Jason is here!

Jason Ezekiel is here!  I know I haven't posted in a really long time, and I left you hanging at the worst time possible.  I apologize.  Life has been pretty hectic.

Anyways, Jason was born on Saturday, Oct. 6th at 4:28 am.  He was 7 lbs. 6 oz. and 21 in. long.

On Tuesday, Oct. 2nd I started having irregular contractions.  Then, that night I started my bloody show.  I was still having irregular contractions on Wednesday.

Thursday was when I was able to actually time my contractions.  They would jump around a little bit, but for the most part they were five to seven minutes apart.  I got checked on Thursday and I was two centimeters dilated and almost completely thinned out.

On Friday, my contractions got more intense and they were closer together.  They were three to five minutes apart.  I went to my OB that morning, and I was three centimeters dilated and again almost completely thinned out.

My OB then said to go to the hospital because he thought I was close enough and that I would have a baby within 24 hours.

We arrived at the hospital around noon on Friday.  They then started pitocin around one and two in the afternoon.  I labored for the rest of the day and night.

On Saturday around 2:30 am, I started pushing.

Finally, at 4:28 am on Saturday, Oct. 6th, 2012, Jason Ezekiel was born.  He is a healthy baby boy.  His doctor says that he is perfect.

He had an appointment on Wednesday to check his weight, and he was already 7 lbs 5 oz.  On Monday he had been 7 lbs 2 oz.  He is an excellent eater, and a pretty calm baby.  We are extremely lucky and happy with the family that we have.

35/36 Week Pregnancy Update

We are officially nine months pregnant.  Wow!  It’s hard to believe.  Time has flown by so quickly.  We are almost to the end of the road. 

As we get closer, I’m slowly getting more and more miserable.  It’s harder to get comfortable at night, and I am constantly out of breath.  My ribs are almost always aching, and my back is starting to hurt more than ever. 

But that’s what we call pregnancy.  If I didn’t have these symptoms, then I wouldn’t be pregnant.  Which would mean little Jason isn’t in my belly.  I love Jason being in my belly. 

It is the most amazing thing to feel him moving, and to be able to tell how he’s situated.  Just the other night Mason and I could feel an elbow or knee poking out of my belly.  It is no longer gross for Mason, but it’s entertaining and special.  I find it amazing to see Mason feeling Jason move, and smiling.  His face is full of a big smile when he gets to feel him move.  The other night Jason had hiccups, and Mason could feel it. 

It’s so special because we know that soon this will be over.  Soon Jason will be outside of my belly, and all of this will go away.  Of course we’re excited to see him, but we’re also scared.  It’s scary bringing a baby in the world.  You have all these what-if’s.  We want to make sure that we are financially ready, but we don’t know how we can be any more ready than we are.  Everything is pretty much set, and we can’t really do anything else to prepare. 

All I have left to do is finish washing all of his clothes and blankets.  Then, I have to move all of his stuff from the spare room into our room.  I’ve made room for it all, now I just have to move it from one place to the other.  It is organized in the other room, but we need most of the stuff in our room because it will be easier.  We’ve also pretty much got everything that we need for him too.  Now we are just randomly buying diapers.  We should have enough newborn and size one diapers, but we don’t have any size two.  Therefore, we’re going to start stocking up on those.  If we need newborn or size one diapers, then we’ll get them when we start getting low.  That way we don’t end up with a ton of extra diapers that we never used. 

Mason’s dad, whom we are talking to again, is going to throw me a small shower.  That will give us more stuff, but we’ve got practically everything now.  My mom is getting the going home outfit, and Mason’s coworker is getting us a memory book.  The only thing Mason and I have yet to get is the first-aid thing that comes with nail clippers and all of that.  But we may be getting that from Mason’s family. 

As a little update, we officially have the truck paid off.  We made our last payment two weeks ago.  After that we had to get it inspected.  It ended up needing new back brakes (the front ones will be going soon, but the mechanic didn’t want to charge us more at the time), and a sway bar.  He also put the muffler on right so that it won’t keep falling off.  It turned out that it wasn’t a very cheap inspection, but we are happy because the truck is fixed.  It feels good to know that the truck is legal, paid off, and reliable. 

Anyways, my symptoms.  I’ve already listed a few, but there are a couple others. 

First, I thought I didn’t have energy before, now I really don’t have energy.  I’m still cleaning two houses with my mom to bring in at least a little extra money.  I know a lot of people work this far into their pregnancy, but it’s pretty tough on me.  I am still getting down on my hands and knees to scrub floors, which is not very easy on my back, but I do it. 

I’m actually pretty proud of myself seeing as I’m still cleaning.  In the beginning I didn’t expect to still be cleaning this far into my pregnancy.  I pay the consequences though.  By the end of the day, my feet feel like they’re about to fall off, and my back is killing me.  I’m also completely exhausted, and feel in desperate need of a nap.  Unfortunately, I am not a day sleeper, so it is very difficult for me to take a nap while the sun is out.  So I always go without a nap, but most of the time I go to bed a little earlier.

Getting around is even more difficult than it was in my last update.  I find that I need to always have support when I’m getting up.  I can’t just hop up anymore, but I have to ease my way up.  Once I’m standing I have to stand still for a couple seconds to make sure I have my balance. 

I was clumsy before I became pregnant, and we had thought that I had become clumsier in the beginning.  Now I’ve been having plenty of close calls where I feel like I’m going to fall, but I haven’t.  I know it’s not good to have close calls, but I’m being as careful as I can.  It’s just I can no longer see my feet, and I often end up tripping over things. 

Plus, I am not used to having a huge belly.  It is in the way a lot more now.  I’m always accidentally bumping things because I don’t realize how big I am.  This just recently started being a problem.  I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when I get even bigger. 

Before, I didn’t really have a problem with going to the bathroom.  I went once a night, and during the day I went pretty often.  Now I go about 3 times a night, and I have to go every two to three hours during the day.  I also can not completely empty my bladder.  Once I think I’ve finished I go to get up, and realize that I still have to go.  Therefore it takes me a little longer in the bathroom. 

