Daycare and Working Outside the Home

I am starting to stress about what will happen when I go back to work. Unfortunately, I have to work. I carry my own benefits and will carry Nicholas also, plus Michael works a job that some months are great, some are terrible, so one of us has to have a steady income. I also love my job and it is not easy to find a Monday-Friday, no weekends, nights, or holidays nursing job. With that said, I need some advice, working moms how do you do it all? Right now I clean the house, buy the groceries, do the laundry (but Michael puts them up, I hate to hang up clothes, except for Nicholas' cute clothes of course!), and cook dinner most every night during the week. We will be hiring a housekeeper to come biweekly once I go back to work, so at least that will be taken care of, but everything else will still have to be done.

I am also stressing about breastfeeding. Crazy to worry now, I know. I really, really want it to work just because I want to give him the best start possible, but if it doesn't that is ok too. However, I am stressed about how to make that work once I go back to work. In the mornings I am usually in my office from 8:15-12:45 (with a break for lunch) then I am tied up in the afternoons seeing patients, so afternoon pumping is pretty much not going to happen except for Fridays, which I am planning on picking him up an hour or two early on Fridays anyway. So, I'm looking at being away from him from 8am-5pm Monday-Friday. How did you get your babies on a schedule?

I am however, VERY happy with our daycare choice. It is the hospital daycare my office is affiliated with and it is just across the street from the parking garage I park in. They are welcoming to nursing mothers and a lot of moms come over at lunch to feed their baby. I am LOVING the location plus the curriculum they offer. They begin sign language immediately and begin Spanish and sight words by 2! They will feed breakfast, lunch, and a snack after nap time. It is a little pricey, but to us, it is so worth it for him to be so close and have such a great learning experience if he has to be away from us.

I dropped in at the daycare last Tuesday at lunch and I was so happy when I left. I didn't see an unhappy child anywhere. I worked childcare while in college and I know what I want to see in a daycare and I really do not think I would be any happier anywhere else.

I do feel guilty already to think about leaving him. We waited so long, and wanted him so badly, that I feel terrible to just drop him off every morning for someone else to take care of him. It makes me sad and I know it will be hard to go back, no matter how good his day care is, but I am happy to know that he already has a place at a good center.

20 Weeks

How far along? 20 weeks

How big is Baby? 10 inches, 10 oz and the size of a banana.

Total weight gain/loss: 8 pounds according to my OB appt.

Maternity clothes? very comfy!

Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: Still off and on. I wake up with my hip and leg pain multiple times a night.
Best moment this week: 20 week appointment! I always love finding out that Nicholas is doing well.
Movement: LOVING it! He moves all the time now especially during meals and when I'm really still.
Food cravings: Subway turkey sandwiches. I am not a sandwich eater, but they opened a Subway in our hospital and that is all I want now.
Gender: It's A BOY!!!!!! Nicholas Allen Ledford.
Labor Signs: none, thank goodness!
Belly Button in or out? In and I pray it stays that way. It freaks me out for some reason! Ha!
What I am looking forward to: the next 20 weeks!
Milestones: hitting the half way point! What an awesome feeling!!!!!

Half Way There!

I doubt I will have time to do my 20 week post today since it is yoga night, but I really wanted to share how I feel on the biggest milestone yet, so I thought I'd write a post at lunch! It seems so surreal to both of us that in 20 weeks or possibly LESS, Nicholas will be here. After all this time of praying for a baby and dreaming of the day we would finally be pregnant, here we are HALF WAY THERE! This morning as soon as I woke up I rolled over and I told Michael (who was really not that awake yet) that it was so hard to believe that after all this time we are having a BABY! Yes, I know that I've been aware of that for about 16 weeks now, but it is so much more fun knowing that is a healthy baby and one that will be here in less than 5 months! CRAZY!

I am so blessed and I know that Nicholas is our special miracle. I know that we have been given such a special gift and I am so thankful for him everyday. I pray many times a day for God to please keep him safe and healthy and since finding out that so far he is safe and healthy, I've started praying that he be a happy child and that he be laid back and calm like Michael, a strong motivation and will to do well at everything he does. I have started thinking about what I think he will look like; long, skinny, with lots of dark hair, just like Michael. We even favor in our baby pictures, so we think we know what he will look like. :-)

Thank you for all of your support and prayers that have helped get us to this day. I am so excited and thankful for the opportunity to be 20 weeks pregnant, considering there were so many days I didn't think I ever would be. I will be back tomorrow with my 20 week pic. I think you will see a difference (at least everyone at work says there is!)!

