Sledding Fun!!!

We got about 10" of snow this weekend between Friday night and Saturday night! I LOVE snow!! One of the highlights of this snow was that J's final for Anatomy & Physiology was canceled Saturday morning, because the professor's car got stuck. He doesn't have to make it up, because all of the grades are due tomorrow! HOORAY!!!

However, the best part of the snow was the sledding we did! Yes, I went sledding being almost 6 months pregnant! We were careful. It was quite a sight. I had 3 layers of clothing on from head to toe. Do you know how hard it is to put 3 pairs of pants on when you're 6 months pregnant?? Jer had to put my socks on for me, because I couldn't bend over far enough to do it myself! And climbing up the hill with an extra 20 pounds takes a whole lot more effort! Anyway, after 2 hours of sledding, only my toes were numb. The rest of me was dry, warm, and Adon enjoyed the ride!!


At the top of the hill...with the guy who looked like "he was about to rob a liquor store," in J's own words.


Mary & Annie


This is what a 6'6" guy looks like in a recycling bin!! Wheeeee!!

Why Cats Have 9 Lives

I was using the microwave (just above the stove) today, and our cat, Jack, was just a little curious. So he jumped up onto the stove and his foot slipped and hit the knob igniting the stove. I'm not sure which startled him more...his left side catching on fire or my reaction! Anyway, he immediately jumped down and raced for the basement...his usual response when he's been caught on the counters. I followed him to make sure he was alright and couldn't find him. I started shaking the treat bag (which ALWAYS brings him running) and it took him a bit to come out. I gave him the once over and was relieved to know that only his fur had been singed. It reminded me of Jeremy's eyebrows this summer when he got a little too close to the BBQ pit. LOL Jack spent the next half an hour or so licking his then black-tipped fur trying to restore its natural fluffiness. He's ok and everyone had a laugh. All the excitement brings a whole new meaning to curiosity killed the cat. I also now understand why cats have 9 lives! Only 8 more to go, Jack.

Happy Birthday Gram

Gram's birthday was yesterday. I thought about her a number of times throughout the day, but couldn't call her to sing to her as is tradition in our family. Sunday afternoon, I went with Mom, Jamie and Dad to visit her grave site. We stopped first by Uncle Jimmy's (Dad's brother), which was super hard for me. I was only 8 when he died, but he died unexpectedly when he was 30...J is 30. Then we went to Ma & Pa's (Dad's grandparents & Gram's parents). Then we made the long trek to Jefferson Barracks Cemetery in South County. Dad made sure we paid attention so we would know how to find her and Grandpa if he couldn't take us.

It was important for us to go, especially Dad, but boy was it hard. This will be the first Christmas without her. She was the glue that held our extended family together and made sure we all got together for big things like holidays and birthdays. I miss her terribly and am grieved that she'll never get to meet Adon. I think if she knew she would have 4 great-grandchildren (the first 4!) this year, she may have been able to hang on. Man do I miss her. God is so good to bring so many babies into our family to help ease the Gram's missing presence. I love you Gram and always will.

Belly Button

My abdomen has felt so full lately...Adon is getting bigger and taking over the space that used to house my internal organs. Everything is getting pushed upward making it hard to catch my breath and creating lots of pressure. I was showing J how big my tummy is getting and discovered I can see inside my belly button! What used to seem like a bottomless lint-trapping pit, is now a shallow crevice. Adon isn't only pushing everything up, he's pushing my belly button out...I'm going to have an outie! lol

FREE time!!

I've been working a lot "credit" hours at work lately. A credit hour is anything over 8 hours in a day. Your credit hours can be banked and later used for time off. I'm saving my precious vacation and sick time for when Adon arrives, so we can get a paycheck for as much of my maternity leave as possible. However, that means I have to work normal days that people usually take off...the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve, etc. So, I have been working a few extra hours each week so I can take these days off and enjoy the longer weekends, which allow us to travel to visit J's family more often. We got word today that the President has given an executive order that all federal government agencies wil be closed on Christmas Eve!! This means I get to work less credit hours and still get the day off!! Even working one extra hour in a normal day wears me out, so this is a much appreciated treat!!

