Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way

Mama guilt...

2012-01-26T01:01:00.000-05:00

Has set in big time. 2 weeks ago today we found out that Aidan wasn't gaining weight the way he should be. He had only gained 6 ounces in 3+ weeks. It was determined that my "mommy milk" didn't have enough calories in it for him. He was started on formula. In my head, I know that all that matters is that he's happy and healthy. In my heart, I was really hoping to go 12+ nursing. As much as I told myself I would be happy with how ever long I got to breast feed, secretly, I was hoping it was going to be a long term thing. I loved the one on one time, I loved the bonding, I just loved it in general (once we got past the ridiculous pain part). Truth be told...I still get one on one time (tons of it, given Nick's schedule), I still get to bond with him over his meals (just in the form of a bottle now), and I'm kinda relieved by the fact that we no longer have to worry about having enough mommy milk pumped/stored to be able to be out and about for an entire day. I don't have to think ahead and wonder where I can nurse, or if I have enough mommy milk to sustain him through out a day. Sadly, I am almost completely dried up now. I can no longer get anything by pumping. I do still nurse Aidan at night, and I think he gets some mommy milk during that time, but I'm not really sure how much, or if he's just nursing as a comfort thing. In the next couple days I'm going to pack away my pump and 2oz bottles, saving them for our next little miracle. And for now, I'm just going to enjoy the time and bond that I have with my beautiful son. On Monday I took him to his pediatricians office to get weighed, just to find out how much he had gained since starting on formula...in 11 days he gained a pound and a half. He went from 13 pounds to 14.5 pounds. He had dropped from the 75th percentile to the 25th before this...now he's back up to the 75th percentile. I couldn't be happier!! In just a couple short weeks, he will start on some solids! I can't believe how fast he's growing. He's working on his two front bottom teeth already! Nick and I are truly blessed to have this amazing little man in our lives!!

Here's a couple of his 3 month pictures <3

What a difference a year makes!!

2012-01-15T21:42:00.001-05:00

This time last year, Nick and I were trying to get pregnant. This year, we have a beautiful 3 month old baby.

Last year, we had only been in our house for a couple months. This year, well, we've been here 15ish months, and have gotten alot of remodeling and unpacking and settling done.

It absolutely amazes me how different things are this year. We don't have it all together, but together we have it all!

The last 3 months have been a huge change. Our family of 2 has become a family of 3. It's a huge adjustment from being alone for 24 out of every 48 hours, to being completely responsible for a baby...I used to be able to get up an run to the store real fast, or make impromptu plans with friends...now it takes me at least an hour to get out of the house to run to the grocery store, or pharmacy...don't even ask how long it takes if we're going to be gone more then an hour!

One of the biggest changes had come in the last couple weeks. I have felt my depression creeping back in for a while now, but I've been trying to push it back and pretend like all is well. I've finally accepted that it's beyond what I can handle on my own anymore. My Gramma passed away on New Years Eve, and I think that just sent me over the edge. I've been trying for a long time to find a job, with no results. Then on Wednesday I found out that I'm not making caloric enough breast milk for Aidan, meaning that we had to start giving him formula...not the end of the world, I know, but, for me at this point it was heart breaking. I just can't help but feel like I have failed him in some way...

Well, that's about enough of wallowing in my own self pity for one night I think!

Make sure to check out our 365 blog! 365 days of Aidan

We are also open to reviews/giveaways/and we have advertising spots open!!

Merry Christmas...and some reflection

2011-12-25T06:30:00.002-05:00

As I sit in our bed at 0600 on Christmas morning, I can't help but to look back on our year. What a year it has been. This time last year, Nick was getting ready to go to work, as we were celebrating our first Christmas in our new home. We had only been in the house for about 2 months. We had our first Christmas tree, our first outside decorations, and the start of our Christmas traditions. We had exchanged gifts before bed on Christmas eve, since Nick had to work on Christmas day. I was heading to his parents house on Christmas day, to be with our family.

As, I think back on the last 12 months, I can't help but smile. January brought a new year, and the news that we were expecting our first Air Force Brat. As the days, weeks, and months went by, we grew more and more excited. Then we found out we were having a little boy. We were over the moon!! As time wore on, we prepared for our little Aidan. Summer got hotter, and I got bigger. Aidan was a little ninja in my belly, kicking like a soccer star. Things got complicated towards the end, but on October 12, 2011, we welcomed our beautiful little man.

Aidan Micah, 12 October 2011 8lbs 8oz 21 inches

And, my have things changed since then! It's been just over 10 weeks since we welcomed Aidan Micah into our family. We couldn't be happier. He's the best baby! So happy, and smilie, and amazing. He rolls over, and is starting to try to crawl. He greets us every morning with a huge smile. It's amazing to see how much he has changed in the last 10 weeks.

It's been an amazing 10 weeks...it's been an amazing year! Now as Aidan and I wait for daddy to get home from work, we want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a New Year full of amazing!

Be on the look out for a new layout, new reviews and giveaways, and most importantly, new posts!! {and probably alot of new Aidan pictures along the way!!}

From our family, to yours,

Merry Christmas, and Happy New Year!!!

Aidan Micah's birth story!

