Remembering December

This post is going to be a little recap of our month and probably my last post of this year.


Since my last post we have been busy with holiday activities and visitors and even a hospital stay for yours truly...

My last post was on the 9th, so I will start this one on the weekend of the 12th..


That weekend was my mom and dad's anniversary.  The girls were sick, but I still kept them together at our house and we did arts and crafts and homemade gifts and took some pictures and it all turned out okay until Jordan and I started to get sick.  By the end of the weekend I had decided I better get checked out in case I had strep throat or something similar that would require an antibiotic.  My strep test came back negative, but the doctor I saw still prescribed a zpack and promethazine.  I took my first doses and had a good night's sleep just in time for Jordan's family to arrive in town on the 16th.  They came by and picked us up and we headed to Smithfield for what was supposed to be a night of shopping and food.  I had a doctor's appointment that afternoon and it went really well, and things were going ok that night too.  We went to bed and I woke up at 3:30 am feeling like I was being stabbed in the back through my chest.  I fought the pain for two hours before finally going in to the hospital.  After being on the monitors in L&D and discovering that the baby was fine, I was sent to ER.  There I was diagnosed with gallstones.  The next day I followed up with my doctor and it was decided I would be induced or have a cesarean a week early to deliver Riley so that I could recover and my body could go back to normal and I will be having surgery to remove my gallbladder 3-6 weeks after Riley is born.  At that appointment it was also discovered that I was dehydrated, so I was admitted and did 24 hours in the hospital. Not fun.

After all that drama we had our family dinner with the Underwoods at Parker's on the 19th.  I didn't eat since I'm on a bland diet now and I was fresh out of the hospital, but it was still nice to see everyone.

The next week flew by with Christmas preparations and cleaning up.  Riley's furniture was also finally ready to be picked up and we worked on the nursery which is turning out great!   My mom and I spent all day Christmas Eve shopping and baking and wrapping and it was all a success.  We had a great Christmas.

Now I am addressing baby shower invites.  The shower is the second weekend in January and before we know it after that our baby will be here.  <3

Pictures, Programs, and Parades!

Since my last post we have been on the go! With Christmas fast approaching, this family has no time to slow down.  Savannah has had two more chorus performances, we went to the Goldsboro Christmas Parade, and I finally got maternity photos done!

There has also been some very sad news for our family.  Our family dog, Girl, passed away on December 1st.  She was outside and wandered off and, while we were looking for her to help her find her way home, she was hit by a car.  The impact itself didn't kill her, and we were able to get her home, but her injuries along with all of her other health issues were too much for her and she spent her last minutes with her head in my mom's lap and finally took her last breath with me sitting beside her.   Girl was a 9 year old Boxer and had been a member of our family for the past 2-3 years.  We loved her very much and will miss her terribly, but I know that she was very sick and very tired and now she isn't anymore.

In happy news, we got to see our baby girl again! I had a growth ultrasound at my last doctor's appointment. According to the scan, our girl is measuring 9 days ahead of schedule and already weighs around 4.2 pounds.  She hasn't turned yet to prepare for birth, but she has a few more weeks, so I'm not too worried. If she hasn't turned by my 35 week visit, I will be nervous.  I am really hoping to avoid a c-section.

In celebrity news, Josh and Anna Duggar have recently announced they are expecting #4! Also Kyle and Samantha Busch shared that their little bundle is a boy! I just think it's fun to keep up with these celebrity pregnancies.  :)

We had a great time this weekend.  Friday we went shopping and to lunch with my grandma, and Saturday we did the maternity photos and the Christmas parade.  It was fun to see my friends, Beth and Majesty, in the parade.  They both were so excited to see me there watching and smiled so big! It's awesome to me that, even though they have seen big cities and been on national TV, they are excited to see their hometown friends.

Yesterday was a good day too.  I went to my mommy class and shared Chic-fil-A with friends, and Jordan took some career tests at the college, and then we went to the PTO program at Savannah's school.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is only a little over two weeks away.  Time is really flying by...



