2012 is almost here!

It is almost time to ring in the new year and while I am a little sad to see 2011 go, I am looking forward to what 2012 has in store for us. 2011 has not been all roses and rainbows, it started out rocky with our dog needing some very expensive surgeries, then the pain and cost of the IVF, but it was all worth it in the end. I spent most of the year pregnant and on October 28th we welcomed our beautiful little princess into this world. We are so very blessed and this will definitely be a year we will never forget. Now- cheers to the year that is almost behind us and to the one we are about to begin! Let's make the best of 2012. God Bless!

6 weeks old!

Wow, time flies. I cannot believe my baby girl is 6 weeks old already. I am a little sad to think my maternity leave is halfway over, but I know it is for "our best". Meaning- to each is own, but for me and Allan the most important thing for us is that our children have all the opportunities in the world. We want to provide them with a beautiful, loving home, the best schools and if they want to play sports, take acting classes, play an instrument or go to Harvard some day- we want to be able to provide that to them.

Some things I have learned from mommy hood are:

- It is AMAZING! You never can imagine how much you could love someone- and seeing your husband with your baby is the best feeling in the world

- You can never have enough bibs- spit up happens A LOT!

- You think you didn't sleep while you were pregnant with the frequent pees, but ha, now you really don't sleep! (Well, maybe not everyone, I am just a really light sleeper and it takes me a long time to fall asleep)

- Trust your instincts- if you think something is wrong with your baby, you are probably right

- You will co-sleep- maybe not for long, but we did it for a few hours every night the first month

- cutting babies nails is super duper frightening- do it at their first nap after bath time while the nails are soft

- Only the socks that are tight around the ankles will stay on- you are wasting money on the rest

- Losing the baby weight is HARD! my whole body still aches from the 9 months of pregnancy and the laboring. I am down 18 and have about 24 more to go, but they are not budging, the 18 came off after the first week just from fluid

Our girl is here- 10.28.11

OMG, these past couple of weeks have been a whirlwind. Our little girl arrived 10/28/2011 at 12:32 pm. She weighed 6lbs15oz and was 19 inches long. She is absolutely perfect in every single way.

5 days till due date!

OMG, I cannot believe we are to the 5 day countdown and our little girl is not here yet. I am begining to feel so discouraged, which I know is ridiculous and totally normal at the same time. She is sooo big and they have been saying this whole time she would be early, but so far, nothing. I have been soooo uncomfortable, having braxton hicks, horrible painful swelling and this EXTREME pressure on my cervix since she is sitting so low. I am about 70% effaced, but barely (1cm or less) dilated. Doc says for first time moms it is completely normal to not dilate much at all before labor begins, so I am hoping that is the case, but if she hasn't come on her own by Monday we are scheduling a date sometime before next Thursday to get induced. It is super exciting to know that one way or another she will be here in a week, but scary too!!

At my appt on Monday they will of course check my progress and get a date (either Wed or Thurs) on the calendar to get induced. They will also be doing a growth ultrasound to check her approximate size and my fluid levels one last time.

I hope she will decide to come on her own. I would love sooner than later, b/c I am STRUGGLING! But...whatever happens, I feel confident we will have a happy, healthy baby by next weekend! :)

38 weeks this weekend!

So as of Sunday I was full term! All week I have been hoping Gianna would decide she was ready, but not yet...I am trying to be patient and really don't have a choice, but I am so ready for her to be here and to begin the road to feeling semi normal. My hands are swelling out of control, she has dropped and is putting so much pressure on my cervix it is insane and between all the other lovely pregnancy stuff (45 pound weight gain, constipation, no sleep, pain, pain, pain) I am just ready. I know, I know, it is not up to me. The doc thinks she is about 7-7.5 pounds right now, so that is perfect. If she makes it the full 2 weeks we are looking at 8 plus (if they are right). I can't believe we are almost to the end of this pregnancy journey and about to embark on the journey of parenthood. I am sooo excited, nervous and just completely overwhelmed.

Car seats & strollers

So we have our car seat installed and our stroller is ready. We still need to install the convertible car seat in the husband's car, but we have the infant one ready to go. Here are the products we decided on.

Canon Rebel

OH YEAH! Last night my husband and I finally decided to go ahead and do it....we splurged and bought a fancy camera. We decided on the Canon Rebel t3 and got a bundle deal from best buy that included an extra 50-250mm stabilizer lens, extra battery and bag. It was quite a large investment, but we are super excited to start snapping photos of our little girl.

Seriously...carpal tunnel?

So yesterday was my 35 week check up and I told the doctor how my hands have been blowing up and they have been in a lot of pain. He did some short tests taping and bending my hands and confirmed I have carpal tunnel in both hands! Apparently the swelling is what is causing it and it is pretty normal in pregnancy. He wants me to wear double wrist support bands- he told me I can start with just wearing them at night, but if they still hurt after that I need to wear them 24/7. Not cute! I already can't wear any of my shoes and wearing freaking flip-flops to work, now wrist bands too.

Parenting for Dummies!

I don't know about any of you, but my husband and I have been getting some good laughs when we are trying to put baby stuff together. The pack n play was the funniest. Between the 2 of us we spent 30 minutes and couldn't do it, we had given it up and put it away and later that week my friend who is a mommy came over and showed us in like 1 minute. HA! This week we put the car seat adaptor on the stroller and we were able to figure that out better- but it definitely took the 2 of us combining brain power. This weekend we are to install the car seat in the car- wish us luck!

34.5 weeks

I cannot believe our little girl will be arriving soon. My gut still tells me she will be here between 37-38 weeks, but we shall see. I have my doctor's appointment tomorrow and at last week's she was in the 80%. My comfort level is getting worse and worse, which I guess is to be expected. I now not only have a butt constantly in my right rib cage, but I am also feeling an arm or something in my right hip bone. I feel like she is starting to drop because it is getting harder and harder to hold my pee during a laugh or cough (TMI I know!). Sleep has been a thing of the past and my fatigue is really kicking in again. Naps are easy, but I have a hard time squeezing those in. My fingers are so swollen they feel stiff and my feet barely squeeze into my shoes. I am still managing to walk, but my pace is definitely getting slower and slower. I am definitely starting to feel anxious and a little scared, but so excited too!

