2010-The End!

Sadly I probably won't be up to see/hear the end of 2010! I am already in bed and it's before 10pm! I guess this is what happens when you get OLD!

We had a good day, shopping (not buying much of anything) and then went to dinner with my parents and brother tonight. My mom and Jace came over and we worked on the baby's nursery for a little bit. I have one wall that needs to have things hung on it (when I can make up my mind!) and then a couple little things added to a shelf and table and it's done! Unless I have my brother make the wall quote that he talked about. I just might take him up on that! Now we are just waiting for a baby! Even though I want it completely done, he won't even be sleeping in there for awhile-so I guess it doesn't "technically" matter! In my head it does though! Tate slept in our room MUCH longer then we had planned for her to, things just kinda snuck up on us (trips, sicknesses, etc.) and she was still in our room! We "plan" on putting this little one in his room sooner, but he'll be in a pack-n-play for awhile!

I'm trying to think of some highlights of 2010, which is kind of what I did with the recent monthly post, but here they are:

-January...nothing comes to mind! Must have been low-key!
-We had a huge snow storm in February and stayed at my parents for a few days, so much fun!
-Mom, Tate and I went to AZ for Spring Break! Tate got croup and was SO sick part of the time. I was SO tired and poor Mom and Grama had to be up with her for hours one night!
-Uncle Jace came to visit in April I think it was...he bought Tate a Cabbage Patch doll with rabbit ears!
-We took Tate to the ER for breathing issues that month too. Very scary!
-May, we found out that Tate was going to be a big sister! We also went to Julia and Jon's wedding in Texas. Ben had gone to David and Becca's wedding a couple of weeks before in CA.
-In June, Tate turned 1!
-Summer is kind of a blur...Tate and I went with my Mom and brother to TN to see my grandparents. We shopped, played and were REALLY lazy. I didn't feel very good at the beginning of the pregnancy and it was a little lot rough!
-September, back to school and schedule. We ended up with Tate in the ER again. VERY scary again!
-October...finally got Tate onto maintenance meds for her breathing issues. This has helped a lot and although she's still been sick some, we haven't been back in the ER! Tate was Snow White for Halloween, so cute!
-November...busy month that FLEW by! We had a good Thanksgiving with my family at my parents.
-December, Tate's 2nd Christmas, getting things ready for new baby, cleaning like a madwoman (nesting is what some people call it! I think Ben probably just thinks I'm nuts!)

Overall it's been a very good year! We'll see what all 2011 has in store for us!

Happy New Year!

Thursday Morning

Sadly I am up early again this morning! 6:30 today, so I did get an extra hour, actually more then that because I went to bed MUCH earlier. The night before I wasn't in bed until after 12:30....so my "night" was very short! After bursting into tears last night, for nothing too major...I decided an earlier bedtime was in order! Poor Tate just looked at me and started to cry herself! She doesn't like it when I cry! I couldn't help it, I was just SO tired!

I did lay here for a little bit and try to go back to sleep, but it didn't work. It didn't work yesterday either! I feel like I have so much to do still, even though I have been doing things for the past 2 weeks (since I've been out of school) each day. My "to-do" list items get crossed off and then I add more! Kind of defeats the purpose, but at least I am getting things done. I LOVE crossing things OFF of my list!

Yesterday Jace, Mom and I worked on the letters for the baby's room. I used the same kind in Tate's room and they are not made of real wood, so they are a pain to try to paint. My dad spray painted Tate's, but since it's so cold we decided to try acrylic. Well....it was a LONG process, to say the least! Two trips to Michaels, 4 paint colors and Jace ended up mixing them together to make various shades to paint them with. I think they turned out cute, hopefully we can hang them today. That will just leave getting a few knicknacks, lamp, tablecloth, buying a quote (Hobby Lobby opens on FRIDAY here!!!!) and deciding what I'm doing on one small wall. It's turned out cute!

I can't believe the break is already almost over...so sad! I love my breaks! At least that means we are 1/2 way through the year. So, far (knock on wood) this year has been a good one at school. We do have some challenging friends, but overall it's been good. It's just hard to go back after a longer break!

