10 Week Check In-Updated!

Ok, so I know that a lot of you were anxiously awaiting another picture and post last night, but it just didn't happen. I had a crazy busy day at work and I actually came straight in, got in the bathtub by 6pm, and FELL ASLEEP in the tub! Ha! So, obviously a post or picture for that matter just didn't happen!

Come back tonight for the update!

(Ohhhhh, I do NOT look good in this picture! Note to self, freshen up makeup and brush hair before weekly pics! This is what a hard day and a migraine do to you!!! Ha! Also, it's kind of funny how my scrub top matches my wall!)

How far along? 10 weeks

How big is Baby? about one inch and the size of a kumquat (whatever that is!)
Total weight gain/loss: about 4 pounds (lost one this week)
Maternity clothes? Loving my new maternity jeans.
Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: I am way more EXHAUSTED this week than the last few. As in so bad, I fell asleep in the tub last night and slept through the night without any potty breaks!
Best moment this week: Making it to 10 weeks!!
Movement: From what I read, yes, but too soon to feel it.
Food cravings: For some crazy reason I could eat Mexican or Ankar's cheeseburgers every meal, but everything else makes me sick.
Gender: Too soon to know, but I could care less!
Labor Signs: none, thank goodness!
Belly Button in or out? In and I pray it stays that way. Ha!
What I am looking forward to: We are getting a special US from the nurse for Christmas! I called today about my headache and she said to come on in next Tuesday just so we can get an extra peak between appointments for fun! I LOVE my OB and his nurse!!!!!
Milestones: hitting 10 weeks!

Thanks for all the advice last week. I am already on zofran during the day and phenergan at night (I feel like all I do is take nausea meds!) and this week I've upped my intake of fruit and fiber, but still NOTHING! UGH! Hopefully soon I'll get to come off the nausea meds and I'll be a little less constipated! :-)

2009 Christmas Tour Of Homes

First, let me just say I this tour is much, much happier than last year's. I am LOVING this Christmas, but know that next year will be the best one yet and I.CANNOT.WAIT!!!! I also want to take this time to once again thank the Catoosa County Fire Department. As you will see as you take the tour, most of my decorations survived our fire. Even more impressive is that they moved our tree around and did not break one single ornament (although I cannot say the same for the movers. :(

Welcome to our home! Please take off your coat and stay awhile!

Last year we had old fashioned C-9 clear lights on the house and it was so beautiful, but Michael hasn't had the time to put them up this year and honestly we are a little nervous they may have been somewhat of a lightning rod! Ha! This year we went simple with our doorway decoration, wreaths on the windows, and candles in the windows.

Since I have been a slacker blogger over the past few months, I missed Lianna's door tour, so I thought I would include it here. I have two lighted trees, lighted garland with brown, green red, and gold ornaments around the door, and a 36" wreath with red, gold, and green ornaments on the door that I made last year. I had to do some SERIOUS touch up work after the fire, but it was mostly intact.

As you come in the front door you will see my ornament wreath on the wall to your right in the foyer. I love my crushed one from last year better, but still pretty happy with the way this one turned out.
My foyer opens up into the living room and you see my tree as soon as you come in. I LOVE MY TREE. I love everything about it, the type branches, the ornaments, the size, the topper, EVERYTHING! It is a perfect display of my taste and personality. It mostly has red, gold, brown, and apple green ornaments with a lot of keepsakes thrown in. I collected Hallmark Barbies for about 16 years and most of those are on this tree (for now, if God blesses us with a daughter next year, they will be passed down to her next November!).

My mantle has lighted garland (because really, why put up garland if it isn't lit?! The more lights the better in my mind! Ha!), red/green/gold ornaments, and two large silver candlesticks that have big pillars that are white with red/green/gold stripes. I got the pillars at JCPenney last year four days before my fire and they are PERFECT! I also LOVE my stockings. I got them at Ballard's last year and we lost Spencer's somewhere between the fire and now and I'm a sad about that. :-( This year I am going to order one more for Baby Ledford and another one for Spencer right after Christmas.

I have a glass bowl full of green and brown ornaments on my coffee table.

In our room I decided instead of just doing a large vase filled with brown, white, and blue ornaments like I normally do, I would get a small white tree. I think this tree turned out really cute, don't you? I am planning on moving it to the nursery next year.

I also LOVE getting Christmas cards. I always put my picture cards on the refrigerator and the other cards in a "box" that looks like a present on my coffee table.

