Day 5 - Update

Hi,

Today is Day 5 and we are all still alive! WooHoo!!!! Because I was dehydrated my milk came in really slowly, this caused Ashlyn to lose more weight than the doctor wanted. She was 7.4oz when she was born, 6.15oz the next day when we left the hospital, 6.12oz on her 3rd day. We went back today for a weight check and she weighed 6.13.4oz. So, the good news is that while she hasn't gained her birth weight back, she is no longer losing weight. We have another weight check in a week but I'm sure she'll be fine by then. My milk is in and she is eating like a champ. Breastfeeding is going great, and often!!! Because she was dehydrated too and my milk hadn't come in yet, she was very hungry and eating every hour. This was very concerning to me but once I figured out that she was under weight it all made sense. So, I just feed her ALL THE TIME now. Doc said to keep doing that until she got back up to her birth weight, at least.

Now she is eating about every 2-3 hours which is just right. She is a sucker so she is taking a paci. That makes for fun nights when her paci falls out of her mouth. The good thing is that after she is in a deep sleep, if her paci falls out, it's okay. It's just going to sleep that she really needs it. Also, she does NOT like sleeping in her bassinet all alone. Now, this makes complete sense since 5 days ago she was all warm and snug inside me. So, the transition to sleeping in a swaddle in a bassinet is going to be difficult for her. Last night, in an effort to try to get some kind of sleep, she slept with us. I had to wake her up to eat!!! This was awesome. I actually got some sleep last night! Whippadee Pow! But, we can't keep doing that. I really don't wanna co-sleep with my kids but I also don't wanna make the same sleep mistakes I made with Taylor. So, we will get back to trying to let her learn to soothe herself (with mom's help) in her bassinet. I just needed a break last night. The only problem is that Ashlyn cries bloody murder when I put her down and I am afraid she'll wake the sleeping giant, Taylor!

But, Taylor has done great adjusting. The one thing I have learned is that Taylor is really, really loud. I never noticed that before Ashlyn got here. She gets really wound up right before bed and runs all over the house screaming like an insane person and we can't get her to use her "inside voice" for anything! But, again, we are all in a transition. She does love her little sister and wants to hold her all the time. We did have one little problem yesterday. She was patting her sister on the head very gently and doing a great job. But then all of a sudden she just hauls off and smacks her right on top of her head! OMG, TAYLOR...NO!!!! Daddy let her know right away THAT was UNACCEPTABLE! Since then she's been great.

Okay everyone, I'm exhausted. Instead of sleeping I have been updating you. So, I'm taking some Mommy time now. My head is hurting so bad it feels like my eyeballs are going to explode.

Ashlyn Kristin Brodie 1-30-2011

So, here's the story.

On Saturday afternoon, Jan. 29, 2011, we attended a birthday party from 3-5pm. I noticed that I had had a few contractions while getting ready and on the way there. This seemed somewhat promising. That night they started to get more regular and by bedtime I was timing them. They were about 6 minutes apart but the intensity was so mild it was barely worth mentioning. Through the night I woke up and noticed that the intensity had increase a little, then a little more, then a little more. By 7am I was convinced I was in labor. Contractions were anywhere from 3-5 minutes apart and were significantly stronger than when we went to bed. I knew we had a while so we got dressed, got all of our bags together, and headed to Ruby Tuesday's for a nice breakfast before we dropped Tay off and headed to the hospital.

We got to the hospital at 11:25am. By 12pm I was admitted and hooked up to the monitors. They told me that my pulse rate, as well as Ashlyn's was too high, probably because I was dehydrated. So, they gave me a lot of water hoping that would bring our rates down. The nurse also insisted that I was probably in early labor due to the dehydration and that if I hadn't dilated 1cm in an hour that they would most likely send me home.

After drinking the water and our pulse rates were within acceptable ranges, she checked me and I was 3cm. Oh, and she kept saying that my contractions were "mild" and my body was just handling labor harder than my first baby because it takes 3 years for our bodies to heal from labor. After she left the room my husband informed me that he didn't like that nurse and she didn't know what the hell she was talking about! LOL! Well, he was right. I informed that nurse that my contractions were almost unbearable and that I was not leaving. I walked the halls for another hour in excrutiating pain. Mild contraction my foot! She checked me again an hour later and said I was still 3cm. So, she called my OB who decided to admit me anyway and would break my water when she got to the hospital. We got into L&D Room #1 at 2pm.

