Neglected

I know I have neglected my blog...YET AGAIN, however, in my defense, I have been faced with circumstances lately that have me rather.....um......stressed.
Everything is going well with Baby Powell. I have 18 weeks left. I still get sick several times a day (most days) but I have my energy back! YES!
A day without nausea is so exciting for me! We do not know the baby's gender because apparently it's stubborn like its daddy :) he he! Shh....don't tell him I said that!

Matt and I were recently faced with a huge situation. I don't want to say what that situation is right now, maybe in the near future, but we are all healthy and we know with the Lord's guidance we can overcome this.
We never think about how we can have it all one day and the next things can be the total opposite. Be thankful every minute of everyday for everything you have! It isn't until something is snatched from us that we realize how much we had or for us...we see how much we do have!
This is an unsettling time for us, so we can use a lot of prayers! Thank God the good Lord never neglects us, like I have my blog! I apologize again and promise to try to do better!

My sweet Sydney

Sydney is growing everyday, but she will always be mommy's baby.

Sydney is an All-American girl

Sydney loved her paci until the paci fairy came one night :)

Sydney loves to cheer on the DAWGS with her daddy

Sydney is a country girl at heart

My sweet Sydney is kind and has a big heart and beautiful blue eyes.

Sydney is a diva when she wants to be.

No matter how big you get, you will always be my sweet baby girl. I can't believe in a week you will turn 4. You are so smart and I know you can do anything you want to do.

mommy loves you sweet girl!

So...I have a new blog design, Thanks to my sweet, caring and giving friend, Cristin! Check out her creations at http://creativecreationsbycristin.blogspot.com/
She is so talented! I wish I was crafty and creative like she is.
Thank you again, Cristin!! :)

Baby Powell...week 9

So this past Thursday, I was 9 weeks. I feel and look huge already. I still have A LOT of nausea and get sick around 4 times a day. I have to be careful not to lay flat while resting and to not let my stomach get completely empty, because that seems to make it worse.
I am so excited about our new addition! I can't wait to hold our new baby and to see Sydney teach "it" all the mischevious things she knows! :)

I am not resting well at night, but I think if I COULD, I would sleep all day. Of course, with a very active soon-to-be 4 year old, that isn't possible! Sydney won't start pre k until next year because the cut off date was 4 years of age on or before September 1st...her birthday is September 12! I mean really, 11 days!!!! So, I sign her up for school this coming March, the same month the new baby is due to make it's grand entrance!

So, I know a few of my followers are pregnant and or have had babies...so I have a question...what is your thoughts on coloring your hair in the first trimester? I have roots to my ears, but everyone scares me about coloring my hair this early. I can't remember if I did or didn't with Sydney....

Sydney is very excited about the new baby. She only gets jealous at night because the baby gets to sleep in my belly. She want's me to "take the baby out and put it in its own bed." So, she doesn't quite understand the whole concept yet, but hey, I don't expect her to!

So, all in all, I am doing well. I am excited about being a mommy to 2 babies. Matt and I are so blessed. Oh, and March 4th will also be our 5th wedding anniversary...so as you see, March is a big month for us! :)

Baby Powell....week 5

So this week I am 5 weeks along. I found out so early that I was pregnant that this pregnancy may seem like 20 years for you all...me too, possibly. Overall, I am feeling really good. It's so funny how different this pregnancy is from my pregnancy with Sydney and the baby we lost over a year ago. With Sydney, I was sick...all day...every day...from 4 weeks until I was about 18 weeks. I lost a lot of weight because I couldn't hold anything down. With the baby I lost, I never had any pregnancy symptoms besides heartburn. And...with this sweet bundle of joy, I am extremely tired. Like...dazed tired...all the time. I have some heartburn, but the nausea isn't unbearable and I can eat a cracker and get rid of it quickly. I have totally given up coca cola...AHH! I am drinking water and milk and I am craving spicy foods, knowing I will have heartburn. And my sense of smell is unbelievable right now. I am still 3 weeks away from my Dr's appointment and I am ready to go and make sure everything is ok. I have a lot of anxiety and what if thoughts. I keep wondering what I will do if when they do my ultrasound there is no heart beat? Every time I use the restroom I get so nervous that I will be bleeding. When I had my miscarriage, I started bleeding when I was in the bathroom, so I know that's where my fear comes from with that. Just keep me in your prayers that I can stop all the thoughts and turn this over to God.

