The Miracle of Life

I remember watching the movie "The Miracle of Life" in grade school. We called it "the" movie! I also remember showing it to my students in middle school when I was teaching. I thought I knew what to expect out of this child birth experience but boy was I wrong!

I'm not sure there are words to describe it. It's over and you just want to walk around telling everyone about it. Probably because you are so proud of yourself for enduring such torture or maybe it's because you want to show off the creation YOU made because they are the most adorable thing you have ever seen in your life, but realistically it's because God created Child birth to be the most beautiful thing.

So because this is my blog, and I make the rules around here :) I'm going to share with you Jessalynn Jean's Birth Story.

Oct. 27th, 2010
2pm: I had spent the last few days worrying about my doctor wanting to induce my labor. I really had my heart set on doing things naturally but I really wanted to trust that God had a magnificent plan for me. So I talked myself into being really excited to go into the hospital at 8pm.... That's just when I received a call. The hospital called and told me they had to room for me and that they couldn't get me a time when they would induce me. I'm not sure if it was the hormones or what, but I must say I handled the situation pretty well. I didn't get upset and cry like I really really wanted to, instead I choose to again trust that God had a great plan for me. We had continued to call the hospital to ask if they had a bed for me but they kept telling us no.

11:30pm: Nick and I had just settled into bed realizing that we would not be having a baby that evening. We both closed our eyes, and that's when the phone rang. "We have a bed and are waiting for you." We looked at each other and knew... this was it! We were about to become a family of 3! We loaded up the car, looked at the clock and it was exactly midnight! This was going to be such a fun adventure!

October 28th, 2010
We arrived at the hospital, signed some papers and sat in the waiting room. I had just said to Nick, are you praying for my nurse? He said yes and I agreed that I was too. Just then a woman walked out and called my name. She was wearing an extremely colorful scrub hat. She introduced herself as Stephanie my nurse. I said "I've been praying for you!" She sort of looked at me, and I said "ya right in that chair I was praying that I would have a wonderful/fun nurse and by the looks of your hat, God answered my prayers." She laughed and continued to be absolutely as amazing as I suspected God would give to me. She walked me slowly through everything and explained everything, which is just what I wanted and prayed for.

2am: As Stephanie checked my cervix she got a huge smile on her face and said "guess how many cm you are at?" I said I dunno?? She said "3.5!" I couldn't have been more excited!!! She then went on to say "You're body is made for labor!" Wow it was like she told me I won the lottery!! She placed a medicine called Cervidill on my cervix which was suppose to thin it out. It can also cause mild contractions, which it did. Nick slept, I watched t.v... I was WAY to excited to sleep. I wanted to take in the whole experience!!!

5:30am: Stephanie took out the medicine, checked my cervix and also striped my membranes for the 2nd time. For those of you that don't know what that is, I'll save you and not tell you :) She came back with Pitocin at 6am and put it in my IV. I had heard horror stories about this and since I was already having pretty strong contractions without the pitocin I didn't know what to expect. Well it was better than I could have ever imagine. It completely calmed me down, I know that sounds strange but my contractions got more consistent and stronger but less painful. It's actually really hard to describe. I was determined not to have an epidural and thus far I was doing great! I was breathing through my contractions, and literally felt on top of the world! I was going to meet my baby soon! :) Then... 8am rolled around.

(Shift change: During this time there was a shift change. I had asked Stephanie if she knew who my nurse was going to be, and she said she would go pick one out for me! :) She went and got the list of who was coming in that morning and she picked out Andrea to be my nurse. (I'm not sure if they are allowed to do this, but they did! It was fantastic!!) When I met Andrea I told her she had alot to live up to, because of how awesome Stephanie was. Of course I was joking, and she just laughed but I knew she was special too.)

