Wade's World

Just This Side of Heaven...

2010-04-22T07:49:00.000-07:00

Feeling very sad today for various reasons. One of them is a dear friend of mine had to put her doggie to sleep today. It scares me so because I know in the near future I will be experiencing similar circumstances with my beloved Ralph. My friend was sent this poem so I thought I would post it to help comfort...

Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.
All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....Amen...

If Your Name Is Wade...Stand Up!

2010-03-19T14:48:00.000-07:00

This post is funny but scary, at least to us it was. Wade is becoming more and more mobile by the minute. In the past 2 weeks he has gone from not crawling at all to a sort of scoot/crawl. But his favorite thing to do right now is pull up on you to a standing position, then you hold his hands and he takes off walking! I mean, we are barely even doing anything and this kid is moving! So Monday morning I went into his room to get him up and there he was, sitting up playing in his crib. By Tuesday morning he was standing up in his crib! Needless to say, we have dropped that thing down as low as it will go and we're praying he doesn't grow out of it within the next month! At this rate, there are no promises! Our little baby is becoming a little boy. Happy, funny and scary all at the same time!

St. Patty's Day 2010

2010-03-19T14:37:00.000-07:00

We had so much fun at our favorite neighborhood hang out called the Friendly Spot on St. Patty's Day! Wade, with is more red now than blonde hair, was my own personal little leprechaun! He was all decked out in his "Kiss Me I'm Irish" shirt too; green really brings out the red hair. Gary and I both have Irish in our families. Here are a few pix from the day!

Happy 34th Birthday to Me!

2010-03-15T19:27:00.000-07:00

It was a great birthday week filled with dinners with friends, dinner with Dad, cards from family and friends, and a weekend get-a-way with Hubby! So much has changed in my life compared to this time last year that's for sure. Wade is here with us instead of baking in the oven! Here are a few pix from the week! Thanks to everyone that made my b-day so special!

Thanks for Playing with Mommy!

2010-03-09T09:59:00.000-08:00

This note is to my very special Son, Wade. Yesterday Mommy got to experience just what she has always hoped for with you. A day at home with my new love full of laughs, smiles, fun and bonding. I have gone back to work now part time for Daddy's company but still get to spend several days a week at home with you too. And yesterday was so fulfilling for me. We laughed and giggled while we played peek-a-boo. We played with your toys all over the house while listening to lots of music. You would be playing with a toy, look over at me, smile, and then come over to hug for a quick second then go back to playing. I helped you "walk" with your rolling lawn mower from Uncle David, Aunt Jennifer, and Cousins Emily & Austin. The funny thing about the lawn mower is that Daddy gave it to Emily many years ago and now you are able to use it! We strolled through the neighborhood and you sat up like the "Little General" that you are and watched everything around you the entire time we were out! You especially liked to watch the school buses as they went by and stopped to drop the kids off. You would chatter and I would chatter back with you. You chased Ralph around in your walker while I made your baby food. You tried to eat a chunk of the fake moss in the ficus tree...guess I didn't make the baby food fast enough for you!?!?! :) It was special to me, I do not take days like this with you for granted as I know it will not always be like this. I thanked God for you last night Wade because you are so loved, so smart, so fulfilling. Mommy is very thankful for you and what you have enabled me to become. I love you Boogie Bear!

2 More Teeth & The End of Nursing

2010-03-09T07:37:00.001-08:00

I am a proud Mommy this morning as I discovered two more top teeth! He has been acting a little strange in the past week from time to time and now we know why! Another cute side note is that yesterday when we were strolling around the neighborhood his hair was literally blowing in the wind! It's really starting to grow and it is strawberry blond and straight. He's going for his 9 month check up this month too!!!!! It's going to be his 1st b-day before we know it!

I've decided that it's finally time to throw in the towel with nursing or really it's just been pumping. My 34th b-day is tomorrow and Aunt Karen, Cousin Carson and Nana are coming in to watch Wade for us this weekend so that we can have a little birthday break. So, I've decided that this Friday when they arrive will be it for me! I'm not killing myself trying to pump enough for them while we are gone. At this point it would take me forever. He got a full 9 oz. this a.m. and it took me multiple pumps to get it. I even took a picture of the full bottle before I fed it to him because I feel like it may be the last one! We will have made it to 8 1/2 months of nursing and I can definitely live with that! Happy Birthday to me! :)

Brachycephaly Update

2010-03-02T13:20:00.000-08:00

Today was Wade's 2 week check up appt. in Austin for his band. He has grown a total of 4 mm in the past 3 weeks since starting to wear the 2nd band and I am finally seeing some major changes! The first band really helped to round out the back of his head but this second band has really helped the slope at the top of his head. It's truly amazing what these bands do! His PT was really excited about his shape and growth and said he is doing great! Whew, this really is going to work and I am so happy for Wade! We have another appt. on 3/16 and I can't wait!

My Little Toe Biter

2010-03-01T12:36:00.000-08:00

Funny to share with you this Monday...this morning after I finished nursing Wade we were just sitting there in his nursery playing for a bit. I was sitting in the recliner and he was in my lap. I crossed my right leg over my left and it must have been love at first site/bite for Wade because he saw my big toe and went right in for a little morning nibble! Also, on Sunday he looked down and started to gnaw on my wedding ring! Hilarious, when they get teeth, it's so funny what becomes appealing to them! :)

PlayGroup & Rodeo

2010-02-23T07:55:00.000-08:00

We had a fun playgroup at our house on Sunday. We were all due just weeks apart when we were pregnant and we haven't gotten the kiddos together like this since they were born! Here are some of the pix. I've also thrown in a pic from the rodeo Friday night of Gary and I! Check out the "live" carousel and the deer in the petting zoo! We can't wait to take Wade to the rodeo next year!

Nature Vs. Wadey

2010-02-23T07:45:00.000-08:00

Over the weekend we went on an "odessey" as Gary called it through our greenbelt that connects to a huge park here in San Antonio. Gary strapped Wade on and I carried the picnic and we were off into the wilderness. We saw several deer and hawks along the way and Wade seemed to enjoy being outdoors! Here are a few pix from the trip.

MDO & Shipley's Do-Nuts

2010-02-21T12:10:00.000-08:00

Since Christmas I have been researching MDOs (Mother's Day Out Programs) in our area. I want to get Wade in one in the Fall so he can start learning and socializing more. As much as I would like to just continue with play groups as his main source of socializing; it's just not realistic because most people only want to do it once a month instead of weekly. Thank goodness I started looking for an MDO after Christmas because I found out that registration for these are in February for the upcoming "school year" or Fall. So your probably wondering how on earth could MDOs have anything to do with Shipley's Do-Nuts right? Well in my spaghetti plate of a life they most certainly are intertwined! I have two huge loves in the sweet world - cupcakes and do-nut holes. Growing up in good 'ol Pasadena/Deer Park, TX you always ate at Shipley's. So since I was a little girl I have been eating do-nut holes and I still absolutely love them! In fact, the first time I was pregnant, I had a night where I just couldn't rest until I got them and sure enough a week or so later I found out I was pregnant! I literally have dreams about eating them and I'm always at the old Shipley's in my hometown over by my high school. So, the other night I had a dream about them again. I seem to do this every few months. The next day I told Gary about the dream and he stopped by Shipley's on his way home from work! :) On his way back to the house he passed by a little church in our neighborhood and they had their MDO registration banner out!!!!!! Long story short, this is where Wade will be now be spending his Fall all thanks to my crazy Shipley's dreams! :)

Family Visits, Dad's B-day & Valentine's Day!

2010-02-17T13:08:00.000-08:00

What a fun and jam packed Valentine's weekend we had! It started with a visit from My Uncle Kenny, Aunt Sandra (Dad's Sister) and their new baby Schatzi, a black & white mini schnauzer. We had lots of visiting time together over meals and they came by to see our casa and my Dad's casa. Wade got his 1st Valentine card from them AND a new toy cell phone. It was so good to see them but of course it just makes us miss them even more now!

Then, we had Karen (Gary's Sister), Paul and Garrett come and stay at our casa so that we could all have a Valentine date night. We were going to watch Garrett for them and then they would watch Wade for us. They ended up just hanging out at the house with us for their date night but it was still a fun night. Karen and I went to get pedis while the men folk held down the fort! Then it was pizza and the Olympics...fun and relaxing! Gary and I headed to church first on Valentine's Day and then spent our day having fun around town. It was nice and we can't wait to see everyone again soon!

I've also included a few of Mr. Wadey and his new milestone of pulling up and standing! :) Can't believe he is already at this point!

Restored Faith...

2010-02-09T20:17:00.000-08:00

Today was a different kind of day for me. My usually independent Son was quite affectionate towards me. It's almost like he knew I needed his love today. I tried my best to make him laugh and help him to have a good day even though I was not having one. I can still hear his giggles playing over and over again in my head. So sweet...so precious...it's moments like that you never ever want to forget how they sound. He reached out for me several times and he has not really done this in the past, much to my regret.
We had his weekly Austin appt. today and it was the usual visit. He seems to be slowing down on his growth during the 2nd band so after next weeks visit we may go to bi-weekly visits. This is fine with me because the trips back and forth to Austin are getting a bit taxing. No matter what time of the day we have an appt., it throws him off of his schedule. Wade gave the ladies at the office each a little Valentine! :) They are all so wonderful to us and they deserved to know that they were appreciated!
Gary had to work late tonight; they were finally pouring concrete at the job site today. So I got Wade bathed and to bed. But tonight was different for me...just as my day with Wade had been. It's days and nights like this that restore my Faith and let me know that God knows my needs and fulfills them. I knew he was so tired and could have gone to bed at 6:30 p.m. (bedtime is usually 7 p.m.) but he had a day filled with poopy diapers so I just couldn't let him go to bed without a good bath. He played and had a great time as usual but when he got out, he was definitely ready to hit the hay. Last feeding of the night these days is about 6 - 8 oz. of formula so I fixed him his Ba-Ba and we headed into the nursery. I turned all the lights down low and fed him his bottle. Within 5 minutes he was already beginning to close his eyes. Then his arms gave way and rested softly on me and the recliner. I didn't think there was any way he was going to make it through that bottle but he patiently and ever so sweetly finished it. All the while making the sweetest noises you've ever heard. Towards the end of the feeding, I heard a little creek in the nursery door and there was Ralph, checking in on us. He gently nudged the door open with his nose a few times until he had opened it enough to walk in. He looked up at me and Wade as if to say "need anything?". I motioned to him "Shhhhhh!" and he laid down at the foot of the recliner to wait. By this time, Wade had finished his bottle and I laid him down gently in his crib to snooze away.
I realized while all of this was going on tonight, that I don't have to be nursing him to still have wonderful, precious moments with him like that. I've been so torn and emotional about the possibility of stopping nursing and thought my sweet "before bedtime" and "first thing in the morning" moments like that would be lost. Tonight though, I know they won't be. I'm still not ready to stop nursing but this gave me a different perspective and confidence for when I am. Wade helped me make it through this tough day. I believe he was guided by God all day and I am thankful beyond words. Mommy loves you Wadey!