It took about an hour for the doctor to get to the hospital and just before she got there the nurse checked me again...still 3, maybe 4cm. 10 minutes later my OB check me...yeah, 6-7cm! WHAT! HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE!!! The OB said she's seen it happen before, Brodie whispered, "I told you I didn't like that nurse, 4cm HA!" It took another hour for them to do my blood work, get the IV in and get the room ready. She broke my water at 3pm. It took about 10 minutes for Ashlyn to come down. I pushed about 5 times and there she was, at 3:18pm. 7lbs, 4oz, 21" long and healthy as a horse. I felt like I was Sissy Spacek in the movie Coal Miners Daughter (life of Loretta Lynn) when her husband told her, "I think we finally found something you're good at!" I was at the hospital for 4 hours when we had her. We were home the next day.

She's beautiful. Her peditrician said when he first saw here in the nursery that he knew exactly which one was the Brodie baby! We think she all favor's Taylor with a little bit of me mixed in. But, time will tell I guess. She hardly has any hair at all on top of her head. Just sandy-brown fuzz. It looks kind of like an emu! LOL! The back of her head has hair that is a little longer and darker brown. We can hardly see her eyebrows or eyelashes. Today is day #2 and we are all doing great.

(For some reason my spell check isn't working so forgive/overlook the mispellings. Thx.)

39 Weeks

Well, hello again! We are still here...waiting...patiently...still waiting...waiting still...

My checkup went good today. I am back to 1cm which I guess is normal. I could have been 2cm last week just because of the way the baby was laying or something. But, the even better news is that I am even more effaced than last week and the doc said that my cervix was very soft. This means much more than dilating as far as impending labor. With that said, there just isn't an equation for labor that states "A + B = C", meaning that it could still be another week or so. This is the one good thing about a C-section in my opinion...there is no wondering when it will happen. Sure, there is still anticipation. But I have to strategically plan when to go to Walmart!!!! LOL!

So, that is it for today. Good news but still no baby...check back later for updates.

*UPDATE: Wednesday - So, I woke up to tell B bye this morning and he said, "OMG! Look how low she is today!" I hadn't even noticed it. I looked down and my tummy was pointed toward the floor. It is so weird how I can go to bed and my belly looks one way and then I wake up a few hours later and it's completely different. And this is not just how she is laying.

I had a HORRIBLE night last night. I saw every single hour. Taylor woke up at 6:30 b/c her diaper had leaked so she and I got in the spare bedroom together and she slept till 8:30am. WooHoo. She feels awesome. I feel okay. I fixed some 3/4 caffeinated coffee this morning and that has helped. Wish me luck!!!

38 Weeks

Hi Everyone,

Well, I am pleased to know that the "excitement" that we had in week 37 didn't go unrewarded. I have dilated to 2cm/50% effaced and getting just a little closer to meeting my daughter than I was last week.

We were really worried about what we would do with Taylor if Ashlyn didn't wait until Granny Mary got here but the Doc said that she thought she would wait (but of course she doesn't have a crystal ball, so...)

Taylor's bag is all packed and I have her pack-n-play stuff ready to go should she need to stay with a neighbor. My bag...still not packed! LOL! Denial, maybe? We need to get some gas drops, Tylenol, etc. but I guess that can wait until she gets here and needs it. I am sure Brodie will be looking for any excuse to get out of the house. ;) It's amazing how laid back we are compared to when Taylor was born. Shoot, at 4 months we were ready for Taylor. We had EVERYTHING POSSIBLE needed for a newborn, and then some. With Ashlyn, we have 2 packs of diapers, some cotton balls, and a place for her to sleep. I did eventually get Tay's old clothes washed and put away in Ashlyn's room.

Well, it's nap time. I'll update next Tues after my 39 week appointment, unless something else happens between now and then.

