A time to be thankful...

A lot of times I let holidays come and go without ever thinking about their significance. This year, I want to make a list of things that I am thankful for. Sometimes it's easy to dwell on the negative, so today I intend to do the opposite...

I'm thankful for:
*my husband...i really should tell him more often, but he makes me a stronger person
*my parents...always there, but never overbearing
*joe's parents...the are very involved in our lives
*summer's family...they keep me feeling good about the future of families
*chris...he's a great brother!
*my friends...i couldn't ask for any better
*God...for obvious reasons, but mostly because he blesses and provides
*being pregnant...while it wasn't really the plan, it is amazing!
*having a job, owning a car, and owning a house
*cheaper gas!! that commute can be a booger on the bank account
*my husband's job...i really love his job, the kids he coaches, and the supportive parents
*summer littlefield...my work buddy...she keeps me from jumping out my window
*maternity jeans...i may never stop wearing them!!
*tracy vp...she gets me through on yahoo during my long days at work!

The list could go ON and ON, but there are just a few things.

Happy Thanksgiving!! Make sure the people around you know that you are thankful for them!

Voting, Baby, & Such

Today was a big day for me. Woke up early to go vote McCain/Palin only to realize my early morning was a waste. My dad told me the polls opened at 7:00...not so much. I sat around until 7:30 and did my civic duty. I truly hope the outcome is better than expected. I do know 4 people in their late 20's who are voting for the first time today, and contrary to mainstream medias predictions, these first timers aren't voting Obama.

We went in today for our 15 week check up at AR Women's Center. Dr. Hutchinson answered a few questions I have about delivery and the big 19 weeks ultrasound and then but this little doppler on my belly to listen to the heartbeat. It was pretty much incredible. My baby has a heart! And it beats! At 150 bpm! Wive's tale says that means its a girl, but for today I really think its a boy. Ask me again next week and I may change my mind. The whole name deciding thing has come to a halt until we know for sure what we are having (December 1 @ 9:00 AM). Joe's newest boy name is Rylan. I haven't even thought about girl names again...too frustrating. The only downside to today's visit was I lost another 4 pounds. That makes 8 total since this all started. I've been trying so hard to intake more calories, so I don't know what the problem is. Hopefully next time will be a different story. My belly has started to bulge a little and my pants will for sure not button anymore. My friend Summer introduced me to the tummy sleeve from Motherhood which is the best investment so far in these 15 weeks. It lets me leave my pants unbuttoned and you can't even tell!

We made a quick trip to Shreveport this past weekend with the Hills and Bev. Summer managed to win $750 at the craps table and Joe and I did the same combined. It was a pretty great start to the Christmas season. We got a lot of Christmas shopping done at the Louisiana Boardwalk and ate some good food!

Lately...inspired by Charity

What I've Been Up To:

• Officiating volleyball games...only 3 left praise Jesus.
• Losing weight on accident. Not sure why I don't have that problem when I'm not pregnant.
• Attempting to eat a little more healthy.
• Trying out new recipes in our newlyweds cookbook.
• Trying to keep our house clean enough to show.
• Playing with my awesome niece and nephew.

What I'm Looking Forward To:

• Selling our house!!!!
• Buying a new house!!!
• All of the holidays.
• The Yancey's Monster Bash...still have to get a costume though.
• My belly getting bigger so I don't look pudgy.
• Finding out the sex of my baby.
• Basketball season.

Things I'm Excited About:

• Going Christmas shopping in Shreveport.
• Jessica and Heather having Avery and Asher.
• Cold weather!
• Spending my first Christmas as a married woman.
• Joe being a dad.

Things I Try Not To Think About:

• That there is a possibility something will be wrong with my baby.
• How I'm going to work after I have my baby.
• The thought of our country ran by a radical.
• Buying new bras b/c these things are huge...

9 weeks and 1 day...but who's counting.

As of today, my baby is 9 weeks and 1 day old. This 'picture' was taken 2 weeks ago. Every single time I look at it I am amazed!! God is allowing my body to perform a miracle (at least that's what I call it when I want Joe to do something for me...). We got to see the tiny heart beating at 145 bpm, which was just awesome. I can't wait to actually hear it at our next visit!!

So far, I don't have too much to complain about when it comes to pregnancy. Other than be ridiculously tired and going to bed at 8:30 every night, I really haven't had too many side effects. I've only had morning sickness 3 different days, but I have a feeling that the heartburn is about to start. I woke up the other night in the middle of the night and thought I was having a mini heart attack. I had to sit up in a chair in the livingroom and try to sleep...not fun!! However, I am thankful for every single part of this. I know at least one woman who will never get to experience the joy of childbirth, so I plan to take it all in and be glad that it is happening!