2nd Band & Pulling Up

2010-02-08T07:27:00.000-08:00

We are working with Wade on pulling up right now. These are a few pix from the weekend. He is also starting to get on all fours and rock a little bit. I think he will be crawling pretty soon! Also, I've included a couple pix of his 2nd band. This one covers more area and seems to be hotter on him. Everytime I take it off his head is sweaty. We go back to Austin tomorrow for a check up and adjustment visit. He wears it like a champ though, never really fusses when I put it on him. And last but not least a couple pix of him in his swing that we gave him for Christmas.

Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease + Teething to Boot!

2010-02-05T13:00:00.000-08:00

What the heck? Our Wadey got sick? I guess it was bound to happen sooner or later. We have been extremely blessed that it took 7 months and 1 week for it to happen at least!

It started on the way to his Austin appt. Wed. to get his 2nd band. In the car I noticed he was starting to cut his 2 front top teeth so I gave him some infant Motrin. That didn't seem to have an affect on him, in fact, he seemed worse by the time we made it into Austin. At the appt. I checked his temp. while we were waiting and it was 102.2! Needless to say, with a temp. like that, he didn't get to wear the new band home. But, at least we got it and are ready to go once he gets better. No pix since the appt. did not go as planned.

By the time we got home from the appt., his temp. had dropped down to 101.1 but he was not a happy camper at all. Seemed like he would gag a little here and there as though he wanted to throw up. He was still having good dirty diapers so we just gave him some more Motrin and thought we were experiencing a tough bout of teething. When he went to bed his temp. had dropped again to 99.5.

He had a very restless night of sleep, up about every 1 to 1 1/2 hours but not screaming in pain thank goodness. When I got up to feed him in the morning he seemed a little warm still but his fever was not high like it had been the day before and I could tell he was hungry. After I nursed him on just one side, he projectile (always fun) vomited it right back up all over me and my hair! Eeeeewwwww! Good morning to you too Wadey! This is when I started to think it could be more than just teething. So, we called Gary's sister, whom we almost always consult in times like these, and she too was concerned about the high temp the day before and now the throwing up. My concern was dehydration because I know it can happen fast. I called and talked to the nurse at our Pedi's office and of course she said to bring him in.

At the Pedi's office we got right in and found out our little man is tipping the scales at 19 pounds! Go Wade! I can now confidently say that I can bench press 19 pounds! :) Ha! Gotta find humor in life folks or you're never gonna make it! When the Pedi examined him she confirmed that he was teething and that the issue was not with his ears. She examined his throat and there it was...blisters all in the back. Ugh! She swabbed him to test for strep throat and that came back negative. So Wadey has what they call Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease. It is a virus so he didn't get any medicine to help him get better; just lots of TLC, fluids and waiting. So, on top of teething we now have Wade's first sickness. We took him to our church's nursery for the first time this past Saturday and we think that may be where he picked it up.

He had a really good night of sleep last night and didn't officially wake up until 8:45 a.m. He has already napped twice today and does not have any fever. He still gags a little when he burps and you can tell it burns the blisters in the back of his throat. But he is playing with his toys and has a good disposition all things considered. He is drinking milk and formula but still isn't that excited about solids. We even went out in the back yard for a while today so he could swing since the sun has finally come out! We're definitely going to lay low this weekend so he can rest and get well. Hope you all have a great weekend!

Wade's Garage & His Asian Side

2010-02-03T18:41:00.000-08:00

Here are a few funnies that I wanted to share. Wade loves hot roddin' around the house in his red sports car that Grandad & Nana gave him for Christmas. When he gets into the kitchen, aka the garage, we "park" him! He loves poppin' wheelies and doing do-nuts in it too. I think this is a taste of what is to come! Yikes! He is tapping into his inner Nascar which Grandpa Darby will love to hear! :) The other two are of Wade playing with our wok we got from my dear friend Melissa Rojas for our wedding. "Ahhh, Daniel Son! Wax on, Wax off!"

Empanada Play Date

2010-02-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

My wonderful friends Nubia & Tamara came to visit me, and their kiddos Benjamin & Naomi, came to visit Wade on Tuesday. Tamara has been making super yummy empanadas and was sweet enough to drop a box of them off to us. Let me tell you, these were awesome! The kiddos played while we chatted for a bit and then it was nap time for all! Thank you guys for coming all the way out to our side of the world for a visit and thank you for your friendship! :) The pix of just Wade I had to throw in! He was so cute playing before they got there!

Frey Casa Play Date

2010-02-03T18:23:00.002-08:00

These are a few pix from our play date at Ashley's house. In them you will see Wade, Brayden (Kristen's Son) and Harper (Ashley's Daughter). Aren't they all so darn adorable?!?!?! :) Looking forward to the next one! You should have seen the big 'ol smile on Wade's face when he set eyes on Ms. Harper June! :) So sweet! The next day at Wade's Austin appt. he saw a life like girl baby doll and I set her sitting up across from him and his little face lit up all over again! I think he thought it was Harper!

A Walk in the Park...

2010-02-02T10:41:00.000-08:00

Wade needed some outside time this past Saturday even though it was pretty cold. So, we took him down to our little neighborhood park. He loved the swings and slides! :)

Vlasic Pickle Commercial...

2010-02-02T08:23:00.000-08:00

This commercial is so darn funny to me and I rarely see it on TV. Last week I saw it though and it made me go looking for it! We have DVR so I got Gary to keep playing it over and over for me as I laughed and laughed! Most of you know how much I LOVE pickles so I think it is fitting! Hope you like it as much as I do!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QmoV617pR1Y

Food For Thought...

2010-02-02T07:00:00.000-08:00

This is a little phrase I heard last night while indulging in a little reality TV - The Bachelor. Sorry folks, I can't resist and the current Bachelor reminds us both so much of our dear friend Holcomb so it is extra interesting this season! Plus, with Wadey going to bed now in the 7 o'clock hour I am a free woman to do as I please! :)

YOU DON'T HAVE TO HAVE A PERFECT MARRIAGE TO HAVE A PERFECT LOVE...

I just really liked that he said that to one of the ladies he's interested in because it is so true. I, especially, tend to get caught up in "trying" to do everything perfectly. That is pure insanity because there really is no such thing. What is important in life is not perfection, in fact, most people don't even notice when you do something you consider to be perfect. It's a good reminder for me to just Let Go and Let God because we are all on His plan anyway. I'm throwing up my chips and saying OK God, I heard you, and I'll get back on the wagon once again because I know you will love me just as I am. If I were made to be perfect then I would be a Saint and God did not make me to be like that. He knows me better than I know myself and I need to have Faith in Him always and He will lead the way! Amen?

Have a wonderful day today!

Puffs

2010-01-28T19:24:00.000-08:00

Tonight, our little Wadey has conquered yet another milestone...PUFFS! :) We have had them for a while but he just didn't seem ready for them yet. They are the Happy Bellies brand of organic apple puffs. Then tonight Gary tried them out again and he loves them! It's so funny to watch him grab for them with his little hands. He doesn't grip them really but more like grabs them with all four fingers still out straight. He misses his mouth sometimes and they stick to his bib! Of course Gary and I are right there in front of him acting like we're chewing puffs too so Wade won't just swallow them whole like he tried to do the first time I gave them to him. Go Wadey!

Band #2 Is On It's Way...

2010-01-27T13:28:00.000-08:00

At last week's appt. the idea of Wade already being ready for a 2nd band was brought up. It was decided after taking another photo study of him that some major adjustments to the 1st band would be tried first. He is suppose to wear the 1st band they said for 8-12 weeks. He has been in it for about 7 weeks so far but his head is growing much faster than they anticipated thus he is growing out of it.

At this week's appt. it was clear, without a doubt, that he is ready for the 2nd band. So they re-imaged him with their high tech doo hickey and the 2nd band is being custom manufactured as we speak. It will be in next Wed. so we will trek down to Austin for another fitting appt. We're hoping that he will continue this rapid growth and speed right out of this 2nd one too. Then...Graduation Day as they call it will have arrived! :)

Wade - The Animal Lover (Just like his Mommy!)

2010-01-27T12:24:00.000-08:00

We went to a neat little place right next door to our work in Southtown last Friday called The Friendly Spot, (http://www.thefriendlyspot.com/) to kick the weekend off. It is a great place to have a quick drink, chat with friends and let the kiddos play. Here are a couple of pix of Wade and his new friend!

And here are a couple from Colleen's house during the day when Mommy & Daddy are at work!

Ah!, 7 Months Old & Happy Birthday

2010-01-26T08:57:00.000-08:00

Well, it has finally happened. The goo-goo, gaa-gaas are done and we are officially moving on to Ahs! Last night while I was feeding Wade in his booster seat he kept saying "Ah, Ah, Ah". So, I decided that I was going to communicate the Ahs right back. We had an Ah match if you will, back and forth. You should have seen the look and smile on his face when he realized that Mommy could Ah too! It was truly one of those moments everyone tells you about, the warm fuzzy ones that keep you going. For the first time I really felt like I was talking to him and he was talking to me. Of course now I feel sure that Ma-Ma is in our near future! After the initial Ahs, when I would start saying Ah he would stop what he was doing, smile, and Ah back! We tried to show Daddy when he got home but stage fright set in and it wasn't the same as before. I think Gary believes I'm making it up but he'll see it sooner or later.

On another wonderful note, my little man is 7 Months Old Today! Time is really starting to fly by. Before we know it we'll be planning his 1st birthday. We're already thinking about a Cookie Monster theme! I have a lot of really cute ideas for it! :)

We would also like to wish Grandad (Gary's Dad) a special birthday today! We wish we were there to celebrate it with you! HAPPY BIRTHDAY! We love you!

Tangled Christmas Lights

2010-01-20T19:38:00.000-08:00

It occured to me today during my MDO what life with Wade feels like sometimes - a wadded up ball of multi-colored Christmas lights that I am always trying to unravel. And that made me think of a quote by Maya Angelou I once read in an email:

"I've learned that you can tell a lot about a person by the way he/she handles these three things: a rainy day, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights." (Maya Angelou)

Here's to rainy days, lost luggage, and tangled Christmas tree lights. May you always be in my life!

S.O.S. - MDO Needed!

