CheeseBuerger's In Paradise

3 Month Alex Updates!

2012-11-05T11:16:00.002-08:00

OMG 3 months have come and gone!!

My sweet little Alex has grown and grown!

Height: 25 1/2 inches long!

Weight: 14 lbs

Diaper Size: Size 2

Feeding: You are eating 6 ounces every 3-4 hours still and are now on Similac for Fussiness and Gas.

Sleep: Alex's sleep patterns have stayed the same for the most part...This makes for one tired Mom & Dad.

Milestones: Alex is able to roll from belly to back with little to no difficulty. He is still teething and the drooling has more than doubled!

Loves: Alex loves to sleep and chew on his fingers! Tummy time is becoming more of an accepted activity.

Dislikes: Sleeping alone.

Adventures: We went to Myrtle Beach this month!! It was an amazing vacation and Alex did so well for the car ride there and home!

Mommy & Daddy could not get through the month without: Vacation and Alex taking naps.

Show & Tell

2012-11-05T11:05:00.001-08:00

1. Tell us what you studied in college. Is your job now related to what you studied?

While I was in college I studied nursing. I also studied this the last 2 years in high school. So I have been a nurse now for the last 4 years.

2. Tell us what your everyday job looks like.

I work on a long term care / rehab unit and I am directly responsible for 16 patients three days a week. My days are either ridiculously slow or incredibly busy, where at the end of the day I am sore and ready to pull my hair out. BUT at the end of the day I am always SOO satisfied and feel as though I made a difference.

3. Do you have a picture of you at work? Show us.

I don't think I have any pictures of me at work. A.) I am not very pretty when I work, usually sweaty and scrubs are not very flattering. B.) I am always worried pictures are some kind of HIPPA violation.

4. In 10 years, what do you see yourself doing? Same thing? More? Tell us.

In 10 years I hope to be able to be a stay at home Mom or only working 1 or 2 days a week. But then again I will only be 32. I cannot see myself in any other field other than nursing, but I may be a manager by then also.

5. Tell us what you have learned, and what {if any} recommendations you may have for those looking to go into the field you are in.

Here is what I say to everyone who is thinking of making nursing their career choice. You cannot do it for the money! Simply because it is not there. You have to be the kind of person who gets a personal high off of helping people and seeing them get better. I am convinced for the 2-4 years you are in nursing school is supposed to make you consider giving up on life and not want to be a nurse anymore, however at the end of it all it is worth it.

2 Months Old!

2012-09-08T17:27:00.002-07:00

Height: 24 inches

Weight: 12 lbs 8 oz

Clothing Size: All 3-6 or 6 months clothing.

Diaper Size: Definitely size 2!! I put one of the size 1's on him the other day and it made him look like a sumo wrestler! We had to switch before we ran out of size 1's because Alex was having blowout's up the back!

Feeding: Alex is still trying to cluster feed. But on a good day he eats 5-6 ounces every 3-4 hours during the day.

Sleep: Alex still continues to be an absolute monster when he is tired. He is just so afraid of missing anything that he fights his sleep all the time. He is still doing good at night sleeping straight from 11 until like 4.

Milestones: He is cooing and really good at call and response! He laughs and is even cooing along with music! Alex is also beginning to teethe....God give me strength and help them come in fast!

Loves: Sleep, music, snuggling, apple juice when he's constipated, his Bumbo, and being swaddled.

Dislikes: Tummy Time!! He will scream the entire time!! And being constipated!

Adventures: Alex had his 2 month check up where he got 3 shots, and a liquid. It was a total of 6 immunizations total. Both Mommy and Alex shed some tears that day.

Mommy and Daddy could not get through the month without: Sleep and Milicon drops!

How long will he cry?!? (6 Weeks Old)

2012-08-19T18:41:00.003-07:00

Holy Moly where has the time gone? It really feels like just yesterday when I heard his cry for the very first time, the nurses told me he weighed 8 lbs 13.1 oz and was 22 in long.

Now he is 12 lbs 2 oz and won't hold still long enough to get his height! And I am not stupid enough to try while he is sleeping and wake him up because naptime is the best time in our house right now.

He also will cry and cry and cry (no it's not colic, I just hate watching/hearing him cry, it makes me think he is in pain) sometimes for reasons unknown and other times because he is mad, or bored, or hungry or tired. And he has this certain funny cry when he is gassy or has pooped. But over the last 2 weeks he has master this ultra high-pitched scream that I swear if they were out of my cabinet would shatter my wine glasses. And as I continue to read we just have to ride it out because crying will peek at around 6 weeks (roughly 3 hours a day) and then begin to be less and less reaching it's lowest at 12 weeks.

Boy have things changed even just in the last 2 weeks.

Clothing Size: We will forever be out of 0-3 months clothing. I got him dressed today into a pair of 3 month shorts and it was all too obvious they were too small. So I guess it is time to pack all of it up. :(

Diaper Size: Once this pack of size 1 diapers is gone we will be switching to size 2 diapers.

Feeding: He is really trying to cluster feed. But Mommy has the best of him, I strip him naked, change his diaper and get him to eat a good amount. He is now sucking down 4-6 oz every 2 1/2-4 hours.

Sleep: He is a monster without his afternoon nap! He will usually sleep from 1 or 2 in the afternoon until about 5pm. Without this nap you better be ready for an all afternoon scream session. And even with this nap and a cat nap in the evening he will sleep from about 11pm until usually 4 or 5 am.

Milestones: He is really holding his head like a champ. He can supported sit holding his head for about 5 minutes. And he is able to push up with his arms during tummy time for about 1 minute.

Loves: He loves sleep, eating, and snuggling. He also really does love his Boppy although I can never get a picture of him happy in it.

Dislikes: Alex has started to develop a very slight flat spot. It is very slight. So based on instruction from our doctor we are increasing tummy time, keeping him off of that side as much as possible, and monitoring it daily. He told us if it gets worse or changes to bring him in immediately. He does not like not being able to lay on his right side as much as he likes.

Adventures: Nothing too out of the ordinary. Just back and forth to Grandma's, once to the ice cream shop, once to Red Lobster, and once to take a walk at the park with Aunt Becky. Mommy has gone back to work in the last 2 weeks also so he even had a stay at home night with his God Mommy!

Mommy and Daddy could not get through the month without: The help of our families. Chris and I are both working now, and it would not be possible without their help.

One Month Old!!

2012-08-08T16:55:00.001-07:00

I can't believe we have hot this milestone already!!!

The past month has completely flown by and I am not ready to say my sweet baby boy is already one month old!