Birth Announcement Question

Ok, so we all know that I am a HUGE planner and that my plans rarely work out, but I am starting to look at birth announcements. I want something that is just perfect considering that Nicholas is such a blessing that took so long to get here. For all of you mommies out there that did photo birth announcements (or any kind of cute photo cards lately) where did you get them? I would like to keep them reasonably priced, but good quality. Thanks so much! You girls always have such great suggestions!

Pregnancy Pain and Back To Normal

I really try not to complain about anything pregnancy related, and I am sincerely thankful that I can at least experience the good and bad sides of pregnancy, but this weekend has been really hard. Started Friday I had a lot of hip and TMI, but pain down below that intensifies if I sit, walk, stand, and move in bed. Basically I've been miserable, but happy. It continued to get worse over the last 36 hours and yesterday and during the night last night I was having some cramping, so this morning I called my OB who wanted me to come in this morning. At first he did think I had a soft cervix, so obviously I was freaked out, but on ultrasound everything looked great! My cervix length was 3.8 and anything over 2.5 is great! Yay cervix!

What is believed to be causing the pain and pressure is that 1. Nicholas lies with part of his head against my cervix and likes to bounce off of it and 2. with situs inversus my uterus isn't able to move quite like it is supposed to, so I have more pain and pressure than most would. I am now on lifting restrictions (nothing too heavy) and supposed to rest as I need it (but that isn't really possible at work) and to come back before 4 weeks if the cramping continues to measure my cervix again.

After my appointment, I stopped in at Subway on the ground floor of my office building and there was a patient that obviously was from L&D or high risk floor (big belly, wheelchair, the whole shebang) and I couldn't help but stare at her because an hour before I thought I was going to be her neighbor and honestly I just felt so sad for her. I can't even imagine how it would feel to be stuck in a hospital for many, many weeks. Well, when I got home I saw THIS article on a local news website and she is pictured in the 2nd picture! How funny, Jason from the Bachelor was at our hospital today and she met him! Good thing I wasn't a pt on that floor today, I probably would have told him he made a huge mistake and I was still mad at him! Ha!

As if that was fun enough along with the lack of sleep I've had due to the pain, we had a crazy busy afternoon on Dr. Smith's first day back. He doesn't plan on going back, so hopefully things will get back to normal within a day or so. I am so thankful and happy he was able to go, but I am super glad he is back and things are back to normal!

So Long Insecurity

As you know, I am so excited to go to Atlanta in April and meet up with some of my best bloggy friends and have a girl's weekend with Courtney. However, that is not the best part of the weekend. The best part will be seeing Beth Moore! I love Beth and it always seems like she is speaking right to me, no matter what the topic. Well, insecurity is my #1 flaw. I have a HUGE case of insecurity and I hate it.

I do not remember a time that I wasn't insecure. I can remember thinking that no one liked me (sadly a major battle I still fight every day) in preschool! However, I think I came a long way in the past few years, but lately it has come back hard. I still fight the "no one likes me" battle. I feel that I am invisible a lot and I am always insecure in the way I look (even on my wedding day). Lately though, I am finding that I am insecure regarding some other things in my life (These are not the top three things in my life, don't get me wrong, my priorities are definitely Faith, Family, Friends, then work). I'm insecure about what kind of wife I am now that I am pregnant and honestly just do not feel well 90% of the time. I'm insecure and nervous about what kind of a mother I will be to Nicholas, and I am insecure about what kind of nurse I am and in that comes my crazy OCD sense of control that I HAVE to be there for my surgeons for every office and I worry how I will let that go when I am off. I worry about how I will balance the three when I return from maternity leave.

So, with those weighing heavily on my mind, I have started reading Beth's newest book, So Long Insecurity. I had a really hard day this past Wednesday worrying about balancing those three things and I started panicking about it. I ran out yesterday and bought this book and so far it is like she knows EXACTLY what I needed to hear. I'll let you know how I felt about the rest when I finish.