2010-01-20T19:24:00.000-08:00

I love my Wadey very much but recently he has tested me to my limits with nursing so it was time to raise my flag at Pancho's and say - "can't do it anymore, need an MDO!" This was the only way to keep me afloat this week. So today I enjoyed a little mid morning nap, a long hot bath, running errands by myself, and then my Dad came over to keep us company while Gary was at his out of town meeting. I feel better, a bit more relaxed for now at least.

I've been nursing Wade for almost 7 months now but recently his eating needs have changed and my body just isn't keeping up with him. He is eating solids like a champ now and has a pretty good menu of foods on his resume. However, since the Whataburger drive-thru blog things have just continued to go down hill. He just isn't interested in sitting down for a calm feeding anymore and because of this he has not been getting the 32 oz. he needs a day. I gave in and tried a little bit of formula the pedi gave us at his last check up and he hates it. I can't say that didn't make me feel good for a minute that he only wants my milk but he's not taking in enough of that either. So, the last week has been an emotional rollercoaster for me. It has really hurt me that my body is not keeping up. My goal has always been to nurse him for a year. I've tried pumping each feeding but that almost bought me a ticket to Looneyville so that didn't workout. Then you mix in that I am back working part time and pumping at work too. So, the first thing I did today for my MDO day was call my pedi for some advice. We talked it out and I am feeling better about things now. He is only needing 1 supplemental feeding a day right now of formula to keep up with the 32 oz. a day thing. She suggested another formula to try so I went and bought that to start trying tomorrow. She also told me a few tips on introducing the formula like having Gary feed it so Wade doesn't associate me with it and to mix it in with his cereal or even my milk for a few feedings to get him use to it. She said any amount of my milk he gets is better than nothing. So we'll give all of this new advice a try and see where that gets us. To be continued...

A Quote From My Dad...

2010-01-20T19:04:00.000-08:00

Here is a little wisdom my Dad sprinkled on me today! Thanks Dad, I love you!

You Don't Have To Be Perfect To Be A Perfect Parent

Update & Possible 2nd Band Coming...

2010-01-20T10:13:00.000-08:00

My Dad, myself and Wade have all been making the weekly trips to Austin together for his band adjustments for about the last 5 weeks. He has grown/re-shaped 20 mm. so far and his head is looking more rounded each week. Wade loves his PT Amy so much, he smiles as soon as she walks in the room, and she is great with him. At this week's visit we almost had to fit him for another band because it seems as though he is growing out of the 1st one already. After lots of picture taking, measurements and collaboration between Amy, myself, and the head PT in the Arizona corporate office, it has been decided to make some major adjustments to the 1st band and see what has happened by next week's appt. It must be the breast milk and pureed chicken we're feeding him cause he is growing leaps and bounds. :) It looks like we hit it right during a growth spurt or something cause Amy said she didn't even expect this much progress this quickly! Yay for Wade! We'll keep you posted!

Brachycephaly

2010-01-19T14:29:00.000-08:00

The best way to start this blog is to check out the website first and learn what Brachycephaly is: http://www.cranialtech.com/

Our pediatrician, at the time, was the first person to tell us about the DOC band. It wasn't brought up to us until his 4 month check up though and we were just told more tummy time, which we were already doing, and we'd see how his head was at the 6 month check up. Well, thank goodness for some divine intervention because Wade didn't need to wait 2 more whole months to get the band...he needed it at 4 months! We were already behind thanks to a non-proactive pediatrician. I guess he went to the snail college of pediatrics or something. Come on guy, this is why we come to you, we are first time parents, we need YOUR guidance and experience in situations like this, not the wait and see approach. Time is precious when you are dealing with an infant's growth rate! After 2 years of age, this is only fixed by surgery for peat's sake. Ugh! What did I say in my first blog back? YOU have to be your child's advocate??? Yes, this is where we learned that!

So, my Mommy instinct told me that this wasn't right but we thought well, he has the medical degree so he must know what he's doing right? WRONG! It just so happened that we took Wade back in to see the pedi at 5 months for something completely unrelated and we saw our pedi's partner. She couldn't get past the flatness of Wade's head to even discuss what I thought I was really there for! Her son had the same issue and she referred us to Cranial Technologies in Austin where her son went. Thank goodness someone stepped up and helped him! SHE, however, was a whole other can of worms though. Imagine me and Wade in the office there with her, the amazement and judgement in her eyes of his head shape, and me feeling about 1 foot tall at that point from the look she's giving me. I'm trying to start dialogue with her about this condition that I've just become savvy to and when I asked her why a band was necessary the only thing she was able to utter after what seemed like an eternity of awkward silence was..."well, you don't want the kids to make fun of him do you!" WHAAAAAAAT LADY???? That is all you can to say to me, that is your medical reasoning for the band, seriously? There are numerous medically necessary reasons for getting this band we have learned, allow me to list them for you:

1. spinal cord is too close to the back of the head, could cause serious injury if he was ever in an auto/sports accident
2. TMJ
3. facial asymmetry
4. middle ear infections
5. migraine headaches
6. chronic ear infections
7. the need for orthodontic work in the future
8. he could have trouble being fitted for glasses if he needs them and for sports helmets

Obviously I understood the cosmetic aspect of getting the band, but what is the medical reasoning for getting it? It's not like insurance covers this, we would like to know exactly what we are getting into here. Mind you, again, this was my first realization that yes indeed he had a condition that wasn't going to just work itself out. I needed once again the guidance and experience of my pediatrician and all I got was judgement and patronizing. This may not seem all that bad to you reading this but imagine yourself, with your child, in this position...I don't know maybe you had to be there? Her son had just gone through the same exact thing so you would think that she would be more understanding about the situation but I guess that's what I get for assuming.

With all of that said, we made an appt. for Wade the very same week in Austin and this is what the pediatric physical therapist at Cranial Technologies diagnosed him with - severe Brachycephaly caused by...drum roll please...too long in utero aka in the birth canal. This is the same reason why the pediatrician's son had to have to band, go figure. It was out of our control. You can point fingers all day long. Why did my OB let me go so long before delivering knowing that I have a small frame and that I was 90% effaced for 3 weeks before she finally induced me? Why did the pediatrician not say anything to us at the 2 month check up about Cranial Technologies? Why doesn't insurance allow more covered ultrasounds? Why, why, why, Etc, etc. etc. It all boils down to this, per the pedi PT, he spent too long in utero/birth canal, he was a big baby for my small frame, he was born face up after an hour and a half of pushing, he has to sleep on his back. All of these things have contributed to his head shape and the fact that his head has never had the chance to shape itself out. No amount of tummy time was going to fix something that started in utero she said.

Wade wears his band 23 hours a day and it is as light as a box of kleenex. He has not minded wearing it thank goodness. Because he has 3 areas of concern, he may have to get a 2nd band. He will wear this one for 8 - 12 weeks. I can't say enough about Amy and the staff at Cranial Technologies. They were a breath of fresh air after dealing with the pediatricians. We have since left that pedi and moved on. The band can be decorated and we are thinking about a possible Astros theme. We are making weekly trips to Austin for adjustments to the band as he grows.

Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers as we start this journey!

Splish, Splash Wade Was Taking A Bath...

2010-01-18T14:30:00.000-08:00

...long about a Saturday night! :) Ok...so you are probably wondering what is so special about a daily rub-a-dub-in-tha-tub right?!?! My little swimmer had us in stitches this night. He usually starts out in his inflatable tub with a little bath toy friends play...you know the crab, duck, dolphin, turtle and of course pelican! Then we move on to sucking all of the water out of the wash cloth. A little slap the water and get Mommy wet and then we move on to the main attraction folks...Tummy swimming! It might be an Olympic sport that they just don't show on TV since Michael Phelps is a camera hog! Ha! :) Wade LOVES to get on his tummy with his arms over the side of the tub and kick his legs like he is swimming. However, this night he was soooo funny doing it that Gary and I both couldn't contain our giggles. He was swimming so hard this time as though he was trying to get to China or something. But... once he saw how funny we thought it was...the race was on! He would swim and kick and then stop, turn to look up at us with his little snaggle tooth smile, giggle, and start all over again! It was priceless! Gary said to me afterwards that he USE to be the only person that could make me laugh like that...now there are 2! :)

Whataburger Drive Thru

2010-01-13T13:50:00.000-08:00

As many of you may know I am a passionate nursing Mother now. Nursing has become my favorite, most coveted part of Mommy hood thus far. Some could even go as far, and have, as to call me a "granola" about it! It doesn't bother me though because I like granola, especially the Nature's Own crunchy ones! Ha! :) But seriously, I never saw myself being able to do it much less LOVE it when I was pregnant. In fact, it kinda freaked me out and I wasn't really sure that I could make it through it. Perseverance is all I can say. If Gary had not been supporting me in the NICU the first week of Wade's life, and a few times after we got home, I would not have made it. I would not have been able to get through the hard part to be able to experience the wonderful part.

In the beginning Wade didn't even open his eyes most of the time when he was feeding. I'll never forget the day he finally opened them looked up and realized "Hey, that's my Mommy feeding me!" It validated me and all that I had been through to get to that point. Then he became even more alert during feedings and played with my necklace that Gary gave me for Mother's Day last year, played with my wedding ring and pulled his blanket up to his face etc. He has started to notice Ralph & Belle when they are in the room with us too. Ralph is a staple but Belle comes and goes. Then came the stop/start feedings where he would feed, then stop to glance around at his room for a brief second, then start to feed again.

NOW, however, he feels that he is at the Whataburger drive thru. He's got this whole feeding thing down pat now, he thinks, and can stop and start as he pleases. He stops to play with the tag on his blanket. He stops to look at the ceiling fan and blow bubbles at it as he giggles. He stops to check out what Ralph is doing. He stops when Gary enters the room. He stops when he hears the garbage truck coming down the street. He stops for no reason at all and holds his hand out as if to say "Heeeyyyyy baby" to an imaginary person in the room and then goes back to feeding. I'm trying not to take it personally but darn it, eat already and let's move on! So my now peaceful, bonding, special time is too slow and boring for him. Ahhhh, and thus the cycle begins...I better hold on to my boot straps cause it's about to start going by even faster! Yes people, I know, this is why everyone says until they are blue in the face to you "enjoy it now, cause it goes by so quickly!" Ugh, I HATE cliches!

6 1/2 Months after Delivery

2009-12-03T12:40:00.001-08:00

I would like to start blogging again with a few quotes that help sum up the last 6 1/2 months of our lives:

~ You have to find your new normalcy

~ What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

~ I'm so busy that by the end of the day I have no idea where I've been

~ Children are one of the greatest gifts from God

~ You have to be your child's advocate

~ Don't believe everything you hear or are told

~ Do what works best for you and your family

I've been away for about 6 1/2 months from blogging. So much has happened, as you can imagine, so I am going to start back with daily (hopefully) blogs mixed in with thoughts and stories from the past 6 1/2 months.

