...
I was reading one of my many baby books, and it says BW is a whopping 9 ounces and is the length of a small zuccini. I was also reading about something called round ligament pain. Gone is the slight cramping in my belly, and now simple pain has replaced it. Apparently around the mid-point of pregnancy, because different parts of your body are growing and changing, it can cause pain. It especially hurts if I move too quickly. It's amazing how much your body can change in about 2 weeks. I'm already becoming less mobile, though I continue to walk as much as possible. That's all I do. I made a silly attempt to run a bit the other day and the belly definitely got in the way. That will definitely have to wait. How do some women run marathons in their 7th month? They're nuts.
3 more days until we see BW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sorry I haven't posted in quite a while. I'm much busier with the new job.
Let me tell you what stupid thing I did recently. Well, my fingers have been a bit swollen lately, especially with the hot Texas weather. My rings were getting rather tight about a week ago, so I took them off. Well, I was sad to no longer be wearing them, so two days ago, I put them back on. Yesterday afternoon my finger was getting a tad itchy, so I planned to take them off. Well, they wouldn't come off. Not just a little tight, but looking like they might NEVER come off again. First I tried lotion. Then it was soapy water. Then it was ice for 10 minutes. Then I held my hand in the air so all the blood would flow out of my fingers. Nope, still wouldn't come off. Then I really started to panic. The last thing I want is to have them cut off. So then I look up some info on the internet, where many people posted ideas about using Windex. That still doesn't work. Then I call in the big guns...aka Dan. I hold my hand in the air again while icing it for several minutes. Then we coated it with Windex and he went to work. It took forever and my finger was turning purple. It started to budge and was worked up to my knuckle. I really didn't think the thing was coming off. My finger was getting more and more swollen by the second. So I gritted my teeth and told Dan to just do it quickly. He did and wow did it hurt. Today I am ringless and my fingers are raw, but at least I don't have to cut the rings off.
Words of wisdom for those planning on becoming pregnant in the future, take off your rings early. Don't wait until the last minute when it becomes a major catastrophe.
Well, we find out the sex of Baby Welch this Friday. My in-laws are flying down this Thursday for a short visit, so they'll be accompanying us to the hospital. This week is going to go by so slowly I know. We're so excited to see the baby again. Hopefully BW will look more like a tiny human than a duck.
That's all for now.
Since I've been pregnant, it feels like there's a furnace inside my belly. (And her name is Audrey) Seriously, I am hot ALL the time and keep freezing Dan out of the apartment, poor guy. Not to mention our astronomical utility bill. I keep dreaming of winter and snow. Probably won't see any snow here, but I would love for the temps to drop just a little bit. It's supposed to be 100 degrees every day this week. Dreadful.
Baby Audrey is moving all the time now. I keep telling Dan I think she'll be a gymnast because I think she's doing flips in there. Wonder when it will turn into kicks...
Well, I was the champ of the rock, paper, scissors tournament, but he got all grumpy when I won. (despite the fact it was his idea.) Anyway, I suppose we're still tentatively agreeing on Aiden. (his prefered spelling.)
It was a very busy week. Possibly already regretting the new position. :)
Dan's working overtime today, while I get to clean. Yippeee!
Dan and I are still trying to agree on a boy name (just in case we do actually have a boy). We continue to disagree completely about everything, so last night we tried to play rock, paper, scissors to decide who gets to pick the name. We have a middle name picked out, which will be a suprise, but the first name has us stumped. After playing a best of 5, we still couldn't agree because we each thought the other was cheating. Now we're on to a chess war. I've got this made. :) wish me luck.
Well, with our latest editor resigning last week, I was made the military editor of our newspaper Friday. While it's not the position is not quite as cool as it may sound, it will be a nice change. After 3 years of writing essentially all the same stories each year, I now get the opportunity to something a little different. I'll still be writing, but will have a bit more responsibility and a larger role with the paper. It should be fun. I'm very much looking forward to it, and I'm also happy to say that things at work are very much changing for the positive. We have a great staff, and almots all of our bad apples are now gone. I'm glad we decided to stay now. Wow, never thought I'd say that.
