My Babies

These three…

Sweet Marley – The “first born”

Little Charlotte – The baby of the family (and very misbehaved)

My perfect little Diesel, who we got because of fate (she happened to be outside of Petco up for adoption, and I could NOT leave her there)

I worry for them. I worry for ME. But most of all, I worry for the baby. Three dogs is a lot. We used to just have Marley and Diesel, for a couple years, and they were so easy. They eat together, play together, sleep together, and the list goes on. Around February or March of this year, Zac came home with Charlotte. My first thought was probably “OMG LOOK AT THAT FAAACEEEE SO CUUUTE!!!” my second was “holy hell…how can we handle three dogs?” I’ll be honest, it hasn’t always been easy, and more often than I would like to admit, it has been a nightmare. Charlotte likes to shred things, she liked to eat holes in the WALL, and she is pretty darn crazy. Marley has lost some of her training because of Charlotte’s crazy tendencies as well. Over time, it has gotten a little better. Then I found out I was pregnant. I am so terrified of what these crazy dogs might do. I know there will be some intense jealousy on Marley’s part (Zac has always made sure she has been favored-she is his girl). I think Diesel will be very protective of the baby. Charlotte is the wild card. I don’t know what to expect, and it makes me nervous. We have talked about finding a good home for Charlotte, but there is no way I can bring myself to let her go; Also, I am a firm believer that I took on the responsibility of three dogs, and so it is my responsibility to care for each of them as they deserve, and find a creative solution to make things work. Zac swears things will  be more calm by April (yeah right.) and we have implemented some new training rules (no dogs allowed on the bed EVER, for instance). I am terrified that they will bark and wake up the baby, accidentally jump on the couch where it happens to be hanging out with us, and so forth. Bottom line is that I love my girls, and I know I will love this baby, and I just need to find out an answer to the smoothest transition possible. Any suggestions on what I can do to encourage better behavior from them, and just as importantly, and easier adjustment to the new member of the family we will be bringing in?

A very happy 5th birthday to my sweet, sweet nephew Carson! I can’t believe it has been five years already…

Got these extra cute puppy paw stockings for my girls! (I have three dogs: Marley a yellow lab, Diesel a plott hound, and baby Charlotte who is a chocolate lab).

Hot Headed

Lately something very strange has been happening. Sometimes when I am just sitting at work, or at home watching TV, but other times when I am flustered or put on the spot.  Basically, it is like a hot flash, but only of the head.  So weird. I will be sitting here and a really intense heat will take over my face and ears. It always goes away after a few minutes, but when it is there, it is really intense.  I think the hormones are to blame ;).

FourPieceNugget: In less then 24 hours Luke and I will be holding our little Peyton…

fourpiecenugget:

In less then 24 hours Luke and I will be holding our little Peyton girl. As of Monday, Dr. Tudder wanted to wait until next Tuesday to consider inducing me. After doing his exam he felt that if he were to induce me any earlier I would have a really hard and long labor. As standard for all his…

Sending all the good vibes in the world to my best friend Becca who is giving birth to baby girl Peyton tomorrow afternoon!

FourPieceNugget: In less then 24 hours Luke and I will be holding our little Peyton…

Halfway There!

20 weeks.

That is what today marks! I am officially half of the way to meeting the baby I have been carrying, and more recently feeling make little ninja moves in my belly! Its a pretty big deal. I am so excited to mark the halfway point in this journey. People tell me that the second 20 weeks feel a LOT longer than the first though 🙂

I DIE for this tree. It would go splendid in my little peanut’s nursery. How special. I love etsy.

Miss or Mister…

Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl Boy Girl.

I have to know. I have a burning desire to know. I don’t think I can wait much longer. UNfortunately, even though I am rounding out a healthy 20 weeks, my next ultrasound isn’t until December 9th….gahhh…I have contemplated buying one of those drugstore pee tests that are like 50% accurate, and thus just a shot in the dark-a big…fat…guess. If I were to do that, I worry that I would be so excited about what “it” is, and then if the result were different in the ultrasound, I would get disappointed. All of this would prevent me from buying anything or announcing names anyway, which are two of the best things about knowing at all.