(update) Monday - Well, I have my 39 week checkup tomorrow. For the last two days I have had contractions on and off. They have been anywhere from 20-13 minutes apart. Nothing consistent. My doc calls this a "dress rehearsal" and says that the more of these that I have the faster my labor will be because my body is doing a lot of work before hand. I have felt really sluggish and weak the last two days. My feet are killing me. They aren't swollen, they just hurt so bad. I feel like I am walking on my bones and that in any minute they will just explode. Sitting at a 90 angle is also very painful. Standing for any length of time is painful b/c the baby is so low and it feels like my muscles are ripping apart. Don't get much sleep at night. Ah, the joys of pregnancy. Now, if she can just wait 5 more days!!! Hurry, Granny!!!

More in week 37

So, Tuesday was my 37 week appointment and I was 1cm dilated and have been having Braxton Hicks contractions for some time, which is totally normal.

Well, then Wednesday night I started cramping in my lower abdomen and lower back. I just felt a lot of pressure on my tailbone. (lost mp). I got no sleep last night.

Today, I have continued cramping. I decided at 3:30 last night that I would get my bag packed. So I have washed clothes and packed our bags. I made arrangements for Taylor to stay with a friend/neighbor if we went into labor during the night before Mary got here.

I still have have 20 days until my due date. I will be 38 weeks on Tuesday, which is also my next checkup. I think I'm gonna have her on Wednesday, the 19th. I cramped like this for 3 days before I had Taylor so I know what early (even very early) labor feels like. I know I could still go past my due date but things just seem to be happening so quickly now. I wonder what tomorrow will bring? LOL! I still hope that she waits until her due date. I would love Mary to be here when she is born and to have her on my dad's birthday would be so special to me. But, I just don't think this little girl is gonna wait. Now, just cause I am saying all of this stuff (and basically mentally freaking out) she"ll be late just like Taylor.

But anyway, that's an update on us in our 37th week!

Sunday - I have been taking it easy the last few days and THANKFULLY things have calmed down. I feel like a volcano that was about to erupt but then all of a sudden went quiet. Unexplainable, but eruption is eminent! LOL!

37 Weeks

Hi Everyone.

We had our 37 week appointment today and the awesome news is that I am 1cm dilated. The baby is VERY LOW. This is causing some "minor discomfort"! LOL!

• My lower ab muscles feel like they are already ripping apart.
• My hips are literally separating from my tailbone as you are reading this! This does not allow me to put much pressure on my left leg...I walk like an car wreck patient now!
• Oh, and the newest "discomfort" is a sharp, electrical shooting pain from my tailbone around to my tummy. This makes me gasp very loudly and it scares the daylights outta Brodie because it happens so randomly.

When I called Brodie at work after my appointment, I told him I was 1cm. It was so funny, he got so worked up. "So, so, so, what does that mean? Did she say how much longer it would be? Are we gonna have her early? What else did she say?" LOL! I managed to calm him down and explained to him that I could stay this way until the day Ashlyn was born. All it means is that we are getting there, just calm down. With Taylor I was 1cm dilated at my 35 week appointment but she was no where near as low as Ashlyn. I was also a week late with Taylor!!! So, the fact that I'm dilated now doesn't mean much. She'll come when she's ready...and frankly I would like to get a few more things done around the house.

However, I do need to start taking it easy now. I realized today after my dr.'s appointment and a grocery shopping trip with an 18month old, then putting the groceries away, that I was absolutely DRAINED! I guess it's time to have "The Talk" with my hubby. You know the one. "Now dear, I know all I do is lay around the house all day but my body is working very hard so I can't do as much as I used too. It is now time for you to really start doing your part and some of mine...even though all I do is lay around all day!" {wink!!!}

I am getting so excited. I also need to pack a hospital bag. I haven't done that yet either. Actually, we haven't done hardly anything. I have only bought 1 pack of diapers. I need to wash her clothes. I do have the changing station set up and I guess that is about all that is really necessary. Thankfully we are going to have Granny Mary here for 2 weeks!!! Oh Hallelujah!!! I'm gonna realize when we bring Ashlyn home just how much I should've done before she was born. (Oh, nice little Braxton Hick's contraction!!!)

Well, Taylor has been napping for an hour now. It's time for her to wake up so I should wrap this up. I just wanted to give everyone an update. We love you and miss you all!