I still haven’t really been having any swelling, but I have been having a lot more cramps.  Sometimes I get little cramps in my hand, but most of the time it’s always in my right leg.  That happens at least twice a day now where it used to not even happen every day. 

I think I’ve been having “lightning crotch” too, but I’m not sure what it feels like.  I’ve just been having random pains in my pelvic area when I stand up, or at random times of the day.  This doesn’t happen that often though; just every couple days. 

I believe that’s pretty much it for my symptoms. 

Now, I had a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday.  Everything was perfect, but it was definitely a more interesting appointment than usual.  First, my OB measured me, and she told me that I’m measuring two weeks ahead, but that it’s fine.  Then, she went to try and get the heartbeat. 

Well, first my OB always checks to see how he’s positioned so she can hear his heartbeat easier.  When she started feeling my belly she told me that he had no room.  She said that my belly was so tense because he filled it so much that she couldn’t even tell how he was positioned.  In the end she had to guess where his heartbeat would be.  She found it low in my belly first, but she had been pushing on my belly to move him at the same time.  My OB wasn’t happy with how it sounded, so she tried to find it somewhere else.  She then found it high in my belly.  This made her concerned that he had turned breech somehow.  I have no idea how he would manage this seeing as there is no room for him to flip. 

Anyways, she was worried that he was breech, so she tried to find it in my lower belly again.  Luckily, she found it, and she liked the way it sounded.  She assured me that he was still head down, which I was very happy about.  I know that if he decides to flip into a breech position, that it will be very difficult to put him where he’s supposed to be.  It is possible for my OB to manually flip him, but because he has no room, it would be really hard.  Obviously, I was really relieved. 

At this appointment, I also had the strep B test.  I will receive the results of this next week. 

Plus, I had my first cervical check.  I was very nervous about this because I had heard that it is really painful.  I was also in the room by myself because Mason was working.  Therefore, I really couldn’t find any comfort in anyone. 

I had talked to my mom about it beforehand, and she had told me it wasn’t bad, but I wasn’t reassured.  I was still pretty scared. 

But, I’ll have you know.  It really wasn’t bad.  It was really uncomfortable, but not so much painful.  It was also very quick.  I expected it to be much worse, and it really wasn’t.  Now I can’t say that this is the same for everyone because it may not be.  Everyone’s tolerance is different, and no one body is the same. 

The result of my cervical check was that my cervix was closed.  My OB told me that I would not be having him any time soon, and that I was in for the long haul.  I’m not sure whether I’m happy about this or not.  I want him to stay in there as long as he needs, but I can’t wait to see him.  I’m so excited to be a mom and take care of my baby.  Of course, I don’t want to have him yet.  I want his lungs to be completely mature, and I don’t want him to have to spend any time in the NICU. 

Besides that, I gained one pound; making my total weight gain 22 pounds.  I was worried that I was going to gain more than that because of having my baby shower and eating cake, but it didn’t turn out that way. 

So that’s it for my regular appointment stuff.  But I have an appointment update.  My OB is leaving to go to family practice.  Actually, this was my last appointment with her.  Surprisingly my OB hadn’t even told me that she would be leaving.  I found out when I was checking out, and I was told that I had to see the male OB next time.  I’m not comfortable with a male doctor, so I was pretty upset about this. 

Plus my original OB is really nice, and I have had her for this whole nine months.  I don’t want someone that I barely know to deliver Jason.  I was comfortable with her, and I trusted her. 

Luckily, there will be another female OB coming in.  She just won’t be in next week, so I will have to see the other OB once; hopefully not more than once.  I’m still pretty upset about this, but there’s nothing I can do, so I’m pretty much just going with the flow of things.  I just hope my next OB is as nice as this one was. 

That is the end of my 35 and 36 week pregnancy update.  Thank you for reading, and have a great day.  Please let me know how your pregnancy is going in a comment below.  Also, if you have a blog that you would like me to check out, then leave the link below.  I will be happy to return the favor of you reading my posts.  Thanks again!

35 weeks and 4 days Pregnancy Belly

35 weeks and 4 days pregnant.  My total weight gain is 21 pounds.  As you can see, in this picture he is extremely high up.  Do I look bigger than my last belly picture?

Ultrasound Update

I'm sorry for being late with this update.  As you know on Monday of last week, I had an appointment.  One appointment was for my ultrasound to check his size, and my next was just a normal one.

First things first, my ultrasound.  Jason is definitely still a boy, and he is perfectly healthy.  We had a great time being able to see him again.  He has Mason's big nose, and it looks like he has his big lips too.  The ultrasound technician also said that it looks like he has hair.  She pointed it out to us, and we saw it too.

All of his measurements came out fine.  He is a big baby: 6 pounds 3 ounces.  We were told this could be off about a pound each way.

Then, I had my regular appointment.  I gained one pound at this appointment, making my total weight gain 21 pounds.  They measured me, and I measured a 38.  This means that I'm measuring three weeks ahead of what I should be.  My OB said not to worry about it though.

His heartbeat was normal, and everything was perfect besides the fact that he's big.  As of now, we are not determining any kind of plan because of his size.  Right now everything is going to go as normal.

Mason and I both have a feeling though that Jason had another growth spurt.  I feel enormous, and Mason says that I look a lot bigger.  I've also been told by several people that I look a lot bigger.  This may cause us to have to figure out a plan.  We will see.  I have another appointment tomorrow, on Wednesday.  This will be when I get my Strep B test, and when my OB does the first cervical check.

I will update you tomorrow or the next day on how my appointment went and post my pregnancy update.  It seems like there is a lot to update on for that.  Thanks for reading and have a great day!  Don't forget to check back in a couple days for my normal pregnancy update and appointment update.  Thanks again.

Looking for a fast, cheap typist?

My dream is to be a stay at home mom that can still bring in a decent income; nothing big, just something to bring in some extra money.  

My skills are in math, writing, grammar, and typing.  During my whole high school career, I was in honors English.  On top of that I got honor roll and high honor roll every semester.  I've also been in honors math my whole high school career, with excellent grades.  