This is my Santa cookie jar and monogrammed "L" plate I have on my island. I also have my Southern Living Christmas cookbook out because what self-respecting Southern girl doesn't have one on display?! :-)

This is the wreath I made last year after the fire that was supposed to be a gift, but once I finished, I loved it so much I decided to keep it! Oops! Ha! It hangs in my dining room between my china cabinet and windows.

I have this lighted ornament tree on my dining room table with red beaded placemats and my Christmas salad plates displayed. They were my Christmas miracle last year. When I set out my Christmas decorations (10 days before the fire) I decided that I would place my Christmas china on the table and thought, seriously, what was the worst that could happen, Spencer doesn't get near the table and we don't have kids! Ha! Well, a few weeks went by and I was looking at pics of my Christmas decorations and realized they were on my table...that the ceiling fell on! Since the insurance company packed our house, I didn't know if they made it our not. When I unpacked, I had all 12 in perfect condition! So, they are my own little Christmas miracle! Ha! (but don't think I wasn't a little nervous to put them out this year! Ha!)

That concludes our tour. I didn't do as much this year because honestly, I just don't feel like it. Be sure to come back next year as I plan to go all out and start super early (totally against my principle to decorate before Thanksgiving, but it will be Baby Ledford's first Christmas and you better believe Santa will think he is at the North Pole when he comes to see him or her, or that his/her mother is crazy and spent way too much time/money/effort decorating, but who cares!!!!!!!)

Weekend Fun

This weekend has been fun and busy. Friday night I wasn't feeling too well, so we just stayed in and went to bed early. Yesterday I got up early and attempted to finish my shopping. I still have only ONE more gift. I'm having trouble finding what I'm looking for and I am just about to settle for spending a little more than I wanted to, but oh well, time is running out!

Last night we went to PF Chang's with our friends Rodney and Sarah. Let me tell you I was a little worried about how Chinese food would go, but it did well. I had a really good day yesterday and managed to eat 3 entire meals (a huge accomplishment these days!).

This morning we got up and visited a new church. Well, it really isn't new to us, but it is. It is the church my mom grew up in and I went until I was about four. Our current church is very, very big and I really want something smaller to raise a family in. So far we really like it. Hopefully the search for a new church will not take too long and we can start getting involved before the baby comes. This afternoon I stayed at my parents and my mom helped me make some red velvet cake balls, YUM!

I also picked up my Christmas cards at Walmart and I am so happy with the way they turned out. I'll post them in a few days when they are in the mail. I just got back home and I.am.tired! It was a full day and I am worn out! Looks like we will be having a frozen pizza for dinner.

Can you believe it is only 12 days until Christmas?????

One Year Ago

I actually debated doing this post since things have changed so much over the past few weeks and I really didn't know if I wanted to, but this is my blog (AKA my scrapbook/journal), so I will. I just know that you all get tired of this story!

Today is the one year anniversary of THIS blog. I had my mac blog for about 8 months before I started this one, but as you all know, this is the one that REALLY tells our story. I feel like I have beat this story to death, so this will be the last time I talk about it for a while.

Last December 10 at 4:30 in the morning our house was struck by lightning, caught fire, and suffered around $100,000 worth of damage. We were displaced from our home for 4 months while it was gutted and rebuilt. It is amazing what a difference a year can do to a family. One year ago today I was devastated, confused, hopeless, and completely lost as to why this had happened to us.

December 10, 2009

(Please excuse the mess! They pulled everything out and put everything that was on tables, countertops, under our coffee table, on the end tables for Christmas, EVERYTHING on the countertops)
And today.
As a couple, we have grown so much and honestly we give a lot of credit to this experience for changing us in a lot of ways. We have a better foundation for our marriage, petty things aren't as important anymore, and we know that even when things seem at it's darkest, there is better things ahead.

For the past two years I've watched Shrek the Halls at Christmas (my fav cartoon Christmas movie, don't ask why, I have NO idea!) and said that next year we will be watching this with our baby. Well, this year I said it and had the most wonderful feeling come over me, it really is true this year!!!! We really are in a wonderful place in our family right now. God has blessed us so much and I thought a lot about that yesterday when I thought about where we were one year ago. I also thanked God for showing us the true important things (even thought I have to be honest, it was a crappy way for us to see!). What a difference a year makes!