Chris and I have jumped head first into parenthood and have loved every minute of it. We have gotten to the point where we both feel like we never understood how much our parents loved us until we experienced that kind of love ourselves. I sit every night and stare at my sweet boy sleeping in my arms and cannot imagine life without him.

Weight: 10 lbs 10 oz

Height: 22 1/4 inches long

Clothing Size: Mostly 0-3 months but some of those are already becoming too small. :( So we have begun integrating 3-6 months.

Diaper Size: 1

Feeding: He is taking 4-5 oz every 3-4 hours sometimes we have a 5 hour span! He is on formula (Enfamil Infant), we tried breast feeding, but my milk production just about stopped at 2 weeks.

Sleep: He usually goes to sleep after his feeding at 9 or 10pm then sleeps until about 1am. After that we are usually all sleeping until about 530 or 6am. He prefers to sleep on his right side or his belly. He also LOVES to snuggle. He slept for the majority of the night in his crib last night.

Milestones: Alex is VERY alert! He is getting much better at holding his head up while he is getting burped. He absolutely hates tummy time (on a mat) so we have resulted to having tummy time on one of our chests.He is beginning to track items and more frequently turn towards sounds.

Loves: Baths or showers, music, lights, cuddling with Mommy or Daddy, car rides and walks in the stroller.

Dislikes: Tummy time, gas bubbles and constipation.

Adventures: We have been a lot of places since he was born. He has had 2 doctors visits, been to both Grandparents homes, the grocery a few times and to the shopping mall today. He was baptized on 8/5/12.

Mommy and Daddy could not get through the month without: Formula, Mylacon drops, AC (he is a hot box), and his swing.

Alex's NICU Story

2012-07-25T20:58:00.001-07:00

On July 7, 2012 our beautiful baby boy, Alex was born.

When the doctor broke my water we saw that there was meconium in my amniotic fluid. Meconium is the baby's first bowel movement. With my nursing background I knew that this posed a great risk for Alex upon birth. I knew the risk ranged from minimal to severe, and it added another element of fear in my birthing process. So we all began to pray.

My doctor, Chris and I all agreed to continue to let labor progress because a natural labor would be the best at this point to give the gunk a bit of a push out. But as I detailed in the last post I wound up needing a c-section.

When Alex was born we felt as though our prayers were answered, Alex had a very strong cry and his APGAR scores were 9 & 9, which is almost perfect. He cried and cried in the operating room. When we got to recovery he immediately began to breastfeed. He had a great latch, and he had a great color to him. The nurses and my doctor thought he looked great.

After our time in the recovery room we were transferred to our room where we would be in for the rest of our hospital stay. We all got settled, Alex was given a bath by the nurse, they checked my incision and bleeding and everything checked out great.

At that point, it was about midnight, I nursed Alex again, he did fantastic! After he was safely swaddled back into his crib, Chris headed home, so he could sleep (he had to work on Sunday), and then the nurse took Alex to the nursery so I could sleep. At about 2 I woke up again and called for the nurse to bring Alex into my room since a. I could move my legs again and b. it was about time for him to nurse again.

It seemed to be taking awhile for them to come in, my mind was wandering, getting the best of me, but I convinced myself that the nurse was just busy taking care of another patient.

And then my heart stopped. My nurse walked in I could see Alex's crib was behind her, I could see ventilator tubing inside of it, and another nurse was pushing the crib.

They both came in and began to tell me about what they noticed during an assessment of Alex. They told me that it appeared Alex was breathing very fast, his color was very dusky, and his oxygen saturation levels were not high enough, in fact they were in the low 80's.

They then told me they were gonna take him to the NICU for further evaluation. I asked if I could go with them, they suggested against it, saying he would be having x-rays and bloodwork taken and they would call as soon as I could come up.

Their calm demeanor is what got me through that night alone. I called Chris to let him know what was going on, he to this day thought he was dreaming when I called. I told him to stay at home and I would call him if anything changed. I then waited and waited for a phone call.

After about an hour I still had not received a call so I called myself. I spoke with his nurse who told me that he had what the doctors said to be meconium aspiration pneumonia, which is where the meconium that was in my amniotic fluid had gotten down into his lungs and caused pneumonia. She said thy would be giving him antibiotics and keeping him to monitor him.

I was not allowed to leave the floor without someone with me because I was still under the effect of a lot of pain killers and I did not have complete feeling in my legs, just enough to move them.

When Chris got to the hospital at about 7 we went to the NICU to see our son. He was on IV fluids, and was hooked up to a cardiac monitor and oxygen saturation monitor. There were so many wires. He looked helpless laying there under the warmer and it made my heart sink.

I then began to check his monitor readings. His heart rate was in the 140's, his respiratory rate was in the 80's and his oxygen saturation was 89% on room air. I asked the nurse if I could try to breastfeed him and she said we could as long as we monitor his saturation levels.

He was hard to latch at this feeding. It was a new feeling, watching him become so frustruated, I was producing milk, but it was like he forgot how to latch. We eventually stopped because his sats dipped, and it was decided that we would supplement with formula.

The day continued like this, we would try to breastfeed at each feeding, with a few successes, and Chris and I stayed in the NICU for the majority of the day. We decided together we wanted to keep visitors to just our parents that day and then close family and friends for the remainder of our stay.

We also decided to keep the fact that Alex was in the NICU off of Facebook in order for us to better focus on him and to prevent an overabundance of visitors. Instead we had family pass around the information and ask everyone for prayers.

The days ticked on and things were very touch and go up until the last day.

On Monday it was decided that Alex's oxygen saturation levels were not satisfactory and the doctor ordered him to be placed under an oxygen hood. This provided him with oxygen and also a better way to determine how much oxygen he was requiring to keep his sats up.

It was Monday night that I had an emotional breakdown. I had been incredibly strong up until that point. I felt like I had to be strong for everyone. My family looked to me to know, "is that beeping sound ok?" or "Is it ok to pick him up?" Chris tried to hide it as best he could, but he was scared out of his mind.

Then I would see the mother's of the other babies in the NICU who were much smaller and sicker than Alex and I felt like I had no right to be scared or upset.

So up until I met one doctor, which I had met dozens at this point, I had remained strong and positive. It just proves that it takes good bedside manner and a little heart and you will keep everyone happy. And still to this day I do not know this doctor's name.

It also did not help that I was pushing myself way too hard to be by Alex's side at all times, I was exhausted.

But with the help of an excellent nurse, my family, and fantastic husband I pulled myself together.

I took that night to recoop, sleep, and mainly sleep. Chris went up at each and every feeding and fed Alex, all while I slept. When I woke up I felt like a new person.