The Brodie's + one more little baby girl very soon!

18 month sleep regression. YAY!!!

God knows I love my child. She is so pretty, so smart, and such a joy in our lives. But our poor girl just has bad sleep problems and always has. Before a child makes a developmental leap, they can go through something called sleep regression - something I have talked about before. 18 months is no exception. She is making huge developmental leaps now. She is learning so quickly, interacting better with children her age, figuring out puzzles, etc. Because she has so much going on in her brain, she just doesn't want to sleep. She wants to stay up and play! Of course, who wouldn't?

Two nights ago she didn't go to sleep until about 8:30. Her bedtime is about 7:30. This means it took us an hour to get her to go to sleep. Not just leaving her in her bed and letting her cry, I mean actively dealing with her trying to get her to sleep. This is exhausting. Then, at about 1am she woke up again WIDE AWAKE, ready to play! It took Brodie and me 2 hours to get her to go back to sleep. We were exhausted. She was up, ready to start her day at 7am. We were dead!!! She didn't go down for her 12pm nap until almost 3pm.

For those of you who never had any kind of sleep issues with their kids...THANK GOD!!! The good thing is that I know this is a phase and it will pass, eventually. Although I still don't have the patience that I need, I have much more compassion than ever before. That alone helps me stay calm and better in control of the situation. I KNOW that this will pass and that too helps sustain me.

I pray that this won't last long. I pray that God will give me the energy that I need when I need it. I hope that this is harder on me than it is Taylor. And I love my husband for doing the best that he can with both of us when we are going through these trying times.

I hope that Ashlyn is a better sleeper than Taylor!

10 weeks to go

Hi Everyone,

We have 10 weeks left and have finally "pretty much" decided on a name. We picked...drum roll please....

Ashlyn Kristin Brodie

We picked "Ashlyn" from a list of 1,100 names. It came down to that and Payton, after Walter Payton, B's favorite football player and a Mississippi native. So, of course this was a great option. Ashlyn just seemed more unique and a little prettier.

I wanted her middle name to be after my sister, Kristin. Taylor's middle name "Renee" is after B's sister Kristen. I wanted to remember my sister in my children's name because she has made me so proud of her and I wanted to let her know it.

So, there you have it. Miss Ashlyn Kristin Brodie. Due 2-2-11, also Groundhog Day but most importantly my dad's birthday!!!

Love ya!

The Brodies

17 months - Still Hard

Taylor was 17 months yesterday (11-2-10). She had a very bad soar throat for Halloween and couldn't even put her costume on. It is still hanging in the closet with the tags on it. That started 4 days ago. Her throat is much better now. She is back to eating and drinking fine after going for two days without much of anything and a 103 degree fever.

All 4 of her canine teeth are coming in. That can't be easy either.

She still wakes up in the middle of the night, almost every night, and climbs out of bed crying for Momma & Dada. She wants us to sit beside her until she falls completely asleep. She'll even realize she's dozing off and pop her head up just to see if we are still there. THIS IS DRIVING ME CRAZY. At 1:30 in the morning I am in no mood to be playing a waiting game with my child who should be sleeping. I am 7 months pregnant now, utterly exhausted, and just can't do this.

I know this is my fault. I have been inconsistent with her sleeping habits and how I respond to her midnight wake-ups. I have to start reacting the same every time because my inconsistency is teaching her that she can win. The only problem is that I am so very tired and just don't have the energy to stay outside her door and put her back in bed every time she climbs out. I don't have the patience to listen to the crying/screaming because I am so fatigued. Most times it just seems easier (for me) to sit with her until she falls asleep and creep out of her room like a burglar or something! Naps are okay. I can do this at nap time. It's just bedtime, when I have nothing left, that things fall apart.

I have to find out why I am so tired. Why I don't have the energy to function an hour after I wake up in the mornings. My family needs me. My dogs need me. I need me!!! My mind yearns to get up and clean my kitchen, go grocery shopping, play outside with my child...my body just won't let me. I feel imprisoned. I feel like that if only my head were on a different body I'd be unstoppable!

