Johnson Family

11 years ago...

2011-03-12T09:55:00.002-05:00

So as I was writing the date on my board in my classroom yesterday, I realized that 3/11 was very special. Yes, there is a band called 311, but I am talking about something else. I immediately text Matt to see if he remembered, and of course he did. March 11, 2000 was our first date...11 years ago!

It is so hard to believe where we are now. I know that neither one of us saw that first date leading us to our lives now, but we are so blessed to have each other and our precious boy, and very soon another one! I have never made a big deal about any days/dates in our lives (neither Matt or myself are ones for big recognition and such), but I find it truly special to see where we have come in 11 years! Matt has made me a better person, and I like to think I have done the same for him! ;) I am so glad we went to Steak n Shake and to see Mission to Mars on that Saturday evening 11 years ago; without that date, prom a few weeks later, and so much more, we would not be where we are today! And now to think where the next 11 years will take us!

We are about 2 1/2 weeks from my expected due date, so we are busy trying to enjoy the time left, relaxing, and also preparing for the big change! I am excited and anxious, and I sooooo cannot not wait to see what God has in store for our family.

Now off to enjoy this Saturday....agenda: get Ethan's haircut, wash baby clothes, play outside, who knows what else....

Where has this pregnancy gone???

2011-02-17T20:31:00.004-05:00

I am nearly 35 weeks pregnant and now going to the doctor each week! I can hardly believe it! I knew this pregnancy would go by much faster than my first, but WOW! I don't think I have really been able to enjoy being pregnant with the busy life I live of being a working mom with a toddler. I remember all the little and exciting things that happen when being pregnant (the first kick and the oh-so-cute hiccups!), but I seem to remember the feeling of exhaustion so much stronger!

Of course, there are still things that I want to get done before the baby comes, but in reality, there is only so much that you really need for the baby at home, and we have all that. At school, I am so not ready! I really need to prioritize my time there and get some stuff in order for when I am out for the rest of the year. I like things done a certain way, so I am not gonna lie...the thought of someone taking over my classroom kinda freaks me out! With that said, I need to do a lot of organizing and planning to make me feel more calm and at ease about it all. With Ethan, I did not miss any school; he was a summer baby. I don't like to think about when I might start having the hard and heavy labor contractions that will eventually lead me to the hospital. I really do not want to be at school when that happens. Some of my dearest friends are there, so I know they will take care of me, but it's not the same as being with Matt. It will be weird being at school one day and not the next.

I absolutely cannot wait to be at home for 4-5 months straight with my precious family. I will have nothing to worry about besides feeding the boys and changing diapers. These will be the days that I will remember forever. I will miss my friends at work, and some of the students, but I am ready for no schedule besides a baby schedule!

Just this week, I have started having cramps and my back will ache at random times. I can definitely tell that baby is getting bigger and that I am getting closer! I cannot wait to meet out new lil one, but I also get sad that it will no longer only be Ethan! But then the more I think about it, Ethan will be so cute with his baby brother and there will surely never be a dull moment around our house!

We may be having another boy, but this sure has turned into a different pregnancy!

2011-01-09T17:05:00.003-05:00

I had a perfect pregnancy and for the most part, a perfect labor and delivery story with Ethan. My pregnancy with boy #2 has been just as smooth and easy. With either pregnancy, I never had any sort of morning sickness and nothing negative in any way. I almost felt bad when people would ask how I was feeling because it was always wonderful. Well, that has changed just a bit over the past few weeks, and it is only getting worse. Random things that have been occurring that I never had with Ethan:
*dizzy/faint spells--these seem to happen in the morning or when I change positions. Standing for a long period of time such as during the worship at church is quite a struggle. At school, I find myself sitting more and more on my stool when I am talking with the students; I used to walk around and stand.
*seeing stars--reaching down to get something. It's like I hit my hand really hard.
*veins standing out, some even raised. These better go away!
*little to no sleep at night. I am getting up to pee more and more, and then I have trouble relaxing again.
*extreme emotions--I get upset about anything and everything. My eyes will tear up about anything that upsets me, and I feel as if I cannot control it.
*any amount of constant movement such as walking gives me cramps in my abdomen and I have trouble breathing

Needless to say, all of these things are normal for being pregnant, but I do not like them! These are not the sort of things that are fun while being pregnant! I take it easy as much as I can, but there is so much to do at every moment! I cannot wait for our new little man to be here and to make us even more complete!

Sleepless night...

2010-12-23T05:28:00.002-05:00

I have been up and wide awake since 4am. Good thing it is Christmas break, but bad thing that the next several days are say busy that I will not have time to even think about resting during the day. I got up to pee at 4 (I dread when this happens for many reasons!). Once I laid back down, I could not go back to sleep. I realized I was hungry, and then my mind began to race of all sorts of things (some stupid and pointless, while others quite crucial):
*why didn't I wrap the Christmas presents last night? Now I have to stress about getting that done with E running around and wanting to help!
*is it really gonna snow on Christmas and the day after? This could be dangerous yet interesting...
*what am I going to dress Ethan in over the next few days? Sure, it does not matter, but I want him to be somewhat festive!
*what am I going to wear???
*what are we going to do about the new baby's room/Ethan's room? Gotta get thinking on this one!
*a new bed for Ethan? another dresser/changing table?
*double stroller? van?? These really make me feel old and like a soccer mom in the making!
*what in the world will I be doing with my students when we return in Jan? Yes, I always think about school, lesson plans, and my students!
*what needs to get done in my classroom before I go on maternity leave? I have some organizing that I want to do, I need to be thinking about lesson plans (which really stresses me out cause I NEVER plan that much in advance!)
*when will our garage look normal again? Normal meaning all the random junk is gone.
*will I be able to stay home the rest of the school year? This question will be answered very soon once I go to the county meeting about my leave.
*what will we do next year with 2 little boys as far as childcare/school etc?
*why is it that as soon as I straighten/clean the house, you cannot even tell?? I know I should just get used to this with 2 little boys, 2 dogs, and a husband!
*how can I better organize the toys? I will surely wait until after Christmas for this one!

At the beginning of this pregnancy, I had a terrible time sleeping. It got better, but then over the past few days (maybe a bit more), I have not slept well. It is not the big belly. I just cannot get comfy, wind down, and get my mind settled enough to rest peacefully. I know that before long this will be my normal routine with a newborn baby, butI would really enjoy a good night's sleep! Napping during the day is imposssible; I try to sleep during Ethan's nap, but I never can fall asleep right away, and before I know it, we are up and at it again! I know I should go to bed earlier, but I am never tired enough, and that is the only time that Matt and I get alone. I was not like this before break. I suppose it is because I am so tired from being so busy getting stuff done and playing with Ethan, or it is simple because I am getting further along in the pregnancy.

I absolutely love being at home with Ethan and Matt, and I know they both love it as well! :) Me being here definitely messes up the routine; today, the only time Ethan napped was in the car. It was that way the day before too. With Matt, he is asleep at a certain time. Because of the nature of the beast, I have errands to run and things to do, and Ethan must go with me. Needless to say, being bundled up in a warm, moving car soothes him to sleep. It would me too if I was not driving!

I am so looking forward to the next few days of celebrating Christmas! Ethan actually knows what to do with a present, and it melts my heart to hear his precious voice squeal with excitement and saying, "Look!" (Ethan's trademark for sure!) Next year will be even more fun for him (and us too), and then of course there will be little brother crawling (maybe) all over the place. Our years of making special holiday memories and traditions are here, and it makes me so excited!

Well, I have been up for 2 hours now! I think I might go play a yahoo word game that Matt and I have recently gotten adicted too. I really wish all the presents were out and available for me to wrap, and that Ethan's room was not right down the hall! Before long, E will be up, and momma will be exceptionally tired! Hopefully Ethan will be so worn out from going to my mom's house for Christmas that he will go to bed even earlier than usual! I might actually have to join him as well!

Momma's little helper...so he thinks!

2010-12-12T14:02:00.002-05:00

Ethan, as well as any young child, tries so hard to do everything just like a grown person. We love watching him do things as if he were so much older. But considering he is only 18 months old, he is doing pretty well! Here are some ways that he has "tried" to be my little helper:

*Ethan loves to sweep...always has. Since we have 2 big dogs, a toddler, and wood floors, there is a lot of sweeping going on! When I grab a broom, Ethan grabs one too and becomes a shadow of me. I use a small broom and dustpan to collect it all at the end, and Ethan has always enjoyed this task as well. He will often times walk around holding the small broom and dustpan, and he will even open the trash can to drop in his dirt/trash--which is nothing. Well, a while ago, the small broom went missing. We looked everywhere, and then gave up. We came to the conclusion that E most likely threw it away.

*Just the other day we were all upstairs watching TV, and Ethan of course grabbed to remote. We have duds of remotes for him to play with, but somehow he knows they do not work. All of the sudden, the TV had subtitles on the screen, and we did not know how to get them off. Matt was beyond frustrated, and I was looking on-line to find any help/hints. Ethan was only doing what he sees us do; hold the remote pointed at the TV and press buttons.

*I was in Ethan's room putting away his clean clothes when he begins to open random drawers and take stuff out. He then proceeded to throw and entire drawer of clean socks into his dirty clothes hamper. After all, this is exactly what he sees me do every day. Either I did not get all of the socks or Ethan did this again, because when I was doing his laundry, there were several pair of clean socks in the mix.

*I went to switch Ethan's clothes from the washer to the dryer, and as I was grabbing to damp clothes, I noticed a strange residue on many of the items. I then stumbled across a diaper that was hloding so much water that I was quite impressed with Luvs even more! Apparently my precious son had now tossed a diaper (don't worry, it was unused and clean!) into the hamper. Why he did this, who knows? In his little mind it made sense. The clear, sticky residue on the clothes was the inside of the diaper. I then had to re-do the laundry, and Matt and I still laugh about it!

*As I was cleaning the bathrooms yesterday morning, Ethan was so intrigued. He watched every step I made, and he loved sloshing the brush in the toilet. He did that for at least 20 minutes while I finished up the weekend chores. It was so cute!