I go to the doctor today. I will have an ultrasound (hopefully find out his weight too), NST (Non-Stress Test) and see the doctor. My doctor is on vacation and the regular high-risk doctor that I see is out too. I am not too fond of the new high-risk doctor, I met her last week. My regular high-risk doctor is Dr. Love (no joke, that's his name!) and he's halarious! He's gotta have a little ADHD and he's always singing and joking, but he takes time to talk to you and answer questions, so I like that! I am on weekly appointments (I have been since about 2 weeks ago) and doing non-stress tests and ultrasounds each week. Partly for the medication that I am taking, but also because I have gestational diabetes this time too. Hopefully that means that little man is slightly bigger (like Tate) and will come a little early! We'll see! I have been having lots of pains and contractions the last few days, so I guess we'll see today if that means anything! I will be 35 weeks on Saturday! It's getting close!

I'll try and post after my appointment today!

Up way TOO early!

I have been awake since around 5:30ish and decided that I might as well get part of the way up, since I can't seem to sleep anymore! I vacuumed and mopped the floors last night and my body is feeling it this morning! My to-do list is getting smaller...even though I keep finding things to add to it! I have this overwhelming desire to get everything spotless and I think I may be driving Ben crazy! Lol...at least things are really clean!

The nursery is coming together nicely. I have a few more things to do before it is complete. Today we will be painting name letters to go on the wall and finishing up at least one wall. Mom came and painted for me last week and on Monday, Jace and I put up a bunch of the decor...the hardest part of it at least! I will have to post pictures when it's completely done!

We had a good Christmas...I will need to do a separate Christmas post. I realized after the fact, that we didn't take any still pictures (except for the night before) of Tate when she was opening presents! We just video taped. Oh well, my dad got some really cute ones at their house, so that will have to do! She is so funny, she is getting more verbal and let's us know when she does NOT like something! Her favorite word to say is, "No!" and she says it so cute that it makes me laugh! Which won't be funny when she's a teenager, but right now it's halarious! The only real "trouble" we are having is going shopping. She was a GREAT shopper....until this summer and she has decided that shopping is over-rated! We have found a few tricks, (food, icees at Target, riding in the back of the cart) but overall she will normally have at least one fit in the store! I'm not sure what that's all about! I guess she just gets bored...especially if you are not moving! She does like to throw things into the basket for me, which does help when we are grocery shopping! I think the baby and I will have to start grocery shopping and leave Tate and Ben to play at home! Poor thing, hates it! She got lots of fun things for Christmas though. One toy I had to return (a baby carrier) because it was so cheap that the babies she would carry in it would just fall out! It would make her SO mad! I found another kind at Toys 'R Us...so I need to go over there and get it for her!

It's amazing to me how one minute Tate still looks like a baby and the next she is looking more and more like a toddler....which I guess she technically is a toddler, but she's still little to me! Poor thing, we moved her changing table this week (on Monday) and she had an absolute FIT! She did NOT want it moved! She yelled and pointed at the spot it was in! We are still going to use it with her too, while we can. She is getting almost too long for it though! I cried when we moved it of course! I knew I would, so I had my dad and brother move it! It really has become a hazard for Tate's room, the metal buckets (that are SO cute) and really dangerous for her to carry! And she gets into the diaper and everything that I keep on the shelf anyways. Moving it out gives her more room for her toys and the slide we bought her for her birthday. It was just sad and funny that she reacted the way she did. I don't think she understands what is about to happen! She knows there is a "baby" and she LOVES babies, but having a baby around all the time may make her a tad angry! Thankfully, I have my mom to help me and Tate will usually pick Mom over me-when we are together, so that may help take the "edge" off!

I have been having contractions the last few days...last night I had quite a few. Probably from being on my feet and vacuuming/mopping the floors! Ben was trying to time them, but I'm not a very good judge at the stopping and starting, so he gave up! I just knew when it was in the middle of it! Lol...they say the more you have before the easier your labor, let's hope so!

It's been awhile....A very long while!

To say it's been awhile is quite the understatement! Lots has happened since April...I'll try to catch the blog and myself up!

May: Ben traveled to California for his brother David's wedding and his sister's graduation from college.
We found out that Tate was going to be a big sister in the last week of the month. We flew to Texas for Ben's sister, Julia's wedding to Jon that same week! We had a whirlwind trip (much of which I was very sick...quietly sick! As we weren't telling!)

June: Tate turned 1!!! June 13th we had a fun party with all of my "Pillow" side of the family. We also celebrated Grama and Papa's 50th wedding anniversary (as a surprise to them!) I finished school and got out for the summer too.

July: My brother (Jace), Mom, Tate and I went to Tennesee to see my grandparents. We stayed about a week and had a good time. I was very sick and nauseous most of the trip, but we still had fun! And I absolutely FROZE everyone in the car, because I was SOOO hot all the time! I would be sweating and Jace had a sweatshirt and Tate's blanket on! Pregnancy!