Well, my belly is expanding, so definitely no more sleeping on my stomach. It feels too akward now, sometimes painful...In exciting news, about a week ago I was sitting at home by myself, and I felt something strange going on in my belly. It was very faint and only lasted for a minute, but I immediately called Dan and told him I think I felt the baby. I wasn't completely positive, because I didn't feel anything for about a week. However, 2 nights ago, I was laying in bed watching tv getting ready to go to sleep when I felt little flutters for quite a while. Last night, baby Audrey was again moving around in my belly making it difficult to sleep. It definitely makes this pregnancy more real, to feel the baby actually moving. Amazing. I can't even fathom what a kick will feel like. I'm sure I'll be finding out soon enough!
I went from using the bathroom like a normal person (except for my 5:30 a.m. trip) to using it every single hour of the day. I guess baby Welch is right on top of my bladder, though I didn't think bw was quite big enough yet.
Good news-no more crazy formations in the heat for me. It's been 105 this week and my "supervisors" finally saw the light. Hallelujah.
Also good news- my car AC is fixed. Previously, it only worked when accelerating. My second hallelujah of the day.
I finally found that photo of Dan at the soccer game last weekend. He's in the top right corner. Apparently he loves soccer more than baseball now. Weird. We agreed, however, that our baby will wear Cardinals apparel for me, and he gets the Washington Redskins and Capitols. Fine with me. Glad the Cards are finally winning a few games.
I can't really sleep on my belly anymore. It just feels really weird, so I bought a body pillow from BB&Beyond the other day. So comfy. Dan even uses it when I'm not there, the little thief.
Well, we're officially at 4 months now! Only 5 more to go. Actually that sounds like forever. Hopefully it'll fly by.
We're going to have one of those 4d ultrasounds done. You have to pay for it, but I don't think it's too expensive. You get a dvd and lots of pictures. Can't wait!
Yesterday I was in the motorpool in a formation that lasted 50 minutes. (Where you can't move at all.) It was warm, and I started getting dizzy. Finally it was over, and I was walking towards one of the offices. I bent over to pick something up and fell on my stomach. I wasn't hurt, but I was immediately worried about the baby of course. I went back to my office where I called my doctor. He said come in right away, so I called Dan and he took me up there. After a couple of hours, I got to see someone. She said that because it's before 20 weeks, the baby is still very much protected. It was a huge relief, because I had some major cramping in my lower stomach afterwards. But the doctor checked me over, listened to the baby's heartbeat (it was Dan's first time to hear it). It was scary, but I was lucky I'm not past 20 wks.
Anyway, while we were there, we were allowed to schedule our 2nd trimester ultrasound. On Aug. 11 we should know baby Welch's gender. Then it will be time for SHOPPING!!!!!!!!! Luckily I know many people around here with small children, so regardless of the sex, I should be getting plenty of good stuff.
Have I mentioned how grateful I am that the World Cup is over? Sure, I was rooting for France, but I'm just glad Dan can move on to something else to obsess over.
Over the weekend I went to an outlet mall near San Antonio with some friends. It was much too hot, and we spent most of the time eating and drinking. However, I think we all ended up finding what we were looking for, so it was a successful trip anyway. Dan went to a soccer match in Dallas while I was shopping. He checked their website the next day, and sure enough, there was a picture of him and his friend Cody in the stands. I'll post it when I get time to find it.
(HI EMILY-Thanks for reading!)
Today at work I was searching the internet for silly gender prediction quizzes. The result was 58% chance of having a girl.
Someone at my work told me that a high heart rate means a girl, low means a boy. My baby's heart rate was 135 two days ago. They also say cravings for sweet things signal a baby girl. If you have horrible morning sickness (which really hasn't applied to me) then you're having a girl. Obviously I don't really believe any of this, but it's amusing the things people come up with.
