25 weeks Jett's the photographer

We are in the last week of Christmas break...

With all the snow and not being able to travel east (to visit Cory's family) we have had lots of time in the house. Among many indoor activities one of which has been doting over the baby. All three of the big boys have felt it move within the last week. The boys, especially Oakley, love talking to the baby. BUT, tonight, as Cory and Oakley were gone to wrestling practice, it was Jett who got to "spend time with his baby." He took my camera and started taking belly photos,,, nothing professional but we had fun!

Finally Jett and Daddy felt the baby

Finally, Jett felt the baby yesterday, December 27th. He was super excited and shocked that it felt different than he thought it would.

Cory felt the baby this evening (Dec 28th). He was also surprised,,, that it didn't feel stronger!
I say, give it time. We are only 25 weeks, so in ten more weeks that baby is going to be much stronger!!!!

Oakley felt it again yesterday morning. Oakley enjoys snuggling in bed with us in the mornings and so he got to feel the baby during it's active time (7am).

AND me,,, I feel the baby a lot now. Mostly very low tapping feeling but at least I can feel it all the time now! Sometimes it gets uncomfortable but I still enjoy it,,, knowing that the baby is healthy enough to move is a good, reassuring thing for a mama!

23 weeks at Christmas 2009

I am feeling good, doing good and just feeling so blessed to have such wonderful boys, all three of them, as I await our new baby!

2009 Christmas Eve Belly

photo by: Jett Blakeman

Our baby, is still very low but knows how to make itself present, at least to mom anyway. It has been very hard for anyone else to feel baby. I think this is because its faces in towards me and so I feel the kicks but they aren't felt on the outside so much. Oakley was the first and, so far, the only to feel the baby. He was so excited yesterday, December 23rd, when put I his hand on my belly and, booom, there was a little thump... "Mom, Mom, Maaaaaaammm, I FELT IT! It felt like this,,, FLICK!"

I think Dad and Jett were a little jealous! Surely, at only 23 weeks, they will have time to feel the baby!

I have been fighting a congested head with a stuffy nose. I feel pretty good overall so I am not sure if it is a head cold or just this dry weather, allergies and/or the stuffy head thing from pregnancy!?!?! Whatever it is, I am praying it goes away soon and it doesn't move into my chest! Meanwhile, crank up the humidifiers!!!!

Cory is eager to get the babies room ready. I am feeling like I am in NO hurry and know I work best under pressure but I've decided I can let Cory take over and do what he wants with the room as long as he doesn't require me to work till my back breaks! Which by the way, my back has been a little achy but bearable! Thank the Lord there!!!!

Merry Christmas to all

Starting week 21 and getting excited

Well, I guess because of the ultrasound and pictures we are all getting more excited. For me, it is probably because I am feeling more movements. They are still pretty weak little taps, little movements and an occasional roll-over but more frequently. Despite the fact that the movements are very low I am still enjoying feeling the baby!
The boys are getting more and more excited. They come love on the baby several times a day! They are so adorable when they hug and kiss my belly! Oakley especially enjoys talking to the baby and Jett says he keeps having dreams about his baby "sister".

I think it is getting more real for Cory too. I caught him looking at dresser/changing tables online tonight! Ya know, he's the planner!

Cory and I both think it is a boy... Cory because he wants a boy, me- because I am just trying to prepare myself for another boy! The boys undoubtedly want a girl and think it is a girl!

No one else has got to feel the baby yet! It is just too low and too light! Cory has been close but every time he puts his hands on my belly she's completely still. I think she is playing "freeze tag" with dad!

Have a great week!

Ultrasound was cool!

WOW, ultrasounds have come a long way since I had Jett's 8 years ago and even Oakley's, 6 years ago. I loved it! All was great,,, baby is perfect! It wiggled and moved and yes, I got it confirmed,,, it is hanging out very low! It was so cute! It was funny that it kept putting its right leg up by its check! Flexible lil' thing!!! Well, here are some pictures of Lil' Baby Neuharth!

In case you were wondering,,, The heartbeat was 141~
which I think sounds like a boy,
but I am still hopeful!