Oh! And I almost forgot to share that we had a nice Thanksgiving at my grandparents'! We watched the Macy's parade and the dog show and enjoyed a nice meal, and then mom and I spent all night shopping with her friend, Kim.  It seems like that was FOREVER ago...

Anyway, until I get another minute....

Updates on Our Life!

The past week has been so busy! I am doing all I can to keep up! I really don't want to get behind on any of Riley's stuff, like this blog or her journal or her calendar, all the things I have been doing for her.

That being said, I wanted to make sure to do a post here before the holidays!

In the past week we have: scheduled maternity photos, had my 28-29 week doctor visit, had a day out with Jordan's grandparents, began to re-open communication with his parents and sister, attended a party with my old friends from chorus, and attended Savannah's first chorus performance.

It might not sound like a lot, but when you are pregnant and tired, a few events can feel like a marathon or a mountain climb!

The week before last we did some fun things too, like attending the elementary school carnival with Savannah.  We took Dalton with us too and the kids really had a fun time.

My maternity photos are scheduled for December 6th.  I am very excited about these pictures! I'm getting really big now and rounding out and time is running out for my pregnancy! We are so anxious to hold our baby girl.

At my last appointment I learned that I suddenly have low iron, so I'm on iron tablets now, and there's a good chance that I will be induced a week early to ensure the doctor I have requested for delivery.  If this happens it means we will be induced January 27th or 28th, which is creepy because Jordan has been saying for months that we would have her on the 27th...

After my appointment this past Tuesday, Jordan's grandparents met us for lunch.  It was really nice to see them after a few months and we had a great afternoon.  They brought a ton of clothes for Riley and his parents sent us a miniature pack-n-play bassinet for her and a good supply of bathing products.  We have since been communicating with his mom again, which is a big step after all of the mess that happened between us.

Last night was the talent show at my old high school.  They do one every year, and this year my sister got to be in it! It was her first performance with the elementary chorus and it was adorable! Before the show, we got to attend a really special party for all of the graduated students.  It was so great to see my friends again and hold their babies and and hear about how they are all doing and it just really made me happy to know that distance and time cannot break true friendship.


Life isn't slowing down anytime soon.  Tomorrow we are going to a baby shower for a little angel who is due to arrive just two days before our sweet girl.  After that it will be time to start preparing for Thanksgiving and then Christmas already.  I can't believe how fast time is flying by and that in about 10 weeks we will have a baby.


I can't leave a post without a celebrity update, so this one is..... Hayden Panitierre is pregnant.  Apparently WAY pregnant, and I missed the memo earlier.  Haha.


Until I find my way back to the laptop!

News and Updates!

This will be a quick, bullet-point post.

In celebrity news:

-Kendra had her baby girl! Named Alijah
-Kyle and Samantha Busch are pregnant!
-Eric McClure and wife are expecting baby #6, announced by doing a "Let It Go" parody with their 5 girls!
-Carrie Underwood is having a boy!
-Jill Duggar Dillard is having a boy!
-Forgot to say these before, but Snooki and JWOWW both had girls this year. (Giovanna and Meilani)


Our personal updates:

-I am officially in the third trimester!
-Our girl is doing great!
-Last two appointments with OBGYN were great!
-4D ultrasound was amazing!
-Nursery is coming right along!
-Savannah turned 11 this month!
-Halloween was fun, Madison and Savannah were a 50's girl and Maleficent, I was a pumpkin.
-My bladder hates me.
-Riley moves A LOT



We are doing really well and getting very busy in preparation for the holidays, our baby shower, and the arrival of our little girl! Time is flying by these days, but I am trying to keep up on this blog, even if it is little posts like this!

Think Pink!

Tonight I decided to redesign this blog and I turned it pink!

