First Day of School

Today is the day...Eric's first day back to teaching. I think I was more nervous and anxious about today than he was (but then, that's pretty normal!). I will be very curious to hear all about it when he gets home this evening.

I know there are a lot of you out there who had their "first day" today so I hope everyone's went well and you are looking forward to the rest of the year. The start of school always makes me kind of wish I were still teaching...there's just something about all the school supplies, setting up your classroom, getting an empty new grade book, and starting fresh with a whole new group of kids that makes me think about going back to teaching. (Keep that in mind in the coming months and year!)

Dr. Appointment update

Today I had my first appointment with my new doctor. Actually, I only saw the nurse practitioner today, but I will see the dr next time. Here are the stats:

Weight: gained ?? (maybe 4...not sure...didn't have number from last time to compare)
Blood Pressure: 128/74
Baby's Heart rate: 150's
Belly measurements: Right on track

Today was a fairly short visit (just the normal stuff) but I go back in two weeks where they will do my sugar test (for gestational diabetes), lots of other blood work tests, and another sonogram. Even though I had a sonogram at 20 weeks, this doctor does one between 26 and 28 weeks to get all the babies measurements and info, so I am not complaining. I will just get to see Baby Lew again!

Finally...an update!

All I can say, is thank goodness for the internet! We finally got hooked up at the new house and I couldn't be happier! Talk about feeling out of touch.

So...a quick update on things here in the big city...

Eric started work last week (you know...in-service, new teacher to the district orientation which is pretty much useless, etc.). That left me at home to get everything unpacked and settled. I think we are just about there! We still have a few strangling boxes sitting around, but mostly it's just the useless stuff that we don't really need or use that will just get placed in a closet or cabinet so that it is ready and waiting the next time we move.

I am most excited about getting the baby's room fixed up! We picked out the fabric for the bedding a couple weeks ago, and Eric's mom is going to make all of that. We are waiting for the crib to come in so that we can get it put together. I decided yesterday that I am going to try my hand at sewing a blanket for Baby Lew, so that should be interesting. We already have a lot of blankets, but I decided he needed one that his mommy made. I have a couple other projects I am working on for him as well...stuff to keep me busy for now.

No job yet for me (hence all the "projects" I am trying to find to keep myself busy!). I have applied for quite a few, have had several interviews, but just haven't had anything that came through yet. I am trying to be patient and just enjoy the "time off" but it's getting a little old! Something will come along soon, hopefully!

I have my first doctor's appointment next week with a new doctor. I am hopeful that I will like this guy and that everything with insurance stuff (what a hassle!) will all work out. As far as the baby, he is movin' and groovin'! In fact, he is doing somersaults in my tummy as I type this. It is so cool to feel him moving around all the time. Eric has felt him a few times when he was practicing his soccer kick, but usually when I try to let him feel it Baby Lew wises up and stops moving.

Oh...the Olympics are back on so it's time to go park myself on the couch for the night. (Don't you just love the Olympics!!)

Corpus Christi

Here's a quick update on the past week or so...

We are now officially living in Callisburg. My last day at my job at AISD was last Wednesday so I got to join Eric on Thursday at the new house. We are living surrounded by boxes, but hopefully those will start disappearing soon.

We are currently in Corpus Christi for an Ag teachers conference for Eric. Yesterday we went to the Texas State Aquarium so here are a few pictures.

Dolphin Show
Giant Turtle

Seahorses

USS Lexington

We also went on a tour/ferry ride along the bay last night and have been to several sea food restaurants (Eric's choice...I have eaten lots of chicken!). We will be here until Friday so there should be more pictures coming later.

Dr. Appointment Update

I just got back from the doctor's office for my monthly checkup. Here are the stats:

My weight: -3 pounds
Blood Pressure: 132/57
Baby's heart rate: 145

Everything looks good...just a routine visit. The doctor did say that this baby is moving around like crazy. She actually had a hard time getting a constant heart rate because he was moving so much. I'm not sure that I am actually feeling all that moving yet but maybe I am (what is it supposed to feel like anyway?!?)

20 weeks

Time for another pregnant picture. I am 20 weeks (halfway!).

We're having a....

Yesterday was the big day...sonogram day! Everything looked good; Baby Lew is about 9 inches long and weighs about 12 ounces. All the correct body parts are present and the heart rate (147) and blood flow both looked/sounded good. Oh, and did I mention...HE'S A BOY!!!!!