To name a few, I have taken Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry, and Pre-Calculus.  I am great at algebra; it is my favorite out of all of my math classes.  

Besides that, I would still prefer to be a stay at home typist.  I type 65-80 wpm, and I've gotten better as I practice more.  My accuracy is 98-100%.  It is never below that.  I have plenty of free time on my hands, and I would be more than capable of putting the hours in.  I am also skilled with computers, and Microsoft Word Processor.  I am a very quick learner in technology, so I would be able to pick up on any different program that you may use.

I can start working immediately, and I can work at any time of the day.  I'm a very fast learner, and I'm dedicated.  I would never let you down.  I can promise that I'll be one of your best workers in the way that my work will be quality work, and I will put everything I have into this job.  

Thank you for reading this, and I ask that you please give me a chance.  I have my high school diploma, and I'm very smart.  You would not be disappointed in me.  If you have an opportunity that you would like to speak to me about, my e-mail is mason.cassandrasfamily1246@gmail.com.  We can talk further through e-mail, and then speak on the phone.  Thank you.

Baby Shower Surprise!

You wouldn't believe it.  As you know, I thought my baby shower was going to be after labor day.  This apparently was not the case.  

My mom had told me that she was cooking food for a party that she had to go to Sunday, and that my gram was going along too.  I was all excited that Mason and I would have the house to ourselves.  

Mason had told me that we had to go to our family friend's house for a picnic, and that I had to dress nice.  He also said that we would be getting water first.  We were supposed to be at the picnic at 1:15pm, and it was around 1:10 and we were still looking for the water fountain.  By the way, we get water from a local spring for Mason to take to work.  Once we get more gallon jugs we plan on only using spring water when we have our own place.  

Anyways, I keep telling Mason that we're going to be late, and he tells me that we're not.  I keep looking at the time like, "Uh, yeah we are."  Of course, he keeps reassuring me.  

Well, the whole time he's like I don't know exactly where the water fountain is because we were looking for a different one because the one we normally go to didn't have a lot of pressure.  All the sudden, he pulls into an alley.  I ask him, "Did we miss it?" 

He tells me, "Here you are." with that nice smile on his face.  I look around and see white and blue balloons and streamers and my family sitting around.  That's when I realized Mason had tricked me, and that they had surprised me with a baby shower.  

So I was actually surprised with a baby shower.  I expected to know the day and everything, but I had no idea.  Luckily I had listened to Mason and changed into nice clothes.  

I got a lot of nice stuff, and had a lot of fun.  It was a little awkward being the center of attention and getting to eat first and all of that.  It wasn't something I was used to, but it was fun.  I am very blessed to have such a supportive family.  

I will be posting a list of everything I got because everything was written down for me so I can send thank you letters.  I'll post this possibly today, and I might take a couple pictures depending.  You will see more pictures of the stuff when Mason and I get the room ready and have everything set up.  

Also, my ultrasound is later today.  Mason and I are extremely excited to get to see Jason again.  We can't wait.  I'm also having my regular doctor's appointment after the ultrasound.  Therefore, I should have a post today or tomorrow about how that went.  

That is my special news for the day.  Thanks for reading and have a great day.

Handmade baby shower gifts (pictures)

 

These are pictures of the quilt that was made for us.  I'm not sure how well you can see, but the second picture shows the stitches.  This was done without a sewing machine.  It looks amazing.  The stitches are perfect.  I can't imagine how long it took to make this.  I love it.  The design is extremely adorable.

 

The little booties that were made for us.  It's part of a set.  They are really adorable.  I can't believe people can make stuff like this.  It's perfect.

 

This is mainly to show the sweater because I have a close up of the hat next.  The sweater is also handmade.  It looks perfect, and I love it.  The colors are great, and the whole set matches really well.

 

This is the hat that goes with the whole set.  I really like this hat.  It'll be nice and warm for him.

 

I am extremely thankful for all of these things.  They are so adorable and perfect.  I can't believe how lucky we are to have people take so much time to make stuff for our baby boy.  I would never be able to make something so perfectly.  I honestly can't find one thing wrong with any of these things. 

 

I thought I'd share them with you because they are so special to me.  I love them, and I can't wait to use them.  Thanks for reading, and have a great day.

Our Crib (Pictures)

 

This is our crib.  I really like it, and I can't wait to be able to use it.  The blanket is in there just for decoration right now.  We won't be needing a blanket in the crib because we have wood heat.  It's always really warm in the house when you have wood heat. 

 

Also, I know that the bumper is not safe anymore.  My mom wanted me to keep it in, and I was going to keep it in until he could roll over because I talked to an adult friend of ours that her daughter had a son and used it until he could roll over.  She works in a hospital.  After that, I asked my nurse at my doctor's appointment about it, and she said that it is okay up until they're 2 1/2 months old.  Then, they can roll themselves over without actually meaning to just by kicking their feet.  I shortened this, and decided I will be taking it out when he's two months old, or before depending on how he is.  I don't just go on statistics because I know every baby is different.  I won't go past two months with it in, but I may take it out before two months if I feel that he is strong for his age. 

 

The picture that is on the wall will be taken down this weekend or next when we finish moving the room around.  I don't trust a picture being over the crib, and I definitely won't be keeping it there.  We have little pillow decorations to go on the wall that matches the set. 

 

So that's our crib.  I hope you like it.  If you have an recommendations or anything please let me know.  I'm open to suggestions.  This is my first baby, and I know that I don't know everything in regards to safety and all of that.  I want everything to be perfect for Jason.  Thanks for reading and have a great day.

34 weeks pregnant baby belly

 

34 weeks pregnant baby belly!  Do I look any bigger from my last picture?  I feel so much bigger.  Jason is still really high up, and he hasn't dropped at all.  This is a good thing because we want him to be completely healthy when he's born, and not have to spend any time in the NICU.  I personally wouldn't mind going past my due date on Oct. 2nd, except for the fact that I can't wait to see him.  My total weight gain is twenty pounds, and still going up.  We're getting close to that 25-35 weight gain goal, but who's counting anymore.  At this point, I don't think we can stop the weight gain.  I'm just accepting it, and being proud that my baby is healthy and growing.  Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

33/34 Week Pregnancy Update

Welcome to thirty-four weeks pregnant.  It’s been an amazing journey so far, and we’re getting so much closer to the end of the line.  Only six more weeks! 