The new baby (for lack of a name) will be here in 13 weeks and counting. I am scared to death. How can I take care of a newborn, Taylor, Brodie, Sandie, Charlie, the housekeeping, the laundry, the groceries, the meals, and me, in the state that I am in? I have no idea how I am functioning now but for utter determination to try to hold my home together in some sort of organized chaos. My only saving grace is an amazing husband and a few great neighbors that I know will help me with anything. I wish my family lived closer....

I went for the baby's 27 week checkup yesterday. I explained to my doctor what I have been going through and reminded her about the Fibromyalgia (FMS). She said my symptoms sounded more like Lupus than FMS and ordered some tests. But whether I have Lupus or not, I don't care at this time, they still can't cure the fatigue. Will I get better or worse after the baby arrives and my hormones stable out? I dunno. No one knows.

(I laugh at myself, this was supposed to be a post about Taylor!)

NEXT MORNING SIDE NOTE: Taylor went down beautifully, slept through the night, woke up at 7:40, and stayed in bed until Mom went in to get her at 8 a.m., just like she is supposed too. I got a full nights sleep and feel GREAT this morning! THANK YOU GOD!!!

Bedtime Seperation Anxiety - 16 months

I am writing this more for me, as a record for the next baby, than any other reason. But it'll let you also know what we are going through.

For a while now Taylor has been letting me rock her until she is very sleepy and then I will lay her down in her bed with no tears or protest. On a few occasions she would even tell me night-night as I was walking out of the room.

The last two night have been horrible. When we would start walking to her room she starts crying, "NO, NO! NO, NO! NO, NO!" She's literally scared out of her mind. Last night I couldn't even calm her down enough to rock her. I had to lay her down with me in my bed until she fell asleep. Tonight it took Brodie and me and an hour and forty-five minutes to get her to go to sleep. She's usually asleep by 7:45-8pm. Last night she finally fell asleep at 9pm and tonight at 9:45.

For the last two days she has been very agitated during the day. She's been very grouchy and argumentative. She has had a very bad tummy ache for the last two days but her tummy is much better tonight. We can't tell if all of this is due to her tummy ache or if she is going through some sort of behaviorial phase/growth spurt/anxiety seperation thing.

I am curious to see how long this last or what is causing it. We thought about letting her sleep with us for a few nights to help calm her fears of bedtime but have concluded that will probably only make it worse when it's time to get back in her bed. We have no idea what to do!!!

Taylor's First Photoshoot - 15 months

On September 15, 2010, Taylor had her one year pictures made. Technically, she was 15 months.

Below is a link to her pics. Please use the word September15 to log in. If you are interested, you can purchase any of these pictures or turn them into a mug/mouse pad/etc. You can do all of this from this site and the item(s) will be printed on professional quality paper (not sure if it is acid free) and mailed directly to your door. The prices are VERY reasonable.

Let me know if you have any problems viewing these pictures and I will do my best to assist you.

We hope you enjoy your slideshow. And now, without further ado, Miss Taylor Brodie.

http://mjthompsonphotos.smugmug.com/Children/Taylor-Brodie-2/13852108_EQJUD#P-1-20

Bottling Memories

I wish that I could bottle the feeling that a parent gets when they are rocking their child to sleep, and then they pop their head up as if they are getting comfy but you realize as they press their lips to yours that they just wanted a kiss. That little person, that little baby, wanted in their mind and in their heart, a kiss from you.

At such a tiny age, how can they even comprehend the desire for a kiss, for the warmth and love that a kiss possesses. It literally blows my mind.

And then, just when you think they are raising their head for one more sweet night-night kiss, they bury their nose into your shoulder and RUB RUB RUB the itchies out of their nose onto your shoulder.

Thanks kid...for everything!

We're Having A...

Our Big Ultrasound is in 3hrs and 20 minutes. I can't sit still. I just wanna know so badly!!! Can't wait to update this blog!!!

It's a GIRL!!! Check out our pic's of the ultrasound on dropshots. We've got great pic's of her, video too! She weighs about 7oz and her heartbeat is 145bpm.

I had a lot of braxton-hicks contractions tonight, which is normal about now. They are just so uncomfortable. I tried to change positions and my back started hurting. Go figure...LOL.