By Tuesday afternoon the nurses were able to wean Alex off of the oxygen and his sats were staying right around were they should only occasionally dropping. He was breastfeeding well, not as good as he did originally, but good enough, and also putting some of his weight back on.

Tuesday was also the day Alex was cleared to have all of his procedures done, he could finally have his hearing screen and be circumcised.

It was Tuesday that I hit my health road block but, that is for another post. (Which should not be as long)

Tuesday progressed, Alex continued to do well. And I finally had hope that we could be taking our baby boy home the next day, as long as everything checked out with his blood work and chest x-ray the next morning and the tests they ran on me.

On Wednesday morning I was still under a pump and dump order so Chris was going up to feed Alex formula when we got his discharge orders and while I was waiting on mine.

The second I got the ok I grabbed everything and ran, I did not want anyone or anything to keep me in that hospital any longer.

Welcome to the World!

2012-07-16T15:35:00.002-07:00

Welcome to the world Alexander!!

Born via c-section on 7-7-12 at 7:23 pm.

Weighing in at 8 lbs 13.1 oz.

Measuring 22 inches long.

Already the light of Mommy & Daddy's world.

Induction Day 7-6-12

2012-07-16T15:33:00.001-07:00

Well the day had finally come for us to begin the process to meet our sweet baby boy.

Our appointment time was at 11 am but of course Mommy could not sleep because she was so so so nervous. I think we went to bed around 1 am and then had to be up at 8 to run errands before we had to head to the hospital.

I woke up that morning around 5 am rip roaring and ready to go. I mainly laid around trying to do word puzzles to calm my nerves but it did not work. I ate breakfast showered and got dressed then twiddled my thumbs until 7:30 when I decided to wake up Chris.

Chris showered and we were off. I dropped Chris off at the Great Clips so he could get a hair cut, then went to the bank so I could get the mortgage taken care of.

On my way back from the bank I had a small panic attack. I think that was when it really settled in that I would be meeting my son by the end of the next day, OR SOONER! After 9 long months of waiting the time was here.

So after I pulled over, threw up and recollected myself I was on my way to pick up Chris.

And we were off. We were headed to the hospital to meet our son. We knew we were early but we did not care.

We arrived at the hospital at about 10:15 am and they had us wait in the waiting room. I have never felt more impatient in my life.

We finally heard our name called over the loud speaker and we went to check in.

After the proper paperwork was filled out and signed they directed us back to the Labor and Delivery Unit. We were met by the NICEST nurse named Peggy. She was very informative and to the point but friendly and carried on genuine conversation.

She directed us into Suite 17 and had me change into one of the hideous hospital gowns and then took my vitals.

Then we began the wait for the medicine that they were inducing me with. Cervadil. This is basically a shoestring they place on your cervix to help thin it out and sometimes dilate it.

When it finally came up from the pharmacy and was put in place it was 1:30pm.

Now the waiting game began. The medicine had to remain in place for 12 hours. This meant that at 1:30 am it would come out and I would be transferred to the other Labor & Delivery unit to be placed on Pitocin, which cause contractions and starts labor.

I had my fair share of ups and downs on this first unit all mainly centered around pain and frustration, not from the labor but from the way they restricted my movement. I knew I would never be able to get close to my goal of a natural labor if I could not move.

So 1:30 rolled around they took out the Cervadil and I was able to move!! They let me walk to the other unit, where I was then able to shower and get really comfy.

Here is where things begin to get hazy.

I know it was not until we got to this unit that Chris actually got some sleep. And I also remember how in love with the portable monitoring system I was. It allowed me to freely walk around my room, sit in the rocking chair and to roam the halls of the unit. I know I did a lot of this simply because it made my hips feel better.

I laid down and napped for awhile and then the sun came up and so did I. There was no sleeping at this point I was too excited..... and hungry.

The day progressed, we had family come sit and wait with us, my contractions got stronger and I progressed little by little.

I made it until about 2-3 hours after my water was broken, which showed the baby had a bowel movement inside of my uterus, managing the contractions on my own. That was when the contractions were 2 minutes apart and lasting 1 minute but I was only 3 centimeters and 75% effaced.

Chris and I had a heart to heart and we decided that I was only wanting to try to deliver naturally because of my history of the spinal tap and blood patch and the fear of suffering that pain over again.

We were straightforward and honest with the nurses and the nurse anesthetist and they all helped the procedure go that much smoother. I wound up getting an epidural and it was the best decision I could have made.

Time continued to pass and my labor kind of stalled out. I was not really dilating much, if at all, and per the internal monitor my contractions were normal and VERY strong.

The doctor had the nurses position me almost on my belly in hopes that within an hour or two it would help my cervix change. Well I progressed about a half a centimeter and the doctor was finally able to feel the babies head. She discovered that yes he was head down, but his he was turned the wrong way and also his head was coming down wrong, which she was afraid was cause a very long and dangerous labor.

The decision was made for my safety and Alexs' to have a c-section. With the meconium (poop) in my uterus the doctor was not going to let me go too much longer anyway.

Within 20 minutes I was laying face up on operating table and the medical staff were performing their first time out.

One of the very few things I remember about the surgery was at 7:23 pm the sound of his cry, I immediately started crying, my boy was here!!! Another was the first time I saw Chris holding our son. It was the most serene sight I have ever laid eyes on. And finally the first time I looked into my son's eyes. I know it is cliche but my heart grew and I discovered a love I have never felt before.

And then to top off my memories I remember the doctor showing my husband my uterus and ovaries and how amazed he was.

We were then headed to recovery. This was the first time I was able to experience my boy in my arms. All of the family came back to see him. They were all amazed at not only how big he was but how beautiful he is.

After everyone left I began to breastfeed and an instant bond was formed between my son and I. As he continued to feed out the window in the distance we could see 3 different fireworks shows and I just made the moment that much more special.

This is definitely not the end of the story, the days we spent in the hospital were long and trying but as a family, and with A LOT of help we made it through.

Alex's Nursery

2012-07-05T19:06:00.001-07:00

So this week I finally got Alex's nursery done and to my liking. So here are some pics for your enjoyment.

His Toy Story closet organizer/toy box.

His horsey bouncer. $39.99 at a consignment shop.

My old dresser that Chris refurbished for Alex.

His crib

Love these cups above the dresser/changing table. Got them at IKEA for 0.99 each.

His window and our big comfy chair.

39 Weeks Pregnant

2012-07-05T18:59:00.003-07:00

How far along: 39 weeks and 5 days today

Growing?: Yes I do believe he is still growing as I feel like my skin has less and less room to stretch each day.

Best Moment of the Week?: Knowing that tomorrow morning we are headed in for an induction. And also the fact that it is the night before and I have started having contractions.

