OB Update and some Pres pics

Okay my friends! I went to the OB on Friday and got the news that I always like to hear...despite whatever my crazy heart is doing, it is having no effect at all on the baby! Ashlyn is absolutely perfect! I was able to have an ultrasound and see her! She had big eyes and chubby cheeks just like Preston did! Her nose is completely different though. Here are some pictures. They are kind of hard to see as I had to scan them. (This new place isn't as high tech as my doc in Florida!) I did get a DVD so Pete was able to watch the ultrasound with me when I got home but it is too big to upload. For now, enjoy these!

Here is her hand!


Her profile (or what she would give us, she's a shy picture taker!)



Here is a confirmation that she is indeed a girl.



Thank you all for your prayers. I can take whatever is thrown at me health wise as long as I know that this beautiful baby is okay.

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Onto a new topic, Pres and I experienced our first tornado sirens this week. It was scary for me but Pres thought eating breakfast in the bathroom was tons of fun! The sirens went off right after I gave him his breakfast so I just picked him up, highchair and all and rushed into the bathroom. (Thank you Megan for the call to let me know...I was all prepared in case we needed to go in there!) Here are two pictures of him enjoying Dora and breakfast in the bathroom during on of the nasty storms!

Puddle Fun

One week doc update and Mary Kay

So I went to the cardiologist again this week and got the following updates:

-Blood work came back normal
-Echo cardiogram was normal
-Heart rate still too high
-Increase in meds by 25 mg (which I refused because it's not working and the side effects are awful!)
-Go back in two weeks and check it out again to re-evaluate my doses and dangers.

There you go. It's similar as my last pregnancy where they could never give me a good answer as to why my heart rate is so high and they just are trying to keep it manageable. The echo is to make sure that there is no long term damage caused by the high heart rate such as an enlarged heart. So far, so good. The medicine this time around is causing me to be super nauseous. I'm not sure why and was told to just make sure I eat before I take it (which I do).

Besides all of that I will admit that I am becoming pretty cranky. I hate going to the doctor and now having to go to the cardiologist and OB almost every week is wearing me thin. As everyone (and I mean everyone) keeps telling me, they are just trying to stay on top of it. HA! Personally I think that since they really have NO clue they are just trying to save their own behinds (but again...that is the cranky part of me). The normal side of me is thankful for the wonderful care that I am receiving in order to ensure that myself and Ashlyn are okay.

***On a funny note Pete is about to go and have a full physical...I am glad for him to be the one for a change that has strange people touching him in places that are all kinds of uncomfortable!***

Now onto something fun. Last night I took Megan to a Mary Kay party. It was the first one for one of the wives in Pete's flight school class so I wanted to go and meet her and show her some support. She was super cute and very nice and if you need Mary Kay you can check out her site here BUT... the lady that is her "mentor" or whatever they are called was certifiably C-R-A-Z-Y! Everything from waaaay too much make-up to fishnet stockings (and let's not forget to super fake boobs!)! It was such a big contrast to the wife we went to support who was in a super cute professional top with a trendy skinny belt.

As Megan and I dutifully took off our make-up and tried all kinds of cremes, we were able to laugh and have a good time! My friend Jeanne Anne was there as well and since Jeanne Anne seemed to have been on the bad side of fake boobs, it was all the more fun! I believe the highlight of the evening for me was when we were all pitched about the wonders of selling Mary Kay and fake boobs passed around her pay stub and told us how many cars she had been given. (I thought this was super tacky, but Chrissy tells me this is what they always do). I did end up buying some stuff because I really do like the Mary Kay products (the cotton lotion smells SOOO good!). In all it was a good evening and Megan, Jeanne Anne, and I certainly made some fun new memories together!

Pregnancy Update (not a good one)

Today I visited my cardiologist for the first time here in Alabama. I will admit that I have been really putting this off because I have felt great and honestly thought that I was getting better. Needless to say, I thought wrong. The news was not good and today has been a tough emotional day for Pete and I. I've been beating myself up for letting this slide and poor Pete is trying to be my rock when I know that he is worried as well. I had to go for some tests today and we should get the results soon. They are again going through the process of eliminating other causes for the trouble. They want to make sure that it is just the pregnancy and nothing else. I would like to really say a quick nice word about the SAMC in Dothan. The lab was quick and the people were wonderful with me considering I was a blubbering idiot the whole time I was there.

They have increased my heart medication in the hopes that it will lower my heart rate as much as they need it to be. (So if my post is loopy, I started the new dose and it always makes me feel funny for a few days! I can't drive again...yuck!) They are going to monitor me weekly to make sure that the medication is doing what it is supposed to do. Apparently my body has adapted to the high heart rate so I don't feel any symptoms from the racing heart. (Which is why I thought I was getting better). My body being used to the racing heart can be a little dangerous as I am not feeling the signs that your body typically gives you when something is wrong. The good news is that the doctor can do it for me and the bad news is that I am stuck going to the OB and cardiologist each week. (It's almost an hour drive each way.)