I am really excited. B said he doesn't even want to try for another one cuz he knows it'll be a girl. He thinks God doesn't want him to have a boy. Bless his heart, he wanted it to be a boy so badly, but he is happy that the baby is healthy.

17 weeks

Hi,

Everything is going fine. I'm 17 weeks today. Our next appointment is scheduled for Sept. 7th at 3pm. This is the BIG ONE! We'll find out if we're having a boy or girl. I can hardly wait!!! We haven't discussed names yet so I'm sure this will get the ball rolling.

The baby is very active and hopefully Dad will be able to feel some movements before long.

Love you,
Riann

15 weeks

I'm almost to the end of my 15th week. I'll be 16 weeks in 2 days. I felt the baby move for the first time at 14 weeks.

Yesterday was CRAZY!!! It was mid-day and I was lying on the couch watching TV while Taylor was playing around me. She was crawling up and down on the couch and me. All of a sudden I felt the baby move again. It felt like a tiny little thump. Then, a few minutes later, I felt it again. Then again, then again, then again. It felt that there was a circus going on inside my tummy and it was so cute because it was just tiny little bumps. I felt like even though the baby was still so tiny that he/she was having so much fun in there just playin' around. I called B and he tried to feel it. I'm not really sure if he was able to or not but it won't be long now.

My 16 week appointment is tomorrow. It will be just a routine heartbeat check for the baby and some bloodwork. But, the really exciting thing is that we will find out the sex of the baby at the next appointment after that, one month later. So, we'll find out NEXT MONTH!!! (20ish weeks) That means I'll be HALF WAY DONE BAKING THIS BISCUIT!!!! Time has really flown with this pregnancy. I can't believe that it's going to be February before we know it.

Love you guys,
The Brodies

Felt the Baby - 14weeks

I felt the baby move yesterday! Taylor and I had gone to see daddy at work for Coast Guard Day. We were getting ready to leave and had followed him back to his office. I was standing there and felt something weird. All of a sudden it hit me....IT'S THE BABY!!! I couldn't believe it. I almost cried.

This pregnancy hasn't been in the forefront of our lives because we have had so much going on this summer. I often forget that I am pregnant! LOL! But, yesterday certainly made it much more real. I am so excited and can't hardly stand to wait the 6 more weeks needed to find out if it is a boy or a girl. It just seems like forever.

I have another appointment in 2 weeks for a heartbeat check and some blood work, just routine stuff.

As for the family, we are all doing fine. B is settling into his new job and finds it very engaging and dynamic which he loves. Taylor has started daycare on a spotty, part-time basis. Basically when the care-giver has a child that calls in sick she can go. She loves it and it gives me some time to go to appointments and get things done around the house. I am doing a little better. Daycare has helped. Also, in the last week Taylor has really become more independent allowing me to let her do more things on her own. She now pretty much refuses to let us feed her anything. There is a huge mess to clean up later but she eats fine so we let her. Plus, it's just part of growing up. Also, two nights ago she actually told me she was ready to go to bed. She was playing and came over to me and said, "Night, Night." I asked her if she was ready to go night, night and she ran to her room. 10 minutes later she was asleep! I can't tell you how shocked I was. She did the same thing last night and for her nap. I can't believe that she is such a big girl.

Well, I hope all of our friends and family are doing well. We love you and miss you all! Thanks for checking in.

12 weeks

We had our 12 week appointment today to listen to the baby's heartbeat. Everything sounded fine and the hb was in the 160's which is perfect. I have not had any symptoms except for being unbearablY tired. I have had to literally drag myself all over the house today trying to get things picked up in conjunction with entertaining and taking care of Taylor. After the dr. appt. we had to run to the grocery store to pick up a few things and I didn't know if I could make it out of there or not. It really was that bad. Sometimes I am so exhausted that I can barely breathe.

To top things off I have a Staph infection under my left arm and I have to take antibiotics to try to shrink the infection. My left arm is tingly and hot, and the infection hurts so bad that I can't put my arm down by my side.