Dan is having a soccer-filled weekend. Tomorrow he's heading to Dallas to watch an MLS game, while I hit the outlet malls in San Marcos with some girls from work. I'm finally getting this Coach purse I've been wanting for months. Dan says it's my present for having to stay in this stupid town for nearly two more years.
Didn't have much to do at work today, so I was looking at baby stuff online all day. I can't wait to find out the sex so I can buy the appropriate Cardinals onesie. They have little cheerleader outfits for baby girls. I was also checking out all of the University of Missouri apparel for the baby. It's hard to keep myself from buying things, but I really want to wait until we move into the new place in October. This place is way too small for a bunch of baby stuff.
I heard something strange today, something about the baby's heartbeat can determine sex? They said the higher it is, the more likely it's a girl? I told them no way (the baby's was 135 yesterday at the appointment). I'm having a girl, I just know it. .........I'm just kidding, sure a little girl would be nice so I could put her in frilly dresses and fix her hair, but we'll absolutely adore the baby regardless of gender. I can't imagine someone being disappointed when getting such a beautiful gift.
Dan's been working the evening shift, so I'm sitting at home watching my beloved Cards on tv. What is their problem lately? They're in Houston for a few games, so I get to watch them. Very exciting for me. They always seem to be showing Red Sox games, which of course, thrills Dan. I, however, never get to watch the Red Birds. Still need to make a trip to the new stadium. We'll have to take baby Welch next year.
My cousin Lauren made the baby an adorable quilt, I'll have to post a picture of it. Dan loves it too.
Hope you all had a good 4th. Ours wasn't too eventful. Had some friends over to watch more football (aka soccer, if you're AMERICAN). Dan keeps yelling at me for calling it soccer. He suddenly thinks he's European...All the festivities for last night were cancelled because of rain, which was actually nice, because it NEVER rains here. We weren't planning on going anyway for the simple fact that we can't stand soldiers and their spouses, especially in huge numbers. (I know what you're thinking, but you are a soldier and he's a spouse, but we're totally not the 'typical' soldier and spouse).
Anyway, had a doctor appointment today. He said my bp isn't something he's worried about at this point, which is good news. He went over the ultrasound and all my test results, and he said everything looks great. Such a relief. We have another appointment at 17 weeks. I'm hoping they'll do another ultrasound so we can know if it's really going to be an Audrey, or if I've tramatized my son indefinitely. Only time will tell. :)
We're taking our last vacation before baby this fall. In September we're going on a Caribbean cruise, destinations including Grand Cayman Islands, Montego Bay (Jamaica) and Cozumel. I'm sooo looking forward to it. I'll be about 24 weeks, so hopefully I won't be too miserable at that point. We're going for the relaxation, nothing to active.
I made Dan go watch The Devil Wears Prada this weekend. Loved it. Dan really didn't like it, and he doesn't always mind chick flicks. He really doesn't get fashion or the female obsession with it. I liked it because I suppose that's how I imagined myself before I got married...a journalist trying to make it in NYC...Well, just goes to show you, ya never know where this life will take you.
My blood pressure monitoring is done now. Not suprisingly, it was much lower on the weekend than during the week. Maybe they'll never make me work again for my baby's health. Just kidding. I have a follow-up appointment with my doctor next week, so I'll let ya know how it goes. Did I mention I have a male doctor? Would much prefer a woman. Oh well.
So I'm getting ready for bed, and I turn the tv on to keep me company. Dan's working some overtime to pay for a vacation we're hoping to take later in the year. (Perhaps a babymoon vacation to Mexico?) Anyway, so I start flipping the channels and stop on Texas Chainsaw Masacre. What is wrong with me? I'm a total glutton for punishment. I'm sure I'll be posting about my nightmares tomorrow.