Am I excited to be done?  Well, in some ways I guess I could say I am.  What with all the achiness and not being able to do everything I want to.  Also, I can’t wait to see our little boy, and be able to hold him in our arms; that I’m very excited for.

But I also enjoy being pregnant.  I love watching my belly grow, and feeling him kick.  Watching him deform my belly is now daily entertainment, and Mason feeling him kick while we cuddle is just another added bonus. 

Anyways, these past two weeks have been pretty amazing.  I had one of my baby showers, and we got a lot of adorable baby clothes.  I feel especially lucky because we got some cute homemade things.  I’ll be sure to post pictures of these things.  The first is a handmade quilt.  It is completely handmade without a sewing machine, and the stitches are perfect.  You would not be able to tell that she didn’t use a sewing machine.  Next, we got a cute handmade outfit.  She made little booties, a sweater, and a perfect hat.  I did not expect anything handmade, so this was a great surprise. 

After that, Mason and I got started moving the bedroom around so we can fit the baby stuff in here.  It turns out that it didn’t exactly come out right though, so this weekend we will be finishing it.  Besides that, we got the crib up!  The sheet is on and everything is ready.  I am so thankful to Mason for putting it together.  It was pretty entertaining trying to figure it out.  You see, it was the crib my mom used for my little sister and I.  Therefore, there were no directions.  We ended up asking my mom for some help, but for the most part we figured it out on our own. 

Well, that’s it for the random parts of these two weeks; now for my symptoms.  

Everything has pretty much been the same besides feeling achier in the ribs and in my back.  I’ve still been really out of breath.  I haven’t found a way to help with this.  No matter which way I lay, I still feel out of breath.  I’m not out of breath all the time though, just when he’s especially high. 

I’ve also been having some heartburn.  It hasn’t been that bad though.  Going along with this, I sometimes feel like my food is still stuck in my chest.  It doesn’t seem to want to settle.  I think I’ve been having a little bit of an increase in my appetite too.  I still can’t eat too much at once because of not having a lot of room, but I’ve been having more cravings.  One of which is chocolate milk, so this pay we will be getting chocolate syrup. 

My morning sickness has been so much better.  I haven’t gotten sick in over three weeks.  I still get nauseated, but not nearly as bad as it used to be.  This is a great change for me.  I didn’t like being sick all the time, but I had gotten pretty used to it.  I would never complain about morning sickness because it’s a part of pregnancy.  I’ve had the best pregnancy, and being sick hasn’t ruined it at all. 

Getting around has been another big symptom now.  It’s hard for me to bend down and pick up things.  I have to be reclined when I sit instead of sitting straight up.  Sitting straight up makes my ribs ache quite a bit.  My balance is pretty horrible right now.  I have to hold onto the rail going up the steps just to be safe.  I also still get leg cramps in my right leg most of the time while I’m walking.  This causes me to have to walk really slowly because it is very uncomfortable, but it goes away quickly. 

Finally, I still do not have any energy.  I get tired after cleaning houses, and I go to bed early almost every night.  I haven’t had any trouble sleeping though which is good.  The only problem I have is getting out of bed in the morning.  It takes effort now to lift myself up out of bed. 

Anyways, that’s it for my symptoms.  Let me know what your symptoms are in a comment down below. 

Last but not least is my doctor’s appointment.  As you know I had a doctor’s appointment on Monday.  This one was a little bit more eventful than the last one. 

First of all, Mason got to go this time because he got rained out.  We were both really happy about this. 

So Jason is perfectly healthy, and his heartbeat was normal.  I gained four pounds this time, making my total weight gain twenty pounds.  I wasn’t very surprised about this weight gain because I had been feeling really huge.  All of the weight that I gain goes to my belly (isn’t that a sign that you’re having a boy?).  I haven’t gained weight anywhere else, which I’m happy about, but I’m not too happy yet.  I’m thinking that I’m going to end up gaining everywhere when I’m just about to have him.  I’ve heard that happens to some people. 

As for the exciting part of the doctor’s appointment: my doctor was measuring my belly like usual, and I asked her how much she thought he weighed.  My mom had asked me to ask her because she was curious, and Mason and I were too.  She then told me that he was measuring big, and that she wants to order an ultrasound to check his growth.  She also said that her guess would be six pounds, but that she’s not very good at guessing weights, and that we’ll know for sure at the ultrasound. 

I personally think he’ll be between 4 ½ and 5 pounds.  My mom thinks 5 ½, and Mason thinks 4 ½.  We’ve kind of made a guessing game out of this on what his weight will be.  So take a guess in the comments below, and I’ll let you know on Monday what he weighed. 

Anyways it turns out that next time I went it would have been the last time I waited two weeks for my appointment.  After my appointment at 36 weeks I would have started going every week.  Instead I’ll be having my regular appointment after my ultrasound which means I’ll be going to every week appointments early.  This happened when I went to two week appointments.  I was just about to switch to two week appointments, and then she wanted to have my gestational diabetes check early.  Mason and I both find it weird that that’s how it worked out. 

Now we’re expecting a bigger baby, but my OB said that the ultrasound might show that he’s right on track.  Mason thinks Jason might have been sticking out his butt when she measured me, but we’ll find out on Monday. 

Also, Mason will get to go to this ultrasound, which is amazing.  We’re both extremely excited to be able to see him again before he’s born.  My mom will also be going to the ultrasound.  It’s supposed to be about a half hour long, and we have a great technician that always gives us a good look.  It’s funny because I was thinking that I wanted Mason to get to go to another appointment before Jason got here because he hasn’t heard his heartbeat in a long time.  Now he’ll get to go to another one, and get to see Jason again. 