By the way, did I mention that I LOVE my new baby, boy or girl, whatever it may be. (No, we didn't find out and the ultrasound tech didn't even peek so NO ONE KNOWS!) I just LOVE MY SWEET LITTLE ONE! Our baby is adorable and perfect no matter what! I am just happy it is healthy! But either way, what a great surprise we are going to have in April!

Finally,,, they know!

Ah, seriously, my belly has been getting so big and EVERYONE, even strangers have been noticing,,, well that is except my 12 and 13 year old students! I thought this was going on long enough and getting ridiculous!
So, I gave them a journal writing assignment to help me share the news. The first journal prompt said, 'Write about everything and anything you know about babies!' They were a little perplexed at first, but were able to come up with a few things like:
'Babies are cute but they poop, eat, sleep and keep you up at night!' (Gee aren't they smart middle schoolers!) A few of them even volunteered to tell me how babies were made but lucky for me, they didn't go into too much detail!
Then,
I had them unfold the paper and continue writing about the second part of the prompt... 'Now, write why you think Mrs N. picked this journal topic.' Can you believe only one student wrote ANYTHING responding to this second prompt. She wrote, "OMG, MRS N, are you PREGNANT!???"
Funny huh,,, so after reading all of the journals I let that student read hers and then finally it was all crystal clear to the rest of them, as to why I was "getting fat!" A few of them said they were starting to think I was going to have a baby, but they didn't want to say anything in case I was just getting fat! FUNNY HUH!

Now, since they know I am having a baby, they are very clever to get me off topic during teaching time to discuss their choices for baby names! I've assured them I will consider their baby name suggestions, but to not be hurt if Cory picks something different! HAHA!HA! I did however, have to flat out tell one student NO when he asked me to name it Buck! Oh now, I just thought of something! Cory might like that name; that might be one he actually agrees on. AND gee, if we have a girl we can name her Doe! Okay, enough with the funny business, this "fat teacher" better get to bed!

Finally,,, half done!

Or,,, is it, "only half done!?" We have our twenty week ultrasound this Friday the 4th! I am getting excited but nervous about "not" finding out the sex of the baby!


The baby has been moving more but is still VERY LOW!!!! The little taps and movements are so uncomfortable but yet so comforting to know it is moving, which in my mind means good news! My belly is getting bigger and is it is finally noticeable that I am actually pregnant! I don't get the "is she pregnant?" stare anymore! In fact, just yesterday a lady at the checkout said, "OHHH, looks like we are getting a baby for Christmas huh?" I tried to smile as I said, "well, yeah, actually in April." So,,, I must be getting bigger huh? Ah, maybe that is because I have had a HUGE appetite and I am eating like a horse!!! Ah, the joys,,, getting kicked in the bladder, getting fat, and oh there's somethings I won't mention to spare you! But, all this aside, I know it is totally worth it! Our whole family is getting excited to be a family of five!!!

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We just got back from four nights in Colorado at my friend's house for Thanksgiving. We had a great time. The special baby part was taking the kids (baby in-uteruo and all) to the Butterfly Pavilion where Donnie and I went when Jett was in-uteruo! What a special day for us!!!

End of week 18!!!

OKAY, so my face kind of looks scary but here I am,,, belly and all, the end of week 18. Things are going pretty good. I am feeling the baby move a little, I wouldn't say "kicking" more like a "fluttering, flip, thing" and very light! Although the feelings are very, very low still, which I am ready for it to move up and start feeling normal! Anyway, nothing else new. We have our ultrasound scheduled for Fri, Dec 4th! and NO, I still don't want to know what it is... I am excited for the surprise at the Grand Finale!

Week 16... end of month 4

Alrighty then!!! It's the end of month four... as I think about starting month five next week I'm thinking this is going faster than I thought it would! This worries me some because my dear husband is acting like he should've gotten an elephant pregnant so he had almost 2 years to prepare, rather than this short 9 months! I thought by now he would have started to come around to the idea and maybe start showing some excitement or concern, but neither. I guess the more I want him to show interest or even talk about the baby,,, the less he does. I can imagine his life feels like it is out of control and that must be why everything I say, baby related or not,,, he disagrees with, to try to get his own control over EVERYTHING! HUM,,, I really don't know what do other than do what I've been doing with everything else that worries me... Pray, pray, pray! Now, I ask you, if you feel willing to pray for us- Pray for our marriage to be strengthened through Christ. Pray for him to bond with the baby sometime,,, anytime,,, in God's time!!! Lastly, pray for my patience, as this has been hard on me not feeling too much support through this first part of this pregnancy. THANK YOU ALL, I love you all dearly and appreciate knowing you are here for me.

belly pic

Belly pic, week 14... Baby is growing,,, that's for sure!