When I created the blog, we weren't sure if our baby was a boy or girl.  That being said, I went with a neutral and colorful blocks theme.  Now it is pink and purple and the background is pink and covered in a print that represents baby! I am sure that by the time our girl is born I will have changed it again, but for now it screams baby girl.



Since my last post life has gone on relatively normally.  We have, however, had a few bumps in the road. I will just write things as I think of them, which may result in a rambly sort of post...

The pregnancy is going great.  I am feeling Riley move a lot more frequently lately, my mommy classes are going great, we have set up the nursery for the most part, my next visit to the obgyn is this coming Tuesday, and I even heard about a special 4d ultrasound spa through a friend of mine and we have an appointment to get a 4d ultrasound later this month.  We also have a banquet this coming Thursday to attend for WPCC, which is where I take my mommy classes.  So lots of exciting things this month as far as my pregnancy goes.

We had a visit from Jordan's aunts and cousins on the 28th and they took us out to dinner and brought gifts for Riley, so that was nice.  It was great to see him smile after all of the drama his family has chosen to put us through these past few months, but that's all I will say about that.

My cousin, Sawyer, was diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes recently, so that was kind of a shock.  His mom and brother both have it, but it was just so sudden for him... For right now he has to take four shots of insulin per day, but he got one of those pens to do it with, so hopefully he will get the hang of it and it won't take long before it's just part of his regular routine.

We found out today that my parents' dog, Girl, has some kind of heart problem.  It sounded devastating at first, and the vet even gave us the option to put her to sleep, but we decided to bring her home and she has been fine tonight.  My mom and dad and I talked about it and basically decided to keep her here at home and on her typical routine until she shows us that she is really in misery.  She is still really happy and playful right now and doesn't act like she's in pain, but we can tell she wears out easily after some excitement.



There's some celebrity news I wanted to post here as well:

1. Eric Church and his wife are currently expecting baby #2
2. Kendra and Hank Baskett are also expecting baby #2
3. Ashton Kutcher and Mila Kunis had a baby girl this past week and named her Wyatt


That's about all for this post! I will make sure to come back and post after my appointment on Tuesday.  <3

Baby Book!

This week has been another one "for the books!"

On Wednesday night we had grandma and grandpa over for dinner (baked ziti and meatballs - yum!) and they brought over something I have been eager to start filling out... Riley's baby book!

I have already filled out the first few pages and my mom also got us a little photo album and I'm using it for her ultrasound photos and my hospital bands and I even put Jordan's hospital band in there!


That's right, Jordan's hospital band.  He had a little fight with a knife while slicing a watermelon the past week and accidentally sliced off a piece of his thumb... ouch! A little liquid stitch and a tetanus shot later and he was good to go, but I though it was significant enough that Riley might get a kick out of it later!



We also decided on a theme for Riley's room and I designed letters to spell her name to match the theme we chose and I ordered them from out friend Cortnie. She lives behind us and is very crafty!


I will share our theme a little later. ;)

Another Celebrity Pregnancy!

I have been trying to keep up with all of the celebs that announce their pregnancies during mine.

So far Jill Duggar Dillard has announced being pregnant, as has Carrie Underwood.

The latest is Duchess Kate of Cambridge! This is her second pregnancy.

I just think it's really neat that Riley will be born in the same year as Jill Duggar's baby, Carrie Underwood's baby, and Duchess Kate's second baby!

It's a fun thing to keep track of.

It's a GIRL!

This week so far had been so crazy and fun!

I had my second baby appointment on Tuesday and my new doctor was appalled that I hadn't had an ultrasound yet.  That being said, she sent me for one right away!

When my mom and I got there and the ultrasound was happening, the technician told us that the baby measured 18 weeks and 6 days! Five minutes before that I thought I was only 14 weeks pregnant!

After sharing our new due date (February 4th) with us, the tech asked if I wanted to know what I'm having.  Of course I said yes and we found out we are having a girl!

Mom and I were so excited we went to the store and bought little pink rubber ducks and little girl bibs and clothes and wrapped up presents for my grandparents, my sister, and, of course, Jordan.

