25 Weeks

Wow, this trimester is flying by. Only a few more weeks left! I have the belly to prove it. I am going to have to watch putting those maternity jeans in the dryer! I'm sure the holidays have really helped me pack on the pounds. I still think I am doing much better than I did with Moses. But I did gain a lot of weight in the last three months so we shall see!

I'm having more and more crazy pregnancy dreams. I get up at least once to go to the bathroom as well. I've had to arrange pillows to help me sleep. I also woke up with a cold on Christmas morning which is just no fun!

Sutton is still a mover and a shaker. He even has had the hiccups twice this week. I had forgotten how funny that felt. Every once in a while Moses has tried to feel for him but I don't think he really knows what he is doing.

We plan on working on the nursery some this week and trying to determine what we need. I've done some stroller research and I think this is the one I'm leaning towards. It's called the Joovy Caboose. It will work with our car seat and it has a place for Moses to sit or stand. What do you guys think?

A Santa Snow!

The snow forecast was right! We got about 8 inches of snow last night and during the day today. I kind of wanted to hit some sales but there was no way I was going to get out in the mess we found ourselves in today. We bundled Moses up twice today to let him play in it. I think he really like it. He went sledding and built snowmen with his daddy.
I learned that playing in snow and pregnancy do not equal a good time. I couldn't keep up and what woman in her right mind that lives in NC buys adequate maternity snow attire? I ventured out to take a couple of photos and videos but kept an eye on my boys from the safety of our living room. It seems the snow will still be with us tomorrow so I have a feeling we will be sitting tight for another day!

Holly, Jolly Christmas

After a night of putting things together and trying to get Moses to stay asleep, this is what the end product was. Please note how pretty the train is in this picture. Even though we went to bed late and I barely slept, I made sure I got up at 6am to get a shower and start getting ready just in case. Brett got in the shower right behind me. I had barely gotten dressed when I heard a little boy calling from his room at 6:30am. I alerted Brett and the grandparents and we got all the cameras ready for him to come out.
He was a little out of sorts but he was very happy to see what Santa had brought. Each of the grandparents contributed a "big" Santa gift this year. The kitchen and train table were both big hits. Brett and I didn't want to get too much more so we kept with tradition and got him three smaller gifts: a baseball glove, a "Mater" lego set, and a Toy Story game. He also had a nice stocking and other gifts from the grandparents.
Here is the train table after he had played with it for like 3 seconds. We are constantly making new tracks and bridges, but we have not duplicated the original like it was. Glad I took pictures!

As for the big kids, we had a great Christmas too. After a big breakfast, we opened the gifts under the tree. I was unexpectedly very spoiled this year. I had figured out that Brett had gotten me one pretty necklace I had mentioned from Bailey's, but he got me something else SO special as well. I had mentioned a long time ago that I wanted a locket with Moses' initials on it and room for another baby's initials. Since we already have a name picked out, Brett had the locket made for me. I was SO surprised.

We spent the rest of the day munching on leftovers, watching movies, and resting due to our early wake up call. With the weather forecast for snow everyone made their way home shortly after lunch. We already miss our sweet family and we are savoring the videos and picture of the best Christmas we've ever had!

Christmas Eve

I think I said this last year, but Christmas Eve is my favorite day of the year! I love the preparing and getting ready no matter how hectic it is. I started my day bright and early to get a few things done. It was actually really nice to go out by myself and hit the stores way before they got crowded.

This year, I decided we should do our big meal Christmas Eve night. I wanted us to have plenty of time to relax Christmas morning. It was a GREAT idea! My parents and my grandmother as well as Brett's parents came to spend the night and have dinner. We had a very low key but fantastic meal.

Moses was SO excited!! It just gets better every year. He knew all about Santa and was ready to see what he would bring. We read stories and played for a long time trying to convince him that it was time to go to sleep. Right before bed time, he convinced himself he heard Santa outside. It was hysterical! He kept saying "I here something!" and he would look out the window and exclaim that it was Santa.

He finally went to sleep and we went to work like good little elves. Let's just say it took a lot longer than we thought to assemble the gifts that Santa left us. We ended up going to bed at 1am! Moses didn't sleep well either and Brett had to spend a lot of time trying to get him back to sleep. All night we kept thinking we heard him waking up. More on Christmas on my next post!

By the way, this was Moses' new favorite toy that Grand Mollie brought. Her walker! He played with this most of Christmas Eve. He even sat in it for dinner!

24 Weeks

Whoa baby! Pregnancy belly is here! It's so weird because I look in the mirror and I think I look great for this stage. But I am really getting uncomfortable. I guess this being short thing and maybe just the way I carry. Last night I had to do some major pillow stacking just to fall asleep. I feel TERRIBLE for complaining. I know two ladies who are pregnant with twins right now (27 wks and almost 37 wks) who have it way worse than I do as far as space is concerned.