Last night I had a strangely vivid dream that I was performing in some theatre production with a friend of mine who's now stationed at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. I forgot all my lines and was embarrased beyond belief. Then my sister Tanya comes up to me and tells me how much the show sucks. That's all I really remember, but it seemed so real when I woke up. It's crazy how realistic your dreams are when you're pregnant.
Well, I haven't had it at all, but Dan certainly has. He was terribly disappointed when the Dutch lost today. We had a few people over for a bbq and to watch the game. It was a good time. I was just happy not to be traveling. We've been so busy for the past few weeks, I totally needed a break. We had the lovely pleasure of cleaning our apartment too. So fun, let me tell you. Well, I've added more photos for from our trip to the Arch grounds for Sam and family.My favorite photos of the day were from the downtown shoot. I've included one of my favorites in this post. Luckily, Shutterfly just updated their software, so it's much easier to add photos. Here's the new link. http://ndwportfolio.shutterfly.com/action/
I've been reading my Pregnancy Week by Week book, and it says the baby is now the size of a peach. She sure is growing quickly! Ok, not really, but she will be soon. I read that she already has all of her teeth too. Everybody at work tells me it's definitely going to be a boy because I keep talking about it like she's a girl. I can't wait to find out! On a random side note, you would not believe how many women in Central Texas smoke during pregnancy. It's truly unbelievable they can't quit even for their baby's sake.
I'm trying to work on Sam and Joe's wedding pics, because for the first time in two weeks, I HAVE FREE TIME! So what happens? My brand new laptop decides to act like it's possesed by the devil. I want to throw it out the window, but somebody might be mad because they have no wedding pics. I'm going to have to finish them up before I have it serviced, or maybe they'll just exchange it. Anyway, here's the link.
http://share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9AYuG7hs4bOig¬ag=1
Not only is my computer crazy, but it takes forever to upload the pics because they are so large. I wanted people to be able to save them and print from the website if they want.
Baby Welch is doing well. That's all for now.
Dan and I just got back from our first ultrasound. It was amazing! Dan got to see the baby first, because the screen was pointed in his direction. Finally I got to see it (her) and I could see it's tiny heart beating. I never imagined I could be that happy. It seemed real before, but after finally seeing the baby, it's more real than ever. There really is a tiny person inside of me. The lady laughed at how excited we were. Here's the first photo of baby Welch! In case you can't tell, the head is on the right, and the feet are on the left. It was more obvious during the ultrasound. We could see the baby's hands moving all around. I think it was waving at daddy. LOL.
The doctor said everything is going well, unfortunately it's a military doctor, but whatever. I'll have to get over it I suppose. The only issue right now is my elevated blood pressure. It's been high at both of my appointments since I've been pregnant. Usually I have excellent bp, so the doctor is going to monitor it for the next five days. Wish us luck!
Tomorrow we're heading to Oklahoma for my cousin's wedding. Another traveling weekend. I think my energy is slowly but surely coming back to me, which is fabulous. It's been rather difficult wanting to sleep all the time and not being able to do all the things I need to do.
I must confess that I watched the Britney Spears special on Dateline this evening, and I'll even admit that I feel the *tiniest* bit sorry for her.
Still debating whether or not to stay in the Army, I'm just really unhappy and can't wait to be fee. I just don't know if it's the best decision for us right now. Good news is I have until 30 days before the due date to officially make up my mind. Hopefully it won't take us that long.
Dan and I arrived home safely at about midnight last night after our 3-day trip to the Lou. Friday we went to the rehearsal for Sam and Joe's wedding, followed by the rehearsal dinner. We were busy shooting the wedding all day Saturday. Sam and Joe make a great couple, and the wedding was gorgeous. Here's a link to some pics: share.shutterfly.com/action/welcome?sid=9AYuG7hs4bOZA
I'll be putting more up as I slowly go through them. I know some people are anxiously awaiting them, so I'll try to be quick!
Sunday we had an early birthday celebration for my mom. She is uh, 35, today-hmmm. LOL. HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOM!!! (And thanks for all your help this weekend.)