August: We finally "told" on Facebook. We put Tate in a little shirt that said, "Big Sister" and had my dad take pictures. Then we loaded them onto Facebook in an album and both Ben and I sat at the computer and watched people start commenting. It was really fun! Ben went with his work to the MK Re-Entry Retreat and we stayed with Mom and Dad for a few days.
I started back to school at the end of the month as well

September: Back in school and back on a schedule were good for me. I LOVE the concept of Summer vacation, but I don't usually get anything accomplished that I have in my head! I need a routine and school/work gives that to me. Tate goes to "Mama Sherry's" everyday and absolutely loves it! She usually could care less about coming home with me and cries to stay there! We began having month sonograms in September and on the 14th of that month we found out we were having a little BOY! We were so surprised! I went back and forth about what I thought it would be! I had decided that it was a girl, so that I would be excited if it turned out to be a boy! HE was a little stubborn (nothing like TaterMack was though!) and we were able to find out the same day. We had to wait 2 weeks for her. Everything looked good. We bought a little outfit and let my parents unwrap it to find out. Then Ben got on Skpe with it and showed his parents and siblings! Ben also went back to school this month. He is doing his Master's in Homeland Security/Emergency Preparedness. He's had lots to do, but ended up with an "A" and a "B" in his classes!

October: Not too much in this month. Tate was Snow White for Halloween, we have some really cute pictures that my Dad took of her. Mom, Tate and I took a little day trip to the nearest Hobby Lobby (Can you hear the singing of the angels?! There is a new store opening 20 minutes away!!!! I am so excited!) to find things for the new nursery. We got fabric and things for the walls. We also did some clothes shopping for me, as I had begun to outgrow many of my things. And, we stayed busy with work and school.

November: I found out I have gestational diabetes again. Not too surprising, since I had it with Tate. Although I was annoyed that I was going to have to prick my finger again!And I fell that same day I found out in the parking lot of my school. Very graceful!
Jace came home from Union for Thanksgiving and we had a good, but short visit!

December: Whew...getting close. Let's see...at the beginning of the month we got all the Christmas stuff out and began sorting and deciding what would go up and not. Since I didn't have much energy I didn't do the Christmas Village this year. And I wasn't sure how Tate would do with it. Usually we put it on a card table and I wasn't sure that would be too safe this year! She has done pretty good with everything else though. We tell her "one finger" and that reminds her. She still brings things to us, but it has helped! Or she'll be touching with one finger and holding the item in her hand! It's still "technically" with one finger! We got snow early this year and got to skip the last two days of the school semester! I was so excited and ready for a break!
Tate turned 18 months old on December 13th. We took pictures with Mr. Bear and stamped her feet. I haven't done it every month since she turned 1, but wanted to do it for the 1/2 year. I'll have to get the pictures from my dad soon! She is getting to big and saying so many new words and doing so many new things! It's amazing to see all that she picks up and learns!
We did end up in the ER this Fall with her breathing issues. She now uses her neb every night (a pain!) but it helps to keep her breathing issues under control-especially when she's sick!

I finished up all the Christmas decorating last weekend. Along with that we have been busy turning the guest bedroom (the travel themed room) into the new nursery. We re-organized the closet, put lots of things upstairs, got rid of some things and have been trying to find a new "home" for random things! Needless to say, I have made a lot of trash this week! Mom came over today to paint. She has made all of the bedding and it is SO cute! It's even better then I pictured! It's hard for me to "see" it in my head. I'll post pictures when the room is complete! Tate and I hung out while Mom painted. We aren't very good helpers right now, we will just bump into things (me) and touch things we shouldn't! Tate has been sick this past weekend so we have had to use the neb more often and give her antibiotics. I took her in on Wednesday (before the snow started on Thursday morning!) to have her checked out and thankfully the doctor gave her meds, just in case! I filled them and we did need them!

I can hardly believe Christmas is almost here! Tomorrow is our 6th wedding anniversary! That is also very hard to believe! I never dreamed that I would be back in Richmond, with (almost) 2 kids, and teaching when I moved to Texas in 2004! Lots can happen! It feels like just yesterday and forever all at the same time! We will be going out to dinner tomorrow to celebrate the 6-years and all the craziness that it has entailed!

If you are still reading...wow, and thanks! I'll sign off for now!

Merry Christmas!

April!!!!