Week 15... heading into week 16!

So, in less than 5 more weeks we are over half done! WOW! Finally things are starting to speed up! Its still going to be a long wait until April though!



HUMMM,,, why was I feeling the little ghost baby moving and now I haven't felt a thing for about two weeks!?!?! You would think once I start feeling it, I would feel it more, not less! My friend, Amy, at work said maybe it's because my uterus is so stretched out from the third baby that he or she just has lots of room to roam! I am trying not to be worried and just pray that I will feel baby moving and fluttering soon! I keep telling myself, I am only approaching week 16, so maybe it is still too early. I didn't feel Jett until week 18- probably because he was my first and I didn't know what I was feeling for. I felt Oakley from week 13ish on,,, he was a tough and active little dude from the start!
So, I wonder why,,, when I know what I am feeling for, why I haven't felt this baby yet. PRAYING, PRAYING, PRAYING!!!
AND I don't know why but lately people have been telling me about miscarriages, stillborns and SIDS! AGHH!!! Don't need to hear all that right now! So,,, I just keep praying for peace and comfort!

Other than just feeling FAT for no reason,,, because I feel so good that I don't even feel pregnant, I am doing good!

Oakley's opportunity!

I had to go to the DR. today to see if I had shingles,,, and I do in fact have shingles, but that isn't of importance to this story.
I saw Sandy C who is a PA but totally compatible to the Drs. She is also an assistant coach for Oakley's soccer team. Oakley was excited to see her! I told him that she might let him listen to the baby's heartbeat! After we discussed the shingles she asked us if we wanted to hear the baby! Oakley quickly said "SURE!"
She engaged Oakley in the whole quick process! She had him hold the doppler and "find the baby" Sandy was so sweet to make him feel so special about finding the baby! Then she let us listen to the baby for several seconds... she said it sounded like 15o's~
When we got out to the car he said, "I can't believe I got to hear the baby's heartbeat. It sounded like someone hitting a hammer on a piece of wood, really fast!"

Week 13 and Dr. appt

AHHH, finally, I am outta the first trimester! YEAH!!! Not a whole lot has changed,,, other than my belly is slowly growing, I've told a few more people mostly at work, I'm feeling some light movement, I started Physical Therapy (PT) and we told the boys!
The best part of the week was Friday Oct 16th when we told the boys. We've been hyping them up for awhile now about this big "Surprise" we have for them. After supper I sat down on the couch with them while Cory videoed the whole thing. They were really wondering what was up when dad started the video on the camera! I told them that our prayer had worked because mommy's going to have a baby! They were both very surprised with big smiles and giggles! Oakley's first comment was "how do you know."

The third Dr. appt (Oct 14th) was with Dr. Hill. This was the first time we've met her. She was running late, as OB Drs usually do, so she seemed very rushed with us. She said the baby's heartbeat was in the 15o's but honestly, we could barely hear it because their Doppler sound is such poor quality. (I'm just not impressed and neither is Cory with the heartbeat thing,,, which is sad because I remember that being a very exciting part when I was pregnant with the boys!)
I felt rushed to hurry and get my questions in... one of which was this pain I've had in my neck/gland area for over 4 months now. I tried taking Zertec as it was suggested to me at my first Dr. appt but I still get the pain and there is obviously a small lump in there. We don't think this is pregnancy related. She wants me to get it checked out by an ENT (Nov4th). She did say it doesn't feel like lymphoma because it probably wouldn't hurt and would feel harder and less "movable". I don't feel worried. Oh, I did get my regular flu shot while I was at this Dr. appt and now I am praying about the H1N1,,, if i should get the vaccine or not!!??!?