19 Weeks

How far along? 19 weeks

How big is Baby? 9 inches, 8 oz (even though our big boy was measuring 8 oz a week ago!) and the size of a mango

Total weight gain/loss: 10 pounds (no weight gain this week, but I was really sick again over the weekend)

Maternity clothes? very comfy!

Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: Still off and on. I'm going to try tylenol PM tonight.
Best moment this week: Registering and thinking about how much fun (and the not so fun times) I'll have getting to use all this stuff!
Movement: LOVING it! He moves all the time now and was so funny on his US.
Food cravings: Cheeseburgers is still the craving of the week. I also LOVE onions right now and could eat them with everything.
Gender: It's A BOY!!!!!! Nicholas Allen Ledford is healthy, happy, and quite active I must say!
Labor Signs: none, thank goodness!
Belly Button in or out? In and I pray it stays that way. It freaks me out for some reason! Ha!
What I am looking forward to: making it half way next week!
Milestones: so many, but definitely knowing that we are almost half way there!

Show us Your Life, Infertility/High Risk Pregnancy

This week on Show Us Your Life, Kelly has asked that if we have a blog or site that tells our testimony or is a ministry to others to post about it. The reason I started blogging what that we had been TTC for about 3 months and I thought that we would soon want to share pictures and news of a pregnancy and baby with out of town family and friends. Well, it didn't exactly work like that.

We spent the next two years going through extensive infertility work ups, two miscarriages, a house fire, diagnosis of a clotting disorder, and now we are almost half way through a high risk pregnancy without any complications. I know that I would have never made it to where I am without God in my life. 1. I never would have gotten pregnant had we not discovered the clotting disorder (homozygous Factor V Leiden) and ovulation disorder (I have a whole post that shows the timeline that I think God sent me on to discover it), 2. we are much stronger as a couple because of our journey together, 3) I am a much stronger person because of it. He knows what he is doing!

Here are some of my most meaningful (at least to me) posts about our journey. (I started blogging at web.mac.com/ajledford, this is just the last year of our journey here)

Our Journey Summarized

Infertility=Broken (written about 2 weeks after my 2nd loss)

Coincidence, I Think Not (the timeline I KNOW God took me on)

Mother's Day (I did a Mother's Day week post every day the week leading up to the day)

I am Not My Infertility (I cried really hard when I read this one again this afternoon)

Thankful (a look back on the last year of my infertility)

If any of you want me to pray for you, want to talk, or share your story, please email me

150 Days To Go!

It is so hard to believe after all this time that our sweet little (although I'm starting to think based on the last US that he won't be so little) Nicholas will be here in

150 Days or less!!!!!!

Also, please keep my coworker's son in your prayers tonight. He is a 19 year Marine in Afghanistan and he was shot in the leg this morning. He underwent surgery and seems to be doing well, but he is a long way from home and hurt. Please pray that everything continues to go well and he has a complete recovery.

Catch Up

I am pretty behind AGAIN. It has been a wild week. As you know my Grandmother died on Monday, so I was at my parent's house or just not at home quite a bit helping prepare for the funeral (selecting pictures, shopping for dressy maternity clothes, etc). I worked Monday, Tuesday, part of the day of Wednesday, then off Thursday and Friday. I had two cousins and one cousin in law spend the night at my house Thursday and then the funeral on Friday. Needless to say it was a CRAZY week. I also realized I forgot to put a picture of my grandmother and I on my post from Tuesday. This was at my wedding and I think it is the current picture I have at my house of us.

Wednesday of course was a busy day in itself around here. We had our BIG doctor appointment that morning, work in the afternoon, then out to eat to celebrate Baby Boy Ledford and my dad's 57th Birthday. We then went back to their house for Gigi's cupcakes. WOW! They sure do put A LOT of icing on there! I couldn't even eat all of mine.

