Goodbye 2009, Hello 2010!

I did a recap of the year last year and I wanted to do that again because so much has changed for us in the past year and I wanted to record it.

Last year when I made my NY post, I just THOUGHT I was glad to see 2008 leave, I was wrong, the first half of 2009 was just as bad as 2008. We came a long way in 2009 from where we started and here is a recap of the year.

January - we started the year negotiating with the insurance company on our repairs from our fire and FINALLY started demolition around the end of the month. We also found out the first week of the year that we were in the middle of yet another miscarriage. That was so hard to deal with on top of our fire and living with my parents.

February - Very busy! We spent the month selecting everything for our house and supervising the rebuild. It was fun, but stressful and I could NOT wait to get back in my house. We also started repeated loss testing to try to find the cause of our recurrent miscarriages.

March - Had a HSG and found out that I did not have any anatomical abnormalities to cause a miscarriage, but that lead to a load of bloodwork. The bloodwork did show Factor V Leiden, a blood clotting disorder that is very dangerous to me if left untreated. THANK GOD for my new dr. WE LOVE HIM!

We moved back into our house on March 13. I had a lot of mixed emotions when it came time to move back in. I was happy, scared (of another lightning strike), and beyond grateful.

April - we both turned 28 and was given the go ahead to TTC again. Here we go again!

May - Kicked off a fun summer at the lake by moving our boat to the marina and enjoying Memorial Day weekend with family.

June - Michael started a new job and things started to take a turn for the better for us in many ways. We are sooooooo thankful for all the blessings God was begining to give us.

July - Met with OB at the end of the month to create a plan. We decided to try with medication and follicle studies until the two year mark of TTC in November. At that time, if no pregnancy, we would move onto IUI.

August - unsuccessful clomid attempt. Found out I am not responding to clomid at all and probably have an ovulatory disorder. Will try again in September with femara and a follicle study. We were excited to try something new again.

September - attempted femara, seemed to work well, but I ended up spending my fertile time in the hospital with dehydration, weight loss, and a severe kidney infection. Figures!

October - Michael got a promotion!!! Yay for even more blessings! Michael told me that day that he just KNEW things were going to start looking up for us, I hoped he was right. Had a follicle study on the femara and had a HUGE follicle. Got our BFP on Halloween morning! It actually happened!

November - God gave us a wonderful early Christmas present on November 20 when we saw our baby for the first time with a healthy heartbeat!!!! GOD IS SO GOOD!

December - We took time to thank God for all the many blessings he has given us this year and for providing for us when things were not looking so good (in many ways). I spent a lot of time on Christmas Eve actually just sitting alone and crying I was so happy and thankful for how far we had come in the past year. God has given us so much and when I think back to how low we were at the beginning of the year and where we are now, I just get so overwhelmed.

So, here is to 2010! It promises to be the year that makes the past two so worth it and I won't forget anytime soon the pain and heartache that brought us to that point. I cannot wait to spend the next year with my bloggy friends! I could not have made it through all of the events of the past year without you!!!!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!!!!

12 Week Appointment!!!!

Update on the leg/hip pain. Yesterday morning it was almost unbearable, so I went to the Dr this morning for my 12 week appointment a few days early (which he was actually glad we did, since this gets me on track for the actual day I turn 12 wks, 16 wks, 20 wks, etc). Everything looked and sounded PERFECT. Baby Ledford's heartbeat was 158 and he/she was moving all around AGAIN. I didn't get an ultrasound this time since I had one last week, which made me so sad because Michael came excited to see Baby, but he swears he was just as happy hearing a perfect heartbeat. Just knowing us, I was probably more sad for him than he was. :-) Dr. Smith thinks that my pain is a compression on my ilioinguinal nerve (which is funny to me because it is the nerve that my hernia patients will occasionally complain about!) on my right side. He said this is not unusual and very common complaint in women with spina bifida.