Writing a Will

So now that we are having a baby we are trying to make sure all our ducks are in a row and be very responsible parents. The only thing we really have left on our to do list is to write our wills and living trusts. It is kind of freaky to think about writing a will, but better to be prepared than not. God willing nothing will happen to either of us and at very best not both of us, but the most difficult part is to plan for the what if something happened to both of us and who would be Gianna's legal guardian and would they even accept the responsibility. It is a lot to think about!!! So I printed of some forms from NOLO.COM that we will start going through answering the difficult questions and I put together a list of all our assets (401ks, IRAs, Life Insurance plans, bank accounts, etc) so now we just have to pull all the pieces together and get everything documented and signed. Scary!

Every couple argues...

but lately when we have the littlest spat, I become so emotional, this pregnancy has me like a hormonal wreck. However, me and the hubs always make up and we love eachother more than anything in the world. We haven't been together forever, but we sure have been through a lot more than some couples ever endure. Our life today isn't perfect, but it is darn close! I love our life, our family, our home!

Fall is coming! My FAVORITE!

Fall is right around the corner and I couldn't be happier. This year I am huge and uncomfortable, so the cool weather is at the top of my list of my fall favs, but I have many other things that I love about fall as well.

Butt in the ribs!

Oh Gianna, I am so happy you are growing so big and healthy, but your butt in my ribs and kicking in my ribs is so uncomfortable...mommy loves you, but she is just wanting these next 8 weeks to fly by so she can hold you.

Like father, like son...

Recap of my baby shower

So I had my first baby shower this weekend. It was a sooo much fun. We had it at Tea, Leaves and Thyme and had the whole place to ourselves. The food was catered by the restaurant, the decorations were adorable and the turn out was great. I feel so blessed first of all for my amazing best friend who threw me this shower, also for all my wonderful friends and family who came to celebrate and mainly for the baby growing inside of me. Allan and I were both beyond grateful for the wonderful people who came. We got some awesome presents- gift cards, clothes, our touch screen monitor!!, bobby pillow, jumperoo, diaper genie, and tons of other things!! Here are some pictures.

Don’t limit challenges. Challenge your limits. (LOVE this!)

Challenges are what make life interesting; overcoming them is what makes life meaningful.

- Joshua J. Marine

Beautiful!

One of the blogs I love reading, From Mrs. to Mama is doing this really cool give away right now. She recently got a painting of her dog and baby made for her husband and it is gorgeous. I am entering now and hope to win. I would love to have something like this done for our little Princess as well. Check it out.... http://www.frommrstomama.com/

Dear Gianna,

I can't believe how time flies. In 10 weeks or less you will be entering this universe and changing me and your daddy's lives forever! We can't wait to meet you and just pray each and every day that you are a healthy, happy baby. We keep imagining what you will look like, but one thing is certain, we know you will be beautiful!

People are all about the advice...

So listen, I am not an ungrateful person at all, but unsolicited advice or "2 cents" is not always needed. I don't know if it is my pregnancy hormones or what, but people and their freaking 2 cents are so annoying.

29 weeks- 30 this weekend!! :)

Amusing story...my husband just started a wonderful new job so he now wakes up a little after me. I am fortunate that I don't have a set schedule so I get in early and leave early. Well, he wakes up, turns on the light and says "stand there, I want to take a picture of you, your belly is getting so round". He was super excited. Anyways, I will be 30 weeks this weekend, but here is a picture from 29 weeks. Doc is saying about 35 pounds so far, but again, I am tracking only about 29/30. Getting hefty, but she is worth it, just trying to stay under 10 more in these last 10 weeks to keep it at 40.

Gianna's toy box!

So my husband finished remodeling my old toy box for Gianna's room this weekend and it looks great. It was in really bad condition when we got it, he took the back off, put new wood on it, sanded it and re-painted it. I Love it! It is so special to be able to pass things like that down to my daughter.

Are you ready for some football???

My husband definitely is! Tonight the pre-season games start and thank goodness for that. The whole situation they had going on up until last minute was definitely worrysome, but we knew they would come to an agreement in the knick of time. I myself am happy that football season is coming too. It means- fall weather, sundays with friends, betting against the husband on sportsbook, and all around good times. Yes, it will be different once our newborn arrives, but we will still manage to make Sunday's football fun day's. LOL!

More results...

So this week I had 2 appts. My 3 hour glucose and my first monitoring of my amniotic fluid. Good news on both! YAY! I passed my 3 hour glucose which wasn't too much of a suprise since I only failed the 1 hour by 1 point, but I am super happy because this means I don't have to say goodbye to carbs and sweets, my 2 favs! Also, my fluid is still low and still considered high risk, but it came up a little over 1 point in just 6 days, so the resting and increased fluids are definitely helping.

Now, I just have to keep up what I am doing in hopes it will come up even more and take iron supplements to hopefully get that up as well.

Also, they said Gianna was in the 77th percentile so at least I know she is healthy!

Good stuff!

Just so in love with my little family!

Aw man!

Well, I just saw my doctor's name on my caller ID and thought "uh-oh, this can't be good". I failed my 1 hour glucose test by 1 point. Literally, they want you to be 140 or below and mine was 141...c'mon! Ugh, so now tomorrow I have to go for the long 4 hour test, then I have to go Wednesday for my ultrasound to monitor my fluid, they wouldn't even let me combine them. Oh, also my iron is low again which I am not suprised since my whole life I have been anemic, so looks like more pill popping and constipation from the lovely iron supplements...boo!!!

Results of 28 week appt.

Weight gain- 1 pound since 24 weeks- YAY! I am way ahead (not good) on weight gain so trying to slow that train down. I now show a total of about 27, but the docs scale says like 33.

Gianna- looking good, about 2.5 pounds. Definitely daddy's nose, mommy's cheeks and tech says daddy's forehead.