Daddy Lew is super excited that his wish came true and he will have a little Lew Jr. to teach all those weird "guy" things to. (That works out pretty well for me too!)

We are both really excited and are ready to start planning and getting things prepared for Baby boy Lew.

This week

This week will probably be (another) busy week. I am back at work after being off for the last two weeks (yet another benefit of my current job!). And truth be told, it has been nice being back. Unlike nearly every day for the past two weeks, I haven't packed (or even touched) a single box today! Very nice! (I'm sure that will change when I get home this evening however.)

Tomorrow is Eric and my 2nd wedding anniversary. No big plans, but maybe we'll go out to eat or something. Eric plans to spend most of the day getting a load of stuff in the trailer to take to Callisburg on Wednesday. Since we already found a house (oh yeah...did I mention that?) we are taking loads of stuff when we can to try and make the actual moving day a little easier. Then on Wednesday he will make a quick trip up there and (hopefully have some help there) unload the trailer at the house.

Wednesday my parents will be here so that my mom can go with Eric and me to my big doctors appointment on Thursday. This is the BIG one...the sonogram. Hopefully Baby Lew will cooperate and we will find out if we need to start buying cowboy boots or bows. Then on Thursday after the appointment, my mom and I are going to just hang out and have a fun, relaxing day. That will be a very nice and welcome break from the past couple weeks.

Friday will be spent getting everything ready for our garage sale on Saturday. I have never done a garage sale myself, so it will probably be quite the learning experience. I am just hoping to get rid of a lot of stuff, and maybe make a little money. We'll see!

Saturday is the big garage sale so the day will start quite early. I am hoping everything will go well and we will actually have people come by. That afternoon my wonderful friend Summer is coming to spend a couple days with us. I am excited about that since I haven't seen her in about a year and a half. (Has it really been that long?!?) She will be with us until Tuesday and says she will help pack. Should I feel bad about putting a friend to work like that?

Somewhere in all of that I also have a hair appointment, we have to figure out what is wrong with our dryer that suddenly stopped working last night, and have to clear a path to the guest bed so there is somewhere for our guests to sleep. No problem! Never a dull moment around here!

Packing

Bleh! I absolutely do not enjoy packing boxes! But then...who does! I have such good intentions and great ideas in my head of how everything is going to fit and how quickly I can get this done, but instead, what am I doing...sitting at the computer...stalling. There is so much to get done and I am totally overwhelmed...but again, I've got nothing! No motivation! Ugh!

We did, however, get something useful accomplished yesterday. We went out to our storage garage and took everything out, went through all the boxes, and sorted stuff into "move" or "garage sale" items. I think it was pretty successful. Now if I could just do that here at the house. I'm going...as soon as I get up from this chair...

Speaking of a garage sale...we are having one. We had to change our date a little bit because we are trying to move earlier that originally planned, so our new date is July 12. Any one who lives here locally, feel free to come by and see (and buy if so inclined) what we have.

Okay, okay...now I'm just trying to keep typing to keep from having to pack. I'm done...here I go...

Dr. Appointment

I went to the doctor this morning for my monthly visit and here are the stats:

Weight: +3.0 pounds
Blood Pressure: 133/65
Baby's Heart rate: 148

The doctor said everything looked good. Before she listened to the heartbeat she said my uterus was growing and felt normal. My blood pressure was good today, and I have been checking it every day lately and it has been normal. She said the 24-hour test from last month came back normal, so that is good. (Hopefully I'll never have to do that again!) And the bacteria I had at my first visit (bladder infection) is gone. So, overall, everything is going well. The only thing I am having an issue with currently is what she thinks might be reflux. So we are going to try some Zantac and see if that helps. Overall, Baby Lew is growing and doing exactly what he/she should be doing.

On another note - we are going to Callisburg tomorrow to look at a few houses. I am hopeful that this will be a successful trip, and we might come back here knowing where we will be living (in about a month!).