My appetite has decreased a lot. I'm really not all that hungry during the day. My former coworkers would be shocked to know that I know eat lunch between 12pm-2pm. I used to start getting hungry at 11am! I really haven't been eating as much either. Even my mom noticed that I wasn't eating much. All and all I jus think I'm tired. Brett as been working till 7pm or later and with the extra holiday stuff going on I'm worn out by the time he comes downstairs.

I have had a few moments of being queasy but nothing major at all. I was just a few weeks along with Moses during Christmas and I couldn't do anything! It was awful. I didn't even eat Christmas dinner. I much prefer being tired and a little cranky than like that.

Sutton is moving all of the time now. I think he is going to be long like his brother because I can feel him stretch out at the bottom and top of my belly. He hates to have his space invaded. When I put any little bit of pressure on my belly he kicks. He really hates for me to be sitting I think! He really stretches out and plays around when I lay on my side after a long day.

My next doctor's appointment is not until after the new year (glucose test, BLAH!). I'll be SO excited to be weighed right after the holidays! Then it will only be around three months till we meet Sutton!!!

Christmas Cookies

I have 102993480274 things to do before Christmas Eve when my family starts to arrive. It takes me 50 time longer to do everything lately because of Braxton-Hicks contractions and a certain little "helper." BUT I was determined to do some Christmas Cookie baking and decorating with Moses this week. After promising him all morning while I was ironing that we would indeed make cookies this afternoon, I had to come through when I got him from his nap and he looked at me and said "make cookies!"
He was very patient while I mixed everything and helped me roll out the dough. He is really into shapes right now, so the cookie cutting was his favorite part. He let me do the decorating and he did the eating. We really only frosted a few but it was a lot of fun and much easier than I thought it would be.
Here are a few of our masterpieces. It's super hard to take pictures of a toddler when he has his hands in flour, dough, and frosting!

Hey Santa Claus

Well here it is, Moses' Santa picture for this year! I refuse to wait an hour plus to see Santa at the mall. Luckily, The State Club has a brunch with Santa every year. This Santa is WONDERFUL. He talks with the kids and visits them and is so very patient. And he's so handsome too!

(Note, all my pictures uploaded out of order. I have no desire to fix them. I'll do my best to string together this story.)
In addition to seeing Santa, they provide horse drawn carriage rides around the property. Moses LOVED it and kept yelling "Giddy Up!" and "All a Board!"
I have not been able to get this child to smile for a picture. He might look at me or he might not. He will usually stand where I want him but that's about it. I'm good with that.
If you notice from the first picture, Moses refused to sit in Santa's lap. He wasn't afraid of him at all just had ZERO interest in sitting with him. This is Santa when he first arrived. Moses loved him then. He looked right up at him and said "Where are your reindeer?" I laughed so hard. I guess all the stories we read are sticking. He continued to question and talk to him for a few minutes and I thought would make a beeline to sit in his lap. I was so very wrong. I'm just happy he didn't have a total melt down.
I'm also happy to be making a photograph appearance in my own blog. Big prego booty and all! It was a great brunch with Santa and I was thrilled my parents were able to join us for the experience. Moses is so excited about Christmas this year. I hope to have more Christmasy posts this week!

23 Weeks

More of the same for this week. I'm still carrying "high" and with my height that is making it uncomfortable to sit. I am way more comfortable lying on my side or standing. I'm still having a few Braxton-Hicks here and there which leave me short of breath. That accompanied by my tiredness are my only real problems right now.

I'm feeling really pregnant! I do feel like I am smaller than I was when I was pregnant with Moses. Maybe it's because Bojangles isn't on my way to work this morning and I usually stick with a bagel or something from home. The same is true for lunch and dinner so maybe Sutton will be smaller than his 9 lb 3 oz brother.

I'm still loving some good old home cooking. The very few times I have eaten out, it just doesn't taste good! I had Chick-fil-a, Bojangles, and a nice meal out with Brett last week and none of it tasted as good to me as something we cooked at home. I did make a stir fry last night and the taste of teriayki did nothing for me. It is one of Brett and Moses' favorites though so none was left! I am also still loving my Rice Krispies with bananas and every night before bed I have a glass of orange juice.

I am starting to feel the urge to nest but it is a lot harder to do when you have a two year old! Everything I do, he needs to "help" me with. Messes also drive me nuts but with Brett working from home, the weather being way too cold to go outside, and the many pieces of toddler toys floating around it's something that I am trying to deal with.

Sutton is moving around a lot! He is especially active after dinner when I take a moment to relax. In fact, Moses and I were having a prebedtime movie and snuggle, and I could feel Sutton kicking my belly exactly where Moses was. It seems they have already started to pick on each other!