I also got Jordan a card and I put the ultrasound pictures inside.

They were so excited when they opened their little presents!


Now we are already planning the baby shower and everything is full speed ahead!


We can't wait to welcome Riley Renee into the world.  21 weeks to go!

Updates!

I haven't opened my computer in over a week. That being said, there are some things I want to make sure are posted on this blog for us to look back on.

First and foremost, on August 30th we assembled the crib! That's right, we got a crib AND put it together already! We sold Savannah's big bunk bed and we got a crib as part of the payment.  The people we did the trade with turned out to be friends of mom and dad, so it worked out really well!  Then, on the same day (August 29th), we found and bought a grown up bed for Jordan and I! 

Everything is really going great. Dad and mom have asked us to stay here until after the baby is born, so even though we really were eager to move into our own place, we have decided and are thrilled to stay here and function as a great big happy family for now.  I figured I would end up here for a couple weeks after the baby is born anyhow, and this gives us ample time to take our time to get our finances together and our ducks in a row, so to speak.

This past week and this weekend have been pretty great.  On Wednesday, mom and Jordan and I picked Savannah up early from school and we all went to a late lunch at Brooklyn's.  Afterward, we did some shopping and looking around in town.  We got some things for the baby and I ran into a classmate from school that had a baby not too long ago, and that was really neat.  We also went to the new Halloween store, and that was a lot of fun for mom and I, but I think Jordan was a little spooked and Savannah just wasn't interested.

Friday I spent the day with mom.  We took Jordan to work and then we went to a couple stores in town. We didn't buy anything, but we did run into my friend, Kelly's, mom and brother and spoke to them for a few minutes, and  then we went to lunch at Dee's before picking Jordan up.  We saw our friend, Summer, at Dee's and so of course we talked to her for a while, and then that night we went to Outback as a family and ran into yet another familiar face, a friend of mine, Chelsea, who also had Savannah in her student teaching class last year.  I really love living in a place where most everybody knows everybody and I am really thankful to be able to bring my baby into the piece of the world I was raised in and love.

Saturday we spent the day cleaning house and then went to a birthday party for my dad's friend's little boys. It was a good party, but we left early to grab some dinner at Bojangles before coming home to watch the race. I picked Jordan up from work that night and there was a disturbing local breaking news headline about a shooting at our WalMart.  A young man we know was shot in the back, but thankfully is okay.

Today we spent most of the day at home.  We watched movies and made stuffed shells and it was a good day.  Tomorrow it's back to reality, and this week we have a lot to do.  I have mommy class tomorrow afternoon, a doctors appointment on Tuesday, and we are going on a little road trip this week as well.

There were also a couple celebrity headlines I wanted to post here this past week. One is good news and the other was rather heartbreaking.  I like to end things on a happy note, so I will share the sad one first.

Celebrity comedian Joan Rivers passed away this past week.  She was 81 and suffered a cardiac arrest during a minor procedure.  Mom and I were pretty upset about this one because we really liked Joan Rivers and are also fans of her daughter, Melissa.

On a much happier note, another celebrity is expecting with us! Carrie Underwood announced her pregnancy on "labor" day! I think it's so neat that our baby will be born around the same time as some of these celebrity babies.  I remember how neat I thought it was growing up when I found out a celebrity I liked was the same age as me.  If our kid is like me, he or she will think it's awesome to be born in the same year as Carrie Underwood and Jill Duggar Dillard's babies! 

Weekend, Birthdays, & Back-to-School!

Whew! I haven't posted in a few days because we have been so busy!

Thursday night was open house at Savannah's school.  She wasn't really thrilled but she was excited to find out that her best friend, Haley, is in her class again this year.  We only stayed at open house for about 30 minutes.  It was very crowded and we were lucky to get in and out.  She did get to meet her teacher, which was one of those strange-but-cool moments because when I was her age, I had the same teacher, and the year I was in her class is the year Savannah was born.