9 Weeks and A Grape

How far along? 9 weeks

How big is Baby? about one ounce and the size of a green grape
Total weight gain/loss: about 5 pounds (although I have no clue how, I throw up everything!)
Maternity clothes? I bought a pair of jeans and corduroys last night. I have had to unbutton my regular ones. :-(
Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: I go to sleep around 10:00 at the latest, wake up around 2, 5, and then for good at 6:30. Most nights I have a hard time going back to sleep when I wake up for my potty break. I have no idea why, I am EXHAUSTED!
Best moment this week: Making it to 9 weeks, the official longest I've ever been pregnant!!!
Movement: From what I read, yes, but of course too soon to feel it.
Food cravings: I just want to eat anything right now! Ha! I am not someone that has ever had a weak stomach, never been carsick or motion sick, so this is blowing my mind! I can't ever think of anything I want to eat, nothing sounds good.
Gender: Too soon to know, but I could care less!
Labor Signs: none, thank goodness!
Belly Button in or out? In and I pray it stays that way. Ha!
What I am looking forward to: Making another post like this next Wednesday! I am just living day to day and saying a prayer daily thanking God for giving me another day.
Milestones: hitting 9 weeks!

Every week on Wednesday you can check in for my weekly post! Here is my 1st official belly shot. Please ignore the SEVERE bloat I have going on and the fact I have on my scrubs from work. It was a long day! TMI, but I am SO constipated I can barely function. Does anyone have any advice on that. I've done it all, colace, fiber, ducolax, nothing works. Also, does anyone have any good tips for 24/7 all day sickness (I refuse to call it morning sickness when I am puking from my nose at 10:00 at night! Ha!). I also want to say that in all of my nausea, vomiting, and constipation, I give God thanks and pray for another day just like it if it means Baby Ledford is growing strong.

O Christmas Tree, O Christmas Tree

I am about five days late, but better late than never I guess. I was so excited about participating in the Christmas Tree Tour, but obviously, other things took precedence. So, without further delay, here is our trees.

I bought this 9-ft prelit (because I am so OCD that I would fight lights on a 7-ft for hours!) two years ago when we moved in. I was nervous it wouldn't work because it was plugged in (but not on) when the lightning struck last year. I love how it looks in my green living room with the brown, gold, red, and apple green ornaments. I also have a ton of keepsake ornaments I put on my tree.

This is an ornament of the chapel where we got married on the campus of my college. As soon as we were allowed back in our house after the fire I ran and got it off the tree because it is very fragile and cannot be replaced.

This ornament was made for us last year by a friend of my moms. Isn't it cute!

This is my topper. It is a big red sparkly bow with green, red, and gold picks sticking out. I LOVE how it looks!

I decided this year to do a small tree in our bedroom. I found this 4-ft tree at Walmart the Saturday before Thanksgiving and put the ornaments I usually have in a large vase on our dresser on the tree. Very cute!

I call this my "ornament tree" that I place on my dining room table. This picture is actually from last year, prefire, because I've been too lazy to take one this year. Oops! Just imagine that it looks exactly the same, just chocolate brown walls. :-)

I forgot to post this earlier, but this is the 2009 edition of the ornament wreath. The one I had up previously was the 2008 edition that got crushed in the fire.

Next year I am already planning my tree for Baby Ledford's room. I am thinking for a boy just moving the brown and blue one from my room. However, if Baby L is a girl, I have a box full of Hallmark Barbie ornaments (1993-2006) to place on her tree with a few brown and pink ornaments! I.CANNOT.WAIT!!!!!!

Tell Us What You Think

Michael and I have spent the last two years totally undecided about baby names and honestly, not wanting to commit to a name until we had a healthy baby to give one to. Well, it occurred to me Saturday that we could start actually discussing names now. We have always had three favorite for a girl and three for a boy. After spending all day yesterday basically agreeing to disagree on which one we like best, we decided to let our friends and family help us decide. So, here is where you come in, simply click on the following link and it will take you to our poll then leave me a comment here and let me know you voted (just because I am nosey and want to know who voted! Ha!) I know I can count on you bloggers to help us! We are going to leave the poll up for about 2 or 3 months then close it and decide based on the top two.

Help Name Baby Ledford

(Sorry, I can't figure out how to make the poll show up here, if you know how, let me know!)

Thanks girls! I can't wait to see which name you prefer!

