Harley Jean

Happy Holidays everyone! On the 23rd of December we had what my ob (who I love) calles a 'fast free ultrasound' so that my mom, who is here on her Christmas vacation, could see the baby. My ob never came out and told me 'its a...' but he did tell my mom so that she could tell my grandma on Christmas. However he did let me look so that I could make and educated guess. My guess is that we are going to have another girl. So, in May we will more than likely welcome into the world baby Harley Jean. And if you are wondering the spelling will probably change before she is here. We will go back in January on the 20th for the full level 2 anatomy scan and will post more pictures then! But until then...Enjoy!

Legs side by side, potty shot, tail bone to the left legs to the right


head and face, legs pointing left the birght spot between them is her hand



3d profile looking to the right sucking her tumb

Another potty shot legs to the right

2, 25, 25, 18

No not a football hike or game scores. Those are things we have celebrated so far this month. On the 10th Daisy Ann turned 2 and James turned 25, we celebrated the weekend before with a small, but it was still a happy birthday for them!

As of today, I celebrated my 25th birthday and my 18th week of pregnancy! I am officially 5 months pregnant!! Woo hoo, 2 weeks to the half way point and 22 to the finish line!

I wish everyone a happy holiday season and hope you and your loved one are happy, safe and healthy.

Birthday's

Just a note: James' 25th and Daisy's 2nd birthday parties will be on Sunday the 6th at our house at 12:30. I am providing food, cake, and drinks. I wasn't all the ball enough to get invitations sent out in the mail this year. So if you can come we would love to have you. It's at our house. If you can make it please just write a reply to this blog, or if you can call!

Hope to see you all there!!

4 years

Just a quick note to say Thank You to my wonderful husband James for 4 years of marriage.

Dear Santa

Today we got the girls' Santa pictures done. Aunt Jenni says Daisy looks like Mary-Kate and Ashley Oleson from their Full House days. Either way it was fun...

Doing Marriage Math

So the other day I got to thinking about how this is my 3rd child in 4 years of marriage. Then I thought I would do some math (even though I hate it). My husband and I started dating in the end of June 2005, 3 weeks later I found out that I was pregnant with my oldest. We got married in November 2005, so we dated for a total of 5 months before we got married. This year, in a couple of weeks actually, we will celebrate our 4th year (48 months) of marriage. When the new baby comes in May we will have been married 4 years and 6 months.
So, assuming I can add right, 48 months of marriage + 5 months of dating + 6 months until baby = 59 months my husband and I will have been together.

Of the 59 months we have been together I have been pregnant 30 (I dont care what they say 40 week IS 10 months). Given that 59-30=29 months we have been together when I haven't been pregnant.

Up until just this August I have been sick for 18 months, plus one month of recovery from my surgery. Then adding in 4 months of recovery from child birth (8 weeks each child currently born at the moment). 29 weeks of not being prego - 23 weeks of illness and recovery = 6 months that my husband has had a non-pregnant completely healthy wife.

The man has put up with so much from me (not all of it my fault) that I truely think I must just keep him forever, because he has seen me at my worst and only had glimpses of me at my best and yet he stays with me without complaint. (He even, after 15 hours of work wont even complain if I ask him to stop on his way home to pick something to eat up when I get a craving!) I really do love that man *Heart*

Gender Identification

No we can't tell what it is yet. But I thought I would update on what my husband calls cruel and unusual punishment. As I mentioned before, I do not want to know the sex of the new baby is. Partly because its going to be my last, and also I want James to be the one to look down after hours of labor to say "Its a ......!" He will not be attending the ultrasound appt. in December and even though he desperately wants to know ahead of time I wont tell him, because I won't know either. (he's lousy at keeping secrets anyways)

BUT my only living grandmother's health is not that spectacular and being as she's a planner (she love to plan suprise birthday, anniversaries and what not) and she really wants to know to so she can start planning, I will be taking an envelope with a paper that say BOY/GIRL and I will have my doctor circle which ever baby is put it back in the envelope and seal it. I will send it out immeadately and she has been sworn to secresy. She may not even tell my grandpa-which she thinks is hillarious. When I told her last night she went out to the living room where my grampy was and started singing "I'm going to know something you wont know!"

