19 Weeks!

19 Weeks

1 week from the midway point!!

How far along are you? 

19 Weeks

Total weight gain: 

Doesn't seem like I've gained any more than just the belly.  Since the last dr appointment I've really started watching HOW much I eat.  

How big is baby?:

My apps still say Baby is as big as a mango, weighing in at 10 oz and 6.5 inches long

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Maternity clothes: 

Definitely...I'm building my wardrobe one piece at a time

Though the picture up top, the shirt is a pre-pregnancy tunic that still fits great, haha, a nearly 5 month pregnant woman in a Hollister shirt.

Stretch marks?:  

None, yet.  

Still applying Palmers religiously

Sleep?: 

I got a body pillow!  I sleep SO SO SO much better!

Best moment this week?:

I guess actually feeling pregnant.  Movement is starting to get restricted, like rolling out of bed or the couch lol.  I can't bend over as freely as I could even two weeks ago

Movement?: 

I've started feeling Baby about once a day, nothing big, but definitely not gas lol

Food cravings?:

Still...

Popcicles!  At least I'm eating sugar free lol

Food aversions?:

Not too bad, kind of depends on the day

Labor signs?: 

NO!  Stay put Baby!

Belly button in or out?: 

In...not sure if I think it will or won't pop

What I miss: 

I'm back in an exhausted stage, no matter how much or well I sleep I'm still tired pretty much all day.  So, I'm really missing caffeine now!  I still stick to my one cup of morning coffee.  I'll have a sip or two of soda when J's drinking it, or a swig of sweet tea, but I rarely indulge more than that

What I'm looking forward to: 

MONDAY!!  

Is Baby a boy or a girl?!  

What I'm not looking forward to: 

Summer, I'm already hot and it's only gotten to 85

Milestone: 

More regular movement

I did NOT want to come back to work!

First off, HAPPY EASTER YA'LL!  I know, a few days late.  But, I don't blog at home usually, just at work.  I have a new addiction thanks to Android finally jumping on the band wagon...INSTAGRAM!!

Here's an instagram dump of our weekend

Sullivan being adorable, My loves snuggling at bedtime, J driving to church, Our FULL church Easter Sunday

Making our triffle, finished product, J & I cooking Easter dinner,  My little specialty sauteed green beans

I was SPOILED yesterday (Monday), Pedicure during and after, Sully and I took a walk...Mommie Sully love!

I have to show ya'll my Easter dress, I thought I was just cute lol

18 weeks 6 days

Our niece Amelia, 9 months

Uncle J and Amelia

We had a great weekend...I did not want it to end!

My teenage music rebellion, This needs a language advisory!!

We all rebel in some shape or form as teenagers...mine was usually through music in my car.
My mother was really strict about my music, I couldn't listen to Nirvana because of their song Rape Me, and the cover to their CD Nevermind

Why did she have a problem with this?  You got it, that little baby boy's nekid places!
I couldn't go to concerts because "people smoke marijuana" at concerts.
I couldn't listen to albums that had the Parental Advisory sticker

I couldn't listen to rap
I couldn't listen to Sublime
There was a LOT that I just wasn't allowed to listen to.

So, as soon as I turned 16, I did what any normal teenager would do.  I plugged my CD Walkman in to my cigarette lighter, with the tape player adapter connected and rocked out to whatever my little heart desired!

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My favorite rebellions were OutKast

I also loved DMX!!

I was listening to this song while in the shower.  Volume UP LOUD!  Enjoying a song I've heard a million times, nostalgia if you will.  I suddenly hear the lyrics to the song...ever have that song you've enjoyed for years but the lyrics finally make it in to your brain??  Yeah, this song is the one.  I am glad I already had rinsed my hair, I was cracking up laughing.
Ready for this one?  It's, well, interesting....
Man, cats don't know what it's gonna be
Fuckin with a nigga like me, D-to-the-M-to-the-X
Last I heard, y'all niggaz was havin sex, with the SAME sex
I show no love, to h*mo thugs
Empty out, reloaded and throw more slugs
How you gonna explain f*ckin a man?
Even if we squashed the beef, I ain't touchin ya hand
I don't buck with chumps, for those to been to jail
That's the cat with the Kool-Aid on his lips and pumps
I don't f*ck with nigg*z that think they broads
Only know how to be ONE WAY, that's the dog
I know how to get down, know how to BITE
Bark very little, but I know HOW TO FIGHT
I know how to chase a cat up in the tree
MAN, I GIVE Y'ALL NIGG*Z THE B'INESS FOR F*CKIN WIT ME, IS YOU CRAZY?!?