She is sitting low- causing the pain in my pelvis

and the bad news...Low amniotic fluid- have to start visiting the doc weekly AND continuing with partial bed rest limiting my activity as much as possible

28 wks- Growth ultrasound and 1 hr glucose test today!

Today is our 28 week appt. and it is not only our growth ultrasound to check on Gianna's weight and size, but also my 1 hour glucose test.

Just ate- 2 eggs, 2 bacon, 1 pc of wheat toast ....booo, no bagel and iced mocha this morning :( 

Appt time= 1:30 and after that dinner- CARBS!!! Ahhh!

Loving our new TV

The hubby and I have not been spending much time in our living room lately. When we cook we have been bringing it upstairs and watching our programs on NetFlix since there is nothing on TV right now. We have our Roku box and our DVR in our master so there are tons of options in there. He likes to lounge out in the living room, so this weekend we udgraded the TV and got a new 60" with the apps, so now we can also stream our movies and TV Series from Netflix downstairs. We have spent the past few nights lounging in the living room and it has been nice! I know once Gianna gets here we will love it even more. It was quite an expenditure, but a fun one!



Love my family time!

Hello Cankles!

Well, this weekend didn't exactly go as planned, but we did manage to get a lot of our plans in. Friday night we saw Captain America and had dinner (date night). All week I had been complaining about my eyes and itchy ankles...well by the time we got home from the movie, my fingers, knees, ankles and feet were huge and I finally made the correlation that I didn't have bug bites - I had puffiness!! UGH, I hate cankles, I have small cute ankles with well defined calves (actually one of the parts of my bod I like), well not anymore! :(

Weekend plans

This weekend we plan to semi take it easy. It is also going to be a weekend with some errands.

Tonight- dinner and a movie, then an early night home with the pups...sleep, zzzzz!!!

Tomorrow- breakfast with the mom, some house work (cleaning, working on Gianna's toy box and pull some weeds), then shopping!! New TV - OH YEAH 60" for the living room!, go get Allan some work clothes and who knows what else...

Sunday- grocery store, neighborhood block party and whatever we don't get done on Saturday

Also need to fit in a visit to the gym on Sat or Sun, but that is it! No Driving too far this weekend which is always nice!

What do you think of the cry it out method? (CIO)

What is the "cry it out" method?

People often think this method of sleep training involves leaving babies alone to cry for as long it takes before they fall asleep. But "cry it out" (CIO) simply refers to any sleep training approach — and there are many — that says it's okay to let a baby cry for a specified period of time (often a very short period of time) before offering comfort.

In his 1985 book Solve Your Child's Sleep Problems (revised and expanded in 2006), pediatrician Richard Ferber presented one method of getting children to sleep that has become virtually synonymous with CIO — so much so that you'll hear parents refer to any CIO method as "Ferberizing."

Ferber himself never uses the term "cry it out." And he's only one of a number of sleep experts who say that crying — while not the goal — is for some children an unavoidable part of sleep training.

Strike while the iron is hot!

So as anyone who has read this knows, my mom has a serious problem- she is a hoarder and it is more annoying to me than anything in the world that she won't stop with the BS and get it together...but she is my mommy and I do love her and I am always wanting to help her. That being said, she is in a tough spot right now. Her engine on her car is about to go and she doesn't have the money or the credit to buy another. We just bought a car and I refuse to put a 3rd under either of our names, so she asked my sister, but she was not willing to help in anyway, which is understandable as well. I just felt terrible all night, so thought it over and discussed with the hubby and I am going to OFFER to make a deal with her.

Go Hubby!

Let me start this post by saying man o man, God is good! Our lives have been so blessed these past few years. We met, we fell in love, we got married, we bought a house, we struggled to conceive- but we did, and now we are awaiting the birth of our amazing baby girl. God has been so good to us in so, so many ways. My husband has been on and off looking for a job for almost a year. Again- this was on and off and at times I would hardly call it looking, but over the past few months he has gotten really serious and been on quite a few interviews including second and third interviews which he ended up in 2nd place on like 4 opportunities. He was getting discouraged and starting to give up.

Nesting...

I can definitely say that the nesting has begun. I have been going through closets, drawers and everything you can think of just getting the house ready for baby Gianna and I am just getting started. Now that her room is pretty much complete and I don't need to buy anything else for her until after the baby shower, I am just getting everything else in order. Last night we cleaned out the office closet. My husband is a cord hoarder- haha I know it sounds ridiculous but we had laptop power cords to sooo many laptops of which we don't own and you should have seen how many cables and other cords we had...we kept 1 box, but threw away a huge box and have 1 to take to goodwill. I will call it a success. I recently updated all the hangers in my closet to be matching- the slim fit ones and so I have ordered for Allan too and when they arrive I will start on his. I have updated my magazine subscriptions- I have to get my reading in somehow right?! I ordered a new duvet cover from pottery barn and an organizing system. I am selling some things on ebay and donating many many others and dang, it feels great!

Go us!

For those of you who read, you know I am all about planning. We recently took our exams for Gianna's large life insurance policies and just got the results back. We both got the highest health ranking- which means the best rates...GO US! So if anything were to happen to myself or the hubby (God forbid), Gianna and the other spouse would be very, very well taken care of. It feels good to be doing so many responsible things for our family. We have already looked into 529 plans and as soon as she is born we are opening that up for her too.

Last few weeks of the 2nd Trimester!

Bachelorette Ashley visited our hometown - how cool!

A few weeks ago Allan and I were eating at a local italian restaurant- Giorgio's and we learned that one of the guy's competing for Ashley's love on the Bachelorette was from our town and his dad happened to own this restaurant. COOL!! Last night during hometown dates Ashley visited Cumming, Georgia and also the italian restaurant where we dine. It isn't fancy by any means, but it is good! The florentine pasta & tiramsu are delish!!! Ashley even said Cumming was a place she could live- of course it is!

My new Tory Burch bag from the hubby!