My mom and I had planned to go to Atlanta (about 90 miles away) to shop at Gap maternity and Pottery Barn Kids, but it snowed AGAIN. I am seriously over this snow, but unfortunately we are supposed to have more tonight and through the day tomorrow. I like it a time or two a year, but I'm over it now. So, instead we went to BRU to start my registry! I went ahead and put most of the stuff I knew I wanted on there and plan to go back closer to my showers to add some clothes and a few other things. We had so much fun and Courtney joined us to share from a semi-new mom perspective what I need and really don't need. I am so grateful that she came, I really didn't know quantities or some small things that I needed. I LOVE the travel system/swing/and pack N play that I selected. They all match and they are boyish, but would work for a little sister in the future.

Last night we went to a Thai restaurant and Michael ordered some sushi so I asked if there was anything "pregnancy friendly" and there was! I was so excited, spicy Thai food and sushi! Happy Valentine's Day to me and Nicholas! Ha! Today we've been pretty lazy other than we ran out a couple hours ago for a cheeseburger and I had a few fried pickles with that too! We have vegetable soup in the crockpot and the Olympics will have figure skating on tonight, so I am looking forward to a nice, warm winter night inside cuddling with my puppy! Tomorrow starts another crazy work week. Dr. Smith is back in Haiti and will be there through next Saturday. He is with The Children's Nutrition Program of Haiti. For more info on the program read the end of this post. Please pray for them while they are there that they can be a lot of help and that they will have a safe trip.

18 Weeks and A Name!

Note to self, no more belly pics at 10:30 pm! Ha!

This post was originally written Thursday, but I never finished it. Oops!

How far along? 18 weeks

How big is Baby? 7 inches and the size of a sweet potato

Total weight gain/loss: 10 pounds (rounded off, based on my scale)

Maternity clothes? very comfy!

Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: Doing better
Best moment this week: Finding out he is a healthy, happy baby BOY!
Movement: LOVING it! He moves all the time now and was so funny on his US.
Food cravings: Cheeseburgers is still the craving of the week. I also LOVE onions right now and could eat them with everything.
Gender: It's A BOY!!!!!! Nicholas Allen Ledford is healthy, happy, and quite active I must say!
Labor Signs: none, thank goodness!
Belly Button in or out? In and I pray it stays that way. It freaks me out for some reason! Ha!
What I am looking forward to: registering this weekend (I did that yesterday)
Milestones: so many, but definitely knowing that we are almost half way there!

After work the day of the US, we went out for dinner with my parents for my dad's birthday. I asked my mom to get our picture since it was the day we learned we were having a boy! I look terrible in both this picture and the one above because it has been such a long, emotional day. My eyes were puffy (which could be from not sleeping at all Tuesday night out of excitement!) and
my makeup was basically gone. Haha!

We have decided to give baby Ledford the name Nicholas Allen. I love it because it is a combination of both of our middle names, Nicole and Allen. When I got married I dropped Nicole and decided to use my maiden name instead as my middle name. I decided then that if we ever had a boy, I wanted him to be named Nicholas. We cannot wait to meet him and see if he has a lot of dark hair (like everyone says he will), long legs like we think he does on US, and who he looks like (although that will be hard to tell. My mom even has to really look at our baby pictures to know which one of us it is! We looked very similar as babies! Crazy, I know!).

Registering

Ok, since it has snowed AGAIN, my trip to Atlanta to go shopping has been cancelled AGAIN. So, instead I am going to spend the day tomorrow (weather permitting) starting my registries at BRU and Target. I have a couple of specific questions for you.

1. Would you prefer the Angelcare monitor or the video monitor?
2. What bottles do you like? I'm trying to decide between Avent and Dr. Brown's (worried about Dr. Brown's because as a working mom I am worried I won't have time to clean all the pieces and worried I might lose some pieces between home and day care.

Any other advice would be awesome, but those are my main two dilemmas at this point. I promise I will be back this weekend with a recap of my week and my 18 week post. It has been rather crazy this week.

Giraffes, Monkeys, and Lions, Oh My!

I really hoped I would be able to sleep better since I know baby is healthy, but no, I'm still up at my usual potty time and can't go back to sleep. Thought I would share this with you while I'm up. I am so guilty of a crazy obsession with all things baby that I've been shopping baby bedding, furniture, gear, you name it, for the past two years. I thought I had found the perfect bedding numerous times, but yesterday when I heard that it was a boy, I almost panicked because I wasn't sure what I wanted to do in his room (I know, that is crazy, lock me up now!). I knew it had to have brown and blue or green, but that is all I knew that I wanted.