I always thought I wanted a girl. always. I love little girls. All of the pink frilly princess garb that goes along with them also. My niece Bailey is the embodiment of little princess girl. Everything she owns is pink (or purple). She loves Barbie, flowers, butterflies, fairies, fairy tales, ponies, puppies, and everything perfect and princess that exists in this world. I. LOVE. IT. She is such a little ball of energy, but also completely feisty. She has a stubborn streak I have never seen in anyone, but she also loves to cuddle (and a complete daddy’s girl).

But oh little boys. I have a nephew too (Carson). He is so smart. SO innocent, and a really intense, cool juxtaposition. He is such a boy. Loves video games, trucks, tractors, trains, learning how things work (like wheels), dirt, his mom, and his best friend hunter. Such a boy into video games and action movies and at the same time so so sensitive. I love the juxtaposition. He has such an interesting energy, and his relationship with his momma is super special.

When I first found out I was pregnant, it was girl all the way. The past month and a half or so though its been all boy. I think, on some level, I knew that I was so set on having a girl that I better make myself be comfortable with the alternative. Now, all I can think about is blue and khaki nurseries with elephants or airplanes, or trains, oh my. (Also, our boy name is the best name in the universe, so I kind of am pulling for that as well). But all I can say is thank god. Now either way there will be no disappointment. I know that as long as the little one is happy, I will be, and that’s what really matters.

Baby Update.

A lot has been going on over here! Not only am I trying to plug through my last semester of grad school (super senioritis – its like regular senioritis, but for master’s candidates) which entails writing a thesis, attending class, meetings, and countless hours of research and data compilation, but, being that I work for a small university, we are wrapping up one semester and getting ready for a new one. These are always the busiest times for us, and since I not only am the Business Manager, but I work in the Office of the President, the Marketing Department, and touch base with the Admissions Department, that means I am extra crazy busy. We also are wrapping up two MAJOR renovations on campus that I, of course, was the lead on. On top of all of this, I am pregnant. Luckily the extreme fatigue and nausea of the first trimester is long gone, and the second trimester, so far, has been pretty darn good to me! I had a doctor’s appointment last Tuesday and everything is looking good. I will be 20 weeks on wednesday (!!!) HALF WAY.  It seems like it is flying by, but also that the end result is so so far away. I am not sure that I have it in me to wait.  Unfortunately, my next appointment, with an ultrasound, isn’t until December 9th. I can not WAIT to get in there and see all of the progress my little peanut has made since the last ultrasound 10 weeks ago! 

Slight Changes

It’s been a little while since I have posted anything about how I am feeling or the many many changes happening to my body. Im now 18 weeks along, so anytime now I should start feeling fluttering movements (so they say), but haven’t felt anything yet (boo!). Up until the wedding I had gained, literally, 0.2 lbs, and had zero bump. As soon as we went on the honeymoon, however, the bump started to show itself (finally), and a girl at work even noticed, so I am hoping that any time now strangers might notice instead of thinking I had a few too many beers :).

During the first trimester I was a mess, sick all the time, insanely tired, and so forth. Around week 13 or 14 I miraculously felt better again, and then I felt no difference from my pre-pregnancy days. In the past week or so, my pants have become pretty tight, and if I sit too long they put pressure on my abdomen, which actually kind of hurts. (It might be getting close to time to get some of those fancy maternity pants that go all the way up to my boobs!) Really any kind of pressure in that region hurts. I think my dog, Marley, has an intuition about the baby though, because she will come to lay on my lap (she is a lab—a big giant lap dog:) ), but instead of stomping all over me like normal, she will just put her arms around the sides of my stomach and gently lay her head on top. Its pretty cute really. That’s pretty much all of my updates for now, I have a doctor’s appointment on tuesday (unfortunately no ultrasound), so maybe there will be some baby updates after the appointment!