What fun memories watching him mature!

sick toddler

2010-11-29T21:00:00.003-05:00

Ethan has been fighting a cold all of last week, but he was not too fussy, and he did not have a fever. Saturday, he developed a cough. By Sunday night, the cough was more constant. I took him to the doctor this afternoon to discover that he has an ear infection along with a bad cold. Ethan must have a pretty high pain tolerance because he does seem to upset about any of it. He is definitely not himself, but things could surely be worse! After I got him home from the doctor and going on a quick grocery run, he ate some dinner, took a bath, and went straight to bed. Hopefully the antibiotics will kick right in and he will be healed! We do not want this cold and ear infection to turn into anything worse; we have had worse, and it is not fun...especially during this special time of the year!

Needless to say, I do not feel awesome either. I have been fine, until yesterday. Ethan and I both stayed home from church (mainly because of his runny nose and cough), but by yesterday early evening, I had a pretty bad headache and a runny nose. I still have it today, and there is only so much that I can do. I know that I should go to bed, but I do not feel tired enough to sleep. Perhaps I will just lay in bed and watch TV!

I am counting down the days until Christmas break! Matt and I are so excited to buy Ethan presents (big boy toys)! Nearly all of his toys are infant to 12 months, so he is actually in some need of more complext toddler-oriented items. Our Christmas celebrations as our precious family are only going to be more and more fun as the years go by!

No pink in this house!

2010-11-23T16:07:00.003-05:00

We are expecting baby boy #2! We are excited; we would have been no matter what the gender. All we want is a happy and healthy family. We have not decided on a name yet. Before we knew what Ethan was, we had a girl name and a boy name determined. Matt and I have not been as decisive with this baby. We have plenty of time left to decide, and we are not stressing about anything. I have never stressed about all the baby stuff. After all, there is only so much that you really need at first when the new baby comes home!

I have this entire week off, and I am loving every minute being home with my boys! I surely needed the extra rest and relaxation! So far I have done several loads of laundry, graded essays, cooked many meals, and cleaned our bathroom...sure doesn't sound like rest does it?? As long as I am at home and not having to be somewhere, I am resting and happy! Ethan has loved playing with someone else besides Daddy and the doggies. He makes us smile every day! He melts both our hearts saying "Daddy," and giving his smushy kisses! Such a love boy!

Ethan is getting very independent. I know it is all part of him learning and growing. He wants to get his own cup out, do everything like we do, push his own car outside, feed the doggies, put on his own shoes....etc. The list goes on. He will get rather frustrated when things do not go according to his plan. If only he knew what the future will hold!

Pregnancy update:
weeks pregnant: a lil over 22 weeks

cravings: nothing in particular. I just feel hungry all the time.

maternity clothes: definitely in the pants! Some shirts, but many things look so frompy! I do not like it!

short-term goal: still need to finish Ehtan's baby book...I will have another to do very soon! We have finished the bonus room, so there is some organizing that needs to be done in the storage area; however, that is a goal more for Matt than me. :)

baby movement: all the time! It never ceases to amaze me!

What I look forward to the most: Seeing the new face of this lil man! I cannot wait to see Ethan with his little brother!

Monkey see, monkey do!

2010-10-31T22:03:00.003-04:00

You never really realize just how much a little toddler is learning and taking in until...
*he puts a toothbrush in his mouth and tries to brush his teeth
*he changes the channel on the TV with the remote
*he puts a Qtip in his ear
*while taking a bath, he takes the wash cloth and rubs his body; he wanted to do it this time instead of me.
*the pantry door is left open and he gets each dog a treat
*he throws away a piece of trash in the actual trash can
*he uses the toilet bowl brush to clean the toilet
*he brushes his hair with my hair brush
*he holds a cell phone to his ear and mumbles his gibberish
*he claps and yells for the doggies when they run off
*he attemps to put my or Matt's shoes on his little feet
*he crawls up on his rocking horse and begins to rock all on his own
*he wants to push his Cozy Coupe car--just like Mommy and Daddy!
*he takes a spoon and attempts to stir in a bowl or pot
*he sits and turns the pages of a book for minutes
*he bangs on the fridge wanting something cold to drink

I am sure that I am missing some really cute ones, but you get the idea!

New baby coming= more updating to the house!

2010-10-27T21:14:00.002-04:00

Before Ethan was born, Matt and I decided to get rid of our carpets and install laminate hardwood floors; this was one of the best decisions we have made! With 2 dogs and a lil rugrat running around, life is so much easier in the house!

Now that we are expecting #2, several conversations have come up between me and Matt. Should we get a van or SUV? Should we try and buy a slightly bigger house in the next few years? Should we finish our bonus room over the garage? The last question is honestly something that we have been debating since we bought the house 5 years ago. We had convinced ourselves that it was not worth it because we would most likely not get out money back when selling. Well, we have gone round and round, but the bonus is room is now finished...except for the trim and carpet. It has been a long 2 weeks of installation, but it will all be worth it in the end! It has driven me crazy to have my garage even more of a mess than it already was;to have both cars in the driveway or street;and to have a mess in general of tools, paint, dust, and everything else. We are hoping that over the next week the new addition will be complete and we will all have yet another room to destroy with toys, juice, and snacks! :)

There are a few other things that we want to do in th house, but this is by far the biggest one. As always, there is some organizational stuff that I want to do, but I always find something else to do--even if it is just playing with Ethan or relaxing.

I have still been feeling incredible! People ask me (every single day) how I am feeling, and I am not lying or stretching the truth at all when I say great. Some of my friends hate (not really!) seeing how well I do with pregnancy because their stories are not the same. God has truly blessed me beyond belief in this area. My belly is getting bigger and bigger by the day; a few students have even made little comments about it! It is hard to believe that life will be changing so much in the next few months! I could not ask for more!

Busy mommy with another baby on the way!

2010-10-10T21:02:00.003-04:00

I feel so bad that I have not blogged at all about our second precious baby! I was laid back with Ethan, and I still am, but I feel even more relaxed with this one. I had a marvelous pregnancy, labor, and delivery with E; so far, this one is just as smooth! I am astounded at the energy I have after working with 8th graders all day, coming home to a house that has been terrorized by a 16 month old and a at-home working daddy, cleaning up, fixing dinner, playing with Ethan, sometimes running an errand, and then settling us all down for the night. I remember when I was pregnant with Ethan that I would take a nap when I got home from school, and still go to bed by 9. All I can say is that this energy is from God! Now don't get me wrong...I am exhausted at times. Especially once the weekend comes! I have looked forward to this 3 day weekend for quite some time now! I enjoy just being lazy and hanging out with my 2 boys!

My only complaint with this pregnancy is that I do have a hard time sleeping at night (see, strange that I am not exhausted during the day!). I have been having to pee at least once in the middle of the night since I was about 8 weeks pregnant. Once I get up, I will literally toss and turn in bed for sometimes over 2 hours. My mind will not go back to sleep. I wish I could say that I was stressed or feeling anxious, but I feel nothing of that sort. Sad to say, but this whole sleep thing will only get worse over the next several months! And then the lack of sleep altogether from a newborn baby!

Pregnancy update:
weeks pregnant:16 (it is already going by so quickly!)

cravings: anything! I feel like all I want to do is eat! I want Oreos, salad, fruit, cheese...you name it!

maternity clothes: pants, yes. My waist has thickened a lot faster this go round!

short-term goal: finish Ehtan's baby book...I will have another to do very soon!

baby movement: you would think that I would know for sure if I feel the baby or not, but I am really not so certain. I felt Ethan flutter right at 16 weeks, and from then on, it was constant. I have felt a few things, but nothing too strong yet.

weight gain: according to my scale, about 4 pounds.

memory from this week: taking a nap with Ethan snuggled up against me. I guess you could say that we both had enough of NFL football this afternoon!

I will try my hardest to blog more often! I am one busy mommy and wife! I will definitely be better once the new little one is here!

Sick again?!?

2010-09-05T09:19:00.003-04:00

When I got home from work on Friday, Ethan sneezed a few times in a row, and Matt's comment was, "Yeah, he has been doing that all day. I think he is getting sick." In the back of my mind, I had convinced myself that E was fine. Well, all day yesterday Ethan had a runny nose, and the snot was often greenish in color. Not good. He has been in a great mood, so that leads me to believe that it is not anything too serious--although we have learned that E has a high pain tolerance (just like me!).

Ethan woke up this morning congested, coughing, and a nasty runny nose. Needless to say, Ethan an I are staying home from church. Even though he does not have a fever and is happy, I am not sending him to the nursery. Ethan has become an expert with taking medicine. We come towards him with the dropper, and he leans in and opens up! Good thing the meds are fruit flavored!

It is rather frustrating that Ethan was just sick and on antibiotics, and now here we are again! I am hoping that this is a cold, and it will pass in the next few days. But you can never be too careful with lil ones! Their immune system is so much weaker, and it scares me to think of how sick he could become if we just ignore it.

I am sitting on the couch right now watching him watch Dinosaur Train--one of my favorite lil kids shows! He looks so big staring at the TV and intrigued by the show.

My husband=super daddy!

2010-08-29T20:59:00.002-04:00

Matt has never ceased to amaze me in the way the he fathers Ethan. Matt has the awesome opportunity to be with Ethan day in and day out at home. Matt's job allows him to work from home, and we are so thankful for that. His job does not require him to be at a computer or anything nonstop, so he is able to play with Ethan. Matt will send me text messages and pictures of him and Ethan, and it just melts my heart to see him so excited to be home with his boy. He does not make me jealous one bit; I could not think of anyone else that I would want to have watching Ethan and taking my spot during the day. I tell Matt all the time that not many dads can say that they are so involved with their children, and it is so true. Matt has not once complained. Sure, he loves the moment I walk in the door and of course the weekends, but he also looks forward to hearing that sweet laugh all throughout the house.

