2009 is nearing an end.

So, Christmas is over for another year. It came and went pretty quickly. It wasn't chaotic, really. We got some really nice things from family. My father in law and his wife sent us some nice things for the baby. We also got a really nice canvas photo of the Big Ben (they are stationed in England). Michael got a cheese and meat kit from his uncle Craig. We've definitely been munching on all of it. Anybody who sends food for a gift is a great uncle/friend lol. My secret santa sent me a 5 pack of receiving blankets for the baby and the thermometer I was wanting as well. It is universal. It has three attachments. One for underarm, oral, and well.. the one place nobody likes having their temperature taken lol. Michael's mom gave me some money for my birthday and some for Michael for Christmas. We are going out tomorrow to do some shopping. Michael's grandma and grandpa Wind sent me me a bath and body works set. And some home made goodies, which I ate in just about one sitting lol. food is really the way to my heart, especially whilst pregnant. Michael took me out on my birthday to Applebees. It was delicious. He also got me a beautiful jewelry box and a beautiful card to go along with it. Gizmo had a prety good Christmas too. He got a cute little stocking from my mom. It is shaped like a bone and has a place on the front where you can insert a picture, which we did. He got three toys from 'Santa Paws', and was definitely pleased with them. He wears himself out playing. He tries so hard to play with all three at the same time. My little multi-tasker. We all had a wonderful Christmas.

We had a guy from Michael's shop over for Christmas dinner. Michael helped so much the night before and Christmas day, bless his heart. The night before we made cheese balls, which turned out fabulous. I think Michael was pretty pleased about his cheese ball. We made one with pecans coating the outside, and he made his own, without. Both was so good. The next morning, I woke up at about 8, and made the brownies. I sprinkled powdered sugar over top of them to make them a little more "Christmasy". For dinner, I made Home made baked mac and cheese, ham, mashed potatoes, and yeast rolls. Everything turned out so well. We all hung out, ate, and watched a Myth Busters marathon. Neither of them seemed too adamant about watching Christmas movies lol. Oh well, I guess.

Also, Michael's grandpa Gribble suffered a heart attack last week, but thankfully he is okay. He was home just in time for Christmas. We love you guys! Get well soon.

I am now in my third and FINAL trimester. Some say between 26 and 28 weeks, but I'll say 27. It's in the middle, so it's perfect lol. I seem to get bigger everyday. I also believe the baby is head down now, which is where I am hoping she stays.

On the symptoms front: I have been having braxton hicks contractions just about everyday. I was getting 4 or 5 in one day. Which is normal, but that doesn't mean they are comfortable! My fatigue seems to be getting worse as well. I really haven't been too tired my whole pregnancy. I didn't experience fatigue in the beginning of my pregnancy like most women do. So, I guess I'm making up for it now. I have been experiencing a lot of heart palpitations the last few days. I know this can be normal for pregnant women, but with my anxieties, I definitely will be talking with my OB about it. Maybe an EKG wouldn't be a bad idea. I'd rather not chance anything. And last, but not least; SWELLING! My hands and feet have been swelling more than they ever really have. I drink plenty of water, so there isn't much more I can do. I pray these aren't the early staged of preeclampsia, because I am still having headaches and nausea. That too is worth mentioning when I see the doctor next Monday. I have my gestational diabetes test that day as well. I hope I pass.

Well, suppose I should get going. I'm going to eat what's left of the mashed potatoes and head to bed soon. Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and have a happy new year.

Tis the season to be jolly

So much has been going on the last two weeks. Lot's of sadness in the family. It's just hard to be "jolly" when there are so many people around you hurting. It puts me in a depressed state of mind. I REALLY hope 2010 brings new beginnings for all of us.

Anyways, so updates on me; nothing new really. I have been super tired since 24 weeks. I recently started experiencing Braxton hicks contractions. I know they had probably been happening before, but I can actually feel them now. Some aren't that bad, others can be quite uncomfortable. It feels like.. when you eat too much and you get a stomach ache. You can feel your stomach tighten. That part is pretty neat, but the discomfort.. not so much.