The movement I am feeling is not like the butterfly flutter I remember from the boys,,, it is more like this little peanut is balling up and doing a flip. Every once and while I will feel pain and pressure very low, on my bladder and then it will go away as fast as it came. I think this baby is really feeling out the boundaries!?!?! I felt two stronger movements today while sitting on the couch. It make me say, "Oh Hellllooooo baby!!" Now, I am really excited for all 3 of the boys feel it move!


So, what hasn't changed...
My students still don't know their teacher's pregnant; they're middle schoolers and don't pay attention to anything that doesn't directly pertain to their social life! :)

Cory is still perplexed at my growing belly but hasn't gotten too overly excited about this baby thing!

My back still hurts, PT hasn't made a difference,,, other than in my checkbook.

Cory and I are still in major disagreement about finding out the sex of the baby! He wants to know- he's a planner. I don't want to know because I want it to be different than the first two and I just want to be surprised the day the baby comes (everyone knows I want a girl but it won't matter when I hold my healthy baby!)

Well, as I head into week 14, I am praying for health of the entire family and for this mommy to be pain free!

ready!

Come on baby kick me!!! (I know, I've done this before and I know I'm going to want it to stop kicking me around 28weeks on...) I am just so ready to feel the "butterfly in my belly!" and I'm so excited for my three boys to feel kicks from the outside!

Oakley said the sweetest bedtime prayer tonight! He asked God for a baby sister,,, "and God please bless her and make her come out of mom really healthy!"

This is so neat because we still haven't officially told the boys that we are having baby. That stinker Oakley just has so much intuition~ I love it!

11 weeks and counting...

WOW, I am nearing the end of the eleventh week. This week did go by faster although, with this back pain, I am not sure how!?! I am still very excited to get done with the first trimester and I am so excited to feel those movements. (shouldn't be much longer since i know what I am feeling for and we have confirmation that this little one is very active!)

The highlight of the week was when my back pain increased to more than I could handle,,, then I started cramping around the front so I ended up going to the Dr. for a quick checkup. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay and discuss my stupid backache! She determined the cramping was just "third baby pains" and the backache needed a new chair at work, physical therapy and possibly a new job! haha! Unfortunately I can only take Tylenol which doesn't do a thing! I did get to hear the comforting sound of the little one's heartbeat!!! At first she kept looking for the heartbeat on the left side and all she could get was my heartbeat. I knew from feeling a "hard ball of pressure" it was on the right. I pointed to where I thought it was and said, "Try right here." She did and there it was,,, well for a second, then it moved. She found it again and then it kept moving! She said, "It sure is an active little thing." I thought to myself, "yeah just like it's dad and its two brothers, can't sit still."
Anyway, it was great to hear the baby was okay in there and meanwhile I just need to "cowgirl up" as my mom would say.

I saw the chiropractor and got a massage on Thursday. I felt a little better Friday but today (Saturday) the back pain is just ridiculous!
K, well, I am going to go "Cowgirl up" and get ready for Oakley's soccer game and Swimming birthday party.

Nearing the end of week 10

AAAHHHHH, this has been the longest week of the longest 1st Trimester!!! Hoping the last two weeks of this trimester, coming up, don't take this long.

