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!

The Dog from Hell

 A dog( Hopper or Jumper) arrived at our neighbors a few months ago and he has been a major nuisance. (The picture isn't him, but looks a lot like him) I have never seen a little dog with such a bad attitude. He has obviously been mistreated and the fact that he isn't castrated doesn't help. Poor Sam and JuJu constantly get slammed by him. He will run as fast as he can to get to our house and pounce them when they go out. He pees and poops on our decks and gets in the garage and marks everything!!! When ever we go outside he circles us and barks. He has bit Matt on the back of his legs. He has claimed our house and yard as his territory and it is very frustrating.

 I can understand why JuJu bows down to him, but Sam outweighs him by 30+ pounds...I guess he is a genuine mama's boy. Anyway, the other day we had a wonderful moment when Sam sent him running away limping. Apparently when it comes to his rubber chicken and pig, nobody messes with him...lol!!!! We were very proud.

We have told the neighbor several times, and he won't do anything about it. Yesterday I went down to the mailbox and he came running at me, circling me, wouldn't let me walk and tried to bite me several times. I consider myself an animal lover, but he has got to go. I can see him running over and biting our kid.

Memoir to Lucy

The day after my birthday my friend passed away, Luxurious Lady Lucy. She had been with me through some rough times and I really miss her. 

 Over these past couple of years her health deteriorated fast. When I married Matt, I left her with my parents because I knew it would be best for her. She was on steroids and had to have shots. She developed congestive heart failure as well. I knew when I first got her that yorkies are known for health problems, I thought that she would have lived longer than 8 years though.

I remember when we first got her she was soooo tiny, fit into the palm of my hand. The lady we bought her from kept her in a cage and she was the last of the litter. She was soooo excited to get chosen, she ran and ran around the livingroom buzzing. I was nervous because I thought she was always going to be like that.

I remember she used to sleep on my chest, my heartbeat would help her fall asleep. 

One day when I was at college my parents called in panic because they couldn't find her. My bedroom was upstairs and there wasn't anyway she could climb the stairs because they were way to steep and big for her. Apparently though she was up in my room, I guess looking for me or our cat took her up there...we still don't know how she would have climbed those stairs.

When I would play my guitar and write songs she was always by my side. When she would get excited she would shuffle her feet and snort...lol. She loved pork rinds and fried chicken.

I wish I would have paid more attention to her these past couple of years. When Matt and I got Sammy and JuJu, I could tell it hurt her feelings and I am sure she felt replaced. Whenever we would bring them over she would hyperventilate from the stress, usually Sammy would make her upset cause he is a GOOBER!!! 

She was my best friend and she helped me through some heartaches, especially the transition from teen to adult. Even when she could barely walk she would hobble over to see me when I visited my parents. I miss her GREATLY and we buried her under the oak tree on my parents farm where all of our other animals are buried. 

Rest in Peace Lucy, you are missed, but I am glad you are no longer in pain:)

Prayers and a Birthday

What we thought was going to be a relaxing, stress free weekend, turned the opposite. My birthday was yesterday(27) and we had a family celebration. I finally got to see my BFF, Jenna and her mom!!! We live about 2 hours away and mine and her work schedule aren't very cooperative when trying to make plans. Seeing each other was long overdue!! It was great but Matt and I had a lot on our minds due to the night before.

Saturday at midnight I was at the hospital getting my husband. No, he wasn't hurt thank GOD but one of his friend's is. Matt went to a small get together Saturday night while I was at work, to shoot some skeet. When I was headed home he told me they were going to start a brush pile fire and have a bonfire and he would be home around 11. No big deal, I had been wanting to watch Grease, so I stayed up for him. Well my movie ended and I thought it was weird I hadn't heard from him. I tried his phone but he didn't answer and then a weird number calls me. I didn't answer and it called again. His mom then called as well as the other number and that's when I heard sirens!!! The worst possible feeling/thoughts came over me. I answered the strange number and Matt says, I am ok but we are headed to the hospital with Les Hartman.

Les is going through a hard time right now and for some reason he decided to run through a 20yd brush pile on fire falling down twice. The 2nd time being in a hole. God had to be with him to get him up the second time because a normal person would not have made it out alive. Apparently when he got up the 2nd time his arms were on fire. Matt said that everyone was in a state of shock because they had no warning that he was going to do it and couldn't believe what they were watching happen. 

Needless to go into how his arms looked, he has 3rd degree burns and his face is 1-2 degree. He has been in surgery the past couple of days and it will be a long recovery. He has a wonderful family and he is great guy too, so please have him in your prayers. After being upset with Matt, mainly because I thought something had happened to him, I am glad he was there to help Les. I am thankful that Les was able to get up and get out because that would have been a scene that would have haunted my husband for the rest of his life.

A Promotion Plus Other Things!

Since my last post was a little disappointing, thought I would share some good news!!! This past week I was promoted to the absolute best spot in Dillards based on my sales success in Men's. Now I am a consultant for Clinique and the pay/earning potential is unbelievable!!! Never thought I would like to work in cosmetics, but so far it has been going well. My mom works for Estee Lauder, so I had some insight to what it would be like. This week they started gift, which it's CRAZY busy and my mind is on overload. Everything is headed into the right direction, and falling into place so YAY!!!

A couple of weeks ago, Matt bought a SR5 Tundra, Mega cab/baby hauler!!! He drives a small Tacoma back/forth to work since he drives long distances and he has been wanting a nice, family vehicle for quite a while. The neatest feature is the automatic back glass:-)

This next picture is hilarious and I could not NOT post it...lol... My uncle-in-law tends to pick on my stepmother-in-law a lot including everyone in the family. While he was in Friendship, Indiana at a muzzeloading gun shoot, he saw these blowing in the wind. I wish I had the poem he wrote for her....it was soooo funny, but the picture is worth some laughs too...ENJOY!!!