After open house we came home to visit with my cousin, Ross, before we headed over to grandma and grandpa's for grandma's birthday get together.  He had just arrived in town for the weekend from his job in SC.  He took the whole weekend off to celebrate turning 21.  It was nice just to sit and chat with him for a little bit, and he said he would come back by before he went back to work.

When Ross left, we went to grandma's.  Jordan stayed home because he wasn't feeling well, so it was just mom and Savannah and I, and my little bean. ;)

We were a couple minutes late, but when we got there we had cake and ice cream with grandma and grandpa and with my aunt and uncle and their boys.  After cake, grandma opened her presents and we all sat around and talked for awhile.  The kids played some computer games and talked about the new school year getting ready to start and it was overall a pretty nice night.



On Friday mom and I took Savannah back-to-school shopping.  Jordan had to be at work at 10 and got off at 3, so we spent the whole time at the mall.  We discovered that my baby sister has grown completely out of the kids' department.  She got women's size 6 1/2 shoes, and moved up to the juniors in jeans and shirts. It was a successful shopping trip with minimal complaints, which is kind of shocking because my sister despises shopping, especially when she has to try things on.

When we left the mall we picked Jordan up and came home to wait for dad.  I took a nap for almost four hours.  I have been so tired so far with this pregnancy.  I am hoping that my sleepiness will wear off when I hit the second trimester, which is now only 2 weeks away!

Ross came by Friday night and brought some beer and he and dad had one together in celebration of his 21st birthday, but he left pretty soon after that to meet up with his friends and the rest of us went to dinner as a family.  We went to our favorite place, Applebee's.  We ran into my mom's Aunt Barbara and Uncle Ronnie and their daughter, Jenna.  It was good to see them, and we asked to sit with them, but the wait staff said adding extra chairs was a fire hazard and there wasn't a big enough table nearby.  We didn't let that mess up our night, though.  We had a nice dinner and talked and joked and it was really a great time.  Sometimes all you need is your own little family.

Late Friday night my uncle Ron came in from his job in Charlotte.  I was already in bed, but Jordan let him in and everybody went right to sleep.




Saturday I slept in, and when I woke up someone had already taken Jordan to work.  I took a shower and then mom and I ran to the store to grab a couple of things she needed for dinner.  When we got home, she and I made dad a birthday cake and she made her famous homemade wings.  Dad and Ron worked in the yard and on the cars until it was time for the race, and then it was like Bristol was literally in our living room.   Ross came by at some point and visited with his dad, but he didn't stay for dinner because his buddy's were throwing him a birthday bonfire. We ate wings and watched racing and sang happy birthday to dad, Jordan got off early, and not long after that I went to bed.




Yesterday was dad's birthday.  We had planned on going to Beth's wardrobe showing/send off party for Miss America, but we didn't make it to that.  I was a little disappointed, but I wasn't feeling my best and I told Beth I was sorry we couldn't make it and I hope to see her soon.  Mom made homemade pizza for dinner and we watched some of the VMAs, but we tried to turn in early so we could all get up to see Savannah off to her first day of fifth grade.




Today went pretty smoothly, except I really felt nauseous for the first time. I haven't had morning sickness at all, but today I felt so sick! And the worst part was that I was starving all day, despite the nausea, and I couldn't even get comfortable to take a good nap! All of that aside, though, it was a good day.  I went with mom to take Savannah to school and then we came home and caught up on our favorite shows together and soon it was time to pick Savannah up.  She said she had a great first day, and she even got in the car smiling! I'm hoping this year she can get more excited about school and maybe I can help make learning fun for her.

After school we stopped at Willie's and got some hot dogs and then went over to grandma's and ate our snack and Savannah talked about her day and we just spent some time together, just us girls.  Grandma got me a really nice maternity shirt and I can't wait to wear it!

