Save The Grandmommas

Madyson is walking in the Breast Cancer Walk in October in honor of Todd's Mom who has been fighting cancer for over 8 years! This is her way of "saving the grandmommas" of other kids who's grandmommas are Cancer Fighters!

Help her meet her fundraising goal! http://main.acsevents.org/goto/savethegrandmommas

Thanks so much!

so you think you can dance?

Todd took the girls to hang out with some friends of ours (the daddy's with daughters club) this weekend. Here is a video one of the dads sent me of Aubrie Kate :) Sista's got the moves :)

The Christmas Stocking

I haven't posted lately about Todd's mom. Right now we are all busy processing our thoughts of what life is going to be like without her. She recently spent the week in the hospital after being dehydrated and her potassium level dropping. She came home today and her once sewing room, where she made our precious Christmas Stockings years ago,has been converted into a hospital room-equipped with a hospital bed and home nurse.

Since Madyson's first Christmas we have had the same Christmas stockings. Todd's mom made them for us years ago and each year we continue to hang them by our chimney with care.

When Aubrie Kate came along-his mom stitched up another polka dot stocking and monogrammed it for us so she would have one to match.

And each year the girls have hung their stockings in hopes that St. Nicholas would soon be there.

This year is a bittersweet year. This will be the last Christmas with our polka dot stockings. This may possible be the last Christmas with Todd's mom (if she is still alive at Christmas). My heart aches to know that next year baby #3 will start our new stocking tradition and will more than likely start our new life without our precious "grandmomma"

I know it sounds wrong to "plan her gone" but reality is, she isn't getting better...only worse. And the Christmas Stockings are so special to me.

I think the hardest part of the journey with her cancer has been seeing her go from vibrant to non-self sufficent. She can no longer care for herself and can't do the little things we take for granted.

Please remember our family in your prayers. As we process the forcasted outcome, as we explain this to the girls, as we prepare our hearts for what is to come.

My verse I lean on through this is....

Preparing for a life with new christmas stockings in pain and in love....

growing baby.....12 weeks!

Today I had my twelve week check up! I went in for the "internal exams" and a doppler. Well, my dr. couldn't find the heartbeat with a doppler. Let me tell you-that is the scariest moment so far. I was sobbing. She said "its probably a stubborn boy or a diva girl and wants its picture taken". I cried and cried because Todd wasn't there this time. Being the "internal exam" day-I told him he was off the hook. But BOY did I need him!!! I text him and told him how scared I was-He text back he was praying for "you two"

Sono time came and it was evident that baby #3 is just like Miss Madyson. Flipping, rolling, at one point doing sideways jumping jacks. Heartbeat was 162. And I cried more.

I do not know how non-believers go through pregnancy without God. He is my rock and praying to Him for comfort and praising Him for this miracle. Those minutes waiting for the sonogram were only tolerable because of the comfort of knowing God has a plan and a purpose for everything.

Seeing this like 2.6 inch thing inside of me all humanfied with hands and long skinny legs....measuring bigger than it should be! Just justified how Great our God is!

How far along? 12 weeks!

Total weight gain: 5.4 lbs

Maternity clothes? Pants-yes. Shirts some regular ones-some fittend maternity ones
 

Stretch marks? Not any new ones. I believe Madyson gave them all to me first go around.

Best moment this week:  Seeing Baby flip, roll, dance, and wave!

Miss Anything? not at all!
 

Food cravings: still a junk food craving-Cookies, brownies, cheesecake....mexican is the food i want most.

Anything making you queasy or sick:blah.. smells.

Gender: No clue!

Labor Signs: Nope

Symptoms: Just plain sleepy

Wedding rings on or off? wedding band on-engagement ring off

Happy or Moody most of the time: I cry all the time.

10 years!

This weekend was my 10 year high school reunion. I have been slaving over this project for over 6 months so I was relieved for the "time to come" and excited to see everyone after 10 years.

Friday night we had a family tailgate at our high school game and went to the football game. It was great seeing everyones beautiful families! I was working the registration table-so I have no pictures :( But if I find some of my kids....I'll let you know :)

Saturday Night was a classmates/couples night. We met at a local restuarant and had food-music and the non-preggers (i think there were 9?) had some drinks. Our favorite high school teacher made an appearance...but since he still teaches, I promised no pictures of him :)

 

Above is 1/3 of our class. we graduated with 300ppl and we had 104 show up!

This is Megan-She and I were in the same kindergarten class! I use to spend the night at her house as a child all the time! Her parents threw the BEST halloween parties! Spooky houses-haunted hayrides...it was so much fun!

And this is Phillip (and my fat baby arm) Phillip was our class president and is busy building a non-profit in countries like Peru and Brazil. Next world changer? I think so!

 

This is Jarekus-He was recently voted "Mississippi Blues Artist of the Year" and he is a proud member of our class! (also with him is Marjie-one of the most real people you will meet! )

 

It was alot of fun catching up with everyone and hearing how successful everyones lives are...just for example...

 

7-10 doctors (some are still in school)

over 20 nurses

over 9 in the military

I believe....9 attorneys

plus things like-Physical therapist, Occupational Therapist, Stay-at-Home Mommies, Sales Managers, television Producers, farmers, contractors, builders...