All of the lyrics here

I think I blew a few speakers in my 1983 Cutlass Supreme, ol Hooptie was good to me.  Then I ran her into a light pole.  I don't mean just any light pole, I mean the huge aluminum ones that are concreted and BOLTED into the ground.  Knocked that sucker clear over blocking 4 lanes of traffic.  Hooptie just kept on ticking, hideous, but kept on ticking.  I wish I had pics of Hooptie...aaahhh, the good ol days with no car payment and any car maintenance needed was done by Daddy...free of charge to me.  LOL!

I could really go on and on for days about my HORRIBLE music choices as a teenager, but I'll stop there with the explicit lyrics and language.  lol

I don't know why I enjoy(ed) the music, I don't agree with it LOL...I guess teenage rebellion does that to you

A special fur baby friday

Meet my brother's family, Daniel (bubby) his wife Geneva and their precious babes Rayleigh and Brayden

My brother is active duty Navy and has been deployed 3 times, and thankfully the good Lord has sent him home unscathed each time!

You guys have seen them on Fur Baby Friday before: here

And I begged for prayers for their biggest Fur Baby, Brutis here

So, I'm turning my blog over to Geneva for the day!!  Enjoy:

So today is Fur baby Friday and Amanda has given me the privilege or writing about my baby Brutis!  I normally do not write so bare with me!

I got Brutis when he was 7 weeks old.  Of course the runt of the litter.  He ran and jumped in my lap and refused to move.  So you guessed it he was mine and I was his!  He picked me! From this day on he stole my heart!  On the way to MS from KY he rode in the back.  He was so quiet I had almost forgotten he was back there.  I start to hear the rustling of a bag. (which was the food I had bought and opened for him to try!)  So I look in the rear view mirror only to see a blue merel butt and tail in the air peeking out or the top of the bag. Lol So I had to pull over and hide the food b/c butter ball continued to go to town.  He had already figured out how to make me laugh and steal my heart!

I don’t think that Brutis and I realized how much we would need each other over the next few years.  He started helping me from the day I got him!  Daniel my husband was deployed to Iraq so I started to lean on Brutis b/c he was all I had!  At this time it was Brutis and I against the world!  From 2007 to 2011 he has been my best friend and hero.  During this time period he helped me survive 3 deployments, 2 pregnancies, and the death of my father!  Two of the deployments my husband went on were war zones.  I would often hear a voice over a loud speaker saying,”Incoming Incoming Incoming!”  Which meant that Daniel and his fellow brothers and sisters were being attack with rockets.  He would have to hang up really quick and I wouldn’t hear from him for and hour or so…  So naturally I feared for his life and would cry and be so upset!  Brutis was always there to console me and would often make me laugh.  Like one time during one of those phone calls he jumped up on the bed trying to lift my spirits, he over shot his jump and he fell off the bed!  Well I knew he was ok and found if funny I just laughed and laughed repeating the look on his face! Lol  He on the other hand tucked his tail, ran to the corner of the room, faced his butt to me and huffed and puffed b/c I laughed at him.  

During this time I fell in a deep depression b/c of my fathers unexpected death.  I started getting better slowly but surely with the help of Brutis!  This poor guy had his work cut out with me!  I ended up having my son before I was completely over the depression and ended up with postpartum depression too.  Exactly 1 month and 1 week after delivering my son my husband left for Afghanistan.  I tried pulling myself out of my depression but I couldn’t do it alone. Brutis and my kids pulled me through…  Rayleigh and brutis would play together.  Brutis was so patient with them almost as if he were saying no worries mom I will watch them I know you aren’t feeling the best.  Like always he made me realize things could be worse and with love, and patience’s  we made it through.

So here we are 2012 and he is still one of the loves of my life, best friend, and hero.  Without him I would have been lost and still fighting to get out of that hole I had dug myself! I often make the joke, “If my husband made me pick between him or Brutis, I would pick Brutis b/c he never leaves me!” =)  He was here before I had kids.  We would play hide and seek and he would hide in my dirty clothes and jump out at me and tag me like, I got ya mom! He is the most amazing animal and one of the best things that have ever happened to me!