Worst moment of the week?: The random morning sickness episodes.

Cravings: Not really anything new.

Movement?: His movement has really picked up the last few days. I never have felt him move so much!

Still nauseous?: Yeah every once in awhile.
Belly button?: It is not gonna pop but it is so sore!

Wedding rings?: They are still on that necklace.

Mood?: Your dad and I are uber excited for your arrival and cannot wait to meet you.

37 and 38 Weeks Pregnant

2012-06-29T13:52:00.000-07:00

Ok I can honestly say I feel like the last 2 weeks have flown by up until today and I don't remember much but I will do my best to rehash everything below. :)

How far along?: Well today I am 38 weeks and 6 days pregnant.

Growing?: Well yes and unfortunately so are my stretch marks.

Best moment of the week?: Knowing that this time next week I will be in hospital bed a few hours into my induction....

Worst moment of the week?: Well I have a few of these this week.... number one being the return of morning sickness. The past 2 or 3 days I have gotten sick right after I wake up. Another being the bruise I found on my belly this week, that hurts like hell, and is atrocious. And as I continue to gripe let me not forget the swelling my feet have begun to do..... I have had some minimal swelling up to this point but 38 weeks hit and I began with the painful swelling of my feet and ankles and what is known as pitting edema, which is where if you touch your foot it leaves an imprint.

It is gross, I know, you don't have to sugar coat it lol. And finally realizing that this time next week I will be in a hospital bed a few hours into my induction is also one of the worst moments of the week.

Since I found out I was pregnant I had dreamed of trying to have a natural birth, but keeping an open mind when it came to pain medicine. I know just because I am being induced does not mean I will HAVE to have pain medicine, but it definitely will not help my chances. And the other reason for me not loving this is that it also increases my risk for needing a c-section, which I DO NOT WANT, and I am already at a high risk for due to Alex's size.

But I would do ANYTHING just to get my sweet baby boy here happy and healthy.

Cravings?: Well I would have to say they really have not changed.

Movement?: He has descended more and still managing to kick and wiggle in there. Any movement he makes now though is making my whole belly move.

Still nauseous?: Yep, morning sickness is a b****!

Belly button popped?: Nope but getting more and more flat still. But it will definitely not change before Alex gets here.

Wedding rings on or off?: Still on a necklace.

Mood: My answer to how I am doing to EVERYONE is, "I am done." I am so ready for Alex to be here but I am also so tired and over being pregnant that I just don't know what to do with myself.

NCLEX-RN

2012-06-17T09:33:00.002-07:00

So for every person who has ever gone through nursing school the culmination of the 2-4 years of hell would be the NCLEX-RN.

I had planned to take my NCLEX back in September of last year but with all of the happenings that have taken place I just could not get my mind into the right place to take it and feel confident.

Well I finally got to the "right place" this past month and got it scheduled. I had originally scheduled to take it next Wednesday but when I started ontracting and dilating I figured I better get it done sooner. So I called Pearson Vue and waited on pins and needles for them to get back to me.

Well I heard back from them last Tuesday and was able to reschedule my test for that Friday, 6-15-12.

So i set out for my studying marathon. I had been studying a few hours a day prior to that but really hit the books now.

Well Friday came and I found myself on my way to take my test. I walk into the test center and they check me in, scanning my fingerprint and my palmar vein patterns, and taking all of my info other than my blood type. The lady sits me down at desk number 1 and starts my test.

1 hour and 15 minutes later I was done. I did not know how to feel. I felt like I passed but then I felt like maybe I didn't. SOO I started googling ways for me to find out faster.

Well I found "trick" through Pearson Vue where if you try to re-register to take the test, if you failed it will let you re-register but if you passed then it will not. Well I did this and it would not let me re-register!!!! There were HUNDREDS of people online proving this to be right so I took it that it meant that I PASSED!

Well that night was the Miranda Lambert concert so I did not check to see if the official results were up.

But Saturday I was obsessive about it! It was also my Baby Shower day. So after about 1 pm I did not check it.

I checked it a few times last night before the site went down for maintenence, but still nothing. I had kinda of resigned myself to thinking that the results would not be up until Monday.

When I woke up this morning I thought, "What the heck, I will just check to see." Well when I got online I saw the results were up!!!

Well do you know what those results said?!?!?

I PASSED!!!!!

36 Weeks Pregnant

2012-06-17T08:28:00.001-07:00

How far along: 36 weeks 6 days.

Growing?: OH yeah, I am growing a linebacker!!! At the ultrasound on Monday he weighed an estimated 7 lbs 7 oz.

Best moment of the week: Getting to see you on the ultrasound on Monday! And confirming said ultrasound that Alex still is 100% boy!!! And after this picture was taken I went to the Miranda Lambert concert with my cousins Chrissy and Kearstin and their friend Amanda. It was such a blast and a nice "final hoo-rah."

Worst moment of the week: Studying for my NCLEX-RN that I took on Friday morning. It was a year to the date of my "official" graduation date from college. But the results of that are coming in another post.

Cravings: Cheese and ice cream.

Movement: He has begun to do more wiggling and small swift little jabs. And he has moved his head into the birth canal so much so that nurse practitioner was able to feel his head when she checked my cervix.

Still nauseous?: Only when I do not eat for a few hours.

Belly Button popped?: Nope but still pretty flat.

Wedding Rings?: On a necklace.

Mood?: Tired and nervous leading up to my NCLEX.

Stay tuned for another update about the results of NCLEX!!

35 Weeks Pregnant

2012-06-06T20:47:00.001-07:00

How far along: 35 weeks and 4 days

Growing?: Oh yes!! There is no question. I can feel him getting bigger by the day!

Best Moment of the Week?: Knowing that we will get to see him again at our growth scan on Monday.

Worst Moment of the Week?: That would have to be left blank this week. I honestly cannot think of anything bad that happened.

Cravings: I have really wanted ice cream and sweets still but I cannot wait to get my hands on something greasy either!

Movement: Of course! The doctor and I think he keeps wedging his shoulders into my pelvis which is waking me up some nights causing a little pain.

Still Nauseous?: Not so bad this week, mainly GERD.

Belly Button Popped?: Not quite but it is definitely getting flatter and flatter and when I lay down it looks completely flat.

Wedding Rings on or off?: On a necklace.

Mood: Overall I have been tired, but happy. The bigger I get the more it sinks in that he will be here VERY SOON!

Our doctor told us this week that after our growth scan on Monday the Nurse Practitioner will be testing us for Group B Strep and also checking my cervix for any thinning or dilation. If there is any present she said she will go ahead and schedule for an induction at 39 weeks unless the ultrasound still shows a super large baby, then we will have more to discuss.