Taylor is now 13 months and let me tell you, this little girl has developed a terrible temper. She hates to have her diaper changed. She screams and kicks. She throws her food on the floor when I let her feed herself because she won't let us feed her anymore. She loves to see the dogs eating her food off the floor. She goes 100mph and is always in something she's not supposed to be into. I honestly don't know how I am keeping up with her. Well, I'm just worn out. I called around to see if someone had a morning daycare for a few hours that I could put her into in order give us both a break. Also, she needs to spend time with other kids her age. However, she wasn't old enough for any of them yet and they were very expensive.

I am hormonal, emotional, and exhausted beyond comprehension. I need help. I need prayers. I need a maid and a babysitter. I have no idea how I can deal with another baby. I know that God doesn't give us more than we can handle but sometimes I seriously think he over estimates me!!!

If anyone would like to come out for a week or two you are MORE THAN WELCOME!!!!

Update on the pregnancy

Hi Everyone!

(Pardon my blog. I am in the process of trying some new templates.)

I'll be 8 weeks on Wed., June 23, and I DON'T FEEL A THING!!! I have no pregnancy symptoms what-so-ever!!! It's crazy. At least with Taylor I was a little nauseous. If I had to reach for symptoms, I'd have to say I was a little tired. But wouldn't you be tired after chasing after a 12mo old all day? Yep! Also, I don't know what is going on with my wrist. I don't know if it's joint swelling b/c of hormone levels or if it's completely unrelated, but my left wrist pops every time I rotate it. I MEAN EVERY SINGLE TIME. It's a little sore and a tiny bit swollen. I have no idea what's going on with that. Anyway, I feel fine.

We have our first ultrasound tomorrow, June 22nd. Given our past, we are of course a little scared but we both feel like this pregnancy is gonna stick. I just can't believe that we have to wait 10 more weeks to find out if it is a boy or girl. We wanna know NOW! LOL!!! We both want a boy really bad, but a healthy baby is always most important.

So, I have started doing something pretty unconventional. I have suffered from chronic lower back pain for 3 years. During my last pregnancy it flared up so badly that I was in tears for 3 straight days. I have no desire to relive that pain again so I started going to physical therapy but that didn't help. As a last resort, I looked into acupuncture. My first session was last week and it is so awesome that I can't wait to go back. The needles hurt for the first minute or two. It kinda feels like ant bites. After that I was so absolutely relaxed that I laid right there and feel asleep for 45 minutes. I have never been so peacefully relaxed in my life. It was crazy!!! It hasn't helped my back yet but I've only been once. I have 4 more sessions and then we'll see how things are going. The awesome thing about acupuncture (AP for short) is that it "treats" the entire body and it's energy, not just one symptom at a time. So, I am hoping that this helps my wrist also. AP is also great during pregnancy b/c it helps de-stress and relax, something essential during pregnancy.

Now, for Taylor. She took a scary fall off of our front steps yesterday. She's not afraid of anything and I have to watch her b/c she'll always go for the steps. She loves to climb. Well, as it always goes...I turned my back for one second and when I turned around she was climbing the first step. I tried to get to her but she lost her balance and fell face first on the cement walkway. THANKFULLY, she only scratched her nose. She started crying and we ran inside to make sure she had all of her teeth. After I cleaned her up, daddy took her and tried to get her to stop crying. He opened the refrigerator and "BAM!" she was fine!!! She is so tough, but I guess if you are going to have Brodie as a dad you gotta be tough! LOL!!!!

And speaking of Dad. This is his last week at his current station. He gets a 2 week break (hopefully) and then goes to work and a station a little closer to home. This is a very busy week for him as he is also taking two online courses which have mid-terms due this weekend. I just can't tell you how hard he is working for his family. We are so proud of him. I am so proud of him. I couldn't have married a better man. (I love you honey!)

WE'RE PREGNANT AGAIN!

So, it's happened a little earlier than expected. We were going to starting trying next month (june) but I took a test on Saturday, May 29th, at 6 a.m. and it was POSITIVE! OMG!!!! I got up to let the dogs out and figured I would take the test. I walked into the bedroom where Brodie was half asleep and said, "We're pregnant!" He giggled and said, "Ya know, I was just thinking that too." We are both super happy and Brodie is PRAYING for a boy this time! But, in the end, of course all that we hope for is a happy, health baby. I haven't even scheduled my first doctor's appointment yet since it is Memorial Day weekend, so it's very early, and as we know first-hand, this is a very delicate time, especially for us. But the good news is that I have already been taking my prenatals and other stuff necessary to create an optimum environment for the baby. The unofficial due date is around the first week in February.