So when we were recently (like 3 days ago) faced with losing him due to a condition called bloat I was determined to keep him by my side b/c in my eyes our journey was not over yet!  I started realizing that I started taking Brutis for granted and that I had been selfish!  It was always me me me.  I knew then and there I had to do something to make him realized how much I loved him and how sorry I was… So I prayed and prayed that he would be ok… The vet gave us an estimate of 2100.00 for surgery and meds and all that jazz.  We couldn’t afford it.  So we got approved for a Care Credit card and of course swiped it. We had no clue how we were going to pay it off in the first 6 months before the 27% interest was tacked on.  I didn’t care I just knew I couldn’t live without him!  So when I left him that morning at 3 am I thought and thought and thought about ways to come up with this money to pay for my best friend!  I soon realized with all of our money going to the military move I couldn’t do it alone!  So I started selling my Scentsy again in hopes that I could reach out to others and get the help I needed to pay back my best friend brutis for the number of times he saved me!  I couldn’t and can’t give up b/c he would never give up on me.  If I were the dog and he were the human he would have put aside his pride to ask for help too!  

He is my best friend and has taught me the most valuable lesson anyone could have taught me and that is to NEVER turn your back on your friend or take them for granted b/c we aren’t guarenteed to live forever! We still aren't out of the woods and the vet bill is still raking up but I talk to him, pet him, and kiss him everyday! I tell him I love him and thank him for hanging on and forgiving me for being so selfish.  So take a moment to love on your pet and let them know how thankful you are for them and what they do!  You might not have tomorrow, I almost didn't have my tomorrow...   

I GET TO GO HOME!!

recovering on the couch

And now a few just for fun!

He's a silly silly boy

So, I'm selling Scentsy, if you love Scentsy, buy a bar, any little bit will help.  All of my earnings are going to Brutis's medical bills.
Any order, no matter how big or small, is deeply appreciated
Click here to order!

18 Weeks!

18 Weeks!

2 weeks until the half-way mark!

How far along are you? 

18 Weeks

Total weight gain: 

Doesn't seem like I've gained any more than just the belly.  Since the last dr appointment I've really started watching HOW much I eat.  Before, I would eat the entire foot long sub because I knew I'd be hungry again in no time.  Now, I'm spreading out those calories and saving half of the sub for later.  Smart cookie, I am!

How big is baby?:

Apparently Baby is the size of a mango...can't say I've ever eaten a mango to be familiar with one...but here's a pretty picture!  lol

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Baby is approximately 6 inches long head to rump and weighs about half a pound

Maternity clothes: 

Definitely...I'm building my wardrobe one piece at a time

Stretch marks?:  

None, yet.  

Still applying Palmers religiously

Sleep?: 

I got a body pillow!  I sleep SO SO SO much better!

Best moment this week?:

Baby's first big FLOP

Movement?: 

Sunday I was sitting on the couch, drinking my coffee.  All of a sudden it felt like a fish flopped over in my belly!  My whole belly shook!  It was WEIRD!  

I'm pretty sure I was kicked or punched again the other day 

Food cravings?:

Still...

Popcicles!  At least I'm eating sugar free lol

Food aversions?:

Not too bad, kind of depends on the day

Labor signs?: 

NO!  Stay put Baby!

Belly button in or out?: 

In...not sure if I think it will or won't pop

What I miss: 

not being tired constantly...I know you mothers are laughing at me

What I'm looking forward to: 

APRIL 16!!

We will find out Baby's gender!  HURRY UP!!

What I'm not looking forward to: 

Even less sleep...I've become an insomniac it seems.  

Pre-pregnancy, I could sleep so well. Just get still and I'd be SOUND asleep...noise level didn't really matter, light didn't matter...not so much any more

Milestone: 

Baby's flop!

Slacker

I've been slacking on my blog.  Between having a lazy/fun weekend, and just being tired, I don't have a whole lot to entertain you folks with lol.