On the spina bifida note, I was even more bummed when he told me he wanted me to see one of the high risk doctors and instead of scheduling my big ultrasound today, I have to wait until I come back in 4 weeks and then we are going to have it done at the high risk doctor too. I was sad about it until I found out that 1. it will only be about a week or two longer than if I had the US at my 16 wk appt (which he said is too early for him to do it anyway) and 2. it will be in 4-D!!!! He also said he really, really doesn't expect for there to be a problem, but he just wants to be extra cautious. Fine with me considering if they suspected a problem in his office it would just be another couple of weeks to wait to get an appointment and US scheduled down the street. So, we are basically just bypassing a step. Although I have to admit, I am slightly disappointed because it isn't how I envisioned finding out the sex of my baby. I really wanted to do it at my dr's office, with his staff that I've gotten to know so well, and with my family. I'm not going to parade my parents and Michael to the new dr office, so I guess it will just be Michael and then we can surprise our parents later. Just yet again, another change from my plans to God's plans.

(Oh, and I almost forgot, my newest fear is that my baby has a defect of some sort and this DID NOT help. I will be having a quad screen, blood work, in about 2 weeks so I guess I'll be completely FREAKED out until the US if something shows up there!)

I'll be back tomorrow with a Week 12 picture. I am tired and need to get off my nerve and rest.

Round Ligament Pain, HELP!

This is going to be a TMI kind of post, so stop now if you want. For those of you still reading, please help! Since yesterday morning I've been having some constant pelvic, hip, and upper leg pain when I stand or walk. My pelvis also keeps popping and let me tell you, that HURTS! Everything I read says this should not happen for another 10 weeks or so, needless to say, I'm a little freaked out! By the time I decided to call my doctor, it was already 4:30 when they close and it might have just gotten worse because I was on my feet all afternoon seeing patients. My plan for tonight is to take some tylenol, a warm bath, and rest with my feet up.

Ok, advice needed, what do you think? Would you call now, give tylenol a couple hours to work then if still the same call, or wait until morning and reassess? Or, would you do the other thing I'm leaning toward doing and call my surgeon boss and ask him if he thinks I should call OB? Ha! (good thing we're such good friends because I'm pretty sure he is already tired of the pregnancy questions! Ha!)

On The Day After Christmas...

Michael went to work and Amanda did ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! Well, ok, I am planning on cooking a pot of chili, but other than that, NOTHING! We have had a BUSY past two days and I am wiped out! I also feel like I have a bit of a sinus infection/allergy kind of thing going on, so I plan to be pretty lazy today. Maybe watch some left over Christmas movies or my all time fav, You've Got Mail on the DVR. I also plan to go through some baby/pregnancy magazines and start cutting out coupons that will expire soon so I can go ahead and use the ones I know I want to use (diapers, wipes, diaper rash cream, etc).

So, what did we for Christmas...

Christmas Eve Michael had to work until early afternoon, so I stayed home and cooked some sausage balls, wrapped gifts, and finished getting everything ready for Christmas. I am usually so much more organized than I was this year and it drove me crazy! At 5:00 we went to Cleveland (about 30 minutes north) for Christmas with his family at his sister's house.

Michael and his sister opening gifts

Michael got a Smokey for his office at work! It is pretty cute!

Christmas morning we got up and exchanged gifts and I have to say Spencer loved EVERYONE'S gifts! Ha! He loved his new ball, my blanket that Michael gave me, and when we got home last night, we found out he ate Michael's beef stick! Ha!

I cooked sausage balls, and cut fresh fruit for breakfast. We started a new tradition that we would have breakfast with our Christmas china and always have sausage balls a few years ago. It is fun and I know it is Michael's favorite breakfast of the year. The sausage ball recipe is from his mom and it isn't Christmas to him without them.

After breakfast my parents came over since they had already delivered my big package, to open gifts between us and them.

My mom got Baby Ledford Elf On The Shelf! I cannot wait to start this in a couple of years with him/her! Who does this at your house?

