Welcome to Atlanta

Been Too Long...

2009-10-06T19:00:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!!

Ok, I know it's been forever, but I decided to finally update my blog! It's been busy around the house lately, and I just can't seem to find time to do it. So, once again I'm going to recommit to updating my blog on a weekly basis. Get ready...here come the updates...

1. Malakai: He continues to be the joy of my life. It's hard for me to believe he will be 5 months old tomorrow! This time last year I was just realizing and understanding that I was pregnant. Oh, how life changes in a year! Malakai continues to surpass his developmental milestones. He started rolling over at 3 months (front to back), and then both ways about 2 weeks later. He started eating rice cereal just before 4 months. He loves to eat, but is still a little squirt! At his 4 month check up he weighed 12 lbs 4 oz and was 25 inches long. He's in the 15th percentile, but the doctor said he's absolutely perfect in his proportions. The Dr. gave us the go ahead to start veggies and fruits. So far, he's mastered carrots, squash, green beans, peas, sweet potatoes, peaches, applesauce, and pears. Like, I said...he loves to eat! His hair continues to have curls in it, and his eyes are still blue. His pediatrician is fairly confident that they will stay blue....woohoo. We went to IL to visit my mom mid-September and had a wonderful time. While we were there he started sitting up unsupported...he's really a big boy now! Since we've been home he started scooting a little bit, and rolls everywhere!! He's a big time cuddler, and loves to play with his Daddy! He is a pretty happy baby (most of the time) and his laugh can make any day better. Tony is doing well with him in "daddy daycare." They are so cute together! Malakai has become a little bit of a "mama's boy" lately. Although it's heart warming to know that he's missed me while I've been at work, it can also be a tad frustrating. Tony has to distract him when I walk in the door just so I can change clothes and wash my hands. If he sees me walk in the door he starts crying and reaching for me!! He's still struggling with his sleeping routine, but he's had some disruptions. He's getting back on track though, so hopefully we can get to 10 hour nights soon!

2. Family: While we were visiting my mother, my step-mother called and told me that my father had a heart attack and died. It was very shocking and unexpected. My dad and I have had a rocky relationship, although it was starting to get better. I have no doubt in my mind that my dad loved me, but he had a hard time being a "long distance dad." We left a lot of things unsaid, and it is very sad to think that Malakai will never know his grandpa. I went to spend a week in TN with my grandparents, and it was a very hard week. Thankfully, my brother was also there. And of course Malakai was there to cheer everybody up. My dad wanted to be cremated, which was also hard for me, because I didn't have a chance to say any good-byes or see him one last time. He wanted his ashes spread in the river where we spent a lot of time with him. We had a memorial service at Bald River Falls, and it went better than I thought it would. I thought I wouldn't have the closure that a traditional funeral would give, but it was actually really nice. My granny also bought us all yellow lilies to throw in the river, and it gave all of us a chance to say good-bye in our own way. It's still hard for me to believe that he's gone, and I'm sure it's a struggle that I will have for years to come. I haven't sat down long enough to grieve on my own, but I'm sure that time will come eventually.

3. Work: Thankfully, I have been super busy at work this week. It has definitely helped to keep my mind off the loss of my dad. I was subpoenaed to testify in a murder trial for case I was involved with at DFCS. Without getting into too many details, the dad was accused of beating a 2 year old to death (mom's child by another man). It was a very emotional case because there were 3 children that were also removed from the home that have been dealing with this trauma for the last 2.5 years. Anyway...the trial lasted all week, and today the father was found not guilty on all charges. It was a huge shock, and I'm struggling to understand how it happened. I also have another trial coming up soon, which hopefully will turn out better.

Anyway...I think that is enough updates for now! Be sure to look at the post below to see a bunch of pictures from the last few weeks!!

Until Next Time...

Catching up on Pictures...

2009-10-06T18:19:00.001-07:00

I love this smile!

This is his "serious look."

"Gimme that camera!"

"Are you looking at me?"

At the lookout with Uncle Josh

Looking precious in Josh's hat

Kissing the flower for his grandpa...

At the top of one of the mountains we used to go to with my dad

Flying!!!

It was kinda cold!

Bald River Falls...this is where we had the memorial service for my dad

4 month pictures...so sweet.

Nothing beats a baby in an apple bucket!!

Big Boy!!!

Are you ready for some football!!!

My sweet boy...

Happy boy!!

4 month picture...

Love the overalls!

Eating some oatmeal with grandma!

4 generations...

I love my grandma (and I'm pretty sure she loves me too!)

Taking a nap with Uncle Josh...

Sitting up!!!

Just lounging!

First rice cereal...yummy?

Love my exercauser...look at those little legs!!

Hi grandma!!

Man, I'm cute!!

3 Month update...

2009-08-09T18:01:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

I can't believe how long it's been since I've updated the blog. I actually thought I updated it awhile ago, but evidently I didn't! Here are the highlights of the last month...

Malakai hit the 3 month milestone this past weekend. I can't believe how big he's getting! I feel like he does something new everyday. He has really good head/neck control. He has started rolling over, which is a little a head of schedule! So far he's only rolling from back to stomach, but he's getting fairly good at it. We need to work more on tummy time so he can learn to roll the other way too. He has a little bouncy chair he likes to sit in, and he has learned how to pull the toy that makes music. It scared me the first time because I was on the other side of the room and heard music playing all of sudden! He loves to "stand up" and a lot of times doesn't want to sit down. I think he will be an early walker...yikes!

He's doing a little better with his sleeping, but still nothing too consistent. He's kind of a night owl, and takes a pretty good morning nap. This worked out great when I wasn't working, but now that I've gone back to work, it's been more of a struggle for me. I'm lucky if I get more than 4 hours of sleep a night...and it's usually not consecutive. Hopefully as he continues to get bigger he'll start sleeping more. He's also graduated from the "swaddle." The last couple of nights we've just put him in his crib without swaddling him to see what happened, and he did pretty good. Now we never know what position we'll find him in when we check on him!

He went back for another test for his kidney and we actually got good new this time! He had to have a catheter put in and they injected dye in his bladder to see if urine was backflowing or if he had a blackage. Thankfully the test showed that he did not have any back flow. So, now we will go back in October to see if the blockage has improved or gotten worse. There's a chance we won't have to have anything else done and it will heal itself as he gets older.

He also got his 2 month vaccinations and did very well. He cried when she gave him the shots, but didn't have any reactions to them. He slept quite a bit that day, but didn't get fussy. At his 2 month check-up he weighed in at 10lbs 10oz and was 23 inches long. He's a tad on the small side, but his doctor said he's perfect. I'm still exclusively nursing him, so it's good to know he's growing well!! His hair is really starting to get curly, and his skin is getting a little darker. His eyes are still blue, and his doctor think they might stay that way! He's gonna be a heart breaker!

I went back to work this week, and it has been quite the adjustment. Thankfully Tony works from home so he's able to hang out with Malakai during the day. It made it much easier for me to go back to work since I didn't have to worry about him going to daycare. It also allows me to come home for lunch during the day and see him!