The first 2 weeks I was back at work Matt's mom came over to help with Ethan. Her goal was to help Ethan transition without mommy at home, but I was not one bit worried since Matt was there. Matt has a system with Ethan. They cook and eat breakfast together, play outside, watch cartoons, play guitar and sometimes PS3, eat lunch, Ethan naps, and then just play until mommy comes home! When Nana was here, Ethan was not napping until 3pm or even later. I supppose the little guy was too excited and busy playing to wind down for a nap! Now Matt has E on such a routine that Ethan will not cry at all when Matt has to leave him in the play area while Matt goes to take a customer call. Matt will leave him in there lying on the floor watching his GPS shows, and before long, Ethan is sound asleep. I call to talk to Matt throughout the day, and he is always happy and doing great! I am so blessed to have such a wonderful husband and father to Ethan!

I could not fathom taking Ethan to day care or anything right now, for many reasons. We are saving so much money, and I have such a peace of mind knowing that Ethan is in his father's care each day. I love my sweet little family and the way that God has provided for us.

Noise Shoes

2010-08-28T08:56:00.002-04:00

Everyone has his or her funny childhood story that the entire family knows about and brings up whenever the chance is there. For me, it is noise shoes. When I was a few years old, I told Aunt Delia (Deda) that I wanted noise shoes. Uncertain of what that meant, she took me shoe shopping. Yes, whatever I wanted, Aunt Deda Bug got for me! Even if my mom said no! She claims that we went to several malls in the Atlanta area, and it took quite a while for me to be satisfied. I would try on shoes, and then have to walk around to see if they made enough noise for me. If the shoe store had carpet, that was not a good thing at all for my 3 year old mind and ears. I would then have to walk out in the mall to hear the clickity-clack noise of the hard sole of the shoe on the floor. Apparently, I thoroughly enjoyed the noise that the shoes made. Of course, not many little people shoes are made like my mom's and aunt's shoes, so I was frustrated. Aunt Deda Bug ended up spending more money that the average toddler shoe just to make me happy. I just wanted to be a grown little lady already!

Well here I am 25 years later. The other night Ethan discovered shoes in his closet that he has not worn yet. Some of them are still a little big, plus, they are fall shoes--not summer shoes. He grabbed a pair, threw it at me, and sat down. Little guy wanted his new shoes on. Keep in mind that the only shoes he has worn since he has started walking have been soft-soled shoes. It's quite difficult to toddle around with heavy clunkers on your feet when you are so small!

I put the shoes on E; he started walking around the house clomping his feet with each step, realizing that he was the one making the noise on the floor. Simple cause and effect lesson at 14 months. He was smiling, enjoying every second. He is just like me when I was little. Noise shoes were awesome! Guess I need to get him big boy shoes that he can wear now.

First days of school

2010-08-21T09:20:00.004-04:00

I am back at it! 2 weeks down with students and only about 34 more! :) The first few weeks are always so exhausting, stressful, and just crazy. My students seem pretty decent this year, although there are so many boys that are seeking for so much attention with their immature actions. There seems to be a massive amount of boys this year. Seriously, in all of my classes, the male students outnumber the females by a longshot! In one class, I have 18 boys and 10 girls! I am constantly reminded of what kind of 13/14 year old I will be raising in the future, and I am already praying that Ethan will not be like some of these boys I teach!

I love my job! Not everyone can say that these days. I feel so blessed to be working in a positive environment, making a difference in lives, watching teenagers grow with knowledge, doing what I love! I say I love it, but I hate leaving the house in the morenings, even though lazy E is normally still asleep, and I love coming home to my boys! I get the best of both worlds!

There is always something to do, whether it be at home or at school. I do not stress about anything, and it all gets done eventually. I leave my evenings open to just hang at home with Matt and Ethan. We will have dinner, play outside, go to the park, and just be lazy. On the weekends is when I will do laundry, go to the grocery store, clean more than just a little tidying, etc.

Ethan and Matt have both gotten pretty sick. I do not know how the sickness has bypassed me! I say that, but my nose is a bit stuffy and my throat hurts. I hope I do not get any worse. Matt and E both went to the doctor yesterday; Ethan had fluid in both ears (almost ear infections), and Matt has a pretty bad cold that they tested for strep. Taking care of 2 sick boys is no fun!

Myrtle Beach Memories

2010-07-31T18:44:00.002-04:00

Matt, Ethan, and I went on a family vacation a few weeks ago to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. Since Ethan had started walking about 2 weeks before leaving for the beach, we were rather anxious to see how he would do walking in the sand with waves crashing at his feet.

I felt like I was preparing all week for the adventure. Packing for a lil one requires a lot of stuff! Just going to the beach requires a lot of stuff that the normal over night trip would not. Matt and I easily discovered that we might need to upgrade to a bigger car for us sooner than later. We were packed to the max in our Altima, and that was without several items (pack n play, big stroller, wagon, tent, float).

The trip up was quite a time to remember. Ethan got sick of the car after about the first 2 hours. I can't blame him! We did everything to distract his little mind and to keep him happy! I thought Matt was about to go crazy from listening to so many kiddie songs on CD, but hey, that's what our life is now!

Our little dare devil is not scared of anything! It took him about a day and a half to get used to the sand and the endless pool (the ocean), but he loved every bit of it! We took turns chasing after him. He toddled around meeting new friends and just enjoyed his new temporary surroundings. Of course, he tried eating the sand! Didn't we all at this age? He would out his shovel in the sand, and then bring the shovel to his mouth. The shovel is just a giant spoon after all. Every single day Ethan would enjoy relaxing in my lap as we both sat in a beach chair right in front of the ocean. He loved his little toes dangling in the water and playing with sea shells. It was inevitable; he fell asleep in my lap/arms every day while listening to the waves and feeling the warm breeze. We were fortunate enough that he actually slept on the beach each day for about an hour and a half. He was snug as could be in the shade with the sounds of the ocean in the distance. Matt and I looked forward to this time to not have to literally run after him and to be able to sit and read and relax for a bit.

Things we did with Ethan at the beach:
*of course, played in the sand! He loved putting sand in cups and buckets.
*amusement park--we road old fashioned cars, train, and carousel (Ethan was NOT a fan!)--these things were more for our entertainment. Ethan and his serious self just sat there and looked around. He did not even crack a smile!
*out to dinner at seafood restaurant--only did this once--now that Ethan is walking, it is nearly impossible to keep him contained for any amount of time.
*Broadway at the Beach--outdoor mall/entertainment area--he loved being strolled around
*chilling on the patio--he would yell as everyone walked by
*ice cream--he sure let us know when he wanted more!
*walking on the beach at night--he loved it just as much as during the day. And it was like he knew that he could not get in the water. He walked all up on the shore far away from the water.

Matt and and I love the beach so much, and we were so pleased to see Ethan also like it. Can't wait for the many more beach trips!

Officially walking

2010-07-16T18:26:00.002-04:00

Ethan started taking steps on his own without us helping him or holding on to a wall or furniture the weekend of 4th of July. A few days later, he was literally taking about 20 steps without stopping. Now, about 2 weeks later, he does nothing but walk. He is so proud of himself, and so are mommy and daddy! He is a very good walker. He is very persistent, and he will not give up for anything. He will stumble, find his bearings, and then he is off to it again!

He really likes walking around outside. He has always loved outside, but it is now like a whole new world since he can actually be walking in it. He really surprises us on how much he will walk without stopping. He wants nothing to do with us; he will actually turn the other direction. I think he is fearing that we will grab him or try to help.

With the walking, of course, will come stumbles and falls. When he first started taking his own steps, he fell in the house and bust his lip. It looked worse than it was, and it surely scared us. His little razor sharp teeth chomped on his top lip. Then today, we were outside, and he toppled over and his little nose scraped the cement. At first we thought we were in the clear with no marks, but then we saw the little scrape. It scared him more than anything. The first of many battle wounds! He has to learn, and unfortunately falling and getting back up is good for him.

Summer with my boys

2010-07-10T17:45:00.002-04:00

This has been the best summer yet, and it is not over yet! I have enjoyed every second of being at home with Matt and Ethan. We have some very lazy days (I am still enjoying these before Ethan is really all over the place walking), and then there are days when there is so much to do between getting caught up with laundry, running errands, and seeing friends and family. Ethan takes 1 pretty solid/long nap a day, which is nice to be able to use that time to rest myself, read, clean, sit out in the sun, etc. One would think that since I am home for the summer that I would be blogging more often and keeping up with every single thing that we do....but no.

Here are some of the high-lights of our summer so far:
*Ethan swimming in kiddie pool--I knew that we would need something for Ethan to do outside to get us out of the house. We bought a kiddie pool, and Ethan loves holding the hose as it fills up the pool. If one of us is in there with him, he loves climbing on us. His attention span is not so long, so he will get bored pretty fast. We get out in the pool at least 3 times a week. Ethan used to not like to wear his hat, but he has learned that it keeps the sun out of his eyes and face and keeps him cooler.

*playing at the Gymboree kid place--Ethan had a play date with 2 of my friends and their babies at the Gymboree kid playground (don't know what it is really called or how to describe it). We went to a class that did songs and gave the kids things to do around the play room for strength and of course fun! I think was the youngest one in there and the only one not walking, but he enjoyed himself all the same. I spent most of the time just following him around as he explored and climbed on everything. I thought about getting a membership for the summer, but I think I will save it for next summer when Ethan is more aware of what is happening.

*Ethan's 1st birthday--I absolutely cannot believe that my baby is 1! We had a party with immediate family, and we all enjoyed watching Ethan crawl everywhere and enjoy being the center of attention. He did not destroy his cake as much as I thought he would, but he did seem to enjoy the extra sugar that we allowed. Some of his favorite things to do now were presents for his birthday.

*Yellow River Game Ranch--on Ethan's actual birthday, I took him to the game ranch. I thought about going to the zoo, but knew that it would be extremely hot, and I was not so sure on how much Ethan would actually appreciate. At the game ranch, he could actually touch and feed the animals. My mom and sister went with us, and we all enjoyed watching Ethan pointing and talking to the animals. At first, he cried at the deer who came right up to him. It did not take too long before he was reaching out to touch them. He even fed a goat a carrot...so cute! I look forward to the future when he can really have fun with the animals.

*playing in the Cozy Coupe car and Red Rider wagon--these were 2 birthday presents. Not a day goes by that we are not outside in one of these. Ethan is a little speed demon and loves to go really fast down the driveway. He also loves peering over the side and staring at the wheels. The simplest things fascinate him at this age.