2011-10-29T23:29:00.004-04:00

Well, hello there. It's been a long time...have you missed us? Not gonna lie, while I have missed blogging {ALOT} this has been a much needed bloggy break for our family. With my pregnancy, and trying to get ready for the arrival of our little man, the break was just what we needed.

That being said, it's good to be back, and we have lots to share!

The last couple of months of my pregnancy were rough to say the least. I had been so spoiled through the first 2 trimesters, that I wasn't expecting anything else! That all changed right around my 30 week mark. I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes, and put into the high risk category. While it turned out that the diagnosis was wrong, it was only the beginning for us. I'm also considered high{er} risk then a normal pregnancy due to having Von Willebrand's disease. In the end it took my OB and everyone else in her office until I was 35ish weeks to decided that I would be able to deliver at our local hospital, instead of going to the large hospital over an hour away. Starting at 32 weeks, I went into labor & delivery every week for a non stress test. Don't let the name fool you, they have a tendency to be anything but NON stressful. At 33 weeks, and again at 35 weeks, I went into preterm labor, and received terbutaline (sp?) to stop said labor. At this point we knew that Aidan was getting pretty big, and we were mostly all in agreement that he wasn't going to stay put until 40 weeks. It was agreed that our goal would be to get to 36 weeks, and we'd go from there.

36 weeks came...and went...then came 37 weeks, I was starting to dilate and efface, but not much...This continued on and on...I'd have strong regular contractions and end up in L&D a couple times a week. At 37 weeks, we had a growth scan done, just to check on Aidan's size, and make sure I still had enough fluid. At that point, Aidan was measuring 7 pounds 10 ounces. At 38 weeks, I asked my OB about possibly inducing at 39 weeks. My rationale being that Aidan was getting BIG...I'm under 5 feet tall, and I was honestly getting worried that he was getting too big. It was agreed that I would be induced on October 11th.

So, on the 11th, we arrived at L&D at 0730. After going through all of the paper work, and getting my IV started and everything, I was started on Pitocin at 0915. I was 1-2 at the time that the Pit was started. At around 1300 my OB came back to check me and I was at 2-3, so she broke my water...all I have to say about that is, OUCH and EW! At about 1400 I decided that I was ready for my epidural...or at least I would really be ready for it once I had received the meds that I needed. Around 1515 I received my epi, and felt fabulous...I was a happy kid. After that, things were pretty boring and quiet...I wasn't really progressing as quickly as I had hoped, and before I knew it, it was 2300...I was finally at 9.5, and we were all hoping that I would be pushing within the hour! The hour came, and went...and then I started to get sick...Aidan was facing the wrong way, and causing really bad back labor, that my epi wasn't touching...Not gonna lie...I was vomiting like it was my job...thankfully, somehow, with Nick's help, I was able to get turned around to be on my hands and knees over the back of my bed, even with the epi...if it wasn't for that I don't know what I would have done! At around 0100 my OB came back in to check me again, and I was still at 9.5...she had me push through 3 contractions, and it was decided that Aidan wasn't coming out that way...he was facing the wrong way, and has a big head, so it was decided that it would be safer for both of us for me to have a c-section...my temperature was also starting to go up at this point...so it was just safer to get him born...at that point I didn't care...I was done...I didn't have the pain tolerance, or the energy to try to get past where I was...I had been in labor for 17 hours, and I just wanted him to be here, and healthy...The c-section itself is pretty much a blur...I remember them having Nick sit outside while the got me ready...I remember them giving me more stuff in my epi, and hanging antibiotics...I remember them bringing Nick in, and him sitting down and holding my hand...and then he stood up to watch them do my section...I think I told him he was sick...or nuts...or both...I remember them telling me he had been born, and waiting for him to cry...and I remember Nick telling me he has red hair...Nick went over to the warmer with Aidan, and I remember hearing him cry...and I cried...Nick brought him over to me, so I could see him for a minute before the took him to the nursery, and finished my surgery...

Aidan Micah was born on 12 Oct 2011 at 0217...he weighed 8 pounds 8 ounces, and was 21 inches long. He looks just like his daddy.

Nick told me later that he was praying through my whole section, because he was scared...there was alot of blood, and given my history that scared him...he said he was terrified...Thankfully, God and Micah were looking out for Aidan and I that morning.

It's been 2 weeks and 3 days since Aidan Micah was born...recovery sucked to begin with, but I would do it all over again...We have an amazing, beautiful, loved little boy, and we wouldn't change it for anything!

On to some pictures!

The one where I catch up...

2011-09-24T10:00:00.000-04:00

Hey, y'all! Have you missed me? I've missed sharing our craziness with you! Since I don't even remember the last time I posted, we'll just start at the beginning...well, kinda. So, yup, I'm still pregnant. I have really enjoyed this new journey in our lives. I have been beyond fortunate in my pregnancy. No morning sickness, or really anything out of the ordinary...some days it was hard to believe I was pregnant, other then my big fat belly! We have had a couple of bouts of preterm labor, and a couple round of terbutaline, but I'm thankful for making it as far as we have. I've been having non stress tests for about 4 weeks now, originally ordered due to a gestational diabetes diagnosis (which turned out to be wrong). At my last ultrasound on Aug 29th, Aidan was measuring at 6lbs 3oz! I'm kinda petrified about how big he will measure on Monday.