First, and foremost, I LOVE BEING A MOMMY AND MY SON CAME STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN! :) He has shown me just how strong I am inside and out. He has tested me in every way possible up to this point. This is an experience that you have to go through yourself to ever even begin to understand. No one can prepare you for this journey. Every child IS different. Thank you to all that have loved, supported and prayed for us! Wade is the most amazing little soul . He has far surpassed what I could have ever imagined he would be. Every single day I get up anticipating what new purpose he will bring to my life. God is great, and it is by His love and grace that we have this perfect little person to love and guide. We are proud parents...can you tell!??! :)

With all of that said...."Gentlemen, start your blogging!" Vrrrrrrrrroooooooommmmm!

A Note to Wade from Mommy & Daddy...

2009-06-23T16:40:00.000-07:00

Our precious gift from above is about to be here with us and we have so many emotions running through our hearts and minds right now. Excitement, nervousness, fear, joy, faith, anxiousness...I could go on and on. I would have to say the part I am the most excited about it looking at you and holding you for the first time and then looking up at your Daddy with that big smile he's gonna have on his face, dimples and all! I know he is going to be so proud of his new Son and of me for getting through the labor. This has been said to be the best feeling in life and that it just gets better from there. We feel so blessed that God has chosen us to be parents. It was almost this time last year when we had the miscarriage but what a difference a year makes! We were talking last night about the word Faith and how that gets us through all times good and bad. We can't wait for you to get here so that we can teach you all about God, his Grace, and having Faith in Him at all times. Your Daddy can't wait to take you fishing, camping, to play sports or whatever it is you decide to you like to do. He is going to be such a mentor and guide for you as you grow into a man. I can't wait to see the two of you together. I hope to teach you compassion and love for others and the Golden Rule your Great-Grandpa Darby always said "Do unto others as you would have others do unto you". We already talk about your path in life and how we want to be there for you in every way we can as your parents. It's going to be the toughest challenge we have ever faced together but the most rewarding as well. I pray everything will go smoothly with my labor so that we can hurry and get you here with us. Your room is ready, our hearts are wide open and God is watching over us all. What a truly blessed day this will be!
Love,
Mommy & Daddy

Wade to Arrive ~ Friday June 26, 2009!

2009-06-23T11:14:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe it yet but Wade will be here for sure this Friday June 26th! I went to the Dr. today and she scheduled an induction for this coming Friday morning. I check into the hospital at 6:00 a.m. My Dad is flying back to Houston that day unfortunately to tie up some loose ends with his house and get his Corvette but he will be able to go with us for check in and stay until about 10:00 a.m. We're calling all of the Gatesville crew to make arrangements for them to come in too! My Mom and Bill will come up to the hospital at some point as well! The alarm has been sounded people! :) We are so excited and nervous but we can't wait to meet our little Wade! Please keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next several days! We will be posting updates and pics as we can via text, email, blog and Facebook so be checking them!

It's Due Date Day! :)

2009-06-20T10:15:00.000-07:00

Hello all, it's my official due date today! We have been busy cleaning and installing the car seat, putting together the bouncer and watched a baby care DVD we received in one of the classes we took at the hospital. Now we are relaxing and watching a movie with the possibility of taking a nap! We feel pretty prepared around the house at this point with all that has been accomplished. We are still feeling unprepared though as far as what we are about to experience labor wise and once we bring Wade home. I doubt you are really ever ready for that completely though. Still no contractions yet just some off and on menstrual cramps.
Went to dinner with my Dad last night and then went for Italian ice afterwards...yummy! We went over to his new house and checked out how he had arranged everything since the movers came on Thursday. He seems to be getting settled in Ok; we still can't believe he now lives here! It was a nice family night last night! :)
Tomorrow is Father's Day and we are planning a low key celebration since we still don't know if Wade may decide to arrive or not. Church and probably lunch will be about it this year with my Dad. My Step Dad, Bill, wants to try the restaurant Genghis Grill so we plan on taking him out too at some point. Since Gary's Dad, Joe, lives in Gatesville we will give him a call to wish him a Happy Father's Day tomorrow. And as for new Daddy Gary, he has already received 2 books from me, Wade, Ralph & Belle that he wanted and there is still the looming possibility that he may receive a son! :)
HAPPY FATHER'S DAY to all of the wonderful DAD's out there...enjoy your special day!

6/19 Dr. Visit

2009-06-19T09:53:00.000-07:00

Hello, just wanted to drop in and give you the latest update. I went to the Dr. today and she told me that I am now dilated to 2 cm and still 90% effaced. Tomorrow is my actual due date, June 20th, so we'll see if we get an extra special Father's Day gift this year! I've started having pains in my pelvis so I know something is going on in there. The Dr. said that now that I am dilated to 2 cm she would entertain inducing me but I asked if we could wait out the weekend and make that decision at my next appt. on Tues. 6/23 and she said yes. So if he doesn't come by next Tues. I will most likely be scheduling an induction to get the show on the road! Hope everyone has a great weekend and we'll let ya'll know if there is any activity!

Build A Bridge

2009-06-18T07:00:00.000-07:00

This was passed on to me this morning by McKee and I loved it so much I thought it should go on our blog...enjoy!
Today's Daily Word
~ Change ~
I cross every bridge to change with faith and confidence. As I complete one phase of my life, I make ready for the next one. I may be changing from a role as a student to one of being an employee. I may be taking on the added responsibility of owning my own home. I may no longer choose the single life and commit to a lifelong partner. Whatever change I embark on, I build a bridge to my new experience. With planning, insight, and prayer, I trust as I step forward to change. Prayerful reflection is a spiritual component to my bridge of change. I know what is mine to do because God's love and wisdom are guiding me. With faith and confidence, I trust that there is a time and a season for each change. Following divine guidance, I am secure as I cross each bridge to my next destination. "For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven."--Ecclesiastes 3:1
Thanks McKee, we needed to hear that right now! Love you!

Grandpa Darby aka My Dad has officially Moved to SA!

2009-06-17T14:09:00.000-07:00

Yes, it is official...my Dad is officially a San Antonio resident! As many of you may already know my Mom & Step Dad moved here last November and my Dad has made the plunge as well as of yesterday. Oh how Wade is going to enjoy having his Grandparents so close. My Grandparents, God rest their souls, were all very, very special to me growing up and throughout my life so I am looking forward to seeing the same thing happen for Wade. Gary's parents, Joe & Carol Ann, are just a short 2 1/2 hour drive (much closer than Deer Park was where my parents lived) away as well and are on high alert at this very moment for the "we're in labor" phone call! We'll be making trips to Gatesville to see them and they'll come visit us here too in the future.
So my Dad bought a really neat single family home in North SA where he has a nice back yard that also backs up to a green space like we have. The couple that lived there before him are the first and only owners and are the neatest people you'll ever meet. I mean they left his house in brand new, off the showroom floor condition. He has a deck and lots of built in cabinets in his garage for tools etc. It's a single guys perfect abode. I remember when he was up here looking for homes and we walked into this one and I just knew that it was "the one!" He had lived in the Deer Park/Pasadena area for 64 years before moving here so needless to say this is a BIG change for him!
Welcome to the Hill Country Dad! :)

6/16 Dr. Visit Update

2009-06-16T14:57:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone, I finally have some news to report! After my Dr. visit today I found out that I am 1 cm. dilated and 90% effaced! She said his head is definitely down and that she would be surprised if I made it through another week. So we'll see what happens next...we'll keep you posted! :)

Due Date Week!

2009-06-15T11:47:00.000-07:00

Holy cow, are you kidding me, is this really my DUE DATE WEEK? We can't believe we are here finally! Had a nice relaxing weekend full of sleeping in, movie watching, dinner and walks in the evenings not to mention some nice Sonic ice cream to top it all off! :) We know our days like this are numbered so we took full advantage and don't feel a bit guilty for doing so! We still managed to get a few more things done around the house too preparing for Wade's arrival. Thank goodness for Gary because my snail pace and inability to multi-task anymore doesn't really get a lot done these days. He runs circles around me; I just putt-putt around doing small stuff now. I miss him so much when he goes to work now and I am here at the house!

So I thought for fun I would post the guesses for Wade's arrival so we can start crossing some of them off as they have come and gone! Thanks for the idea Claudia! :)
Gary aka Daddy - June 15th
Jennifer Dillard - June 16th
My Mom - June 16/17th
Tara - June 17th
Karen/Ashley/Melissa Faifer - June 18th
Charley Weaver - June 19th
Claudia - June 20th
Nicole aka Mommy/Debbie - June 22nd
Caroline/McKee/Melissa Rojas - June 25th
Liz - June 26th
Kim P. - Monday Baby
Still accepting guesses folks...just email me and I will add you to the list! I have a Dr. appt. tomorrow at 10:30 so we'll see if there is any news!

Luke...Come to the Dark Side....

2009-06-13T11:34:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is just a funny story that I had to share with you from last night. Gary and I went to get some Italian ice at this new little place that opened by our house for dessert. We sat outside and enjoyed our treats and chatted about the week we've had and all that is on our horizon. The subject came up that I have been doing this strange snoring thing at night when I'm sleeping. It's been going on for a while now as I keep getting bigger and at first I was in denial about it but now I am certain that I am doing it and so is Gary. It wakes me up when I do it and apparently it wakes Gary up too. I just love being pregnant and all of the wonderful things that happen to you when you are. This isn't your typical snoring that I'm doing though. It's not through my nose it is in my throat and it sounds more like I am sucking in air and choking a bit - nice, I know! As we were talking about it and trying to describe exactly what it sounded like I saw the light bulb go off in Gary's head and there it was. He said "it sounds more like Darth Vadar from Star Wars than snoring!" And there you have it people, I am now being compared to Darth Vadar as though having a watermelon belly was not hard enough to deal with! I cracked up laughing and couldn't stop for quite a while after that one!

What A Difference 40 Weeks Makes...

2009-06-13T11:29:00.001-07:00

Not much needs to be said about these 2 pics...WOW! The top one is me today starting my 40th week and the other one was me at approximately 8 weeks. Today I am 1 week away from my actual due date of 6/20/09. I've been having some light cramping since my Tues. Dr. appt. when she stripped my membranes but that is it. I go back this coming Tues. to see if I have dilated any. Will keep everyone posted!

The Pergola That Gary Built...