MONDAY, I was just tired and not happy about being at work. It was a cold, dark and yucky day and after work I had to take Jett to soccer practice in the rain. It was just a blaaa day!
TUESDAY morning I woke up all disoriented, asking Cory if it was Friday? I was looking forward to sleeping in the next day, which I though was going to be Sat... boy was I in for a rude awakening when Cory said, "Good morning honey, yesterday was Monday so I'm thinking it's not Friday." Gee thanks Cory!
I popped my button off my pants and figured out the maternity pants my SIL gave me are NOT going to work on my FAT legs!!! I need to go shopping soon! My back started to feel achy and my throat/glands started to feel flared up by the end of the day. Jett had a soccer game Tuesday after school. It was a long busy day!
WEDNESDAY- I complained and whined a lot today! I got my eye brows waxed after school. I think being flat on my back with my head too low, for 20 minutes was not good. I started feeling like my face was filling up with blood and I was praying I wouldn't pass out as my limbs started getting numb! I know, I'm a dork! Then when she finally let me up I felt like CRAP!! Don't worry though, I am sure it was worth it. My eyes look great!!! When I finally started feeling a little better, I went to the Gym for a quick workout. My thirty minutes of spinning was a pretty good workout and then I lifted legs. Another really long tiring day!
THURSDAY- Can you say, BACK PAIN??? Ohhh boy my backache was totally flared up all day which made for a tough day. I took Tylenol (all I can take) several times and that didn't touch it! So, I think it was a combo of a crappy chair at work, sitting too much, too many dead lifts the day before, stress and I think my back is just "out". I guess I need Dr. Scott. Thursday was also the day someone at work "guessed". I was just a little P.O.ed! She said, a 'lil birdy told her there was something I needed congratulations for.' I tried to play dumb but she came right out and asked me if I was pregnant. I wanted to say no, but then I just said, "is it that obvious???" AGHH!!! I wasn't ready to tell people at work. I have been worried about that dark spot on the U/S and just freaked out if something goes wrong I don't want EVERYONE at work knowing already. I am only ten weeks. Geez, I know plenty of woman who have had miscarriages after ten weeks! I just don't feel like EVERYONE needs to know yet! I let her know this and she said my secret was safe with her... ???? Then, as you read in my last post, Oakley is suspecting his mom's having a baby, so I guess it is that obvious!!!
FRIDAY- My back was still hurting but it was a little better. I started to feel like I might be getting sick. I called the Dr. to ask if I could take preventative stuff like EmergenC and Airborne. The nurse said, NO but I could wait until I got the cold and then take TylenolCOLD! What? are you kidding me!? Cool, I can hardly wait to get sick.

My belly is sticking out more and more everyday! SO, I figured with the rumors about ready to start at work and my growing belly I had to tell my aid so she didn't hear the news from someone other than me. She is so sweet and trustworthy!
Did I mention I am feeling so fat!? I was going to "control my eating" with this pregnancy but I'm not off to a great start, specially this week! Too many poor choices at restaurants, too many "coffee drinks" and too much ice cream this week! What a rough week!
SATURDAY- Despite my wishful thinking earlier in the week I didn't get to sleep in!!! We were at soccer games at 7:45am!! It was a rough day with my first born! I swear, if I had a dollar for every time he whined or cried today I would have enough money for a mommy weekend getaway!!! Can you say, 'Naughty'? I was really struggling to maintain sanity today... I'm sure those same pregnancy hormones that are making my face breakout,,, are the same hormones that make me want to choke somebody! Luckily,,, we all survived!
So, here I am Sat. night, the end of the day, the end of the week and I feel huge! Seriously, like I should be having more than one!! Okay, maybe I just ate too much at Applebee's but what's the deal? It's ridiculous!
I will try to make next week more positive! really I will,,, when I get whiny I will just think about Jenni who carried not one, not two but THREE baby boys to almost 36 weeks!!! CHECK EM out!!! Isn't that amazing!?!?

Who knows now? geez who doesn't know?

We haven't told the boys yet and I am trying to keep it a secret at work since I am only ten weeks but people are staring at my belly, starting rumors and guessing and now they are talking. My answer is, "Do I look pregnant?" and I walk off! WHICH apparently I do look preggo already because Oakley just came up to me and said, "Looks like your prayers working,,, you are getting a big ol belly!"
I said, "ya think?"
and he said, "Well either you aren't working out enough or you are gonna have a baby!" SO,,, I guess it is time to tell them!! This sucks! I am only ten weeks and only having one baby and already showing! What's up with that. I could see if I were having 3 babies like my friend Jenni, keeping it a secret at ten weeks would be impossible, right? but seriously, I am sure we are only having one!!! what gives???

oh and to add insult to injury... yesterday I was wearing a pair of pre-pregnancy dress pants that I barely got buttoned that morning. Only an hour into work and the stupid button popped off! Yeah, I am feeling FAT! I am ready to feel the baby kick, move or do something so this gets more exciting than getting fat and popping buttons!

week 9 is almost over!