So, here we are...I'm 37 weeks today. I've been in 'early labor' since late Wednesday night. I've been checked, and rechecked...and I'm totally stalled. I will be allowed to continue laboring, as everyone is pretty much in agreement that Aidan is ahead of what my due date says, and that he is ready. So for now, even though I'm contracting VERY consistently, I'm not making any progress, and they won't do anything at this point to speed up labor. I'm scheduled for another ultrasound on Monday, non stress test on Wednesday and a regular OB appointment on Friday...I'm really kinda hoping not to make it to any/all of said appointments. Being only 4'11" Aidan is pretty much taking up my entire abdomen, and at times his movements REALLY hurt!

That's about all I got right now...There's a ton more to share, but for now, I'm going to go walk, or pace, or something!

I'll let y'all know when Aidan gets here :)

Ultrasound & belly pictures

2011-06-05T22:15:00.000-04:00

I thought it was time to share some of our first pictures of Aidan. And a couple of my belly.

Our first look at Aidan 9 weeks 2 days

Our second look, He already knows he's a military brat! 12ish weeks

Our newest pictures, 20w5d

9w5d

13w0d

Happy Easter, 15w1d

16w5d

20w1d

I hope to have 21 week pics sometime in the next couple days, ENJOY!

He has a name!!

2011-06-04T23:15:00.000-04:00

So, it's that time...time to let everyone know our little man's name. If you are on either of our facebooks, then you saw it there a few days ago. I have been writing this post in my head for about a week now. There is a very special meaning behind his name, and I've been trying to figure out the perfect way to share it. I've come to the conclusion that I'm just going to share it.

Our son's name is going to be Aidan Micah. Here is the story on how he got his name.

For a few years, Nick and I knew that if we had a son, his name would be Aidan. Once I found out that we were expecting, we chose a boys name (Aidan) and a girls name (Caoilainn {kay-lin}). Within a couple weeks, I was starting to think about middle names. My thoughts immediately went to a story that Nick has told me from the time we started dating 5 and a half years ago.

When Nick was in Basic training for the Air Force, he became friends with a young man named Micah. Tragically, Micah passed away during basic. Nick took it very hard. In the almost 13 years that have passed, he has stayed in touch with Micah's family. They hold a very special place in Nick's heart, and mine as well. While I have never had the privilege of meeting them, they are very special to me. I can't wait till the day that I get to meet them. As soon as this story came into my head, I knew that our baby would have Micah's name. Girl or boy, Micah was going to be the middle name. I approached Nick with the idea, and he loved it. And that is how Aidan Micah got his name. I makes my heart happy to know that Aidan has a special guardian angel watching over him.

We had our 20 week appointment on Thursday, and all is good. I've finally slowed down with the weight gain and only gained 3.5 pounds in the last month. We also had a second anatomy scan Thursday, since Aidan was less the cooperative the first time. This time we were lucky, and he was in the right position at the beginning. We got some awesome pictures of him, that I will share in the next few days {our printer has died, so I don't have a way to scan them in right now, although I'm going to try to do it at CVS tomorrow}. We also found out that he weighs 14 oz. already!! That puts him in the 64th percentile...and makes me a little nervous, as I'm only 4'11" and it could be a problem if he gets too big. I am exactly 21 weeks today. I feel great, aside from wicked fatigue. I began having Braxton hicks contractions last Thursday. I am still having them, but not that many, and they aren't causing a problem, other then being annoying. My OB said that I will most likely continue to have them until I deliver. I have my next appointment on 30June, and at that appointment we will discuss my glucose tolerance test {I'm so NOT looking forward to that!}

I can't believe that we only have 19 more weeks before we meet Aidan...I've gotta admit, I'm beginning to panic alittle bit. We have SO MUCH to get done before he gets here. I don't know how we're going to get it all done!!

The weather is getting better every day here, and our pool is officially open! I can't wait to go swimming on Monday, after Nick gets the ladder in.

I guess that's it for now!

Cloud 9!

2011-05-22T22:20:00.000-04:00

If you are on either mine or Nick's facebook, then you already know that we had our gender scan this past Thursday. We are happy to announce that we are expecting a beautiful baby BOY!!

We are both over the moon happy. Nick is already thinking about fishing, and football, and baseball and all things little boy! I'm looking forward to watching my amazing husband transition into an amazing father. I know that he is going to be such a great daddy. Last night Jess came over with Master Diver, and Monkey Man. Watching Nick run around with the boys, playing catch and tag and hide and seek just warmed my heart! I can already picture Nick running around our back yard with our son, teaching him to play catch and throw a football.

Little Man does have a name, we're just not quite ready to make it public yet, so keep your eye out for that announcement.

We get to see Little Man again in 2 weeks, as he's a bit stubborn and was standing on his head with his hands in front of his face, and the tech couldn't get a good look at the back of his head. Looks like he takes after Mommy and Daddy already!!

He's an active little one in there, and we discovered during the ultrasound that what I've been feeling down low isn't him kicking after all. He's head down, and he's punching me more then kicking. It was the funniest thing to see! Every time the tech would say something about Little Man being stubborn or needing to turn, he punched at the ultrasound wand!! I think we're going to have a little fire cracker on our hands!