And the BIG mystery package is reveled! A Shermag glider/ottoman set! They got us the black with tan cushions because our living room furniture is all dark wood with tan microfiber. The thought is that once we quit using it in the nursery to move it into the living room (where it is going to be until the nursery is set up too! Ha!). Thanks mom and dad! I love it and I cannot wait to use it this summer!!!!!!!

At 4:00 we went over to my parents for dinner and Christmas with my Nana and my Aunt's family. My Aunt Kelly was sick, but the rest of her family was there. We missed you!

Our family, Christmas 2009

My mom has been dying to get an apron for a while and Kelly got her this one for Christmas. I think she liked it more than the Coach purse I gave her! Ha!

This is my cousins Lindsey and Katie and I with our Nana. Yes, we like to pose in our family! It never fails, Katie, Nana, and I always look like we are trying to model in a magazine and Lindsey always makes a lot of fun of us in EVERY.SINGLE.PICTURE! Ha! It is a long running family joke that seemed to keep going this year.

Hope everyone had as wonderful of a Christmas as we did! It was very busy, but we took some time on Christmas Eve to reflect back over some of our favorite Christmas memories over the past 9 Christmases we've spent together. We've had so many just the two of us it is hard to believe it was the last one! (Edit: I hate to write the next part because I'm afraid it might be taken wrong, but it is my journal, so I am going to say it anyway. PLEASE don't take it as though we are not thankful for our baby, we definitely are and we know what a struggle it was to get to this point) It was kind of sad thinking about it that way, but PLEASE don't get me wrong, we wouldn't change ONE THING! Nothing makes us happier than the thought of spending next Christmas with our baby!!!!!

Merry CHRISTmas!

Hope everyone is having a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS! We are spending the day just relaxing and enjoying each other and remembering all the wonderful blessings we've been given this past year.

From The Ledford Home to Your Home...

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

May you all remember the REASON FOR THE SEASON today as you spend the day with family and friends.

Oh, and the last couple of guesses were right! My parents bought me a glider and ottoman set! I am so excited for Michael to get it put together this weekend!!!!!

11 Weeks

How far along? 11 weeks

How big is Baby? about one and a half inch and the size of a fig
Total weight gain/loss: 4 pounds (still the same as last week)
Maternity clothes? very comfy!
Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: about the same, nothing new to report.
Best moment this week: Seeing Baby Ledford for the third time!! He/she is VERY active and very cute!!!!
Movement: LOTS! Rebecca (the OB's nurse) had to chase him/her all around just to get a picture, but too soon to feel it.
Food cravings: For some crazy reason I could eat Mexican or cheeseburgers every meal, but everything else still makes me sick.
Gender: Too soon to know, but I could care less! Anyone have any ideas, I would love to hear them?
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: starting to work on nursery ideas after Christmas!!!!!
Milestones: hitting 11 weeks and seeing a perfect baby!

I want to say Merry Christmas to all of my friends still trying for a baby out there. I know how hard this time of the year is, I've been there, and honestly, there are times I feel cheated and sad this year. Please do NOT give up hope. I'm always praying for you!

I have a post coming in a couple of days that will share exactly how I feel being pregnant after infertility and I think it will surprise you. It's hard to get excited, have excited people around you, and I still feel hurt and disappointed when I hear about someone who got pregnant easily or an early, carefree announcement. Ok, more on that this weekend!

Let's Play the Guessing Game!

Santa, I mean, my parents, just came by and delivered a BIG, heavy package for me to open when they come by Christmas morning. Anyone have a guess what could be in here (hint: so big the bottom isn't even wrapped!)???????

