Big Girl Bed

I've been meaning to post this for awhile. On Friday the 13th (ooohhhh scary) Brenna had her very first night in her Big Girl Bed. I picked up a toddler bed that morning, Jason tore down the crib a placed it in the spare bedroom, and Brenna jumped right in. She's been sleeping great in it for over a week now, and other than one night of getting up and coming to our room every 15 minutes for about 3 hours, she sleeps like a rock. Last night she even decided she needed an extra 20 minute nap before dinner. She grabbed her nuk and na-night and crawled into bed. She plays in her room by her self pretty often so when it got quiet, I went in to check on her and she was on her belly, butt up in the air sleeping away. 20 minutes later she came running out just as happy as can be. I tell ya, we have it pretty easy with this little one. I hope her brother/sister follows in the same path.

Making her bed

Hopping in for her first night

It didn't take long before she was sound asleep, so I snuck in to take a peek. How cute is she with her little bum in the air.

Brenna loves her bed, we find her in it all the time now playing or reading a book.

UH, Oh...I was busted taking her picture.

14 weeks

I know, I know, I've been terrible about not blogging and I apologise. It seams my only real time to blog is at work, and would you believe they actually want me to work around here? What's with that?
Anyway - 14 weeks today and still holding strong. Everything is going great. I feel wonderful and my energy is making its way back to me which I've been waiting for. My next appointment is Thursday (July 3rd) which is just a belly check and then we'll set a date for my 20 week U/S. We will be finding out what the sex is again. I'll probably figure it out myself prior to that appointment, but we'll wait to tell everyone until we have a confirmation. (at least that's what we did with Brenna) I haven't been wrong yet - knock on wood - but there's something about scanning yourself that makes me second guess just a little..like is that really what I'm seeing or is that what I'm wanting to see. Boy or Girl? Jason and I are not real particular about that, as cliche' as it sounds, we just want him/her to be healthy. Boy - that would be great...one of each, until the third one comes along anyway. Girl - well, we just love our first little girl so much that another one like her would be wonderful.

Anamosa Flooding

Ok, I haven't been on here for awhile, but for a very good reason. Here are some pictures from Anamosa during the flooding this last week.

These and much more can be found here - http://www.kcrg.com/younews

The Sign coming into town

Tapkins and Subway looking from the ball fields

looking towards the baseball field with scoreboard

softball/baseball fields

looking up the hill from the ball fields

This is HWY 1, the road that I would normally take to work

Even though this is a huge mess, it doesn't even come close to the damage in Cedar Rapids and Iowa City. I wasn't even able to get to Iowa City for work on Friday and Monday due to every possible road that I could take being under water. It's just amazing to see and my heart goes out to those that have lost so much.

10 on 10 - June (a couple days late)

So I started on this project that I had seen on another blog - http://tenontenphotojournal.blogspot.com/- where you take a photo once an hour for ten consecutive hours on the tenth of each month. I started off really well with taking my pictures, then with all the rain and flooding, I didn't get the chance to post them until today. Enjoy!!

5AM - Letters on the Refrigerator

6AM - The tiny bowl my Niece Tera made me in class

I didn't bring my camera to work, so there's a little gap

5PM Brenna helping Daddy in the yard

5:30PM - Standing quietly looking at a birds nest

6PM Bird's nest under our deck

6:30PM Dinner time

7PM Snuggling up with Daddy to watch the Twins game

8PM Brenna's fading fast, time to head off to bed

9PM Still working on laundry since we were gone all weekend

10PM Checking in on Brenna before I head off to bed

12 weeks

Ahhhh....the 12 week mark. I think I'm finally kickin this silly cold, so I can enjoy this pregnancy a little more. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy every possible minute, but I've been so consumed with this cold that I wasn't thinking too much about it. Now that I'm getting my senses back and am feeling somewhat normal, I can sit back and bask in my pregnancy glow. Still no morning sickness and other than being tired from the busy weekend, I'm really not fatigued at all. I do love being pregnant and I cherish every moment that I have with this one. I am looking forward to the kicks and movements, I've really missed feeling a little one inside. It's such a neat feeling that only I get to experience with each and every one of my children. The kicking on my bladder, the butt up in my ribcage, the elbow to my spleen...oh how I've missed that. In all seriousness, if you are currently pregnant and reading this, cherish every movement because you WILL miss it when it's gone. Although afterwards you get to cuddle and snuggle with them, you'll still miss being the only one to feel them from the inside. Wow...it's so awesome.

This is a sad day for me

Actually, it'll be a sad weekend. My precious Niece Tera is graduating from High School today. She is the little sister I never had. We have such a close and wonderful relationship, I honestly don't know what I'd do with out her. Now don't get me wrong....I love each and every one of my 9 Nieces and Nephews (11 now with the in-laws) and they are all so important to me. I have a different connection with each of them, but there will always be a special place for Tera in my heart, after all she was technically my first (Brandon's older, but he became family later).

Just look at this Beautiful Girl. I can't believe how she has grown into such a young lady. I am so proud of her. She has an individuality and humor that can only be called "Tera". Watching her grow and become the woman that she is today has been quite the adventure. This girl has a temper....that is for sure, but how could you argue with a little cutie that has her fists clenched at her side, giving you an evil glare and hearing her say...."that just makes me burnin' up". I still laugh when I picture it. Laughter....that is something we have a lot together. Although you may not always hear us (we mastered the art of laughing with no sound) we will laugh until we cry just about every time. There are times that you'd probably rather not hear us....like when we're singing Shakira at the top of our lungs in the truck....with the windows down. All that can be said is when we're together, we're having a blast.

