33 weeks and Happy Memorial Day!!

Our little peanut is growing up!!!  And it is happening way too fast!!!  We had a really nice Memorial Day weekend just staying home and visiting with family at my Mom's. 

We went to brunch on Saturday with one of Sweetness' old bosses and his wife.  They are struggling with infertility as well and unbeknowgnst to me she has been reading my blog and has gotten encouragement here.  That makes me so happy because that is exactly what I wanted this blog to be about.  I talked to her for along while abut where they are and about what there next steps are.  They are getting ready to start another IVF this week.  As I saw her eyes well up with tears, my heart broke and the Lord gently reminded me again of how far He has brought us and where I was in that pain.  And that I owe it to Him to reach out and help those still aching and still waiting.  So Sweetness and I are praying fervently for them and asking God to bless them with their heart's desire.

I am so happy I am able to see now a purpose to all that pain and to be able to help some other ladies going through the same thing I went through.  I felt SO ALONE when I was in it.  I thought i was the only one experiencing this, and come to find out I am just one of millions of women aching to have a child.  I feel blessed indeed.

And as we celebrated Memorial Day yesterday, I also felt an enormous sense of gratitude for the men and women who have given the ultimate sacrifice for the protection of this country so that we can lay our heads down in peace at night.  Thank you seems so inadequate.  But Its all I can say- Thank you.  From the bottom of my heart.

My precious friend Kathy....

So one of my besties came to see me yesterday!!!  This was such a welcome and needed visit with one of my lifelong friends!!! Kathy also earned her PhD in medicine at Alabama while I was working on mine.  That is where we met in 1998, and have been super close ever since.  She is soooo much like me it's scary sometimes.  She is also an only child, who is very close to her momma.  We were both raised in church, and we pretty much have the same outlook and view on most things. 

Kathy finished her Ph.D. 2 years after I finished up, so when she was done, I was already here in VA and had gotten settled in.  She went on to do a postdoc fellowship at the NIH in Durham, NC and I got out into the working world making money.  Then she landed her first power job as a pharmaceutical professor and moved to Savannah,Georgia.  It was here she met her husband, a man that she had met back in Alabama one night out with friends.                                                                                                      

 Kathy was my one friends that always swore she was never getting married or having kids. I would always say "Yes you will.... I can't wait to go looking at wedding dresses with you one day" But she stuck to her guns and she never saw herself married.  So when she called to tell me she was going to marry the guy she was currently dating- I was floored, and in February 2011 she actually did it!!!  So now my party girl and free spirited friend has an amazing husband!!!  Her hubby is in the Coast Guard as a rescue swimmer and they were just transferred to North Bend, OR-- yes about as far away from me as she could get, but when we talk and laugh on the phone it's like no miles are between us really.

So when she called a couple weeks ago to tell me her husband has a conference in Elizabeth City, NC and was going to come with him to see me and some other friends out here- I was sooooo happy!!!  So I got off work early and let our Nanny go home early, and me, Kathy and baby Chloe headed out for an afternoon of fun!!!  We headed over to the Virginia Marine Science Museum and Science Center.  Man did we have fun looking at all the sea creatures!!

This was kind of neat to see this guy cleaning the exhibit while we watched him!!

 We also saw this really creepy VERY VENOMOUS snake called the King Cobra!!!  And I was really wanting him to puff out his coat for me to prove he was indeed a cobra, and almost as if he heard my request, he puffed himself up!!

 Kathy was quick enough to get a picture of it!!  Below you can see him all puffed up-just soooooo creepy those things are!!!  I often wonder why God created these things???

 We saw crocodiles who looked asleep and/or fake, but I'm sure if you touched him he would show you just how real he really is!!!

 One of my favorite exhibits was the sea Turtles.  They are so neat, and MUCH bigger than I had envisioned.  They also had a sea turtle nursery where you could see the little ones being raised in a safe environment!!!

 They really are very neat creatures!!!

Then here is our little Chloe, just happy as she could be riding in her stroller like a big girl now, chewing on anything she can get her hands on!!!!

They had a stingray petting tank, ummm no thanks!

And a horseshoe crab petting tank, but I like to look at sea life, not really touch it!!!

After the museum, we met Sweetness and my Mom at the Town Center for dinner at Kathy's favorite place, California Pizza Kitchen.  It was so good, and Chloe was such a good girl while we all ate, talked and laughed reminiscing about old times.  The went to Cold Stone and we all sat outside in the town center and had ice cream, and little Chloe took a cat nap.  Mom headed home and then we went back to my house to put baby Chloe to bed, ut I wanted to grab a few pictures of Kathy and Chloe together first.  Those are what you saw up top, and then one of the 3 of us.  I told Kathy next time she sees Chloe she will probably be walking and talking!!! 

Now after seeing her and being with her again aft so long, I really miss her more.  I hate it that she is so far away, but maybe in 3 years when her hubby gets transferred again, they may get lucky and get stationed here next to me!!!

Thank Kathy for the beautiful day and I will always cherish our friendship.  I am so glad you have a life partner now and that your future looks so bright!!!  Love you girl!!!!

32 weeks old and waving Bye-Bye!!!!!!

Happy Monday!!!  We had a great weekend together as a family and was so sad to see it end so quickly.  Our sweet baby girl turned another week older, it keeps happening faster than I can keep up with.  She is changing so fast and learning new things everyday!!!

So now at 32 weeks old (7 months) she has learned how to wave Bye-Bye to everyone coming or going.  It is so cute.  Its not really a bye bye but a curling of her fingers to her palm almost like a "come-here" movement.  But its so sweet. 