Time To Get Caught Up

It has been a really busy week at our house and I realized that I have not taken any pictures either! Oops! Friday night I had my roots done and my hair cut (apparently pregnancy has changed my hair. It has always been curly (LOVE my chi!), but it is super curly, coarse, and will not do a THING!!!). When I got home we went to have Mexican and I really didn't feel good so I just ordered a taco salad because right now anything with lettuce just sounds fabulous. When it came out apparently the waiter thought I just wanted a plain salad so I got a plate full of shredded lettuce, one slice of a tomato, and a BIG pile of guacamole on top! Ha! Um, where is the meat, beans, and shell?! Obviously he corrected the mistake! Ha! The best part was Michael's face because he was a little worried about the poor waiter messing with the pregnant girl's food! I was nice though, it was an honest mistake.

Saturday I got up early and got to work. It was one of the worst days I had in a while (of course), but I had a lot to do. Michael's family was coming over for dinner and I had neglected my house for the past three weeks, oops again! It took my mom and I almost four hours to pick up and clean my house, and we are not talking a big house at all! PITIFUL! Thank God for my mom, otherwise, that night would NOT have come together. We did have homemade lasagna (which I will get around to posting on my recipe blog soon), salad, and bread. I also made a cream of coconut cake. So good! I also did something else I was regretting when I finally put it all away last night, used my fine china, crystal, and silver. I love using it, but it sure does stink to clean it and put it away. Although, thank you Noritake for making your products dishwasher safe!!! :-)

My table set and ready for Saturday night. I wish I had a darker red table cloth, but I can get that next year. I am already making a list of things I need to do differently since Baby Ledford will be here and I know I will be an unorganized disaster. Ha!

Sunday we went to Buffalo Wild Wings downtown and played trivia. That is one of our favorite winter Sunday afternoon things to do. It is warm in there and we love being competitive (it is my major flaw that I hate!) with each other. Guess who won? I killed Michael this time! It definitely made for a fun afternoon! Ha! I was upset to hear Brittany Murphy died. How sad. I LOVED her in Uptown Girls. That movie was always special to me because I was a nanny and I know exactly how her character felt about that little girl. We came home and watched Kendra, Here Comes Baby (don't fault me, remember, my weakness is E! trash! Ha!). Michael watched it with me and it opened his eyes a little about late pregnancy and childbirth! Thanks Kendra! Ha!

I worked Monday and Tuesday, but only saw patients on Tuesday. While I was getting caught up on all of my paperwork on Monday afternoon I had a call to the front desk that I had a delivery???? Dr. Smith and I have a patient we've taken care of for almost four years and over the past year and a half we have seen or talked to her on the phone almost weekly if not multiple times a week. Monday she sent me this GORGEOUS table arrangement! I LOVE IT and it looks great in my dining room!!!! It means SO much when your patients acknowledge everything you do for them.

I think I blogged about this last week, but maybe not. All day Wednesday and Thursday I had a terrible migraine that tylenol just was NOT helping, so I called Rebecca, OB Dr. Smith's nurse. While I was on the phone with her she said that since I had not been in for a couple of weeks, we should come in on Tuesday to see her and have an US, just for fun! WOOHOO! I was so excited to get an extra sneak peak of Baby Ledford! Michael didn't really want to go this time since we weren't seeing the Dr (which we did end up seeing!) so my mom came and get her first view of Baby L. He/she was ALL OVER the place! Rebecca and Dr. Smith couldn't believe how active he/she was for 11 weeks! He/she was even sucking his/her thumb at one point (little overachiever, that isn't really supposed to happen for another week!). It was soooooo CUTE! Since they let me come in an extra time and really have gone over and above what they needed to, I brought them some lemon poppyseed bread my Aunt made. I know how hard they work and how rare it is for someone to recognize it. So, without further delay, the latest pic of Baby Ledford (although it is blurry, we are in 1989 and do not have a scanner and my camera didn't want to take this picture!).

I am totally not a believer in this, but do you happen to remember what your baby's HR was and if you have a boy or girl? :-)

Yes, it is 5 am and I am awake. Insomnia usually strikes after my last potty break, so I am probably up for the day now. It has bothered me I am so behind blogging, so I thought I might as well get up and do a post. I'll be back tonight or tomorrow with a week 11 post!

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!