We are IN!

It is killing me not updating the blog with all that's been going on....I certainly want to, but finding the time is darn near impossible.

I have been working like a dog getting things settled over here. Slowly, but surely, things are coming together. I have to remind myself that I am 9 months pregnant and I need to slow down from time to time....easier said than done :)

I am taking a bunch of pictures of the house as it progresses and I will post those soon. There will be a long update coming soon-- I promise!

Just wanted to let y'all know I am alive...and baby is still cooking away! 19 days left....YIKES! BUT-- his room is almost 100% put together and his bedding that my mom made is to die for cute....again, pictures coming soon!

xoxo,

CLOSED!

YAY! We closed on our new house yesterday! WOOHOOO! The previous owners left the place immaculate. We did a walk through before the closing and I took some pictures so I can do before and after shots.

Here are some of the before pics:

standing in the living room, looking into the kitchen-- garage door is open

Andy's room

Playroom

Cal's room

"formal living" room, we are turning into a play room area

dining room

first meal in new house!

SPRINKLE!

This past Sunday, the sweetest friends in the world threw me a "sprinkle"! I really did not need anything, since I got so much boy stuff the first time around, but it was so much fun to just have a little get together with some great friends.

We had horrible weather on Saturday-- tornadoes ripped through NC and hit a town nearby realllllly badly. We were extremely lucky that the storms missed us. The tornadoes left and took the nasty weather with them-- the weather on Sunday for the sprinkle was beautiful!

I took a few pictures at the very beginning, but then put my camera down to mingle. If I get other pictures, I will try to post them.... my plate is a little full right now!

countdown....

1 day until closing on our new house.

8 days until the movers come.

31 days until Andy arrives.

(but who's counting???)

34.3

Baby Andy is 34 weeks and 3 days "cooked" now!

At my appointment 2 weeks ago, Andy was measuring a little small; my belly was actually measuring the exact same as it had the previous appointment, 2 weeks prior. The doctor at that appointment said that she wasn't really concerned, but that if I was still measuring small at my next appointment, we would probably do an ultrasound just to check that everything was progressing on track.

I had a check up yesterday and I was anxious to just make sure the baby was okay.  I feel like I've gotten really big lately, so I was confident that I would measure bigger this time.  Well, he measured my stomach and I was the exact same that I've been for the past 2 appointments-- that would be SIX WEEKS now.  He said he wanted to get an ultrasound, but he thought that everything was fine.  While the ultrasound was being set up, he listened for the heartbeat with the doppler and it was strong, and he felt around and agreed with the previous doctor that Andy was in the "head down" position.

The ultrasound was all set, so I went down to that room.  I was a little nervous, but I just heard his heart beat, so I knew he was okay.  Turns out, Andy is just a tiny little thing!  While Mr. Cal was in the 100th percentile weight-wise, right now, Andy is only in the 39th percentile, which is totally not a big deal at all.  He is growing fine and is right on track to be a smaller baby.  They also said that because I am so tall, he just had more room to hide him.  I was telling the doctor and the ultrasound tech about me being used to BIG babies since Cal was so big and when they asked what he weighed at birth, they both burst out laughing and said that this baby will be nowhere near that big-- more like 7 pounds--- which is still a really great and healthy weight!  It will be fun to be able to put this little nugget in newborn sized clothing since Cal came home from the hospital wearing 3 month stuff :). 

And the biggest surprise of all?  Andy is breech!  The past two doctors I've seen said he was head down, and it turns out, he is head UP! haha!  I swore something wasn't right about him being head down, because I feel a ton of movement down low all the time and I couldn't figure out what he was doing, but now I can feel exactly where his head is: right under my right rib cage-- and it feels awesome!  He can still flip around, but it won't matter since we are doing the c-section. 

Anyway, glad to know the little guy is just that: little!  And nothing else is wrong.  I go again in  2 weeks and then I start the every week track-- we are getting close!

xoxo,

Family birthday for Eddie

We celebrated Eddie's big birthday with my family on Monday night.  It was gorgeous outside so we headed over to my parent's house and they had it all set up for the grandbabies to play!

They have a water table that they boys are determined to "swim" in.  They both saw it and were naked and in the thing in no time.  Cal thought it was too funny.  As soon as they were naked, it was hard to get them dressed again!

 Cal got out of the "pool" long enough to ride the scooter....