Deuce Deuce!

Hello Twenty-two weeks! What does that mean? It means Sutton has begun to put pressure on my lungs! Well, my uterus is anyways. I usually could care less about being short. I think there have been very few times in my life I have wanted to be much taller. Pregnancy is one of them! There is just no where for this growing belly to go but up in my rib cage. I am much more comfortable lying or standing than I am sitting. I do get winded quickly as well.

That is really my only problem with pregnancy right now. I am feeling really good. I sometimes get hit with a little nausea or tiredness but not nearly as often or as bad as a few weeks ago. I can promise you Moses and Brett are the most excited to have me "back." The house has been put back into order and is staying clean. Moses has a much more present person taking care of him and playing with him. But the biggest thing is that in nearly two weeks there has only been ONE DAY that we have eaten out. I'm talking breakfast, lunch, and dinner. I personally think that deserves some sort of award....pregnant or not!

As far as cravings, I think they are mostly because of the holidays. I'm obsessed with Harris Teeter's Apple Cider. I did a happy dance when I spotted it in the store last week. We've been eating a lot of comfort food, chili and soups because it has been SO cold. I'm also loving a bowl of Rice Krispys for a snack...and well the treats aren't that bad either! I think my weight gain will go way up in the next few weeks. (I currently do not own a scale.) I am able to eat a lot more now that I am feeling better.

Baby Sutton is very active now and I can feel him starting to stretch out. He's still waiting until I slow down or I'm trying to eat to start his little party up. Every time I go to the doctor he makes it difficult for them to find him. They are always remark how active he is. Sounds like he's taking after someone else in the family already!

A Moses Update!

With all this pregnancy talk and being sick I have really neglected updating on Moses. He changes so much every day! He is really becoming a big boy. He still loves a lot of the same things. Thanks to his daddy, he is still a big NC State fan. We had one week back in November when he went to two basketball games and a football game in one week. He will say "That's the Wolfpack! Go, go Stake!" No that is not a misspelling, he says stake! The band will play the fight song and when they are done he'll yell "Try again!" That's what he does whenever he wants you to do things over and over again
Probably his favorite thing to do is play. It doesn't matter what! He loves play grounds, running in circles and driving trucks all around the house. He still loves his potato head and anything that he can build. I think school has instilled a love of puzzles in him. He will do the same one over and over and over again. In fact he treats most toys like puzzles. Something to put together and then take a part and rebuild.
The thing we are enjoying the most is Moses' ability to communicate with us. His vocabulary is just SO large now. You can really carry on a conversation with him. I love when he wakes up in the morning and comes in our room and says, "Whatcha doing Mommy?" He's always asking us to "Come sit!" so we can play with him. Just last week he started asking the question every mother dreads, "Why?" It was like a light turned on and he needs an explanation for everything. Luckily I was talking to Brett's Aunt Melissa and she gave me a GREAT response to this inquiry. I just look at him and say "Why do you think?" It works SO well. A lot of times he will answer me with a pretty good response or he will think about it. He also says the sweetest things. He will tell me I look pretty or he things the Christmas tree or a bouquet of flowers is pretty. His manners are also great. Please, thank you and excuse me are used all the time. Although anything using an excuse me is sometime said while laughing.

Moses is still loving school. He is so excited to go and talks about his friends. His loves his teachers and they love him too. He can recognize almost all his shapes and can count to 6 (7 - 10) gets a little muddled. He will count objects as well. The alphabet is not going as well. He'll say A, B, C sometimes to begin the song but he'll always answer A or B if we ask him what a letter is. He sometimes refers to them as his "Baby C's." His memory is also great. He still talks about things that happened months ago.

As far as his love for Buzz Lightyear and "Super Goof" they have only grown. He will count and yell "Blast off!" He will also tell us that he is super speedy and super strong. He is also loving robots and trucks and loves to make noises to help act out the trucks driving.

After rereading this it seems Moses is just total boy which is true. But he is a sweet one! I am thinking that he will be a great big brother and teach his little brother all sorts of things!

Leaves!!

I am way over due for a Moses update on the blog. But for now, enjoy him playing in the leaves on Thanksgiving.

20 Weeks Pregnant with a Baby...

BOY!! I knew it! We found out Tuesday that Moses will have a brother. I am SO excited. We have been throwing around names for a while now but I think we have settled on Hugh "Sutton" Barker. Little Sutton obviously gets his name from his Papa. Each one of our boys will be named for his grandfather. We might have to enlarge door frames to accommodate my father's head. He is so proud that this little boy will carry on his name (he was the only son and I am his only child).