*Ethan getting in big pool--Ethan and I went to my sister's apartment pool, and it took a little while for him to actually enjoy the big water. I have never had him cling to me so tightly...he was not letting go for anything! We have a float, but at first, Ethan had to be right up against me. We were at the pool for about 2 hours or so, and toward the later half, he was loving it! About 2 weeks later, we went to my brother's girlfriend's pool, and Ethan had the best time. He loved splashing with his legs and hands; he even would sit on the edge and scoot off into someone'e arms in the pool!

*4th of July fireworks--Ethan loved them! He was pointing at the sky when they were over looking for more!

As we finish off the summer, I will post more about our adventures!

A year ago today...

2010-06-06T13:28:00.001-04:00

I was at home by myself cleaning. That's right...cleaning. I was 39 weeks pregnant, and I had myself on the floor of my shower scrubbing, sweeping the floors, doing laundry, and of course some last minute "nesting" and organizing. I surely did not want to leave the house on my own at this stage in the pregnancy. My amazing friend, Lina, called me and questioned why I was cleaning and on my feet. I told her that I had a feeling Ethan was on his way real soon, and that what else was I supposed to do? I could not take just sitting at my house in anticipation. Matt was at work, so I was doing anything to pass the time.

It was later that evening that I began to have my intense contractions that would keep me up all night and then send me to the hospital the next day.

Today I am preparing for Ethan's 1st birthday. We are having our immediate family over for a small cookout and fun. I can hardly believe how fast this year has gone; I remember everything with preparing for his arrival and the actual delivery so vividly as if it was only last week! Baby boy is growing up so fast, but it is all so much fun!

Not such a little boy anymore!

2010-05-31T22:50:00.004-04:00

Check out the new things that E can do!! He is turning more and more into a toddler!
*clap his hands--his does this all the time now! We will clap, smile, and congatulate him when he does something good, and he is surely catching on.
*shaking head "no"--he knows what "no" means, but not the head motion with it. He will shake his head like a crazy man imitating us doing it. It really is quite precious!
*drinking through a straw--Ethan has always loved straws, but what kid doesn't right? A while ago, we started dropping whatever we were drinking into his mouth; I felt like we were feeding a bird! Just this past week we were trying to get him to actually suck out of the straw. Just a few days ago he finally did it! Such a bg boy! He has never really liked a sippy cup, so this may be the way we go!
*climbing stairs-- we do not have stairs at our house, so this was a surprise. While at my parent's house the other day, E crawled over to them and stared. We watched him as he thought about it, and then he quickly proceeded to climb. He made it all the way to the top (13 stairs) without skipping a beat! Such a bittersweet moment!
*temper tantrums--this one is not such a good one. When Ethan does not have something that he wants, he will cry loudly (no tears, of course. He is a faker!), lean over towards the ground with his upper body, and then hit the ground with both hands. Matt claimes that E looks like a gorilla doing this. I would have to agree! This is only the beginning of his trying to get our attention!
*talking back-- when I get on to Ethan for something, he will babble right back to me, with a little baby attitude. I swear, my kid is already talking back to me! I know I will not laugh at this later in his life, but right now, it is rather entertaining!

I cannot wait to see what these next 9 weeks we have together over the summer will bring!

Summer is here!

2010-05-29T11:46:00.003-04:00

I have never been so ready for summer! Well, last year I was pretty ready as well. I was 38 weeks pregnant and ready to be a mommy! Now my baby boy is about to be 1, and I am ready to spend every single day with him. Matt is pretty stoked about me being home. He has done a super fabulous job watching Ethan at home while also working. I swear, I don't know how he does it! He complains very little, and he knows what a blessing we have with him being able to be home raising our first child.

This summer will be very different from any other summer. 1--Ethan is here and very mobile. 2--Matt will be home EVERY SINGLE DAY!! I am not going to know what to do. Matt will not be able to go off and do things. Just because he is at home does not mean that he can do whatever. He has obligations with his job, one of which is being accessible by phone (not a cell phone) during the day. Even still, having him home with me this summer will be amazing!

Over the summer I normally bring things home from school (lesson plans, books, ideas, etc). Anybody who is a teacher can understand why. During the school year there are so many other things at school that get in the way of me being able to go over and beyond with what I do in the classroom. However, I did not bring anything home this summer. My complete focus is my family. I look forward to a fun-filled, relaxing summer with my boys!

Obsessions of Ethan

2010-05-22T14:10:00.003-04:00

It cracks me up to see the things that Ethan absolutely loves. He will crawl like crazy, scream to get our attention, and finally play so contently. Here are his loves:
*the broom--any time one of us sweeps, Ethan has to be a part of the action. I will even give him the broom, and he will mimick the act of sweeping. It is precious!
*keyboard on computer--why buy a kid toys when the grown-up toys are so much better?? Just today we pulled out the old lap top so Ethan can be like us and type on a "real" keyboard. He even knows where the desk top computer is (the office). He will crawl back there, pull himself to standing at the desk, and reach for the keyboard.
*alarm clock--this is a new thing for him this week. He has discovered my alram clock on the night stand. He must like the neon green lights and sounds it will make by pushing the buttons. He will venture off into our bedroom to snatch the alarm clock off the night stand.
*pillows--he loves to crawl over pillows; they probably are like mountains to him!
*any cabinet we will let him explore in. I can easily clean the bathroom, fold laundry, grade papers, etc as long as Ethan has some new things in front of him that he can pull out and destroy.
*pack'n'play--he treats this like a trampoline. He will jump in it and then fall down. He laughs and plays all by himself. This is where Matt will place him temporarily while Matt is on the phone with a customer.
*earrings--he has always noticed my earrings, but lately he will not take his eyes off of them! He finds them so fascinating (especially the bigger ones with little dangling pieces).

Close to a year old!

2010-04-29T20:03:00.002-04:00

I am sitting here on the couch just watching Ethan as he plays on the floor. Matt is off with a friend, and I am enjoying this one-on-one time with Ethan. Right now he is talking to himself and playing with anything around him. I think I see Matt's earphones going toward the mouth! Lil man is now pulling himself to standing and cruising around the furniture...the first stages of beginning to learn to walk!

I just sat here and read through some of my past blogs of being pregnant and during Ethan's first year, and I cannot believe all that time is behind us now. I found myself tearing up and smiling as I read what I had written about our changing life.

As Ethan approaches his 1 year birthday, here are some things that I will miss about his "baby" days
1. watching him crawl and explore...yet I know he will begin to explore in even cuter ways
2. his baby talk that means so much to him
3. nursing him...I am actually dreading this because he has been such a good nurser. He loves his mommy!
4. his smile with his few little teeth shining through
5. the way he crawls so fast to get to me
6. the way he pulls on my leg to let me know he wants me to hold him
7. his baby toys
8. watching him have the time of his life as he goes crazy in his walker...he will seriously do laps and laugh like crazy

Poor sick baby Ethan

2010-04-07T16:49:00.002-04:00

My little man has been fighting with a pretty bad virus the past several days. It all started this past Saturday with a fever. We didn't think too much of it and assumed it was the start of some more teething. Sunday morning I noticed some nasal congestion as I was nursing him, but again, passed it off as teething; this all happened about 2 months ago when his first 2 teeth broke through. The fever continued all day Sunday and Monday. The only way to keep it down was with Motrin. He was so congested that he struggled to eat or sleep, which also meant that Matt and I were struggling as well. I decided to take him to the doctor on Monday. He received a pretty strong anti-biotic shot and he also had a chest Xray done. The doc was concerned that he might have some breathing issues, or possibly pneumonia again. We returned to the doctor the next day as a follow-up. It was a good thing because Ethan had gotten worse, and Matt and I were running on little sleep. I was worried so badly for Ethan. He was not able to get any rest, and it was nearly impossible for him to eat. Here is everything that was going on with Ethan:
*fever of nearly 103 for 3 days
*severe nasal congestion
*white puss pockets on throat
*small questionable area in left lung (possible pneumonia)
*fluid behind both ears
*white blood cell count up (indicates infection)

Poor guy! We left the doctor yesterday with another anti-biotic shot and 3 days worth of an oral steroid. Needless to say, he seemed better within about 5 hours. It seems as if he has done nothing but sleep today. It makes me nervous for what this may mean for tonight, but I don't care. I just want him to be better!

God is so good. This is my spring break, so thankfully, I have been home to take care of him. Matt has been wonderful, as always. But as with any baby, Ethan only wants his mama. I am glad that Matt did not have to deal with him on his own. Last time Ethan got really sick was over Christmas break. God is really watching out for us by allowing me to be here during his sickness. While it does stink for me to spend my break at home and not running errands, seeing friends, and enjoying the outside, the good part is that we are saving money and spending quality relaxing time together as a family!

Our Little Explorer

2010-03-30T21:13:00.004-04:00

So many changes over the past month! Ethan is crawling all over the place; that happened a few days after the teeth finally broke through. People kept telling me that once he was crawling, I would wish he could just sit still again. I beg to differ! Yes, he is everywhere, but it is so much fun! We really give Ethan free reign all over the house. He loves crawling down the hall and venturing into his bedroom. We will follow him back there to find him playing in the floor. He knows exactly where the broom is...for some odd reason he is obsessed with the broom/mop! He is so funny. Sometimes he will go off by himself, while other times he wants us to be right there with him. It is so entertaining to watch him investigate anything in his way. The smallest things bring so much amusement to his little precious mind.

Just yesterday, he pulled himself up to standing! The loook on his face was absolutely priceless; it was as if he knew what he had just accomplished! Only problem now is that he seems to get a little frustrated because he wants to be able to stand completely on his own. Now that it is a bit warmer, we are keeping his socks off--it makes attempting to stand (and soon walk!) much easier since we have wood floors.

I love him more and more each day. I am not wanting to rush his childhood, but I look forward to what is next. Sometimes I wish he could just walk and talk...seems like it would make life much easier at times!

He has teeth!

2010-02-26T18:14:00.002-05:00

After many months of drooling, gnawing on anything in sight, and restless sleep, Ethan has 2 bottom teeth! He has definitely discovered them as well; his little tongue will investigate these new items in his mouth. I know we have a slow process ahead of us as they all come in...