From what I have been told at work I have really dropped. Which I cannot deny considering I take a sip of water and I am about to pee my pants. I am trying to get a really good comparison shot put together as I type, but it is proving harder than I thought.

Also we have another baby shower coming up on the 16th which we are really looking forward to.

Welp I know I will be in touch. I will probably post the comparison picture on Friday.

34 Weeks Pregnant!

2012-06-02T06:58:00.000-07:00

How far along: In the picture I am 34 weeks and 6 days.

Growing?: I definitely feel bigger, my ankles and toes are growing sideways and I can really tell that Alex is getting squished, because all of his movements feel more like he is sliding around rather than kicking.

Best Moment of the Week: Well that happened yesterday! Yesterday not only did we have our maternity shoot with the AMAZING Angela Rose from Soul Focus Photography I also saw my neurologist. I went in with the knowledge that this was going to be a pretty extensive visit, but I was wrong!!! My doctor checked out my eyes and saw ABSOLUTELY NO SWELLING!!!! Therefore he cancelled all procedures from there on and said to only come back if my symptoms got worse or didn't go away after I have Alex. That is some of the best news I have gotten in almost a year when it comes to my eyes.

Oh and I got to use expectant mother parking for the first time this week!!

Worst Moment of the Week: Well this would still have to be the phlegmy morning sickness. And now this week I can add the pressure on my crotch, and the getting up to pee 6 times a night. One other thing would be that I got hurt at work this week.

Cravings: Definitely sweets! Chocolate, ice cream, soda candy you name it!!

Movement: Feels more like he is sliding around in there rather than kicking and punching. AND he has definitely descended into my crotch!!

Still nauseous?: UGH yes.

Belly Button Popped?: It is getting more and more shallow and flat each week.

Wedding rings on or off?: On a necklace.

Mood: I am getting fatigued super easy! But overall I have been great, unfortunately for Chris I have had my periods of bitchiness but overall I feel like I have been good.

Chris and I both have had dreams this week that I gave birth! It just makes us feel like your birth is getting closer and closer, which it is, but this makes us feel like it will be sooner than expected.

In other news we scheduled our next ultrasound for the 11th of this month and the doctor said if he is still measuring as big as he was and my "cervix is favorable" we will go ahead and schedule an induction.....

I must say this makes me nervous, you could be here in less than 2 weeks!!! AAAAHHHHH wow, time is flying.

33 Weeks Pregnant

2012-05-26T05:02:00.000-07:00

How far along today?: In this picture I was 33 weeks and five days. It was before I met your Daddy at the lake to fish overnight.

Growing?: I do believe you are running out of room but yes you are still growing. I am interested to see how big he is at the next growth scan.

Best Moment of the week: That would have to be when your Dad and I went fishing overnight and caught 12 catfish! Definitely up there in our records. But even almost 8 1/2 months pregnant I was able to reel in a 15 pound fish!

Worst moment of the week: I guess I have come to that time in my pregnancy where I really have some things to complain about.....although I have promised your Daddy and Grandma Bunny that I would stop. This week was rough to say the least. My "phlegmy" morning sickness has made its return with a vengeance nearly everyday I am having some sort of nausea or dry heaves from all of this darn phlegm. And to top it all off I believe I had a stomach bug at one point too cause on my way to the doctor I got SICK!! All over the inside of my car, all over me and it was nasty!!

Your Daddy was my knight in shining armor that day, he came and found me on the random street I had pulled onto, brought me a change of clothes and cleaned my car enough for him to take it home and then let me take his to my doctor so he could deep clean mine for me. HOW DID I GET SO LUCKY?!?!

But on the same token your Daddy has an uncanny and all to frequent to be accidental way of making Mommy just about pee her pants. He has been a little too funny lately, I think he is going out of his way to make me do it!!

Cravings: Frish's Big Boys and their Diet Vanilla Cokes.
Movement?: Oh yes, like I put on the pic when I roll to my left side you have an absolute field day. When I am sitting at work doing paperwork you are one disgruntled baby because I am leaning over a desk taking away some of your limited space, and trust my ribs can verify this. And we do believe you have started to drop, because I have a lot of constant pressure where I have never had pressure before.

Still nauseous?: As mentioned above. YUCK!
Belly Button Popped?: No it has not popped but I am able to invert it myself recently.

Wedding rings on or off?: Off but on a necklace.

Mood: Tired and defeated a lot of the time. Sleep has become a rarity, I get it wherever and whenever I can. Sometimes when I am snuggled up with your dad who has no trouble going to sleep, I just wanna pinch his nose to wake him and be awake with me, but he can be far more grumpy than I on little to no sleep. And the feelings of defeat are just because I wanna meet you soo bad, and the farther along we get the more symptoms I have and the more the doctor says, "Oh it's normal." GRRR.

This week we got your carseat and stroller in the mail!!! WAHOO!! This officially means we can take you home from the hospital!! We just love it and Mommy is itching to have the carseat put in my back seat! Your Daddy and I have already been daydreaming about taking you on your first walk around the neighborhood in the stroller and have already been thinking about easier ways to get that stroller to the lake.

Another goody came this week! Your diaper bag!! I am beyond excited about this one!! I was soo happy when I saw my old company 31 still sold this bag in this pattern because it matches your room so well.

In other news your dad and I also picked out your outfits to wear while in the hospital and for your hospital pictures. I let your Daddy be the sole person to pick out your outfits for the pictures and he did a great job! So later this week if I get some time with my crazy different work schedule we will get all of your hospital things put into this bag and have it waiting and ready for "D-DAY!"

32 Weeks Pregnant

2012-05-15T21:08:00.001-07:00

How Far Along Today?: Today I am 32 weeks and 3 days.

Growing?: OH YES!! Alex is an estimated 5 lbs and 6 oz which is the size of an average 36 weeks baby. He is also in the 90th percentile for his age.

Best Moment of the Week?: Seeing Alex on the ultrasound, that he looks like his Daddy on the ultrasound and also the baby shower with my Dad's family and Chris's family.

Cravings: Not really but my combinations have been quite the "preggo" diet as I am told. We have however changed our diet in the last week and I must say Alex loves it. We are eating leaner and cleaner, little to no red meat, and very low amounts of dairy for me and none for Chris. It is hard but I must say very tasty.

Baby Moving Yet?: We found out for sure he is head down and I believe he may have dropped or be snuggling more and more into my pelvis. All of a sudden I have been having a lot more pressure on my crotch and have to pee all the time. It kind of feels like I have a bowling ball sitting on my hoo-hah!

Still Nauseous?: Nope not at all this week.