I've been having WAYYYY too much fun with his registry since finding out that we're having a boy! We're been blessed with a crib from a friend of ours from Chapel, which has allowed us to pick out bedding and a theme for Little Man's room...and you'll never guess what it is!! That's right...Daddy and Mommy have picked out Firefighter themed bedding ad decor for his room! It's the CUTEST thing EVER!!!

Oh, and don't forget, our What to Expect giveaway ends on 31May!! So, pop over here to enter!!

MilSpouse Day, OB update, and some random...

2011-05-05T23:14:00.000-04:00

Hmmm...where to start??

Well, lets start at the beginning shall we?

Today was our 16 week OB appointment. Everything looks great! Gummy Bear's heart beat was 146 today. My ~~uterus~~ girly bits are right where they should be..well, for me anyway. In case y'all haven't noticed, I'm a bit on the short side...{4'11" to be exact!} so for me, I'm measuring right on track. Dr. M also explained that my height is why I started showing so early. We were able to schedule our anatomy scan for 19May. 2 weeks from today...I can't WAIT!!! They still don't have the results of my AFP tests, so we're hoping for them to be in when we go in for the scan. On a side note, I've started to feel Gummy Bear fluttering around in there, and Dr. M and her med assistant said it won't be long at all before I feel good movement/kicks...ok, so I suppose this is one of the advantages to being little that my mom always told me about, lol!

Moving right along...

Tomorrow {6May2011} is Military Spouse Appreciation Day...That's my PSA for the day...Hug a MilSpouse, or say thank you to them...do something for a MilSpouse in your life to let them know that they are special, and appreciated!

Ok, on to the ~~kinda~~ random...some of you may remember me posting on Facebook last week about an awesome announcement coming up here on our bloggy home. Well, it's time for us to share this announcement with y'all. Nick and I are very happy to report that WhatToExpect.com is partnering with Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way!! We are both SUPER excited about this! As part of this partnership, What To Expect has given us a few books to give away!

We have 3 Copies of What to Expect When You're Expecting 4th Edition and 2 copies of What to Expect The Toddler Years!

This is going to be an easy giveaway! Open to US residents (APO & FPO included). Simply fill out the form below for the book you would like to win, and fill out the form. We will be taking entries until 31May2011. Be sure to pass this contest on to all your friends and family! Oh, And feel free to enter for both!!

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

<p>&amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;Loading...&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;gt;</p>

LENS Challenge...Light

2011-04-23T21:16:00.000-04:00

Yup, I'm at it again. Linking up to Home is where you start from for this weeks L.E.N.S Challenge. This weeks Challenge is "Light"

Here's my shot.

I took this photo while Nick and I were hiking Flume Gorge in New Hampshire in October of '08. That trip was our post deployment get away. I remember every single second of it...and I will never forget it.

So, head on over to Home is where you start from, look at the other entries, and link up to your own!

Happy Easter y'all!

Lesser of all evils?

2011-04-18T21:06:00.000-04:00

So...I've been in NY at my Mom's since last Sunday. I've had a great time. I got to see our cousins, and their 2 little ones, had lunch with our Aunt, and have been to see Gramma. And of course, I've been spending a TON of time with Mom!

I've ventured out to local towns a few times to look at various things. I've gotten some really cute maternity clothes, which I love! And today, I went to Joann's...maybe not the best idea ever, lol. I'm having a hard time right now trying to figure out what is the lesser of all evils...Letting the pregnant chick got to the grocery store by herself? Or is it letting the pregnant chick go to the craft store by herself? MAYBE, it's letting the pregnant chick go to the HOMEMADE CHOCOLATE store by herself? I'm sure I'll never know. But rest assured, that I did some damage at all of the above!

Today I got 5 different fabrics (I think) and 3 things of ribbon. I also picked up 2 pairs of pants, 2 shirts (for me) and a 5 pack of onsies for Gummy Bear. Carter's for half off? Yes, please!! I can't wait for our gender scan, so I can for real start looking at/registering for cutie patootie baby clothes!!

Ok, so, I'm completely rambling. I think maybe that means that it's time for bed...but before I go, I want to remind everyone that we have some awesome ad space up there on the right. Email us for more info! We also want to welcome our first Sponsor!!

Nicole from Flip Flops and Combat Boots!

Be sure to stop on by her blog and show her some love!!

This Moment...LENS challenge

2011-04-17T18:27:00.000-04:00

I'm so happy to be back in the swing of things enough to be participating in LENS challenges again! I don't know if y;all saw my entry last week, for the Corner challenge, but you can find it here. I got second last week! I was so excited!

This weeks challenge is This Moment.

Link up a photo of a moment you wish to remember, a moment that represents your life right now, a funny moment...get creative!

That's how this weeks challenge is described at Home is where you start from.

Again this week, I knew exactly what picture I would use. This is pretty much how our life is represented right now.

I admit, it's not one of my best pictures....but it is a very special picture none the less...This is my 13 week baby bump!

Head on over and check out the rest of this weeks LENS challenge photos!

L.E.N.S. Photo Challenge!