When we left grandma's we had to stop at Food Lion to pick up some stuff for dinner, but I wasn't feeling well so mom and Savannah went in while I waited in the car.  When we got home I took a shower and Savannah and I read to each other and then we all just kind of did our own thing until dinner time.


Now here we are, all caught up, and I am finally feeling better after feeling awful today.  Jordan is playing his video game and I think Rachel and I are going to bed!

Dalmatians, Fire Trucks, & Celebrity News!

The past couple of days have been really nice.

Savannah and I got our hair cut yesterday.  Hers was her back-to-school haircut and mine was just because! She really cut a lot off and she says it feels great! Mine is layered now and it does feel a lot better and lighter.

It is hard to believe my baby sister is going into her last year of elementary school this year, and by the end of the school year she will be an aunt.  Savannah is really excited, and for the first time since she started school she will have one of my teachers! I have been waiting for this since she was in Kindergarten, but most of my elementary teachers retired or moved schools before Savannah could get to them.  Tomorrow is her open house, so for us that means summer vacation is officially over.

After we got our haircuts yesterday, we went out to lunch.  Hwy 55 was Jordan's pick and it was pretty good.  After lunch we took Jordan to work and we spent the evening with grandma and grandpa at their house.  We arrived in time to watch The Young & The Restless, and of course we had to talk about it like the people are real and we know them!

While the story was on, grandpa sneaked to the back of the house and came back with presents for Savannah and I.  She got a fashion design book, and I got the most adorable little onesies, bibs, and a blanket for the baby.  Everything matches and it is the cutest little set with dalmatians and fire engines on everything.  This is a special gift since grandpa was a fireman and we have always connected through our love of dalmatians.  They have always been my favorite breed and are well known as fire station dogs. Don't tell my Rachel, but beagle/sheltie mixes are my second favorite. :)


Today, in celebrity news, Jill (Duggar) Dillard and her new husband, Derek, announced their pregnancy! That means that the first Duggar daughter to have a baby will have her baby the same month we welcome our little baby! I thought this news was really neat.

Weekend Happenings and Such...

Our weekend went pretty well.  We had my little cousin Ashlynn stay with us Friday and Saturday nights and we cooked out all weekend.

Friday night we had burgers and my childhood friend, Taylor, came to visit.  It was great catching up with her and just hanging out.

On Saturday night we had some kind of pork that was a little spicy.  I ended up eating a bowl of cereal.

Sunday was race day and so it was very loud at our house, but I still managed to get a nap in! Sunday night we had chicken on the grill, which was delicious, and then Jordan and Savannah and I watched the lion king movies until I fell asleep.


Today has been a really lazy day for all of us.  My mom isn't feeling well, and actually, we all took a nap and just got up not too long ago.  It's already almost 3pm and I am supposed to have a mommy class today, but I'm just not really feeling it.  I think I will skip out on it today.

Mom and I are going to take Jordan to cash his check and pick up a few things from the store, but I think that will be all for our energy today.

Mommy Class!

Today was my third "mommy class" at WPCC.  Thursdays are mostly for moms who have already had their babies, but pregnant women are allowed to attend as well, so this being my first week I decided to check it out.

Today's class was about carseat safety.  We watched a video on carseat installation and when to change your carseat based on your child's age, height, and weight.  There was also a handout that went along with the video, which, of course, I kept.

It was a nice surprise to see an old friend in class today.  My friend Joquita that I went to middle school with was there with her 7 week old son, Zi'Rione! He was a little bundle of adorable! It was good to see her and also a little weird because it really made me realize how many of my friends from school are moms now and that I really am next!  My very best friend from school, Marieke, actually has TWO kids now! Her sweet girls, Anna and Maggie, are 2 years old and 4-5 months old! I'm hoping to see them soon and, when I do, I will get some pictures to put on this blog.


I felt pretty good today aside from a headache that is still bothering me a little bit, but I'm blaming that on the fact that I skipped out on my daily nap.  That being said, I am going to turn in a little earlier than I usually would tonight.  I've been having strange dreams lately so I'm hoping to sleep soundly.

