1-year pediatric appointment

And what a fun day it was...NOT! I hate these stupid appointments and I know it's only going to get worse when she knows what's happening. Although I honestly think she knew what was happening as soon as she saw the nurse. The 2 nurses that gave her shots kept saying, "I think she already knows what's going on." Sigh...my smart little baby. She weighs 21 pounds and is 30" long putting her in the 25th percentile for weight and 75th percentile for height. She shrunk so to speak. I asked about her bow leggedness and pigeon toedness and she said she wasn't concerned right now. They would look at it again at 15-months, her next appointment. And she said we would consider "treatment" then. How do you treat that??? I don't think I want to know.
And of course to top off the entire lovely visit, I got my flu shot, and Avery got 4 shots (Hepatitis A, the flu shot, MMR, and the Chickenpox vaccine). I gave her some baby ibuprofen when we got home and she is taking a nap right now. Poor baby:( Thankfully we don't have to go through this again until the end of February or beginning of March.

9-weeks pregnant

Avery is officially 1-year old today and I am officially 9-weeks pregnant today. This week has been the roughest week so far. Overall this week: Mood: good/happy/bad at the end of the week. Energy: Very good. Appetite: Hungrier than normal. Cravings: food in general, chips, fried chicken (which I don't like when I'm not pregnant), french fries. Morning sickness: Absolutely none all week until last night. Last night was the 1st puke of the pregnancy. I had Stovetop Dressing last night and puked it all up.
I had my 2nd doctors appointment today. Everything looks good, saw the heartbeat:) And I lost a pound...already doing better than I did with Avery. Must have been my awesome night last night...
As for LB: "This week the embryonic tail disappears. The hands and feet look a lot less like paddles and have more formed fingers and toes. These changes give your baby a more human shape. Your baby's head is still larger than the rest of the body and the eyes are fully developed, but are covered by the eyelids which are fused shut for the next 16 weeks or so. Inside your baby's body the internal reproductive organs, testes, or ovaries, are starting to form but will not be quite distinguishable until the next couple of weeks." And according to my BabyBump app, LB is the size of a green olive right now.

To Avery, Love Your Mom

I remember when I saw my 1st ever positive home pregnancy test in March 2009. I never liked small children and approaching 30 years of age, I had finally come to terms that I might not ever be a mom. And I was fine with that. God has the most unbelievable sense of humor. This is never the path I would have chosen, but God does not think like we do. He is not small minded and is not trapped nor confined by our human understanding. I knew as soon as I found out I was having you that I wanted a daughter, badly. At my ultrasound in July, the Tech said, "Congratulations! It's a girl. You're having a daughter". I saw our future flash before my eyes. Pink, bows, dance, gymnastics, the clothes and of course the name. Avery was my FAVORITE name, had been since 1999. 10-years later, I would finally get to use it! I loved being pregnant with you! My favorite memory with you was taking baths. You were not active and did not move that much. When I would pull the stopper out of the bath, you would jump as if the noise had somehow disturbed your tranquility. I would take baths just to know that you were OK. Once we made it to November, I thought about each passing day. Would it be your birthday? I was due the 21st, but was convinced you would be early, because I don't do anything slow. Boy was I wrong! As your due date came and went and my anxiety, impatience and excitement increased, I wondered if you would ever come. And when you did, who would you look like? Act like? How much would you weigh? Would you have a lot of hair? Would I have a vaginal birth or C-section? When would my water break? All of these questions were answered on Tuesday, November 24th, 2009. I was scared and nervous about being induced. Your birth, in hindsight, was an omen as to what kind of daughter you are. The birth was far better and dare I say, easier, than I ever thought it could be! I prayed the night before you were born that because I had waited so long to have you, could I please take delight in you and not be depressed like some women are after giving birth. I had no idea how clearly God would answer that prayer. I loved and was completely enthralled by you as soon as you were born...screaming, yet again I had disturbed your tranquility. The doctor had me hold your legs while we both got cleaned up. My first thought was how tiny you were. It felt like forever until I got to hold you!! They even let your daddy hold you before me! As soon as I held you I knew God was everything I thought and more. You were so perfect and that was the day. The day I realized my old self was dying, but it needed to die. You were my new life, my new reality. Before getting pregnant with you, I always felt like I had a hole, like something was missing. I always thought it was because I hated my job so much and that I should be doing something else. Once you were born that hole closed up and I know what was missing, you. I had finally come to terms with never being a parent and then God gave me you. Being your mom is the best thing that has ever happened to me. I love everything about being a mom and you. We had our rough spots, I still cringe when I think about how I yelled "at you" because you would not stop screaming (colic and reflux). Despite that rough patch, you are a remarkably amazing baby. Love isn't a strong enough word to describe how I feel EVERY time I look at you! My friends all talk about how crazy it is that you and your sibling will be so close in age. They say,"I love my kid so much. I can't imagine loving another one." "I'm just so in love with my kid that I want to enjoy my time with them and not have to split my attention." "My kid is such a good baby, I'm scared to have another one." My answer to all of that...Avery is such an amazing baby and I love her so much that I want to multiply her. Avery, I know you'll never understand just how much I love you until you become a mom. My hopes and dreams for you are for you to be smart, happy, in dance and/or gymnastics, and of course for you to go to Texas A&M. Or at least a 4-year university, preferably A&M...And for you to always know and never to doubt what a true gift you are. You were not planned, but a surprise. Much like a surprise birthday present, you were our Thanksgiving miracle. I love you!