2011-04-09T17:10:00.000-04:00

It's been awhile since I've done a L.E.N.S. Challenge, but I saw todays theme, and knew that I had the PERFECT picture for it. Today's theme is corners...I love it!! There are so many different ways that you can interpret this theme...I knew instantly what picture I was going to use!

I hope y'all enjoy, and be sure the head over to Home is Where You Start From to check out the rest of this weeks entries!!

NT scan, turning 30, and other randomness

2011-04-07T22:07:00.000-04:00

So, on Tuesday, Nick and I got to see Gummy Bear for the second time. This time it was for the NT scan. But in reality, who cares why, I'm just happy we got to see the baby again :)

Let me just start by saying...we're having a gymnast...or, if you ask Nick, a jumping bean. We get there, and wait for our turn. The U/S tech calls us in, and we head back to the U/S room. We go through all the normal questions, ya know, "birth date?, is this your first pregnancy?, how far along are you?". She puts all the info into the computer, along with why we're getting a scan, and we're off and running...erm...jumping. I assume the position, and we get started. And that's when we saw Gummy Bear. Flipping all around, sideways, upside down, backwards...anywhere except where the tech need her to be! No joke, bouncing ALL OVER. After about 30 minutes, the tech asks me to get up, use the restroom, take a walk, and come back. By the time I came back (and trust me, me and Gummy had a nice heart to heart, where I begged her to cooperate) Gummy Bear had calmed down, but was still not in the right position. So, the tech kept trying...was bouncing the wand on my girly bits to try to get Gummy Bear to turn...no luck. She had me get up and walk around again, and told me to grab a couple pieces of chocolate at the front desk. By the time I got back, the chocolate was kicking in and Gummy Bear was finally in a place where the tech could get the measurements she needed! It took almost an HOUR. But, we finally got the measurements, and a couple good pics for us. We also discovered that Gummy Bear is already an Air Force brat, complete with a salute for daddy!

looking right at us!

On to Wednesday...as you may have guessed from my title, I turned 30 yesterday! To be honest...I'm still not really sure how I feel about it. But that's neither here nor there. Nick was amazing, and took me to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Then we came home and relaxed for awhile. Later in the afternoon, Nick said he needed to run a couple errands...so while he was out, I showered, and got ready, since I knew we were going out to dinner. About an hour or so later, he was home, and we were off.

We took a drive down to Charlestown, and went down to the beach...it was windy, and kinda chilly, but SO beautiful. I can't wait for summer!! We drove around for awhile, then headed for the Mew's Tavern. One of our favorite spots...great food, and 69 beers on tap!

So there we are...dinner and apps have been ordered, Nick's sample rack is on it's way, and Nick pulls out a fat envelope out of his pocket. I start to open it, and he tells me to read the card last. In the envelope are 3 other envelopes...so I start opening them...the first is a gift card to a local restaurant that we wanted to try...YUM...next is a gift card for an expectant mom message, and mud wrap! *YES* and the last was a gift card for a Swedish message and mud wrap, for my best friend!! Nick proceeds to tell me that he's check with Jess, and we have appointments on Saturday at 11 for our messages and mud wraps, and then we are going out for lunch! An entire girls day...a day of pampering, and fun, and adult time!!! Jess asked someone to watch Monkey Man, and Master Diver, and we're on our own ALL DAY!! Tell me I don't have the most amazing husband ever??? I love that man more then I can even express to you, or him!

Did I mention that he took leave from work yesterday, so that he could spend my birthday with me?? LOVE HIM!!!

So, tomorrow is our second prenatal appointment, then Nick will head to work until Saturday evening. I'll come home and do some cleaning, and packing, since I'm heading to my mom's in upstate NY on Sunday for a week. Then Saturday, Jess and I are off for our spa day!

Life is good

12 week?!

2011-04-05T01:23:00.000-04:00

Holy Crap!! I can't believe I'm 12 weeks pregnant already! It feels like just last week that we found out I am pregnant. That was 8 weeks ago. I also can't believe that I'm going to be 30 in a matter of days!

So far, pregnancy has been amazing! I've had a couple minutes here and there where I haven't felt well, but no real morning sickness. The worst thing that I've felt is complete exhaustion, and a sinus infection. Tomorrow {well, technically, today, as it's 0106} we have our second ultra sound. It's for the NT scan, but, I'm just happy that we get to see our little Gummy Bear again. Friday is our second prenatal appointment. I'm looking forward to it, but at the same time, I'm not. I know I've gained alot of weight...my appetite has been voracious!

In other news, we're getting settled more and more every day. All of the snow is FINALLY gone {at least for now}. Before we know it, it will be summer, and our pool will be open, the volleyball court will be up and running, and we'll be grilling all the time! I can't wait to be able to uncover the deck table and chairs, sit in our swing, and have fires in the fire pit. I'm looking forward to summer so much, but as with everything else in military life, summer is also full of trainings, and trips to different states, and possibly even a trip to Texas for a few weeks for a class for Nick.

Don't get me wrong, I knew this all was coming up, although more did come up since we found out I'm expecting, but I can't help but be a bit nervous about it. Nick will be gone for just about the entire month of August...I'm due the middle of October...so for all intents and purposes, we have to have the nursery painted and set to go before he leaves for his first trip in August...just in case Gummy Bear comes early...