Well, last night I went to my favorite baby bedding site Mod Pea Pod and as soon as I saw this, I HAD to have it!

It will look exactly like this, I think it is perfect and I don't want to change a thing on it. I am very fortunate that my parents are buying us our bedding as a shower gift and I am so grateful that I get to pick basically whatever I wanted. Well, I am IN LOVE with this! I had been thinking I would use a safari theme somewhere in my house, but I didn't really think about a nursery! Ha! I am going to use giraffes (you'll read why next), monkeys (because they are just so darn cute!), and lions (because I love lions) for all my decorations. I'm also going to get the little pillow to sit in my glider to pull it all together and so he will be able to use something from his bedding that his grandparents gave him for many years.

It was pretty funny because as soon as I saw it I remembered that I have a rather large, as in like 5 foot tall, wooden giraffe coat hanger (it looks like you could ride him, very cute) that my Grandfather made me when I was born. I forgot that when I got married I put it in my parent's attic because I really wanted to use it in a nursery one day. That is how I KNEW this was the theme and bedding for me. I am so excited to pass something down to my little boy (who at this time is either Nicholas or Jacob, I'm torn, but more on that tonight) that my grandfather made me (pretty much everything else is 100% girly! Ha!).

So, tell me what you think? Is it boyish enough? Will it look good with white furniture in a dark brown room?

I Have Been Blessed

We went to the high risk doctor this morning and had our big anatomy scan. I am glad we went because we got some good news, but overall most of what they did could have been done at the regular OB office. We got there about 20 minutes early and went pretty much right back. When we got back we saw a genetic counselor (which ended up being someone just trying to get us to have some expensive lab work we have already declined at our OB office). She did tell me that it does appear that my Factor V Leiden is probably inherited from my Dad's side (which we already knew). After we finally got her to stop talking for a minute and convinced her we were not interested in her labs at this time (possibly if we decide to TTC again in a few years, but for now, I don't even want to think about it), we were put back out into the waiting room.

We sit there for about 30 more minutes before a nurse come to take me back to triage me, just like they do at the regular OB office. You know, weight, blood pressure, and of course, pee in a cup. Which leads me to the next part. I was told to drink at least 32 oz of water before the appointment for the ultrasound, so imagine my surprise when I got to pee first???? CRAZY! Anyway, all looked great and I am up 8.8 pounds since my 1st appointment in November. Not too bad considering all that I've been eating!

Back into the waiting room I went. I sat for another 15-20 minutes before being called back for the US. All looked great. Baby is measuring a day ahead, but we are keeping the current date due to the fact that I had the follicle scan without an ovulation the day before the new date and the new Dr said he still wants to stick with July 14.

I'm sure you are all wondering (well, those of you not on twitter or FB) what the BIG news is! As soon as I sat down, got the gel on and the probe placed on my abdomen, we saw it, plain as day. There is no mistaking what we saw. 116 of you were wrong and 85 of you were right, Baby Ledford is a....

BOY!!!!

He is looking great. Completely healthy with his organs in the right place and a closed spine. I couldn't have been happier! (coming from someone that has lived their entire life with organs in the opposite place than normal and spina bifida!) God blessed us so much today and I am so grateful. I had a HUGE wave of emotion when the tech confirmed that it was a boy. I was so happy, but at the same time I was so overwhelmed that it was finally the day. I had prayed and begged God for this day for a very long time and it was so much better than I thought it would be. I know you want to see pics, but it has been a LONG day (more on that tomorrow). I am off tomorrow and Friday for my Grandmother's funeral and I hope to run by my mom's office and get the pics scanned. I have to find something to wear to the funeral, so I'm sure there might be some baby clothes bought as well!

What A Week

This is turning out to be such an emotion filled week. Yesterday was a sad day, my Grandmother (my dad's mother) passed away following many years of illness. She is in a much better place and we are all so grateful for that. Her service will be on Friday and I will be off work Thursday and Friday to help prepare for that. I am going over to my parents in a few minutes to help select some pictures for the slide show video. I LOVE looking at old pics and I can't wait to look at basically every year since my parents married in 1974! Please pray for my family this week. It will be a long, difficult week.