Ethan is definitely talking a whole lot more! He is more vocal and is rarely sitting quiet and still. He has all sorts of talking sounds he makes. He started off with the "guh" syllable, and now he does "goo," "gah," "ma,"muh," and many more. At times, it sounds like he is saying "mama," but I don't think he has made that connection quite yet. It is so cool to watch himself play with his toys and talk to himself. When he gets bored, he lets us know. It's like he is making a scene to get out attention; he will yell really loud, and then look around to see if we heard him. Too funny! Sometimes he just wants to get up and change the the scenery.

He is moving all over the place, but the whole concept and art of crawling is still in the making. He will scoot around, and he will move one leg at a time. It should be soon, and then life will really change!

We love seeing all these new changes, but it is also sad to see him grow up!

These are a few of his favorite things...

2010-01-30T22:32:00.002-05:00

Ethan is nearly 8 months old, and we are having so much fun watching him grow, laugh, and play! He has such a little personality right now! Here are his favorite things right now:

cords and strings--we have had him sitting on his playmat with all sorts of toys, and in the midst of all the color and noise makers, he still managed to find a cord that we were letting him play with...the simplest things!
tags--who cares about the stuffed animal when the tag is so much better?!
Mommy's hair--he has always loved to pull on my hair
cell phone--he really loves it when I talk to someone on speaker phone.
remote control--yes, he loves the TV already! It amazes me how his little hands can pick up the massive remote!
chip bags--when we are snacking on the couch, he loves the grab the bag and make noise
jumperoo--he might not ever walk since jumping in this thing is so much fun!
splashing in the tub--he has never given me any trouble with taking a bath; he loves splashing around and me squirting him with his toys!
rocking--this is a new discovery for Ethan. When he is sitting up, in our lap, or in his high chair, he has figured out that he can move forward and then backward really fast without falling over. This makes us laugh so hard! He also laughs! It's like he has created his own little ride for himself.

This time is so much fun, and we know the best is still yet to come!

Sick Ethan

2010-01-10T21:17:00.002-05:00

It is no fun being sick, and I can atest that it is no fun having a sick child--especially when the child cannot tell you what is wrong. Ethan ended up having a double ear infection, and then a few days later he was diagnosed with a small touch of pneumonia. It all started with him not sleeping at all at night; he would cry anytime I put him down. He was extremely irritable and was not eating. Later on, his nose was constantly running, he could not breathe, had a fever of about 102, and he developed a cough. Luckily this all occurred while I was home from Christmas break, but it surely put a damper on our holiday. He has been on 2 different antibiotics, which gave him a horrible diaper rash! I hate seeing my precious baby boy sick! His schedule is all messed up, but we are managing. Even though he has been so sick, he has still brought so much joy to my heart and keeps us laughing!

Ethan's 1st Christmas

2009-12-29T11:40:00.003-05:00

It's hard to believe that Christmas is already behind us! I remember this time last year when I wa pregnant and how I dreamed about how a year later we would have a 6 1/2 month old. Now that we are here, I am in awe each day of my life and my wonderful son and husband. This was our only quiet Christmas...each one from here on out will be so much more exciting with a toddler running around and bringing even more joy to the season.

We are so blessed to have such an incredible amount of love from our family. Even though Ethan is still a baby, he got lots of presents for Christmas. Here is a breakdown of his loot:

musical play table

colorful play floor mats

Pluto stuffed animal

Cars book

Little People tug boat

crawl/chase toy

musical snail

baby food

socks

tambourines

hungry pelican

drums

coca-cola polar bear

Nike hat and mittens

sleep n play outfits

overalls

sweater

plaid jacket

plaid shirt

piggy bank

touch n feel book

I am sure that I am forgetting something...we have a whole lot to look forward to as he continues to grow and develop!

Matt and I will definitely say that Ethan's 1st Christmas was not all that we had imagined....Ethan was terribly sick (ear infection and the worst cold I have seen a baby with), so all of us were not able to enjoy the festivities as much as we would have hoped. Actually, we all were sick. I am not sure who had it first! Ethan slept through Christmas at my mom's house on Christmas Eve; there was no opening of presents for him! No family picture either. Christmas morning, Ethan was so sleepy and ill that we did not even have him "open" his present from Santa. We got ready, and then headed down the road to my grandparents house. On Christmas day, I felt like I spent most of the time in a bedroom away from everybody trying to settle Ethan, nurse him, or get him to sleep. He wanted nothing to do with anyone except for me. I was not able to spend time with family that I never see, and they were not able to play with Ethan. And let me tell you, I love Ethan so much, but I definitely enjoy the time when he can be with someone else for a little while and give me a break. Needless to say, no family picture here either. Oh well...pictures are simply tangible ways of remembering.

Now that this year is almost over, it brings feelings of sadness and excitement to me. I am sad to see such a great year go, and sad to see my baby boy not such a baby anymore. But even more importantly, I am excited about what is to come. We have been so blessed, and I know it will continue.

Horrible blogger!

2009-12-12T15:06:00.002-05:00

Wow! It has been a while since I have blogged! Needless to say, we have been extremely busy! Motherhood is truly wonderful, and my bundle of joy keeps me smiling and going each day. Here are some recaps of the past few months and how he has changed:

Ethan is now eating solid foods. I have made some of the foods (carrots, peaches, and pumpkin) and we are also using already prepared baby food; I am not adventurous enough to try everything myself. His favorites are squash and applesauce. It is so cute to watch him as he tries something for the first time. We are so accustom to him just eating milk, so this is taking morediscipline on our part.

Lil man is also sitting up all on his own! He is getting so strong; he leans over to grab toys and can put himself in different positions. It does not take much to keep him entertained! He loves banging on things like a table, keyboard, etc. Anything within his reach he will try to get. He gets fascinated with hair, fans, earrings, necklaces, strings, and paper.

Ethan and our dogs are too stinking cute together! Ethan loves them and will try to grab them and rub noses with them. When he is sitting up playing, they come over and check him out. Every now and then Ethan will get tickled with them; he loves to watch them chase each other and play. He will begin to laugh and it is adorable! Oh the fun that is to come with Ethan and the girls!

Ethan definitely knows his mommy and daddy. I will come home from work, and as soon as I am in the house and he hears my voioce, he begins to whine for me. Someone else can be holding Ethan, and if he sees Matt or me nearby, he will want us. I love that he loves us so much.

I will post things more often...especially with Christmas right around the corner!

A week of firsts...

2009-10-14T19:38:00.002-04:00

Ethan rolled over the other night! He has not figured out that he can do it all the time, but I am sure it is only a matter of time before he is rolling all over the place. It cracks me up how he will do it sometimes and the a few minutes later he acts like he has no idea what to do! His poor chubby legs are so heavy to kick over! When we place him under his musical gym, I think he gets a little distracted by all the dangling toys over him. He could play with them all day!

Last night we started Ethan on cereal. He did not care for it too much, but we are gonna keep trying each night. Matt and I absolutely love watching his facial reactions to the new substance in his mouth. I seriously think that more of the cereal ends up on Ethan than in his mouth. He doesn't seem to like the cereal, but yet when he sees us come near him with the spoon, he opens his mouth. The little rugrat is learning, and I do not think it will be too long before he realizes that the cereal is oh so yummy!!

We are so blessed!

2009-09-21T19:36:00.002-04:00

I know every parent probably says this, but Ethan is so perfect! I cannot get over how even-tempered, calm, and serious -aced he is all the time. He is rarely fussy, and if he is, it's because a nap or food is needed. I absolutely love holding and cuddling with him. He nuzzles his precious face next to mine , and it is pure bliss! He is at the stage where he is showing so much personality. He laughs and talks to us in his own baby language. His legs are so strong; he loves his jumperoo and bouncing on our laps. We are waiting on him to roll over...he seems so close. I know that once he becomes more mobile, life will really change!

I find myself just gazing at him in amazement. It is still hard to believe that he is mine. He has brought so much more joy to our lives. Even though he cannot talk, I can tell that he loves us, and that makes me smile!

Matt is now able to work from home. An opportunity was placed before him that would allow him to work at home, more money, time with me and Ethan, and a career growth for him. We could not ask for anything better right now. With Matt's other job, he was getting home after 9pm and working weekends. We both knew that it would make for a very interesting time starting a family. This new job came at the perfect time, and is yet another blessing from above! He is with Ethan all day, which I am so thankful for....it also makes me a little jealous! I keep telling Matt that Ethan will always know who mommy is! So far, that has been oh so true!

I am back at work, and everything is going well. I never dread going in to work; I love my job and my students. I do dread leaving Ethan, but I know he is in good hands. I am one of the first ones out of the school building each day, and I cannot wait to get home to my lil man! Oh, and of course Matt too! I feel like Matt and I have waited so long for this point in our lives. We have only the Lord to thank for all of this!

Things that have surprised me

2009-07-19T20:28:00.002-04:00

I have been a mom for 6 weeks now, and I have enjoyed every second of it. There has been lots to learn, and even more to come! Here are some of the things that have surprised me so far:

*the amount of laundry 1 lil guy can produce! From onesies, to bibs, blankets, and burpcloths, he sure can fill up his hamper!

*the noises he makes while sleeping--grunts, sighs, laughs, wimpers, and just deep breathing

*the noise that he can sleep through--2 huge dogs in the house barking and running around, TV, me talking

*how I can sit and stare at him and then wonder where the time has gone

*how much I love him; I knew I would love him, but it is really indescribable.

*how much he can eat!

*bodily noises--he already sounds like a grown man!

*how fast he will change right before us. He is showing personality and growing more each day.

*how he has us figured out--he knows when I walk in a room, who is holding him, and what cry to do to get our attention

Some of this I knew, but seeing it all firsthand in my own house has been quite the experience.

The joys of motherhood

2009-06-19T17:41:00.002-04:00

I knew that we would be excited to meet Ethan, but no words can express the love and joy that Matt and I have for him. Even though he keeps me up at all hours of the night and will whimper and cry and I have no clue what he wants, I would not have it any other way. Here are some of the things that I absolutely love about Ethan and being his mommy:

1. the noises he makes as I feed him

2. watching him make faces as he sleeps; the smile is my favorite!