8am: I knew they were going to break my water, but what I didn't know is what to expect from this. I kept asking and everyone told me, your contractions will get stronger but I was told "Its not like hell breaking loose or anything." So one of my doctor's co-workers came in and broke my water!.... And ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE! I started contraction after contraction after contraction... they wouldn't stop. I couldn't get a break. I was scared because of how much control I had over my contractions before and now I had nothing but screams of pain and anger! I was not mentally prepared to handle no breaks between contractions. I opted for an epidural at this point. The anesthesiologist came shortly after and kicked Nick and Staci out of the room. This normally 20 min. procedure took about 45 because my contractions would not slow and would not give me a break. Andrea was so wonderful the whole way through. I focused on a picture of her little girl in a ballerina outfit that she was wearing along with her badge. (how ironic this was my focal point and I had a little girl!) Anyway, they got it in and it was very much relief! They gave me a button to press to give me more, but I wanted to make sure I could still feel things. I could still move my legs, I couldn't really feel much but at least I still felt in control which was one of my major reasons I didn't the epidural in the first place.

10:45am: I told Andrea I was having a super sharp pain in my butt. By this point I had increased my epidural because the pain in my butt was so bad! Also, whatever medicine they were giving me caused my boobs to itch like CRAZY. So my only complaints where my butt was in excruciating pain and my boobs itched! haha!! When I told Andrea about my pain she said "is it because of your position?" I didn't know so I said it must be and then she asked, it is come in intervals, I said yes and she said "let me just check you." Well she checked me and said "Ok I'm going to call Dr. Cook and make sure it's ok for you to start pushing!!" O MY GOSH! I"M ALMOST THERE!!!!!

11:00am: Dr. Cook came in checked me again and agreed I should start pushing. He said lets have this baby in an hour. Staci then told me it took her 3 hours to push with her baby and I freaked! 3 HOURS?!?! My butt hurt so bad at this point 5 mins sounded too long. So I started pushing, and pushing my little heart out. I had a mirror placed so I could see progress and what a sight when I finally got to see dark hair! O my gosh, I could cry just thinking about it again. Slowly I was making progress and that's when Andrea told me I had a REALLY REALLY tight band and she thought I was going to need an episiotomy.

11:45: At this point I really didn't care what had to happen to get the baby out so I said fine... and she went to call Dr. Cook to come give that to me. Right before she left to make the call she said, if he does this the baby will be out in no time... that's when I started to scream! I now know what is meant by the "ring of fire" but only on my right side :) Andrea left the room, and I continued to scream!!

11:49am:Andrea comes back in the room tells me Dr. Cook is in the building and on his way to my room. Then her eyes got real big! She said "Nick... push the call button! Staci, open the door and yell that we need some help!" I threw my head back in pain, Andrea was trying to put my feet in the stirrups and get me to scoot forward. A rush of about 10-15 people flooded my room and then I felt the most incredible feeling in the whole world!! A baby being born!

11:52am: They put her on my chest and Nick tells me it's a girl. By this point I'm hysterically crying (as I am again writing this.) Everything is happening so fast and they take her away (remind you, I think only one person in my room is in a gown because it all happened so fast.) People kept commenting on how this never happens with 1st time moms and on an on. I could care less what they are saying and proceed to ask every single one of them "Are you sure it's a girl?" "You are sure?" "You saw her parts, she's a girl?" They all reassured me it was true! My baby boy I had been expecting was instead the most beautiful girl on the face of this world. Her face so chubby, her fingers so long and her hair so dark! She is absolute perfection!



One week old, and finally finishing this entry!!
I could cry just by telling you just how in love with her I am. Breastfeeding has proven to be quite the challenge, and the hormone experience is interesting as well. There are little things that no one tells you about before you deliver. Maybe it's alittle kept secret that noone wants to tell you about, but it's scary as you go through these times. Nick has been more wonderful than I could have ever imagined, and handles my random crying fits well. My mom and dad... I can't even begin to explain how amazing it has been to have them here. They cook, clean, take the baby when she won't stop crying, deal with dinners that I cry all the way through for no reason, make me laugh when I'm at my wits ends with feeding her and just overall have been so so so helpful. I can't believe they are going to leave us here on Saturday morning. Mom keeps saying that she is going to cry all the way home, and I think i'll probably join her. I just can't believe we live so far away.

Other than that Jessa has been receiving so many gifts, I feel like it's Christmas every day. It will be so much fun to dress her up in all the cute things she has been receiving... but thank you notes might take longer going out than I would like. It's really crazy how the girl sleeps ALLLLLLL the stink'n time, yet for some reason i can't find time to even respond to a text message.