So I think that’s about it.  I’ll be posting my belly picture and a few other pictures today.  I’m going to give you an update on Monday or Tuesday on how my appointment went.  Now every week I’ll give you an update on my appointments if only just to let you know that he’s healthy.  They may be short, but I’ll add in any random things that I can.  I’m still deciding whether I’ll go to weekly pregnancy updates or not, so we’ll see.  Just keep a look out.   Thanks for reading, and have a great day.  As for those that are pregnant and reading this, I hope everything is going great, and that your baby is healthy. 

Our Bunny Rabbits

This is Bridget, a black dwarf.  She is relaxing in the grass at the moment.  This used to be a rare occasion for her.  She would never actually sprawl out and kick her feet out.  We got her when she was almost a year old.  She is now over a year old; slightly older than Abby.  She attached to me, and will now give me a kiss on the nose every time after I pet her for a while.  She will not do this for Mason, and is not attached to him, but she doesn't mind him at all.

This is Abby, a callico.  She is exploring around and staring at me as I'm taking the picture.  We got Abby for Mason's 18th birthday when she was only a baby at 7 weeks old.  She immediately attached to Mason, and she only tolerates me.  Abby loves Mason to death, but sometimes she is not too thrilled about not getting to be the leader.  Mason is the one who is the head bunny, and she doesn't always like this. 

We are still in the process of bonding our two bunnies.  Abby wants to be dominant, but Bridget is not so accepting of this.   Also, she is pretty timid with Abby, so they don't get to interact very much.  Bridget always runs away when Abby gets too close.  Their times together are filled with Bridget stomping her feet and running away.  They say two females are the hardest to bond, and we have definitely found that out.  We won't give up though. 

When we get our own place, we are thinking about getting another dwarf bunny for Bridget to play with.  Abby doesn't get along with other bunnies, or other animals in general, so we're not planning on trying to bond her with another rabbit.  We do think that Bridget will bond with another bunny as long as we take her with when we pick one out. 

Anyways, here's our two rabbits.  We love them very much.  I love having bunny rabbits.  Unlike dogs, they aren't very trusting.  Just picking them up the wrong way, or hurting them will break their trust.  Some bunnies may not like being picked up at all.  A bunny's trust is earned, which makes it all the more rewarding. 

Abby was quick to trust Mason, but Bridget was not so quick.  She always made a lot of noise, and was very timid.  But eventually after a lot of loving, she marked me as her own using her chin.  Now she gives me kisses on the nose, and allows me to pet her.  She will also grind her teeth, and ask to be petted. 

I would recommend a bunny to anyone.  They are very cheap and easy to take care of.  If you have a young child, it would be a great first pet.  But keep in mind, it is a bunny's nature to chew things.  They will chew wires because it is their instinct.  Mason and I found this out very quickly with Abby.  They also need exercise.  In these pictures, Abby and Bridget are playing outside in their playpen.  They love it out there, and it's nice to see them sprawl out in there cage after a good long play. 

8 Months Pregnant Belly

My baby belly at eight months pregnant.  I just got my new camera, and I'm extremely excited.  The quality isn't the greatest because of the lighting, but it works.  I've gotten so much bigger since my last belly shot at seven months.  I knew he had a growth spurt but it's so hard to tell until you see the pictures side by side.  My total weight gain is sixteen pounds.  Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

31/32 Week Pregnancy Update

We are eight months pregnant!  I can’t believe how close we are getting.  Have we started the countdown yet?  Mason and I have been counting down the weeks with a note of fear and excitement in our voices.  We are so excited to be parents and raise this child, but the idea of it is still scary.  Money is what scares us, but we have faith that everything will work out.  We have a plan, so we’re not going into this with nothing.  That’s what makes us feel more comfortable about being a family. 

So to start, surprisingly I have noticed a slowdown in Jason’s movements.  Of course he still moves a lot, but it isn’t like it used to be.  I don’t like this at all seeing as I count on his movements to tell me if he’s okay.  I believe this is where everything gets the most stressful.  I worry about going early, and I am terrified that something could happen in these last few weeks.  I hate voicing this worry, but it’s true.  Do other new mom’s feel that way?  I can’t be the only one. 

Something else that has surprised me is that his kicks rarely hurt.  There has been a couple that hurt a little bit, but nothing serious at all.  I always thought that once they get stronger it starts to hurt.  But the only ones that have hurt me are when he really stretches my skin, and he’s also kicked my back twice.  I wonder if it’s further along that the kicks start to be painful.  It’s hard going into this without a clue of what to really expect.  That’s why I make this blog.  Even though I’m learning, at least someone can still learn from my pregnancy. 

Anyways, my symptoms.  My morning sickness has gotten a lot better.  I still get nauseated sometimes, but I haven’t actually gotten sick in a couple weeks.  I forgot to mention that at my last doctor’s appointment we figured out that it was my prenatal that was making me sick.  So they switched me to Flintstone Complete vitamins.  Since then I have been sick a lot less.  I can’t believe it took us so long to realize it was the vitamins that were making me sick, but at least I know now. 

Next, I don’t have any energy.  I can sleep in until ten in the morning, and still be yawning at two in the afternoon, and be ready for bed by nine or ten at night.  I feel like a bum because of how much I sleep, but I guess pregnancy is an excuse.  At least I still get stuff done during the day. 

My newest symptom is a weird feeling in my legs.  It’s always my right leg.  When I stand or walk, every once in a while I’ll get a weird feeling that goes down my whole leg.  It starts at my hip and goes all the way down to my feet.  It feels almost like your leg is falling asleep, but different because it’s not the tingling or the squeezing feeling that you get when your leg falls asleep. 

I talked to my doctor about this at my doctor’s appointment and she said it was perfectly normal.  She said if it caused me pain in my butt/hip then it was probably my sciatic nerve, but if it’s my whole leg than it’s probably him putting pressure on the blood vessels to my legs.  Either way it’s not too bothersome or painful.  It only happens once in a while and it usually goes away within five minutes.  So it’s not too bad of a symptom for me.  