Oh...I almost forgot. We took a trip to see my mom in IL in July. I was there for 6 days, and had the chance to see a lot of family members. My mom and I ran around town all day everyday and got very little sleep...but it was good to be back in IL! Malakai was a hit and of course everybody loved him! My brother, Josh, was able to come home also and stay for a couple of days. It's always good to see him!!

Ok...I think that's all of the updates for now! Time to get ready for work tomorrow before Malakai wakes up to eat! I posted a million pictures from our trip to IL and his 3 month pictures!

Until next time...

3 Month pictures...

2009-08-09T17:55:00.000-07:00

We took Malakai to get his 3 month pictures taken this weekend. These are the unedited pictures on the CD they gave us. I can't believe how big he's getting!!

Pictures my brother took

2009-08-09T17:42:00.000-07:00

Here are some more pictures from our trip to IL. Thanks to my brother for taking some good pictures!!!

4 generations...
My grandma with Malakai

Pretty sure she loves him...

Me and my grandma...

My mom, Hayley (Bro's girlfriend), Malakai, and I walking at the park...

Baby boy at the pool...

Malakai sharing his hat with Grandma...

Me and Malakai at the pool...

He liked the bubbles in the pool...

I like my brother's face in this picture... :)

Pictures...

2009-08-09T16:32:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from the 4th of July and our trip to IL...

He was very excited to go to see some fireworks!

Fireworks at Centennial Olympic Park

Malakai's first plane ride!

My friend Kate was on the same flight out of Atlanta to Bloomington!!

Of course my mom picked us up at the airport!

Eating with my mom and grandma at Subway...

Grandma hanging out with Malakai...

Aunt Tara and Malakai...

Great-Grandma and Malakai

Love that face!

Laughing at grandma!

We met up with my friend Liz and her baby (Madi) while I was home. Madi is 3 weeks younger than Malakai...

All stretched out at the park...

Uncle Michael meeting his nephew!

He's trying to remember when Emma was that little!

My college-roommate Sember came to IL to visit. She's 5 months pregnant in this picture and looking fabulous!!

Sember preparing for her own little one! Can't wait to meet Baby Hahn!

North Carolina Pictures...

2009-06-30T21:44:00.000-07:00

Pictures from our North Carolina trip...

Malakai resting in the hotel...

His shirt got stuck on his head...

Malakai with Tony's cousin, Pam

Tony's mom with Malakai and Tony's neice

Tony's sister with the baby

Tony's mom with Malakai and Tony's cousin, Jy'ree

Jy'ree!!

Tony's cousins...Jy'ree, Janae, and Jamal

Tony's great-aunt Nancy meeting Malakai

Tony with his great-aunt Nancy and Malakai

Malakai and Jy'ree...

Tony and Malakai at UNC...

'
Daddy and his "Little Tar Heel!"

Me and Malakai at UNC...

Love that face!!

Father's Day and my mom's visit!

2009-06-30T21:30:00.001-07:00

Pictures from my mom's visit and Father's Day...

Malakai and I met my mom in the airpirt with a big sign!!

My mom giving him a bottle at the airport...

Tony opening his Father's Day present from Malakai

Getting ready to read a new book!

He loves his Daddy! (and I'm pretty sure it's a mutal feeling!)

My Gramps giving him a bottle...

My dad meeting his first grandchild!

My aunt Lisa holding the baby

My step-mom, Jerri, and cousin, Jessica with Malakai...

My step-mom, Jerri, giving Malakai a bottle...

My uncle, Todd, holding the baby...

My aunt Holly with the baby...

My Granny with Malakai...

Malakai enjoying his time with Granny!

Random Pictures...

2009-06-30T21:09:00.000-07:00

Here are a bunch of random pictures from the last month...

Big Yawn!!

Malakai and I at the top of Stone Mountain!

Tony giving Malakai a bottle after hiking Stone Mountain...

Tony and Malakai mid-hike!

Tony and Malakai preparing to hike!

My little man!

Trying out his little chair...still too little!!

Staring at his new mobile...

Cooking with Daddy in the kitchen!

Catching Up!!

2009-06-30T20:40:00.000-07:00

I have been such a blog slacker lately!! I'll try to do better.

Things have been going really well, and it's hard to believe Malakai is almost 8 weeks old. He's such a good baby and I really can't complain! He's starting to sleep better, but nothing too consistent yet. He slept for over 7 hours for 2 nights (not in a row) and both times I woke up in a panic!! We are working on transitioning him into his crib, and he has been doing fairly well. He is still a great eater and is gaining weight like a champ! I joined a breastfeeding "support group" through the hospital, and it has been pretty helpful. We get to weight babies every week, so that's been nice. However, a couple of weeks ago I weighed him and thought he lost weight. I was very nervous and anxious for the next week to come so I could weigh him again. Come to find out I had read the scale wrong, and worried for nothing! He had a huge growth spurt between week 5 and week 6, and gained 14oz!! At his 7 week weigh-in he was 9lbs 10oz. He's pretty much out of newborn diapers. They still fit his body, but can't hold his, um..."output" anymore! Right now we're just trying to find diapers that fit him and can't quite find the right brand yet!

He is holding his head up all the time now and loves to be active. He's putting weight on his legs, and loves to "stand up." He likes to pull himself up to a sitting postion from laying down, and then "pops" up into a standing postion. He smiles constantly and has been making a lot of new noises. It seems like he does something new every day!

We went to his first kidney test appointment on 6/10. They did an ultrasound to determine if there was still an abnormality. He was such a trooper and even though it wasn't an invasive procedure I didn't like seeing him on the table in the hospital. They determined that there is an abnormality, but they're not exactly sure what's causing it. So, now we have to go back on 7/15 for a follow up test called a VCGU. Basically they put a catheter in his bladder and inject dye, then do an X-Ray. They're trying to see if he has a blockage between his kidney and bladder, or if urine is flowing backwards from his bladder to his kidney. Of course we were hoping that there was no problem, but now that there is, we are hoping that it is a blockage. It sounds like it would be easier to treat. Hopefully his next appointment will give us insight on what will happen next. We're keeping our fingers crossed and praying that everything will work out for our little man.

My mom came back for a quick visit on Father's Day weekend. We had a good time and Malakai enjoyed his "grandma time!" I'm flying up to IL next week so he can meet the rest of my family. Hopefully he will do okay on the plane!! Tony won't be able to come with us this time. We're both pretty bummed about it, but it's just not in the cards financially right now. Hopefully we can make another trip up soon. We also took a trip to TN for Father's Day. This was the first time my dad's side of the family met Malakai, and they of course fell in love with him!! It was just a day trip, so we didn't have a whole lot of time to hang out. I'm going to tey to make another trip up before I go back to work next month.

This past weekend we took a trip to North Carolina so Tony's family could meet Malakai. We had such a good time and wish we could have stayed longer. It's hard for both of us to be so far away from our families. It had been almost a year since we had been down there, so it was fun to see how all of his little cousins, and neices and nephews have grown! We also got to visit with his great-aunt Nancy. She is battling Alzheimers and was having a pretty rough day when we saw her. We sat with her for a couple of hours and just as we were getting ready to leave she recognized me and Tony and was like her "old self." We got to take a couple of pictures with her and the baby. She was only "with us" for a couple of minutes, but we were so thankful for those minutes.