3. the way he kicks and punches

4. the way he will whimper and then when I hold him he is suddenly at ease

5. watching him fall asleep in my arms

6. taking naps with him; we cuddle together

7. his monkey toes; he got them from me!

8. watching Matt console, feed, burp, and entertain his baby boy

9. the way he will gaze into my eyes as if he is telling me he loves me

10. the way he sleeps...either on his side or on his back with both hands up over his head

11. his awesome hair that I hope he does not lose!!

12. the way he clamps on to my fingers with his hand

13. his cries...it lets me know I am needed

I know this list will continue to grow as he does!

Ethan's journey into this world

2009-06-19T17:04:00.003-04:00

It all started Saturday June 7 around 1o pm. I was having contractions, but nothing too close together. They were making me wince in pain, and I knew that the time was near. We went to bed around midnight, and around 1:00 am I was woken up with some steady contractions (about 7-8 minutes apart). I did not wake Matt up yet; I just wrote down and kept track of the contractions. Around 2:30 Matt stirred, and I called the midwife. Needless to say, she told me to wait until they were 5 minutes apart and unbearable. I was frustrated because I could not sleep and just wanted my baby. We went back to bed, but I did not sleep at all. Contractions continued all morning long on Sunday, but still nothing was consistent enough. I told Matt that I could not take this much longer! This baby better come soon! By 3:00 pm, the contractions were more intense, but anywhere from 5 to 20 minutes apart. I called the midwife again and she told me to either wait it out or come to the hospital for them to check me. No brainer there...we were headed to the hospital!!

On the way to the hospital, I was having contractions consistently at 7 minutes apart. By the time I was checked, I was 3 cm and 100% effaced. My last doc appointment was on Friday, so I had made a lot of progress over the weekend. I was admitted, and now we were ready for baby!

It was about 6:00 pm that we got to our labor and delivery room. The nurses did all their stuff, and then Matt and I went on a walk to get things going even more. My family showed up during this time, and I was so glad to see their love and support!

I got the epidural (lifesaver!!!) and was now just laying there waiting for actual labor to begin. I was progressing...I went to 4 1/2 centimeters in about 1 hour. My contractions were still not coming as hard and steady as they needed to be. The midwife started me on pitocin to make things go even faster. During all this, the midwife discovered that the baby was turned a little, so they had me changing positions every 30 minutes to get him to move. Also, when I was having contractions, the baby's heart rate was doing weird things that they did not like, so they gave me an oxygen mask. I am not gonna lie...that really scared me. Within another 1 1/2 hours, I was at 8 cm. The pushing began about 1:30 am. Matt, my mom, and my sis were there for the whole thing. It was quite a miracle! Little Ethan came into the world at 2:50 am June 8.

2 cm and waiting...

2009-06-06T18:18:00.003-04:00

I will be the first to admit that I truly thought I would have a baby boy in my arms by now. The pregnancy has been wonderful, so surely he would grace us with his presence before my actual due date. Apparently my baby boy already loves being with his mommy and is not wanting to let go!

I can really feel the end of this pregnancy. I am cramping, having intense pains at random moments, feeling the need to always sit down, and getting immune to the lower back pain. Everyone keeps telling me to relax and take it easy, but when I do that too much, I find myself thinking about nothing else but this baby coming. I do not want to become too anxious, so I am doing things to take my mind off of just sitting and waiting. I am constantly cleaning (not a bad thing at all!), running errands, going to the mall with Matt or family, reading a book, etc to stay active.

I think we are both a little skeptical of the whole labor ordeal. We both want to see him so bad and bring him to our home that we often forget about the process of him getting here. Matt laughs at me because I am such a planner and want to know how everything will happen...like the exact route to the hospital, where we will park, what our house will look like when we leave it, leaving Mags and Kay (the dogs) for who knows how long...the list could go on and on!!

I have been thinking about some things that I will truly miss about being pregnant:

1. Having an excuse to sleep and eat when I want without a reason

2. Feeling my baby move inside of me

3. Experiencing first-hand one of God's miracles at work

4. Nesting...I have really gotten some things accomplished...maybe it will keep up!

5. Late night runs for ice cream and other sweet treats! Thanks Matty! :)

6. the natural glow I feel like I have at times...being pregnant does make you excited and happy!

7. reading and learning all about my growing and changing baby inside of me...now I will read about the actual baby!!

8. Seeing an even softer side of Matt--he has really been a trooper and sweetheart through the pregnancy...I can't wait to see him as a father.

Here are the things that I am ready to give up or go back to with my pre-pregnancy life:

1. Running and working out!!

2. drinking Coke

3. not having to pee 2+ times during the night

4. not having random people comment on my belly...well, now it will be the baby

5. being able to wear normal clothes

6. being able to walk without my back aching

7. explaining to everyone how I am doing and what is going on with the pregnancy...I do not lke all attention on me...again, this will now be on the baby

8. being able to see my feet

9. eating feta cheese...I LOVE Greek salads!

10. SHOPPING!! I have not bought myself any clothes (besides to necessities for the growing belly) in what feels like forever! I go to the mall and just look...

Kids say the darnest things!

2009-05-27T10:01:00.002-04:00

This might be the funniest thing that has happened to me since I have been pregnant...

Matt and I went to the mall last night to hang out and see a movie. The walking around was good for me, even though it was not the easiest task in the world. We were in Journeys (a shoe store) just looking around. There was a boy of about 4 years old (at the most) in there with his parents. I hardly even noticed the boy until he came up to me. Here is how the conversation went:

Boy: What you got in there?

Matt and I were confused at first, and then we realized that he was referring to my belly.

Boy: What's in there? Let me see.

He obviously thought I was hiding something under my shirt.

Boy: Lift up your shirt! I wanna see!

Me: (laughing) It's a baby...you looked like this once too.

Boy: No!!! I wanna see...what is it?

He was laughing and jumping up and down anticipating the magic show of me showing him what I was hiding under my shirt. I suppose he has not seen many pregnant ladies before, and my belly to him just looked like a big ball or something else really exciting. Needless to say, Matt and I were laughing about it the rest of the night!!

Just waiting...

2009-05-23T13:21:00.003-04:00

I am a few days over 37 weeks, and I just sit and wonder when Ethan will begin to make his journey into this world. I am fairly confident that we have everything ready. I am such a planner, so not knowing when he will come just about drives me crazy! I am trying to take it easy this weekend. I have been rather busy at school with packing up my classroom, finishing the school year, and just being busy getting ready for Ethan. I have really worn myself out.

I went to the doc on Thursday, and they think he is about 6 1/2 pounds. Only time will tell! Matt and I talk all the time on how we want to see his little face! It's so hard to believe that he is almost here.

I can really tell that the pregnancy is coming to an end. Everything just feels different. He has moved down a good bit, which makes me go to the bathroom all the time! My back aches, and I have had trouble sleeping. He moves all the time, and these movements poke and pry at my body! I cannot wait for him to be here!!

Mother's (to-be) Day

2009-05-12T18:42:00.002-04:00

Even though Ethan is not here yet, I consider myself a mother already. I have been preparing, loving, and caring for this baby for many months now. It is so weird to think that this time next year my baby boy will be almost a year old!!

Matt gave me a very sweet card and signed his name "Dad."--it made me laugh, smile, and almost cry at the same time. I told him not to go overboard with anything for me because I know that he can get a little carried away. He bought and picked out a book for me; he knows I love to read and that I will be rather lazy this summer, especially when the baby is sleeping. I was totally surprised and impressed that he remembered my favorite author, Jodi Piccoult, and got me one of her books. He was so down on himself though when I told him that I had already read it; it was actually the first book of hers that I read about 3 years ago. I did not care at all; I do not own the book and would love to read it again. He was not satisfied at all. Needless to say, he returned the book and had me pick out another one. When I got home from work yesterday, he had also picked out a pair of Crocs flip flops that he knew I liked. He is so sweet!!

My aunt sent me a card in the mail about becoming a mom, my uncle called me, and my sister gave me a card and a present. This is becoming more and more real!! I cannot wait to really become a mom and experience the true joys of motherhood!!

Counting down the weeks!

2009-05-09T08:57:00.002-04:00

Oh my how this time has gone by! We only have about 4 1/2 more weeks until the expected due date (June 11), but only God knows when precious Ethan will come! We still have some things to do, but my goal is to get it all accomplished over the next week or 2 so that I can relax.

I went to the doctor this past Monday, and everything looks great! I am measuring right on schedule, blood pressure is amazing, and I have a total weight gain of 28 pounds. Ethan is in a great position for a normal vaginal delivery. His head is in the right spot, and it is very unlikely that he will move from there. His movements now are becoming a little more uncomfortable. Sometimes I feel like he is trying to puncture my ribs and other organs. I am having to use the restroom a lot more frequently; I can surely tell he is bigger and right on my bladder!

I am fairly certain that I have experienced my first real contraction, not a Braxton Hicks. It woke me up the other night. It was like a really bad cramp that lasted for a little while. Everything was extremely tight, and I felt as if there was nothing I could do to alleviate the pain. Once it surpassed, I got out of bed to use the restroom, and then I proceeded back to sleep. I suppose I should get used to these things! I keep reminding myself that my mom delivered all 3 of her babies at 37 and 38 weeks, so that is very soon for me! I really should be more productive on this Saturday!!

Strange Pregnancy Happenings

2009-04-12T04:22:00.003-04:00

Being nearly 32 weeks into this, there have been all sorts of things to happen that have caught me off guard. No matter if someone told me about it, I read it in a book or it was just common sense, it is all different when it really happens to you.

Let's see how many strange happenings I can recall:

1. can't get enough sleep (especially at the beginning)

2. not being able to sleep (3rd trimester...hence why I am writing this at 4:30 in the AM!!)

3. eating all the time and still feeling hungry (just ate some Frosted Flakes!)