Belly Button Popped?: It is getting more and more shallow but it definitely is still a HUGE canyon.

Wedding Rings on or off?: Off. I have just decided to wear my wedding rings on a necklace.

Mood: Nesting like crazy. We got most of the stuff from the baby shower washed and put away. We have the cradle in our room completely put together. We love it and cannot wait!!

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!!

My mom's parents made this cradle over 30 years ago. Almost each of their grandchildren have slept in it in their first weeks of life, including me. I was the 10th grandchild and now Alex will be the 10th great grandchild.

This cute blanket is from your Daddy. He gave it to me for our anniversary this year. I cannot wait to snuggle you in it!!

My Chunky Monkey

2012-05-14T18:05:00.000-07:00

So it is now official and no one can tell me otherwise. You are going to be my chunky monkey Alex!

We had our fetal weight ultrasound on Friday morning and you are one BIG boy all around. Your head is HUGE and your estimated weight is almost 5 1/2 pounds!!! That is nearly 2 pounds bigger than a normal baby your age! You are also in the 90th percentile for your age group.

Looks like you are going to take more after mommy than daddy in the size category, but we got a picture of your face and profile and I definitely think you look more like daddy.

This one is a little blurry once I put it on here but in person it is so clear and everyone seems to agree you have the Buerger nose!! YAY! You won't have my big honker!

SOOOO..... the doctor is planning on doing another ultrasound around 36 weeks and if you are still big we will discuss our options for an early delivery or letting you "cook" until 40 weeks.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE be healthy, but mommy would love it if you were not a 14 pound baby!

Him being so big is reminding more and more of the dream I had the night before I took my pregnancy test!

Nesting, Nesting, Nesting.

2012-05-10T20:10:00.000-07:00

So Alex, with your first baby shower being tomorrow I must say Mommy came home this evening and began her cleaning spree. I want so much to be able to come home and put all of the amazing things I am sure you will get away.

I am hoping that your Daddy will be able to get your dresser out into your room tomorrow also. Hint hint!!! :)

So all of your clothes so far are fluffed and folded and your room is clean, but bare I must add. Your crib and the bedding are cleaned and assembled, your Toy Story friends are hanging in the toy hanger, your bookshelf already has some books on it, and Mommy spends A LOT of time day dreaming in your door way of all the memories you will make in that room.

With all of that said Mommy wants you to come like NOW, but I know it is much more important for you to continue to "cook" and get bigger, and more healthy. Plus I have a lot more work to do still.

Oh yeah!!! I forgot to mention we got your cradle this week. This cradle is very special. Your Great Grandpa and Great Grandma made it over 30 years ago. Almost all of my cousins and myself have slept in it in the first weeks of our lives and it makes me so happy that you are going to sleep in it too.

Tomorrow we have another big milestone in this pregnancy. We have reached the time where the doctors do the fetal weight/growth ultrasound to see how big you have gotten. From what the doctor said it is a little earlier than she would normally do it, but since my uterus is measuring ahead, she said better safe than sorry.

Welp I am back to cleaning while I wait for your Daddy to get home from fishing. See you tomorrow!

31 Weeks Pregnant

2012-05-08T19:02:00.003-07:00

How far along today?: 31 weeks and 3 days today, but as you can see in the pic I was 31 + 1.

Style: Still the same clothes.

Growing?: I definitely feel bigger this week. I am beginning to feel a bit like a whale.

Best moment of the week?: Knowing that we will get to see you this week on a ultrasound.

Cravings: Shredded chicken with Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce.

Baby moving yet?: He is a night owl for sure. His main hours I have noticed to be from about 11pm to 3am.

Still nauseous?: Once or twice this week, and unfortunately the congestion is back and I got sick.

Belly button popped?: It is one deep canyon not a belly button

Wedding rings on or off?: STILL looking around for a matching band set for your daddy and I.

Mood: Becoming very tired due to the lack of sleep I have been getting. Each time I fall asleep My legs go numb and it wakes me up.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!!

30 Weeks Pregnant

2012-05-06T05:48:00.001-07:00

How far along today?: 30 weeks and 4 days

Style: Still the same clothes.

Growing?: My fundus, or the top of my uterus is 3 weeks bigger than expected.

Best moment of the week?: Being able to distinguish what you are kicking me with.

Cravings: Definitely cheese. You are definitely your father's son.

Baby moving yet?: He is a night owl for sure. His main hours I have noticed to be from about 11pm to 3am.

Still nauseous?: Nope, not unless it has been too long since I ate.

Belly button popped?: It is one deep canyon not a belly button

Wedding rings on or off?: STILL looking around for a matching band set for your daddy and I.

Mood: Been a pretty happy camper, but nesting has FOR SURE settled in!

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!!

Bigger than expected....

2012-05-03T04:15:00.001-07:00

So as I begin to type this I realize I could have just added it into my weekly pregnancy blog, which is coming, promise!! But I feel like I have so much more to say about it than what I typically post in my blog.

So this past week I went to my very 1st OB appointment throughout this pregnancy, ALONE. I was not mad or upset about it, Chris' schedule was screwy and he definitely needed sleep, so sleep I let him.

But I have to say I definitely noticed him not being there. Typically we walk in the door of this office, and everyone and their mother stops us and says hi to Chris since he used to work there. Well Tuesday I walked in and not a single person said hi, or stopped to ask how we were doing. I didn't quite mind though since it had taken me an hour and 15 minutes to get there with traffic. Let's just say it was probably for the best that no one did say hi.

I check in and I think the lady recognizes me but we don't carry on our usual conversation of how she hates this new computer system and that she is really dreading the move, when the new building is done.

I get to the waiting room and not even 10 seconds later I am headed back to begin my appointment. I deposit my urine, yes I said deposit, over the past almost 8 months I have peed in enough cups to set the tables at a White House dinner with them and still have some left over.

I give my weight, YAY!!! Down 2 pounds in 2 weeks! I probably should not be as happy about this as I am but when I hae already put on 20 pounds and still have 10 weeks to go I think I can be happy about it. Cause it gives me nightmares thinking that I will probably gain AT LEAST a pound per week from here on out.

Then we head into the exam room. The med tech takes my vitals which are normal, as always, blood pressure 117/71 and pulse 101. <---- My pulse has been the only thing other than my weight that has increased since the beginning of this pregnancy, but that too is normal since my blood volume has doubled.

The med tech records my vitals into the computer, asks if I have any concerns for the doc, which she has never asked before..... so I think about it for a second and say, "Well as a matter of fact, someone just remarked last night how small I am, can she tell me if I am measuring on track?" She marks it down and leaves the room.