I have so much I would like to say, but it's hard to get it all out. Please don't be offended if I don't respond to text, calls or emails. I'll try really hard but sometimes it just doesn't happen... that doesn't mean I don't enjoy reading them all and very much appreciate the thought :) I hope to shortly get into a routine, and regain my awareness of days and nights :)

You know your ready...

When you get completely winded, PO'd, and violent after trying to put on shoes.

Yes... I believe I'm ready to have my body back. Thank you baby, you are officially done cooking, now get out!

What to do?!?!

What in the world do you do on one of your last days as a single person? I suppose I'll always be a "single" person but for the last time for the next 18++ years I only have one person to think about during the day, and that's ME! (of course I think about Nick but he's at work ;)

I'm just overwhelmed at the thought of what to do? Do I go shopping? Do I got sit at the park and enjoy the quiet? Do I read a book? Do I go to the bathroom with the door shut? Do I go out an spend a ridiculous amount of money? Do I spend a large amount of time getting ready and putting on makeup? I"M GOING TO BE A MOM!

I'm been laughing an extreme amount in the last 48 hours. I'm not sure what other reaction to have. I've known for about the last month I could have a kid at any point, but it wasn't real until.... I have a date set? I'm still not super keen on the idea of picking my child's birthday but, it is what it is! And, holy smokes... I'm going to have a baby! A real live baby to hold and kiss and snuggle with. When I was little I played with baby dolls all the time. Feeding them and changing them and making them talk (haha) and now I will have my own real life baby doll.

This is all just crazy and I'm probably not making any sense. I'm so excited, scared, overwhelmed, in disbelief, shocked, happy, nervous, ecstatic, worried, maybe every emotion possible, I think I'm feeling it. It's for sure an indescribable feeling. Wow.

Here's to my new life chapter...

What Joy

I'm a posting fool these days. I just can't help it! :)

I wanted to share my favorite song at the moment... it's pretty awesome, definitely check it out!

(it's a YouTube)
CLICK HERE!

It's called "What Joy" by Generation Church

And the lyrics:
What Joy
Artist: Generation Church
Album: All Things New

You made the heavens and the earth
The sea and all that is in it
Your promises remain
You give justice to the weak
You care for the widow and orphan
Forevermore You reign

What joy, what joy for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord
What peace, what peace for those whose comfort is
Is Him alone
What joy, what joy for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord
What peace, what peace for those whose comfort is
Is Him alone

You made the heavens and the earth
The sea and all that is in it
Your promises remain
You give justice to the weak
You care for the widow and orphan
Forevermore You reign

What joy, what joy for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord
What peace, what peace for those whose comfort is
Is Him alone
What joy, what joy for those whose hope is in the name of the Lord
What peace, what peace for those whose comfort is
Is Him alone
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah
We sing, we sing, we sing
Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah

Hallelujah, forever we will sing
Hallelujah, praises to the King
Hallelujah, forever we will sing
Hallelujah, praises to the King

More Pictures :)

I'm toooooo excited to hold it in. I just got my maternity shots back, and I am absolutely in love with them!! I never once have liked the way I have looked during this pregnancy, but finally a captured moment or two... or three, or four... where I actually like what I see! These are so great.

http://www.stacigwinnphotography.com
Go to the "Client" tab at the top and enter the password: "Dayna" making sure the D is a capital! :)

Yay!

Pictures

Just Pictures, No words tonight.
Enjoy.

Just for the Record...

I got this message today from one of my friends:
"So the trick is Parsley. Buy a head of parsley cut the leaves off the stalk, you know not all the way just the stringy part, put it in the blender with enough water to make it the consistency of, hmmm, less thick than a smoothie, but not too watery. Drink a glass of it. Done. It will give you crazy strong contractions and put you right into labor. It's supposed to be good for you, like a "superfood" type thing, and we used to drink it, so when I got sooo sick with my last pregnancy my mom told me I should drink it again. Yeah, guess what happened after a day or two of that... Wikipedia even knows parsley induces labor so it's not some crazy old wives tale."