4. getting emotional about shows like Biggest Loser

5. bloody mucus

6. bleeding/sensitive gums

7. the urge to clean everything in preparation for the baby

8. worrying more than usual

9. feeling like my stomach is contorting when the baby moves/rolls around

10. watching my stomach move with baby...this can amuse Matt and me for hours!!

11. HORRIBLE leg cramps (especially in the middle of the night!)

12. headaches (early in pregnancy)

13. not being able to breathe for nearly 5 weeks (I was so congested and could not do too much)

14. waking up to pee in the middle of the night (this has never been an issue for me; it always seems to be from 3:00-4:00)

15. feeling like I am going to bust and then being surprised at how little comes out

16. not having to pee until I stand up, and I feel like a little kid running to the bathroom

17. getting out of breath from walking

18. feeling like I ran 3 miles after walking up 3 flights of stairs to my classroom (the extra 22 pounds right now is making a significant difference!)

19. constipation (1st trimester--I think my body was adjusting to the prenatal vitamins)

20. extra water weight that I really cannot see (well, except for the underwear and bra that will not snap anymore!)

21. vivid, crazy, random dreams

22. more acne than usual

23. dry, flaky scalp

24. swollen female parts

25. backache (this is a more recent one which will only get worse)

Notice I have not said anything about nausea. I have been oh so thankful to not have this one! I know this is a long list, but this pregnancy has been wonderful! I am ready for Ethan to be here, but I will also miss this joyous time in my life.

Hiccups?

2009-04-03T21:33:00.003-04:00

I have been feeling this odd jolting, vibration, movement of some sort. It has startled me at first, yet sometimes it is so faint that I do not even notice it. I have come to the assumption that it might be hiccups. It is not a big movement like all the other ones that I feel. How sweet! Matt and I find ourselves literally staring at my belly! Ethan seems to be rather active around 8:00-10:00 at night; it is a little after I ate dinner or a snack, and Matt is home.

Everything is becoming more real! I am getting the crib and glider tomorrow morning. A very dear friend of mine from work is giving us the crib and glider; she has one child, and has told me for the past several years that she wanted to pass the furniture on to me. I am blessed to have her in my life, and I cannot wait to see the nursery come together!

It feels like a brand new house!

2009-03-23T17:35:00.003-04:00

It has been a really long time since I have updated any info! Needless to say, Matt and I have found ourselves extremely busy preparing for the baby. Lots of changes have been made in the house and lots of money has been spent! There are more changes and money to come! I am afraid that we have only gotten started!

Here are some of the big accomplishments in the past month:

1. organized/cleaned garage

2. painted nursery

3. painted guest bathroom

4. painted office/guest bedroom

5. installed new floors throughout the ENTIRE house; Matt did nearly all of this himself!!

6. major cleaning out of all our junk--it's amazing how much stuff we had accumulated over the past 4 years!

7. bought and put together new office furniture

Still to come:

1. assemble crib

2. paint dresser/changing table

3. organize kitchen cabinets

4. clean out bonus room and attic

5. donate stuff to Goodwill

6. get twin bed to add in office

7. continue to make room for all the baby accessory items that will be joining our house!

Lots to do before he comes...

2009-02-14T16:23:00.002-05:00

I believe it is called "nesting:" the process of cleaning and fixing up everything before baby's arrival. It is part of a mother's nature to have everything perfect for the baby. I honestly think that Matt may have it worse than me! We have decided to use this time to really do some major home improvement stuff around the house. We are going to clean and organize the garage, paint the nursery, office, and guest bathroom, and then get new floors in the entire house. After the cleaning and organizing, we are going to have a garage sale. We really need to do some Spring cleaning, and this baby boy is giving us reason to make it all happen! We have accumulated so much stuff over the past 4 years, and it is only about to increase!

We plan on starting with the garage tomorrow. We may also go ahead and pick out some paint colors; that will give Matt something else to do when he is off of work or in the evenings. I am so excited to see things change and get ready for our little baby boy!

Surprise, Mrs. Johnson!

2009-02-05T18:12:00.003-05:00

I have been meaning to create a post about this, but I am still in the midst of the worst cold of my life! It has been another rough week of sleep, working all day, and trying to maintain my house!

I of course told my students last Thursday that I was having a boy. They were excited, and it was cool to see them show emotion. On Friday morning, I left my classroom before school even began to go to the bathroom; I knew that the time was approaching when the students would be arriving, and being pregnant and all, going to the bathroom is a much needed necessity! As I was making my way back to my room, I was constantly stopped by various teachers, and it was annoying me because I was trying to take care of a few things in my classroom before the day fully began. I had no idea that while I was out of my classroom a group of my students were decorating my room and were going to surprise me.

My classroom was full of streamers, "It's a Boy!" banners, balloons, a HUGE pin for me to wear, and a present for the new arrival. I was so astonished that they went out of the way to do such a thing, and it really meant a lot to me.

We are having a precious baby boy!

2009-01-28T20:10:00.002-05:00

A boy it is! We are both very excited, and the whole pregnancy seems even more real now. It was so incredible to see him moving around. He was yawning, stretching, moving arms and legs, and other sorts of things that kept us amazed. At one point, one of his feet was up at his head...WOW! He weighs right at a pound, which will surely change a lot as the time goes on!

Matt is stoked, as any dad would be. I can see it now; a guitar buddy, Playstation trouble maker, and mountain bike partner! We bought the baby boy his first outfit--a grey onesie with a guitar on it! It is precious and suits our family quite well!

sick and preggo...not a good combo!

2009-01-24T17:34:00.002-05:00

I have been fighting a cold all week. It is that time of year, I am a teacher, so it is nearly inevitable. I thought I was going to be okay until Thursday. My throat was scratchy, and it was difficult to talk all day long to 8th graders. Yesterday, I had 2 cough attacks at school; I could not stop. When I woke up this morning, I literally could not breathe. I have been lazy all day because I know my body needs the rest. Sudafed, Tylenol, tissues, my pj's and bed have been my best friends today! I have come to the conclusion that my throat was giving me such fits because I had drainage seeping down. Now I am just waiting for Matt to get home so that I can try to feel a little better and have some energy.

4 more days until we see our baby on the ultrasound!

Halfway there!

2009-01-21T18:11:00.004-05:00

It is hard to believe that I will be 20 weeks tomorrow!! We are halfway there, and maybe less than that if the baby decides to come sooner!

I have still been so blessed through this pregnancy. No sickness, nausea, food aversions, etc. This cold weather has been messing with my nose and throat, and there is only so much that I can do. I never want to get up in the morning, but who does?

I have been feeling the baby move for about a month now, but now I can feel it more distinctly, and the coolest part is feeling it from the outside! Matt has been waiting to feel it himself, and he has now! I have never seen him so excited! He always wants to touch my belly to see if he can feel him/her.

We are both so excited about going to the doctor next Wednesday; we find out what the baby is!! Then the fun, stressful planning of the nursery and all the other things will come into play!

Cravings: sweets, which is not like me at all! I went through a whole package of Oreos in about 4 days.

Weight gain: according to my scale (which I try not to get on), it is about 12 pounds. I go to the doc in a week, so that will be more accurate

Baby movement: all the time!

Clothes: definitely getting snug! I have a "baby bump," and I am finally looking pregnant!

Nicest Pregnant Person

2009-01-06T18:34:00.007-05:00

It is good to be back at school and in a routine again. I love my job and the students; if I didn't, it would quite tough to go in each and every day. The kids have been great these first 2 days back (which I was a little scared of after having a winter break!). I have had fun with them, like I always try to, and I am trying to ease them back into the groove of thinking and analyzing everything around them. I told them about feeling the baby move, and they were excited with me. They all want to know what the baby is, and I know that I will be bombarded as soon as I find out!

In my last class today, I had a student say out loud to the entire class that I was the nicest pregnant person she has ever met. She claimed to have been around many pregnant people and she has had several pregnant teachers, and she said that I am by far the nicest. I reminded her that I am only about 4 1/2 months into this, and she might not be saying that the last week of school. She thought about it, and then continued with, "No, I bet you will still be nice and cool." She really made me laugh, yet at the same time feel really great about myself. Being pregnant has been a blessing and has been amazing so far, and I am glad to see that my students see me as the same laid back, transparent, and welcoming teacher I was before. We all know how pregnancy can change a person!! Oh the things students will say!

Was that...the baby??

2008-12-26T19:56:00.002-05:00

Today has been a pretty lazy day for me, but I am taking advantage of this vacation because I know that it will never be this peaceful and relaxing! I was sitting on the couch when all of a sudden I felt a rather strange movement in my tummy. I immediately thought it might be the little baby, but I was unsure. A few minutes later, it happened again...twice in a row! It felt like popcorn popping in my belly! It happened so suddenly the second time that it startled me. The baby is about the size of an avocado right now and is moving all over the place. I am sure I will feel much more over the next few weeks as the baby continues to grow and develop!

16 week appt

2008-12-23T11:19:00.002-05:00

Today was my 16 week appointment; my how it is going so fast, yet sometimes I think not fast enough! The baby's heartbeat is strong and solid, and everything else looked great!

My only concern was so mild cramping that I experienced yesterday while facing the madness at the mall. The cramps were subtle, but enough for me to notice. They came and went, and then later in the afternoon I was perfect. The first question my midwife asked me was how much water had I drank at that point yesterday. I am normally really good with the whole water thing; I carry a bottle with me everywhere and drink even when I do not want it. I was at the mall mid morning yesterday, and I had not had anything since my OJ at breakfast. She said that my body (aka the baby) was telling me to drink; I will cramp and contract because of the lack of water. Needless to say, once I ate lunch and had several glasses of water, I was perfect! Guess I will keep that water bottle with me at all times! I have never been much of a water drinker, but that has changed!

We will be rather busy the next 3 days, as I am sure everyone else is! Just imagine our holiday seasons with a little one in the future! Matt's parents and sister will be coming over this evening, so we are super excited to be able to spend some fun, quality time with them! I am trying to not eat everything in my sight during this time, although that can be rather difficult!

Cravings: of all things....SALAD! I am not complaining! That is a really good craving to have! I really crave the vinaigrette dressings!

Weight gain: 3 pounds since last appt in Nov, so about 6 pounds total (I was surprised!)

