Merry Christmas!!

I hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas!

We had an awesome one here! Atlanta got a white Christmas!! The first measurable one since 1882, when we got 0.3 of an inch. Today we have over an inch and it is still coming down. Little Man is SO excited to be able to build a BIG snowman tomorrow!!

I have not heard anything back from my midwife on my blood work yet. So far, she thinks everything is OK. She measured my uterus and said it felt right on for 6 weeks. We will see what my blood work says! I also asked about getting an ultrasound and have not heard back. I am sure I will hear something on Monday, after the holiday is over.

I will post pictures from Christmas tomorrow, or Monday. Tomorrow we will be out playing in the snow all day!!!

Trying Not To Stress

I'm trying really hard not to stress and worry about this pregnancy.

But its almost impossible.

Once you have had one loss, you lose the innocence of pregnancy. Your brain can not "not worry" about every little thing.

I am going in to see my midwife tomorrow for blood work. I have had low progesterone in every pregnancy so far, so I do not think this one will be any different. I need to get started on progesterone quickly so my levels stay high enough to support the pregnancy.

I am also going to see if they will do an early ultrasound. I know some of you do not believe in early ultrasounds, but I am considered high risk. Since I have had a molar pregnancy, my chances of having it reoccur are 1 in 100. I need the ultrasound to make sure it is not a molar pregnancy again and to make sure everything is growing like it should. Once molar is ruled out, I will only have the 20 week ultrasound unless something comes up.

I have already decided to opt out of most of the screening tests. The ones that made me stress out with Little Miracle. If they will not give me a definite answer, I do not want them.

We are also considering planning a home birth this time around. I am still not sure if that is what I want but since Little Miracle came so fast, it may be the best option for us.

I am trying to think of a nickname for this baby for the blog, but so far I am hitting a wall. I have nicknames for either sex, but not one that will work not knowing the sex yet. I will try to think of something soon for you guys!

Getting It Out...

I hate people that talk about you behind your back. I hate it even more when what they are saying is untrue.

I found out recently that someone who I once considered a friend has been spreading nasty lies about me. Someone who I have gone out of my way to help and befriend. Someone who I went over and above to help them when they needed it most.

I know the things they say are untrue, but it hurts to know that someone has been saying nasty things about me. Someone I once considered a good friend. And apparently this person has been saying things to my other mommy friends. Guess that explains why I get the cold shoulder from my mommy friends now.

If you are naive enough to believe everything you hear about me, then go be it. I wish you would be adult enough to come to me and see if these things are true.

If you are going to talk about me behind my back, grow up and say it to my face.

I try very hard to not talk about people behind their back, guess I need to choose my friends more wisely from now on.

I Need A Glass Of Wine

Stephen left the house at 4:30 this morning. It is now well past 7 pm and he is not home. We had two strange men in the house all day working on the heat and AC unit. Little Miracle only got one nap, and Little Man does not take naps anymore (yes, there is a blog post coming on THAT one)

It’s been one of those days where I would love to fill the bath tub with water as hot as my skin can stand it, crawl in and soak for hours. With a glass or three of wine.

But… Oh, I can’t! Did I mention I am pregnant? Again. Yes. Baby number three is on the way.

We are thrilled, overjoyed and excited… but scared at the same time. Little Miracle is still so fussy and does not sleep at night very well. He has 8 months to learn how to sleep thru the night, or longer than 4 hours at a time.

Welcome back to this journey. I forgot how exhausting it is!

To My Little Miracle

To my Little Miracle,

I spent my entire pregnancy worried. Worried at first that you were the molar pregnancy re-growing. Worried later that you had Down Syndrome. Worried about your health. In the middle of a move and trying to buy a house. It was a very stressful time.

Your birth was just as crazy. You came in almost 50 minutes from the first contraction to being birthed. You were birthed in my bathtub with just your father there. I was in shock then, but looking back I wouldn’t change much from your birth.

You nursed great from the beginning. I was so thankful. You were the best baby in the hospital. We were there for 2 nights, and you slept so well. I was so thankful.