Today brought the best news since I heard Baby's heartbeat for the first time, my quad screen came back completely NORMAL! WOOHOO! Of course, we would have been ok either way, but I was nervous about a risk of spina bifida. What a HUGE answer to prayer!!!! My OB told me to just sit back and enjoy tomorrow...our BIG ULTRASOUND!!!!!

Tomorrow will be a HUGE day for us. I cannot believe after two years of IF, two miscarriages, and lots of tears and prayers, tomorrow is the day we find out if we will have a son or a daughter. It makes me cry just typing that out!!!! I CANNOT believe the day is here. I can honestly tell you I don't know how many days I cried thinking about the possibility it may never come. Well, here it is!

Not only do we have the wonderful news of a normal quad screen, but we will get to see the baby in 3D/4D and have a VERY detailed US at the high risk doctor. That was because of the high risk for spina bifida, but my OB told me he feels confident that all will be normal and that I just need to have fun! I doubt I sleep much tonight. Everyone keeps asking me if I think it will be a boy or a girl and I can honestly tell you, not only do I absolutely not care, I have NO idea! I'm always wrong, so I wouldn't want to guess, even if I had a feeling! Ha! Don't forget to vote at the top of the page on our poll. It closes at midnight. Come back tomorrow night (it might be late, we are going out to celebrate my Dad's birthday!) to see if we have...

a sweet, girly girl...

or

a fun, busy little boy?????

Helping In Haiti

Dr. Smith arrived back in Chattanooga late Wednesday night and even though he doesn't believe it, those of us around him all think he came back a little different. I mean, come on, how could you not? The stories he has told me are just unimaginable. I debated putting them on here, but he is adamant about telling his story, so I thought I would give you all a little glimpse into his trip. WARNING: it is a little graphic and VERY sad.

They arrived Wednesday, February 27 and the first night there was no room for them in a tent, so they slept on the pavement outside the hospital among the flies and mosquitoes. The next night they were able to move into a tent and stayed there the rest of the week. He was able to get a pillow by the 3rd or 4th night. When they got there they joined Italian and Brazilian surgeons and some other America physicians. They walked in to find that almost everyone in the "hospital" either had an amputation or was going to need one soon. I am so saddened by these stories.

One of the first patients he saw was a one year old with an amputated arm and leg (one on each side). Can you imagine how that would feel to see that? I can tell by the way he talks about it that it effected him.

Another was an 11-year old girl that had an amputated leg. Her mother had to carry her to and from the hospital for treatment of her wounds. Can you imagine carrying an almost grown girl to and from the hospital daily? We also take for granted the advances we have here with prosthetics and just crutches.

There was an elderly woman that walked into the hospital one day with a makeshift cane out of a flimsy stick. As soon as she got on the tile floor her cane went out from under her and she fell to the floor. Again, we just don't realize how fortunate we are that we have such easy access to canes, crutches, and wheelchairs.

The flies and mosquitoes were bad. Even in the operating rooms, which I can imagine are anything but clean and sterile like we have here. Another thing that I've heard is that orphans just walk into the hospital alone to ask for help. Can you imagine being a child and alone in that environment? It would be so scary.

As we heard bits and pieces of news from Haiti before they got back we heard that it was very difficult to get in or out of Haiti and they were worried about getting back home. I started to wonder if he would want to go back for his second trip (on Feb 13). As soon as he started talking to me on Thursday, I knew that he was going, no matter what. He has such a passion to help them, especially the children. Which has been astounding to us that know him well here, he stays away from peds patients at all expense. He does adult work for a reason, kids as patients are just not his thing. I asked him why he was so dedicated to helping them as much as he despises pediatric work and he said they deserve better than what they've been given. That is so true. I am so blessed to be able to work for someone that wants to give so much back.

So Excited I Just Can't Hide It!

This morning my mom and I went out for our every-other-week nail pedicure appointment and afterwards I remembered there was still one more baby boutique I had not made it to that sold cribs. Might as well run in for a quick second since it was between the nail salon and my next stop, the mall for a bday gift for my dad. After walking through almost the entire store I saw this crib and got so excited! It was almost EXACTLY what I wanted and a steal on clearance!