Then came the wait. This seemed like the longest wait in my history at the doctor's office and as I sat there twiddling my thumbs, it hit me, it seems so long because I am alone, my best friend/husband is not here to entertain me, or fart and make me laugh, or share the latest news he is reading on his Channel 9 news app.

So after what seemed like 30 minutes, but was probably only 10 in comes the doctor and she begins her exam. She starts by listening to my heart, asks me about the cardiologist I had been seeing, and then about my neurologist. I report that at my final visit with the cardio she said everything was perfect just a racing pulse and that the neuro said no issues right now, but to continue to watch some of my symptoms.

She then lays me back to measure my uterus. This is where I get interested. She said, "So someone said you looked small huh?" I said, "Yeah, I feel small too but I am not gonna complain, cause I am sure in a few weeks I will be bigger than a house, but that kinda stuff just gets inside your head." She got her measurement, then took another, and another. Finally she looks at me and says, "Well, you may look small to some but you are measuring 3 weeks bigger than you should." My eyes had to be the size of fish bowls cause she said, "Nothing to worry about right now, it could just be the way he is positioned or the amount of fluid you have in there. But it does mean you get your ultrasound earlier than expected to see just how big he is."

She then proceeded to listen to his heart rate and it seemed like we listened for 10 mintues. I just love that little galloping sound! I still think about buying myself a doppler, but know at this point I could probably hear his heart rate with my stethoscope.

So we schedule my ultrasound and another appointment so she can tell me the results of said ultrasound. And the first day that truly works in our schedule, yes ours, cause I am never going to an appointment alone again, is next Friday. Which is also the day of our first baby shower. :) Now I will have some current photos of my sweet boy for his first party.

Well ta ta for now. Expect a dual update on Saturday.

Glucose Tolerance Test & Insomnia

2012-04-28T03:38:00.002-07:00

Oh the wonders of pregnancy!

First there are vials and vials of blood, then ultrasounds and cold gels on your stomach. And then before you know it you are a28 weeks and it is time to do the dreaded.....

GLUCOSE TOLERANCE TEST!

YUCK! If you are lucky you only have to do this test once, you have to give up one hour of your life and one tube of blood. For the first time around your doctor will give you a drink that is 50 grams of sugar in 10 oz of fluid. UGH, but I have to say it is not that bad.

Here is how the sugar content of some of the most popular drinks stack up:

COKE

12 oz can of Coke: 39 g

20 oz bottle of Coke: 65 g

1 liter of Coke: 108 g

MT. DEW

20 oz bottle of Mt. Dew: 77 g

1 liter of Mt. Dew: 124 g

ENERGY DRINKS

8 oz of Rockstar Energy Drink: 31 g

16 oz of Rockstar Energy Drink: 62 g

8.3 oz of Redbull: 27 g

JUICES

8 oz of Vitamin Water: 13 g

20 oz of Vitamin Water: 33 g

8 oz Sobe Mango: 29 g

20 oz Sobe Mango: 70 g

8 oz Arizona Lemon Ice Tea: 24 g

20 oz Arizona Lemon Ice Tea: 72 g

8 oz Snapple Lemon Ice Tea: 23 g

16 oz SnappleLemon Ice Tea: 46 g

8 oz Minute Maid Lemonade: 27 g

20 oz Minute Maid Lemonade: 67 g

8 oz Orange Juice: 24 g

16 oz Orange Juice: 48 g

8 oz Apple Juice: 26 g

16 oz Apple Juice: 52 g

6.75 oz Capri Sun: 18 g

MILK

8 oz Nesquik Chocolate Milk: 29 g

16 oz Nesquik Chocolate Milk: 58 g

8 oz Westsoy Vanilla Soy Milk: 8 g

So when you think about it 50 g of sugar is not that bad compared to some of the things you drink everyday. It is just a lot to take in 10 oz of liquid.

They give you the drink and you have five minutes to drink it and then they take your blood in 1 hour. They generally want your blood sugar to be under 120 when they test your blood. If it is higher than that they will have you do the 3 hour glucose tolerance test.

Now if you are like me and have the joy of failing this test the first time you get to move onto the mac daddy of sugary drinks.

You are reading it right, there are 100 GRAMS OF SUGAR in this little 10 oz drink. Another little fun bit that goes along with this drink is the fact that my doctor wanted me to fast for 12 hours prior to doing the test. And if Chris learned anything from me doing this test, is NEVER stand between a pregnant woman and food. I was BEYOND bitchy heading to the testing site.

I am sure it did not help that I went to bed at about 8pm the night before, in attempts to keep my ass away from the kitchen. And since I have the lovely diagnosis of pregnancy insomnia I woke up at about 2 in the morning and could not fall back to sleep.

I layed in bed, while my stomach howling, playing on my phone from 2 in the morning until about 5 when I decided I would go ahead and shower since we had to leave at 7. Well 20 minutes later my shower was done, I had lotion on, I was dressed and ready to go, with WAY TOO MUCH TIME TO KILL.

This is one of the downfalls of no cable, I sat on the couch watching my ABC shows on my phone and listening to my stomach growl until Chris got up at 630.

We got to the testing site, mind you Chris used to work here, so he knows EVERYONE, all I wanted to do was start the damn test but instead we seemed to get stopped by everyone who just wanted to talk.

Finally I get to the lab and the lady takes the first vial of blood. She hands me the 100 g drink and says you have 5 minutes to drink this, lemon lime is THE WORST!, and then come back here in 1 hour.

You would think that drinking all of this sugar would make someone want to bounce off of the walls in the waiting room but you would be worng!!!

About 30 mintues into the test Alex is doing absolute somersaults in my uterus and I am about ready to fall asleep leaning on Chris's shoulder. I know my husband brushed his teeth before we left that morning but in my bitchy tiredness his breath smelled like absolute poop!!! Which did not put me in a better mood each time he looked down at me and asked me how I was doing. But I have to give him credit cause he was the best husband ever during this test. He waited patiently in the lobby with me for 3 hours.

With each hour that passed I began to think more and more about the food I could not have and like I told the lab tech, "I feel like I am planning my last meal." So three hours and 3 tubes of blood later Chris and I were on our way to EAT! FINALLY!!

Only you wanna know what a pregnant woman wants to eat when she has had nothing for 15 hours? Well so does she, because she is now so hungry that she has NO CLUE what sounds good.

We wound up at our favorite wing joint and my eyes were MUCH bigger than my stomach was of course, so I wound up with a box of leftovers and was seriously about to crash from all of the sugar!

But I was happier than a lark when we got home and I could crawl back into my warm and cozy bed and take a nap. During that 2 hour nap I felt like I made insomnia my b**** and I got a really good 2 hours in. Then the darn alarm went off.