Well, I then asked her what it tasted like and she said grass! Yummmm. Since I'm not really into eating grass I decided that tonight I would make a Parsley dinner! Stuffed shells stuffed with cheese and fresh parsley as well as red potatoes with fresh parsley sprinkled all over! We will see where this takes us. Also today I went for a very fast paced walk, and I will be consuming pineapple for desert. (Which is also suppose to induce labor.)

SOOOOOOO... Lets see where this takes me. I've been feeling oooo about as great as you can with a 7+lbs baby inside of you. But oddly enough I feel the best I have throughout these whole last 9 months... that's saying alot. I feel like it's just the calm before the storm. As much as I feel great, I would also like to meet my child :) AND I'm not really liking the idea of medicine to induce my labor so maybe, just maybe between my dinner tonight and my talk with God, baby will be ready to come soon???

I dunno, I guess we will see...

And so it begins...

When Nick and I moved into our house we knew someday we would have backyard neighbors but were kinda hoping it wouldn't be as soon as it is. They have completely stopped building houses on our street and are now building the street behind us. I really don't understand their plan, however I must admit that I am rather thankful that they have started this project A)When they did and B)Right behind our house. I can't imagine having a week old child with the noises that are coming from, O less than 10 feet away from where I am trying to sleep. They have been working on this for 2 weeks now and I'm not kidding you, if you have seen my back yard it's about 5 feet in depth and they are right behind the fence line! Talk about a good wake up call at 7:30 in the morning, YES! I said 7:30!!!!

Ok rant over. Hopefully they will be completed with all the dirt hauling, leveling the ground and building a street before the baby gets here, and we can both peacefully sleep without the shaking of our house or hearing the beeps of machinery backing up. :) I think I will try and take a picture today!

?

I'm very unsure of what to title this post because I'm not sure of what direction it is going to take. I have nothing of value to write about so I'm sure nonsense is really what is going to happen here.

I've decided recently I need some humor in my life. Something funny needs to happen quick! I'm in need of a good laugh and staying home by yourself doesn't quite give you the satisfactions of a good laugh... well unless maybe I found out I was on camera, then we all would have something to laugh about. --Side Note: I was watching Oprah the other day and it was her "Am I Normal Show?" It was really funny, the audience all had to answer questions on clickers that you would be embarrassed to answer out loud. Basically what I learned from the show is, I pick my nose more than the normal person (this has only been within the last nine months, this I am sure of!!) and that while there are people that clean their house naked... it is not normal. Haha! So anyway, back to my need of humor Nick and I have decided to go see Jackass 3D tonight. I'm hoping that I laugh so hard it puts me into Labor! Wouldn't that be a treat! YES!

I am completely ready for this child to get here. I feel like if I prepare anymore for Baby's arrival I will be WAY TOOO over prepared. I have more than enough of everything (besides clothes, I'm a tad bit worried about that area but owell, everyone loves a naked baby right??) and in all honesty, I'm just getting bored! I had all of these great ideas to do when I got done working with Bella. I would go to the gym daily, and I would make dinner every night and sew curtains and hang pictures and clean my house... My mind was in all the right places, however my body is failing to corporate with my mind. They are in a battle and my mind is simply just loosing at this point! I got out my sewing machine the other day, and well, I just didn't have anywhere to put it and sit comfortably. I was sewing for a grand total of 10 mins and had to put it away because I was in so much pain. And as far as the gym goes... well I froze my account a few weeks ago, because I couldn't stand spending $50 bucks a month to be able to walk on a treadmill for a grand total of 10 mins! SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO BABY I"M READY FOR YOU!!!!!!

This is completely unrelated to anything, but I suppose this is a little glimpse into what I do all day. I was taking a shower today and noticed something extremely strange.


No, your eyes are not deceiving you. All of mine and Nick's bath products are green or have a significant amount of green in them. And I would like to point out that I buy Nick's bath products for him... therefore I have come to the realization that I really like the color green and it definitely influences what I buy. It's almost scary! I've never realized this before, but as I look around my house I notice the same trend. What I am trying to say I suppose is, if you want to try and sell me something, make sure it is green! :)

My other lesson I learned today is that a small load of laundry dries WAY FASTER than a large load of laundry! I know, it's an elementary concept but interesting in the fact that I'm pretty sure I did 3 loads of laundry today quicker than I usually do 2. I found this little tid bit quite interesting and now I just might start doing more laundry more often... maybe... ok probably not but it was a good thought!