Mommy Class!

Today was my second class at the local pregnancy center.  We watched a video on how babies learn and develop skills from birth to two years old.  It was very interesting and educational and I learned some things I didn't know about babies.  After the video we were given some handouts.  I put them in the folder with the ones from my first class.  I am trying really hard to keep up with all of the things that I collect during my pregnancy and throughout our baby's first year so that he/she will have it to look back at someday.  Our kid isn't just going to have a baby book, it will end up being a whole box!

After class I went "shopping" in the little store they have set up at the pregnancy center.  So far I had earned seven baby bucks and today I only spent two.  I was able to get some maternity clothes for me (I am already starting to show!) and I got five onesies and five outfits for the baby.  The program is really great for expecting parents, especially for those of us that are doing all of this for the first time.  I have another class tomorrow and I am really excited to learn more and meet other women who are pregnant in our area.  Our kids might be good friends someday.  We just never know how things may go!

Sad Celebrity News...

So something happened earlier this week that I want to take note of and discuss a little bit because it really stuck out to me and bothered me, and also because I want my child to know about this and why it mattered to me so much.  A lot of celebrity news and world news and news in general is going to happen while I'm pregnant and when our baby is a baby, and I want to make sure our child knows about things that were happening in our world while he/she was still to small to understand.  I can't keep up with everything, but this week's celebrity news hit me pretty hard, so I want to make sure I write about it...


This week Robin Williams died.  I am devastated on so many levels.  Robin Williams was not only a phenomenal actor and comedian, but an asset to so many people and organizations everywhere.  He was and will always be one of my very favorite celebrities.  Robin starred in some of my favorite movies like "Mrs. Doubtfire", "Jumanji", "Flubber", "Patch Adams", and also voiced and portrayed great characters like Genie from "Aladdin" and even Peter Pan in the live action adaptation, "Hook".  His inspiring ability to light up a room that he wasn't even actually in has always inspired me.  I never had the pleasure of meeting him, but every time he was on our television, I was glued.

Robin Williams grew to mean even more to me as I grew up because I began to notice all of the amazing things he did outside of his career.  What stands out to me the most are Robin's apparent love for animals and children, specifically his involvement in St. Jude Children's Research Hospital.  Robin knew that children are our future, and he sincerely wanted to help them.

The reports say that Robin Williams committed suicide and was found deceased on Monday afternoon in his home.  Some say he suffocated, others that he hanged himself.  I will never know exactly what happened or why, but I do know that I refuse to judge him negatively in his death.  Robin Williams was an amazing life to have in our world.  I am sad that my child will grow up in a world that he is no longer in.  I will make sure that our little one knows about Robin and who he was and that we continue to watch his movies and allow his spirit to survive in our family.

Heartbeat!

Today we heard our sweet baby's heartbeat for the very first time.  It was definitely the highlight of my three hour appointment today at the health department.

Jordan and mom teared up a little bit, and they recorded it, so hopefully we will have that forever and ever. I'm trying to keep up with everything so that our child can look back at all of this stuff later.

I was so excited today when the nurse was able to find our baby's heartbeat.  They had told me at the beginning of my appointment that sometimes they can't detect the heartbeat before 12 weeks.  I am 10 weeks and 5 days today, but our little one's heart was loud and clear.

The rest of the appointment went pretty well.  It was a long one, but it was the first big one, so the time was understandable.  They went ahead and tested me for gestational diabetes and that came back negative, which I am happy about, and all of my results from last week's labs were good too.

Everything seems to be going really well so far.  I'm not having many symptoms, just feeling tired a lot and having some heartburn.  Oh, and I'm pretty moody I must admit, but no nausea! (Knock on wood!!!)

We are all so excited about this baby and this new chapter in life.  It's going to be a long pregnancy waiting to see his or her sweet face.  For now we are happy to have a heartbeat.  It's the sweetest sound I've ever heard.