Talent - This Girl's got it!!!

I knew way back when she was first dancing and "performing" in our family room while watching the High School's video of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream coat, that this girl was going to be amazing. From solos that she made up as she went...they were always a little different each time you saw them, to leaps that you see above, she is breathtaking to watch. I truly hope she embraces this passion and talent and pursues her dreams in Dance. She can really go far if she continues to believe in her self.

One of the hardest things I had to do in my life was leave Tera, Mike and Jake when we moved to Iowa. Those were my kids. Even though I knew what I had to do to better our life and make it a healthier situation for Jason and I, it still breaks my heart every time I think of leaving them. Yea, we still go back to visit pretty often, and I can talk to them on the phone, but it's just not the same. I can't just swing by and pick up one or all of them just to hang out, go to the zoo, do a little shopping and I miss that. We had "Auntie/Niecie" and "Auntie/Nephew" days - which we'll have to do more of - that were so much fun.
So now, my little girl is all grown up and graduating...I can't believe it. I only hope that she knows how very proud of her I am and I couldn't be happier for her. She has an amazing spirit and I am so Blessed to be her Auntie. May all your Dreams come true little one, your Auntie Shannie loves you so much!!!

He didn't even put up a fight....

...and I was SOOO prepared with my speech and everything. My appointment went great. Heard the baby's heartbeat and everything checked out perfectly. After my exam I met with Dr Barker in his office to go over all the basic stuff, the "yep you're pregnant", here's the plan type stuff. So when talking to him he asked if I want to go with another c-section or try a vaginal birth. I told him I'd definitely like to try a vaginal delivery if I can (that's if my body and child cooperate). He said that'd be fine. If at 40 weeks, I do not progress though they would not induce but would go for the c-section. I thought...wow that was easy, I didn't even get the chance to get up on my soapbox and explain why I want/need to go full term. He said that after my 20 week U/S we will set a date so that if I don't go on my own, we'll have something already arranged. So...with a due date of December 23rd (according to my "unofficial" measurements) I'm thinking we'd set a date for either December 26th or 29th. I don't really want to do it on the 23rd since after a c-section you stay for 3 days....not much of a Christmas with my husband and baby girl. They may go with my LMP date which would make me due around the 16th, but we won't know for sure until my official U/S at 20 weeks.

OK, did you follow all that? I tend to ramble, sorry. Basically I'm just excited that I'll have the chance to go full term, unless God and this baby have a little different idea.

1st OB appointment today

It seems like this day has taken forever. All the little hoops you have to jump through just to see the Doctor for the first time. About 2 weeks ago, I called to set up my appointment knowing they won't even see you until 10-12 weeks. The gal asked where I had my confirmation done and I said I didn't. I did the stick thing and that I'm an Ultrasound tech and I peeked and know there's a viable pregnancy....plus I was almost 10 weeks. I was informed that I still needed a confirmation before they would even set up an appointment. Silly....so I did what I had to do...went and got my blood drawn and low and behold, yes I was pregnant. So, I called again once my clinic faxed the results and they said I had to first meet with a Nurse to go over all my history and everything, but I couldn't do it the same day as my Dr appt...what? So, I had to leave early on Monday to go in and give them all the information (remind you that I had done all this at the same facility with Brenna about 2 yrs ago... and other than this being a 3rd pregnancy and not a 2nd, NOTHING has changed) So....I did my part, got my wonderful book on what to expect when your pregnant, all the information about the tests that I will again refuse to have done, and my ever so important "cup" to bring with me at my appointment.

So...here I am, with all of that running around, going to be heading to my very first Dr appointment for this precious baby of mine. I don't mean to sound pissy about it all, I will do whatever I need to do to ensure the proper care, but they make it rather difficult to comply when they won't even work with you to limit the number of trips in. I always thought you went in for a confirmation to make sure the stick was correct, not that it was a must in order to see the Dr. Obviously when he does my exam...he'll know that it's "confirmed" They weren't even concerned about my HCG levels (which would be super high since I was so far along) because they would have taken an Ultrasound report if I had one. Weird.

I did get some good information from the Nurse though (that has prepared me for my battle with the Dr.) She said that if I were to go for another c-section (they're kinda on edge around here about doing a vaginal birth after a Cesarean) that they usually set it up for around 38 weeks. Why? I don't know. I have prepared my speech for Dr Barker today to get him from the start that I DO NOT want to go early unless there were complications that arise, or I were to start on my own. I went 41 weeks 2 days with Brenna, no problems what so ever, didn't even go on my own had to be induced. I want and need to carry this child as long as I possibly can. Most people would probably say...go for it, it's only 2 weeks....but I am not one of those. As inpatient as I got towards the end to finally see Brenna, I loved every minute being pregnant with her and knew the longer I could keep her safe and warm, the better it would be for her. So pray for me and this little one, that I can convince Dr Barker to go as long as I possibly can. Even if that means I have to deliver on Christmas...at least I know I gave him/her every possible minute inside to develop and grow.

I'll let you all know tomorrow what he says.