I'm nervous about this. I'm worried we don't have enough time to get ready. Nick has been working close to 100 hours a week between Groton (his civi job) and Quonset (his AF job). I'm so incredibly proud of Nick for what he has accomplished. He is currently the NCOIC of training, and once he completes a couple more certs, he will be up for Master Sargent, and will {offically} become an assistant Chief! I'm so very proud of him, and excited that I'll be a second generation Chief's wife! He's hoping that all the hours that he's putting in now mean that he won't have to put in quite so many once the baby comes. I'm keeping my fingers crossed, but I'm not holding my breath.

I think this is where I wrap this post up, since I'm rambling, and not making a whole lot of sense...Hopefully I'll be able to get some sleep now, lol.

Well...now I know why I'm always tired...

2011-02-09T20:49:00.000-05:00

That's right! We're expecting an Air Force Brat! I've had 3 positive tests, 3 separate kinds, that all popped positive within less then a minute. I had my prenatal lab work done yesterday, and am now just waiting on our first ultrasound, and first prenatal visit in March.

Yes, I know it's controversial to tell people this early, but we're so over the moon, we just couldn't wait. {please, don't make this a debate about how and when we chose to tell everyone}

I'm starting to have all of the normal symptoms for being about 5 weeks...bloated, tired, hungry, etc.

We couldn't be happier to be welcoming a new life into our family in October. Neither of us can stop smiling!

Dorito Chicken

2011-02-08T06:26:00.000-05:00

Yup...it's recipe time! I'm linking up today with Tasty Tuesday over at For The Love of Blogs

I must say, that I'm really enjoying sharing our favorite recipes with all of you! And this one is no different. Dorito chicken is so easy, and so yummy!
Start out with a bag of your favorite dorito's. Put them into a food processor, and process into a bread-crumb like consistency. Next get your chicken breast tenders out. Coat the chicken in mayo (yup, mayo). Roll the mayo coated tenders in the dorito's. Place on a rack (ie. cookie cooling rack) on a cookie sheet. Place in a 400* oven for about 15 minutes, or until tenders are cooked thoroughly.
See, I told you it's easy! And it's a HIT with kids! We hope y'all enjoy!
This insomnia is kicking my butt, so I'm heading back to bed for a bit (I hope). Have a great Tuesday everyone!

TGIF?

2011-02-04T19:55:00.000-05:00

I think I'm glad it's Friday...but then again, I'm not really sure. It's a drill weekend, so that means after tonight, I'll hardly see Nick for the weekend. I mean, this month is better then most, where he's on a 3 day break from his civilian job...so he'll be home at night...but still. On a bright note, my best is coming over for a photo shoot on Sunday! I can't wait, I haven't seen her in FOREVER. And to make it alittle better, it's adult time! We hardly ever get time just the 2 of us. Don't get me wrong, I love my nephews with all my heart...but sometimes it's good to have adult time.

Another thing that I planned to do this weekend was some crafting, and get caught up on my photography class. I'm hoping that the photos can still happen, but I'm not so sure about my purse sewing. When I was cutting up veggies to go with our trout for dinner tonight I chopped a huge chunk out of my thumb with my mandolin. Not the smartest thing I've ever done. It was totally avoidable too, I just got careless, and didn't have the guard on. Stupid. Thankfully, Nick was on his way home from running some errands. He got home right after I cut myself. Thank God, cause if I was here by myself, I would have freaked out!

SO, now while Nick does plyometrics from p90x, I'm blogging, and waiting for him to be done, so that we can get dinner started. So, I figured, what better time then now, after my happy cooking mishap then to post a recipe? I've had some interest lately for me to post recipes. If there's something in particular that you would like to learn how to make, feel free to contact us munchkin{dot}amy{at}gmail{dot}com

I've decided today to post one of our favorites.

Braised Pork Chops with Mustard Gravy

4-6 boneless pork chops

2 envelopes of pork gravy

2 tablespoons dijon mustard

pork spice rub (I use McCormick)

salt & pepper to taste

Pre-heat oven to 400*

Sprinkle the pork spice rub liberally on both sides of each pork chop.

In a medium (oven safe) fry pan heat about 4-5 tablespoons of olive oil. Place all pork chops in the pan, and brown on both sides.

While the pork is browning, follow instructions on the gravy packets. Once the gravy is heated, add the dijon mustard and mix.

Once the pork chops are browned, pour the gravy over the pork chops. Place the pan in the oven, and bake 20-30 minutes (until the pork chops reach an internal temp of 160* with a meat thermometer). Remove from oven and allow to rest for 5 minutes.

I usually serve with sauteed asparagus and freshly mashed potatoes.

We hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do! Let us know if you make it, and be sure to send us pictures of your final project!

New friends, inspiration, and a call for sponsors

2011-02-02T03:55:00.000-05:00

So here I am, another night that I can't sleep. Go figure!

But, tonight, I'm good with it...I have things on my mind. Good things. Have you all heard of For The Love of Blogs? No? Really? You HAVE to go over there and check them out. Talk about an amazing group of bloggers! It's just amazing. So, since I had just found them today, I spent a couple hours exploring around the site tonight. I stumbled across the chat room. So, I decided to check it out. I am SO glad that I did. I "met" 4 amazing women. We had a great time chatting about anything and everything. It eventually came out that I am a trained chef, and that I have a passion for photography. I gave a little advice on cameras, and received a little advice on incorporating more food stuffs into Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way.