Besides that all of my symptoms have been pretty much the same.  I still have the achiness in my ribs.  It’s getting a lot harder to pick things up off the floor.  I get out of breath a lot, but it’s not all the time.  I think I’ve been a little bit more moody lately.  I haven’t really had too bad of moods throughout my pregnancy, but lately I’ve been feeling so jumpy with my emotions.  One minute I’m laughing hysterically, and the next I’m as serious as can be.  Thankfully I don’t break into random crying fits though. 

I still haven’t had too much swelling.  I think there have been times where I have gotten swollen, but not bad.  I could only tell because of that feeling you get trying to bend your fingers or toes when they’re swollen.   It hasn’t been bad at all, and it’s only happened a couple times so my engagement ring still sits comfortably on my ring finger. 

I’m not sure if this is a symptom or not, but I have been nesting really badly.  I have to wait until the baby shower to get everything ready in Mason and I’s bedroom, and it’s killing me.  The baby shower should be coming up soon, but I can’t seem to wait.  I can’t stop thinking about how we’re going to change the room around to fit the crib and everything. 

The reason we’re waiting for after the baby shower is because we want to know everything we have to fit in our room first.  Therefore, we can make room for it all at once instead of reorganizing the room more than once.  I can’t wait though.  I want to get the base of the car seat in the truck, but I can’t because it’s a baby shower present.  I want to dust everything and make it really clean but I can’t because it would be pointless to dust twice because I would end up dusting again before we put the baby things in here.  I know that once I get everything ready though I won’t be able to wait for him to get here.  Everything will be ready; we’ll just have to wait for him.  That will drive me insane.

So that’s pretty much it for my symptoms.  I’m extremely thankful that my symptoms haven’t been bad at all.  I feel like the luckiest pregnant girl in the world.  I have an outstanding fiancé that’s always there for me, and I have so much support from my family.  This pregnancy has been flying by, and there haven’t been any complications.  We are very blessed. 

Finally, as you know I had an appointment on Monday.  Everything went great.  His heartbeat was normal, and his growth was right on track.  I swear he had a growth spurt because I feel a lot bigger now.  My belly button is still in, but it’s puffing out around the edges of it.  And it’s getting pretty obvious no matter what I wear that I’m pregnant. 

Basically, my appointment was the same as usual.  I managed to make my OB laugh though.  She asked how my heartburn was, and I told her that it was good and I haven’t had to take my prescription for it.  I also said that the only thing that kills me is barbeque chips because they’re so good.  She said, “Middleswarth?”  Middleswarth is a brand of potato chips that only the state of Pennsylvania has.  They are extremely good.  So I said yeah, and she started laughing.  Then she said that she had to go buy some now because of talking about them. 

I thought this was funny.  I wonder how many pregnant women mention what they’re craving, and then the OB has to go buy some because she hasn’t had them in a while.  We pregnant girls are bad influences. 

Lastly, you wouldn’t guess how much I’ve gained.  Five pounds!  Five pounds in two weeks.  That makes my total weight gain sixteen pounds.  I’m pretty happy about this, but at the same time I’m worried.  I keep thinking, “What if I gain five pounds at my next appointment too?”  I’ll be getting close to my 25-35 pound mark if that happens.  But what can you do?  You have to gain weight when you’re pregnant, and you might as well be proud of taking care of your baby.  At least I’m not underweight.  I’m glad that he’s healthy and growing perfectly. 

That’s it for these two weeks.  It hasn’t been much of an eventful time, but who needs it to be exciting?  We just want Jason to be healthy, and stay in my belly as long as possible.  Thanks for reading, and have a great day.  And if you’re pregnant and reading this, I hope your pregnancy is going just as well as mine.  Let me know in a comment below.  Thanks again.

29/30 Weeks Pregnancy Update

We are inching closer and closer to my due date.  I can’t believe how fast time is flying.  This pregnancy has gone by so quickly.  I wonder if it’s because we didn’t find out until I was 9 weeks pregnant, so we just started the pregnancy off weird.  Anyways, we only have 10 or so weeks to go.  That is crazy! 

Unfortunately these past two weeks have been pretty uneventful.  I say unfortunately because it gives me less to update you on, and makes this update not as exciting. 

Jason is kicking all the time and freaking Mason out.  He is also always on my ribs which gives me a horrible achy feeling, and makes it harder for me to breathe.  But I still love him more than ever. 

I find myself really wanting to settle down now.  Before I was kind of still in the stage of squeezing in whatever we could before he got here, but now I’m really excited to be a mom.  I know it won’t be easy, but I’m excited for the responsibilities.  Don’t get me wrong, I’m worried and scared too.  Babies aren’t cheap, and Mason doesn’t have the best job even though it’s stable. 

Yet, I know people have made it by with less.  I try to be thankful for what I have because I do have a lot.  I have parents that help me as much as they can, and Mason’s dad is too.  I’ll be having three, yes three, baby showers. 

Let me explain.  Mason’s dad’s family doesn’t get along with mine because of their drinking habit.  Therefore, Mason’s dad is throwing me one with the girls from their family.  Plus, I think you already know that my mom is throwing me a baby shower with my family.  And finally, my cousin is throwing me a baby shower also.  Mason’s dad’s baby shower will only be about five people, and my cousin’s will only be about four.  My cousin is throwing a baby shower because of the fact that she doesn’t know my side of our family, and we wanted it to be a fun small get together where it could be personal. 

Either way I am extremely excited for all of them, and I feel very blessed to be supported by so many people.  God has a plan, and I know that this was part of it.  It has only turned our life around for the better.  Of course it’s brought struggles along with, but what is life without its battles? 

So, to get back on topic.  I haven’t had many symptoms.  I’ve been pretty achy like usual especially on my ribs.  I’ve also been having a lot of trouble breathing.  I can’t seem to get comfy in bed, but I still sleep fine once I fall asleep.  It just seems that every time I lay down I can’t catch my breath even though I don’t lay on my back.  My appetite jumps around.  Sometimes I feel like I could eat and eat and eat, and other times I don’t want to eat at all.  I’m not sure if this is normal or not.  Please let me know.