Just some pictures

Just a thought

So for some reason I woke up at 4 this morning...wide awake. The house was quiet and I peeked in on my sleeping beauty. A child's innocence while sleeping is so precious. I look at her and how perfect she is. I watched her sleep for a while and picked her caterpillar she sleeps with at night up off the floor and tucked her back in with caterpillar next to her.

This morning I had a lot running through my mind. As I mentioned in a previous post, I am really scared of having another miscarriage. It wasn't the D&C that was scary, it wasn't the hospital that was scary, it wasn't all the blood that was scary, it was knowing I was pregnant and would leave the hospital without a new baby that tore me up.

I asked a lot of questions when I got home after my surgery. Of course, one was "why?" Isn't that the number one question when things don't go the way we plan? Let's face it, I don't think we are supossed to ask why, but we are HUMAN. Sometimes, we aren't to know the answer to our question. God knows, and we should simply trust in his timing and his decisions.

I have had several friends to have miscarriages following mine, most recently a very dear friend of mine. I also had someone message me and congradulate me on this pregnancy, when she recently had a miscarriage. How thoughtful! How unselfish of her. It got me thinking about my previous post about embracing pregnancy. Why should I whine about being nauseated or tired when I along with SO many other women have experienced loss?
I have a friend who can't carry a baby past 8 weeks...the DR's can't tell her why. She has had numerous miscarriages. Who am I to complain about these SMALL things when the good Lord has blessed me with this sweet baby and SO many women cry themselves to sleep because they have lost a baby OR WORSE.....the CAN'T get pregnant!????

So I am on a mission. I am going to enjoy every nauseated moment and everything else that comes my way. I complained about HOW long my pregnancy was with Sydney. I will NOT do that this time. In all actuality, it flies by. Life passes us by so quickly, even when it seems to be going so slowly.

So many new things will happen next year with God's will of course:
Sydney will turn 5...oh wow...

I will turn 24....

Matt will turn 29....

I will give birth to a sweet bundle of joy.....

Matt and I will celebrate our 5th wedding anniversary....

See...time does pass by so quickly.
Today I prayed for the Lord to bless me with a healthy pregnancy if it is his will. I also prayed for those who have lost babies to find peace and comfort in God's arms.

This was just a thought at 4 am that turned into something I thought about all morning.

This was just a thought that I ended up needing to share.

Just a thought....

Just embrace it

Today my wonderful pregnancy "HORRORmones" as my sweet husband likes to call them, have taken over. Pregnancy is a beautiful thing and I feel so blessed that God has entrusted Matt and I with another blessing.
Some women embrace pregnancy and are beautiful! I, however, feel like a hog...already.
I am getting zits, nausea, extreme hunger, crying spells, heartburn, nausea, heartburn and don't let me forget...nausea! I am also terrified of miscarrying again. I keep praying and praying for peace and comfort during this pregnancy. I can handle the nausea and all the yucky stuff that a little miracle can bring. So, I don't want anyone to think I am whinning about being pregnant, because I am very excited and feel so blessed. I am going to try to be one of those women who just embrace pregnancy...they go with the flow...Hopefully I suceed. I know the end result of a precious bundle of joy will be worth it.

A new journey...A NEW BABY!

I feel terrible for neglecting my blog for SOOOO long. Needless to say, school has taken over my life!! About 2 weeks ago I woke up feeling "funny..." that's the best word for it. I knew something wasn't just right. Pregnancy was the LAST thing on my mind. However, as I began to feel nauseated, my girls upstairs began to hurt terribly and my sense of smell was heightened, I began to suspect a baby! I took many tests and they were all negative, then I began getting very faint lines on them to suspect them being positive. I have gone through SO many pregnancy tests this month, it is ridiculous! A few days later I got a negative and then a definite positive. I was so confused and frustrated. So I called my Dr and he didn't want to see me til I was late for my wonderful monthly gift...ugh. So the anticipation grew along with my nausea! I can't stand the smell of our sweet yellow lab puppy, I can't stand the smell of charocal, I can't stand the smell of my own hairspray anymore!!! So I am sure you can understand my frustration with knowing, but not knowing!??!
Yesterday, on the verge of pulling all my hair out, I bought another (couple...ok...ahem.. 4) boxes of tests. They were all surely positive! I KNEW IT! I KNEW IT!

So, I have a Dr's appointment coming up. We are praying for a healthy pregnancy, but trusting God's will with this sweet blessing! I had a miscarriage last March, so I am very nervous, but I am trying to stay positive! Pray for us as we open a new chapter in our lives.