That all being said. I think that these ladies are right. I need to post more about what I love here. Yes, it is "Our" blog, but for the most part I have free reign. Nick helps from time to time with photography stuff, and give me ideas, but mostly he just supports me with the blog. So, I love photography, which I cover (mostly) over on Amy Brown Photography. I also love to cook. I went to school to be a chef. Unfortunately, between my health, and some other things, I no longer work as a chef. But that doesn't mean that I don't like to cook. I LOVE to cook. I cook on a daily basis for Nick, and myself.

So, this is what I'm thinking. And please let me know what you think! I'm thinking that I'm going to start posting a recipe a day. That recipe might be for a side dish, or a dessert, who knows. I'm just going to lay them out there. What I ask of you, my amazing bloggy friends, is to be HONEST. If you like what I'm doing, let me know. And, if you use one of my recipes...take some pictures of it, and email them to me at munchkin{dot}amy{at}gmail{dot}com. Nick and I both would love to see how your meals come out!

And don't forget, we're still running to occasional reviews and giveaways as well.

And!! I know I've been kinda beating this to death lately, but we're looking for sponsors. Contact me at munchkin{dot}amy{at}gmail{dot}com I would LOVE to have your blog or business advertised here on Live, Laugh, Love.

So, it might be a little late, but here's to a great new year, full of changes and new beginnings!

Until tomorrow!

Why am I awake?

2011-01-31T04:20:00.000-05:00

Yup, here I am, at 0345, WIDE awake. This is the second shift (shift meaning a night that Nick is working) in a row that I haven't slept for crap. I mean, I'm sure at least part of it has to do with the fact that I spent most of the day asleep, thanks to this nasty migraine...but that being the case, one would think that I would be able to sleep tonight too, since I feel like poo. But no, of course not...I slept for a couple hours, and now I'm awake...wide awake. The only thing that makes this semi ok is the fact that Nick is at work, so I can be on the computer and watch tv without fear of waking him up.

Ok, now that I got that out of my system...on to other things. So, as y'all know, we had Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way redesigned a while back. Stephanie over at Dirt and Lace Designs is AMAZING, and always goes above and beyond when it comes to designing our layouts. Stephanie also designed Amy Brown Photography. (yes that's a shameless plug to get y'all to jump on over to my photography page and follow that too) Anyway. This last time that Stephanie re-designed here, she made us pretty "Your Ad Here" buttons...Do you know what that means? That's right, it means that there are ad spaces available here on Live, Laugh, Love...Our Way. With all that happened in our lives since October, we haven't really had a chance to get behind marketing our ad space. That's changing. Right now. So, that being said...who wants in? We are offering a special right now for our new sponsors. Contact us for details!

Other then that, nothing new really. We've finally started to get organized and unpacked, which is an AMAZING feeling. I finally feel like we might actually get this house unpacked, and set up sometime in the semi-near future! Another great thing about getting unpacked and organized is that I'm getting my craft space set up again. YAY!!! I will be able to make cards, scrapbook, sew, make bows, edit/print photos, EVERYTHING!! That makes me so happy!

Anyway...I think I'm going to try to get some sleep before Nick gets home from work...don't forget to contact us about being a sponsor!

Have you checked out CSN stores lately??

2011-01-18T19:53:00.000-05:00

No?? You should! There's nothing like having 200+ stores at your fingertips! I know for Nick and I, setting up a new house means getting lots of new things. One thing that we decided to splurge on was a new TV, Blu-Ray player and surround sound system. And what do you need for all of these new things? A beautiful TV Stand to house them! CSN stores have TONS of beautiful TV Stands to choose from!

Be sure to stay tuned for our upcoming CSN Store review!

January Pear Tree Greetings Coupon and Giveaway

2011-01-07T22:37:00.000-05:00

Can you believe it? It's January already! I feel like the holiday season just FLEW by. Now we're off and running towards Valentines Day...I went to CVS yesterday, and they are already COVERED with pink and red and Valentines Day everything. I don't know about you, but I feel like it's still a bit early...

Not only if 14 Feb Valentines day, but 28 Feb is Nick and my 2 year wedding anniversary. I can't believe it's been 2 years already. Couldn't be more happy. I'm so in love with Nick...and I have been since the day we met.

Have I ever told y'all that story? Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway, lol.

Nick and I met on Myspace 5 years ago...We chatted for a few days, and then 5Jan we met in person. We went to the local 99 restaurant. We had a great dinner (and by some miracle, I didn't scare him away). After dinner, we decided that we weren't ready for the night to be over yet. We spent the next 3 or 4 hours driving all over the state...we talked, we laughed, we held hands...it was amazing. It was the most amazing night....I knew that night that I was in love with him, and that I was going to marry him. And 5 years later, we're getting ready to celebrate our 2nd wedding anniversary.

Don't get me wrong, we've had our ups and downs, but we always get through them together. I wouldn't change a thing.