 And the boys enjoyed a snack together.......

 and then Cal was determined to wear his boots....but no clothes.  At least he's covering himself here... oh, and the boots are ALWAYS on the wrong feet.  This is another battle I am not going to fight-- he loves to put them on and always does it the same way!

 Eating a HUGE dinner!  He loves to feed himself :)

 The cousins singing Happy Birthday to Eddie.  I love Cal's face in this one-- just watching Jackson (who would blow out the candles for Eddie!).

 It was such a fun night and no one wanted to leave...

We are so blessed to have family nearby that all gets along and actually enjoys spending time together.

This week

Oh, what a week! 

In my last post, I wrote that Cal was feeling better, but was having an "issue" that I wasn't going to go into... well, that "issue" persisted for the next 3 days.  He had the fever and was really sick on Tuesday, and on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, I changed his diaper every 40 minutes (literally), and most of those times required a total outfit change as well.  It was TOUGH. I just felt so sorry for him.

Back up to Wednesday....

Eddie was leaving Thursday morning really early to head to Augusta for the weekend for the Masters.  He goes every year and was really excited to be going this year too. Before he left, we had to celebrate his birthday on Wednesday night!  I had big plans for errands on Tuesday, but with Cal being so sick, I was unable to leave the house to take care of ANYTHING.  On Wednesday, Cal just wanted to be held.  He didn't want anyone but me to hold him and he would scream if anyone else tried.  It made me feel good, but I was worn out by the end of the day!  My amazing mom came over during nap time so I could run out to pick up a few things to celebrate Eddie turning 30.  I felt like a horrible wife-- he was turning the big 3-0 and I hadn't done a thing (granted I was home with a kid who was SUPER sick, but still...).  As soon as she got here, I sprinted out the door and picked up a cookie cake from the mall, some balloons from Party City, and BBQ for dinner from his favorite restaurant (I had intended on cooking a big meal, but with Cal being the way he was, that wasn't happening).  I flew home and tied some balloons to the mailbox and to the stair post and finished decorating.  Cal woke up and was, of course, a huge mess.  My sweet mom was there to help with clean up, since Cal wouldn't even go to her (a true rarity). 

Thursday and Friday I raced around running errands for the new house-- finalizing carpeting, picking out paint, ordering countertops, etc....! It was a busy day and it was hard on a little guy with an upset tummy, but you'd never know he was sick!  He was a trooper (minus the complete outfit change in Home Depot....sheesh!). 

feeling better-- windows down, with foot sticking out of the window!

Then, Saturday morning hit.  And it hit me like a ton of bricks.  Cal woke up early (6:00 is wayyyy too early in this house), and normally, I would have made him go back to sleep, but I could smell him in my room.... so I went in and changed him and I wasn't feeling quite right.  He came back in bed with me and I was thinking of all of the things we were going to get done that day, and I just couldn't shake the feeling that I wasn't feeling quite "right."  Well, I tried to get up and brush my teeth and I felt like I had been mowed over by death. 

I couldn't keep water down and every time I took a sip, since I was trying to stay hydrated for the baby, it would come up/out immediately.  Cal was in a great mood and just wanted to climb, jump, hang or body slam me.  It was awful-- I was SO thankful he was feeling better, but I felt so awful, I just wanted to pass out.  Eddie was out of town, and my mom was at a tennis tournament.  I didn't want to call a friend to take him because he had been sick and I didn't want to expose them/their kids to it, and I didn't think they would appreciate changing a nasty diaper....

At 10:30 I texted my Aunt to see what she was doing for the day to see if she could come help out, and when I was waiting for her reply, my mom called to say she lost early on in the tournament!  I was SO thankful she lost!!!!  I know it's horrible to say, but I was crying at this point.  It was beyond pathetic.  I was sitting on the couch with Cal climbing all over me and just crying.  She came over immediately, walked in the door, picked up Cal and put him in her car and then drove off.  It was the greatest thing ever so I could just rest and try to kick this thing.  I never had a fever, but I did get pretty dehydrated. 