Okay, another week down!
I had my first real Dr. appt and U/S on Thursday the 17th. It was a good day to go because I had some serious pain going on that morning, so to calm my nerves it was just good to see the Dr.
Here's what I think was the cause of that pain,,, the whole night before I kept waking up and as I was waking up I was stretching, like arching my back and stretching as long as my body would reach! WHY?? I don't have a clue because it was the pain from the stretching that would wake me up! BUT, for some stupid reason I kept doing it, like 5 times! Anyway, the whole morning I had this stupid "Stretched out" pain! The pain actually subsided by the time I got to the Dr. after walking around at work for an hour and a half. :)
All the normal stuff: urine test-good and blood pressure- good~

Cory came with so he could see the peanut and hear the heartbeat! Unfortunately, after I asked about the H1n1 vaccine, the Dr. spend most of my appt time printing out H1N1 info and therefore we got very little time to gaze at our baby! We literally had 2-3 seconds to watch the baby float around and even wiggle a little. Then she showed us the heartbeat which was 171 bpm. AND, that was that!!! We did get a print out of the baby pic. We decided it looked like a ghost baby! "Booo, ahh!"

The Dr. showed us a dark spot on the U/S picture that she said could be a blood clot or maybe just a large blood vessel. This was slightly scary but she didn't seem concerned. She confirmed with me that I have NOT been bleeding at all and said that if I should start bleeding to get into the clinic right away. So, I am not worried, well until I think about it! (So, don't ask me about it!)

So, anyway, as we left we were both thinking, "well, that wasn't that special!" I feel bad that I say that but I guess I just had such high expectations for this U/S being so amazing, thinking that we would have some great connection with our baby (specially Cory) and that just wasn't the case!
Personally, I can't wait to feel movement. I wonder what Cory will think the first time he feels the baby kick him!!!
So, we've told a few more people,,, just friends here and there. Like a friend of Resann's whom I'm also friends with, who happens to be the head OB delivery nurse at the hosp in Sfish! I had to tell Kristen M so her and Melissa could have something to talk about!! heehee! Cory told Marty and grandma Peterson. I'm sure the overly excited Grandma Sharon told everyone she knows after hearing that we in fact had a viable pregnancy after that U/S. :)

Here is a first,,, Thursday night we went to church for our first night of Financial Peace University Class and Cory's ol' Powerlifting friend Janeen C., who was also attending the class, GUESSED!!! She was very brave to ask. She looked down at my belly (which really just looks like I'm eating too many donuts right now) and said, "Are you pregnant!?" I couldn't believe she said that but I couldn't deny it either! :) Leave it to Janeen to be the first to ask! LOL!
I still haven't told anyone at work! and there are still a few friends who stare at my belly but I haven't told them!
So, on to week TEN!!! whoohoo! I am very eager to get out of the first trimester! :)

Ending week Eight

Well, it is Friday of week 8. AND let me just say, it has been a long week! I am glad it is Friday. I am truly so tired I really don't think I can finish this blog tonight! Will need to do it tomorrow after SLEEP!

Okay, five days later, I feel like I have time and energy to finish my overdue week 8!
Really, the only thing to speak of is being tired and gassy! I know, TMI, but where is all this as coming from!? agh!
Oh and my belly is starting to poke out more! (Cory noticed it is growing when he got home from CA) My belly feels so "bloated" and very high! I really wish I had a longer torso. No one has noticed yet but I think a few people, one girl at work and my friend Dawn, have been starring at my belly! I can imagine they are thinking, 'Ok, is she getting fat, or could she be preggo?' But that is just too big of a risk to ask at this point! Heehee!
When they do ask, I am going to tell them NO and make them feel bad! haha! oh, that's bad, I know,,, paybacks= my belly just jiggled when I laughed! AGH!!!!!!

Thurs. the 17th is my next appt where we should get to do an U/S! I am so excited to see the peanut and have Cory experience this with me!