So on a positive note: check out my new bag that my husband gave me for no reason what so ever! I had been needing a new classic black bag and this one is GREAT. Once Gianna gets here I can wear it cross body when toting her around or on my shoulder- LOVE!

Updates...

So, back to work today from our Chicago trip and it definitely wasn't the trip we expected. We did manage to squeeze in a lot of fun things, but very sad to report my Grandma GG passed away. She was 89 years old and lived a very long and happy life and the great thing is she didn't suffer very long and we were all there in the room with her when she took her final breathe. I wasn't as close to this Grandma as my other, but I did love her very much and will definitely miss her. 2 days before we arrived she went shopping in her heels and purchased Gianna several outfits (I will take pics and post them)- which is very special. It is crazy to watch the cycle of life, 1 come and 1 go, kids now taking care of their parents and knowing 1 day we will do the same and hopefully be taken care of a long time from now. Life is short and family is so important. I am so blessed! My Grandma GG is now 1 of my guardian angels. May she rest peacefully...

Can't believe, more than halfway through 2nd trimester!

OMG, I can't believe this weekend I will be 24 weeks pregnant- 6 months!! Only 1 month left in the 2nd trimester. I am now reminiscing about some of the wonderful moments and not so wonderful moments of my pregnancy so far...

Chicago this weekend!

So Allan and I will get to color another state off our US Map of places visited together- Chicago! It is his first trip there and my first time back as an adult. It is only a Thursday- Monday thing and the main reason for our visit is to see family, but we have lots of fun things planned as well and definitely looking forward to it. My Grandma, unfortunately is now back in the hospital, but we are praying for her recovery. She is 89 years old and has lived a long, happy life. I wish she could meet Gianna, but I am just happy we are able to make it up there to see her.

The 4th! Peachtree Road Race and Pool Parrrtay!

So these past few days have been super busy and I can't believe the 4th is already here. I am super sad to be missing the Peachtree this year, but excited that my Husband is getting his first experience at the largest 10k in America!! When I met him, he couldn't even run a mile and look at him now! GO AL! Next year we will be back in action as a family for my 3rd time and his second with our jogging stroller as Gianna completes the peachtree for her first time :)

We are looking forward to seeing our friends this afternoon at a pool partay/ cookout!

Hope everyone else is having a safe and fun 4th!

4th of July weekend!

Oh yeah, today is my Friday- well...sorta! I am leaving work in less than an hour and do have to work a little bit tomorrow, but I get to do it at home in my PJ's. We do have some yard work and some more yard work to do at our rental property this weekend, but other than that we plan to enjoy ourselves. Cookout, pool party, relaxing & shopping at the outlets. LOVE the long weekends with the hubby. Also, AL is running the Peachtree on Monday- this is his first time!!! I have ran twice before and definitely plan on kicking butt next year, but I didn't think I would be up for 6.2 miles being I am almost 6 months preggo. I know I could walk it for sure, but that is kind of boring. I can walk at home. I am super proud of him and know he will kick butt. I cannot wait to hit up the outlets, I am getting huge and need some cute work clothes to wear. Sucks spending so much on maternity clothes, because I have already bought quite a few items, but I just feel blah and need some cute work items to brighten me up and make me feel less huge. What are your 4th of July weekend plans?? I hope they all involve fun and that you all stay safe!

Oh the joys of pregnancy- Calve cramps!!!

OMG- I read that leg muscle cramps were normal during the 2nd trimester, but the cramps I am constantly getting in my calves are unbelievable!! Is this normal?? I mean I suppose the 24 extra pounds couldn't be helping much, but this is seriously painful. You know if you are 1 of those people who just loved being pregnant, you are super lucky, because while I am thrilled to be pregnant and feel so blessed, it is definitely not something I am loving so far.

Loving my new mommy car!!

So it was a little sad trading in the BMW, but I promised AL in 5 years if he wants we will get the super nice and spacious 5 series. Right now we need to be saving for the $1,000 a month day care and get something a little more spacious. We ended up getting the Honda Pilot Touring which I absolutely love and I think Allan is loving it too. We got another black car, but this one has the black leather interior too. It is super nice and has sooo many options.

Happy Father's day!

In Honor of Father's day, I would like to thank my amazing dad for all that he has done for me. As a little girl, you were my idol and best friend. I was your co-pilot and baby and our relationship was something I will always treasure. As I got older things got difficult, divorce, fights and other things caused us to lose our bond, but today we are close again and I am grateful. You are a great dad and father in law to Allan and I cannot wait for you to be a Grandpa to our sweet baby girl! I love you!

So hard to say goodbye...

So last week, I decide to post our car and just see what happens, well this morning Allan went to the bank and got a check. Yep, the BMW is officially sold! We are both a little sad, but happy we were able to sell it on our own. I promised in 5 years once we have a couple years of the Ridgeline Allan has being paid off, he could upgrade to the nice roomier 5 series and that made him happy. 5 years is far, but before we know it, it will be here.

So for about 3 weeks we have been looking at pilots, have it narrowed down to 2 and will decide by this afternoon and go pick up 1 of them tonight...AHHH, change is always exciting, but I always stress about any change hoping we are making the right decisions.

In Love with Gianna's wardrobe!

Ok, so Gianna's wardrobe is really coming along. Some people say I am going overboard and I constantly get the "don't buy too much", but whatever, I am buying all different sizes and this is my first baby so I am enjoying it. Since she will be born in the fall, I have been buying her all kinds of cute little hats to wear to keep her head warm and of course to photograph her in. Here are some of my favorite hats from her wardrobe...

Oh boobs, please quit growing!

Man oh man, pregnancy is causing my boobs to get HUGE! Aside from my weight gain that causes all my shirts and pants to be spandex, I tried on this nice lose fitting dress this weekend and it has the little line underneath the boobs. Well, let's just say the line wasn't where it was supposed to be this time. It was like drawing a line halfway through my boobs- I guess I won't be wearing that till after baby. haha- oh the joys!