I’ve also still been having back pain.  It is all over my back.  I know my upper and middle back is in pain because I haven’t been able to crack it in months, and my lower is obviously from the weight change in the front.  Surprisingly I still haven’t had much swelling or leg cramps.  I still wear my engagement ring all the time, and I don’t have any problem with the shoes that I wear besides I like my support a lot more now. 

Well, I believe that’s pretty much it for my symptoms.  Let me know what your symptoms are in a comment below. 

Now for my doctor’s appointment.  You’ll be happy to know that Jason is perfectly healthy.  His heart rate was 145 which she said was perfectly normal.  She also measured my belly and told me that he was right on track.  I was very happy to hear this as I’ve been afraid that I haven’t been gaining enough weight.  As you know, at my last doctor’s appointment I lost three pounds.  They weren’t worried, but I was.  Isn’t that how it always is? 

Well, before this appointment I had been eating quite a bit, and Mason and I went to a restaurant too.  I was sure that I had gained like five pounds, but I was still worried.  So the first thing they do is check your weight and ask you to pee in a cup, right?  So I always get weighed before I go to the bathroom.  My nurse asked me if I wanted to go to the bathroom first so that I could shed a couple ounces while in there because a lot of women like to do that.  Of course I said no because I wanted any extra weight I could get. 

So it turns out I didn’t even gain a full pound!  Granted I was only a couple ounces off, but still.  I asked my nurse if my weight was okay, and she said yes it was okay because I was still gaining and making up the difference of what I had lost.  Later I asked my doctor to double check and she said that it was good too.  She told me that they like you to gain between 10 and 25 pounds.  In the beginning I was told 25 to 35 pounds, so that was confusing.  I think she might have said that because that’s like the least amount they want you to gain. 

Anyways, my total weight gain now is eleven pounds, and it’s all baby.  I know everything’s fine as long as he keeps growing at a normal weight, so I’m not too worried now.  I’m actually pretty proud that I haven’t gained more than I was supposed to. 

That’s it for this update.  I hope you enjoyed, and that you could relate.  I would love it if you left me a comment down below.  Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

Update (Allergies to Cats)

I know, I know.  I owe you a huge apology.  I haven't posted in weeks!  Normally I am a little late with my pregnancy updates, and this was the case at first.  But then we had to go to Mason's dad's to housesit while he was on vacation.  Unfortunately I didn't have internet access there which I didn't know beforehand.  I thought I would have internet there and be able to update you guys. 

Anyways, excuses never work, so I apologize for not posting for that period of time.  I have my 29/30 week pregnancy update mostly typed, so that will be posted today.  I will also be posting my 31/32 week pregnancy update after my doctor's appointment on Monday. 

You will also be happy to know that I'll be getting a camera this week or next.  At the latest it will be Friday.  That means more belly pictures, and who knows what else.  I love taking pictures so you might get to see some random photography on here. 

Oh, and just a random little sidenote.  I was completely allergic to Mason's dad's cat who is a fluffball with a lot of hair.  I knew that I was a little allergic to certain cats before this because if I would pet a cat and then rub my eyes, they would get really itchy and if I continued to itch or rub them they would get cherry red.  But it only happens with certain cats, but I had it happen before with his cat.  I thought I would be fine though if I didn't pet her. 

Little did I know that I didn't even have to pet her.  Cat hair was covering the house, and therefore quickly covering me.  I was congested whilst having a runny nose and sneezing all the time.  My eyes were irritated, and they watered a lot.  There were times where I sat there just holding my hands over my closed eyes to stop myself from rubbing them. 

So I am extremely happy to be home.  I feel better already from the fresh air.  I know now that I will never own a cat.  I've always been more favorable towards dogs, but I still liked cats.  Now I still like cats but they obviously make me pretty miserable. 

Again, I'm sorry for leaving you hanging for so long.  Like I said, I will post my 29/30 week pregnancy update today and my 31/32 week pregnancy update after my doctor's appointment Monday.  I should also have a baby belly picture this week or next once I get my camera.  Which by the way I am extremely excited about. 

Please forgive me for not posting.  Stuff like that is a rare occasion so you won't have to expect a delay like that again.  If I know that I will be away, I will be more prepared.  Thanks for reading, and have a great day!

How to Succeed in a Relationship

There are many people that are fighting to keep their relationships going.  They may be close to divorce, or just close to breaking up in general.  When it comes to having children together and keeping them happy, relationship is key.  It has to be healthy and well-rounded, but how can we do that?  What are the tricks that slip our minds, but are so easy that they can turn a relationship around in a short period of time?  Here is what I’ve found that has saved my relationship.

1.       Communication

Many people may say, “Well, duh!”  The truth is that a lot of relationships do not have good communication.  This is something that may just be what’s driving your partner insane. 

Things like not making decisions together, keeping things from each other, or not explaining your feelings to one another are all part of bad communication.  No one can expect their significant other to read their minds.  Once someone has been together so long, it may seem like they can hear each other’s thoughts, but they still use communication.  Communication is what brought them to this stage in their relationship.  They couldn’t have learned so much about each other if they were silent all the time. 

Therefore, when there’s a big decision that has to be made, include the one you love in it.  Even if you believe it only affects your life, ask them about it.  They might have a different perspective that you hadn’t even thought of. 

Next, don’t keep secrets!  Secrets are like a brick wall between you and your spouse.  When you aren’t open with each other, then you don’t learn about each other.  Many people only want their loved one to know the good things about them, so they keep their bad habits a secret.  This is what ruins things when you move in together.  It is a lot more difficult to keep secrets when you’re living under the same roof.  Plus, they will definitely notice your bad habits that you tried to hide.  So be open with your loved one from the start, and tell them everything about you.  Once you break the ice, they will be more likely to open up to you and everything will go both ways.  Believe me, you won’t be the only one with extreme gas, or the only one that steals the covers at night. 

2.       Trust

Trust is earned, not given.  Once you break someone’s trust, it is harder to get it back than it was the first time.  This is a hard truth to learn.  Some people are easier to gain trust than others, and other people can’t trust at all.  This is something that you have to expect in a relationship. 