I had some errands to run that afternoon. Just to the post office then to pick up a package from UPS.

You know what NO ONE told me about this test.....the fact that I was going to get a killer headache from the sugar dump. :/ I should have expected it, and it was not the worst I have ever had, thanks to my spinal tap, but it sure complicated driving in the sun!

So I got my errands done and you know what I did, I came back home at about 8, put on my pajamas, put in a movie and went right back to bed! Which is where I stayed until 4 this morning, I can vaguely remember Chris crawling in next to me at about 1 am, when once again I awoke to the howling of my stomach!

Welp I am gonna self medicate and head back to bed before work tonight.

So I hope you all enjoy your rainy Saturday, cause I will be catching some ZZZZ's.

29 Weeks Pregnant

2012-04-25T22:17:00.000-07:00

How far along today?: 29 weeks and 4 days

Style: Still the same clothes.

Growing?: Yes!

Best moment of the week?: Being able to distinguish what you are kicking me with.

Cravings: Definitely cheese.

Baby moving yet?: Oh yeah all the time.

Still nauseous?: Incredibly sick the past few days and have thrown up a few times, from coughing so hard.

Belly button popped?: It is one deep canyon not a belly button

Wedding rings on or off?: STILL looking around for a matching band set for your daddy and I.

Mood: All over the spectrum but mostly sick and listless with this thing I have going on.

Gender: IT'S A BOY!!!

Ok so it may be TMI but I have a new bodily development. My boobs have begun leaking what looks like breastmilk. It is definitely not something I thought would happen this early but, what is a preggo to do?

The last few days I have been coughing my head off. And not just a regular cough, I sound like a dog barking at the mailman. And when I have a coughing fit, sometimes they are so bad that I can't catch my breath or stop and wind up vomiting. SO FUN.

Today before work I woke up feeling better than I had in a few days, I was still hoarse and had a cough but it was not terrible. Well about an hour into work, I was sweating like a 600 lb person who just ran a marathon, and felt like I was gonna pass out. My blood pressure was fine but I had a temperature of 103. Yikes.

I took 2 extra strength tylenol and began my attempts at finding a nurse to relieve me. And by the grace of God I got a nurse to come in for me. And I plan on repaying her kindly!

So now I am home for the night and have a doctors appointment first thing in the morning. Let's hope it is nothing too serious and I can on some antibiotics and kick this thing.

This Crazy Roller Coaster....Called Life

2012-04-25T03:00:00.000-07:00

Let's begin with a consecutive scream!

Not just any scream, but the one you make when you are sitting at the top of the hill on the scariest roller coaster about to make your plummet towards the earth.

Now think of all of the thoughts going through your head.....

I don't know what goes through your head but each and every time I wonder:

-Are the brakes going to work?

-The track won't break will it?

-Will I survive?

-Is this guy in front of me going to throw up?

-The track does go back to the start right?

So maybe this makes me a hypochondriac but you have to admit at least one of those thoughts has crossed your mind at the top of that hill.

Since purchasing our home I have realized that being a homeowner is a lot like riding that roller coaster. Each month you find yourself at the top of that hill when all of your bills are due.

I find that the paychecks you receive are like the brakes on the coaster. The help you to slow down, or dwindle down the amount you owe. When you have a steady job and you get the same paycheck every two weeks for example your breaks are working perfectly, as long as you are pulling in enough to cover what you owe.

The fear that the track may break, in my opinion is the fear of what if I miss a day of work? What will I do with that short in my pay? How will I make up for it? Is this going to be detrimental to our finances?

Chris and I have had our fair share of this in the last two weeks alone. My dumb self actually emptied the dishwasher and was going to do the dishes when my mind decided it would be fun to cut my finger open on an apple corer and have to get stitches. :(

Fortunately my idiocy did not keep me from work but it sure will put a dent in the money we had for bills soon I am sure.

Then my poor husband got sick. And when Chris gets sick he does it good. He was miserable, and felt like he could come no where near me. So I being the good wife/nurse that I am asked him to go to the doctor, and he happily obliged.

Not really, I told him that he was either going to the doctor or he was not going to play airsoft with his friends that weekend, so he agreed to go.

And boy was it a good thing he did because the doctor said if he waited any longer it would have been more than just a sinus infection and not one but TWO EAR INFECTIONS! So he put Chris on an antibiotic for a few days. Of course things get worse before they get better so Chris wound up being too sick for work that next day. And all the two of us could think was, what bill is that going to effect this month?

The fear of will I survive....this fear is oneself questioning, if I don't pay this bill this month, or on time, are we going to be reprimanded or will the company work with us? If there is one thing I have learned since becoming a monthly bill payer it is that as long a company knows they are going to get your money at some point they are happy and will help you out as best as you can. I don't want to say we have taken full advantage of that, but we have definitely used that to help us out.

This fear is one that crosses my mind EVERYDAY!!! The fear of is the guy in front of me going to throw up, is the fear of what is going to break next? What am I going to have to unexpectedly pay for?

This is another dilemma Chris and I have had our fair share of problems with. Our biggest problem appliance always seems to be the dryer. I think we have gone through 3 since we bought our condo, but then there was the time it was the heater, then Chris's car a few times, my 2 flat tires since purchasing my car (within the first year), getting slammed with an unexpected amount on our city taxes, and then all of the healthcare bills we have received. Since August of last year, when I had my MRI and all of that I seem to be falling apart.

But as we have learned we can always figure something out, we can make due until we have the money to fix it and so on.

And finally I always find myself thinking the track does go back to the start right?!? And the answer has always been yes.... At some point you will get to a point where all of the bills are paid and you may have a little left over to spend or, the smarter thing, maybe even put into savings. Eventually through hard work and some REALLY hard times you will get your head back above water.

You may have to cut back on:

-cable

-the phone bill

-the electric you use everyday

-the grocery bill

-extra trips in the car

-having fun

But in the end as long as you have your loved ones, do you really need all of that?

Do I need to sit in front of the tv all day?

Do I HAVE to have a smart phone?

NO but I am slowly working myself on this one....

Do I have to have lights on during the daylight hours?

NO, our house gets plenty of natural light.

Do we have to buy groceries a month in advance?

NO, it is ok to go to the grocery a few times a week. The store clerk won't think you are a pig.

Do I have to make all of those extra trips in the car?

NO, my brother and sister know I love them, and will not hold it against me for missing an event. My family knows I love them and if I don't have the gas, I don't have the gas.

And do we have to eat out at least once a paycheck?

NO, we tend to have a better night eating dinner and watching a movie together anyways.