Dear my beautiful Cantaloupe,

Oh my, I cannot believe we are halfway through this little journey together. Today is our confirmation appointment with the doctor to reveal your sex. While I will be thrilled if you were a boy or a girl, I have really got you an awesome wardrobe full of outfits, socks, shoes, hats & bows so....hoping I don't have to spend the whole weekend returning things. If I do, it is ok though, I will find plenty of cute things in blue too.

Mommy car now or wait a bit??...hmmmm

So currently our garage houses a 2008 BMW (which I drive) and I 2009 Ridgeline (loaded). They are both super nice and we love both our cars. The BMW is a sedan, but it is a 3 series and kind of small for mommy and baby. The ridgeline is plenty big, but since I would be driving to and from day care on most days it would be best for me to be driving the "main family car". The car seat will fit in the car, but it is snug. We are now in the process of deciding trade now or wait another year. Either way, it will be all good and we will be fine, but it is just such a hard decision. We have a lot of positive equity in the BMW since it has 0% interest and we want to get something pretty big and nice that we can keep for at least 6 years. We have pretty much decided that IF we do decide to go mommy style now we are going to get a Pilot Touring fully kiddy equipped.

Decisions, Decisions...they are never easy!

The nursery is coming along!

My hubby and I have been working hard on Gianna's nursery. We still have a long way to go, but the furniture is in, the walls are painted, the ceiling fan is up and I am loving the room!

Gianna's Boston Terrier Onesie from baby Gap- LOVE!

Gianna's closet is already FULL of clothes! I just can't help myself. Here is 1 of my favorites from her wardrobe. Looks just like her brother and sister!

Registering

So this weekend Allan and I went to babys r us and started our 1st baby registry. While I will be doing most of the registering with my best friend in 2 weeks, Allan did want to help pick out the stroller(s) and car seat, so we did that and a couple other little things. These are probably the biggest investments other than the room- which we have already started on.

My current akward phase

Timeshares- a do or a don't?

So on our recent trip to Cancun we attended 1 of those lovely timeshare meetings in order to save a couple hundred bucks on some activities. We have been to them before and went in thinking no way, we are not going to do it, let's just sit through it and get it over with. Well, we stayed at the Westin Resort in Cancun and it was BEAUTIFUL!!! Westin or Starwood hotels are all VERY nice. Once they started going into their program- the points and options system, we were almost sold. If it weren't for baby G in the tummy we would have probably signed that day, but we didn't. We did however purchase the mini- timeshare package and have the option in that payment going toward our big payment if we decide to buy there in the next 2 years. The mini package contains 75,000 hotel points- which would cover at least our 10 day Euro trip and a 6 night, 7 day stay back at the Westin Cancun Resort in the 2 bedroom villa- which is super nice.

Happy Birthday to my wonderful husband!

Well, yesterday was my husband's birthday and I didn't get to post b/c we were traveling back home. We did manage to get in a little dinner and some quality time, but mainly we got to celebrate all week in Cancun. And now... back to the real world. We will have some more celebrations this weekend with family and friends. I just love being able to share these wonderful moments in life together. Here is to many many more birthdays as husband and wife!

Happy Birthday Honey- I love you long time!

Cheers!

3 days till our 2nd baby moon to CANCUN!!

Yay, I am so excited about having some time off work and getting to go to paradise with my hubby and friends. It is especially more exciting now that I know my baby girl Gianna is coming with us. I can't wait till she arrives and we get to take her on her first beach trip in a little bikini, hat and sunglasses. She is going to be such a doll, I just know it!

It's a ....

So this weekend we hosted a dinner for our family and closest friends to announce the sex of our baby. We had a cake made that was iced outisde with white icing and iced inside with....pink icing!!! So when you cut into the cake you would find out...It's a girl!!! We are expecting Gianna (Gia for short) Rose Changar in October, Halloween to be exact. Rose was my Great Grandma's name and my Grandmother's middle name. My Grandma was one of the most special people in the world to me, so I am very honored to have my little girl named after her. We cannot wait to meet our baby girl!

Dear my little Orange,

You are getting so big, and so am I, LOL!! This weekend your daddy and I went for our 1st 3d ultrasound and it was amazing. You were moving around and kicking me like crazy- although, I can't feel it yet. Everytime we get the opportunity to see you I feel so thankful. We found out what you are and I am super excited. We are revealing to the whole family and our best friends on Saturday at dinner, it should be lots of fun!

Happy Mother's day!!

Mother's day weekend is here and although I have semi-celebrated in the past being a mommy to my doggies, this is the 1st year I get to really, really, really celebrate this very special day.

Great Article- Own your career

Own Your Career - Part 1:  Choices
by Patty Homrich Gould, HK&A Search Partner

What responsibility do you have for your personal career development?  Are you relying on your company to recognize your efforts and progress you accordingly?  The best way to attain your long term goal is to not wait for it to find you. The truth is, no one cares more about your career than you do.

Less than 2 weeks until baby Changar's sex is revealed!!

Dear my sweet baby,

OMG, I cannot believe in less than 2 weeks we will (well, we hope we will) know what you are. We are sooo excited we cannot even explain it. We are preparing for you already. We have bought your furniture, which is BEAUTIFUL and we are just waiting for it to arrive. Daddy picked out some of the highest quality and cutest furniture around. We have also picked out a new couch- not necessary, but we are selling our coffee and end tables since they are glass and decided to get a new couch together also.

Whoop Whoop! Bye Bye First Trimester, Hello Second!

Whew, the first trimester was rough for me! I know it could have been worse, but boy oh boy could it have been better too.

Although today I feel like crap, I am looking forward to the 2nd trimester and hoping it treats me better than the 1st!!

