The Not So Pleasant Days

Our baby is the size of a plum, and 3.5 inches long... yeah...if only I felt excited! I have always been a healthy person and this pregnancy is kicking my butt. I have been having A LOT of back pains lately to the point I can't get out of bed or bend down. I think this is attributed to working 10 hrs on my feet with only a 30 min break. My manager is trying to kill me! Matt had to put plywood on the mattress to try and help my back. The further along I get, the more sick it seems I get. I haven't been sick since high school so tossing my cookies is a lot for me to handle. Luckily it isn't everyday, just twice a week so far. Mornings are the roughest and then I start getting nauseated when I go to bed which means a rough morning. My books say that after the 1st trimester, morning sickness should be going away...well I am waiting!

I have always had trouble swallowing pills and the fact that I have prescription horse pills for prenatals is HORRIBLE. It is so sad because I have to prep myself to take them and then stand with my head back for about a minute counting so I can get the nerve to swallow and of course gag as I am doing it. Matt laughs at me, which he can take medicine without WATER!!! Brushing my teeth has been an ordeal...if I didn't have to brush my teeth or take pills, my life right now would be a whole lot easier!

I haven't had much of an appetite either, which worries me. As of now, all I basically eat is cottage cheese and cheese block with crackers. In the beginning I craved salads, then fried, fast food, and now cottage cheese. Prune juice has also become my friend which gags me as well. I am excited for this baby to come, but so far I am not enjoying pregnancy.

Onto a brighter note, on my days off if I can get out of bed, the dogs and I have been enjoying the outdoors. They have gotten their summer haircuts and Sammy got shaved! 

He looks like a pig dog! I didn't realize how many spots and freckles he has.

 

Matt has been cleaning up the front area so I can plant some boxwoods and rose hedges. I don't care for the mound of dirt behind the trees but that is his shooting pad. Hopefully in 4 years we will be moving!!! For some reason when Matt bought the house, his contract said he had to own for 9 years before he could sell or he would lose up to $5000 to the bank. So only four years left, which works out because that is when we will probably be having a 2nd child.

It's Official !!!

We are now announcing Baby Maness to those who haven't heard the news! He/she will be here around Dec. 11th!! We are super EXCITED!!!!

 

The neatest thing was seeing its heartbeat. It had a strong, fast beat!! We were able to see it's eyes, nose, mouth, chin, arms, and apparently high cheek bones!! Only 10 more weeks and we will know the gender!! I have a feeling it is a boy, which I am wanting. My husband is leaning more towards a girl.

 The pregnancy hasn't been too bad other than the nausea from enhanced sense of smell. I was really tired at the beginning but my energy is coming back. I haven't been able to eat very healthy. In the beginning I craved Salads and Spinach, now I can't stand the smell of cooking vegetables. All I want is salty foods, vinegar, pickle juice. I used to be a chocoholic and now I can't eat sweets. Hopefully this subsides soon, so I can get back to eating somewhat healthy.

I was a little upset due to my insurance changing providers. I have always used Cox and right in the middle they changed to Mercy. I think it was a blessing, because I have not only heard high recommendations about the doctors and labor/delivery...the service is much better:-)

My husband handled the visit rather well. I am worried about how he is going to handle labor. He gets nauseous/light headed at the sight of human blood and needles. It baffles me because he hunts and cleans the animals...it's just something about human blood and bruising.

It was heart-warming to see him so excited and calling people after the visit. We still can't believe we are having a baby!!! There are a lot of classes I have to take, the Lamaze being the longest, 6 weeks. They offer a grandparents class which is neat and some other interesting ones. This is definitely going to change our lives for the best and we can't wait until December 11th is here!!!

Happy 1 Year, Babe!

I can't believe we have been married a year! Last year, I was running around like my head cut off trying to make everything come together and now it's relaxing to just remember! 

Matt and I have been together over 3 years and that is hard to believe. Time has really flown. Although we know each other pretty well by now, we still have our ah ha moments...lol

One thing he does every morning that I absolutely love: he leaves really early and I am usually still asleep and he will kiss me several times goodbye and says he loves me!! I am not really coherent, and I usually mumble back to him, but I do know when he doesn't do it...when he is running late!

 Looking back on our 1st year married, one thing I regret is not taking a honeymoon. We were booked, ready to go to Maui and I pulled the plug. Summers are hard for Matt to get away since that is his busiest time, so I didn't want to spend a lot of money right out of the gate. Now I don't know when we will get to go on a vacation. We had a trip planned with my parents to go to a Cardinals game and enjoy St. Louis for Mother's Day, but unfortunately I can't get off work so Matt is taking his dad and my step-dad instead...it was supposed to be for us!!! Oh well that is what you get for working retail. 

Matt says when we reach our 14 yr. mark, we will go to Bora, Bora...my dream vacation in Tahitti, however that isn't his dream vacation. 

Staying in a cabin in Montana or Canada fishing and hunting is his, and I am sure we will do that. I have always wanted to see a grizzly in the wild...not up close though! I would like to ride the Canadian Railroad through the Rockies, I heard it is a really pretty sight.

I used to travel a lot when I lived at home, went to soooo many places and now since I have married, I have become a hermit..lol...and I like it. However, it doesn't mean that I don't want to go anywhere ever again, I am just happy where I am. My hope is to go somewhere before December, even if it is in Arkansas!

The crazy thing is before I met Matt, I was determined to be successful, whether it was with my music or some kind of driven career. I knew if I ever found the person I was meant to be with, I would drop everything for that person, and just want to be a dedicated wife/mother. Well that is what happened and I don't miss my former life much, I was always busy and meeting new people, but I like how it has turned out and wouldn't change it for the world. Our goal is to retire( win the lottery) in Montana on a ranch surrounded by thousands of acres with our families, Lonesome Dove style. I hope it happens!!

These next two weeks are going to be an exciting one for us and I can't wait to share them together. We definitely have a new chapter beginning this year, one that will change everything! 

I love you Matthew Dean, and I am excited because our journey is just beginning!