Although we found out about Sutton on Tuesday, Brett and I decided to wait until Thursday to tell our family and friends (with a few exceptions!). Our parents tried everything to get us to tell (pestering, guessing, and even bribing). Everyone was guessing girl including our mothers. We bought a little onesie that said "little brother" and put it in a box and let Grand Mollie open it as soon as we got to her house for Thanksgiving. I think everyone was really surprised!

As far as my doctor's appointment, it was great. I saw Dr. Gunter who I LOVE. The baby looked great on the ultrasound. The tech even mentioned how active he looked. He wiggled around and we were able to get some good pictures that I promise I will try to scan this week.

As far as I am concerned, I gained another 1.5lbs which puts my total weight gain around 6lbs. This I am sure will change greatly when I go back since it will be right after the holidays! The only problem was my iron level. It has been slowly nose diving so they put me on iron supplements. YUCK, YUCK, YUCK. I am not enjoying the side effects.

I am still feeling SO much better. I am not having as many moments of nausea and weakness and my energy is picking up. My emotions have been whirlwind because of the sad and happy news delivered in one week, but I guess that is to be expected.

My mom and I spent this afternoon going through all of Moses' clothes and figuring out what Sutton will need. We've also starting trying to figure out what to do about the nursery and other things. My nesting is kicking in big time!

I can't wait to meet this baby boy. I guess it's my lot in life to be surrounded by sweet boys!

Sweet Riley Jean

Tonight, very suddenly, we lost our sweet family dog Riley Jean or as Moses called her "Ryry or Rirey." We noticed this afternoon that she just curled up and wouldn't move. We called the vet and he urged us to bring her in. We honestly thought it was a virus of some sort. After looking her over they noticed she had fluid around her heart and it was enlarged twice the normal size. They began to do a procedure to drain the fluid and noticed that it was blood. At that point, we realized that it was something very bad. We made the very sad decision to let her go. Apparently she had a tumor in or around her heart that ruptured. It happened very quickly. There were no other outward signs that she was sick. Up until this afternoon she was her usual happy hyper self.

Riley was actually a Christmas gift from Brett the first year we were dating. He had a black lab named Dixie and they were fast friends. They were as night and day as the color of their coats in terms of personalities. When Riley was hyper, Dixie was quiet, but they played together beautifully. Dixie died of bone cancer a few weeks after Moses was born. Riley was such a trooper, but I know she missed Dixie terribly. She was such a great comfort to us when we were missing her sister.

I still marvel at the relationship she had with Moses. They have always loved each other dearly. Moses has always been as gentle as Riley was with him. He loved to feed her and throw the ball for her. He would giggle at her doggie kisses when she came barreling in the house.

Trying to explain to a two year old where his doggie has gone will be difficult. We have decided to tell her that Riley has gone to heaven. At this age, Moses asks the same questions a million times, especially when it comes to where people are. He's always been able to see Riley even when she was outside. He knew if he knocked on the window or door she would run up to check on him.

Please keep us in your prayers. We are suddenly petless after 10 years and are missing our fur babies. We are trying to remember to be thankful to God even in hard times. We are so thankful for the love and life both our pets brought to us. We take great comfort in knowing that our sweet dogs are finally playing together forever.

19 Weeks...and a Photo!

Go me! I actually put up a photo! In all seriousness I hardly ever put on any make up during the week so taking a picture of me is a rarity. So, here I am at 19 weeks before church. I am still feeling great (knock on wood) and have been able to do a lot more. I'm sleeping great and I even try to grab a nap in the afternoons when Moses sleeps.

I'm craving comfort foods now a days. Anything that seems to make me happy. I've even been wanting cereal which is strange because I am not a cereal person. Still some food makes me gag, mostly seafood!

My belly is is getting big! I'm wearing all maternity pants or stretch pants. I have a lot of tops that I wear that are not maternity but I have found some smaller tops in the maternity section from target that work well.

I am feeling lots of movement now!! Usually when I'm still. Moses woke up at 2am one day this week and would NOT go back to be on his own so I put him in bed with me and as soon as he settled down, Baby B started wiggling. They are already working together!

Tuesday is the BIG DAY! Reveal day! I feel like it is the most exciting part till you give birth. It's nice to have something to break up the pregnancy! My guess as always is boy. So cast your votes in the comments and we'll see who gets it correct! Right now we are thinking about keeping it a secret and telling our friends and family on Thanksgiving day. We'll see!
Here I am with my big belly and my big boy! Look how long he is getting! I can't wait for him to have a sibling to play with!

Confessions of a Black Friday Shopper

I come from a family that LOVES a good deal. Brett calls us cheap, but since we've had Moses he is not complaining! I took him with us to Walmart one year when we first started dating and he'd swore he'd never go back. Actually none of us do Walmart on that day anymore! (Truth be told I don't think I ever want to go back there period but that is another story.) However, we did need TVs that year and we stocked up.