Next weekend we're headed to Oklahoma for yet another wedding, tis the season. This time it'll be my cousin Kathy getting married, but I get to sit back and relax. No shooting for me, well, at least not officially. I'm sure I'll still lug my camera with me.
Well I've been on duty for 24 hours now, and I'm just about 25 minutes away from going home and passing out in my bed. It's been a really boring night, but I'm so thankful for our new laptop. The a/c has not been working in my unit's building, which really doesn't help when you have morning sickness. Oh well, we leave for St. Louis tomorrow morning!
I just bought the new Dixie Chicks cd, and I think it's fabulous. While I don't necessarily agree with their politics, most of their music isn't really political. I do, however, agree with free speech and their right to say what they want. People keep saying it's a rock album and that they're departing from their country style. I disagree, the country flair is still there. It actually reminds me a bit of Sheryl Crow, whom I adore. Check it out.
In baby news, we're now 10 weeks! With all the changes I've experienced, it's hard for me to understand how someone would not know they were pregnant until 3 months. How would you not notice all the crazy things going on in your body?
It's soooo hot here, and it's not even officially summer. In the 100s everyday. All I do is sweat when I wear my uniform. I really *hope* it's a little cooler in Missouri for our weekend trip.
Today, me and some girls from work spent a girls day out in Austin, about an hour drive from nowhere Killeen. It was a fabulous treat and it was wonderful to visit a real city with something to do. We ate mexican, went shopping, and took a trip to a camera store. Going to a large specialty camera store for me is comparable to a child going to FAO Schwarz in New York. I could spend thousands of dollars in that place. Someday, someday...
No morning sickness for me today and only 2 weeks until our first ultrasound. I'm getting truly anxious to see the baby and hear the heartbeat!
Yesterday on 20/20 (I think?!) I was watching a special on foster kids. There has been a recent movement by photographers and adoption agencies to provide children in the system the opportunity to do a photoshoot with professional photographers around the country. Then they put the photographs on display in galleries. Apparently after one project in Washington D.C., the rate in adoptions increased by nearly 200 percent after the photos were on display. Not only are more children being adopted, but the children get a special opportunity to share their story with people who really care about them and want to help them. I was recently approached through email by an adoption agency about participating in the program, but due to hectic schedule I completely forgot about it. Watching the show last night reminded me how much I would be honored to help these children. One of the photographers felt such a strong connection about one of the girls that she and her husband actually adopted the girl. It was such an inspiring story, it made me tear up. It may be the pregnancy, but I was touched. If you'd like to check out the Central Texas Chapter here's the address: http://www.heartgallerytexas.com/index.htm
So Dan has been working late every day this week, until midnight. This leaves me with not much to do, especially because I really have zero energy these days. So, I'm flipping channels this evening and land on one of the religious channels. There was a debate, mostly one-sided of course, about the truth of Dan Brown's ideas in the book. I keep hearing about Christians denouncing the book and the movie, and quite honestly don't understand what all the fuss is about. I was in Iraq when the book hit the shelves, so I avoided all the controversy the first time. My 2 cents is this: The book is found in the FICTION section. The movie claims NO truth, nor any historical accuracy. Unfortunately many of the people against Dan Brown have never read his work, nor will they ever see the movie. The work is a thriller, about a symbologist and a detective on a suspensful adventure to find a murderer. The supposed bloodline of Jesus is not the most important part of the Da Vinci Code, and it is also approached as a POSSIBLE THEORY!
Sorry to rant, but I'm truly sick of hearing people on their own rants, especially when they haven't even read the book. I believe in God, and I'm not about to take this book as something to base my faith on. Nor do I believe anybody else is. It's pure entertainment. That's ALL. Not only do I disagree that the Da Vinci Code is an insult to Christianity, in fact, I believe it's fantastic for religion in general. It brings up discussions, promotes learning, and it makes people think more about their personal beliefs. It brings up a quest for each of us: the journey to question and find what we believe. The Da Vinci Code makes discussing religion "cool".