As far as my recovery goes...everything seems to be going well. I've officially lost all of my pregnancy weight, but have a long way to go to get where I want/need to be. I am determined to be an "in shape" and healthy mom for my son. I have struggled with my weight for as long as I can remember, but hopefully the struggle will end soon!!

Holy cow...I think that's all of the updates for now. I'm sure I'm forgetting some stuff, but this is all of the major stuff!! I'll post the pictures in a separate post!!

Until next time...

2009-06-01T13:48:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Time for a quick update! Everything is going great! Tony and I are falling more and more in love with little Malakai everyday. His personality is starting to come through, and we can't wait to see what each day brings. He is still making a million faces, especially when he's about to wake up. He loves to smile, and we even heard his first laugh this week! It was just a little giggle, but it was really cute. We can't wait until he starts laughing more.

He continues to be a great eater. I've started pumping, and Tony was able to give him his first bottle. He is still struggling to sleep at night, but we're working on it! He had his 3 week check-up last week and everything looks great! He weighed in at 8lbs 2oz, and was almost 21 inches. That means since he was discharged from the hospital he has gained over a pound and grown almost 2 inches! The doctor said we don't need to wake him up to feed him anymore, but he still eats every 2-3 hours. The boy loves to eat!!

My mom is coming back down in a couple of weeks, and we're looking forward to having her back here! I'm anxious to see how much she thinks he's changed. I'm going to my mom's in July so he can meet the extended family.

We finally got an appointment to get his kidney looked at, and are hoping there are no issues. He has an ultrasound scheduled for 6/10.

Gotta run....here are some pictures!!

Tony filing Malakai's nails...they get really sharp!

One of his favorite sleeping positions!

Daddy and Malakai taking a nap together.

So cute!

Enjoying some sunshine in the park!

We went to visit our good friend Ms. Zachary so she could meet the little man!

Tony giving Malakai his first bottle!

2 Weeks...

2009-05-23T13:10:00.002-07:00

Since Antonio is asleep I thought I'd take a few minutes to update the blog. It's been a little over 2 weeks since he was born, and everything is going great. I can't decide whether I'm going to call him Antonio or Malakai. We've been calling him both, so hopefully he won't be too confused! :) He is a great eater and NEVER spits up. To make up for his lack of spit up he passes gas like a grown man! It's hilarious. I've never heard a baby fart so loud! He's a great sleeper, however, he sleeps great during the day! We're trying to get his days and nights figured out and get him on a routine. Right now he eats about every 3 hours, but he cluster feeds a lot. He loves to eat! Nursing is going well, and is easier than I thought it would be...woohoo!! Overall he is a great baby. He smiles a lot, and makes a million funny faces. We often just stare at him and laugh. His muscles are really strong and I'm sure he'll be rolling soon. He gets about half way now, but can't quite make it all the way. He's holding his head up for several seconds at a time, and is getting stronger everyday.

My mom was here with us for 2 weeks, and left yesterday morning. It was so nice to have her here and Antonio loved having his "grandma time" every morning. Initially she planned on staying for a week, but no one was ready for her to leave, so she stayed another week! Hopefully she'll come back soon to visit.

Well...time to rest a little bit before his next feeding!

Reaching for the camera...

Love that face...check out the dimples!

Hanging out at Centennial Olympic Park...

More pictures in the park

Doing his Elvis look :)

One day he'll be big enough to play in the fountains (but I'm in no rush!)

Sleeping in his crib!

Grandma time!!

Spending time with Daddy...

First Days at Home...

2009-05-13T19:15:00.000-07:00

Just a few minutes to post between feedings. Everything is going well since we've been home. We're still trying to get adjusted to the feeding schedule, but love every minute of having our little boy home. He's enjoying some time watching basketball with his daddy right now, and it's so cute to see them "bonding." Tony has been in "baby talk" over drive, which has also been funny.

Here are a few pics...gotta run!!

Pictures...

2009-05-13T17:10:00.000-07:00

Here are some pictures from our time in the hospital...

First moments of life...so content!

Proud Papa with his new son, Antonio.

Our little family...meeting my son for the first time!

3 generations! (I'm still a little doped in this one!)

Proud Grandma!!

Our good friend Andy Odle made a visit to meet Antonio

More friends, Amy and Ainsley Odle meeting the little man!

"Auntie Anisha" holding Antonio.

He loves his tongue :)

Antonio in his PJ's for his night in the hospital...

He loves to snuggle...this picture makes it hard to believe just a few hours before he was in my stomach!!

My little boy under the lights for jaundice... :(

In his bed in the NICU...even with all of the stuff the did to him he was so content and easy going.

Daddy with Antonio after his spinal tap...

Hard to see it in this picture, but he has a milk mustache :)

So at ease in his Daddy's arms...

Me and my little boy getting ready to go home!

Daddy and Antonio...

All strapped in and ready to go home!!

He looks so little in his carseat!

Our little family getting ready to go home...finally!!

Finally able to rest at home!

More pictures to come!!!

The day that changed my life...forever.

2009-05-12T18:50:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Well, he's finally here! It was quite the journey, but we made it. Here's an overview of the last few days...

Day 1: Last Wednesday (5/6) I started having pretty strong contractions at work, so I decided to go home. I also thought my water broke, but wasn't quite sure. My contractions stayed consistently 5 minutes apart for over 2 hours so we decided to call the doctor. They told me to go on to the hospital and get checked. I was in quite a bit of pain and was getting excited that today might be "the day." I called my mom to give her a heads up so she could be ready to start driving if the doctors thought Antonio was coming today. Well...they sent me home. They said my contractions weren't strong enough yet, and they wanted me to go through this part of the labor at home. I hadn't dilated at all yet, so they said it would be better for me to be at home. They also said that since I wasn't dilated my water hadn't broken yet. I was a bit dissapointed and was still in quite a bit of pain. I knew it wouldn't be long now!!

Day 2: The next morning around 4am my contractions were becoming unbearable. I think I work up the neighbors with some of my screaming. Tony started timing them around 6am and they were still 4-5 minutes apart. The nurse at the hospital told me not to come back until my contrations were 2-3 minutes apart for at least 2 hours. I was pretty sure my water had broken this time, but I thought that the last time, so I wasn't getting my hopes up. The pain was so strong that Tony decided to call the doctor anyway. They told me to come into the office at 9am to get checked before going to the hospital.

So...off we went. I was only 1cm dilated, but they determined that my water had broken (probably the day before) and they sent me to the hospital. I was really excited, but was also a tad scared!! I called my mom and told her to come on down! She already had her bags packed and sent the dog to the boarder. We got checked into our room and I was just getting more and more uncomfortable. My friend Anisha also came with me for support. I think I scared her with some of the screaming, but I wasn't trying to hold back! Initially they thought I was progressing quickly, but then they changed their minds. They decided to give me 3 rounds of Petocin. The contractions became so painful I decided to give in and take some pain meds. My body was so tired from being in labor for at least the last 24 hours. I decided to try IV meds before the epidural, and it was such a blessing. The meds allowed me to get a couple of hours of much needed sleep. A few hours later the contractions were stronger than ever and I decided to get the epidural. I really struggled with this decision, but realized that my body was so tired I wasn't sure if I would be able to do it without getting some rest. I was terrified of getting the epidural and just remember crying and telling the nurse I was scared. Tony was there with me and they made him sit on my feet so I wouldn't move. He was so comforting and truly a blessing to have by my side.