2009-06-13T10:54:00.000-07:00

I wanted to show off my husband's handy work that he has just recently completed. We get so much sun in our back yard and it was unbearable to use our patio because of this. So Gary built a pergola over the slab and deck that were already there. We still have to pick out a stain we like and stain it but all of the structure is complete. He has worked so hard on it and we are enjoying it so much! This morning we went out on the porch and had our decaf coffee and watched our hummingbird, Jetson, go back and forth from our hummingbird feeder to the trees and back again. As you will see in the pics Gary also removed every other board from the back fence so that we could see out into the greenbelt that runs behind our house. We see deer out there all the time! Belle loves to run back there and play Frisbee and Ralph just toodles around sniffing and watering stuff. At night, it's so peaceful to sit on the porch, light the tiki lights, watch the fireflies, stars and moon and kick back! It's our little piece of heaven in the city; we are so blessed to have found a house that had a greenbelt behind it. Eventually we will have a little garden growing out there, more mature vines that will grow over the slats of the pergola and a storage shed for all of Gary's lawn and garden equipment. He plans to build the shed himself too of course! We have more landscaping planned also like a magnolia tree, more vines as I mentioned before, a rock pathway leading out to the back fence gate etc. These things take time though and we have run out of time with Wade due any day now so these projects will be put off until next Spring at least probably. We even bought some wildflower seeds when we were in Fredericksburg at the Wildflower Farm to grow in the yard and right behind the fence in the greenbelt. I have some bluebonnet seeds from my baby shower in Houston that were given away as take home gifts that we will also throw out there. And last but not least, in true Nicole fashion, I also bought some pumpkin seeds and will be planting our own mini pumpkin patch for Wade! :) It's a work in progress but we love it!

COLDPLAY ROCKS!

2009-06-11T08:15:00.000-07:00

We had such a great time at the concert last night! I still can't believe we were there. Since we got there late on purpose we ended up getting a free parking spot! Then when we were walking around searching for our section some ladies spotted us and handed us their nearly floor level tickets!!!!!! What???? I asked them why they were leaving and they said "because we are too old for this". They didn't seem to old to me but I am pregnant and was so happy to be the one to help them out! :) So we then found our new seats and they were awesome! I must say Coldplay puts on a great interactive concert and I was really impressed! I felt Wade move around a little but he still wasn't ready to make any appearances yet. It all happened so fast and feels like a dream today but ahhhhhh, what a dream! Here are a few pics from the evening.

Going to see Coldplay tonight!!!!

2009-06-10T14:23:00.000-07:00

I'm so excited because we are going to see one of our favorite bands tonight - COLDPLAY! It's so crazy because if I ever could have picked 2 people/bands I would have died to see it would have been Kenny Chesney and Coldplay and now we will have seen both before Wade arrives. What are the chances of that??? Coldplay has never even played San Antonio before. Gary is the one that introduced them to me back when we were dating with the song green eyes...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HkjGg_pPJU - Lost
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EqWLpTKBFcU - The Scientist
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QbAZiVRG6h0 - Green Eyes
They are a special band to us and we have many wonderful memories from our relationship with them! We are going to miss the beginning acts and just go to see them. Let's hope I don't go into labor until after they play! :)

6/9 Dr. Visit Update

2009-06-10T14:16:00.000-07:00

Went to the Dr. yesterday and found out that I am still not dilated so the Dr. stripped my membranes to hopefully get me to start dilating. I haven't noticed any change yet though. Here is a brief description of stripping membranes from WebMD -
Stripping the membranes. The doctor will insert a gloved finger into your vagina and move it back and forth to separate the membrane that connects the amniotic sac to the wall of the uterus. This is called "stripping the membranes," and it causes the body to release hormones called prostaglandins, which ripen the cervix and may lead to contractions. You may feel some cramping and have some spotting after this procedure. Usually this method of inducing labor is done in your doctor's office, and you'll be sent home to wait until contractions begin.
Not something I would usually post on the blog but I am getting lots of questions about what stripping the membranes is exactly and honestly I really didn't know until I read this myself. I also found out that my Dr. is on call this weekend so if I deliver between now and next Friday she will definitely deliver me! Yay! However, I believe that Wade is trying to get a 4th trimester out of me and I don't think he will arrive before my due date. I still like June 22nd so we'll see if he is in tune with that. Please continue to keep us in your prayers!

Welcome Naomi Marie Ghormley!

2009-06-10T14:11:00.000-07:00

We would also like to welcome Naomi Marie into the world! She arrived June 8th to the proud parents of Nate and Tamara and big sister Mia. They are all doing well and are waiting to be released from the hospital. We are so happy for you guys and can't wait to meet little Naomi!

Welcome Brayden James Franzen!

2009-06-10T14:06:00.000-07:00

Brayden James came into this world on June 7th to the proud parents of Travis and Kristen! All are doing well and are at home now!!!! Brayden is going to be one of Wade's little buddies if he ever decides to come out! :) Congratulations to The Franzen Family!

6/3/09 Dr. Visit

2009-06-03T16:24:00.000-07:00

Today I went to the Dr. for my weekly check up. I saw a different Dr. within the office because my Dr. is on her anniversary trip. Once again, nothing to report...no activity...Wade is very happy in Mommy's tummy at this time. Of course the Dr. tried to make me feel better and said that this was not a big deal at this time and that tomorrow my water could break and I could be in labor. I guess my look of disappointment prompted him to tell me something for fear that I was not going to get off of his table so that he could see other patients without taking a second look first. He asked me during the exam if I was having any signs of labor and I said no that I believed Wade was quite happy where he was for now and he concurred. What's funny is that half of the time I want to go into labor and then the other half I don't so go figure. We'll see what next week brings!

Congratulations Ashley & Angel!

2009-06-03T10:32:00.000-07:00

My dear friend from Deer Park, Ashley, just got engaged while she was on vacation in Canada last week! Those of you that were at my Houston shower will remember her, she was the super cute blond in the grey dress. Congrats to you and Angel; I wish you both nothing but love and laughter as you embark on this new phase of your life with your best friend. Marriage is a wonderful God given union and I pray that you will enjoy it as much as I have! :) Love you!!!!!!

Friends...

2009-06-03T10:15:00.000-07:00

These were taken over the weekend at Kristen & Travis' couples shower. Melissa was in from Houston and John, Caroline, James & Lauren, Clyde & Cody all came in from Fort Worth. I love and miss you guys SO MUCH! Look at my handsome hubby! :) You gotta love the belly to belly shot with Kristen! Wade & Brayden will soon be playmates - I'm due 6/20 and Kristen is due 6/28!

French Toast, Wildseed Farm & a B&B...

2009-06-03T09:32:00.000-07:00

The anniversary trip was nice and relaxing I must say. Our last hoo-ra before Wade arrives I suppose. We started off by stopping at this little restaurant we'd been curious about for a while in Blanco, TX where I ordered french toast. This was no ordinary french toast as you can see from the picture attached. It was made with homemade bread cut in the size of bricks! Gary chipped in and helped me polish off 2 pieces of this "Texas size" as they say, breakfast. It was truly yummy!

Then we were off and of course my husband has to take the most rural back road he can find on the map to get us there. :) I never was a fan of back roads until I met Gary; now I welcome the adventure of them! On this particular one we found what could have been my anniversary present; a small Texas town for sale! Albert, TX to be exact but I decided with the baby coming and all that taking on the purchase of a town might be a bit too strenuous for us at this time! :) We could have called it Dillard Town or Dillardville! :)

As we approached Fredericksburg we came upon a wildseed farm and couldn't resist stopping since our recent experiences with landscaping our own yard. This place was truly amazing and the pictures do not do it justice. I've never seen so many beautiful butterflies, flowers and hummingbirds in my life. There were a couple of little shops with garden goodies and wildseeds for sale and a deli mixed into the grounds that served ice cream, sandwiches and of course homemade jams and pickled everything. The grounds were immaculate. We strolled around looking at all the flowers and taking pictures for a while; it was very tranquil. We sat on a bench and just took in all of the beauty and peacefulness. Ahhhhhh, not much more of that in our immediate future. http://www.wildseedfarms.com/

Onto Fredericksburg and our B&B. We enjoyed the town and shops as well as a great little cafe for dinner that I highly suggest called Kelly's. The B&B was also immaculate and you felt like you were the only people that had ever stayed there it was so clean! Our cottage was just what we were hoping for, private and peaceful. It was in a garden setting complete with 2 rocking chairs on the front porch. On our way back from dinner last night (we could walk to the cafe from our B&B) we encountered the most fire flies in one area I've ever seen! They were so cool to watch. The day/evening was perfect minus some pretty bad thunderstorms that rolled through town most of the night. The second best part of our B&B was the breakfast they make for you and bring by your cottage every morning. They make everything from scratch down to the cherry pastries and many of the items are made with fresh herbs from the innkeepers herb garden. They set it all up on your little breakfast table in the kitchen for you. It was great! http://www.cottagesatlimestone.com/pages/details.html

Oh what fun we had in such a short period of time! It was nice to reflect back on the last year of marriage and then to look ahead towards the next chapter of our lives together in year 3! Fredericksburg was just far enough away from SA that we felt like we actually got away and since we didn't have any pre-planned places to go while we were there it was relaxing and spontaneous all at the same time! Cheers to another year together!

June 1 - Pack Your Bags Day!

2009-06-01T07:20:00.000-07:00

Many of you may already know that I was waiting until this very day to pack my hospital bags. I felt as though I was "safe" during the month of May but as of June 1 I felt that all bets were off and anything could happen. Well people, TODAY is THAT day! Does that make me nervous, uh duh, does that scare me, uh duh, but...regardless of any of that this makes me more aware that we are going to have a baby THIS MONTH! Holy cow batman! Yep, denial is my friend and I like to hang out there but I'm starting to come out of that cave and realize that we are "in the zone" as Gary was told by someone during a game of washers over the weekend. Now, this is only my first day out of the cave so let's not get too excited...I still have some time right?!?!?!

My 2 year wedding anniversary is tomorrow. What a difference a year makes in our lives. The picture you see above is what we were doing about this time last year! Soaking up rays, in a bikini I might add (me, not Gary!), on the Riviera Maya in Mexico! Oh what fun without a care in the world. Now we are assembling pack n plays and cooking meals and freezing them for Wade's arrival. Don't think we are going to let this anniversary pass us by without a celebration though...oh no...we are headed to Frederickburg, TX tomorrow for a nice little get-a-way at a B&B. We'll enjoy all of the local fare and walk around has long as my ankles will allow me to without my toes threatening to pop off! :) No matter where I am, as long as I am there with Gary it will be the time of my life and then some! HAPPY ANNIVERSARY, I LOVE YOU!

My Constant Companion...