My mom kept Cal for all of Saturday and brought him home at 5:30 when she fed him dinner, started a load of laundry, gave him a bath, and put him to bed.  It was ah-mazing.  I couldn't drag myself off of the couch.  Pathetic, right?  My mom is the best.  That's just all there is to it.  She even offered to spend the night at my house to be there in case Cal was up in the night.  I almost took her up on it, but thought that I should just suck it up :) 

Sunday morning came and I was feeling better.  I felt like I had the workout of my life the night before-- my stomach muscles were CRAZY sore, but at least I was almost back to normal.  Eddie woke up really early on Sunday to head home.  He always watches the final round of the Masters at home and he knew I was under the weather so he decided to get on home early.  He was very helpful with Cal on Sunday so that I could just take it easy. 

I had anticipated on packing this weekend to get a head start-- we close next week....!!!!  Instead, I got my start today.  I am just a few days behind... oh well.....

Hope none of you get this bug!  It WIPED this girl out!

33 weeks!

Woohoo! I reached 33 weeks yesterday-- crazy! I have a bunch of friends who are preggers and are blogging a picture each week of their growing bellies, and I am feeling like a slacker, so here ya go:

Please pardon the confused look on my face and the mess in the room.  You will notice Cal Boy sitting behind me on the bed.  He's feeling much better today and his fever was gone yesterday, thank goodness.  I won't go into the "issue" today.  Let's just say we are on our 4th diaper and second pair of shorts today and it's only 10:00... I guess this is the virus running its course...

Anyway, back to 33 weeks....

I am feeling fine, like I am getting bigger and bigger, but I don't feel quite as big as I did last time...yet.  I will, I know... at my last doctor's appointment, Andy was measuring small, which was weird to hear, since Cal was always measuring right on track, if not a little big (um, hello, 9 pound baby!).  I am still right on track to gain an absurd amount of weight.  Just like last time! Here is a pic from last pregnancy right around the same time. 

This baby feels suuuuuuper low and at times, when he kicks, it realllllly hurts.....ahem...the lower regions.  I actually thought I was in labor the other night.  I had a contraction that was worse than the others that I have had with this pregnancy, and then he started kicking/moving really low and it was causing a lot of pain.  It passed pretty quickly though and I chalked it up to carrying Cal too much that day.  That was the day he was sick and just wanted to be held, so I think my stomach took a beating that day.

I am craving chocolate chip cookies like no other (hence the absurd weight gain).  It almost (notice I say ALMOST) disgusts me how many cookies I am eating in a day.  I can't stop making them and I can't stop eating them.  I didn't have any in the house yesterday so I ordered a chocolate chip cookie cake for Eddie's birthday.  I am ridiculous.

Today a lady in the grocery store asked me when I was due and I said May.  She goes, "oh, next month!" And it took me a minute, but yes...that would be next (freaking) month!

Just wanted to post a belly pic.  For you Elon girls-- have you seen Maggie W's facebook page?  She has posted a picture from each week of her pregnancy, and I think it is so neat to be able to see how she progresses as the baby grows.  I wish I had it together enough to do that. :)

Sick Day

I will begin with last night...

Everyone went to bed without a problem-- normal night.  At 3:30 this morning, the storms came to town, and I have written before about Hank's "distaste" for thunder.  He started crying and he doesn't just cry a little, he cries these long, loud noises and bangs his head on the bed (my side only) over and over and over again.  I tried to comfort him, like I always do, but he was beyond it.  I took him to the downstairs study so that we could sleep and so he wouldn't wake up Cal.  Well, he was reallllly upset at this and was head butting the door and barking non-stop.  Eddie and I were worried he would tear up the carpeting (not that he's ever done that before, but still), and with our house on the market, that would just be realllllly bad.  So, I came downstairs and sat with him in the study.  I got on the computer and watched the radar on weather.com.  At 4:45, I thought the storm had passed us enough for me to go back to bed and just leave him in the room.  Nope!  He freaked out even more.  Finally, I just came down and got on the floor with him-- it was quite pathetic, but I didn't care.  I just wanted sleep at that point.  Eddie came down and saw me on the floor and lost it.  He reminded me that I am pregnant and that I should NOT be sleeping on the floor with a dog.  Eddie worked on getting Hank calm and I went back up to bed.  Eddie came up a little while later and was sound asleep right away.  Hank started barking AGAIN, so I went and got in the guest bed with him.  Hank was too riled up to sleep, so he sat on the bed panting in my face.  We just stared at each other for another hour, and I finally fell asleep around 6:30 ish.  I heard Eddie and Cal wake up around 7 and I ran upstairs to sleep for another little bit. 