As for my growing waist size, I can't really tell a difference yet. Last night I had on a cami and pajama pants and Joe swore that I was developing a bump. I'm pretty sure its not a baby bump and more of an ice cream bump. Regardless, I kind of wish something would hurry up and form down there. In the next few weeks I'm going to hate going out in public because I know people will look at me and think "is the fat or is she pregnant?" I'm thinking about making a shirt to wear for those weeks of uncertainty...

We go back to the doctor October 8th for a normal checkup and to possibly get to hear the heartbeat for the first time! We are loving this journey and can't wait to meet the little guy...or girl. Oh, and we have made an agreement that Joe gets to name the baby if its a boy and I get to name a girl. We had a 'baby name draft' and narrowed it down to possible choices. Joe has named the boy Camden, no questions asked. I am having more trouble nailing down a girl's name. (One more piece of advise-if a mother to be asks you what you think of their name choices and you hate them all, don't tell her that. It's just rude!)

I'll post more when I have more to share! Happy Wednesday!

Careful what you blog about...

So apparently when you blog about everyone else being pregnant, it happens to you!


Joe and I found out about a week and a half ago that we are pregnant. We are probably about 7 weeks along, but don't go to the doctor until the 10th of September. To say I'm nervous is an understatement. You watch all of these people you know go through pregnancy and you think awww that's great, awww how cute, awww what an ugly/cute name/baby, but when it happens to you it really is totally different. I have these moments of anxiety where I think what if the baby has something wrong with it, a heart defect, a growth defect, what if its a dwarf, and all other kinds of crazy thinking. If any of you are tv freaks like me and watch Tori & Dean, Tori always thought up crazy things that could be wrong with her baby...I now know why!

When I went to Baby Views with Jessica to find out the sex of her baby (girl), it was so nice to hear that the baby looked healthy. They measured her for chromosome defects that lead to Downs and other diseases and she looked great. I can't wait for that day to get here. I will have to wait another 10 weeks to find out if the doctor thinks my baby is healthy, and another 33 weeks to find out for sure....this is just wild!

All that being said, we are so ecstatic!! We weren't trying for this, but we are definitely blessed by it! Say a little prayer for me that I don't have a nervous break down before April 21st though!!

We've been looking at names already and have eliminated quite a few from my list. Give me your opinion on the following:

Boys-middle name is Wayne
Kyler
Camden
Grayson

Girls-middle name is Gray
Ellison
Landry
Ramsey
Jamison

Let me know what you think!

It's Football/Volleyball Season!

One of the many things that I adore about my husband is that he is a coach! I have always loved playing sports and watching sports, so thanks to Joe, I get to do it all the time now. His first football game is Friday night and I am really pumped about it. There is something about sports that brings a community together....(I'll have to admit that some parts of the community I would rather not see)

This volleyball season brings a first for me-I will be officiating junior and senior high volleyball games at Sheridan, Bryant, and Malvern this year with my mother-in-law to make some good extra $$. The rules of the game have changed quite a bit since I played 9 years ago, but I think I can handle it. I really am looking forward to it-we start next Monday night at Sheridan.

I guess sports just make me feel young again. They remind me of how I felt when I played and how carefree and simple I lived my life. To be honest, my life really isn't that different. Still with the same guy, still live life with a carefree nature, still act like I'm 16...that can be a good thing or bad thing....I'm just glad that the season is here and that we are going to be constantly on the go!

oh baby....

it seems like every woman i know is either pregnant, or has a great friend that is pregnant. i am constantly listening to baby names, how much you are supposed to weigh at each visit, when you find out the sex, how sex is when you're pregnant, what your hoo-haw looks like post pregnancy, etc. i absolutely love it! i really do! i am completely jealous that people are preg and going through all of this and i have NO idea what they are talking about.

don't get me wrong-i'm not in baby mode, ( my husband has a very precise plan of attack for the baby sitution...i'll save that for another blog...) but doesn't it totally suck when you are clueless on something that it seems like everyone else knows. the mouton's were at our house this week and heather was rubbing on her belly, talking about names (kelsey or asher...totally cute), and a whole host of things. i'm sure that i was annoying her because i think i asked 7452 questions!!

the good new is, i am getting to experience something friday that i have never done before. i am going with jessica jo to her babyviews appointment to find out what she is having for sure!! isn't that the coolest thing ever! i will be in the room when one of my best friends finds out if she is having an avery or a...well...logan/duncan/gable/boy name of the week. i can't wait!!!!!!

****and don't worry, i already have a list ten miles long of possible baby names...see last post...feel free to ask for them***