Signs of little or no trust is calling your significant other multiple times in the day to check on them, or accusing them of stuff that you believe they did even if they didn’t. 

Sometimes you have to take that leap in someone even if it means getting hurt in the end.  That leap is what makes your relationship.  When you are always walking on your tip toes, your relationship isn’t going to be enjoyable.  The key is to give your loved one a chance.  If you don’t give them that benefit of a doubt, then you may not get that in return.  It isn’t easy to live in a relationship that has no trust.  In that case, you need to do everything in your power to gain his/her trust and keep it. 

There are ways to do this; some I’ve already mentioned:

a.       Honesty: Always be honest about what’s going on, and don’t keep secrets.

b.      Loyalty: This includes not cheating on your loved one, and many other things that I’ll mention later.

c.       Communication: When you talk to your loved one about everything, they will gain more trust in you.

These are just a few of the ways that you can gain trust from your spouse.  Remember, once you make one mistake and lose that trust, it is harder to get it back.  So think before you do something.

3.       Loyalty

Ever heard that saying, “You can look, but you can’t touch.”?  Unfortunately, many people go by this.  They believe that they can look at a girl’s chest, or a guy’s butt and get away with it because they didn’t actually do anything.  What they don’t think about is how that makes their loved one feel. 

When you do this, you are disrespecting that person that you love.  Do you love that girl walking down the street, or that guy walking without a shirt on?  No, I’m sure you don’t because you don’t know them.  You don’t understand what makes them tick, or what they enjoy doing.  You only see what they look like, and people can look attractive on the outside, but be completely ugly on the inside. 

Plus, when you look at someone in that way, it tempts you.  You may think, “Oh, I would love to have her/him in my bedroom.”  Sadly, this is what causes people to cheat.  You may not think that you would follow through with those thoughts, but eventually you might.  Maybe you got in an argument, and you don’t feel good about your relationship right at that time.  So you go out and cheat on your significant other.  Then, you come home, and he/she has made dinner for you to make up for the fight. 

How would that make you feel?  Obviously, you would feel horrible for what you had just done, but would you tell them?  Many people wouldn’t because they wouldn’t want another fight, or they would be scared that this would end their relationship.  This makes a secret, and a big one at that.  Again, secrets are a brick wall.  And all secrets add to another secret which in turn adds to another brick wall.  Eventually you won’t be able to even reach your loved one because the brick wall is so thick and tall.  

Just think about it.  One brick wall falling doesn’t make that much of a mess, right?  But think about five falling.  That’s not too bad.  Now think about fifteen.  We’re getting pretty messy, huh?  What about fifty?  Now we’re talking about a serious clean-up. 

One secret may not be that bad, but one always leads to another, and another, and another.  One may not ruin a relationship, but more than one might.  Not only that, but you don’t normally get caught with one secret.  A lot of times what happens is once they find out one thing, the whole ball of secrets comes into play because they figured it out.  This is what makes the mess.  This is what ends relationships.

So be loyal, and don’t cheat on your significant other.  Keep your eyes on the one that you love because that’s where they belong, and show them that you only love them.  This will keep your relationship going strong.

4.       Respect

This involves being loyal, but many other things are included.  Respect is a big part in a relationship.  When all you do is put that person down, and treat them like a dog, then your relationship isn’t going to last.  Your loved one needs respect.  So how can you respect them? 

Well, in order to respect someone you have to put yourselves in their shoes.  You need to understand what they go through every day.  Once you learn to think of that, it will be easier to respect them.  This may include respecting that they work long hours, or that they are very close to their parents. 

Now how can we respect these things?  Well, if they work long hours, you should get things done before they get home.  You should not wait for them to get home and ask them to help you.  They have had a long day, and it is nice to come home to a clean house where they can relax for the rest of the day.  Also, if they are very close to their parents, even if you aren’t, you need to respect this.  Don’t make fun of them for calling their parents so often, or going to visit them a lot.  You may not feel the same way, but everyone is different. 

Respect also includes watching what you say.  Arguments happen in relationships, but it’s how you handle that argument.  Respect is not screaming at each other, or getting into each other’s faces. 

These are just a few ways that you can have an argument respectfully:

a.       Keep your voice down.  No one appreciates being yelled at.

b.      Listen.  It’s always better to listen then talk.  You learn more this way, and you often save yourself by not saying what comes to your mind first. 

c.       Don’t try and talk over each other.  The point is to listen, learn, and take turns talking.  You won’t get anywhere if you keep talking over each other.

d.      Understand.  Don’t just think it’s your way or no way.  You have to understand their side.

There is many ways to respect the one you love, but keep these in mind.  They have the ability to change your relationship for the better if you follow through. 

5.       Miscellaneous

Miscellaneous can include surprises, or just anything.  Most of the things I’ve stated above are kind of expected.  They are not the special things that sends your spouse head over heels, but they will definitely bring a huge difference.  But the miscellaneous things will be what makes your relationship the best you can make it.

Like I said, miscellaneous is like surprises.  It’s anything that you wouldn’t do normally.  Maybe buy your girl flowers and chocolates, or if you want to go all out, a piece of jewelry.  Girls, if you don’t make dinner for them already, surprise them with a nice dinner.  Guys you can do this too.  Don’t forget to go out on dates where you can have your much needed alone time. 

There is an infinite amount of things that you could do for your significant other to surprise them.  The key is for it to be something that you wouldn’t normally do, and something that they wouldn’t expect of you.  This will make it even more special. 

There you have it.  These are the five ways I’ve found that make a relationship as perfect as it can be.  Even if a relationship can’t be absolutely perfect, you can make it really close. 

This is all from my personal experience, and what has worked for us.  All of these things are a lifesaver, and we continue to use these every day.  It’s saved our relationship, and made it a healthier and happier engagement.  With the stress of life, you need that person to come home to that makes you the happiest person in the world. 

Keep in mind that this may not work for everyone.  Again, this is based on my personal experiences.  These five steps should bring a change to your relationship, and bring love back to life.