I think last year was the best. With the economy being what it is, mom and I discovered that a lot of places were open on Thanksgiving day. My favorite was Old Navy. We racked up! They had adult jeans for $15 and lots of other great deals for clothes. Next door we also discovered Michaels was open. I wandered in and found Moses a great wooden easel for mom and dad to get him for Christmas. They also had great Christmas items on sale. I ended up buying fish bowl flower vases that I use all the time as well as Christmas balls that I love.

We did do the Kohls thing very early on Thursday morning. I can't remember what I bought but I do remember how extremely friendly and fast the staff was. I was impressed with how organized they were. Not sure if we'll go back there this year but if you see something on there list you really want, I feel that they are a well prepared place (Note, we go to the Kohls in Fuquay that is probably a lot less crowded than one in a more populated area.)

I've been looking at this website for the previews of the sales. I like it because it lists the items as well as showing you a scan of the ad page. I'm such a visual person so I love seeing the actual ad. It updates every day with new places. I'm getting excited about shopping!!

18 Weeks

Someone mark this week down. It is THE week. This week I am feeling like my old self!!!!! I attribute a lot of this to the weather. It has FINALLY cooled off in NC. I'm talking highs in the 60's. Also, last weekend Moses spent time with both sets of grandparents giving Brett and I three nights with out him. I missed him so much, but we were able to do a lot of cleaning and sleeping and remembering why we got married.

The baby has also been moving around a lot more. Just like with Moses, the second I get a minute to sit still this little one starts poking and kicking. It's great. Brett was even able to feel the first little nudge this past weekend.

With the nausea finally subsiding, eating has actually been pleasant. My new cravings are chicken and grape salad from Lowes food, any kind of rice or pasta, strawberries, and anything with melted cheese. I think cooking more than one meal a week might actually be possible now. I am seriously concerned that this baby is going to come out saying "do you want fries with that?"

Things that are a turn off or gross me out are looking at the pills I have to take. I'm fine taking them but I gag looking at them. I'm really having an aversion to chocolate some too. Especially in the candy form. But the worst? Those McRib commercials! EW! With Moses it was the Hillshire farm commercials that were in the cheerleading chants (Go Meat!).

I'm wearing maternity pants or leggings/stretch pants now. I have the bella band things that go over regular pants but I always fidget with them and I hate the way they look. I was really lucky to have friends loan me some clothes and I picked up a pair of jeans at Target that I really like. I was also really excited to find a maternity coat on clearance. I'm still wearing regular shirts for the most part.

I'm still feeling like this baby is going to be a boy! We will know the answer in less than two weeks. Moses is saying sister so we will see. Let's all remember he was way wrong about me having two babies in my belly. Below is a picture taken last week of me and my lil sis Amber. Can't really tell I'm showing, but trust me I am! I won't be buttoning that coat soon!

Trick or Treat?!

This was the year that Moses has started to understand Halloween! I have to admit, I'm not a huge Halloween person. Growing up I went trick-or-treating, but our church had a big Fall Fest type event where I spent most of my time. Knowing how Moses is about hats and other articles of clothing and factoring in the unpredictable NC weather, I decided to look for a costume that would not be a battle. I found the PERFECT one at our church's consignment sale. Meet Moses the Top Gun.

This year we went to Moses' friend Cameron's neighborhood party. It was SO much fun. People brought different kinds of chili and soup and there was mac and cheese and pigs in a blanket for the kids. All the kids were super cute and ran around and played in the cul de sac. Once Moses put on his costume he was ready to go get candy. He was very upset when he had to wait! I don't think he ate two bites of his dinner.

Finally it was time! He did a great job saying thank you and only taking one piece of candy at a time. Towards the end he wanted to stop and take inventory instead of continuing on with his friends. We did a few more houses and decided to call it a night. He came home and had one piece of candy before bed time.

The next morning around 8am he looked at me very seriously and said "Trick-or-treat!" That's when he learned candy was not a breakfast or early morning snack option. We still have some candy left and he has actually enjoyed sharing some with us. I think he likes the Skittles the best! I wonder what we'll be dressing up as next year?

17 Weeks

Tick, tock! Still trucking along with this pregnancy. Not too much to report this week. Or the week I missed. (Oops) I'm so confused this time around because they will deliver me (c-section) at 39 weeks.

I'm really surprised I'm not showing more. Well in my belly. Apparently, I'm carrying this baby in my rear end. No joke. I wore leggings and longer tunic today and when I was at the mall, thanks to all the lovely mirrors, I nearly ran into a store and bought something else to wear. I was so embarrassed. Totally the reason why I have not posted a photo. I feel like I look like I've eaten too much and I don't really "look" pregnant.