Brodie will be commissioned as a Warrent Officer next week in the USCG. His mother and I will pin on his anchors. I am so very proud of my husband and all that he does for his family and for himself.

Taylor will be one year old on June 2nd, 3 days from today. I cannot believe how much our little girl is grown. But, I guess she's not a little baby anymore. We switched her bedroom with the spare bedroom. I took the crib rail down and put on her toddler bed rails. I turned her room in to a real big girl's room. I put her toys and books on the floor where she could play with them at her desire. She hated her other room but really seems to be enjoying her new big girl room.

I am doing okay. I've been a little off kilter lately. So, I have joined the gym which means I've got 2 hours of baby sitting a day while Taylor is in the nursery. The workout and break have been good for us both. The play time and interaction with other children is also helping her nap better which is a life saver in itself. Hopefully the next baby will sleep better than she does. We're still having problems with her fighting her sleep. The good news is that she's now on reflux medicine and not puking 2-4 times a week. But, she still has an underdeveloped gag reflex so she is still pretty dependant on baby food and not "big people" food. But, I'm back on Taylor again.

I am still in a little bit of shock about the new baby. I don't feel pregnant. I don't really feel anything. I'm a little dizzy, a little tired, and have had one very brief wave of nausea. But if the test wouldn't have been positive, I wouldn't believe I was pregnant. I am a little scared that this baby will be just as challenging as Taylor has been. But I just have to remember that this is a blessing and no two babies are ever alike. It'll be fine!!!

Thanks for keeping up with us and please keep us and the new baby in your prayers that we all stay safe and healthy.

10 Months

Hi Everyone, sorry it has been a while since I have written. A lot has happened so bare with me because I know I'll get carried away.

We were able to drive to Mississippi for Easter. Yes, I said drive. We loaded up the new dog, the old dog, the little baby, the momma and the dad in the new ride. We filled the back of the ride with everything imaginable that one would need for life on a deserted island and pulled away from the house at 7:30 A.M. An hour into the drive she puked all over her car seat, both dogs needed water and a potty break, I needed a Xanax, and Dad needed outta there!!! An hour later everyone's needs had been met (don't ask me how) and we were on the road again. Yes, we asked ourselves if we should just go home but onward to Mississippi we headed. We spent the night in a nice dog-friendly hotel. Charlied had to bark at everything and somehow Taylor finally fell asleep. This was the worst part of the trip for me. I left out a lot of details to save time.

So we get to Nanny's house and waiting in the drive are my Nanny and Mom. You can imagine how excited they were to see their grandbaby. While we were there Brodie completely ripped up nanny's 48' long deck and replaced it. It took the entire time that we were there but he is so proud of his work and Nanny is proud to have a new deck. Taylor was also blessed to meet her Nanny Hickman and lots of other family on my side. She even got to spend the night with her Papaw P.G. and Nanny Diane! She had so much fun everywhere she went. At the end of our trip she got to stay with her Aunt Chay and play with her friends Macy, Lily, and Tripp.

The biggest news of all is that while we were in MS Taylor learned to walk and clap. I am so happy. We got her a little car to ride in while we push her up and down the street but she can push it too. Yesterday we were in the yard planting annuals and she pushed it onto the asphault and fell down. She got her first scraped knee. I have to take a pic! LOL!

Some yucky news...I took Taylor to the doctor for her eyes. She has a weepy eye and what appeared to be a lazy eye as well. The lazy eye is only an appearance due to how her eyelid covers up more of the white part of her eye than the other. The weepy eye is another story. Her tear duct is blocked so the tears that keep her eye wet can't drain. If it doesn't unclog itself by the time she is a year, she will have to see an opthamologist. The only way to unclog it is to sedate her in outpatient surgery and probe her duct to open it. Please pray that this procedure is not necessary.

By the way, she'll be a year in couple of weeks...can you believe it!!! We can't.