Avery's 1st Birthday Party!

One year ago today was my due date. I was sitting in my dining room putting a puzzle together trying to pass the time. Now I am celebrating my baby girls 1st birthday party! What a difference a year can make!

Her party was a huge success. It was nice to see everyone from both sides of the family and Jen and Ryder too. I was worried about Avery because OF COURSE her naps were off today. She was a little fussy, but not too bad. She got lots of great presents, I can't wait for her to start using them! Her smash cake experience was too cute. She didn't want to touch it at first and just cried. Then she got more adventurous and started touching it, grabbing it, smushing it and faceplanting in it.

It was a great party, I am glad it's over and I think I might have gained 10 pounds...sheesh that was a lot of food.

8-Weeks Pregnant

Yesterday marked 8-completed weeks pregnant. Overall mood for the week has been: good. Energy: good, a little low, I have moments of super tiredness, but other moments where I feel fine. Appetite: normal, some food aversions. Hungry, but when I go to eat the thought of eating makes me sick. Cravings: Chocolate chip cookies for some strange reason. Morning sickness: this was an excellent week for my morning sickness. I didn't really feel pukey, but still not 100%. It's definitely better than Week 7 though!
As for our Little Bean: LB is the shape of a raspberry. "By now, your baby's head is proportionally larger than the rest of the body and the ears and eyelids are developing. Fingers and toes are developing from the arm and leg buds which now have distinguished wrists and elbows that can even flex."

7-weeks

I made it another week, yay! Let's see, this week the tiredness has gotten better, but the "morning" sickness has gotten worse! I haven't puked yet, but I have felt like it many times. It is literally all day long. I do not remember being this sick with Avery. Each day I pray, please don't let me puke!!! It's hard to be energetic or talkative because I feel under a fog. I hope this levels out like it did with Avery! AND I sure hope it doesn't get worse.
The baby is the size of a blueberry this week and is developing their hands and feet (looks like little paddles). The picture on my iPhone app, Sprout, looks like a dolphin. It's hard to believe how fast this pregnancy will go by and how fast the baby will grow and develop. I cannot wait to feel this baby move. Avery was so quiet and barely moved. I used to have to take baths so that I could feel her move. She jumped every time I pulled the stopper out of the bathtub. I wonder if this baby is going to be quiet, if they're going to move a lot and if they will jump when I pull the stopper out.

November Pics

Avery and her great big sheep dog!

Avery is very curious as to what this Christmas tree is

She does actually know how to sit correctly in her rocking chair

Although this is her preferred method of using this chair

Went to grab something out of the kitchen, came back and she was straight chilling in her highchair.

Ready for the big Thanksgiving game...


Gig 'Em Ags!

Avery loves her new chair (borrowed from Gimmie & Papa, thank you!).

Avery getting ready for the last football game of the season!

6 completed weeks

Today I am 6-weeks pregnant. My estimated due date is June 29th. If this pregnancy goes like Avery's...it will be more like July 2nd. Avery came home on Thanksgiving Day, so if I give birth on July 2nd and bring this baby home on July 4th...it will be wild!
How I'm feeling:
Symptoms better; feel closer to normal, gassy, insomnia, constipated, my chest is a little sore, feeling sick in waves all day long, getting dizzy when standing up.
I definitely need prayers for a happy and healthy 9-months!

2 under 2!

The little black circle is the sac, the little Lochness monster is our new little bean!!!

This afternoon at 3:15pm, Chris and I saw our doctor. I had a sonogram and it was confirmed that we are expecting baby #2. We got to see the little bean and the heartbeat. We did all the family/medical history questions, I gave a bunch of blood and we were on our way. I'm so excited!!!

Avery's 1st Halloween

Pink Poodle in Fort Worth

Her hood was too big, but she didn't make a peep!

The Ghostess with the Mostest on Halloween morning

Avery and her cousins, Breelyn and Braden

Avery and her cousin, Brennan

She just decided to lay down on her cousin. He was such a good sport about it!

Avery's 1st Halloween was lots of fun. I haven't been trick or treating in a LONG time! We went over to my sister's house at 6:30pm to meet Avery's cousins. Around 6:45pm, we started Trick or Treating in my sister's neighborhood. Avery got to ride in the wagon with her cousin, Brennan. She was AMAZING (as usual). She didn't make a peep. Her little hood was too big for her and kept sliding down over her eyes, not a peep! She's such an amazing baby!! We got home around 7:45pm just in time to set our basket of candy outside for our neighborhood's Trick or Treaters. It was a lot of fun and I can't believe how much bigger she'll be next year!