I've decided to buy neutral things until baby's arrival, and I am going to make a Dr. Seuss themed nursery set and then after baby's born we will have a shower/show off party!

an update on #3

This is a picture of baby 3 from today at 10 weeks 6 days. The heart beat was 168. To read the picture correctly: to the left in the dark blob is the baby's body, to the right looking slightly detached (its not really just looks that way) is the baby's head. If it helps you the chin is pointy and the two dark circles to either side are the eye sockets, the baby's head is laying on its arm w/ the hand to the back of the head so you cant see it.

pumpkin carving...kind of

So today we carved/painted pumpkins for Halloween. I know the carved one wont last that long, but we did it early so daddy could be a part of the fun.

Daisy painting her pumpkin....and herself

Painting her leg

Baylie working on her masterpiece...and her pumpkin too.

The girls and daddy helped me make a face for our family pumpkin. James told me shapes, the girls helped me draw them on-then daddy gave them a much needed bath!

Daisy's finished pumpkin

Baylie's finished pumpkin

The finished family pumpkin...I think I'll call him....Henry.

Henry with the lights out and a candle in :)

The mess after all the fun :( But thats why there are 3 rows of drawing paper taped to the floor!

up for opinions

I am strongly thinking about using cloth diapers with the new baby. After doing my research today I am leaning towards a brand called SmartiPants. They use inserts that you dont have to touch to wash like most insert brands, and they have a one size system-which means when you buy the recommended 24 thats all you have to buy, they grow with baby from 7lbs to 35lbs. They also have a built in waterproof outer layer, so no diaper covers or plastic pants! What do you think, would you use them? Better for the environment and the pocket book (on average at our house we use a box of diapers every 2 weeks X $20/box X 3 years = about $2,000 for one child) compared to $320 for the 24 cloth diapers. I know there's the arguement about energy cost because of extra laundry, but even if we used all 24 in one day that's only one load of laundry. Anyone else have input?

Because I said I would...

Okay I said a couple of weeks ago that I would post an ultrasound pic of soesbe baby 3. And I will put some up of the kids and one pretty one just because. No, I did not get my camera fixed, I just figured out how to get the pics off my phone onto the computer and into file formatt to be downloaded here!

So first up...the tests. And would one do? Nope because it was from the dollar store and James and I both thought it was probably wrong with the positive result-afterall it was only a dollar...so then we got some more spendy digital tests...i didnt take pics of the read out i dont think, but i took pics of the acutal tests....

Moving on about 4 weeks to the first ultrasound to yeild results...

Let me tell you what ur looking at the little light colored blob inside the squash-looking dark blob...thats the baby at 7 weeks

Now the kids- baylie after she got her hair cut by me...just out of the shower, its much cuter when its dry and fluffy-

Now Daisy begged me to put the head band on her then she walked around for a few mins saying "I pretty!" so I took her pic-

Lastly, this was my very first sunflower to bloom this summer the color was so awsome in real life-

hey people where are the updates??

So there are a few of you that read my blog, trust me I read yours as well. So I know you all lead exciting busy lives but I have to say "HEY YOU GUYS, WHERE DID ALL THE UPDATES GO??!!" Beth, I really look forward to your updates: who's walking and talking and causing trouble? How are you feeling, how is the pregnancy going, how bout some pictures of you and the kiddos?! I have no email for anyone so I can't just send one off! Jess, how are you and the boys, how bout some more pics of them and you? Any closer to coming home?? Jami love, I know you feel like I do...yuck!...but hey were are your tummy pics and some updated ones of Madi. Jee whiz I feel so out of touch with everyone...so frustrating...................

PS. since I am talking about updates quickly I will say everyone in my house is doing fine, my camera is still broken, James got a job yesterday with TSI (yay) which means I am back to being a stay at home mom. ttfn

Seeking Advice from all Moms!

Hi everyone, I am looking for a breast pump. I need advice as to a good one for large busts. I need an electric one because of the large bust thing. It would also be a good thing if it didn't break the bank. I just don't know what to buy...something with lots of suction for sure and I dont know what.... help!

taking it week by week

well i am 8 weeks into baby #3, and so far its been rocky. the morning sickness is killer with this one and it seems to be a VERY picky eater because i can only eat a few things so long as they sound good at that moment. and what i've come to realize is that it may sound good before and during the cooking process but more often than not after its done and ready to eat it no long is appealing to me. but with luck i should only have about 4 more weeks of this particular brand of torture. but since my camera is broken i have no way to post the pictures from the last ultrasound. but what i can do (and i think its so neat that they can do this) is give you a picture of someone elses baby at this week in developement so you can see inside the womb. This site is so cool. grr okay i cant get the picture to upload, but if you follow the link and go to "far along" then put in your due date or mine (may 20, 2010) it will take you to a page that is soooo neat. ttfn