Dear baby raspberry,

3/21/11

Dear baby Raspberry,

I can’t believe you are already almost an inch big! Today we got to see you again, 8wks1day. It was so cool, this time you could actually see your head and body. Your heart was beating sooo fast, 176bpm. It was amazing! Dr. Straub released us and told us we could quit taking the shots, we went to Applebee’s to celebrate you and the fact that we don’t have to take the shots. Yum, triple chocolate meltdown!! It was a sad, but happy day. The people there have become sorta like friends and now, hopefully if all is well, we won’t have to see them for a while, but I plan to stop by when I figure out your sex and when you arrive with pictures of course. Every second of every day I am just hoping and praying you are doing ok. I am trying to be the best mommy possible, getting lots of sleep and plenty of exercise, but it sure is hard when I am exhausted and nauseous all day! You are worth it. We can’t wait to see you again. We love you!

Dear baby blueberry,

3/17/11

Dear baby blueberry,

Today you are about 7.5 weeks old and growing fast. On Monday we get to see and hear you again and we can hardly wait! All I think about all day, besides puking, is that I hope you are ok. I am trying to exercise to keep you healthy, but not over do it. I am super duper tired all day long and the nausea is never ending. It is morning, day and night! I hope that is a good sign of a beautiful, healthy baby. I can’t wait to start shopping for you and decorating your new room, it is going to be so much fun! Your daddy has been reading all about what is going on with your growth and all mommy’s symptoms. He has been cooking me dinner almost every night and even cleaning the dishes. He is going to be the best dad ever! Well, that’s all for now. We love you!

National Infertility Week

Infertility is a frequently misunderstood condition. The media tends to focus on the extreme, like the "Octomom" or "Kate Plus Eight" stories. The media also tends to spread myths about infertility.

For example, the media often focuses on just the female side of infertility (which makes infertility look like it's only a female problem) or on age-related infertility (which makes infertility look like only a "career-woman" problem).

Dear baby pea,

3/11/11

Dear baby pea (your current size),



Today your daddy and I got to see you in my belly for the first time and hear your heart beat. It was absolutely amazing, I cried. You have been making me EXTREMELY tired and for the past few days I have been very nauseated, but you are so worth it. Already I love you so much and think about you all day. We are currently 6w4d into our 9 month journey together and I am just praying for your safety. I want the best for you and we cannot wait to see more pics of you and get to meet you. Oh, and I forgot to mention…you are due on Halloween! Your dad jokes about naming you Freddy, but don’t you worry, I won’t let him. It is a quinkie-dink that Halloween was the first time your daddy told me he loves me. Please stay warm in my belly and keep growing. We love you!

We are having a baby!!!

2/23/11

OMG, we are pregnant! 4 weeks!! Wow, this has been such a whirlwind. I cheated and took some tests on my own during my 2 week wait. The first was negative, but it was too soon and I knew that. The next 3 were positive!! Although it was not 100%, I was so overwhelmed with excitement. Went to the doctor and took my blood test on Tuesday morning & waited all day for them to call. Then, I missed their call b/c I was in a meeting and when I got out, they were closed. BUMMER!! I listened to Dr.’s message like 5 times to see if his voice sounded happy or sad, haha. This morning I called at 8 am sharp and they said it was definitely a positive!! OMG, HOORAY! I still can’t quite believe it. I am so excited, but so worried. I don’t want anything to go wrong over the next few weeks. Tomorrow I go in again to make sure my HCG is doubling. If it is, that is a good sign, if not, that is bad. Then, next week I will go 1 more time for the usual blood work, then a week from that….heartbeat time! Oh my geez, I can hardly wait. Although our baby is currently only the size of a grain of sand, I love him or her soooo much!

Oh, and predictions on the sex are already coming in. Mom, Allan and Dubi all say boy. We shall see.

IVF Post- 2/14/11

2/14/11

So this past weekend started with us watching this horrible dateline special about a woman who had IVF and was given the wrong embryo’s and got pregnant! This was the worst timing considering our transfer was Saturday morning. I had nightmares all night even though I knew this was not going to happen to us, it was just awful to think about it. Saturday morning we woke up early and started with breakfast and lots and lots of water as I was told to drink 50 oz. starting about an hour before my appointment. By this point Allan and I had pretty much decided we would transfer 2 embryos. We arrive at the doc and they call our name. We got back into the ultrasound room and see a picture on the screen of 1 of our embryos, how exciting!! After they scan my bladder to make sure it is full, we talk to the doctor and the embryologist and they convince us to do 1. So here we go, they begin and I feel extremely shaky. I am so emotional and nervous and excited that I take a couple deep breaths and pull myself together. Allan watches the whole thing on the ultrasound screen and then a couple minutes later it’s over and they begin the 5 minute timer. “ok, time’s up, you can go pee and get dressed now”…wow, all I could think is really, that’s it. Then, we get our discharge instructions, our 10 day blood work appt and we go home with our picture of our baby!  Now, it’s the waiting game. All weekend I had to rest, now today I am back to work. I forgot my badge again this morning and just thinking oh great another week like this. I am just less and less myself each day. My mind and body have been taken over by this whole experience. Now, I just wait as I am very nervous, very excited and just plain scared.

Scared for many re

Next series of IVF Posts...

1/25/11

So finally, 16 days into Lupron I started my cycle yesterday. This morning was my first ultrasound and blood test. They wanted to make sure I had no ovarian cyst before we started the stimulating shots. Everything seemed to look good and we are scheduled to start Thursday night. Now, it is going to be about 1 month until we find out if we are pregnant- very exciting and very scary!! I so hope it works.

1/19/11 IVF Post

So this morning was our 12^th day on the lupron injections. I must say I am doing pretty good with them, a lot betterthan I expected. I still have a lot of anxiety and am extremely nervous, but excited too. I thought we would have started our Gonal F injections already, but still waiting to start my cycle. So far my side effects have been some bloating, cramps in my lower abdomen which are very sharp, headaches and feeling tired. I am planning to stop all caffeine once I start the Gonal F shots. I just don’t want to have any regrets. My husband has been great; he wakes up, gets everything ready, ices my tummy and gives me my shots every morning. My hormones are crazy, I cried during an episode of Hawaii 5-0 the other day…haha. I can’t wait to start my cycle so that we can have our schedule somewhat verified. Once I start, I schedule my daily blood tests and ultra sounds and have an idea of the retrieval, insertion and pregnancy test. I don’t want twins, but the part that makes me the most nervous is the doctor only inserting 1 embryo. I haven’t heard of anyone with only 1 that was successful, but I am hoping and praying for the best.