So the experts claim that we all experience anywhere between 4 and 20 dreams per night, but I rarely, if ever, remember any of mine. Since I've been taking prenatal vitamins, however, that has changed. Not only do I remember them, but they are INSANE dreams. Last night I was dreaming that Simon Cowell was trying to murder me. I had discovered he was gay, and he wanted to keep it a secret. He was chasing me, trying to kill me with a knife. I actually remember waking up screaming 'Help Me.' I've had other weird and random dreams. Then this woman at my work comes up to me and asks if I've been having strange dreams. *How did she know?* :) Well, turns out, many women have weird dreams when they take these vitamins?! Very freaky! I wonder what will be turning in my mind tonight. I'll keep you posted.
By the way, can we have a little poll. (If anyone is really reading this thing.)
Of the following boy's names, which do you prefer?
Caden/Kaden/Kayden
Hunter
Aidan
Wow. It is difficult to go back to a place you hate after being away for 4 wonderful days. The m/s has subsided for the most part. Thankgoodness for that.
I have to say, they really don't lie about prenatal vitamins. My nails and hair are growing sooo quickly. A few months ago I completely chopped my hair off, 14 inches to be exact. (But I won't even get into that horror story) I recently got a follow-up trim, and my hair has already grown out from that. My nails are growing like I never imagined too. On the downside of pregnancy, I think all those ideas about pregnant women 'glowing' are pure bologna! I feel like a blimp, my skin is more terrible than it's ever been, my hair is greasy (which is very unusual for me), and I just generally feel gross. Dan, of course, always tries to tell me different, but I KNOW the truth. LOL. It's crazy, I'm almost into maternity shirts. That was fast I tell ya. I'm thinking the pants aren't far behind :(
Dan and I did pretty much nothing over the holiday weekend. We barbecued yesterday, cleaned the house, watched a few movies and that's about it. Just perfect.
I have been reading the baby books that Heleena sent us (Thank you SO much by the way.) It still amazes me that there's truly a little person growing in there. At week 8, the baby was the size of a quarter. Now at week 9, the books say the baby is the size of a large grape, and next week it will grow to the size of a lime. She's growing very fast. As I say this, it's probably going to be a boy, and come out with a complex for his entire life because I refered to him as a girl for so long. :)
Even though it's only for a few days, Dan and I are looking forward to coming to St. Louis the weekend of June 10. Unfortunately we won't have time for visiting, we're shooting a wedding for a friend. It will be nice to get out of Texas if only for a short while.
I'm still going through all the images from the wedding last week. I've included a few more fun ones.
I had really hoped I would escape any major morning sickness. My mom has told me stories about her horrible morning sickness with me, Tanya, and TJ, and I had hoped it wouldn't run in the family. I was apparently wrong. Yesterday I barely moved for the majority of the day. I ate lots of saltine crackers, some chicken noodle soup and drank 7 UP. Let me tell you that doing the dishes while you have morning sickness is NOT a smart decision. I was dry heaving after my attempt to do the dishes. Today I'm feeling better than yesterday, but I still have the morning sickness.
In other news, I have to say that watching Albert Pujols single handedly make the Cardinals season this year is really exciting. It's too bad druggy Barry Bonds is completely overshadowing Pujols' accomplishments. I can't wait to go to the new stadium to watch a game. We'll have to buy the baby a Cardinals onesie while we're there.
Hope everyone is enjoying their holiday.
We get a lot of holidays! This is a 4-day weekend for us, which I could definitely use. I suspect that just as many holidays have, Memorial Day has become just another day to get off work and drink too much for many people. I hope that everyone can stop and take a moment to remember why we have that holiday. At Fort Hood alone, we have lost more than 300 Soldiers. That's all I'll say about that...
I'm actually feeling not so great today. I've had my first actual bout with nausea today, which is suprising, because I'm almost 9 weeks. I'm just eating saltine crackers and drinking 7 UP. Yum. It's not that bad I guess, but I definitely don't feel like doing anything productive. Instead, I'm killing braincells by watching TV.