The epidural let me get some rest, but was such a weird feeling. I couldn't really move my legs, and it was really hard to change positions. About 5:30pm the epidural became somewhat irrelavant because of the baby's positioning. I had a lot of back labor and the screaming/crying resumed!! Tony and Anisha were still there with me and I was so thankful. Anisha had been calling my mom periodically and checking to see where she was and giving her updates. The doctor told me they wanted me to start pushing around 7:30pm, and it looked like my mom was going to get there around 8:00pm. I was so disappointed to think that she might miss it.

Well...7:30 came and I was miserable. I was so ready to be done! I spiked a fever of 101, and his heartrate was sky high, so they were in a hurry to get him out of me. My mom was still about 30 minutes away. They told me to start pushing, and it wasn't so bad in the beginning! However, he was face up, and his little head wouldn't come out! Anisha was by my bed giving my mom a "play-by-play" of events until she got there. She finally arrived (after running through the halls) and made it in plenty of time. I ended up pushing for over 2 hours! I didn't think he would ever some out. But, he finally did and I realized at that second that my life would never be the same again. I finally got to meet this little person that has been living inside of me. The rest of that day is pretty much a blur. I remember being transferred to a different room and just staring at my new son. Antonio Malakai Kinsey was born at 9:45pm on 5/7/2009. He was 7lbs 10oz and 19 inches long. He was perfect.

Day 3: Recovery time! It's true that you don't get any rest at the hospital. There were non-stop staff members coming in my room. And Antonio likes to eat every 2 hours, so I was getting really tired. Day 3 is pretty much a blur too! A lot of feeding and just looking at my little man. That night they ran some tests on the baby and discovered that he was a little jaundice. He had to be put under the lights, which just about killed me. He could only be held for 30 minutes at a time, and that was his feeding times. I am breastfeeding, so it was hard to get him to eat in 30 minutes. I was getting frustrated and increasingly tired. My mom stayed at the hospital with me so Tony could stay at home and rest and take care of the dogs. It was such a blessing to have her with me. Neither of us slept very much that night!

Day 4: Time to go home! This was supposed to be our day to go home. The pediatrician came in and told me that Antonio would not be able to go home yet. There was an abnormality with his blood work and they had to do more tests. They wanted to rule out meningitis. I was so tired and I lost it. I started crying and was so upset that I couldn't take my baby home with me. The doctor told me they had to do a spinal tap on him and he would be in the NICU for at least 48 hours, but up to 2 weeks depending on the results. I was so scared for him and just wanted to hold him. Tony and my mom helped me calm down and realize that he was going to be okay. I was still discharged and it was so hard for me to leave him there. However, God showed me that I was truly blessed. The women in the room next to me was also preparing to discharge, but was complaining of shortness of breath. The next thing we know alarms were going off and doctors were running down the hallway. She ended up dying within a couple of minutes, but we're not exactly sure what happened. Her husband was in the hospital, but didn't make it back in time. To hear that family grieve was one of the most horrible things I have ever gone through. Such saddness filled the hallways. I went to Tony and he just held me, as we were both a little emotional. It made Tony upset to think about what it would have been like to take our baby home without me. I can't imagine what that family was going through, and it made me thankful, even though Antonio had to stay a little longer.

Day 5: Happy Mother's Day! I spent my first Mother's Day in the NICU with my new son. It wasn't what I expected, but I loved every minute of it. Most of the time was spent nursing him and watching him sleep. He was still under the lights so he couldn't be held for very long. It was hard to watch him laying there and not be able to hold him. The doctor did give us some encouraging news. The tests were looking good and it was possible for him to come home tomorrow! He was also able to come off of the lights for his jaundice. I was still recovering myself, so we decided to leave the hospital around 11:00pm so I could get some sleep.

Day 6: He got to come home on 5/11/2009! It was so nice to have him home. He is such an awesome baby. I can't believe he's really mine and I get to keep him! He slept most of the day, which is understandable after all of his trauma! In his first couple of days of life he had a spinal tap, an IV, had to be under the jauncie lights with a cover velcroed over his eyes, injections in both legs, injections in both hands and feet, monitors hooked to his chest and stomach, and poked and proded by numerous doctors and nurses...I'd be tired too!!!

It has been truly a blessing to have Antonio home at last. I just stare at him and wonder how I got so lucky to be his mom. I love him more than words can express and I feel like he's been here forever. I can't believe it's only been a couple of days. After looking at him it's hard to believe that he fit in my stomach! It has also been a blessing to have my mom here. She's such a good grandma! I'm still not convinced she's going back to IL. I'm not sure how long she'll be here, but we're all enjoying her time with us!

I planned on posting a bunch of pictures with this post...but it's feeding time. I'll put some up tomorrow (or later tonight if baby boy pulls another all-nighter!!!)

False Alarm!

2009-05-06T19:21:00.000-07:00

Well...still no Antonio. We went to the hospital today and thought he might be coming, but were sent home after about 3 hours. My contractions were 4-7 minutes apart the whole time, but I wasn't dialated at all, so they sent me home. My doc told me not to come back until my water breaks or until my contractions at 2-3 minutes apart consistently for 2 hours! Hopefully, he'll be here soon. The contractions have been coming steadily since 10am today about every 5 or so minutes and it's starting to get really uncomfortable. I'll keep you posted!!

39 Weeks

2009-05-05T15:02:00.000-07:00

Hey!

Well, the countdown is officially on! We've hit the final stretch and are anxiously awaiting Antonio's arrival. We went to the doctor today and there's still no progress. I'm getting increasingly frustrated and uncomfortable as the days pass by. I know I'm not past due yet, but I feel like I've been pregnant forever! I was in quite a bit of pain last night and thought something might be happening, but no such luck. The on-call doctor told me to hang tight and it was just my body preparing itself for the real thing. I'm getting a lot of painful cramping and contractions, but nothing that can be timed and nothing regular. Hopefully he'll be here soon! We go back to the doctor next Wednesday if he's not here yet, and they'll do an ultrasound to check on him. Hopefully that's an appointment we don't have to keep!

Nothing else to report this week. We're just waiting for Antonio!

39 Weeks...

37 Weeks...

2009-04-21T18:37:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

Well...we've made it to week 37! I can't believe this part of the journey is almost over. It has hit me in the last couple of days that my whole life is about to change. I'm getting really excited, but it is also a very sobering thought. To think that I'm responsible for another life can be a very overwhelming thought. Tony and I are trying to spend some quality time together as our time with it just being the 2 of us is nearing an end. Tony has been really great lately and has taken over all of the cooking and cleaning. He has done most of it throughout my pregnancy, but he has kicked up a notch lately.