So, here's the giveaway and coupon part.
Shop the Pear Tree Promo Code page for the latest discounts and promotions on everything from Valentine's Day Cards, Baby Announcements and even a code valid on ANY purchase! Happy shopping!

This months giveaway is for 24 Valentines day cards. Check out Pear Tree Greetings for the newest Valentines day collection. They have the CUTEST kids Valentines day card.

Entering is super easy! Simply got to Pear Tree Greetings, and come back and tell me what 24 cards you would like to get (please include a link, and your email address).

Want some extra entries?

Write a blog post about how you met your SO, or your favorite Valentines Day Memory. (5 entries, please leave a link to the post, and your email address in your comment)

Until Next Time

Where has the time gone??

2011-01-07T22:02:00.000-05:00

Hi! Remember me? Probably not...but that's ok...I'm back! It's been a crazy, crazy few months. My FIL getting hurt, us buying our first home, Nick leaving for training 2 days after buying said home, Nick coming home, Thanksgiving, Nick getting sick...TWICE, Christmas, New Years...geez...I'm tired just looking at that!

So, where does that leave us? {exhausted!!} In our new home, finally starting to get settled. While we still don't have all of our things moved into our home, we're getting there. And that feels GREAT.

As of yesterday (5Jan), Nick and I have been 'Nick and I' for 5 years!! I can't believe it! We're also about 6 weeks away from celebrating our 2nd wedding anniversary {our first in our own space} I'm absolutely in heaven. I couldn't ask for a better husband!

In other news, Nick and I are starting P90X next week. Diet plan and all. I'm not gonna lie, I'm kinda nervous about it. But I'm soooo ready to get back into shape...I'm hoping that this will help me to sleep better, and help combat my fibro pain. I plan to share my progress week to week (and Nick's if he wants to). So stay tuned to see what a difference 90 days can make!

I'm starting a photography class with Faith over at Simplicity on Sunday. I can't WAIT. I'm excited to get some more practice and experience under my belt. I'm hoping it will help me along in my dream of running a successful photography business. So stay tuned here and at Amy Brown Photography to see how I'm doing in class :)

There are so many other things going on around here right now...but those are for another time...for now, I'll leave you with some pics of our house at Christmas.

Honey Guinness Leg of Lamb

2010-12-12T18:21:00.000-05:00

So, you may have noticed the other day that I said I was going to start posting some of my favorite recipes. Since this is not only my favorite to make but also Nick's favorite to eat, I thought I would start out with this one.

Honey Guinness Leg of Lamb

Ingredients

1 boneless leg of lamb (I usually use a 2-3 pounder) you can find this in most grocery stores (and in most commissaries for my fellow MilWives)

2 bottles of Guinness Draught

1 half of a honey bear (you know, the bottles of honey that are the shape of a bear?) (approx 1.4 cup)

1 package of fresh thyme

Directions

Heat the oven to 350 degrees

Smash the thyme with a rolling pin, or the back of a knife (I use a mortar and pestle for this). This will help bring out the flavor.

In a mixing bowl combine the Guinness, honey and thyme. Whisk until the honey is mixed in well.

optional

If you have a meat injector, inject some of the Guinness honey mixture in multiple places in the lamb leg (the injectors can be found in almost any grocery store, they are really inexpensive, and a GREAT kitchen tool)

Place the leg of lamb into a roasting pan. Pour the Guinness honey mixture over the lamb. Place in the oven. Cook until the lamb has reached a internal temperature of 140. (medium rare). Turn once during the cooking. Baste the lamb a few times on each side to make sure that it stays moist and gets the full flavor of the liquid.

Allow to rest for about 5 minutes. Slice and serve.

I usually serve it with fresh mashed potatoes and sauteed asparagus.

Hope you enjoy! Feel free to email me with any questions munchkin(dot)amy(at)gmail(dot)com

Until next time!

Who would have thought?

2010-12-11T16:35:00.001-05:00

That I would LOVE being a SAHW? But I do. I love taking care Nick, and the house, and everything that comes along with it! Don't get me wrong, I still want to contribute to the home, and the finances and all, and I'm working on it, with my photography. But I'm really in love with being home. I love cooking 3 meals a day ( on Nicks off days) for Nick. I even look forward to getting up at 0530 every other morning to make breakfast, lunch, dinner and coffee for Nick before he leaves for work.

Right now, the dishwasher is running, there is laundry in the washer AND dryer. I plan on making some red velvet cupcakes at some point today or tomorrow (before the Christmas program at the Chapel) for Nick to take to work on Monday. I also have peanut butter blossoms to make for some friends.

Something else that is keeping me happy and content is the fact that I'm working so hard on my Avon and photography. I have a couple shoots set up in the next few weeks, as well as a wedding to shoot in the spring. I'm taking a class at the beginning of the year, to help me learn my camera better, and then another one in the spring to help me focus more on my shot composure.

I'm planning on pick back up with our reviews and giveaways. I'm also going to launch a new section here for my favorite recipes, so stay tuned. If you have any thing in particular that you are looking for as far as photography, reviews, or recipes, shoot us an email: munchkin(dot)amy(at)gmail(dot)com.

(PS...if you're interested in advertising with us, email us! We'd love to have your button on our blog!)

Until Next Time!