So, we are getting ready for Christmas. I'm making a Sara Lee Ham, Home baked macaroni and cheese, and Mashed potatoes. I am making a cheese ball.. well log on Christmas eve. My first ever. I got the recipe from a family member. That will be to munch on on Christmas day. For dessert, I'm making brownies. It's tough to make something sweet that Michael actually likes. So, I'm making the chocolate chunk kind and sprinkling powdered sugar over them. Hoping it turns out how I want.

Well, that's about it for now. Happy Holidays to you and yours.

Doctor update

We had our monthly appointment on Monday. I guess I forgot to update on that. It wasn't all the interesting honestly. In fact, I felt rushed. Which I don't like. I really don't care if they were busy, this was MY appointment. Michael didn't go in with me because he was still pretty sore from having his wisdom teeth removed. So, he stayed in the car. While I have sympathy for him, it still kind of made me mad he didn't feel like coming in. Then again, I've never had my wisdom teeth removed.

The doctor and I discussed a birth plan. While I know it is not legally binding, there is no reason they can't follow it if there is nothing preventing them from doing so. Plus, it's not like I'm asking for anything outrageous. I am just trying to make this as personal as possible. I believe the labor and birthing experience should be as personal and relaxing as possible. And yes, we plan on going "au naturale" No pain medication. Using natural pain management such as: Breathing techniques, massage, and a birthing ball.

I know I WILL WANT drugs throughout the proccess, it will ultimately be my will power that determines this. No, I have no problem with getting the drugs really. I know it can be benifcial for some. I just want to try doing things naturally at first. Women have been having babies for centuries without pain meds. I'm also not knocking women who do this. It's a personal decision.

We are not able to attend a Lamaze class. So, I found a DVD called, 'Laugh and Learn About Childbirth". It is probably the top selling Lamaze DVD out there. I got to see the first half for free and the woman who instructs it, really makes it fun to learn. She is funny too. She covers all aspects, including C-sections. I plan on buying the birthing ball sometime soon. For those of you who are pregnant, I really reccomend you check out the website, laughandlearn.com The DVd is 40 dollars, but we found it on Amazon for 14.95 brand new! So, be sure to do your research before you pay full price. It is a 4 hour long DVD.

I would be pretty heartbroken if I couldn't give birth naturally. If I had to have a c-section, fine, I know no matter how she comes into the world, I will love her just the same, but I really hope to give birth the way god intended lol. I mean thank god for c-sections, but I believe it takes away from the birthing experience. Some women actually prefer to have a c-section. WHY?! They cut through muscle and it is nearly impossible to get that tight again. Who want's saggy skin? Plus, it's surgery, and anything could happen. Don't get me started..

Oh, P.S. My morning sickness is back! BLEH!

Happy Holidays

I have needed to update for quite some time now. I've just been too lazy I guess. We really enjoyed our Thanksgiving in Georgia. I definitely bonded well with everybody. Their hospitality was very genuine and they made Michael and I feel right at home. I look forward to visiting with them again.

Lets see.. I'm now 24 weeks and 5 days. The baby kicks me almost all the time, and a couple nights ago, right before Michael and I went to sleep, he got to feel the baby kick for the first time! I was so happy. Then, she didn't want to stop lol. Silly already.

Michael and I are staying home for Christmas. We are inviting one of his friends from work to spend Christmas Day with us. Nobody should be alone for the holidays. Plus, it gives me a reason to prepare a huge meal.

My birthday is also coming up. The 23rd of December to be exact. Which would make it about two weeks away. This year has gone by so quickly. In a lot of ways I'm glad, because I think this year has been one of the worst. I've gone through so much this year. Excluding the miracle of this pregnancy, because it is indeed a miracle, but it's just been a hell of a year.

Gizmo has recently been sick. He was hospitalized for a day, due to Pancreatitis. He had been real lethargic for a couple days. He wasn't eating one of those days; at all. He would barely drink any water, and had a small bout of diarrhea in the house. A couple days later he was throwing up and I said this is the last straw, something is wrong. Thankfully we have a vet clinic right across the street. So, I took him over there. I never anticipated he would be as sick as his diagnosis. I thought maybe it was just a viral thing, but he was very sick. We caught it early enough to get him better though. He is now on a prescription diet and just took his last bit of medication today. He seems a lot better, which is wonderful. It costed us over 300 dollars to get him better. It was worth it. He will now be a low fat diet for the rest of his life. He isn't happy about this, but as long as he is healthy that is all that matters.