Make a pregnancy ticker

#3

I do have pics from this appt. but there isn't much you can see with the untrained eye. I will try to get those up later. We found out that I'm farther along than I thought I was but still not as far as the charts say I should be. I am exactly 7 weeks today, giving me an actual due date (yay!) of May 20, 2010. We hope we have a healthy baby-we got to see the little heart fluttering away in there (YAY again) but honestly we would really like a boy this time. My dr remarked on the fact that i lost about 5 lbs from last tuesday...he called it a heck of a weight loss program but not for long! anyway, it was nice to have the good news, now maybe i can sleep alittle at night now. my next appt is on the 28th of this month, there shouldnt be much to report at that one, just a heart beat...which as of today was 138. and if youre wondering that is about 30 beats less than either of the girls were at that same age.

A quick post

for those who dont know and didnt pay attention to our new heading, we are expecting child #3. the exact due date is unknown right now as my last monthly visity does not seem to corrispond to time of conception as it normally would. i have another ultrasound this week with dr beck and hopefully we can see more than we did last week. he is fairly optimistic that even though the timing is off that the pregnancy will go normally. although he did mention that because mine is so early that i should know that 45% off all pregnancies at this stage end in misscarriage. but being as i've had two normal healthy ones he thinks things will be fine. again we will know more on the 1st. if you want my guess at a due date i would say the end of may to the beginning of june.

Baylie tested positive on monday for influenza a...we will know in a couple weeks if its h1n1 (swine flu). she is trying to recover from that. but as i type james is at the clinic with her because we are seeing little progress and she is over half way through the medication. my worry is pneumonia. * update* not pneumonia.

I am sick as well. I have bronchitis and an upper respiratory infection. normally they would give me an inhaled steriod to help but they can't becuase of #3. so i am stuck with tylenol, psuedaphedrine, and robitussin (yucky!!). Sleep has been difficult becuase baylie has been ill and nights are hardest on her.

James and daisy remain well. apparently so far daisy seems to have a super human immune system. she shares everything with baylie and hasnt even come down with the sniffles. James continues the hunt for a job. i continue to sub...which is finally starting to pick up. but i really must go lay down now, i am hurting something fierce. so ttfn

Given Freely

Something given freely with no string or expectations attached can sometimes bring you more than you ever thought possible. But when love is given freely (and love comes in many forms) it is the most beautiful and touching thing ever. If you dont know about our situation right now its not great. James and I as a couple are fine, but he lost his job 3 weeks ago and hasn't been able to find anything yet, so our financial situation is grave bordering on dire. I have been stressing on how we are going to make our bills, buy food, and the clothes that Baylie needed for the winter. By the generosity of someone very special to me (she's been like a sister for almost 17 years because her sister may as well be mine, and her family 'adopted' me a long time ago) a huge monster sized weight has been lifted off my shoulders in the form of clothes for my kids. She called it a trade because we pass on all of our outgrown kids clothes to her. I call it the best gift I think I may ever have had. Words do not even begin to express the gratitude I have for her and her husband. I never thought that the love we gave to her and her family in the form of hand-me-down clothes would have ever come to this- I hoped it wouldn't accutally. But somethings are out of our control. So once more for you (and you know who you are) thank you for love given so freely and selflessly that I only hope one day I can, in some way, repay it to you (and more than just hand-me-down clothes). I want you and your family to know that I have always loved you and held you close to me in my heart, and though you didn't need or have to do what you did, you are even more special to me now then I ever could have known you would be. Thank you.

God's Hands

I know that God's hands are leading us and guiding us to where he wants us to be. But sometimes it feels like he's taking us way off the beaten path. The unfamiliar is scary and dark. And sometimes it feels like no matter how hard you try to get back to the light sunny path you liked so well that God's hands block every attempt. I know He never gives us more than we can handle, but right now it feels like He's testing the very boundary of that. Like he wants to make us say uncle over and over even though we are already on our knees crying for help. That which doesn't kill us only makes us stronger. I believe that sentence, but how close to death do you have to be to come out stronger. Nothing has worked out the way we hoped for, every inch we've gained since marriage has been painstaking and hard, just when we feel like we can make to the next inch we always get knocked back a foot. Lately it feels like we were really starting to climb that mountain and God's hands shoved us back down, into a cave we didn't even know existed. There seems to be no way to climb the walls of this cave, there's no rope, no hidden trap door, no ladder, and no one standing over us with an outstretched hand to help us back up. What do you do when you can't pay your bills, can barely put food on the table, the government won't help because of the work you've already done, you have to put tags on the one and only vehicle you have that runs, and your kids need new clothes and shoes. No matter how hard we look we can't find him a job, mine is as needed and I only get paid once a month, so all the work I do this month I get paid for next month. We cant make the bills we have due at the end of this month, and if we don't pay them on time we will never get caught back up. Baylie has dental work scheduled for next month that we can't pay for because we have no insurance now. I feel so lost and mad and frustrated, I can't even afford the medication I need to keep my stomach feeling okay after that surgery...which I can't afford to pay for now...even the little insurance wont cover. I feel like we are sinking and I can't stop it from happening it just is and that God, well I don't know what He wants from us yet.