The nausea is still here. Yuck. Was really bad last Friday and Saturday because I WAY over did it at that football game. Apparently, I'm "Pukey" the missing sister of the seven dwarfs. I think this cooler weather is just what I need though. I am loving it! Also still dealing with the tiredness.

Cravings are getting more pronounced. Pastas, Mexican, grape Kool-Aid, rice, and sometimes a good salad. Not sure about the current weight gain thank goodness.

The best part? I'm feeling the little swooshes. Especially when I lay down on my side and things are quiet. Moses was the same way. As long as I am moving nothing. Soon as I slow down and want to sleep, I will feel some movement. LOVE IT. It is so strange because now when I think of baby movement, I think of those last few weeks when your entire belly moves (Yes LT it is really freaky!!).

Still really thinking this baby is a boy. I will be totally shocked otherwise! I'll let you guys know in about 22 days! WOW this is going by fast!

Randomness from the NCSU Game!!

I have a love hate with Thursday night games. I really love that it frees up my Saturdays. I really hate staying up that late on a week night. I really, really, really detest the traffic issues. Most of it stems from people walking around oblivious to traffic. I want to pull my hair out before we get to our parking spot. I usually need a good 15 minutes to chill out after we get there!

Sometimes going to these games I get really down about today's college kids. I understand they are out having a good time and I have no problem with that. But then, they open their mouths. Oh my word the stupid things I have heard. Especially when it comes to people with children. I heard a comment when I took Moses to a game. A friend of mine had someone make a snide remark about the same thing. NO WAY did I think I would ever hear someone make a comment about a 29 year old 16 week pregnant woman. I was mistaken.

We were almost to the gate when I heard a guy say, "Is that girl pregnant?" Seriously? Did he think I was too young to be pregnant or are pregnant women not allowed at that games? If I hadn't been pondering which was more offensive to him I probably would have asked him if he didn't remember me from a few months ago??

Anyways, the actual game was AWESOME. It was so exciting. I was trying so hard to take it easy and sit and rest as much as a I could but the fourth quarter I was on my feet the entire time. And when we recovered the fumble (by the way this happened practically right in front of us) Brett had a moment where he forgot I was pregnant and picked me up and started jumping up and down.

By the time we got out of the stadium and to the parking lot and waited for traffic to actually start moving it was sooo late. I finally got in bed at 2am. That made for a VERY long Friday. Let me tell you, it made it so much better that we won!

15 Weeks!

I've delayed this post a bit so I could write about my doctor's appointment today and just include everything. First off, a confession. I have been a little on the scared side about this baby. I have NO idea why. I could barely sleep last night thinking about today. I went in and they went to look for the baby's heart beat. They couldn't find it. Luckily, I had super sweet Dr. Gunter. He assured me everything was fine and they went to get the portable ultrasound machine. Baby B was tucked as far away from prying eyes as he or she could get with it's heart beating at 150 bpm.

What a treat! I couldn't tell much because it was a very basic ultrasound machine with a tiny screen, but I can spot a beating heart! I then had some blood work done and received my flu shot. I love going to the doctor while I'm pregnant and seeing all the wonderful staff at Blue Ridge. THEY ARE AWESOME!

So here are some pregnancy updates.

Symptoms: Nausea has decreased a lot. I still have to take medication to keep it at bay. I also have to be very careful not to try and do too much. Also having a bitter taste in my mouth when I eat. Still exhausted all the time. When does this second trimester energy boost kick in?!

Weight Gain: Total weight gain of 4lbs. EEEK! Need to lay off the junk. Wearing some maternity things but today not wearing any. I feel like I look like I've just gained a lot of weight!

Cravings: Nothing too crazy. Actually bland food is best now. I have a glass of OJ every night before bed. I did have a covered dish meeting last night and ate lots of YUMMY stuff.

What I miss: My energy and my taste!

We have about 25 more weeks to go!! On November 23 we will find out the sex of Baby B!! I am so ready for it! I'm trying to find something can put in the sidebar of the blog so people can vote. Can someone help me out? I know what my guess is....BOY!

Till I Can Write the Full Post

Somethings

Never

Change!

Sweet Good Nights

I was resting on the bed this evening and Moses came in to tell me to good night. He climbed on the bed and said, "Snuggle mommy?" I told him of course and he snuggled under the blanket with me. The he called daddy to snuggle.

Daddy came in and Moses said, "Kiss mommy!" We kissed and he giggled. Then he said, "Kiss Moses!" So we both kissed Moses between us. He kept doing it over and over gain and just laughing. He's done this a few times and it is just the sweetest way to say good night. Snuggled up, kissing the ones we love. How wonderful!