Weekend Wrapup

First off, I want to thank everyone for the wonderful comments you left yesterday and for all the FB comments, emails, and especially all the prayers for us and our baby! It completely blew my mind when I realized how many "strangers" we have praying for us! I am so overwhelmed by all the thoughts and prayers coming our way! THANK YOU so much!!!! Also, another thing that has been mentioned a lot over the past two days is how there were times many of you couldn't understand how I could continue on. I never had a time I felt that I couldn't keep going. It was never an option for me. Also, I felt that my blog was a great source for those that felt the same way I did, but couldn't express it. I wanted to let others in my situation know they were not alone and I am so thankful God allowed me to do that.

"He comforts us in all our troubles so that we can comfort others. When others are troubled, we will be able to give them the same comfort God has given us." II Corinthians 1:4

Also, this morning when I reread my post, I realized in my exhaustion last night, I left off the picture I wanted to have on here the most! This was our family on Thanksgiving.

Now, back to the regularly scheduled post!

We have had a quiet weekend. Friday night we met some friends at Chili's and went to bed early. We are so boring these days! Ha! Yesterday I got up and this is what I found when I looked out the window!!!

I wish I had woken up a little earlier than 8:00, because I had my lights on and I'm sure that would have looked awesome!

This is the street sign on the block up from us, I thought it looked cool whited out.

I let Spencer in the backyard to potty and he was NOT sure about this AT ALL! Ha! He only went about a foot out, peed, and ran back! NOT a fan!

After we got over the shock of actually having snow in GA and not only that but in DECEMBER!, I got ready and went to the mall to finish some shopping. I still have about 2 gifts to buy and a few to make, but overall, I am almost finished! Woohoo!

Today we just had a lazy day because it was sooooooo COLD outside (high was only in the low 40s) and I am just so tired. We finally got up and ready around 2 and went to Ankar's for a cheeseburger. YUM! Melissa came over later and took our Christmas pictures. As soon as I have them back, I'll post them! I can't wait to order our cards.

We have a busy week coming up, so I may disappear again. Sorry. It is just hard working, doing all I have to do at home, blogging, and being pregnant. I am just worn out! Have a good week if I don't write soon!

It's All In God's Timing

But these things I plan won't happen right away. Slowly, steadily, surely, the time approaches when the vision will be fulfilled. If it seems slow, be patient! For it will surely take place. It will not be late by a single day."

Habakkuk 2:3

Two Years ago, we decided we were ready to have a baby. We had been married almost three years, we had a nice house, good jobs, and it just seemed the right time. How hard could it be?! Six months later we were FINALLY (yes, we THOUGHT it had been a long time, HA, we were wrong!!!) pregnant and so excited. We ran out and told everyone we knew within forty-eight hours and began to prepare for our baby. We bought books, picked out names, did everything a normal pregnant couple would do. Our naive happiness came to an end at 8 weeks when an ultrasound showed an empty sac without a baby. I was scheduled for a D&C two days later and we began to wonder how much longer our wait would be. Again, we were innocent and naive!

Three months later, in October, we had a chemical pregnancy. My OB at the time thought it was just "bad luck" and refused to do any repeated loss blood work. After much prayer, thought, and discussion with some people I trusted, I decided to get a second opinion from an OB that works closely with my surgeons. He agreed that there probably wasn't anything wrong and for me to just keep using ovulation tests and call him when it worked. That was November 4, 2008.

I wait for the Lord, my soul waits, and in His word I put my HOPE. Psalms 130:5

On December 10, lightning struck out house and caught fire, causing almost $100,000 worth of damage and a whole LOT of stress. We decided to postpone TTC until we were back in our house. There was just TOO many other stressors in our life at that time. Well, God had other plans, we found out we were pregnant on December 20!

Again, we were excited, but a little guarded and didn't make any announcements. However, in the back of our minds we all thought, it can't happen twice, and how often does lightning strike your house in December!!!! It has to be ok! We can't be THAT unlucky! Well, we were. At a 6week US, again, there was no baby, just an empty sac. I took cytotec and passed everything on my own at home without surgical intervention to try to help in case there was any kind of uterine abnormality causing my problems.

At that point my Dr did a series of US, dye study, and lab work. Everything was normal except I had a clotting disorder. It was determined that it was POSSIBLY the cause of my infertility, but only time would tell. I also continued to have long cycles (like 40-50 days) and finally in July my Dr agreed to start medicated cycles with the plan of an IUI in November at the two year mark if no success on our own with meds.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a HOPE and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11

I took clomid in August and all it did was make me crazy! No dominate egg or even an ovulation. We agreed to try femara in September. I loved it, no side effects at all! It was great. However the first cycle didn't work, so I tried it again in October. It gave us a HUGE 29mm follicle and our last shot on our own before trying an IUI in November.