Standing on my soapbox for a stupid reason

So here I go (walking to podium). I get so mad when people call Daisy Ann any thing but Daisy Ann or the nickname we gave her which is Banana's ( Daisy Anna Banana). I understand that grandparents are entitled to give their grandchildren nicknames as well, but the one I told everyone I hate and yet still ppl call her is Daisy May. It just sounds so hick and redneck like we should live in Arkansas, play banjos, and james should call me sis! I gave my children beautiful names, and Daisy is old and beautiful Ann is after my mother. James' mom and grandma both said they didnt want their names used and my step mom already has grandchildren named after her. So ppl give her a nickname all your own (like we call baylie roo or like della calls her baylie boo) but please stop making her sound inbred and for god's sake PLEASE STOP CALLING HER DAISY MAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Two weeks and a day...

So I got the okay from the doc to lift again, but to go slowly with how much and how long because the muscles are still mending and I dont want to strain them again. He also released me to start to try some soft foods... think smashed potatoes (no milk to make them creamy) or cold cereal anything but raw hard to chew things and of course meat and bread. Here are the totals from this weeks measurements:

Waist 381/2
lower stomach 45
rt thigh 25
lf thigh 25 1/2
lf arm 12
rt arm 13
bust 45
hips 43 1/2
Weight 210 with clothes on

TOTALS: theses totals are only from last weeks check. Waist -1 1/2, Lower stomach -2 1/2, Right thigh -1, Left thigh -1/2, Left arm -1, Right arm unchanged, Bust unchanged, Hips -1/2 ,Weight -5 lbs. Doing the math for you I am down another 7 all over inches!

TOTAL TOTAL: I've lost a grand total of 14 lbs and 17 all over body inches in two week and a day!! Only 50 more lbs to go! Which I expect to go a little faster now that I can get up and move and lift things again.

getting your full entertainment value

Sorry folks I realized that the past several post have contained no fun pictures...so i will now make up for my error. Enjoy!

This is baylie cousin dustin and daisy playing in the pool

the girls and cousin preston playing on the NASCAR slip and slide

baylie just about missed the stop there and landed in the grass!

Daisy never really got the the whole slip and slide thing, but she really had fun playing in the sprinkler thing and the stop pool at the end!

one week and 2 days later...

I am starting to feel better with each day...a few spots are still very sore, but I atleast have more movement than before. Here are the measurements taken today...

weight 215
waist 40inches
hips 44
bust 45
rt thigh 26
lf thigh 26
lf arm 13
rt arm 13
lower stomach 47 1/2 (adding in today, so no comparison made)

TOTALS: -9 lbs, -4 inches in the waist, -3 1/2 inches in the bust, -2 inches in the hips, -1/2 inch in each thigh, and my arms are unchanged. total inches gone: 10 all over.

And on a side note my friend jessica and her husband james had their triplets yesterday...they are small but for 10 weeks early everyone is doing very well. they could still use some prayers though.

I'm home

We made it back from denver last nite...or rather this morning about midnite. The dr did a nissen fundaplacation...you can look these up to know what exactlly they did to me...and then a pyloric plasty. In short, the took my stomach and wrapped it around my esophogus and then made the valve that leads from my stomach to my intestines bigger so food will pass easier. I cannot begin to express how much I hurt right now not to mention wicked runs! but my mom got me some truely beautiful flowers and james got me a bear. i still have the painful ablility to burp,but mostly everything goes the other way. there are 6 incisions...3 that go horizontally and are about an inch long, one that held a drain tube that looks like i now have another belly button, and 2 that go vertically. these hurt the worst becaue they go against the grain of the muscle. one is only about an inch long and is right over my diaphram the other is the problem maker because it is just under that other one but it is between 3 and 4 inches long and very swollen and bruised. thats all i can manage right now. ttyl