Things are going very well with her new babysitter Bonnie. She has been with us now for 3 weeks and Chloe has really taken a liking to her and it makes it so much easier for me to leave her during the day. When Bonnie comes over in the morning, she is all smiles when we leave and I know she has a good time with her l day. Because she is watching only Chloe she sometimes takes her out on errands with her during the day, so Chloe gets to travel to the doctor with her etc.

Baby girl is also up to eating 2 jars of food a day, well those pouches of baby food really.  For those of you not in the baby market, jarred food is going by the wayside and all manufacturers are packaging the food in the pouches with a twist off lid.  Its okay but I'm not overjoyed by the new way of doing things. Most of the time, I just push it into a bowl out of the pouch and dip it with a spoon to feed her.

She still just has 2 teeth as seen in this picture.  But I know she is teething and soon will have more, because everything goes in her mouth and she is constantly gnawing on everything she can get her hands on.  I was happy I actually caught this picture documenting her teeth because I have tried in the past and let's just say she was a bit uncooperative!!!  LOL

But she is such an easy going baby and so happy all the time, life is really so joyful with her in it.  As I watch some of my friends still struggling in the infertility journey my heart really does ache for them, I want them all to experience this amazing thing called parenthood.  One of my sweet friends just found out there was no heartbeat and the baby stopped growing last Thursday.  They have tried for so long and finally were successful after IVF and then to have it snatched from you seems so cruel.  There just are no words to ease the pain, but just be there and try to provide comfort and support.

We finally finished the bathroom remodel, and I have taken pictures all along to document the progress and it actually has turned out better than we could even imagine.  It cost us way more than we ever imagined also, but once you are in it- you have to finish it.  I'll do that post later in the week!!  Until then have a blessed one!!!

7 months old!!!!!

 Well yesterday was a big day for my little Chloe Bug!!!!  She officially turned 7 months old!!!  She is such a fun little person, she is all smiles all the time and I am so blessed to be able to love her in this life.



Baby Girl is so Happy about turning 7 months old!!!



She is looking surprised that she is ALREADY 7 months old!!!  I can't believe it either- it is going by too fast!!!!


 

Just being a ham for the camera!!!



Ta Da!!!!



One of my favorite pics of her lately!!!!  She is just so happy and now she has started to do this face which I call the cheese grin!!!  She is just so happy all of the tie, from the moment we look in her crib in the morning until she lays her head on my chest at night telling me she is tired, she is a pure joy!!!!






So to document her stats this month- She weighs about 17lbs, she is in 6 month clothes but because of her length she is moving quickly into 9 month clothes.  I think she is going to be very tall.  :0)  And we are still in Size 2 diapers because she is a skinny girl, just very long!

 

Anyone who knows me IRL knows I hate toes that are not manicured and neat.  I love baby toes though and am always loving and playing with her beautiful little feet...... well I decided to paint her toenails the other night, and I must say she looks sooooo cute with little painted toenails!!!

We have been so busy this last month remodeling our master bathroom and it is finally DONE!!  I have taken pictures all along the way and I am  going to do the next blog post showing the progress and what it looks like now- not even close to the same bathroom!!!

Hope everyone has a wonderful Friday and a glorious spring weekend!!! I am speaking at my university's graduation tomorrow, so that will take up my whole Saturday, but it will be so wonderful to see my students graduate and go out into the field of RNs!!!!



My Very First Mother's Day

Well one of the most anticipated days of the year for me, happened yesterday.... My Very First Mother's Day as a mom!  And I must say it was everything I had hoped it would be and more.

First off Baby girl turned 31 weeks old yesterday, She is just growing like a weed.

She is a total tease with the camera these days.  She always acts so bashful and puts her little hand up in her mouth when she smiles, but she is not bashful at all, then she just lets out a loud giggle in delight!!!

We took these shots as we were on our way out the door headed to church.  We decided to make the long 45 minute drive to our home church in Hampton to worship with all our "family" of church members.  When we get in there it just feels right.  So we decided that we are going to bite the bullet and just make the drive to our home church each week.  We feel like this is the church where the Lord wants us, and that is reason enough for us.
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And of ourse my sweet Momma joined us for church and then we all came back to our house and took "Mother's Day" pictures, which you will see below.  Chloe was so happy all day and man she was smiling for the pictures.....

Mommy and Chloe

Daddy and Chloe

Then my Mom starting playing with Chloe and trying to get all her kisses..... she just loved it and squealed with delight!!

Then we finally got a nice family portrait of the 3 of us outside under the shade tree.  I think this is the best one we have every taken of the 3 of us!!!\-

Then what I had been waiting so long for.... it was time to give my amazing Mom her Mother's Day present.  I had had it for awhile, but I was trying to be patient and wait until Mother's Day to give it to her.  So I was ready of course with e camera, and sweetness was filming it!!

So firstly she reads the card....while we stare at her; then she opened up the inside if the card- and she saw them!!!  There were 2 inner circle tickets to see Yanni LIVE on 6-5-12!!!

Here she is crying, although you can't tell from this picture, she was really really surprised and it was so nice to see her so happy!

There is no doubting that smile or this kind of happiness!!!!  Yeah!!!  Goal was accomplished~~ to make my Mom feel loved and feel soooo special.  She is truly the best Mother any one could 've ever had.  She is and has been my best friend for 36 years and has sacrificed everything so that I could have the latest and greatest when I was a child.  I can never thank her enough for everything she has given and taught me, but the best way I know how is to raise Chloe in the nuture and admonition of the Lord.

It was a really fabulous day with tons of love and laughter to go around.  After opening presents, Sweetness fired up the grill and we grilled out chicken and ate out on the patio.

Thank you Mom, Sweetness and my Chloe Bug for making my first real mother's day a day I will never forget!!!