My mom came down this weekend for my baby shower and thankfully she made it here and back safely! It was her "practice trip" in preparation for the big day. We are really hoping it will work out so she can be down her for Antonio's birth. The baby shower was a big success and it was nice to have my Granny and cousin from TN down also. My office also threw me a baby shower on Friday, so this weekend was really "Baby Shower Palooza!" Tony and I have been so blessed by our friends' and family's generosity. I can't imagine doing this without them. I guess it really is true that it "takes a village!'

We went in for our 37 week check up today. Unfortunately there was no progress from last week. I know I still officially have 3 weeks left, but I was kind of hoping for a little progress. I'm starting to get really uncomfortable and I'm trying my best to be patient. I have 2.5 weeks of work left, and it really would be best if he waited just a little longer to make his entry! The doctor estimated that he weighs 5.5 pounds right now, but I'm not real sure how she can tell that by touching my stomach! He is head down, so that's good news! Tony and I went shopping tonight to buy some last minute items, and I think we're almost done! Now we need to get his nursery organized again!

I guess that's all for this week. Hopefully I'll have more to report next week!

Quote of the Week:

"Grandparents are people with too much wisdom to let that stop them from making fools of themselves over their grandchildren."--Phil Moss

Pictures...

37 Weeks...

35 Weeks!

2009-04-07T19:41:00.000-07:00

Hey Everyone!

It's been a busy week since my last post, but I'll try to keep it as brief as possible.

Baby Shower: I went home this weekend for my first baby shower. My friend Anisha drove with me so Tony didn't have to endure such a girly weekend! My friends Kate and Crystal threw the shower and they did an awesome job. Most of my family and friends were able to come and everybody had a good time. I got a lot of nice things for Antonio and I'm so excited for him to be here! It was great to spend some time with my mom also. I haven't seen her since Christmas, and needless to say I've gotten a lot bigger since then! She was able to feel Antonio move, so that was fun. On the downside it was a lot of driving! My feet swelled up a lot and I resembled Fred Flinstone! The swelling hasn't gone all the way down yet, but it's getting better. I can't quite fit into any of my shoes, so I've been having to wear crocs to work. Thankfully I haven't had to go ionto Court or do any school visits, so it hasn't been too bad. It was also great to have all my good friends in the same room fof the first time ever. My college roommates, Lisa and Sember, came all the way from IN and it was great to see them. Lisa recently had her second son, and she brought him with her.

Kidney Update: Tony and I went in for our "Pediatric Urology Consultation" yesterday. We didn't learn a whole lot more than we already knew! The doctor is not sure if there is even a problem, and there's nothing to do now until after he's born. We'll take him in for an ultrasound about a week after he's born and then we should know more.

Other News: We've hit the 35 week mark and the countdown is officially on! I'm still feeling pretty good aside from the feet swelling! I feel like over the last couple of days my stomach has gotten huge and I wonder how he fits in there! He continues to be pretty active, but his movements have changed to a lot more "stretching" instead of hard kicks. He gets the hiccups a lot, so that's been interesting too.

Tony painted the nursery while I was gone and it looks great! I'm so glad he got it finished so I didn't have to smell the paint fumes! Now we just have a couple of finishing touches to do and we'll be all set for baby Antonio. We still haven't decided on a middle name, but hopefully I'll pick one soon!

Quote of the Week:

"The simplest toy, one which even a little baby can operate, is called a grandparent."

--Sam Levenson

I think that's all for this week!

Pictures...

Nursery Pictures...

More nursery pictures!!

One more picture...

35 Weeks...

Friends!!! Family!!

(Anisha, Kate, Crystal, Me, Lisa and Micah, Sember) (Grandma, Me, Mom, Aunt)

Me and Grandma!!

34 Weeks!!

2009-03-31T16:40:00.000-07:00

Hey Hey!

Well...we've made it to 34 weeks and going strong! We went to the doctor today for a check up and everything looks great. My blood pressure was a little high at the beginning of the visit, but was right on track by the end. They took it twice to make sure and it was perfect, so no worries. My doc also gave me the go-ahead to get a pedicure, which is most needed. I've read so many crazy things about pedicures and early labor, so I went ahead and asked my doctor to be sure. I'm very much looking forward to getting my toes done tomorrow!

I'm headed up north to my mom's this weekend for my first baby shower!! I'm really excited. My friend Anisha is driving with me, so hopefully it won't be too bad. We're stopping half way on the way up there, but driving straight back on Sunday. I'm sure I'll be a real joy to be around Monday at work! I'm really looking forward to seeing family and friends that I haven't seen in quite some time. I'm so thankful to have such a great support system!

Tony and I bought the paint and a couple of other things for the nursery tonight so he can work on it while I'm gone. I'm looking forward to coming home to an almost complete nursery!! I can't wait to see how it all comes together. We are both getting super excited for our little man to be sleeping in there and want it to be perfect! I think we have about 30 paint samples strewn about his room right now, so I'll be glad when we can get it all cleaned up.

Tony is also getting very excited about teaching Antonio all about the Tar Heels! He's already planning trips to Chapel Hill to watch some baseball, basketball, and football games! I think the baby will be able to hum the fight song before he can talk!

Funny story of the week: I had been doing home visits for work all morning and decided to stay in the office the whole afternoon and do paperwork. So, I kicked my shoes off and got to work. I got up a couple of times and walked a couple of offices down to talk, but for the most part I stayed at my desk. Well, 5:00 came and I went to leave and realized that my feet had swollen so much that I couldn't get my shoes on!! I called Tony and put him on stand-by to bring me some different shoes. I ended up putting my feet up for about 30 minutes and was able to barely sqeeze me feet in. I had to walk like a turtle because they hurt so bad, but I made it to the car! If I didn't work in a courthouse I would've walked out barefoot! Anyway...I learned my lesson and now I keep flip flops at my desk!

That's all the updates for this week! Say a little prayer for me and Anisha as we make our way up north (it's gonna be a long trip!!)

Quote of the Week:

"'Where did I come from?' the baby asked its mother. She answered, half-crying, half-laughing, and clasping the baby to her breast: 'You were hidden in my heart as its desire, my darling. you were in the dolls of all my childhood dreams. In all my hopes and my loves, in my life, in the life of my mother, and in her mother before her, you have lived."-Rabindranath Tagore

34 Weeks...

32 Weeks!

2009-03-17T17:43:00.000-07:00

Hello!

Well, time seems to be flying by! Only 8 weeks to go and little Antonio will be here (hopefully he'll be on time!). Tony and I are getting very excited and talking about the baby seems to be taking over our house. Well, Tony is getting into March Madness, but if he's not talking about the Tar Heels, he's mainly talking about the baby. The nursery is getting closer to being done, and now we're just missing paint, lamps, and the baby!

Not much new to report this week. I went to the doctor today for my 32 week check up and everything looks great. My weight gain and measurements are right on track. We go back in 2 weeks for the 34 check up. We go on 4/6 for our pediatric urology consultation to learn what the next steps will be for Antonio's kidney. We're still hoping that it will heal itself, but would like to be informed on the next steps anyway.

Well, I'm exhausted so I'm going to wrap this up and do a little paperwork before bed. Hope all is well with everybody!