blog before i go

Well I am blogging tonight because tomorrow night I will be packing to go back to Denver for my surgery on Tuesday. We will be leaving in the morning on Monday because I have to be there at the hospital at 6 am on Tuesday. Hopeful we will get there in time to see my firend Jess who's also in the hospital (she's on bedrest with her triplets). Anyways, the pageant went fine the girls didn't win anything, but we still had fun. We found out who will hopefully be interested in what when they get older. Baylie really like the horses...no fear. Daisy REALLY REALLY like the beef. She got so upset when we had to leave the cows behind it was cute and funny.
Well this surgery will inevitably make me loose some weight, and I plan to start working out as soon as I get the green light from the dr. to help keep it off. So I will give my stats now and again every two weeks. I have put about 6 inches on since I was pregnant with Baylie...I would really like that to come off and then some so....

Weight (about 2 weeks ago with clothes on)- 224 lbs
Bust (today)- 48 1/2 inches
Waist (today)- 44 inches
Hips (today)- 46 inches
Upper Arm left -13 inches
upper arm right- 13 inches
upper thigh left-26 1/2 inches
upper thight right- 26 1/2 inches
wearing a size 18 to 20 depending on maker.

the powers that be say that my target weight at 5'7" would be about 135lbs give or take 10% which if my math is on would be between 121.5 and 148.5. Personally i think they are full of crap-i would look grotesque at 121 or even 135 pounds and honestly 150 would be nice but i am aiming for 160. so-agian providing my math is right- i have 64 lbs to loose!

Its been a while

I know I know its been almost a month since my last post. But we've had a lot going on! First, we got my mom and step dad a house in Moorcroft. And when I say house I really mean a 1970-sumthing single wide that needs lots of work. So we've been busy with that. Next my mom is back up for a while and I had the pleasure of navigating for her long distance over the phone...eat your heart out TOM TOM! (lol) Now that she's here the house reconstruction is in full swing.
We finally heard back from the stomach dr in denver. The news is that I really do need the surgery we went to denver for in the first place. This will happen Aug 4th. Then its a liquid diet for the next 6 to 8 weeks..woo. I have signed the girls up to do the Miss Campbell County pageant on the 31st of this month...and have been sewing like crazy to get thier outfits done...I am almost there-if it were a house I would say we are down to the punch out work. I will post pics when they are done all the way... and from the pageant as well. These things are sorta spendy so this will probably be the last one for both kids until they are old enough to want to be in them and to not need me on the stage with them. But its nice to have my house back to myself and to know that in a few weeks time I will be able to sleep in the same bed that my husband sleeps in. We have been busy busy busy...gotta enjoy summer while we can!

daisy's backyard beach adventure

First mommy said I should appologize for some the pictures being sideways, she says sometimes the computer just will not cooperate.
I say let the adventure begin!!!


This is me on the way to blue waters and sparkling sand...my very own beach!

This is me play in my oh so clear ocean!

I thought it was mighty fun to water the water

This is me getting a refill


Okay enough of the water...now I'm on my way to beautiful sandy beaches...

I played in the sand on my private beach

I was pretending to be a sand fair and I was sprinkling it everywhere!

I had lots of fun getting covered in sand

This is the point where mommy said..."Oh NO daisy dont EAT the SAND!"

I said "why?"

See like I said my own private beach....he he he

Contemplating the kids' life verses

I have been trying to find life verses for each of the kids...its not as easy as you think. I wanted to give them each something to live by to help guide them as they grow. I am open for suggestions. So far the front runners that I've found are: for Baylie Proverbs 3:11-12 which is "My child do not despise the Lord's discipline and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the child he delights in." for Daisy Proverbs 3:5-6 which is "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight." Tell me what you think!

more pics from the park

daisy in the sky


daddy and daisy on the shovel

baylie going down the big twisty slide

baylie on the big girl swing with great grandpa avery


baylie and daddy on the shovel

great grandma avery on top of the jungle gym

baylie and great grandpa avery on the baby swing

daddy helping daisy down the big twisty slide

Fun at the park

Hello. Since I didn't have the surgery yet and james has all this time off and my grandparents are here from florida we decided to go to the park today. Here are some pics!

This is the kids' great grandma and grandpa avery.

Baylie looking cool

Daisy lookin like a rock star

I absolutely loooooove this pic...if youre wondering that would be mud on her face from the sandbox....

More pics to come!!