General upate

Jer & I went to my 24-week doctor's appointment this week and learned that Adon is now 1 pound, 10 ounces! He's doubled his weight in the last four weeks! I've been feeling pretty good. Had a nice reprieve from heartburn for a few days, but it came back today. I still have a fair bit of energy, but am more tired than a few weeks ago. We're into the third trimester this month. A co-worker commented this week that I didn't look big enough to be so far along, which made me feel really good considering the unkind bathroom scale as of late. I've done well limiting how much weight I've gained, but the last few weeks have been cruel with so many tasty treats and cold weather that makes everyone stay inside.

On a VERY good note, J has been the most amazing husband anyone could have asked for. Everyday this week, he has asked me what out plans are for the evening. I've responded with the list of chores that I fully intended to do, and he had them all finished by the time I got home from work. It was so nice to come home and relax with him instead of heading into my 2nd "full-time job." Don't get me wrong, I love to do housework and keep things in order, but these days I'm working extra hours to save up for maternity leave and am just plain worn out. I can't wait until I get to stay home and serve J!

J had his wisdom teeth pulled today and is passed out on the recliner. Poor guy. I love taking care of him and waiting on him! He invited his best friend, Caleb, to come and stay the night with us to keep him company and play video games while I have to work. :o) It's so nice to have someone who doesn't mind hanging out with you while you're half doped-out and catching flies as you snore with your mouth wide open. :o)

We got some really great news today!!! After weeks of putting together an application, interviewing and testing, J got word today that he's been accepted into paramedic school!!!! HOORAY!!!!! I'm so proud of him!

Our Son...

How cool does that sound!!! I love to hear it. I love to say it. I love to hear Jeremy say it! We are so excited to meet Adon and it is so nice to be able to call him by name!

Monday was our 20-week ultrasound, which was much anticipated after seeing only a Bashful Baby Butt 4 weeks earlier. My mom and sister, Jamie, were there with J and me. Jamie wants to be a pediatric oncology nurse and thought the ultrasound would be cool. I think she just wanted to have bragging rights as the first sister to know if the baby was a boy or a girl. My dad, who insisted on being surprised when the baby comes, called my mom on her way to my appointment saying, "So??? Did you find out yet??" :o)

During the ultrasound, Adon was breach and facing my back. Apparently, he was very comfy, because he wasn't going to move! The ultrasound tech tried pushing on him and shaking my tummy to get him to move around, but he was content where he was. I was starting to get nervous that we'd have to wait another 20 weeks to find out if Baby was a boy or a girl. The lady had me move around so she could get all the pictures she needed, since Adon wasn't going anywhere. While laying halfway between my back and my side with my top leg extended behind me, the lady was able to get most of what the doctor would need. I was just laying back (or at least trying to) enjoying whatever was on the monitor. I had no idea what I was watching, just enjoying the baby. Then J, very excitedly said, "I knew it!!" This meant he saw boy parts! (He's said we were having a boy since the day we found out I was pregnant.)

While intently looking at the picture on the monitor, Mom asked the lady where the boy parts were in relation to the legs. Of course, Mom was trying to identify what was in the picture she was looking at. But without hesitation, the lady replied, "right between them." That was stinkin' hilarious! And the typical reply, was "Well, we've never had any boys before." :o)

Baby is very healthy. All tests for spina bifida, cystic fibrosis, and down's syndrome came back negative. We'll have another ultrasound in 4 weeks to get the last picture that the ultrasound tech couldn't get. Adon weighs about 13 ounces, which is about one and a half times more than the average 9 ounce baby at 20 weeks. He's going to have very long legs...just like Daddy...because his feet (what I thought were his hands) were up OVER his head in one of the pictures. If he keeps growing at this rate, he'll be bigger that J was when he was born...a whopping 9 pounds, 3.5 ounces! YIKES!

Anyway, it's cool that we're having a boy, but when the doctor said "your son," I couldn't stop smiling. I'm going to have a son. I'm going to have a son!!!