Eddie brought Cal into our room this morning and said Cal really didn't eat much breakfast at all.  I thought he felt a little warm, but it was his forehead and his cheeks were cool, so I thought maybe he was just playing really hard and got warm.

Cal and I came downstairs together and, thinking he was just not into the cereal bar that Eddie offered, I made scrambled eggs.  I cut him a piece and he took a bite and then looked at me...and puked all down the front of me and him.  It was classic.  I was standing in the kitchen and stripped both of us down and carried him upstairs.  Then I realized that he was feeling pretty warm to me.

I changed both of us and he only wanted to be held and snuggle-- a rarity for my little busy bee!  We got back into my bed together and he passed out on my shoulder:

This is RARE.  Homie never falls asleep on me like this.  He was just laying there and then passed out.  I was making phone calls and the TV was on and he slept through it all.  Bless his heart. 

As he was sleeping, I could feel him getting warmer and warmer so when he woke up, I took his temp (my first time taking a temperature rectally....ahem...), and it was 102.3.  Cal has never had a fever before, so this seemed kind of high to me.  I decided to call the advice nurse at our pediatrician's office. 

While we were waiting for the call back, I gave him some Tylenol and we continued snuggling in bed-- I hate that he is sick, but I did love the snuggle time.  Sweet boy....

Anyway, she said it was probably a virus and to just monitor his responsiveness.  They would be concerned if he was out of it, or wouldn't make eye contact, etc.  Cal was very responsive, so we weren't worried.  We were sprawled out on the bed and I had to go to the bathroom (um, hello, I am 33 weeks preggers-- momma has to pee often!).  When I stood up to go, Cal stuck his lip so far out and started crying.  It broke my heart.  So he came to pee with me.  Whatever.

Cal went down for his nap around 1:00, like normal, and slept for just over two hours.  When he woke up, he was doing the most pathetic cry ever and I went in to get him and was laying on his side with tears going down his face and he was HOT to the touch.  I took his temp again and this time is was 103.  I called the advice nurse again (because that's what a worried momma does), and they basically said the same thing as the first time.  He got another dose of Tylenol and seemed to be feeling a bit better...

Here is how we spent the afternoon:

sprawled out on the bed (you know he's not feeling well if he's this still)

 snuggling with his momma

 hugging Andy

 "kicked" back on Hank

 and lounging with his bff

I have a feeling tonight might be a long night, so I am going to go to bed early!  I think we will give him another dose of Tylenol before we go to bed just to fend it off a fever.  Hopefully this little virus will pass quickly! 

Tomorrow is Eddie's birthday and I had a list a mile long of errands to run for him today.  Guess I might do that tomorrow??? I'm only one person....

say a little prayer for my little man!

How Do I Love You?

amazon.com

This is a book that could have been written about Cal.  It's all about how much the author loves this little boy when he's good, bad, happy, sad, etc.... (the wording in the book is MUCH more eloquent!), and I am telling you, the words could not be truer to me. 

"How do I love you? Let me count the ways.  I love you on your very best...and very worst of days."  It goes on to say how (s)he loves to watch him playing and laughing.  She also writes that she loves him when he loses his shoes, which is so fitting for us since Cal seems to lose his shoes every chance he gets (he just kicks them off, he doesn't really misplace them). 

Any way, my pregnancy hormones must be acting up lately, because the last part of the book just kicks my butt and brings tears to my eyes every single time I am reading it to Cal (while he is all snuggled up in my arms with one of his arms resting on my belly):

"How do I love you?

It's impossible to say.

For if I had a million days

And time enough for all the praise,

I couldn't tell you all the ways....

I love you."

gahhhh!  it just makes me want to hug him and kiss him and never let him go!  This new baby is going to rock his world and I just hope and pray that Cal knows how much I love him, even when he's naughty and up to no good, and especially when he comes over and gives me a huge hug.  I love this little boy more than I ever thought possible and he makes my life so much better-- every single day.  I am so so so blessed by him, and....here I go......tears again!  Anyway-- it's a great book....check it out.  ;)

Also, if you are bored at work on a Friday and trying to kill some time, I upload all of our pictures from the month to our MobileMe account, and I just did the pictures from March.  If you want to see them (and some videos too!), click here.

have a great weekend!