Then we brought you home.

You screamed for the first 6 weeks of your life, non stop. Mommy and Daddy did everything they could think of to comfort you. You slowly started to calm down and become more manageable.

You slept with us from the day you were born, even in the hospital. You started going to your crib for a few hours at 6 months old, but you still ended up in our bed every night and you still do.

You nursed like a champ and still do. You love nursing. I think you would nurse all day if I would let you.

I swore up and down you would walk before 12 months. You proved me wrong.

You have a strong will. You don’t like me to feed you anything that you can do yourself. When we try to make you stand to walk, you fall to the floor and crawl. You have Mamas temper and that is not a good thing.

The first year of your life was the most trying year of my life but it has only made me stronger.

I love you with every ounce of my being. I love the way you and your brother play together. You adore your brother. You are a mama’s boy thru and thru.

Happy first birthday my Little Miracle. I am looking forward to seeing the fun you have in store for us this next year!

Love,
Mama

Making It Snow

It got down right cold around here the past few days. Little Man has been asking when we can play in the snow.

I don't have the heart to tell him I don't think he will get to this winter.

On the way to church on Sunday, it was snowing. Tiny, tiny random flakes, but still snow! We got to church and the entire inside of the building was set up for winter. It was magical. His room had snow flakes hanging from the ceiling and cotton balls on the wall for snow.

He LOVED it.

I loved seeing the look on his face staring at the ceiling looking at the snow.

When we got home, I decided we would make it snow at our house!

Today we cut out snow flakes from paper we have here and then we painted them.





After they dried, we hung them in the living room.



I think we will make a few hundred over the next few weeks and hang them all downstairs. Why not?

Little Miracle Is Almost One!

We had Little Miracle's birthday party on Saturday. Here are a few pictures from it.

Setting Up



Cake



Digging in



Sleepy Baby



The aftermath. Little Miracle loves chocolate just like his mama. Notice he hardly touched the vanilla.



Clean up time



Presents!



Little Miracle had so much fun. He slept for 3 hours after his party was over. Thank you to everyone who came out to help make his day a special day!

Mama's Birthday

My birthday was Saturday. Ack! I am 30 now. I guess I am officially old.

Stephen took Little Man to the Dollar Store so Little Man could pick out presents for me. Little Man actually wanted me to come with him, so I came, but I stayed in the car. About 45 minutes later, Little Man and Daddy emerged, with two Christmas gift bags in hand.

We headed home and I started setting up for Little Miracle's birthday party. After a little setting up, I hear Little Man calling me to come in the living room. He wanted to give me (and Little Miracle) my birthday presents. I tried telling him that my birthday was the next day and Little Miracle's was still a few days away, but he insisted.

Little Miracle opened his first. Little Man picked out a basketball night light, a Spiderman book and a box of brownie mix for Little Miracle. We put the night light in his room then Little Miracle proceeded to chew all over the book and brownie mix box.

Little Man then handed me the bag. I opened the card. It was a Christmas card with a place for a gift card, but he picked it out himself, and that was the card he wanted Mama to have.

In the bag was a Toy Story Frisbee that both boys tried to steal from me.



A container of zip-ties.



And a hair brush.



Little Man did good.

Paint and Birdseed

We had fun with this today.



Paint!

I bought a "build your own bird feeder" last night and Little Man helped me put it together. It took several tries, since there was no need for glue or nails, it all fit together like a puzzle. Kinda hard to do with a 3 year old.

We broke out the paint today to decorate it. He had so much fun! Here are the pictures.





He wanted me to help him, so I painted the top while he painted the rest.



Once it dried, we filled it with seeds and hung it on our tree. Now we just wait on birds!

YEA!!

Phew. NaBloPoMo is OVER! Well, today is the last day, but I DID IT!

I almost gave up mid month when I ran out of ideas and just didn't feel like posting, but I am glad I did not.

So here it is, my celebration post!

I won't bore you next month with a post a day, but I will try to post more often around here then I was before NaBloPoMo.