Brittany...this one was for you! :)

Not me! Monday

I did NOT witness little Sydney catch her first fish Sunday and even if I did, I would NOT have put it in her baby book with her accomplishments...and her daddy most certinaly did NOT light up like a Christmas tree he was so proud.





I did not turn 23 today...even if it was my birthday I would NOT have eaten more cupcakes and slices of cake than I could count, because if I did, I would have to tell my mom in law who is helping me stay focused on eating healthy....so NO...I did not do that.





It was not me who repeated the phrase, "NO Sydney, you can't put cheerios and bananas in your belly button!" and "Don't put your underwear on your head." I did not say these things, because Sydney would NEVER be seen doing such things....So of course, that's not a picture of Sydney up top....nope....

Love, Life and super parents

As I sit here in bed tonight thinking about the day that is nearly over, I realize how busy my days are. Matt and I only have one "calm" day during the week and that is Sunday. Not just moms are super hero's; dad's are too. I am so thankful for Matt, who works hard to not only support us, but works hard to make things flow within our home.

All in a day I, woke Matt up at 7:30...saw him off....made coffee, ate breakfast, got Sydney up, fixed her breakfast, cleaned up the kitchen, put on a load of laundry, swiffered the floors, got myself dressed, got Sydney dressed, had "school" time with Sydney, explained the importance of NOT eating mommy's lipstick, changed over laundry, explained to Sydney why she can't go to Disney Land today, worked on statistics homework WHILE cutting shapes out of play doh, paid several bills, fixed lunch, cleaned up dishes from lunch, had statistics tutoring while Syd watched a "DDD," went to the dollar store to buy candy for treat bags for Sydney's daycare Valentines party Friday, made the treat bags, went to McDonalds, clened up the McDonald's mess at the house, did public speaking class, bathed Sydney, had statistics class, changed over laundry, ironed Sydney's clothes for Friday, put her to bed, changed over laundry, swept Sydney's cheez-it crumbs off my bed and into the floor (*Ahem*I will get them tomorrow), got a shower, and finally.....into bed.

All while my husband worked 2 jobs today and I saw him for a total of 5 minutes inbetween those jobs. He won't be home til atleast 1 am (Which means he will work AT LEAST 18 hours today alone)...and we get to wake up and do it all over again tomorrow.....but we are so thankful for the blessings we have, the love we have, the life we share and the joy little Sydney brings to our hearts.

With me working on Friday's now....(along with having children afterschool Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and every other weekend) Sydney will begin her first day of Daycare this coming Friday. She will only go on Fridays, but she is SO excited...me, however, not so much. I know it will be good for her and I will NOT even mention the fact that I could literally walk to the day care because it might be a mile from my house....we won't talk about that....but, I will say that I am proud of my big girl and how much she is growing.

Matt and I will celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary next month and I can't help but think back on how much our lives have changed in just 4 short years. I love Matt more today than the day I married him and it is such a blessing to see how our lives are progressing and moving forward. I look forward to every blessing God has in store for us, as well as the cross roads and closed doors we will come upon. I know that God puts those in our path's for a reason, even though sometimes it is impossible for us to know that reason.

I encourage you to love those who love you, encourage those in your life and keep moving forward, because that's the only way to go.

The lifestyle change

Burgers, taco salads, fried foods, lots of sweets and TONS of Coca-Cola.....that is the way I ate and fed my family a week ago (the coke was just me).
I have a friend (Cristin) who started a "Raw food diet"....(By the way...you go girl because that isn't something just anyone can do.) Her diet got me seeing me and the weight I still like to refer to as "baby weight!" Come on self! Sydney is 3 years old....seriously...you can't REALLY call that "baby weight!"So, with Cristin's motivation I decided not necessarily to diet but to make a Lifestyle Change.
When I mentioned this to my second mom (Matt's mom) she was on board with me! I gave it a trial run last weekend but didn't technically get started til Monday. So that makes today actually only day 4. I am hoping that this first week is the hardest.

I like to snack when I study and my cravings still sneak up on me but its wonderful to be able to text my mother in law when I feel "snacky" and she helps me and I try to help her. Our weight loss goal is about the same amount and I know that by keeping one another motivated, we can do this. I am sure I will have days when I slip...right now I think I could eat a Big Mac and not think twice about it. But, I am looking forward to losing the weight and making a lifestyle change.

I try to exercise an hour a day. Matt and I bought a Wii and I LOVE IT! It was a great investment. I bought "Just dance" and it really makes you break a sweat. It's a great cardio workout.

I can't wait to see where I am with all of this next month.