Playing some catch-up today and trying to update facebook and the blog. Tate is now 10 months old. She is crawling everywhere and attempting to walk. She pulls up on everything in her path!! She has a little stroller/walker that we got her and she is walking behind that a lot.
She is over 22lbs. and is getting long! She is eating 3 regular meals a day, she LOVES it! We've started using a sippy cup and she loves to bang that on the table or highchair when she is "done" with it! She says, "da-da" and "hi". We have been working on "mommy", but that is not interesting to her I guess!! lol.

In other news, Ben's brother and sister are both getting married soon (in May) and Ben will be leaving on Wednesday to go to his brother, David's wedding. We are excited to have Becca join the family! Julia (his sister) will get married at the end of April in Texas and we will all 3 be going to that. We're excited to have Jon in the family too!

School is in full swing mode now. We are busy and usually feel like we are running around like chickens with our heads cut off!! Each day is a marathon run until 1:30! We have a good time, but it's busy busy busy!!

I'll try to post some pictures of Tate's 10 month photo shoot, when I get them loaded to the computer.

I can't believe April is almost over!!

Saturday Stuff

It's been about forever since I have blogged! Even with having my own computer, some days (a lot lately) I have a hard time sitting down to organize my thoughts! Maybe that's my problem....too much thinking through it. Just write, think later!

Tate is 8 months old now!! I'll have to do her 8-month post later, but she said "da-da" and has started trying to pull up on stuff now. She waves and says "ha" for hi. She's asleep in her swing right now, but the swing won't be in use much longer! If she's mad about being in there she puts her hand out to stop it! It's amazing how much babies learn to do in such a short time. I can't believe she'll soon be a toddler! We go to her 9-month appointment on March 19th and then I think she'll be "ready" to eat anything and everything. Although, she has been eating lots of things already, just not dairy or meat, only because the doctor told us not to give her those things. She LOVES green beans, puffs, lil crunchies and just about anything else you'll give her! She has a FIT if she runs out of food! We cut her off, I think she may explode if you just kept letting her eat!!

Housework is calling my name....yuck! I do so good with keeping up and then I slack off and it gets out of control! Drives me crazy!! If only I could be as organized at home and I am at school! I guess it's a never-ending battle. And laundry, don't even get me started! I detest HATE laundry. Ben does it most of the time, thank you sir! And folding...ugh, a never ending battle. Why we have dirt and dust I will never understand!!

Well, I'll go try and be productive today! Need some motivation!!

Snowed in Again!!

This past week went by so fast! Last weekend we got abou 13.5 inches of snow. I did not have school on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday. We did go in on a 2-hour delay on Thursday. I spent the day with a student at another school, transitioning him back to his campus. Then Friday I was woken up at 5:35 by a phone call from the district saying that we were closed for the day. Poor Ben had to work everyday this week, although he did leave early yesterday.

Tate and I got ready and I packed up and we came to my mom's. We made a quick run to Sonic and Target for a few "essentials" before the snow started coming down much. By the time we left Target (around 10:30-10:45) the sidewalks were already getting slick!!

We came home and had lunch, played and watched the snow. Last night we made spaghetti and had dinner. We talked for about 3 hours, it was really fun!

This morning when I got up and brought Tate downstairs, I slipped and fell about 3-4 steps down. She was fine, thankfully! I think she may have bumped her butt on the step, but I took the brunt of the fall! I hurt my butt and arm. I am ok, but it scared me to death!! Tate didn't cry, but I did! I was going slow, but my feet are very stiff in the a.m. I'm just so glad that we are ok!

Mom and I ate breakfast, looked at stuff for her embroidery business and did the Wii Step! 35 minutes!!! We did really good last weekend and the days I stayed here, but we missed the last 3 days, so today was a killer!! This is my 4th week at Weight Watchers where I have been losing weight! I have lost about 7lbs. I have been doing W.W. for a long time (Since Tate was born this time) but I have been very UP and DOWN. In January I decided that I was not happy with my weight and I haven't been for a long time, and I needed to get serious. The BEST thing that I have been doing is tracking online. They give you a little paper tracker at the meetings, but I do the E-Tools and that helps track everything for me. Since I use my computer all day at school it is easy to track everything online. So far, so good! I only lost .8 this week (my lowest so far) but considering I had cake, brownies and lots of other food last weekend when we were snowed in, I was thrilled to have lost that much! I was just hoping to lose!!

Doing the Wii Step has been great too. Mom got out her other step and we do it together, one of us on each one. That way we are both doing it at the same time. We had been walking, but with all the snow and how cold it is right now, that's not working too well! So far, the step has been great!