 

Just a whole slew of success!

 

Happy Class Reunion Friends! See you again in 5 years!

Growing baby. 10 weeks

Welcome to the first post of Growing baby! During my pregnancies with the girls I only have 2 photos.of.my huge self (and im.not.kidding...i get huge!!)

So one of my *If it happens again* items was to do a post on growing baby!

 Granted it will NOT be every week unless its an important week/event. But maybe every other week :)

And I will make no excuses I look like this at the end of every night. this was taken at 9pm at night after being up since 6-working with 26 kindergarteners and a 2hr PTO meeting. Sleep was calling :)

How far along? 10 weeks 

Total weight gain: 5lbs

Maternity clothes? Regular shirts-but I did buy a pair of maternity pants the other day. Working with kids, bending over all day, my buttons and snaps were digging into my already there belly!

 

Stretch marks? Not any new ones. I believe Madyson gave them all to me first go around.
 

Best moment this week:  Telling Everyone. All of our family knows and everyone is elated! and finalizing a boy name. We have had a girl name for a while but we tossed and turned on boy names after a dinner with friends we finally settled on one and I love it!

Miss Anything? I am on a strict no caffeine, no salt diet. I can deal without the salt but the caffeine...waking up at 5am and working with 26 kiddos all day is HARD! But I know worth it!

 

Food cravings: This kid is a junky. Onion Rings, Okra, Cheese Sticks, Catfish, Cookies....Oh and did I mention I can eat red meat like it is no ones business :)
  

Anything making you queasy or sick: blah.. smells.

Gender:  No clue!

 

Labor Signs: Nope  

Symptoms:   Just plain sleepy

 

Wedding rings on or off? wedding band on-engagement ring off

 

Happy or Moody most of the time: Happy girl-

 

Looking forward to: Next doctors appointment to hear the heartbeat and to be out of the first trimester!       

 

The Details to baby #3~

Thank you all so much for your love and congratulations. You have no idea how blessed Todd and I feel and how excited we are to share this journey with you! I mean...it's our baby but it really feels like "OUR" baby :) (as in all of ours!)

Monday afternoon I had a doctors appointment. It was suppose to be Thursday but with the hurricane coming-it was moved up to Monday. I was VERY nervous. It  was my first time back since the miscarriage (I was really bad and never went back for my follow-up. I was emotionally not capable then to walk into that room again)

As we sat in the waiting room I was told "today things are going to go as followed. 1) labs 2) sonogram 3) doctor." When the door opened the US Tech walked out and my heart sank. My drs office has 3 US Techs. And this was the same one that did the sonogram that confirmed the miscarriage. She called our name and my heart literally died. I just knew that the world was coming to an end.

As we got into the little booth and got situated she said "I see a baby!" and quickly followed up with "it has a heart beat!" She then turned on the sound so we could hear its beautiful little heart beat of 178!!!

She was just as happy for us as we were. Todd and I were high fiving, crying, shaking....you know, like first time parents. She was busy snapping away pictures and taking measurements and then it was over.

I moved on to the doctor next. And I got the dos and donts for the next 4 weeks. Todd and I were busy calling and texting everyone. We are so bad. I could never be one of those fun people who announce in a cool way!

We stopped by joann's and made the girls some frames that said "You're going to be a big sister" and put a sonogram picture in each. Once we got home, we told them and they were elated!!! Madyson loves to "feel the baby" and Aubrie kate is very excited to be a big sister.

According to the doctor, baby #3 shows alot sooner than the other too and it was okay if we decided to go ahead and share with my boss because I probably had another week or 2 before I started showing (try 4 days....no lie I have a bump! more on that next week!)

So I went to work the next day and shared with my boss and my teachers. Baby is due end of march but I usually deliver week 37-38. So we are looking at Mid-to late march. Aubrie kate is not so sure about this being her birthday present. "I don't wanna share" is more like it.

As for names, we have a beautiful girl name picked out. Then we had a boy name. But the boy name doesn't do this baby justice. SO we came up with 2 alternative names and we are busy deciding on those! I love to have a name ready on "gender reveal day" so I can start calling baby by name asap!

We were working on a nursery for adoption baby so we are really doing well in the nursery department. We have our plan laid out and hoping to get some of it done this labor day weekend :)

As for adoption baby, Todd and I decided that we would not pull out of the adoption process because I am pregnant. If God chooses to bless our family with a baby through adoption as well as birth this year then we will just expand by 4 feet :)

So how am I? Exhaustion has been a big deal over the past few weeks. I figured I was anemic again and I would be getting herbs and supplements. I come home from work and sleep for an hour before doing anything else. It is lovely.

I have some nausea but really-its nothing to complain about. I am very blessed to be having these feelings and I am just soaking them all in, since I thought I would never be able to feel this again!

Thursday we were off of school for the hurricane so we took a trip to Babies R Us to see what has changed in the 4.5 years we have had a newborn. We looked at carseats, pack-n-plays, bedding, monitors, bottles...it was just a lot of fun! We are so excited and can't wait to share this journey with you!