Actually, I'm watching all the baby shows they have on both TLC and the Discovery Channel. It's quite fascinating how everyone's pregnancies are so different. There was one woman who went her entire pregnancy thinking she was going to have twin boys. She and her husband decorated the room for boys, bought all sorts of baby boy gear and accessories, only to give birth to two baby girls. They had to return everything and redecorate the nursery. I thought it was pretty funny.
Apparently during the ultrasound, the umbilical cord looked like male genitalia. SUPRISE! They were shocked.
I really can't wait to find out what we're having. Our lease is up in October, so we're definitely going to move from our small apartment. We're going to rent a house, and I can't wait to decorate the nursery. Once I hit 28 weeks, my work days get decreased dramatically, which is excellent. I'll have plenty of time to prepare for baby Welch.
No, I am not about to sing you a song from 'Annie'...........................................
I have lived in lovely Central Texas for 2 and a half years, and have lived in the same apartment for 2 years. They consistently fumigate and set bate for little critters. I have never seen any bugs or critters EVER. That is, until yesterday. I go to take the garbage out of the trash can and sure enough, a little white lizard scurries into our closet. I worry about him for a while, but can't find him. Finally I go to sleep. Dan was working the late shift and was scheduled until midnight. Tonight I was getting ready for bed, I wash my face and head into the bedroom. About 3 inches from my foot was my little lizard friend. Of course-I screamed at the top of my lungs and leapt onto the bed. Anybody who knows me understands that while I may be Soldier in the US Army, I am SCARED TO DEATH of bugs, rodents and various other critters. They cause me nightmares and horrible visions. Luckily for me Dan happened to call and I told him about our friend. He came home within 5 minutes, and being the knight in shining armor that he is, took care of the little guy. We tried to let him live, but he was too fast. Dan beat him with a broom, and now I can finally get some rest.
Gret, do you remember our little clear lizard in Florida? He was almost as gross as that one. Stupid little gecko.
Well, we're officially 8 weeks pregnant and no sign of morning sickness. I do feel a little bit sick if I get hungry, but I don't let that happen much. =) Some days I don't even feel I'm pregnant, except for the fact that I generally need AT LEAST 9 hours of sleep and I have hot flashes. Is pregnancy supposed to feel like menopause? I've also been having CRAZY pineapple cravings, which isn't too bad. No pickles and ice cream for me.
Work has been pretty boring, I guess they think pregnant women are invalids and are incapable of doing anything. Oh well, their loss.
It's been about 97 degrees today. Oh-and very humid. Very bad hair weather.
Dan and just got back from seeing the Da Vinci Code. Yes, it received rather harsh reviews from the critics at the Cannes Festival, I thought it was enjoyable. Although, having read the book, there's truly no comparison. As cliche as it may sound, I really couldn't put the book down. I read it during a CQ shift (24-hour guard duty we do once every few months in the Army). The first half was slow, but I thought the second half was fairly good. There were several aspects that were changed from the book's version, and for reasons I don't understand. Needless to say, I'm sure those who haven't read Dan Brown's work will enjoy it more than those of us who have.
I am now writing to you from our new Sony Vaio laptop. Dan's laptop died after returning from a tour in Baghdad, so we purchased a replacement and purchased the most wonderful invention-wireless internet. It's fabulous.
We also shot our first wedding on Saturday. We travelled to a beautiful temple in San Antonio, where we were not allowed inside because we are not Mormon. We took plenty of beautiful shots with the temple in the background, and it was gorgeous. It was a nice day as well, very sunny. Then we drove a couple of hours to a quaint bed-and-breakfast in Salado, which is only about 35 minutes from where we live in Killeen, Texas. It was a very long day, and we both are still exhausted the next day. You have no idea what wedding photographers go through until you do what they do. I definitely need to raise my prices. LOL. (and buy some more comfortable shoes.) I've reviewed some of the photos and am very pleased with our work. I think the newlyweds will be too. Here are a few examples....