I am very excited for my date tonight :) and I should add in that Monday (our anniversary) turned out to be a rather fun night despite Nick coming home to a sobbing wife from the events during the daytime. I not only got a Waffle maker and a new printer WAHOOOOOOOOOOOOOO but I got a very sweet card, a shopping trip at JCP for much needed necessities and a wonderful tasting but poorly(but funny) serviced dinner at the newly opened Cracker Barrel down the street. Overall, it was a good anniversary, and I think I'll continue on with my marriage :)

I believe I have said enough for today...

Emotions Overload.

I feel like I need to be writing today even though I really don't want to. I got out of my doctors appointment a little over two hours ago and cried the whole way home. This is becoming a tradition for me, espeically when I have to go alone. I can't really describe it but I always walk out of there feeling so disappointed and so uncared about. I know a doctors job is to keep you healthy and in this case keep baby healthy too, but it would be nice to be listened to for once, and shown just a little bit of sympathy/empathy or just SOMETHING! The answer to every one of my questions is extremely vague, I never get to ask them all and I am left feeling empty. Today I was mostly concerned about labor questions. HELLO I HAVE NEVER DONE THIS BEFORE!!! The doctor says "we still have time, we'll talk about all this stuff later." I don't want to talk about it later... I want to talk about it NOW! I want to know what to do if I think I'm in labor. I want to know what I will and will not be able to do while I'm in labor (according to his policies) and I want to know how often he will be in my room. Also today I told the NP (because my doctor left to go to the hospital... but ended up coming in the room 5 mins later...ya, i don't know!) that I was feeling random bouts of extreme nausea and heat flashes and she wanted to prescribe me medicine for acid reflex... UMMM THAT"S NOT THE PROBLEM!

I guess I need to drop all expectations when I walk into that building, realize I am going to pay 7 dollars for parking for the next 4 weeks, and realize that I'm not special there are 100 other patients in that day that are pregnant too.

So what did the doctor say today?
"YOU HAVE A HUGE BABY!" Thank you???
"Cervix is closed, the baby extremely high and definitely hasn't dropped." Ummm 4 weeks ago you put me on modified bed rest because the baby was too low???

I just don't understand. It's to the point where I'm more excited for the baby to come out just so I don't have to go back to that doctors office ever again! That's a feeling you shouldn't feel when you are pregnant.

Moving on, I am sad that I'm not dilated at all. I just feel like this is such a roller coaster ride. While I was home in Indiana I was terrified I would go into premature labor and the baby would come out unhealthy. Then I find out my cervix is closed but the baby is still but I reached a healthy point to go into labor. Then I have an ultrasound down and my cervix is short (meaning thinning out.) Then today I hear the baby is extremely high. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I don't know what to think anymore! Everyone keeps asking me "when are you due?" To be honest I have no idea what to say. According to my last period my due date is November 5th. According to a doctor at the office (not mine) my due date is November 4th. According to the ultrasound tech at week 24, my due date is November 2nd. And according to her ultrasound on Saturday my due date is October 30th. I completely understand this is just a "date" but why does every other pregnant woman have a "due date." I almost feel cheated! Actually that's exactly how I feel about this pregnancy, I feel cheated out of a lot of the joys I hear about people's pregnancy's. I have never had a good/clear ultrasound, I have never had my questions answered beyond "it's normal." I have never had anything explained to me about the changes my body is going through. And I've had to do every ounce of research about pregnancy online because my doctor doesn't give me any information.

I understand that I'm lucky to be pregnant and there are a lot of people in this world that would kill to be in the position I am in, I get that so please don't judge me for saying the things I have said. I'm just frustrated and trying to vent so when Nick comes home I'm not a complete mess for our Anniversary.

To end, I'm just tired of being pregnant. I'm tired of feeling like crap, I'm tired of having to look at my body in the mirror everyday, I'm tired of sleeping for a max of 4 hours at a time, I'm tired of waking up in the middle of the night with extreme pains in various places, I'm tired of not knowing if I'm having a boy or a girl, I'm tired of worrying about if the baby is going to come out healthy... and I'm just plain TIRED!