Perfect Day

It is a cold, overcast, windy day today. Which means it is the perfect day for

getting beat by a 3 year old in Candy Land



getting beat by a 3 year old in Chutes and Ladders (I'm telling you.. this kid is a natural!)



building blanket tents and watching movies in them all day.



Speaking of.. I am being called by Little Man to "come in my tent".

sorry for the cell phone pictures, some days I just don't feel like pulling out the big camera

Breath Of Heaven

It is really starting to feel like Christmas around here. It finally got cold; let’s see if it stays cold this time. I heard my all time favorite Christmas song on the radio on the way home from church this morning. You know the song, the one you can listen to over and over and over again and not get sick of it? The one you wish they would play on the radio year round?

----------



Breath Of Heaven
Amy Grant

I have traveled many moonless night
Cold and weary, with a babe inside
And I wonder what I've done
Holy Father, you have come
And chosen me now
To carry your son

I am waiting in a silent prayer
I am frightened by the load I bear
In a world as cold as stone,
Must I walk this path alone?
Be with me now
Be with me now

Breath of heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven
Breath of heaven
Light up my darkness
Pour over me your holiness
For you are holy

Breath of heaven

Do you wonder as you watch my face
If a wiser one one should have had my place
But I offer all I am
For the mercy of your plan
Help me be strong
Help me be
Help me

Breath of heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven
Breath of heaven
Light up my darkness
Pour over me your holiness
For you are holy

Breath of heaven
Hold me together
Be forever near me
Breath of heaven
Breath of heaven
Light up my darkness
Pour over me your holiness
For you are holy

Breath of heaven
Breath of heaven
Breath of heaven

----------

As a mother myself, I can remember the fear of being pregnant with my first son, and wondering if I was prepared. I could not imagine the fear knowing I was carrying the savior of the world. Would I be cut out for the job?

That is where this song is from. I love the honesty and emotion in this song. The song is sung from Mary’s perspective when she was pregnant with Jesus and traveling to Bethlehem. She is scared and wondering if she is the best for this job. She is asking God for help and wondering why she was chosen to be the mother of Jesus. It is full of raw emotion for me.

What is your favorite Christmas song?

The Mannheim Steamroller version of Sleigh Ride is a close second to Breath Of Heaven

Its Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas

Thanksgiving

Don't read this post if your hungry. You have been warned

Thanksgiving was a great day this year! Little Man and I got to watch a little of the Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade in the morning. He loved the parade. He was screaming all morning! “Mama, train!!” “Mama, boat!!” Sponge Bob, Elmo, Turkeys….He even saw Santa!



Little Miracle ate Daddy’s breakfast. He even stood up all by himself for a split second! Walking is just around the corner!



I got nominated to cook for hubbys family for Thanksgiving this year. I had a blast. Took over 5 hours to prep and cook it all, but it was well worth it.

Apple pie almost prepped.



Little Man helping me with the dressing. Mickey Mouse even helped.



The table was set.



Little Man made everyone placemats.



He (well, I) wrote on each one what he liked about that person. I asked him what he liked and these were his answers

“Mommy plays with colors with me”
“Mommy watches movies with me”

“Daddy tells me stories and reads books to me”
“Daddy plays Lincoln Logs with me”

“G.B. gives me hugs”
“G.B. plays with me”
(G.B. is Stephens dad)

“Grandma plays with me”
“Grandma eats pizza with me”

“I saw airplanes with David”
(David is Stephens brother who flew in from DC for Thanksgiving)

----------------------------------------------

Dinner was served at 2 pm. Guess it was more like lunch.

Turkey



Sweet potatoes



Dressing



Green bean casserole



Pies



I didn’t get a picture of the mashed potatoes, peas or the cranberry sauce. Let’s just say we had WAY too much food!

After we stuffed ourselves, we headed to the playground to work off some of the calories.



After the playground we came back home and watched some football on tv while relaxing. We even pulled out the Christmas tree and set it up, but did not decorate it yet!

It was an awesome day!