Anniversary Trip!

So, we got back yesterday from our anniversary trip to Key Largo and it was amazing!

We started by a night in Fort Lauderdale on the beach in a fancy hotel. We went out and had a nice dinner with friends. The next day we ate breakfast at this awesome little diner that was on the food network then headed to see family in Port St. Lucie. We had breakfast the next morning with Allan's brother, sister-in-law, our nephew, Allan's sister and our neice on the water and then headed to Key Largo. The weather was absolutely gorgeous the entire trip. We snorkled, took a boat eco trip, got to swim with a wild manatee, saw dolphins and ate at some great restaurants. It was such a relaxing and much needed vacation.

3rd Post from IVF Journal- 1/6/11

So, 3 days until we start the shots and we have yet to receive them. After about 15 phone calls to the mail order pharmacy’s and the nurse to get all the prescriptions straightened out, I think we are almost there and looks like we SHOULD be ok and receive everything sent over night on time. I have to sign for most of the medication, so having it sent to work, hope it is not obvious that a huge package of needles is coming to me, lol. I cannot believe that we are starting this process so soon. I am super excited, but still scared as hell. The financial, emotional and physical stress you go through for this process is something no one could ever understand until you do it. People think it is a couple thousand dollars, a couple shots and wham you are pregnant….WRONG!

2nd post from IVF Journal- 1/3/2011

Wow! In less than a week, Saturday the 9^th to be exact, we will be starting our IVF process officially- meaning I will be getting shots daily from my nurse, also known as my husband. Last week we took the hour long training and did the test run to make sure the doctor was able to easily insert the embryo. Everything went well, but to say my nerves are starting to get to me would be an understatement. I am trying to act brave and be strong, but I keep crying and just feel so emotional. I don’t know if it is going to get easier or harder once we actually get started on this very strict schedule, but I am ready to get that first shot over with. It has been a struggle, we have spent thousands on our dog, who we just found out needed a 3^rd surgery. We had a bird fall out of the sky and hit our car on NYE and I am just trying my hardest to not get sick. They say not to stress during the process, so I am trying to tie up all these lose ends and relax, but I think it is impossible to really relax fully during this. My husband is the best, he is doing what he can to make me feel better and I know at times I am an emotional roller coaster, but I know he is there and he is going to be a great nurse. I am scared as hell, but trying to keep my eye on the prize.

1 year since "I do"

This weekend the hubby and I will be celebrating 1 year of marital bliss! We are leaving Thursday for a week in Key Largo, the place where 1 year ago we said "I do". I am super excited about this trip, it is much needed and we absolutely love the beautiful beaches there. Of course, my fabulous mom will be house and doggy sitting- thank you Mom!

First post from my IVF journal- 12/8/2010

Recently, Allan and I found out that it was going to be very difficult for us to have a baby the old fashion way, it was devastating. As a couple, we have always known we wanted to expand our family sooner rather than later and this news broke our hearts. I know there are other options, artificial insemination (which is the route we knew we would take), and adoption (which just wasn’t in my heart). Ever since I can remember I have known I wanted kids one day. A few years ago I even made a little inside promise to myself that if I didn’t meet the right guy by a certain point in my life, I would do it by myself. Then, God answered my prayers introducing me to Allan and we fell in love. We both had our careers set, we had a beautiful home, and we were in love, why wouldn’t we want to start our family?

Our Journey

Some of you who may just have started reading are thinking that we actually just started IVF, but we actually started the process back in January. I wasn't ready to talk about it publicly, but now I am, so I am now documenting my private journal and our private struggle of having a baby. For anyone who knows about IVF, it is very hard. It takes over your life physically, emotionally, mentally, and economically. It is stressful, painful, expensive, & very strict as far as schedule. You basically don't have much of a life during the process. I know this is something sooo many couples go through for so many different reasons, so whatever happens, I am now ok with sharing.

You try your whole life to avoid it, then when you are ready...you fall short!

I am talking about #pregnancy! I have known people who have gotten pregnant young, not married, no insurance, careers not in place and while the situation sucks, you always hope the baby ends up being "a blessing" and it usually does. For me and for many, many people this was one of my biggest fears. I always had a plan and while I knew life never went exactly according to plan, I thought it was better to have one than not.

Amazing stories...Dog sniffs out woman's cancer!

Dog "Sniffs Out" Walnut Grove Woman's Breast Cancer (VIDEO) 3/23/2011 Carol Witcher and her dog Floyd Henry are practically inseparable. It's a strong bond, one that defies explanation, she tells 11Alive News. And what he did for her almost defies reason. "He nipped my nose and then pushed against my right breast. And I said, 'what are you doing?'" the Walnut Grove woman remembers. "He pushed again and stood back and looked at me right in my eyes like, 'there's a problem here.' Then, he raised his right front foot and pawed at my breast. And I said, 'uh oh.'" She checked, and what doctors found launched her into a battle for her life: breast cancer in the exact spot Floyd Henry touched. Now, three years later, Carol is living cancer free. "He saved my life," she says. "He truly saved my life." And some doctors at Emory's Winship Cancer Institute say there may be some truth in that claim. Dr. Suresh Ramalingam, Winship's director of medical oncology, is leading a study that connects cancer detection with breath odor. "The types of gases exhaled in our breath sample can be used to detect cancer," he says. "What the dog shows is proof that this is possible." A similar study shows the correlation between breath patterns and breast cancer patients in a sample group of patients. Through his study, Dr. Ramalingam is looking to do the same with lung cancer. "The breath specimen is easy to get and it does not involve any expensive procedures," he says. "So it's readily there. If we can use it to detect cancer, that would be a major advance." The studies are still in their early stages, and Dr. Ramalingam stresses breath detection would not take the place of traditional screenings, but add to them. As for Floyd Henry, doctors say sniffing out the specific location of cancer is possible, but highly unlikely. Carol, however, has all the proof she needs. "I'm here today, I know, because of the grace of God, and that dog," she says.