Sunday morning was lazy, then I went to my friend Emily's house to make potato soup and cupcakes!  My potato soup recipe is SO easy, and SO yummy!!  And, NO measuring of anything!
Peel and cube your potatoes
Place  in a large pot
Cover all of the potatoes with milk (I like skim, use whatever)
If you use a large stew pot, throw in a whole stick of butter
If you use a smaller pot, use less...unless you like lots of butter
Bring it JUST to a boil, do NOT let it boil for long at all
Turn it down and let it simmer until the potato chunks are soft
If you like your soup chunky, only mash part of the chunks
If you like your soup to be like thin mashed potatoes (like me) SMASH AWAY!!
When finished, stir in salt, pepper, and garlic powder (all to taste)
Serve!
I like mine with TONS of cheese and bacon bits!  Add whatever.  It's really that easy!

If you use 10 lbs of potatoes, this is what you end up with lol

While at Emily's house, I got an education on Batman characters from her nearly-3 year old son.  Apparently there's a character named Woman Cat...not Cat Woman.  However, I think they could be easily confused by everyone but him!  LOL

Monday J and I just lazed around the house until time to go meet friends for dinner at our favorite little hole in the wall.  It's a Mexican Cantina, but is about as Mexican as I am lol.  They have the BEST beef nachos, and serve them on a HUGE plate...let's just say after that night, I think I may birth a plate of nachos instead of a baby!  We eat there every Monday he's off work!!  SO YUMMY!!

There's new Baby milestones, but I guess ya'll will just have to wait until tomorrow for my 18 week update to get them!

And because I just can't think of anything else, I'm going to ask you guys to pray for my brother's family.  I wrote about their dogs on this post.
Last night their beloved Great Dane, Brutus, somehow got bloat.  They rushed him to the Emergency Vet for emergency surgery, and his night was very very touch and go.  He made it through surgery, and is making quite the turn around, but the next 5 days are still iffy.  Brutus has been my sister-in-law's child since before she had human children, and has been through several deployments with her.  He also is my adorable niece's big brother.  Please, pray for a complete recovery for them.  If for NO other reason, so my 2.5 year old niece doesn't have to miss her doggie

What I'm learning about maternity clothes...

If you're on my twitter, you know I was fussing about the cost of maternity clothes, and that I dropped $60 on 2 shirts and 1 pair of jeans.  I'm cheap, I refuse to spend that kind of money on regular clothes....so here's my rant! lol

**They're ridiculously expensive.  $35 is the running price for jeans, no matter where you look.  And, you can buy capris at Target in one size, go back to get the same brand and size full length jeans.  Surely they fit the same, surely.  NO.  Not even close.  I couldn't get the jeans pulled up over my thighs.  Got them up as far as I could, crotch of the pants was still 4 inches below my own!  Same size.  Sense that makes?  NONE

**More on the pants...apparently if you're pregnant, your thighs are supposed to be the size of twigs.  Girlfriend, here, doesn't have that.  I've always had muscular legs, 5 years 2 seasons each of soccer will do that to ya.  Old Navy, I had to go up a size just because the legs were too tight.  I'm normal sized people!  Everywhere else fit...

**The shirts with rouching on the sides...lovely idea, if they don't ride up every time you move.  Can't find the shirt online to show to you guys...but personally, I don't want the band of my jeans to show because the shirt can't stay in place!!  Maybe it'll get better when I get bigger.
Just because it looks good on the hanger AND online, does NOT I repeat NOT mean that it will look good on you!  Case in point....this shirt: 

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cute, right?  Wrong.  Terribly wrong!  Again, if you're a twig...with NO boobies...this should look fabulous on you.  I put it on and it made my boobies look 4 times larger than they already are!!  And made my belly look incredibly odd.  Needless to say...this is going back to Target!

**My favorite shirts are the plain, LONG tshirts.  I'm really liking SOME of Old Navy's shirts 

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This looks SO much better ON than it does in this pic!  And a long tee that I found at Target, I have it in red and pink!  LOL

**It's rarely on sale, never at Target.  And just to be frank, most of Old Navy's stuff is just on my HELL NO list!  And Old Navy has the better priced maternity clothes!!

**My night shirts no longer fit, it's pretty amusing to look at me.  I finally broke down and got a body pillow, used it for the first time last night.  Either it worked or I was exhausted, but I slept WELL.  It did eventually end up on the floor though.  LOL.  I'll try that again tonight.

**Just shy of 18 weeks, and I'm ready for regular clothes already...and I haven't even hit "WHOA SHE'S PREGNANT" stage yet!!