End Vent Now...

ALOT

I feel like I need to turn on some music to get through this post because I just have a lot to say. I think I will also break it into sections, seems like the right thing and organized thing to do when you have a lot to say. So sit back, relax and enjoy the inner thoughts of my head... :)

STRESS:
I'm feeling less and less overwhelmed as the days go by. I'm finally feeling organized, relaxed and ready for baby to come play with me :) Of course there are still things that I "need"... ok ok, WANT. But they aren't necessities and I'm realizing very quickly that penny pinching is absolutely essential these days. I've become a coupon Nazi. I have this whole huge folder and whenever I hit any store I always go through it to make sure I don't have a coupon for the place we are going to, or for what we are going to buy. I've also realized that it is VERY EASY to find a coupon for whatever you are buying. Now I'm getting off track, but the point is I'm feeling pretty good about everything :)

ULTRASOUND:
I have an ultrasound scheduled for Saturday. I am so very excited, but also a little nervous too. Not only do we get to find out how big baby is, but we also find out if baby has flipped and is head down or if the baby has decided that they would rather not try and fit through the birth canal. That was TMI huh?. OWELL! All in all, I know I will have a wonderfully beautifully made child after it is all said and done and I suppose I couldn't ask for much more. I have been mentally preparing myself for C-section, and I'm finally to a point where it doesn't scare me anymore. That said, I would MUCH RATHER go the natural route, but sometimes life doesn't always go the way you would like it to.

BEAUTIFUL DAYS:
I think the majority of the reason I am in such a positive mood these days has ALOT to do with the weather. I KNOW the weather wasn't this nice at this time last year, but I'm not complaining at all and I am so very very very grateful for the weather we have been having. During the day you can still sit outside in shorts and a t-shirt and get a wonderful tan, and you are still sweating but there is a breeze so it's all good. Here is a picture of my sit up I have created for myself outside during the day.

During the night time Nick and I have slept with our window open every night for probably the last week and 1/2. We have put the comforter and duvet back on our bed and snuggle in it every morning with the crisp air at a temperature of about 56 degrees. In my eyes there is absolutely positively no better way to wake up than cuddled under a blanket with your nose chilly from the outside air. O ITS JUST WONDERFUL!

NO PANTS DAYS:
The title states it all. I feel the need to share with everyone that if you for some reason ring my door bell in the middle of the day, you should probably be prepared to wait for a few mins. while I find some pants. :) As my tummy keeps growing it seems like everything is so uncomfortable so I choose to disregard anything touching my tummy, and wa-la! We come up with No pants days!

You would never even have know unless I told you... and I did so there! HA!

VACUUMING:
Vacuuming is something I have never really loved to do but always knew it was a necessity. Buying a house with all tile floors though is another subject! BOY O BOY I HAD NO IDEA WHAT I WAS IN FOR!!! Since there is nothing for the dirt,dust and bugs to stick it it all gets pushed to the edge of the room and the baseboards just collect nastiness. While I am thankful to know its getting pushed to the sides, if you have ever tried to clean every single baseboard of your house, you know this job can be quite overwhelming and quite exhausting. BUT!! There is an invention I have found out about called the canister vacuum!! O how I love thee...Here is an example if you are like me and live under a rug! (Ha!) Sooooo me and my pregnant self decided since we don't have the money right now to go buy a new vacuum, I should just make my own! Here you have the Taube Canister Vacuum!


Nothing a little duct tape and a broom stick couldn't handle! I must tell you my house is completely vacuumed and now I can rest easy knowing I have at least 2 weeks till it needs to be done again! :)

BABY"S ROOM:
And the moment you all have been waiting for. Well not really, because it's still not 100% done, but it's good enough!




SPENDING TIME:
Lately, with all this free time I have had it's been nice to go to lunch with friends! I've had lunch with quite a few different people and it has just been wonderful. I am meeting ALOT of new people, and am feel so blessed that FINALLY I am feeling good about living here. I feel like these people I am meeting really do care for me and I'm finally starting to feel comfortable knowing that when this baby is born I have multiple people I can call if I need to. I still will need to work at the whole "asking for help part" but at least I know I have a few people on my call list if I start to get despite! :) It's such an amazing feeling and such a wonderful mood lifter. I think Nick definitely sees a difference in my personality on the days I have lunch with a friend compared to the days where I just sit at home all day. I have way more energy, and just feel like such a better person. Funny how that works!