Sorry for the bad quality, all I had was my phone, but I LOVE it!

I now have one on layaway at the baby store! Also, while I was there, I noticed that the boy bedding I've loved since even starting to think about TTC three or four years ago was there too. Upon looking closer, I realized that it was actually a bumper set because it had been discontinued and they found it in back and put it out 50% off! So, I told my mom if we find out it is a boy on Wednesday, I want her to hurry back over at lunch that day to pick it up! Ha!

On to even more exciting news, I bought my tickets for Beth Moore in Atlanta and officially will be partying in the overflow! Can't you tell, I'm so excited, I just can't hide it!

Brittney, I'm waiting for your excited picture! Also, my excited face just got even more excited! Found out that one of my closest bloggy friends, Courtney IS going to be able to go, so we are making it a full girls weekend! I.CANNOT.WAIT! It will be a great getaway before Baby!

Party In Atlanta!

If you haven't heard, there will be a bloggy get together in Atlanta on Saturday, April 24 to hear Beth Moore! I don't know about you, but what could be better than Beth Moore and a bloggy get together all in one day????!!!!! I'm about to bust with excitement!!!! I know what I'm doing as a late birthday gift to myself, joining these ladies in Atlanta!!!!

You can read all about it at Caroline's blog.

17 Weeks and A Few Updates

How far along? 17 weeks

How big is Baby? 5 inches and the size of an onion (my new favorite food, so I thought this was funny!)!

Total weight gain/loss: 9 pounds

Maternity clothes? very comfy and need more

Stretch marks? No, let's pray it stays that way!
Sleep: Doing better
Best moment this week: feeling baby multiple times a day!
Movement: Yes, quite a bit it seems for flutters!
Food cravings: Cheeseburgers have been the craving of the week. I also LOVE onions right now and could eat them with everything.
Gender: BIG US is in 6 days!!!! So excited!!! We are on the fence about our gender party right now. I don't think I can keep it a secret for 10 days and with our obligations and family's obligations, it just doesn't seem like we will have time for it. We are trying to come up with a cool, unique way of telling anyway!
Labor Signs: none, thank goodness!
Belly Button in or out? In and I pray it stays that way. It freaks me out for some reason! Ha!
What I am looking forward to: my big US!!!
Milestones: making it this far

I did go ahead and go to yoga last night and I am SO HAPPY I did. I met a girl that is due one day after me and it seems like it will help my back. I won't be able to go for a couple of weeks, but should be able to get back at it at the end of the month.

In other happy news, Dr. Smith arrived back late last night and made a surprise visit in my office this morning! He told me that the best word to describe how he felt about his trip was overwhelming. That says a lot coming from him, trust me. I plan to do another post tomorrow about his trip and about the preparation for the next one in about 8 days.

Being a Worrywort

I have ALWAYS had a problem with worrying and a phobia of meeting new people and tonight those seem to be working against me. First off, I don't know what is wrong other than maybe I've had too much caffeine today, maybe it is stress, maybe it is being worried over a friend or my upcoming US, but I am very moody and just have a feeling of impending doom. I just keep feeling like there is a cloud over me and I HATE it! I hate being such a worrywort. I want to be carefree and not so type A, but I guess this worried, OCD personality God gave me is just part of His plan. I'm still waiting on my quad screen results and that is starting to freak me out a little.

However, I must say that I am starting to feel Baby quite a bit and that gives me some ease. I'm just so ready to have the results and the US behind us. I could care less if it is a boy or a girl, just please Lord, let he or she be healthy!

Next, I am starting to talk myself out of going to prenatal yoga tomorrow night (which I am considering because I am tired of the hip/back pain and my OB recommended it). I've never done yoga before and I'm nervous about that and the fact I won't know anyone. I have a huge fear of going to new places and meeting new people. I do fine once I start talking to someone and get comfortable with my surroundings, but first, I get extremely nervous. If anyone has done prenatal yoga, please tell me about it. The other thing is the next two Wednesdays I won't be able to go, so I hate to go then just disappear for two weeks. Maybe I should wait until I can go every week???