Useless Info

I have a ton to do at work in the next month. Unfortunately there is so much that I feel a bit overwhelmed and don't know exactly where to start. So instead, I did this:

A is for age: 31
B is for burger of choice: Mary’s Cheeseburger (in Strawn)
C is for what kind of car you drive: Chevy Trailblazer
D is for your dog’s name: Murph
E is for essential item you use everyday: uh, deodorant!
F is for favorite TV show at the moment: House Hunters
G is for favorite game: Trivial Pursuit or The Train Game (family knows what this is)
H is for Home State: Texas
I is for instruments you play: Piano (violin – long ago)
J is for favorite juice: Not a big juice drinker but lately I like Cranberry Grape okay
K is for whose rear you’d like to kick: What? I’m too nice to think about that.
L is for last restaurant you ate at? Mr. Burger
M is for your favorite Muppet: Kermit the Frog
N is for Number of Piercings: 2 (one in each ear)
O is for overnight hospital stays: None (yet)
P is for people you were with today: Eric, and the normal everyday people at work
Q is for what you do with your quiet time: Cross-stitch (or lately…pack boxes)
R is for biggest regret: Not telling people how important they are to me more often
S is for status: Married and pregnant!
T is for time you woke up today: 5:59 a.m.
U is for what you consider unique: Everyone’s personality
V is for vegetable you love: Cucumbers, bell peppers
W is for worst habit: Bad temper (and attitude)
X is for x-rays you’ve had: 1 – I think
Y is for yummy food you ate today: Homemade chocolate chip cookies
Z is for zodiac sign: Capricorn (but I could care less)

Moving

It's official...we are moving! Eric got a job teaching ag in Callisburg ISD (that's near Gainesville in case you are wondering) and we will be moving this summer. We are excited and nervous at the same time. (I think that's pretty normal, right?) We are in the process of looking for a house as well as a job for me, but I know those things will work out just like the job for him did. I will also get to find a new doctor (kind of a big deal right now!) and hospital to use when I have the baby. There are lots of changes coming our way, but we will take each one in stride and be thankful for the new opportunities and challenges and adventures.

15 weeks

We finally took a "pregnant picture" so I thought I would share it here. This was taken yesterday (June 9) and I am about 15 1/2 weeks.

Answers

I guess it's true...there really aren't that many people that read this. But that's okay, I will still write here (more for me than anything else).

It's time to answer the few questions that I did actually get, so here goes:

C.C. asked: If I could live anywhere, where would it be? Hmmm...there are lots of places I would like to visit, but I don't really know that there is one specific place I would like to live. My choice of living destinations changes periodically, based on the circumstances and what is going on in my life. Sometimes I would like to live in certain places so that I could be closer to certain family or friends. Sometimes I would like to move someplace where no one knows us so we can "start over." For some weird reason I have always wanted to live in Montana (but not in the winter time!). And sometimes, I like living here in Abilene...because it is familiar. So I guess I don't really have one specific place I have always wanted to live. (Nice answer, huh!)

Kelly asked: What names have we chosen for the baby? Nice try, Kelly! Did you really think I would answer that? You'll just have to wait like everyone else!

Ronnie asked: What makes me most nervous about being a parent? Where do I begin? The list of things that I am nervous or scared about is pretty endless right now. I'm nervous about actually delivering this baby (yikes!). I'm afraid I won't know how to take care of a child. I'm afraid of doing the wrong thing (which I know will happen many times!). I'm not real excited about diaper blow-outs and projectile spit-up. I'm afraid of disciplining, or not disciplining a child. I'm nervous about all the things I will be responsible for teaching a child. The list goes on and on. But honestly, I think the thing that is most pressing on my mind lately is the anxiety about loving a child the way a mom should. It's weird, but right now I don't feel like I love the baby enough, and I think maybe there's something wrong with me that I don't feel that love yet. Sometimes I think I should be more exciting about having a baby, but it just doesn't seem to have really hit me yet. I thought when I saw the first sonogram I would feel something different. Then I thought when I heard the heartbeat for the first time that would do it. But so far...nothing has really given me "the feelings" that I think I'm supposed to have. Don't get me wrong, I am happy about having a baby, I guess I just had all these expectations in my head about the way I thought it was supposed to feel, and so far those expectations haven't been met. Does that make any sense?

So, any more questions?

Baby Lew Update

I went to the doctor this morning for my monthly visit. Here are the stats:

Weight: lost 2.5 pounds
Blood Pressure: didn't get the numbers, but too high (more on that later)
Baby's Heart Rate: 158
My Blood Type: A- (that means a shot at week 28)
Due Date: still December 6

Overall everything is going okay. The losing weight thing is not a problem right now (since I can afford to lose a few pounds anyway!) Not bad for the baby. She said the heart rate was good (and it didn't take her long to find it and hear it...which to me seems good). I already knew about my blood type and the shot it will require later, but she explained it a little more. It's not a big deal, just procedure when the mom's blood type is negative. The blood pressure is the only thing she was kind of concerned about. Because I have had high bp readings in the past (pre-pregnancy) she is going to monitor it much closer. In the meantime, she ordered some lab work, including a lovely test that involves a 24 hour period and collections (I won't go into more detail), as well as a test for my thyroid. Fun!