 

This story is particulary close to my heart, because I swear my dog Oreo has these same type of super powers for me, her mommy! When she was about 7 months old and I was living in my first apartment on my own she saved my life (maybe not necessarily physically, but emotionally for sure).

One night, about 3 months into my lease after I let her out and we were going to sleep she was acting very anxious and alert. She wouldn't rest and it was very unusual, she was on guard. It was making me very nervous, so I decided to turn on the alarm, which I never did by the way.

After I turned on the alarm, I shut the TV off about 30 minutes later to go to sleep, she was still on guard. Then, about 5 minutes later the alarm went off. I freaked and hit my panic button in my bedroom which went straight to the police. Then, I called my dad who was out of town in tears as I hid in my closet with my dog. Finally, the police officer got there.

My front door at this point was wide open, my balcony door wide open and the door on my balcony with the water heater- also wide open. This door was supposed to be locked by maintenance from the inside.... looks like when I was walking my dog, he walked in my front door and hid in that little closet until I went to sleep, then came in. LI never returned to sleep here again and the lessor wanted to make me pay to break my lease...are you kidding?? The police said that he was probably watching me for months and since I was very routine and didn't lock the door when I walked my dog right out front, he probably came right in. When we filed police reports and everythign, we found out that about a month earlier, there was a rape reported in the complex...ugh, hello, they were supposed to notify the residents. Then, we found out that after being highly screened and income checked for these nice, new apartments, that they had 1 building they were renting out to people recovering from drugs/alcohol...what?? really? you don't think you need to disclose this? This is the only thing that saved me from the $2k to break the lease, but that night, my dog saved me too! Our bond will always be a special one!

Random Facts about me

I was a very shy child (in my opinion anyways )

My grandparents lived next door and my grandpa drove me to preschool every day

We had tons of pets growing up (dogs, cats, rabbits, horses, gerbels, fish, etc)

I have a sister who is 18 months older than me- with blonde hair

My parents are from Brooklyn, NY

My grandma was from Italy and a very feisty, catholic woman who never got her license

I was in PC in elementary school (which was for smart, creative kids)

I won the Math Bee in 5^th grade and 2^nd place in the Spelling Bee

I took dance class from 3yrs of age to like 15 and was an all-star tap dancer

I lettered in Volleyball and track in high school and even sported a letterman jacket

I dated my high school boyfriend for over 6 years- it was a learning experience

My first car was a Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 96 I think

I was supposed to go to GA State, but the dad vetoed it when my sis’s friend had a break in the yr prior

I got my Bachelor’s degree in Accounting from Kennesaw State University

I also get my MBA from Kennesaw State University; I was the youngest in the program which required 3 years work experience

I bought my first house at the age of 22- which I should have waited, but hey…

I worked full time all through college, but it paid off, the day after I graduated I was already making over $50k

I regret not going to study abroad, but plan to move internationally for work with my family someday- only for a year or 2

I have studied probably less than 20 hours in my entire life

I never strived to make all A’s, I was fine with getting by and thought other things were more important to success

My parents got divorced when I was like 16, it was a horrible experience for me

I now have a wonderful step family who I adore

I have had my appendix, gallbladder and colon removed.

When removing my gallbladder they cut my pancreas and I almost died

They compared my colon surgery to open heart surgery, it was intense

I met my husband at work, he asked me out 3 times before I finally caved in for a drink

By the 2^nd date we were falling fast

I knew I was in love at the hospital when I saw AL every day- after only 3.5 months of dating

We got engaged after 9 months of dating and married after a year and half of dating and a little over a year of living together

We said I do in Key Largo in a small, intimate wedding with 60 of our closest friends and family, our 2 boston terriers were also in the wedding

Oook, I think that is enough for now.

Tax Season

So by now, most of us have or are in the process of filing our taxes and as this is my first year filing married, I must say, it SUCKS!!! Holy crap, when you are married and make a combined income of $150k or more, you get no deductions. I was expecting quite a large return. My executive MBA cost a pretty penny and so I have been trying to quickly pay off those student loans. Well, nope, can't take the interest deduction if you are over $150k. The husband and I both have our old houses that we use as rental properties...nope, if you are over $150k can't take rental deductions...ugh, everything is limited. I know making over $150k as a couple isn't too shabby, but it isn't exactly balling either. I mean we are both young, 26 & 33 and we are at a point in our careers where we are climbing, so this was quite the bummer. I am pretty sure last year's limitation on married was $250k, but o well. I am glad I have enough knowledge and experience to research the tax laws for us and allow us to take our best situation, but to all you newlyweds- prepare for tax season and take more taxes out now!

The Good Life

No, not Kanye West's version, although I do love it, but my version. Work is a little slow today and I am just sitting here thinking about how great life is. My husband and I will be celebrating our 1 year wedding anniversary in April back at the beautiful spot where we said I do, Key Largo! We have such a beautiful home and the greatest family and friends anyone could ask for. We happen to pick our house in a neighborhood with neighbors who we adore and hang out with often. We are all at about the same point in our lives and it is fun! We have both been blessed with wonderful careers and while many people are struggling with their finances, we are at a very comfortable point and never take that for granted. We have some wonderful and very exciting things going on right now and I just cannot imagine being happier. Not everything is always roses, but overall, Life is Good!!

Stay positive and count your blessings!

Happy Friday Everyone!

I don't know where you are around the world, but here in GA, it is BEAUTIFUL! I am looking forward to getting out of work in about 30 minutes and having a great weekend with my family.

Tonight's agenda- dinner and a pizza- Hawaiin. YuM! Maybe a fire pit later...??

Tomorrow- Breakfast, of course, then some errands and a relaxing day. Need to get some cleaning done and put up Allan's new closet system. (We did mine a few months back and his and hers have to match).

Sunday- Emma's baptism, fun day with friends...maybe cookout that night.