New purchases: 2 bras (much needed...I am bigger everywhere!), dress pants with no buttons or zippers (from my favorite store New York and Company), roomier shirts for the expanding waistline

Mood swings: oh yes, I have seen them this week! Poor Matt just has to deal with me! The smallest things will send me over the edge!

Sleeping: I can't seem to get enough of this! I am hoping to get a nap in every day of the next 3 busy days so that I can function and have more fun!

the tummy is growing...

2008-12-09T18:02:00.002-05:00

I can definitely tell that I am beginning to get bigger, and a few other people have noticed it as well. It is not very noticeable, but for those who see me each and every day, it is surely there!

Today I wore a belt that I have had for about two years, maybe even longer. It is a belt that serves no other purpose than to look cute over shirts. It is not made to hold up pants. I have worn this belt on many occasions, but not in the past month or so. The belt fastens, and it has never posed a problem. Well, all day long I fought with the belt as it continued to pop open. It was quite a nuisance. At first I thought it must be something wrong with the belt, and then I reminded myself that my 14 week old belly may not be too big, but it was getting in the way of my cute belt! I guess that will be the last time I get to wear the belt until after the baby!

Hearing the heart beat!!

2008-11-26T14:29:00.002-05:00

We went to the doctor yesterday, and we got to hear the heartbeat for the first time! Matt and I were both speechless and so enthralled with the awesome noise! It was a good, solid beat, and everything looks great at this point.

Total weight gain: little over a pound (wow...wish it would stay that way!)

Cravings: soda (I have refrained from this one), Mexican, ice cream

Tiredness: yeah, I still go to sleep pretty early! I went to a movie last night with Leah, and I was fighting to keep the lids open!

11 weeks

2008-11-20T18:36:00.002-05:00

I can still not get over how great I have been feeling! God has truly blessed me, and thus everyone around me! I am starting to tell a difference in my mid-section (very subtle), and I know that it will change so much over the next few weeks/months!

I am a bit nervous about gaining too much weight over the holidays! Everyone gains weight during the winter; it's just a fact of life. Being pregnant makes that even easier, and I want to stay on track with the weight gain. I bought a DVD set called Fit Mama. I had some other pregnant friends recommend these to me, and so far I love it! I need to be more consistent, but anything at this point is better than nothing!

I go to my second doctor's appointment on Tuesday, so I am again anxious and excited to see and hear about the life inside of me!

Buying super cheap maternity clothes

2008-11-09T15:15:00.005-05:00

While at a baby shower for another friend this past weekend, another preggo mama told me that Old Navy had their end-of-summer maternity clothes on sale for as cheap as $1.99. She recommended that I go check it out, especially since it would be April and May when I will be getting at my biggest. I surely did not think that I would be buying maternity clothes at 9 weeks pregnant, but anything to save us moola in the future!

I called my sis and asked her to go with me; I never like shopping alone. Plus, we always need each other to help make a decision! After digging and searching through all sorts of clothes, here is all that I got for a little over $60:

3 pair of capris
2 pair of bermuda shorts
2 tank tops
4 knit tops
2 dressy tops
2 dresses
I think that's it...

I must say that I am pretty impressed with myself! Though I will not wear some of this for a while, it will be here sooner than I think!

Telling my students

2008-11-09T15:02:00.003-05:00

How and when to tell my 8th grade students has been a thing for me to think about. I knew I wanted to wait until the first doctor's visit. I thought that I might have to tell them soon, especially if I was not feeling well and would not be able to hide it. However, this was not the case at all; I have felt great!

I decided that since most of the teachers I work with knew, the administrators, and even some of my past students, it would only be a matter of time before the secret was out. As part of their warm-up activity on Friday 11/7, I had 5 sentences on the board for the students to look at and determine what the sentences had in common. I had used the word "baby" in some way in the sentence. Sometimes it was a noun, a verb, or even an adjective. My 1st period class was really searching for the language arts answer, and one student said, "They are all simple sentences." I could tell by the look on some of their faces that they had an idea, but did not know what to say. When the answer finally came out, they were super excited and clapped, screamed, and laughed. Some of them are very upset that they will not get to meet Baby Johnson since he/she will be born in the summer. I was amazed at how concerned they were with me. They wanted to know how I had been feeling, what my ideas were for names (and of course they had some!),was I going to teach still next year, and how cool it was going to be to watch me grow. I knew they would be excited, but their level of excitement definitely shocked me! Not a day will go by at school without this baby being mentioned.

Seeing our precious baby for the first time!

2008-10-31T19:07:00.002-04:00

Matt and I were both so nervous and excited to go to the doctor today. We were a little uncertain of what exactly to expect, and what all we would be told. Like any mother, I was praying for the best.

Seeing the picture of the little life inside of me was absolutely breath-taking. The baby has definite limbs right now, and we were able to see them all. At one point, a little arm flittered across the screen, and it looked like a wave. The heart was beating 177 times a minute, and watching this happen was pretty cool. Matt and I were smiling so big and could not get enough of it. Seeing the baby brought things into perspective of what is happening. I guess you could say that we are still on cloud 9, and we cannot believe this blessing that God has given us.

I am at 8 weeks 1 day today, so there is so much ahead of us. I have been feeling great, and I am oh so thankful for that! I am hoping to steer clear of nausea and other not-so-cool pregnancy symptoms!

Anxiety awaits the fist doc visit!

2008-10-26T18:00:00.000-04:00

I am right at about 7 weeks, and I am soooo ready to see the ultrasound and hear our baby's heartbeat! I have been feeling fine, and a part of this makes me nervous. I keep telling myself that I am in tune with my body, and I (my body) would know if something was wrong. I get so tired, and it is almost amusing how fast I can fall asleep! Matt has just gotten used to the idea of me being in bed most nights way before 9:00. I know my body needs it, so I do not fight it. The 8+ hours of sleep sure makes teaching 8th graders all day a whole lot easier; I should have been sleeping more all along!

We go to the doctor on Friday, October 31--Halloween! We are both excited and nervous to go for the first time. I think this whole being pregnant thing will really sink in when we see the picture of our little nugget! I am thankful that Matt wants to be a part of this whole thing with me; not all men would find the OB doctor visit a thrill! He has been so supportive, and I know it will only continue!

Telling the new grandparents

2008-10-26T17:35:00.000-04:00

Matt and I found out we were pregnant Friday 10/ 3. I did not think that we would know so soon, but boy was I wrong! Four pregnancy tests later, and all of them said yes, you are pregnant. Matt and I were both ecstatic and in shock. After all the deliberation, praying, and talking about this happening, here we were. We had said that we were not going to tell anyone until we went to the doctor, but that did not last very long! I immediately called Leah and Daniel (my siblings), and Matt called Stephanie (his sis). They were all shocked and thrilled to hear the news. Of course, this made my sister's engagement and future wedding plans more interesting, but why not have even more fun?!? It's kind of cool to think about how much my family's lives will be changing within the next year!

I also told a long-time best friend, Jamison, that night. I knew she would almost die when she found out, and I was right! I always told her she would be the first to know, and she was!

We wanted to do something extra special for the grandparents-to-be, so our brains began to think. Here is what we ended up doing on Thursday 10/9:

We first went to Martha and Larry's. We kinda lied to them and told them that we were in the area getting our rings checked and cleaned, and that we wanted to stop by and visit. We chatted for a while, and then Matt gave his mom a present. We had wrapped up a onesie nightgown and the wonderful children's book, Guess How Much I Love You. Matt wrote a sweet little message inside the book. His parents were blown away and beyond speechless. Martha was so cute as she swayed back and forth reading the card. Larry was rather emotional, especially since he did not think that he would ever live to see us pregnant. I think we have given him motivation to stay with us here on earth a little longer!

Next, I called my parents and said that we were at the mall running a few errands, and that we could stop by for a while. Well, my mom then proceeded to tell me that Dad was not home yet, and probably wouldn't be until about 10:00. Hmmm...we contemplated on what to do, and then decided that we would go anyways because we could not wait. Dad finally got home about 9:40. We also gave them a nightgown and a book. However, the book I gave them was a little different. Over a year ago, Mom had given me the book Someday. It goes through a mother-daughter relationship all the way from birth to the daughter having her own baby. Mom gave it to me to say that "someday" she would be ready to be a grandmother, just not yet. I decided to give the book back to her and write in it that "someday" will be here sooner than we think. My dad got so tickled that he literally picked me up and could not stop laughing. My mom was grinning from ear to ear.

The reactions from our parents was far better than we could have ever imagined! We are so blessed to have them in our lives, and our precious baby will also be blessed!

Here we go...let's have a baby!

2008-10-26T17:21:00.001-04:00

Even before we got married, we talked about starting and raising a family. Both of us love children and have always looked forward to the day when we could love one of our own. Last summer, right after our 2nd anniversary, Matt started talking about us starting our little family. Anyone who knows me best knows that I am a HUGE worrier, so of course, I did not see it as a good fit. I told him that we should wait until the next summer and see how we felt and where we were in our lives. Well, that summer came up rather quickly. Matt and I had talked on many occasions about having a baby, but I still was being selfish, and I was not letting my faith and God take control. I threw every excuse known for why we should not have a baby. Not enough money. Who is going to watch the baby? He works late nights and Saturdays. We need new carpet. We might need a bigger car. Excuses, excuses. I finally came to realize that we would NEVER be really where we wanted to be in order to start a family. We were going to have to do what is sometimes so hard to do, and that is to fully trust God. If this baby was meant to be, then God, in His own special way, would provide for us.

With all that said, we decided not to tell anyone about trying for a baby. We really wanted to surprise everyone. We did not think anyone would expect it, and that is the way we wanted it. Believe me...it was so hard not telling my mom, sister, and closest friends. Daniel, my brother, would always ask me each time we would talk on the phone or internet, "When are you gonna get started on making a baby?" I always told him we were just practicing, which I am sure is more than he wanted to know! I figured if people knew that we were trying, then they would always ask us, and I did not want that at all. First of all, it's awkward. Secondly, I wanted to surprise everyone and make it special. So, Matt and I had a little secret that no one would know about until the new life had started!