So, all in all everything is going well. Next appointment is June 23, and then my sonogram appointment (where we will hopefully find out if Baby Lew is a he or a she!) is July 10.

Questions

I've seen other friends do this on their blog, so I thought I would try it. It's question and answer time. Ask me any question(s) (within reason) in the comments section and I will answer them. We'll see if anyone has anything they really want to know about me. (Or if there are really more than five or six of you that read this!)

Slacker

It looks like I've been slacking on my blog. I just haven't made myself sit down and write lately. Not too much has been going on. Last weekend we spent some time out at the Western Heritage Classic at the expo center. We went to the ranch rodeo Friday and Saturday nights, and walked around Saturday afternoon looking at the booths. Sunday was Mother's Day...do you celebrate that if you are not technically a mother yet (just a mom-to-be)? I don't know...so Eric got me a little something anyway.

This week has been pretty mundane. We did find out that Eric did not get the job he interviewed for last week, so that is stinky. He's sent lots of applications and resumes out this week, so maybe one of those will turn into something. The waiting and wondering is no fun at all.

And now it is the weekend again...good! Hopefully this will be a relaxing weekend of housework and rest. (That housework part doesn't sound very relaxing now that I think about it.) I have a hair appointment this afternoon...maybe I'll cut it all off again...who knows!

Another interview

Eric had another job interview yesterday. We should know something next week sometime. Maybe this is the job for him. If not, we will keep looking.

2 Stories

I have two pretty good stories today...totally unrelated to anything else I have been writing on here, and totally unrelated to one another...

The first one has to do with our crazy dog, Murph. As some of you know, our dog feels the need to chase and bark at every single bird, squirrel, car, bicycle, walker, cat, fly, mosquito, etc. that is anywhere within site, sound, or smelling range. Therefore he spends a lot of time running up and down the fence, and sometimes ends up getting so excited he just runs in circles...goofy! So I think his favorite thing to bark and and chase are birds. Every morning they seem to have a little game they play together where the birds just taunt Murph because they know he can't catch them. Well - little did they know that one day he WOULD catch one of them! Monday when I came home from work Murph was laying in the yard and I could tell he had something in his front paws that he seemed to be licking and playing with. I thought maybe Eric gave him a bone or some new chew toy. However, when I got out of my car I could hear a weird squeaking or chirping sound. I then realized the chirping was coming from whatever it was Murph was "holding" in his paws. Turns out, he had somehow caught one of those pesky birds and decided to make it his new play toy...or maybe he was trying to make friends...who knows! Either way...GROSS!!! I called Eric out there and he discarded the (still living but probably scared to death) bird. All I can say is...disgusting!! (Birds are not toys, Murph!)

Second story: Yesterday while Eric was at home he heard what sounded like something hitting our porch (like someone threw a newspaper or something on it). So he looked out the peep hole only to see...a FIRE on our front porch! Yikes! Apparently some birds had built a nest inside the porch light, and somehow the light bulb or something exploded and came off the side of the house (the loud noise he heard) and was on the porch in a big ball of flames. Luckily Eric knew where the fire extinguisher was and put the fire out quickly. I told him if I had been home I would not have know where the extinguisher was, much less how to use it. (I'm pretty sure I will be getting a lesson in fire extinguisher use soon.) Good thing he was the one there! Kinda scary! So now we have a new porch light, a scorched welcome mat by the front door, and a big black mark on the porch. Fun stuff!

Job Update

Well, Eric did not get the job at TSTC. He found out yesterday, so needless to say, that made for a pretty crummy day. I think the worst part about not getting a job you really want is when you have absolutely no idea why you didn't get it - no explanation, no "thanks for taking the time to come for an interview", no "we found someone with more experience", nothing.

So, now we are in a bit of a bind, since we had no advance warning about being back to just one paycheck. I'm not really sure what we are going to do. When we first got married and Eric was looking for a job in Abilene it took about 7 months before he found one. That can't happen again. Seven months from now we will have a baby. We can't go until then (and especially after that) on just my job. This stinks!

Sorry to be such a downer today...just writing what I am feeling right now. Hopefully things will turn around soon.