Anyway, I should get going. Here is a picture of our Christmas tree. It is half lit. We can't seem to find the bulb that is out. When we actually have money we will get a fuse finder. Until then it's a half lit tree. Which isn't so bad. Happy holidays all.

Finally updating

So, I'm finally able to update. Not like I haven't had the time, just nothing worth writing about really. Anywho, Michael and I had our 2 week check. Everything looks fine. Baby finally showed us her spine. It looks great; completely closed.

She is a very active, silly baby. I feel her kick all the time, and her kicks are getting so much stronger every day. She kicked the ultrasound tech the whole time. She is so silly. We play tag on a regular basis too. I'll poke or rub my belly and she will kick me back. It's so cute.

We are going to spend our Thanksgiving with Michael's dad's side of the family this year. Michael hasn't seen anybody on his fathers side since 2002, which would have made him a freshman in highschool. I've never met anybody on this side of the family, so I look forward to meeting everybody. Plus, lots of good eats =D

Also, my grandma recently had Gall bladder surgery and I'm happy to say she seems to be healing just fine. She has been through a lot this year, dealing with cancer, and just all around not feeling well. I feel bad she hasn't been able to enjoy much of 2009. I hope 2010 is a brand new start for her. I love you Grandma.

Well, I should get going. I've added a 22 week photo. I hope everybody has a safe and wonderful Thanksgiving! Take care.

First outfit

So, it's the weekend again. Today we went base so Michael could get his hair cut. While he did that, I went in the Bx to look at baby clothes. I haven't got the chance to since I got pregnant. There were quite a few outfits I thought were adorable, but one really stuck out to me. It is probably one of the cutest outfits I've ever seen for a baby girl, in my opinion of course. So, as soon as I walked out of the BX Michael already had gotten his hair cut, so I told him I wanted to show him the outfit I had found. He thought it was cute too, so we bought it. It's her first outfit. I got it in the 6-9 month outfit because the only one that was 0-3 month had a snag in the bow. I love the fact it's not pink. Not that I dislike pink, but I don't want her to wear just pink, or purple. I apologize in advance for the quaility of this photo. Michael broke our camera a few weeks ago and all we have left until it's fixed is our crappy camera.

Something that is starting to get to me a little, is people staring at me. I know people stare at pregnant women, it's natural, but when I get rude stares, it kind of bothers me. I don't dress like a hoochie or anything, and I don't think I look like a teenager. I am married and old enough to have a baby. Do I need to wear a T-shirt that read, "I'm married and old enough to have children, please quit staring"? Not all people do this, but it seems to be happening more often. Anywho, not much to report on. Hope everybody has a good weekend.

Happy Veterans Day

I know it's a little late, but I am thankful everyday for my military men and women who fight, and who have fought to give my family and myself the freedoms we have today. And to those who can't support our troops, please feel free to stand in front of them.

So, my day wasn't very productive, but I had better enjoy it, because soon they will be filled with dirty diapers, feedings, and being woke up at 3 in the morning lol.

Michael got the day off, which was nice. We really didn't do anything, but lounge around, but it was still nice. He worked on the computer today, doing I don't know what, but it has become a big project; one of his many.

Anywho, This wasn't the most exciting entry ever, but that's okay. Hope you all have a good one.

20 week ultrasound

So, we had our "Big" ultrasound on Monday. She is still a girl, there is no denying it. She was not very cooperative during the ultrasound though. We got all the shots, but the one of her spine because she was moving around so much. It is pretty obvious in the video how hard it was to get a good shot of her. She did not want to be messed with that day lol. When I go for my two week appt to check my cervix they will check her spine. It bothers me a little, because I haven't really been able to enjoy my pregnancy, because I always have some worry. After losing so many babies.. you just worry more. I know I lost them early on, but once you have a miscarriage, even one, just takes away the innocence of pregnancy. So not being able to see her spine, though it sounds harmless enough, really bothers me. Other than not being able to see her spine, everything else looked good. So, I am grateful. She is a very active baby, and her kicks get harder and harder each day.

We also have to fill out our hospital registry form, for when I deliver. I need to call Tricare tomorrow ( which is never fun ) and not just because they are an insurance company, but because they don't know their own system. One person will tell you one thing, and another person will tell you another. I won't get on that subject in this entry though, I'm just sayin'.