Monday I go back and they are hoping that a week on the higher medication will do the trick. If not, they will bump me up again and that is as high as they can go while I am pregnant. (Let's not even think about what happens after that) I also am going to have another echocardiogram and a diagnostic ultrasound for the baby to make sure that my heart is healthy and that the baby is not feeling the effects from what has been going on. Please join us in prayer that none of this has had any effect on my sweet baby girl.

We are headed to Florida this weekend for a quick trip to be around people that love us. It will be good for Pres with all of the doom and gloom in our house right now to see his beloved Grandpa!

I would like to thank my FF gals-Chrissy, Abs, and Jax who rallied around me with just a simple text message. I love you three dearly and would not be able to do this without you! Chrissy...thank you for talking to me so that I could come home and be mommy this afternoon!

Belly Pictures

My view now...I have to bend over slightly to see my toes!




The natural view...even though this is baby #2, I still can't believe my body does this! It's a little gross and beautiful at the same time!

Our Nephew wins talent show!

Our nephew Nick is a really talented guy. He's toured all over Europe with his French youth choir. He's a wonderful singer and a talented musician. Did I mention he's only 12?! It's amazing to think that this young man is the main driving force in the reason that Pete and I met and well...you guys know the rest.

Here is Nick's original song that he performed for his school's talent show and took home the big prize.

Way to go Nick! We love you!


Love,

Uncle Pete, Aunt April, Preston and (soon to be) Ashlyn



P.S. Preston looks so much like Nick that it's like getting a little glimpse of what the Peanut will look like older-minus the blond hair!

Our Weekend

This weekend was a time full of "to-do" things for Pete. The first on his list was to get started on setting up a play area for Pres outside. Pete worked all afternoon of Friday and most of Saturday to get it ready for us to put the mulch in.


Pete and Pres setting up the perimeter.




Digging in the wood so that it stays put. (This was a really awful job as the ground here is like trying to dig in a rock pile.)



Next Pete had to even out the ground and then lay down the plastic to hold the mulch and keep the ants out. (Fire ants are a HUGE problems here and Pres is allergic)



Pete surveying his hard work and having a much deserved beer. (Not that he didn't reward himself the whole time he was working!)



All of the play stuff in the area and now we are just waiting to mulch it in. (That will be next weekend's project!)




Sunday was slightly less busy for my poor, tired hubby! His only job was to put together our new grill! He did a wonderful job and we were able to kick off some nice weather (FINALLY!) with a yummy cook out and Pete's home made mac salad!



I'll end this with a video of Preston being silly and having fun while we barbecued! Disclaimer: Preston has NO tushy so if his pants look funny it's because we have to roll them up while he plays or else they fall to his ankles!

Catching up on February

February flew by so fast! It is such a busy month around here with tons of family birthdays including yours truly! I had a wonderful 29th birthday and look forward to my next 29th birthday (LOL!). Here's some pictures from the month.

I decided that Pres' room should be the new baby's room and what we had set up as the nursery should be Pres' room. Poor Pete had to take down and put back together a crib, queen bed, and twin bed. There was stuff everywhere around the house, but he got it done and only griped a little! He rocks! We are in the process of painting and putting the finishing touches on and then I will post some pictures.




I was sick on my birthday so after my OB appointment that morning (which went great- the SAMC center in Dothan is amazing and Dr. Gordon is a riot!) I came home and rested. Pete made me brownies instead of a cake (I'm not a big cake fan) and he and Pres sang me "Happy Birthday". Excuse my appearance...my fever was at 102 at this point.




My mom and aunt came to visit me on the 17-19. It was a nice time and my aunt showed me some great deals to be found at the Commissary! Here's a picture of the three of us and it will have to count as my belly shot for February.



It was a great month and as I am in the total nesting phase, we are really starting to get things done around the house! I'll end this month with a silly picture of Pres and Pete. Pres is really starting to ham it up for the camera!

Snow...in this part of Alabama?!

UPDATE!!! It's snowing take 2!!!!!!!!

The snowflakes got even bigger this afternoon!








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I was woken up this morning by a very enthusiastic Pete who came in screaming, "It's snowing!" This woke me right up and I stumbled to the living room to look out the window. Sure enough, there were tiny little flurries! For a Florida girl, this is quite exciting! Needless to say, I made Pete grab the camera and take some pictures.

(If you click on the picture to make it larger you can see the flurries!)





The real crazy part is that yesterday we washed one of the cars and were in our bathing suits!