ENDING:
I think I've spilled enough for today. Hopefully I can give you a full report after Saturday, or Monday (I have an apt. Monday) which happens to be a very special day :) I can't believe it has been 2 years! CRAZY CRAZY!

Schedule

I'm finding it interesting what my schedule has turned out to be in the weeks that I have been home. I've been told over and over that I need to cherish my sleeping time, but when it is really uncomfortable I find that sleeping in increments is much better than the 8/9 hours of sleep I need at night. I sort of feel like I'm on a newborn schedule already. Is this God's way of preparing me? I think so! :) Anyway, as I write this and finish up breakfast yawning, I'm going back to bed. 2 Hours awake, 2 hours of sleep. It's a funny thing!

Today though my goal is to vacuum the house! I feel the need to write this goal down because it has been my goal every day since my mom left... which I won't count the days since that has happened. I feel though some ductape might be involved in this vacuuming process, and I shall explain later most likely with a picture to help visual learners ;)

Ok back to sleep only to start my vacuuming in 2 hours ;)

The Ugly Duckling

Ok, so the duckling in the story isn't ugly, instead it was quite cute, but I thought the title was fun.

I begged Nick to take me on a walk at the park in our community. Nick knows that lately if I walk more than 20 feet I need to rest, but he threw on his gym shoes anyway and drove me to the park. (He wore Jeans. That's how I know he knew what kind of walk we had in store.) ANYWAY, so we start out on our walk and there are ducks everywhere. I hate birds... ALOT but for some reasons Duck's don't scare me as much because there beaks are curved and not pointed. (I still don't like to get very close!) So we see all these Ducks and since we have walked more than 20 feet by then, I was ready to slow down and just watch the cute little ducks. There was a family that was close by us (cough cough, they didn't speak english) and I notice one of the family members scoops up 3 of the probably 9 ducklings to this duck family. I'm pissed!!! You don't do that! It's like kid napping! I don't say anything though and she lets two of the 3 down... meanwhile the family is still in awe over this one duckling and mamma takes off in the water with the others in fear that they will steal the others. Oblivious to what just happened the woman sets the duckling down and walks away. This duckling is now going NUTS! Squeaking like crazy, by this time Mamma and babies are too far to hear. Nick and I just stand there not knowing what to do. The other big ducks are picking on this little duckling at and one point Nick states "If that duck doesn't stop I'm going to kick it!!" (It was cute and a very fatherly instinct! :) So here I stand, 9 months pregnant, ready to burst into tears because this poor duckling is never going to be reunited with her family again, and she's going to die, and get eaten by the snapping turtles in the pond and.... Yes I know I was being completely irrational! At one point I see mamma and the other ducklings ready to get out at the other end of the pond and I tell Nick "GRAB THE BABY WE GOTTA GO BRING IT TO IT"S FAMILY!" hahaha! So Nick does what every good husband does and listens to his very pregnant and emotional wife! He starts chasing around this duckling and I try to corner it knowing I'll never be able to pick this thing up, We end up scaring the duckling so bad it jumps in the water and starts to swim away. NOW I"M DEVASTATED! I keep saying "HOW DARE THAT NON ENGLISH SPEAKING FAMILY TO DO THIS!!!!!" Well the story goes on, Nick and I stood with blank faces watching what was going to happen... and while the little ugly duckling was headed the opposite direction at first, he soon landed himself at the Duck House (there literally is a duck house!)HALLELUJAH! Mamma and the Babies start heading to the Duck House!!!!!! Nick and I watched until we knew Mamma was FOR SURE headed straight to her lost duckling. As we continued on our walk, I felt much better for knowing their family would all be together tonight! I will end this story by admitting to you, while there are TONS of Ducks in this pond... it's really not that big at all! The chances of mamma and baby being reunited again where pretty high, but in that moment I'm pretty sure I thought the world was going to end!

Telling this story is almost completely pointless, but it was probably one of my favorite moments with Nick that I have ever had! :) I love him!