Dan and I are preparing to shoot our first PAID wedding tomorrow in San Antonio. Hopefully the weather will be nice and all will go well. I'm really looking forward to it, should be fun.
In Army news, I got my new uniform. They're called ACUs aka digital cammis as the Marines call them. You don't have to have them dry cleaned, so it's much cheaper. They're also pretty comfy, kinda like pajamas.
The Da Vinci Code comes out, and I can't wait to see it. The book was amazing. Despite some bad reviews, I think it'll be a great flick. Dan and I are going Sunday to see it. I'll let you guys know what I think of it later.
In baby news, my first official OB appointment is scheduled for June 19 when I'll be 12 weeks. We should get to hear the heart beat and do an u/s. I can't wait to post pictures. Well, that's all for now.
Well, week 7 of my pregnancy has begun, and I'm feeling well. The headaches haven't been quite as bad as they were early last week. Still no morning sickness. Yay! Dan and I have been referring to the baby as a girl, not really sure why.
We've pretty much decided on the name Audrey if it's a girl. We've been talking about baby names since the first week of our marriage. Now everytime I want something, I say it's for Audrey. Audrey wants you to rub my feet. Audrey wants an ice cream cone from Dairy Queen. I think it annoys him a little, but I think he thinks it's more funny than anything.
I haven't been running at all since I found out I was pregnant, but the nurse says it's good to walk. She said, "Girl, walk, walk, walk, walk, walk. It makes for an easier delivery." I'm all for that, so my goal is to walk 3-4 miles a day. I walk outside in the morning, and again in the afternoon if it's not too hot. This is Texas after all.
I know I'm not the only one out there, but I feel totally pathetic. Sitting here watching America's Next Top Model marathon on VH1 alllllllll day. Oh well...Not much to do here in lovely Central Texas.
Terribly hot today, and it's frightening to think it's only going to be much worse when summer arrives. Oh well, at least it's not Baghdad, right?
I'm feeling pretty well, except for the excrutiating headaches I get every day. They're quite possibly the worst I've ever had and I always get the at the same time everyday- from about 10:30 a.m. - 1:30. It's the strangest thing. I take Tylenol. I drink tons of water (and subsequently make a million trips to the loo). I get plenty of rest. Doesn't matter, the headache monster still maintains its strict schedule EVERY DAY!
Other than that I'm feeling fabulous. It's quite amusing to be asked how I'm feeling one hundred times per day, scary to think I'm not even 7 weeks along. What are these people going to do when they can actually see my little baby bump? Who knows....
I think Dan and I have come to the decision that I will stay in the Army. It will provide the best, most affordable care for the baby. Dan will FINALLY be able to finish school. I have less than two years left, so hopefully it will fly by. *crossing my fingers*
Dan and I just got back from our first pregnancy appointment. Wow. Having a baby is crazy stuff. LOL. We found out that I am officially 5 weeks and 4 days pregnant. Soooo....They told us about all kinds of pregnancy classes that we're definitely going to take...Pregnancy Nutrition, 1st Time Parenting, etc. Sooo many things to think about. I guess it's really starting to feel real, like there's really a tiny human being inside me, even if it's only a half inch long.
Well, for those of you who don't already know, Dan and I found out this week that we're going to have a baby. While we're extremely thrilled, we aren't really sure what we're going to do (as far as staying in the Army or moving). My due date is tentatively January 3. I'm just over 4 weeks along now.
Dan bought me 3 roses as soon as we found out. One rose for me, one rose for him, and one rose for the baby...He's been even more sweet now that I'm pregnant, and I didn't think that was
possible. I'm feeling very well. Just a bit dizzy at times and extremely tired and some back pain. I don't have to do anything very physical anymore for the Army. No running, no standing for long periods of time, no heavy lifting. They're definitely taking care of me (for once anyway). They don't mess around with pregnant women.