Quote of the Week:

"Every child born into the world is a new thought from God, an ever fresh and radiant possibility." -Kate Douglas Wiggin

32 Weeks...

30 Weeks!

2009-03-07T09:01:00.000-08:00

Hey!

I know I'm a bit delayed in posting, but this week has been a little hectic. I'm still trying to stay ahead at work, so I've been working late a lot. Plus, we had 2 doctor's appointments and an event for Tony's job. It's been a long week and I'm definitely going to be enjoying the nice weather this weekend.

We had snow this week in Atlanta and people went nuts! It was very pretty and I enjoyed having a little piece of "home' for a day or two. We got about 3 inches, which is a lot of Atlanta. I thought I was going to have a snow day on Monday, but was sadly disappointed. The roads cleared pretty quickly and we were back up into the 50's in no time. My dogs enjoyed playing in the snow too!

We went to the doctor for my 30 week check up on Tuesday and everything looks great. My blood pressure is right on target, which is very reassuring since my hand swelling incident. Thankfully, it seems to have been as isolated incident! I've officially gained 10 pounds....woohoo! Peanut's heart rate was in the 150's and he continues to be very active. I'm measuring right on track. Oh, and I passed my 2nd glucose test....no diabetes for me!

Then we went to the high risk doctor on Thursday for an update on Peanut's kidney. Nothing has really changed which is a good and a bad thing. We are very thankful that it has not gotten any worse, but were hoping that it had healed by now. So now that doctor wants us to go to a Pediatric Urologist for a consultation to learn about the process after he is born. There is still a chance that it will heal itself, but they want us to be informed in case that it doesn't. The worse case scenerio is still the same, so we're trying not too stress about it too much. Everything else looks perfect. The doctor did a 3-D ultra sound and it was neat to see his little face. He stuck his tongue out a couple of times, and was sucking on his fingers. He was also doing his "practice breathing." He was like a real little person in there!

On another note...he finally has a name! Well, at least a first and last name! We've decided on Antonio Kinsey. It was very important for Tony to have his son names after in, so I finally gave in. I'm not sure if the world is ready for 2 Tony Kinseys!!

Here are some pictures from the doctor...

Here's a picture of Antonio sticking his tongue out! He was getting ready to suck his thumb when she froze the screen. The little computer generated had is pointing at his tongue.

3-D picture of his face. He has his hand in front of his face.

Another 3-D picture of his face!

One more of his face. He's sticking his tongue out in thie one too! :)

Sorry....no belly picture this week. I got so busy I forgot to take one! I'll make sure to post one for the 31 week entry! :)

29 Weeks!!

2009-02-24T18:54:00.000-08:00

Hello!!

Whew! It's been a long week, but time continues to fly by! I can't believe in just 11 short weeks little Peanut will be here! We had a little bit of a scary situation this weekend, but everything is fine now. Tony and I were shopping at Ikea and my hands swelled up all of a sudden. It was kind of scary and quite painful. They also turned bright red and then my arms got real tingly. The swelling went down a couple of hours later, so I wasn't too concerned. However, the next morning they swelled a little again and I got sick. I also had a migraine for most of the weekend. So, I called my doctor just to be sure everything was ok. They ran a bunch of tests and everything came out fine. My blood pressure was perfect so no worries. I go back in a week for a regular check up, but my doctor is not worried.

I went for my 3 hour glucose test today. I absolutely hate having blood drawn, but the technician did a fabulous job. My arm is still a little sore, but not bruised very badly, which is fabulous considering she drew from the same place 4 times. Ouch!

Other than that nothing much new to report. Peanut (still no name!) continues to be very active. I can tell he is growing and his movements are becoming a little more uncomfortable. He is starting to stretch out a lot ( or so it feels!). Earlier today he stretched out and it looked like I had a little alien in my belly. I couldn't help but laugh. I poked what I thought to be his foot and he settled in a different position. As uncomfortable as it can be sometimes I love feeling him move. It is so reassuring and comforting. We go back next week to follow up on his kidney, so hopefully it will have healed some.

My mom bought be a little book for Christmas that has some really cute quotes in it. This is my favorite for this week...

"A mother's joy begins when new life is stirring inside, a tiny heartbeat is heard, a flutter of kicks reminds her that she is never alone." Caroline Joyce

That's all for this week. Here are some pictures!!

29 week belly!!

Close up...

He kicked me really hard when Tony was taking my picture...I thought the picture was funny!

28 Weeks!

2009-02-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

Hey!!

Well, the third trimester is finally here! Time is flying by and dragging on all at the same time. Not much to report this week. I have been working more trying to stay ahead on my caseload and it is making me more tired. I'm trying to do as much while I'm still feeling pretty good. Peanut continues to be active, or as I call it now, "violently active." Tony is enjoying being able to feel him more easily throught the day. Although, it never fails that when he puts his hand on my stomach he stops moving! But, if you wait a couple of minutes he always starts up again.

We are still working on cleaning up the nursery and should have some pictures soon. We are still trying to figure out how to paint it, but I think we're getting close.

I went to the doctor for my 28 week check up today. I failed my glucose test by 1 stinking point!! So now I have to go for the 3 hour long test in a week. My doctor told me that it's unlikely that I have diabetes because it was just one point, but I guess we'll wait and see the results. I really hate having my blood taken, so I'm a little nervous about the test. Everything else is going well and I've officially gained 7 pounds. I'm on 2 week check ups now, so my next appointment is on 3/3. I go back to the specialist for a follow-up kidney ultrasound on 3/5.

I think that's all for this week. Sorry for missing a week (Sember...), I'll try to do better :)

28 Weeks.

Belly shot...28 weeks.

Another one...

This is how I feel most of the time... :)

26 Weeks!

2009-02-03T18:32:00.000-08:00

Happy Tuesday!

Today marks the 26 week mark. I am feeling pretty good and I'm getting bigger by the day! I feel like I go to bed and wake up 8 inches bigger! Peanut is growing quickly and continues to be active. I think I need a new word for "active" because that doesn't quite explain my little guy anymore. He has started kicking much harder, which does make it quite interesting. My stomach moves a lot. I put a little plastic thing on my stomach the other day and he kicked so hard it went in the air!! I can't believe someone so little can be that strong. I mentally preparing for the upcoming weeks as he continues to get stronger. The doctor says he has long legs and he also likes to put them behind his head. She calls him a little "acrobat!"

We went to the doctor this past week to have follow up tests for Peanut's kidneys. The doctor told us that his left kidney is not draining like it's supposed to and is holding more urine. This can cause infection issues once he's born. He said that his right kidney is working well, and didn't see any problems. According to him there is a 90% chance the problem will correct itself between now and when he's 1 year old. If not, he'll have to have a minor surgery to correct the problem. If he has to have the surgery it should only be a one time thing and he won't have any lasting problems or restrictions. We go back in 4-6 weeks for a follow up ultrasound at the high risk doctor to see if it's getting any better or worse. Peanut will also have to have an ultrasound after he's born to check his kidney's. Although we obviously don't want anything to be wrong, this is gerat news! We are hopeful that it will heal itself and he won't have to have surgery, but even if he does we are confident that everything will be fine. Other than that the doctor said Peanut is perfect. He weighed in at 1 pound, 13 ounces. It was great to see him and we are getting very excited to meet the little guy! We finally got some good ultrasoud pictures!!