Week Seven

Well, this is Friday of Week seven. I guess my weeks start on Tuesday... So, anyway. I starting feeling real Morning Sickness (M/S) this week. Like Seven weeks on the dot,,, Tuesday morning I felt it. Then Wed morning a little more. Always, the same time of the morning, in the car driving to work. Then Thursday morning I thought I might puke! I didn't thank goodness but needless to say, M/S and 7:30am staff meetings don't mix. Every morning it starts when I get in the car, doesn't matter if I ate already or not and it lasts until 9:00am. Then I am fine! I actually felt so good all week in the afternoons I worried something was wrong. I forget I am pregnant and when I all of a sudden remember I think, "OH gosh, what if I am NOT pregnant?" BUT then I eventually quit worrying about it and I am fine. I am so eager for that U/S on the 17th I can barely stand it! I just want to hear its heartbeat and see a little peanut in there! It seems like it has been so long since I found out... I guess really only 3.5 weeks but WOW, it is going slow! Sometimes I think this feels like my first pregnancy. I freak out and anticipate so much that you would think this is my first! Guess it has just been so long it seems like my first!

Sad, but Cory hasn't been around to experience M/S since he has been gone to the CA Station Fire! Poor guy, it is 100-105 degrees and he is in CA fighting a fire! I miss him so much but I think this was in God's plan to help us with money issues and also for our hearts to grow fonder. Missing him is good for me, it is a wake up call that I am married to an amazing man and I don't remember how amazing he is until he is gone! Life is too short to take anyone for granted... I, of all people should know that but I really think God separates us to remind both of us, how good we have it!!!

Well, not many other symptoms,,, my breasts aren't hurting quite as bad as they were last week but they are still growing and getting hard. I have been extremely tired during the day and evening! I do look forward to the 2nd trimester when I will get some energy back! I am sleeping 8-9 hours and that is quite a bit for me!! My belly just looks like I ate too much! Kinda flabby, with two rolls! I am ready for it all to turn into one roll! I wish I was taller and could look like I had a cute little basketball when I get big, but I think I look more like I have a block of ice under my shirt! Ya, you can see me waddle and can tell I am pregnant from behind! AHG! can hardly wait to get huge! Another thing is I have NO patience for the boys. They haven't been listening worth a hoot but I don't know if my lack of patience is increased by their severe naughtiness or me being pregnant!?!?!

I am starting to feel some pressure down there, like a hard little ball sometimes! that is cool! Making me excited to feel movement, hopefully soon!

Well, that is about it for week seven... it is slow going but I think it is going!

What's behind the title?

2 Big Brothers and a First Time Daddy!!

The boys, have been "talking about" a baby for sometime now. I guess it probably started a year ago. I kept telling them they need to behave more so Daddy might decide he wants a baby! In June, when we were in CO for 10 days the boys (and me too) went through a huge, "I want a baby girl" stage! That just wasn't easy being around Maddy and Addi and Lily too! TOO many cute baby girls! I would say Oakley and I have had a dozen "baby sister" talks since then! Recently, Jett decided he could live without a baby but he did tell me that if God gave him another little brother he would still love him! Around the end of June the boys and I had a talk about "how we could possibly get a baby sister." They asked, so I told them! FIRST, God wants you to be married, which mommy and daddy are! Then mom and dad have to spend alone time praying about a baby and then God will decide if He wants to give us a baby! That was that! They were completely satisfied with that explanation! We haven't told them the good news yet! It is just too early and they don't need to "wait for too long!" If we wait until I am farther along chances of miscarriage are lower and plus they won't have to wait as long for their baby! However, just last week Oakley brought up wanting a baby sister again so I couldn't resist! I told them that I had talked Daddy into accepting the baby idea and that Mommy and Daddy had been praying about a baby! He was very excited that it was now a possibility! I thought it was only fair to tell Jett as well! He was happy but less excited. I did remind them both that the rest is up to God! God will decide if we are to have a baby in our family and if we get a boy or a girl!

Okay, So even though Cory is Daddy to the boys he doesn't have a clue about having a newborn. He doesn't even understand about this pregnancy! Cory became a staple in our family when Oakley was 2 1/2 and Jett was 4 1/2. Generally, Cory puts forth the effort to be a good daddy but he really "lucked out" with no diapers, no sleepless nights and not too much puke!!! So, in essence, Cory is a "first time daddy!" I was just thinking he is about to encounter a plathera of "firsts..." first time to hear a baby's heartbeat while it is still in the womb, feel a baby in-utero kick like he is trying to play soccer in there and of course there's the whole delivery thing! We won't scare him with that yet! (This is a little different than being married to a male nurse!!!!)