2009-06-01T07:16:00.000-07:00

Many have wondered, "how is Ralph going to adjust to Wade"? Well, here is an idea of what Ralph does while I am in the nursery decorating & organizing! He has found his special place tucked underneath the crib where he has the bird's eye view of all that is going on yet can catch a little nap if the mood strikes him...that is until Wade arrives and the screaming commences. Either way, I think Ralph has found where he can fit into all of this newness that is going on around here! :)

Benjamin's Baptism

2009-06-01T07:06:00.001-07:00

We had the great pleasure of going to our dear friends, Brian & Nubia, son's baptism last weekend! These are a couple of pics forwarded to me by Nubia. The other lovely lady in the pic with us is Tamara. She and I are due right around the same time! Nubia & Tamara's husbands are both Aggies and Gary knew Brian in college. We have been blessed to know both couples since living here in SA and we get together when we can. Nubia is waiting on Tamara & I have to have our little ones so Benjamin can have some new playmates! :) Thank you for inviting us Nubia! We felt so honored to share in such a special day in your lives!

The WADE Signs

2009-05-29T08:55:00.000-07:00

My dear friend Melissa paints as a hobby and was kind enough to offer to paint name signs for Wade's nursery! Take a look at what she came up with; very cute and they fit perfectly on the accent wall. We LOVE them and know that Wade will too. Thank you Mel! :) She paints many other styles of signs and you can see some of them on her blog http://melifaif.blogspot.com/. Check out the blog on Tuesday May 12th for some of her samples!

Peanuts Philosophy

2009-05-27T12:13:00.000-07:00

The following was the philosophy of Charles Schulz, the creator of the 'Peanuts' comic strip.

1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world.
2. Name the last five Heisman trophy inners.
3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America pageant.
4. Name ten people who have won the Nobel or Pulitzer Prize.
5. Name the last half dozen Academy Award winners for best actor and actress.
6. Name the last decade's worth of World Series winners.

How did you do?

The point is none of us remember the headliners of yesterday.
These are no second-rate achievers.
They are the best in their fields.
But the applause dies..
Awards tarnish.
Achievements are forgotten.
Accolades and certificates are buried with their owners.

Here's another quiz. See how you do on this one:
1. List a few teachers who aided your journey through school.
2. Name three friends who have helped you through a difficult time.
3. Name five people who have taught you something worthwhile.
4. Think of a few people who have made you feel appreciated and special!!
5. Think of five people you enjoy spending time with.

Easier?

The lesson:
The people who make a difference in your life are not the ones with the most credentials..
the most money...or the most awards.
They simply are the ones who care the most.

''Be Yourself. Everyone Else Is Taken!"

Thoughts for the Day...

2009-05-27T12:05:00.000-07:00

Opportunity may knock once, but temptation bangs on your door forever.
Quit griping about your church; if it was perfect, you couldn't belong.
God Himself does not propose to judge a man until he is dead so why should you?
Some minds are like concrete, thoroughly mixed up and permanently set.
We were called to be witnesses, not lawyers or judges.
Be ye fishers of men. You catch them - He'll clean them.
Coincidence is when God chooses to remain anonymous.
Don't put a question mark where God put a period.
Don't wait for 6 strong men to take you to church.
Forbidden fruits create many jams.
God doesn't call the qualified, He qualifies the called.
God grades on the cross, not the curve.
God loves everyone, but probably prefers 'fruits of the spirit' over 'religious nuts!
God promises a safe landing, not a calm passage.
He who angers you, controls you!
If God is your Co-pilot - swap seats!
Prayer: Don't give God instructions - just report for duty!
The task ahead of us is never as great as the Power behind us.
The Will of God never takes you to where the Grace of God will not protect you.
We don't change the message, the message changes us.
You can tell how big a person is by what it takes to discourage him.
The best mathematical equation I have ever seen: 1 cross + 3 nails = 4 given.

Last 2 Dr. Appts. Update

2009-05-26T13:08:00.001-07:00

Hello all, well I've been to the Dr. twice now with out reporting back...I know...shame on me! :) So let's see at the last appt. I gained another 3 pounds putting me at a total of 31 pounds gained now. The Dr. said that if things keep progressing the way they are now she thinks the baby will be about 6 1/2 - 7 pounds and she doesn't think at this point that he is coming early. She did a pelvic exam at both appts. and I have not dilated a bit yet. Other than tinkling in a cup for good measure that is about it! :)

San Antonio Baby Shower

2009-05-26T12:58:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at my shower this past Saturday! Gary and I are so truly blessed and both felt overwhelmed in a good way after we set back and took it all in! We received many of the last big items that we needed for Wade's arrival! The food, family and friends were all wonderful! Huge thank you to Kim, Nicole, Kristen, Veronica, Debbie and Jana! You are all very special to me and I appreciate all of the work that went into making my shower so wonderful! And a big thank you to Claudia and Taylor for braving the long drive from Forney to SA and back all in one day! To the Dillards, it was so awesome having you all here for the shower! We wish we could see you more often; thank you so much for making the drive from Gatesville to SA and back all in one day! God just keeps blessing our family and we are so grateful and appreciative! He has placed each one of you in our lives for a reason and we couldn't be happier! Thank you again to everyone that attended and shared in the joy of our little boy on the way!

Welcome Melody Elise Clark! :)

2009-05-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

We would like to welcome the newest addition to our family, Ms. Melody Elise Clark. Proud parents Ryan and Krista are doing well and new Big Sister Chelsea is quickly adapting to her new role. Ryan is my first cousin on my Dad's side of the family; his Mother is my Dad's sister.

Time To Get Up...

2009-05-14T06:58:00.000-07:00

I've been reading that Wade can really hear us now and other sounds and is sensitive to light outside of my tummy etc. and this morning I think he proved that this is true. Gary and I were both stirring but not nearly ready to get up out of bed yet and I can say the same for Wade. Some mornings he's already up and about in there but not this morning. Ha, for once we were ALL on the same schedule! Anyway, Gary's alarm clock went off in the still silence of the new morning and due to no one wanting to get up yet it beeped and beeped much longer than usual. Well, a couple of seconds after Gary turned it off Wade started stretching and moving around. He must have heard it! I hadn't even budged yet myself so I know I didn't wake Wade up. It was a funny moment that I had to share with everyone. Hope you have a wonderful day!

Nursery Update...

2009-05-13T08:01:00.000-07:00

The nursery is really coming together. This weekend we will put the finishing touches on it to be ready for my San Antonio shower coming up on May 23rd. We decided to get a small La-z-boy recliner rather than a glider so we'll pick that up Sat. and that will be the last piece to the puzzle. Gary has worked so hard on all of this; there were so many things I couldn't really help him with. He built the changing table from scratch. Painted all of the walls, added the chair rail, painted the dresser and installed new hardware on it and did many other detailed things to get it in working order. The dresser wasn't finished when we got it from my Dad's; it's the one I used when I was little. There are so many special things are already being incorporated into the nursery too. My ABC block piggy bank that was used in my nursery, my Dad's baseball glove and baseball, an old book with a bedtime prayer on it that my Mom restored many years ago and used in my nursery, an afghan made by my Grandma Sellers years ago for my future children, Wade's first stuffed animal (a puppy dog of course!) from Melissa, a new afghan made by an Aggie friends Mom, Wade's first books from McKee, Caroline and Nicole Duggan, and a sign that reads "You are my Sunshine" this was the song my Dad use to sing to me when he was tucking me in at night! You'll notice these items as you look at the pictures, they are on top of the dresser or hanging on the crib. We are so blessed and are really getting excited for Wade to arrive!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-13T07:57:00.000-07:00

My wonderful hubby surprised me with this beautiful pearl and diamond necklace for Mother's Day! Pearl is the birthstone for June. I LOVE it! :) Thank you Gary!!!

Changing Table...

2009-05-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

The nursery is almost there! Here are some recent pics of the changing table that Gary built. It's now painted and in the nursery...those pics to follow soon!

Ralph Update...

2009-05-11T19:31:00.000-07:00

Well, things are getting back to normal here at the Dillard casa since the dreaded Great Dane attack of '09. Ralph made it through the weekend with antibiotics, anti-inflammatory, and pain meds. Today I took him in for a check up and they removed all of the bandages that made his breathing sound like that of a pot belly pig. He was very happy about that I must say! So all of his wounds are exposed now and we were given an antibiotic/steroid spray to help with the healing process and itching. Here are some pics from the weekend and today. Thanks for all of your thoughts and prayers! It was a very scary situation all weekend but we now feel that Ralph is truly on the mend! We go back next Tues. to remove the stitches.

Shower Pic

2009-05-09T10:56:00.000-07:00

These are pictures of all of us hostesses from Kristen's shower last weekend...

Ralph vs. the Great Dane!

2009-05-09T10:27:00.000-07:00

OMGosh...it has been a whirlwind 24 hours! Last night when Gary got home from work he took both dogs to play in the greenbelt behind our house as he always does. Belle runs the walking trails and catches the frisbee while Ralph mainly just toodles along the fence line sniffing and watering everything he can. All of a sudden Gary hears all of this commotion in the corner neighbor's yard. He realizes that Ralph is no where to be found and starts running over there to see what's going on. Well, Ralph had snuck through a hole in the neighbors fence gate to visit his new pal a Great Dane named Molly. Pal...ha, I don't think so! Molly laid into Ralph like there was no tomorrow for entering her yard. Molly's owner either came out when he heard all of the commotion or was already in the yard and was trying to shoo Ralph back out. Thank goodness the owner was around to get Molly to stop! So here comes Ralph squeezing back through the hole in the gate like a bandit. Gary sees the blood on both sides of his neck and rushes him into the house. I'm then told what has just occurred and immediately start calling our vet for a referral of an ER clinic. We get Ralph to the ER and he was stable at the time, no gushing etc. Finally they saw him and once they got him shaved we were able to assess the damage. Two puncture woulds on the left side of the neck and a huge laceration on the right side. It seems that Molly grabbed him in her mouth from behind and the puncture wounds were from the front teeth and the laceration was from the back teeth. And, from Molly pulling back on Ralph's neck, she separated the skin from the neck muscle from one wound to the other. The Dr. could put a long cotton swab under his skin and run it from one wound to the other. Yuck! The injuries looked pretty bad at that point I have to say. The Dr. at the ER suggested they "pack" the laceration with saline drenched gauze and wrap the neck up so that we could take him home rather than have to spend the night. We wanted to take him to our vet and see what they had to say before we decided on a treatment method. So they gave him some pain meds and antibiotics and we were able to bring him home....over 4 hours later! Got up this a.m. and took him to our vet where we decided to stitch everything up rather than have a surgery that would leave a drainage tube in his neck for a week! When I took Ralph to the vet this past week for his annual exam they found that he has a mild heart murmur so after all he had just been through, and knowing of the heart murmur now, we didn't want to put him through more than we had to. So that's where he is now getting all stitched up and I'm waiting on a call anytime to go and pick him up. We may have to take him back in if he develops any fluid under the loose skin on his neck during his recovery or if he starts to get an infection. Whew, it's been a rough 24 hours for our poor Ralphie! Please keep him in your prayers for a full and speedy recovery with no complications!