They also don't do water birthing anywhere in Alabama hospitals, which is really dissapointing for me, because this is something I've been interested in for a long time. I'm going to try VERY hard to go without medication, but I can't say what will happen, because I'm not there yet. We'll just have to see.

anyways, here is the Video of our little girl being her sassy self.

Names

Hello all, it still feels a day ahead to me. I'll just have to get used to these three day weekends.

Anywho, I am getting a bit anxious to give our little girl a name. I don't mind reffering to her as 'her', but I would like to decide on a name, and SOON. I have thrown out a few names, but it seems Michael is far more picky than me. I think it's easier picking a girls name than a boys. You just can't be to creative with boys names, in my opinion of course. The names, Braydan, Jaydan, Aidan, and Kaydan are so overused. They are no longer original. I almost don't even bother asking women what they named have named their sons because chances are it's one of these 4 names lol. I don't like extravagant names for boys or girls. I like simple names. Something simple. I honestly don't want to tell anybody what we are naming her, until she is born, but I think telling Family would be okay.. I guess. I just want some things to be a suprise, that's all.

I am going to be somebody who mothers by the heart rather than by the books. It's not like I won't take advice, but nobody ever needed a book to parent. No mother is perfect. I don't expect to be the perfect mother either. I do however have fears I won't be a good mom. Why is this? I'm sure these are rational fears every mom-to-be has, but it causes me sooo much anxiety. I'm not even scared about labor and delivery. That is the last thing on my mind, fear wise that is.

Well, I suppose I should get going. We are watching more Bond tonight. Have a good night everybody.

The weekend

It feels like Saturday to me. Hubby gets every other Friday off now, so I think that must be why it feels a day ahead. We are having a James Bond-a-thon this evening. I'm not a fanatic, I just like being able to spend time with my husband. They are good movies though.

Gizmo kept putting his toy/teeth cleaner in Michaels shoe to prop it up so he could chew on it. He is smart, I swear. My husband didn't like it though. He is afraid he will chew on his shoes instead, so he took away the shoes, which didn't set will with Gizmo. He also like to get in my husbands Gym bag. It's really big so I can see why. We call it Geemo Cave. Geemo is one of his many nick names by the way. Anyways, Michael doesn't like him in the bag either, so he zips it closed so he won't get in it. I personally don't stop him because I think it's cute lol.

I'm sure you all have heard about the Ft. Hood shooting. It definitely affected me, not just because I'm a military wife, but because I'm an American and this man turned against his fellow soldiers. I will not go to into this because it's almost impossible to get me to stop ranting about things like this, but my heart and prayers go out to the people personally affected by this tragedy.

Something else happend to a close family friend. Her niece was killed Yesterday. They are investigating it as a murder, which is sad because her granddaughter was also brutally murdered a couple years ago. My heart breaks for her. She has gone through so much.

Anyways, I suppose I should get going. Watching Bond and relaxing. Ciao!

So, blogger seems to be pretty user friendly. This blog is so my family and friends can know what is going on in our lives. I never really know what to write in the "first blog" but for those of you who have just ramdomly stumbled upon my page, I'll give you a little info.

If you haven't read my 'about me' section, my name is Emily, I'm 20 years old, and married to my best friend. We were married on Valentines Day 2007 at the Rathaus ( courthouse in English ), in Germany. We were stationed there nearly 3 years. We were recently stationed in Alabama. It's nice to be stateside again, but as much as I love being back in the states, I kinda of miss being in Germany. Maybe not so much the living part, but the traveling.

We have a baby girl due in March 2010. I was convinced from the day we found out we were pregnant that it was a boy, but she made it very clear she has girls parts lol. I honestly never thought I would have children, because my husband and I have lost 5 babies. I cannot even put into words how hard that was. I don't want to focus on that though. I will always have a place in my heart for them.

We have one furbaby, Gizmo. He is a yorkie. A bigger one though. He is nearly 15 to 16 pounds. Not fat, just longer, taller, and sure maybe has a little meat on his bones, but he is the cutest. He acts like a real kid. Full of it, for sure. you'll hear me talk about him often.

Well, I guess I'll get going for now. I'm watching The Kings of Queens.