As we got closer to the end of the cycle we realized we were not going to be able to afford an IUI or an injectable cycle until the first of the year. I began to fall into the depression I was in a year ago. I felt hopeless and scared. What if all we needed was an IUI and after two years, two months seemed like forever until I'd be able to try. Again, God has His own timing and plans.

The Lord will do great things for me, and I will be filled with joy. I will sow in tears, then I will reap with songs of joy. (Psalm 126:3,5)

God gave us a wonderful gift and surprise on October 31, 2009! I lived in constant fear that something would go wrong for the next three weeks then on November 20, God gave us this early Thanksgiving gift.

Our baby had a heartbeat and was growing perfectly! I think I may have won the award for craziest patient of the day! Ha! I was crying and laughing at the same time and couldn't quit starring at the screen!

We went back on yesterday to measure the heartbeat and to get on a regular routine of 8 weeks, 12 weeks, etc. I was so excited to see our baby again and I knew I would be completely at peace with making my announcement after I saw the heartbeat again, but Dr. Smith did something even more awesome, he tried to let us hear the heartbeat (it was still a little early) and we did. It was the most amazing, awesome sound I've ever heard. All I could do is look at the screen and back to Michael a few times. I couldn't even talk (for those that know me, that is saying A LOT! Ha!)

Everything was PERFECT! Heart rate of 158 at 8w2d.

Baby Ledford

8 weeks 2 days

Due July 14, 2010

As I write this post I have had a lot of emotions. It is a post I've written in my mind for two years. However, when it came time to put it all into words, I drew a blank. One, I wanted this post to share our story and hopefully the beginning of our happy ending. Also, I know many of you reading this are crying for a different reason. You don't understand why it is never your turn to write a post like this. Over the past five weeks as I've gone over what I wanted to say and how I wanted to say it, I've been overwhelmed with emotion when I think of those of you who read this post and felt your heart sink because it isn't you. I know that feeling. I've been there, every day for a long time (although I know not as long as others). Please know that I pray for you, many of you by name, multiple times a day. I have such a burden in my heart for you because I've been in your shoes and I've walked your road. It is such a lonely place that way too many of us know well. I know you will all have a post like this one day. For those of you who don't understand and haven't walked that road, please go HERE and pray for those waiting on their miracle.

Now FAITH is being sure of what we HOPE for and certain of what we do not see. Hebrews 11:1

Christmas 20 Questions

1. Eggnog or hot chocolate? Hot Chocolate...I love ANYTHING chocolate! Especially salted carmel hot chocolate at Starbucks!

2. Does Santa wrap presents or just set them under the tree? Now, he wraps them, but when I was little he always just left them unwrapped under the tree. I can’t wait to continue that tradition with our own child one day!

3. Colored lights or white? Only white.

4.Do you hang mistletoe? No, but I always forget to get any!!! I need to get some!

5. When do you decorate for Christmas? The day after Thanksgiving

6. What is your favorite holiday dish, excluding dessert? Potato casserole, Nana’s dressing, and cake balls

7. Favorite holiday memory as a child? Probably spending day at my Nana’s house eating lunch and playing with my cousins.

8. When and how, did you learn the truth about Santa? I don’t know what you are talking about! He is still good to me!

10. How do you decorate your Christmas tree? I am a bit OCD and it shows on my tree! I have my collection of Hallmark Barbies and any special ornaments that I have had a long time with a ton of red, apple green, gold, and brown ornaments. A huge red bow with lots of glittery picks tops my tree.

11. Snow. Love it or hate it? Love it as long as I don’t have to go to work. I can’t get to the interstate from my house if it snows to get to work.

12. Can you ice skate? Does holding onto the wall count?

13. Do you remember your favorite gift? Probably my engagement ring! Watch for that story in a couple of weeks!

14. What is the most important thing about the holidays to you? Family and to make sure we remember the real reason for the season!

15. What is your favorite holiday dessert? It has always been my Nana’s cookies, but since she cannot cook any longer, it has become red velvet cake balls.

16. What is your favorite holiday tradition? Probably Christmas dinner with my family

17. What tops your tree? Big red bow with a lot of glittery picks

18. Which do you prefer, giving or receiving? Tis better to give than to receive!

19. What is your favorite Christmas song? O Holy Night

20. Candy canes. Yuck or yum? YUM!

I tag anyone who reads this!