I posted a million pictures...so brace yourself!

His spine...he's laying on his stomach.

Profile shot

He was feeling photogenic!

Another profile...

Profile...look at that little nose!

Legs...his knees are where the picture says "legs."

Problem kidney...the black spot is urine.

Another kidney shot...

This is his "acrobat" shot. His feet are behind his head!

Face shot...looking right at you!

It's a boy!

26 weeks...

Another belly shot.

25 Weeks!

2009-01-27T17:44:00.000-08:00

Hey!

25 weeks down...15 to go! Time is flying by and it's hard to believe in a few short weeks Peanut will be here! Tony and I have started to make some preparations, as we have come to the realization that we won't be moving before the baby is born. We were both a little sad that we won't be in a house, but realize it is better for us just to keep saving right now. Especially since I will be on UNPAID maternity leave! Still no name resolution, but I'll keep you posted!

We go to the doctor on Thursday to get further tests for Peanut's kidneys. Thanks to everyone for the well wishes and prayers. I'm trying to not think about it, but it's hard not to worry. Other than that Peanut seems to be doing great. He conitnues to be very active, and has started to be much more active at night. Between him kicking and having to go to the bathroom I haven't been getting much sleep, which has made work very interesting. I do a lot of driving for work and my brain seems to be more scattered than normal. I've missed a few exits and and forgot which client I was going to see a few times. Now I've started writing stuff on post it notes and putting them in my car! I hear it will only get worse from here!!

Tony and I went to our hospital tour on Sunday. It was very informative and answered a lot of questions. I really like the hospital. It has an entire building that is dedicated to maternity. It is beautiful and has hardwood floors and nice lighting. It is very quiet and welcoming. It is nice to be separated from the rest of the hospital (and weird smells!). Tony and I (well me anyway) will be trying water laboring if the room is available when I go into labor. I am going to try to do a natural childbirth, but we'll see how it goes. Tony has been very supportive and encouraging of my wishes.

We were also able to buy our crib, matress, and bedding this week. My granny is very excited about have a great grandson and decided to send us money for the crib (and put in a little extra too!). It makes it seem very real to have a crib set up in our second bedroom! We still have a lot of work to do on the nursery as it has been our "junk room" for quite some time now.

On a side note...congrats to my college roommate Lisa. She gave birth to her second son, Micah John, yesterday. Both mom and baby are doing well!

Picture time!

Tony taking a look at the directions before starting the crib assembly!

There were a lot of pieces!!

Finished product!!

"Peanut" testing it out!

Another finished shot (I need to get rid of the lamp!)

25 week belly :)

Another belly shot!

24 Weeks...and OBAMA DAY!

2009-01-21T17:28:00.000-08:00

Hey!!

I hope everyone is doing well. Here are the updates for this week:

Obama Day: Tony and I went to Centennial Olympic Park to share in some Inauguration festivities. It was really cold (for Atlanta!) and windy, but it was definitely worth it. There were thousands of people there. There were deafening cheers and people crying and praying throughout the park. It was especially meaningful since it was the day after Dr. King day and Atlanta is Dr. King's hometown. It was a day of reflection for how far our country has come. However, it also made me think about how far we still have to go. Because, not only did I hear cries of joy, throughout the day I also heard some of the most hateful statements I have ever heard in my life. It is clear that racism is alive and well (especially in the South!). I hope we can all come together and support him as our President and he tries to lead our Nation in a new direction. I pray for him and his family, and for their safety. I posted some pictures from the park.

Peanut: He is becoming more and more active everyday. Tony and I were up until almost 2am last night because of all his movement! It still very odd to look down and see my stomach moving. It is also reassuring. He is gaining weight and strength and I'm pretty sure I have some internal bruising! I know he's only going to get bigger and stronger, so I'm bracing myself for the upcoming weeks! People are finally starting to notice I'm pregnant! I have officially gained 3 pounds!

I went to the doctor on Tuesday and got some troubling news. The doctor is sending me to get a Level 2 ultrasound because they are looking into a possible kidney abnormality. We're not sure what all of this means right now, and we're trying not to get too worked up or upset about it until we know more. I should have the next round or scans in a few days, and then we will know more. If the next scan doesn't go well there is a high likelihood that I will need to be monitored by a high risk doctor and a fetal renal specialist. It's very scary to think that something is wrong before I can even hold him, but we're trying to stay positive until we know more.

According to my reading Peanut is about 9 inches long (from his head to his butt) or a little over a foot long total, and weighs almost a pound and a half! He will be gaining a lot of weight over the next few weeks. He also has fully functional ears and can hear us talking now! We both talk to him so he can recognize our voices when he finally makes his entrance to the world!

I think that's all the updates for this week. I'll keep you posted when we know more about Peanut's kidneys. We're confident that everything will be okay.

Here are some pictures from Obama Day! Unfortunately my battery when dead before I could take a belly shot, so stay tuned for week 25!

The crowd at the park.

Celebrating after he took the Oath.

Getting sworn in!!!

Crowd shot...

Another crowd picture...

I was cold!!

Tony at the Park...

A picture of Peanut so we can put it in his baby book! This will have to serve as the belly shot for the week! I also have on 3 shirts, so I might be a little inaccurate :)

22 and 23 Weeks!

2009-01-13T17:10:00.000-08:00

Hey!

Again, I must apologize for skipping a week. I worked late every night last week and by the time I got home I was lucky if I ate dinner before I went to bed! I did take some 22 week pictures though. I was very thankful for Tony last week for cooking dinner and doing all the dishes! We went to the doctor for a follow-up ultrasound. They wanted to look at his heart to make sure there were no abnomalites because they couldn't see it clearly in the 20 week ultrasound. Well...after 30 minutes of trying they finally saw all 4 chambers of his heart...woohoo. My doctor is amazed at how active Peanut is. He was not very cooperative and did not enjoy being poked very much! He is still in the breech position and facing backwards. Unfortunately, this means will not get any of the "cute" ultrasound pictures, and we won't get to see his face until he's born. Hopefully he'll shift from being breech in the upcoming weeks. He continues to be very active and is starting to get on a schedule. He is very quiet in the morning and starts moving around 10:30am. Once he starts moving it is rare that he stops for very long! He is also very active in the evening/night. We are hoping this continues after he is born, as I am not a morning person!!

We are still stuck on names, and seem to be at a stalemate! We'll see who gives in first! Tony really wants to name him Antonio (his middle name), and my top 3 are Malakai, Gabriel, and Pierson with the middle name being Antonio. So far neither of us are giving in on our choice! If you see or talk to Tony try to talk some sense into him and bring him over to my team :)

On to some pictures! I'd try to make up for missing last week by adding several pictures. My dogs have been feeling neglected so I put in a few pictures of them too! Also...Tony is back on the blog and added some entertaining pictures. He was getting jealous of my growing belly so he had to get some help from the closet. Enjoy!

Apollo being camera shy!!!