Kenny Chesney Tonight!!!!

2009-05-01T08:05:00.000-07:00

And now for some absolutely fabulous news....we're going to see my favorite country singer tonight, Mr. Kenny Chesney! One of my old friends and co-workers from my very first job in Houston contacted me yesterday with the tickets because the concert is here in SA. She wanted to know if I knew anyone that would be interested in them and I said heck yea, me, my belly, and my hubby! :) They are floor seats so hopefully I will be able to see over the people in front of us but that may not matter as hubby and I will be dancing in whatever space we are allowed to all of our favorite songs! Several of his songs have inspired kitchen dancing in our house for the past almost 3 years! We even made sure the DJ at our wedding reception played our favorite Kenny songs so we could dance the night away! Just for the record though I am not in love with Kenny himself like most of the ladies there tonight will be; I just really, really love his music! I like 'em tall, dark, and handsome and I've already got me one of those. :) Now if we can just avoid getting the Swine Flu that is going around everything will be perfect. Please say a little prayer for us about that!

Last Day of Work...Bittersweet...

2009-05-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

Today is my official last day of work until my sweet little Wade arrives in June. It's bittersweet though because I have truly enjoyed my time here at HSI Design and have made some wonderful new friends. :) What a blessing this has been and I am thankful for my time spent here. Now I am off to focus 100% on Wade's arrival and the months thereafter with him! Thanks to everyone at HSI for making me feel like such a part of the group!!! You will truly -be missed!

Carpal Tunnel...

2009-05-01T07:48:00.000-07:00

Well, I have started to feel the affects of carpal tunnel in my hands and shoulders the past couple of weeks. It seems to be getting worse each week too. I was already having back and neck muscle soreness but now my hands are under attack too! I wake up every morning feeling like I've been in a fight or have aged about 20 or so years! My hands are not that swollen yet but the fluid I am retaining is enough to cause the soreness. In the mornings when I first get up I can't even fold my fingers all the way into my palms; not from swelling but from soreness. I take a hot bath each morning just to get my achy self out the door. It lasts all day long and works its way into my palms and shoulders. Nothing to be done about it though except "blog vent" as I am doing now. Hmmmm...I think I just coined another Nicole-ism as my dear friend Caroline calls my made up phrases and words. Blog venting....yep, that's my new one! :) Just for the record folks, I'm not complaining, I am merely blog venting because my poor hubby can only hear the same broken record for so long you know?!!?! But let me also say that I consider this a blessing like any other and am still so thankful for our little June arrival despite any pregnancy symptom I experience.

Touch

2009-04-29T21:02:00.000-07:00

Touch is such an amazing thing to be able to experience. I say this with much more conviction now. This morning as I was laying in bed I experienced what I call my first communication with Wade. I've been feeling him poking, kicking, doing somersaults etc. for a while now and up until this morning have said that this was the best part of pregnancy. I'm on a whole new level today though! So I was laying there half way on my side and half way on my back just enjoying the silence of the morning before we got up and started our usual morning routine. Wade was up and stretching and moving all around like he usually does. But I guess due to the position I was laying in he had lots of room to stretch out as he pleased. On my left side I kept feeling his foot push into my side and drag along my side. He did this twice so I thought "I'm going to put my hand there and see what his little foot feels like to touch!" So I put my hand there and patiently waited for the next foot movement thinking about all that I needed to do today and then he did it again. I waited while he drug his foot along my side and then I gently touched it with my hand. He stopped moving and just held it there while I was touching it! I expected him to immediately move it away but instead he kept it there and let me rub it! In my book, that constitutes my first interaction with him! I've always known he was there but now he knows I'm there too! This is now my most favorite memory of pregnancy! :)

Nursery Under Construction...Beep,Beep,Beep!

2009-04-26T11:39:00.000-07:00

Wade's nursery is under construction as we speak. Gary has been busy putting the crib together that my Dad gave us, painting the dresser we got from my Dad's that I used when I was little, and adding chair rail to the walls and painting them. After all of this he will begin making the changing table and some extra shelving for the room and closet. It's really starting to come together in there. BIG THANKS to my Hubby for all of his hard work! :) I love you! These are a few pics to get an idea of what we're up to...

4/21/09 Dr Visit Update

2009-04-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

Sorry this is slow getting out. My big belly keeps from doing things like I usually would! :) Dr. appt. went great! My Mom came with me and got to hear the heartbeat for the first time. We take these things for granted these days but they didn't have listening to the heartbeat and sonograms back in the day. She and my Dad didn't know what they were having until I arrived. So let's count our blessings that we live in today's world of technology, Amen! I've only gained another 3 pounds I am happy to report and my big belly is measuring on target per the Doc. I'll start going every 2 weeks now so I thought I would post my upcoming appts. for those that are following the blog:
5/5/09 - 10:30 a.m.
5/19/09 - 9:45 a.m.
5/26/09 - 10:30 a.m.
6/3/09 - 3:45 p.m.
6/9/09 - 10:30 a.m.
6/16/09 - 10:30 a.m.
Hopefully that will be it but only time will tell. Ya'll have a great weekend! I'll have new belly and nursery pics up for you by Monday!

Next Dr. Appt.....

2009-04-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

My next Dr. appt. is this coming Tuesday at 4:45 p.m.

Here Birdie, Birdie!

2009-04-19T16:04:00.000-07:00

Ok, this is entry is not to be confused with the Here Turkey, Turkey entry. I truly mean Here Birdie, Birdie on this one! My sister and brother-in-law gave us the cutest A&M bird house for Christmas one year and we have it hanging proudly up on one of our crepe myrtles in our back yard. Well this really tiny little bird (we think maybe she is a Blue Martin?) has taken it over and the other day Gary noticed that there were lots of little cheeps coming from it. Sure enough, little mama bird has some babies in there! Gary named the mama bird Teeny because she is so small. We enjoy watching her go in and out of the bird house with food and new twigs etc. she has picked up along the way. It's kind of a parallel experience to what we're going through right now in our lives; having a baby, decorating the nursery, becoming parents etc. It's really cool to have Teeny and her little family living in our special bird house. We hope they come back next year too!

Knitted Cupcakes

2009-04-19T16:00:00.000-07:00

Most of you know how much I enjoy baking and that I absolutely LOVE cupcakes! Well, a friend of mine recently introduced me to these super cute knitted cupcakes so I thought I would pass them on to anyone else that might love cupcakes as much as me! :) I also collect porcelain and other types of cupcakes for my kitchen!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=23051943
Happy baking...uh I mean knitting! :)

Spring Cravings!

2009-04-06T14:02:00.000-07:00

Spring Cravings was the theme this weekend at my Houston shower. It was an amzing day filled with close friends, great food and lots of laughter. Huge thanks goes out to McKee, Melissa and Caroline for all that you did! I'm so thankful to have you all in my life and blessed to call you dear friends. The details were perfect, the food was oh so yummy, and the girl time was much appreciated. Here are some of my favorite pics from the shower...

Baby Classes

2009-04-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

It's truly amazing that I've remembered to make it to class at all with my pregnancy brain but somehow we have managed to make it to 2 so far; Breastfeeding and Prepared Childbirth. Gary went with me to both classes the wonderful, supportive, hands on Dad that he is! :) We both felt that they were extremely helpful. We learned many things we did not know and it has made us both feel more prepared. I say prepared loosely because I know all of you Moms and Dads are like "yeah right, you are never prepared for what's about to happen". So, I guess you could say we feel better informed and less in the dark about many subjects and we had our questions answered that we were unsure about. Don't get us wrong - they also scared us a bit more in the classes too! :) There, are you happy now!?!?! :) I'm coming to grips with the fact the stork indeed does not bring the baby. That scary video they showed us sure proved that! Epidural cocktail for one please! :)

3/31/09 Dr. Appt.

2009-04-02T18:12:00.001-07:00

No big news to report other than my belly! :) Ha! I find that balance is hard to keep sometimes these days. I did the dreaded glucose tolerance test and honestly it didn't taste that bad. I had the clear lemon-lime flavor and it tasted a lot like Sprite. My glucose level came back just fine but my hemoglobin (red blood cell count) came back low so I'm now taking an iron pill everyday. I got a shot of Rhogham for the RH- blood type I have and I'll have to get another one after delivery. The "big" story of the day however was that I've gained 9 flippin pounds since my last Dr. appt.! Whoa, I wasn't expecting that number but as you can see from the new belly pics we posted most of it seems to be in my belly. I hit that growth spurt about 2 weeks ago too. That is when my balance started getting a little off. My Dr. didn't scold me though; in fact she didn't even mention the weight gain. She told me the only bad news she had for me that day was that I had to get that shot. I'll take a good ol fashioned shot over a weight gain scolding any day! :)

Here Turkey, Turkey!

2009-03-20T13:58:00.000-07:00

I had to share this with ya'll! Sunday afternoon Gary and I had the great pleasure of corralling a wild turkey back into the greenbelt behind our house! Gary spotted him over in a neighbor's yard so we went over there and shoo-ed him towards our back yard gate. This, however, was not a successful mission on the first attempt of course. So if you were one of our neighbors looking out of your window you would have seen Gary walking hurriedly after the turkey and a pregnant girl running behind him laughing hysterically! :) Ha, what a mess! After several attempts at this and one neighbor finally coming out of his house to see what all the fuss was about; the turkey flew/jumped over a neighbor's fence. Gary got back there and the turkey flew/jumped the back part of the fence back into his safe greenbelt home! Add to my To Do List for the day...wild turkey rescue...check!

Houston Visit 3/13 - 3/15

2009-03-16T12:31:00.000-07:00

I had the best time this past weekend visiting my closest friends in Houston! Friday afternoon I drove in and stopped by my old job, at The Finger Co., to say hello to some of my old co-worker buddies there. Tara, Cary, Bon Bon, and Susan...it was so good to see you ladies! I truly miss you!!!!!

Then I met McKee and Melissa Rojas at my all time favorite Houston restaurant, Houston's, for some yummy spinach and artichoke dip and dinner. We had a great time catching up and girl talking! It was much needed on my end!