I just firmly believe that Cory needs this baby to FEEL what it feels like to REALLY be a DADDY! I pray he will melt when he hears the heartbeat and feels the baby kick! I pray he will be brought to tears when he hold HIS newborn baby in his strong arms for the first time!!! I pray there will be instant bonding with his baby! I also add to my pray requests that through this entire process he will bond more as a FATHER to the boys! That he will learn what it truly means to be a DAD and his heart will be all about (God and) his family!

Ya know a mother's heart is all about her kids! My kids are my life, I sacrifice so much for my kids, I give them the food off my plate, stay up with them in the night when they are sick, and just go out of my way to fully support them! That's just what mom's do! I know Cory does his best with the boys but since he hasn't been their dad since day one I just don't think he has that TRUE DAD BOND that this baby could bring him! Praying for this baby to be God's plan for all of us but especially for Cory! I'm asking God to do great things with Cory and our whole family through this baby! WHAT an amazing blessing this precious baby will be!

back tracking,,,

So, we just found out,,, Tuesday Aug 11th, that we are expecting. I knew I was a day late but never thought much, as that could be normal. I was talking to a friend, Susie, and told her I was craving a glass of wine. So, we discussed I better go test first! I did and it was immediately 2 lines! I freaked out, started shaking and called Susie back! She was of coarse, super excited for me and she wished me luck with telling Cory.
I waited until the boys went to bed and then I showed Cory the test along with the instructions so he could read what a positive test looks like. I think I really caught him off guard and he actually tossed the test back at me! Needless to say, he was in denial and I think still is a bit shocked!

We figured night of conception was July 28th!!! (what a fun night!)

I went to the Dr. for the preliminary tests last week on Monday Aug. 17th. That all went fine!
I have just been praying about this pregnancy sticking, a full term pregnancy and HEALTH for the baby and myself! YES, I would like to pray for a girl but honestly, just a healthy baby in my arms, in April, is all I really want. Besides, God knows best what Cory and I need. He knows if the boys should have a brother or a sister!

END OF WEEK 5,,, I sort of feel pregnant, well sometimes. I was feeling a little sick to my stomach off and on but that has went away the last few days! (Which scares me! I would rather be sick and KNOW my baby is still alive than NOT be sick!) BUT, yesterday my breasts hurt something crazy and my nipples are very tender too so I guess that is good! I also feel like my belly is poking out some and its getting hard to keep it sucked in!! I will be 6 weeks on Tuesday the 25th so I am guessing the morning sickness and symptoms will kick in more as I get farther along. I also hope my husband will starting getting into this pregnancy and start preparing himself for Daddy of an infant! I guess he has 8 more months so surely he will be ready by then huh?

MY due date is April 20th... which is sort of cool since our wedding anniversary is April 19th.
We have actually told quite a few people about me being pregnant already so hoping we didn't jinx ourselves... wait, I'm not superstitious!!!
WHO knows:
Susie, (Cory,) Jill, Melissa, Grandma Horsie, Tasha T, Aunt Christi, Grandma Sharon, Aunt Sandy, Aunt Resann and Jay, Terry H, Jenni BL, and I think that is it... Cory's mom wants to tell more friends and family but I would rather wait until after the U/S at 9 weeks!

MY next appt is Sept 17th at 9am! EXCITING!!!! PRAYIN for STRONG, STEADY Heartbeat!

Also, a bit hard for me in where I am at,,,, I found out last night that Jeremy Camp's wife, Addi, just miscarried at about 14 weeks~ So sadden by the news and scared for my baby even more~

THINGS I am scared about:
Miscarriage
Getting stinking huge and gaining too much weight
Maternity Leave-having baby too early and having to come back to school the last two weeks or so
Money issues while at home with NO PAY for six weeks!
Cory- just in general since this will be his first time with an infant

OKAY, that' s about it, I will do my best to post an update every week! Praying for a healthy baby and bring on the morning sickness!
Trusting in the Lord!