Hill Ridge Farms

I've always wanted to take Moses to Hill Ridge Farms during pumpkin season. But since it is a little far from our house we haven't been able to swing it. This year I made a point of asking Brett to take a morning off so we could do it as a family. It was SO much fun!!

In all the photos Moses looks SO serious and he was pretty much the entire time. It was like he was taking it all in. We walked around the mazes and saw the animals. Then we rode the train. That was a BIG hit. We got on our car and Moses started saying, "All aboard, TOOT TOOT!" Brett also took Moses down the big slide and even climbed into the corn with him! (Brett found corn in his pants the rest of the day!)
The last thing we did was pick out our pumpkin. (Thank you, blogger for uploading my pictures out of order!) We changed our mind a lot bout which ones were coming home with us. We still have to make our trip out to the church we have gone to buy pumpkins from every year since Moses was born, so I wasn't too upset we came home with some funny looking "punkins."

If you haven't been to Hill Ridge Farms before, GO! We had the best family time. I am loving all of our Fall activities!

14 Weeks!

Yes, I know I missed thirteen, but give a pregnant woman a break! And no, I do not have a picture, but I promise I will get one for next time!

Symptoms: The nausea got better, but it is back! BOO I've also been having headaches. Double boo. And the triple boo is the constant exhaustion and just not being able to keep up with anything. Second trimester energy where are you?

Sleep: Still exhausted with crazy pregnant dreams. I feel tied to my bed. Moses now will walk in and say, "mommy is resting."

Weight gain/Maternity Clothes: I am wearing the belly band and a lot of non pregnancy clothes. I'll grab a few pieces for comfort now and then. I have a feeling it won't be long till I'll be wearing them. I go to the doctor in a week and a half so then I will know how much I have gained. I really like to pack it on when I am prego.

Cravings: I guess comfort foods? But really, nothing sounds good. I have a bitter taste with everything. I hope this resolves before the fair.

General Observations: I really shouldn't be writing this now because all I want to do is whine about how crappy I feel. I try to go out and do things and put up a good front but I pay for it big time later. My house is a disaster, my husband is ready to trade me in, and my sweet child is wondering what in the world happened to his real mommy. BUT, come April, I won't remember any of it!

12 Weeks!

Symptoms: Nausea is better but I still have some queasy days. I've been on Zofran for several weeks. I took it every single day of my pregnancy last time. I am also still battling a sinus infection and bad cough. Oh, immune system you are cruel! I am also hot all.the.time.

Sleep: Exhaustion. I try to nap or rest when Moses is asleep. At night I sleep long and hard. Complete with crazy pregnancy dreams!

Movement: None yet! I'm ready. I don't feel "pregnant" yet.

Weight gain/Maternity Clothes: I have probably back up to my original weight (8lbs plus from before I had Moses!). I lost a few pounds in the beginning. No maternity clothes yet, but I am sure they will be on the way soon.

Cravings: First few weeks was pasta. Now I want really bad fast food like Wendy's chili and the grossest of all..Taco Bell. Seriously, I don't think I have eaten at a Taco Bell since college before this week. I'm not going to lie...it was SO good.

General observations: When they tell you that you forget about all the bad stuff about pregnancy and child birth, they aren't kidding. I will tell you that Brett will remember for me this time! It is very different being home and having a family to take care of. Especially a toddler who does not understand, mommy is sick. I feel SOOO bad for him and Brett. My house is a disaster! I'm ready for the second trimester honeymoon period to kick in!

It's no April Fools...

We are VERY excited to announce that I am......

YAY!! Come the first week in April, Moses will be a big brother! We are so very excited to be adding to our family. I feel so blessed! Brett and I are both only children so we wanted to give Moses a gift we didn't have.

We found out Sunday, August 8. We had gone to eat lunch as a family and when we got home we put Moses down for his nap. Brett was outside painting the back door when I decided to take the test. I was SO surprised!! I went to the door and knocked on the window and held it up for Brett to see. Big grin from Daddy! We went and got Moses (who was refusing his nap) and told him he was going to be a big brother. He looked at us like we were nuts and went about playing. We asked if he wanted a brother or sister...he response was brother AND sister. Let's just say at our ultrasound a few weeks ago that he was NOT right. One healthy beating heart!

I'm having the same sickness trouble I did with Moses. Things are much better but now I have a sinus infection. YUCK! So, please be in prayer for our growing family. Especially Brett and Moses since they have to deal with me! We can't wait for April to get here!

Thursday Night Wolfpack!