I stayed at McKee's both nights so I could check out her new casa they've just moved into. It was great to see her hubby Azeem and their wonderful dog Bobbie! They made me feel so at home and I slept like I was at my own house! ~BIG THX ~ to you guys for your generous hospitality! :)

Saturday McKee and I went out for a little shopping and lunch. Check out the pics from The Cupcake Cafe where we ate. Those of you that know me, know how much I LOVE cupcakes! This was quite a treat for us! McKee and I both LOVE to bake! Sat. evening we just laid low and watched a movie while waiting for McKee's parents to arrive from Kansas City. It was nice and relaxing!

Sunday I got up early so I could head over to Melissa Faifer's casa and visit with her, Richard and Layla. When I got there little miss Layla was in her too cute Minnie Mouse footed pj's and was playing and talking up a storm! It was really good to see Layla and Richard, it had been a while for me. Mel and I got caught up and talked baby for a while then it was time to get on the road. I am borrowing many baby gear items from them ~ THANK YOU GUYS ~ so Richard loaded up the trailblazer and I was San Antonio bound.

One thing I have yet to mention is my belly growth spurt that occurred literally over night Saturday. My Dr. said that I would probably have another one before my next appt. on 3/31 and she was right! McKee and I both couldn't help but notice it all day Sat. I'll get some new belly pics up soon!

Gary was also out of town this weekend at his annual camp out with all the guys on Devils' River. He got home about 30 minutes after I did Sunday. He had a blast and got to have some long over due guy time with the fellas! He was a little sunburned and hoarse but over all in one piece still! It was soooo good to see him and the dogs! A BIG THANKS to Mom and Bill for taking care of our beloved heathens while we were gone! :)

I Know Where You Are Wade!

2009-03-11T13:58:00.000-07:00

My newest, most awesome, pregnancy moment this past week has been that I can now feel where Wade is in my tummy. When I am laying down at night, he gets comfy in one position and then when I get up for one of my many potty breaks I can feel the heaviness of him on the side he is sleeping on. Sometimes he re-positions and other times I keep feeling the heaviness until I fall back asleep. I can also feel the heaviness when I am standing up but mainly when I am laying down. It's a really cool feeling. He is still moving around all the time too.

Wade is Jumpin, Jumpin!

2009-03-03T13:50:00.000-08:00

You have to be singing the old Destiny's Child song "Jumpin, Jumpin" in your head when you read this entry...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7RBDOT6pcY
Our little Wade was making my belly jump all around yesterday like he was already trying to come out! I just sat there in awe of all the movements I was seeing! Left, right, up, down then back around! I kinda thought he was shooting hoops or swimming laps in there! It was truly amazing so I had to share the experience with you too!

Next Dr. Visit...

2009-03-03T13:49:00.000-08:00

Next Dr. Visit is on March 31st at 2:45 p.m.

March 3rd Dr. Visit

2009-03-03T13:33:00.000-08:00

Here are the highlights:
~Wade is doing great per the Dr. today! She listened to his heartbeat and said it sounded good and confirmed that my due date is still June 20th!
~I have had some kind of allergy/sinus/head cold thing going on since last Tuesday so I was able to confirm with the Dr. today that it has not spread into my chest and it is not an infection! I was SOOOO miserable over the weekend and really haven't felt I was on the upward turn until today! She said to just keep doing what I'm doing and taking what I'm taking.
~I am right on target with my weight gain, 16 pounds so far. I was worried about that because my belly is so big but she said that I'm carrying big and that it's all baby. She said to expect another weight jump by my next appt. and that it would slow down after that.
~I'll be doing the dreaded glucose blood test a week before my next appt. This is when you drink the bottle of glucose they give you an hour before you go and have your blood drawn. It tests for gestational diabetes. The glucose drink itself apparently does not taste so great.
~At my next appt. I'll get another Rhogam shot for my O- blood type.
~I also started experiencing some pelvic/sciatic nerve pain yesterday; I think from all of the coughing I've been doing since last week. Taking Tylenol extra strength seemed to help that thank goodness! I told the Dr. about it and she confirmed it was probably from the coughing and the weight of the baby/my uterus at this point in my pregnancy.

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

Next Dr. Visit...

2009-02-23T19:05:00.000-08:00

My next Dr. visit is March 3rd at 9:00 a.m.

Too Funny Not to Share...

2009-02-23T12:23:00.000-08:00

Fyi...car key fobs do not, I repeat, do not open the front door to your house!!!! I figured this out Sunday during one of my MANY pregnancy moments from the weekend. I was leaving the house and had the car keys in my right hand which I would usually open the door with. Instead of using my left hand or switching the keys to my left hand I just stood there, pointed the key fob at the front door, and pressed. To my dismay, the darn door didn't open! I couldn't quit laughing at myself for that one. I went to tell Gary what I had done before I left so that he could have a chuckle too!

I went to get a FREE prenatal massage this weekend with Kristen at a local massage school. I lucked out and got a lady that was just there doing her continuing education of 12 hours per year to keep her license up. She was awesome to say the least and was full of good baby advice considering she has two herself AND had TWINS for her best friend! What?!?!?! You Go Girl! :) It was very relaxing and just what I needed to help my stretched out back muscles!

I hit 24 weeks this past Saturday so I thought I would celebrate with a new belly pic for the blog! :) Enjoy!

Gary and I spent most of the weekend organizing the office that is now completely moved into our bedroom along with the treadmill. Where do we sleep now you ask? Why on the treadmill of course! :) Just kidding, luckily we have what you call a master suite so amazingly it all fits. I have 3 large boxes for Goodwill after all of the re-organizing too! Get rid of some stuff to make way for all the new!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Carol Ann and David!!!!!! We wish we could have been there to celebrate with you guys!

Hope everyone had a great weekend!

SHOWER DATES!!!

2009-02-19T14:35:00.001-08:00

Houston Shower - Sat. April 4th
San Antonio Shower - Sat. May 23rd
Will post registries when we get that far! :)

Kicking Away!

2009-02-19T14:27:00.000-08:00

My little Wade...just kicking away in there these days! Gary felt him 2 nights ago for the 2nd time ever. I can feel him all during the day now vs. just when I'm in a quite place or sitting still. I think he is going to give his cousin Garrett (our current resident speed racer) a run for his money! The dogs still seem to have no idea what's going on with me. That's surprising because I really thought Ralph would catch on. I guess there is a chance that they could be "just dogs"? I've started walking around the neighborhood since the weather is finally nice out. Can't wait until I can stroll Wade with me and take him to our little neighborhood park.

Nursery Under Construction!

2009-02-17T12:18:00.000-08:00

We have the nursery decorating underway in full force now! We've officially moved the office into our bedroom to make way for the nursery stuff. I went with Melissa and her Mom this weekend to look at fabrics and brainstorm decorating ideas. We've got a couple of favorite bedding sets right now but are still very undecided. Just going into a Babies R Us gets my blood pressure up from all of the decisions to make! I love that Gary is so involved in the nursery too. He has very creative ideas and sees things many times that I don't. Together, I know we are going to come up with something great! When we've made our final decision on colors and/or a theme I will post it for ya'll to see!

William Wade Dillard

2009-02-13T13:45:00.000-08:00

Gary and I have finally decided on a name for our little boy...William Wade Dillard! Here's the history behind the name: William is after my Dad and Grandpa Darby. Wade is Gary's middle name and is the middle name of all of the men in his family since his Great Grandfather. However, we will call him Wade.

I have always loved the name Wade and I'll never forget when I found out that was Gary's middle name. We had only been dating for about a month when I went to meet his family for the first time and watch him walk the stage at Texas A&M to get his masters degree. Before that though, we went to a pre-graduation ceremony, ceremony for his degree program and that is when I heard them announce his full name for the first time. I remember thinking to myself how much I have always loved the name Wade and I couldn't believe that was Gary's middle name. Who knew then, that we would be here now, naming our little boy Wade! :) God is so great isn't he?!?!?

And on a very special note, I would like you to know that today is my Dad's B-day and we decided to announce it today especially for him! :) Happy Birthday Dad!!!! We love you!!!!!

Peek-A-Boo!

2009-02-09T19:58:00.000-08:00

This one is him playing peek-a-boo. He wasn't quite ready to reveal his gender to us yet!

Belly & Head

2009-02-09T19:46:00.000-08:00

This is mainly of his belly and head!

OK, LEG's GO!!!!_02-03-09

2009-02-09T18:07:00.000-08:00

My 1st Official Craving!

2009-02-09T13:55:00.000-08:00

Wanted to report my 1st official gotta have it, gonna die if I don't get it craving I had over the weekend! We had our weekly date night Sat. and went to evening church (so we could sleep in on Sunday!), dinner, then hit Barnes & Noble. We like to make a list of their over priced books we want and then come home and buy them on Amazon.com for at least half the price. That way we get to take a good look at them before we buy! Some might say cheap, but we say smart! :) By that time it was already 11:00 p.m. and all of the ice cream places were already closed. I'd been wanting ice cream since we finished dinner but just figured we would get some eventually so no worries. By the way, before becoming pregnant I never even thought about ice cream...I know...how un-American of me right?!?!? As Gary was finishing up his browsing I became extremely frustrated and impatient realizing that the once care free want had completely over powered me and I couldn't even think straight anymore for fear that I was not going to be able to get my now beloved ice cream! The feeling I had was like I was going crazy; I truly couldn't focus on anything else and felt as though I was going to perish if I did not get my ice cream. Luckily, and I do mean luckily, there was an HEB in close proximity so we ran over there and I bought MYSELF a gallon of Blue Bell dutch chocolate and Gary got himself some Klondike bars for I was not sharing mine, at least not that night! :) Whew, that was a close one folks! :)

blue or pink

2009-02-05T10:04:00.000-08:00

I just want to make it clear that a little baby girl would have been very special too! In fact, we had already discussed what the nursery would be like in the event it was a little girl. Who knows, it may be part of the plan some day!

BTW, we're going to try and add the Sonnagram video tonight, so stay tuned.

And the Blog Begins...

2009-02-04T12:24:00.000-08:00

Ok, Ok we are finally blogging! I must say that up until the last few weeks there hasn't been much you've missed if you already knew we were pregnant. The first trimester was only exciting the day we found out we were pregnant. I was constantly nauseous, tired, and moody and never felt "the glow" they talk about.

The 2nd trimester however has been completely different! Thank you God! :) I feel better over all and started to feel the baby move at about 17 weeks. It's really been a milestone for me (feeling the baby move) and has made "the glow" ever obvious per my wonderful hubby! I now truly enjoy being pregnant! Gary even felt the baby kick twice on Jan. 23rd! You should have seen his huge smile!

Yesterday, Feb. 3rd, we went to the Dr. and found out we are having a little BOY!!!!! Again, you should have seen Gary's smile and the pride he felt after finding out. That made my heart so happy! We both wanted a boy first. We're tossing around two combos of names for him and will let you know once we decide. I am now in my 21st week and 5th month.