Rameses being a ham!

Doing what they do best...wrestling!!

Apollo is tuckered out!

Ready for Round 2!!

22 Weeks!

Tony is very proud of his growing belly (and chest)!!!!

23 Weeks!!!!

21 Weeks...

2008-12-30T18:19:00.000-08:00

Hey Everybody!

Sorry for the delay in posting. It has been a little hectic with the holidays. Work has also been a little busier this month with Christmas and the end of the year. Overall, I had a good holiday season. My mom and brother came down and stayed for a few days and we had a good time. It's always good to spend time with family, especially since I live so far away.

I also got to spend some time with my dad and his side of the family before Christmas so that was nice. Everybody is very excited about the baby!

House Update: No house! Unfortunately it looks like I will be a renter for a couple more months. I foundout yesterday that I make $200 above the limit for the down payment assistance program, and no longer qualify. I got a raise about a month ago and that pushed me over the cap. If we would have closed on time (3 months ago) it wouldn't have been an issue. But Tony and I are looking at it in a positive light. I guess it wasn't meant to be. We are going to keep saving and hopefully buy something before Peanut gets here. Tony is looking into getting a second job so we can save more money up until my maternity leave. The only paid time I get is my vacation/sick days, so we're definitely watching our money a little closer. It looks like I'll be taking at least 6 weeks of unpaid time. Hopefully we'll be able to afford life on just Tony's salary.

Baby Update: It's a boy! For those that haven't heard yet, Tony and I are pleased to announce that it looks like we are having a son. We're both thrilled and reality is really starting to set in. We still haven't agreed on any names yet, but hopefully that will come soon. For now, we will continue to call him Peanut. Peanut is very very active these days. He has woken me up a couple of times in the middle of the night. So now, between going to the bathroom and his kicking I'm up 4-5 times through the night. Tony hasn't been able to feel him yet, but he should be able to soon. Everytime I call him to come feel him he stops moving! I have been able to feel him a couple of times outside my belly over the last couple of days.

Peanut is looking very healthy according to the doctor. He is breech right now, but they're not worried because it is so early. I hope he flips around! It was so neat to be able to see all the bones in his little body. It was such a change from his 8 week ultrasound. My scanner isn't cooperating, but I hope to upload the ultrasound picture soon. I have to go back for a follow up ultrasound next week. They couldn't see all 4 chambers of his heart, so they want to check again. he was laying in an awkward position and it was had to get a good look. He has always had a very strong heart beat so they aren't worried. I hope everything is okay and I'm just glad I get to see Peanut again!

I have been under the weather lately, but hopefully I'll be back to normal soon. I think it's just a head/chest cold. I'm pretty sure 80% of my office is sick, so I'm just trying to stay as healthy as I can.

Random Updates:

1. Happy Birthday Sember!!
2. I got gas today for $1.28!!!
3. I'm sure I won't post again before the New Year...so Happy New Year!!

Here are some pictures...

21 week belly shot...

My mom bought this monkey as a "Peanut substitute" until the real Peanut makes his arrival. Also in the picture is his friend, "Quackers." They're keeping me company for now!

18 Weeks!

2008-12-10T17:47:00.000-08:00

Yesterday marked the 18 week mark in this incredible journey. I'm feeling better finally, although I was a little under the weather this week. I've been having a lot of migraines and might have to go to a neurologist. Other than that everything is going pretty well. I can tell my stomach is getting bigger, and it's more then obvious that I need to buy new pants! I still have a couple of pairs that fit, but they are slowly becoming more uncomfortable. Luckily I work in an office of all women and they understand when I walk around with my pants unbuttoned! Tony and I started buying a case of diapers a month to try to stock pu early. It's a little weird having diapers around the house, but I'm sure we'll get used to it soon. We also started our registry at Babies R Us and Target. It was a very overwhelming, but fun experience! We had so much fun picking out all the cool stuff for Peanut! Tony and I continue to argue about names, but hopefully we'll agree on something before Peanut's born!

According to my book, Peanut is 5.5 inches long (head to butt) and weighs about 7oz. He/She is getting bigger by the day. I can feel movement throughout the day, and it still throws me off. Today Peanut was doing what felt like summersaults. My doctor has been telling me from the beginning that I have an active baby. She always as to chase him/her around to find the heartbeat! Tony thinks that he passed his "extraordinary athletic abilities" onto the baby!

As far as the house goes...we didn't close. Our new closing date is 12/29. Hopefully this will be the last one. It's been a very long and frustrating 4 month process. It looks like everything is coming together, but I'm not counting my chickens yet!

My mom is coming down to Atlanta for Christmas! I'm really looking forward to her being here. I wish we would have already moved into the house, but we'll have fun nonetheless. My brother, Josh, is also coming so we'll have quite the house, er, apartment full! Feel free to send any holiday recipes my way, as this is my first time hosting Christmas!

Hope all is well with everybody!

18 week belly...

Tony's checking to see if his belly's getting bigger too :)

First Post

2008-12-03T16:47:00.000-08:00

Hey Everyone!

I finally decided to join the world of blogspot! I'll do my best to update regularly, but I guess I should just start with some basic updates on life here in Atlanta.

1. Work: I am working for a Child Advocate office in the metro Atlanta area. It's basically a law office that represents all of the children in foster care (in a metro Atlana county) in court hearings after they have been removed from their parents' custody. I left the Department of Family and Children Services after 3 long years. Although it wasn't an easy decision it was definitely a good career move. I miss some of the kids on my old caseload, but I still get to see them because I work in the same county. My new job invovles me visiting about 300 kids on a quarterly (sometimes more) basis to ensure that their foster placements are appropriate and their permanency plan is being pursued. I love my job, and look forward to a long career there.

2. Relationship: Tony and I are still together. It will be 5 years in July. We currently live together and are in the process of buying a house. We've actually been under contract since 8/15/08, and it's taking forever. We're supposed to close this Friday, but I know it's not going to happen. I'm just keeping my fingers crossed that it happens before Christmas!

Here is picture of our potential house...

3. Pets: I have 2 dogs, Rameses and Apollo. They keep me very busy as they have never ending energy. Rameses is almost 2 and Apollo is 10 months. They are fairly well behaved, but knuckleheads!

4. Other news: I'M HAVING A BABY!!! I'm finally allowed to tell people. I wasn't able to until I told my Grandma over Thanksgiving. Tony and I are very excited. I'm due on 5/12/09, and I'm currently 17 weeks along. The first trimester was rough, but I'm doing much better now. I actually lost some weight, and haven't started gaining any back yet. Who knew it took getting pregnant to lose weight! We find out if it's a boy or a girl on 12/23. I thought I could wait and not find out...but it's killing me! My mom knew I would cave, but I wasn't sure until recently. For now, we're calling the baby "Peanut," as Tony and I can't agree on any names. Peanut has been very active over the last couple of days. I didn't know if it was the baby or not, but now I'm sure that it is, because I have felt the same thing for about a week now.

8 week ultrasound...

17 week belly shot...

Tony wanted a belly shot too... :)

I think that sums up all of my updates for now. Right now I'm committing to updating at least once a week. Hope all is well with everybody!