To say that I literally had to DRAG myself to last night's football game is a complete understatement. I was exhausted, my house was a mess, laundry needed to be done and Moses had been a wild man. But we had a babysitter. Did ya'll here me? We has child care lined up so I got my booty moving and off Brett and I went. Traffic was terrible and by the time we got there I was a little fit to be tied! I told Brett we had better win or I was going to be very upset. Well my spirits were lifted when I walked into our section and saw that we were going to do a card stunt!! Don't ask me why, but this just delighted me. Brett's cousin Amy bought our extra ticket this year so at least I had someone there who would not make fun of me. Since ESPN is a big stinker they didn't show the whole thing so here it it for those of you who were not there!

They really pulled out all the stops for being on national TV and military appreciation day. There was a flyover, the card trick, parachuting onto the field, a flag the size of the field, and lots of military personnel recognized. Oh and did I mention a butt stomping of those Bearcats? Amy and I still do not know what a "bearcat" is and we are very concerned about it. It turned out to be a good decision to go. I hope the rest of the season goes this well!!

Mosesisms

Because I don't want to forget what he used to call things, the things he loved, and what he was thinking, here is a little peak at his little world right now...

Pepchuck - Still uses this word for ketchup

Oot to oots - He uses this word sometimes when he wants fruit

Patey Hat - Mr. Potato Head

Ifif and hey ron - To infinity and beyond! (Quoting Buzz Lightyear)

And lastly, there is Super Goof. Spend five minutes with him and you will hear him say, I am SUPER GOOF. I finally realized a few weeks ago that he saw an episode of Mickey Mouse Club House where Goofy becomes and super hero called Super Goof. To say he is obsessed is putting it mildly. He runs around in circles saying Super Goof. He has announced to his teachers, friends, the grocery store and basically anyone who is near him that he is in fact, Super Goof. Some mornings, it is the first thing he tells us. It amazes me what makes an impression on a toddler!

Off to school we go!

Today Moses started his first day of "school"! He is going to a church that is practically across the street from our house. From 9:15 to 1:15 on Tuesdays and Thursdays he'll be making new friends, playing and learning all sorts of new things. He has a new red book bag and a Buzz Lightyear lunch box. Yes, I have to pack a lunch for my big boy!

I tried to take a good picture of him, but he was particularly upset with me because I wouldn't let him take out all of his outdoor toys so he went and stood in the grass to try and make me mad.
After sleeping an hour later than he normally does, we got ready and headed to school. He had a good time waiting for school to open. A lot of the boys and girls had Toy Story shoes, bags, and shirts so we made quick friends. Moses looked in the window with some other kids and they kept knocking for the teachers to let them in!

We got to his class and hung up his bag and he made a bee line for the toys. I spoke really quickly to the teachers before waking over to give him a kiss and tell him bye. Since he was happy and content I decided to go. I heard no crying when I walked down the hall so I guess he is ok! I'm proud of both of us for being so grown up!

We Interrupt This Marriage to Bring You...

Football season! Yes, it's that time of year again. I confess, I love college football. Going to the games has changed SO much since we had a baby. We usually only take Moses to one or two games, but we still use game time as our time. I don't keep up or take to heart are wins and losses like I used to but I love this time of year!

Here is a little back story of our family's addiction to Pack football. Growing up I went to a few ECU games and cheered for them...sort of. When I went to Meredith I always cheered for the Pack and enjoyed going to games. In fact, Senior year of college you could hear the announcer from our house we were so close.

Brett became a major NCSU fan in college and when he graduated bought what are called lifetime rights for two seats at Carter-Finley Stadium. The first time I met Brett after talking for awhile, he stopped mid conversation and asked me what team I pulled for. Let's just say I answered correctly. I had NO idea what I was getting myself into.

The first game I went to I was almost embarrassed by his enthusiasm. A few games later, I found my self calling a long haired Clemson player (the opposing bench is 9 rows from our seats) a little girl so fiercely he turned to look for me. We've been loyal from the Phillip Rivers years, the Chuck Amato exodus, and now the 3 years of beating UNC. From that first game until Moses came along, I didn't miss a home game for five years.

So as of Thursday night, I will lose Brett to college football and soon after to fantasy football. But for the most part, I'll be right there with him!

Moses' Birthday Party!

We really had a great day for Moses' party. We filled the backyard with baby pools and outdoor toys. The kids had a ball. The humidity stayed away and the yard was nice and shadey so the adults enjoyed themselves too!

We had pizza and other snacks, mostly Moses' favorite. We figured out recently that Moses loves Hawaiian pizza (ham and pineapple!) so we made sure he had plenty! He really tried to blow out his candles but needed a little help from daddy. You were way more interested in tasting the frosting.

It was a great low key birthday! We have the absolute best friends and family and appreciate them so much for taking the time to celebrate with us and for their generous gifts. Let's just say they know how much Mickey and Buzz are loved at this house! Thanks for the memorable day!