>Baby Thumpin with a Side of Giggles

>

Even though this blog is a personal journal for me that I chose to share with all of you, I am hesitant to write too much about the really personal stuff going on. I am not worried out mentioning the fact that B needs to find a job and prayers would be appreciated, but I am careful with the details. It's not fun holding back certain thoughts, but I do feel very inclined to protect the ones I love and to maintain my integrity. It is never my intention to hurt or offend anyone so I do what I an in my writing to keep it tame. All this to say...

B GOT A JOB!!

A few weeks ago, a new landscaping company started working on the outside of my workplace. Everyone was so impressed with their work and attitude and could not stop raving about how happy they were for hiring this company to make our grounds look beautiful. I talked to one of the supervisors and he mentioned that they were hiring. I told B about it and he sent an application that day. A few days later he had an interview. We had not heard anything for almost a week so when I saw that same supervisor at work a few days ago I mentioned that B had had an interview the week prior and he said he would give him a call. Second interview was yesterday. Third interview with the big guns was today AND a lovely job offer! B happily accepted and we went out for dinner to celebrate!! I cannot even express here how happy I am! Thank you to everyone who shot up a prayer. I feel so good about this position for him. It is not going to be his life long job, but it works for now which is exactly what we needed. YAY!

***

Baby Mac did a tap dance for me tonight while I was enjoying some mandarin orange cream ice cream from the best local ice cream joint in town!! I freaked out! I had a mouth full and could not get words out to tell B so I just "MMMMM"ed and pointed to my belly. So my orange cream craving is a good thing! I can't wait to feel more of my baby!

***

So over at Kelly's Korner is the Show Us Your Life circus and here I am, partaking. I have not been very good at posting (or taking) pictures so feast your eyes! Last weeks was your wedding dress and this week is the wedding party. So I will post them all. Enjoy!!

My lovely dress! I took my MOH with me to dry on dresses the first time and this was the 3rd dress I tried on and I knew instantly it was THE dress. Short train. Fitted. Empire Waist with beading. PERFECT!!

My MIL made my vail. I picked out the fabric and it was done in 10 minutes! I love this vail and will save it forever.

The groomsmen! Looking so hot! We each had 6 attendants with one ring bearer and one flower girl. The men wore Cubavera shirts in a sage green color with khaki colored slacks. I tried to talk them into wearing brown sandals but they refused!

My sexy bridesmaids! They wore Victorian lilac dresses in different styles.

Me and my bestie MOH. Love this girl to death. She was my roomie in college and was the best MOH I could have asked for.

There you have it! Have a great weekend!

>13 Weeks

>

(baby love. B snapped the second shot when I was not paying attention...)

How far along? 13 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: Still only three pounds.
Maternity clothes? Just work pants so far.
Stretch marks? nada
Sleep: Sleeping okay. Starting to have limps fall asleep so I got a much needed adjustment.
Best moment this week: B and I had a great date night last week.
Movement: Nada, still waiting!!
Food cravings:Olathe Corn!!! OMG...boiling some now!
Gender: still don't know but I am really feeling like it's a girl!
Labor Signs: no way.
Belly Button in or out? in
What I miss: Having regular bowel movements. Seriously, people, the suckiest part of pregnancy so far.
What I am looking forward to: Feeling movements.
Weekly Wisdom: Going to the movies by yourself is so liberating!
Milestones: Nothing too different this week...

So yay! Baby Mac is just growing away! I am waiting to hear from my regular doctor (not ob doc) about getting a Swine Flu vaccine. My parents, and I, are just a bit worried about it. I know the media is making a huge deal over it, but I would rather be safe than sorry. I have to get a regular flu vaccine anyway. This has also started to change how I feel about vaccinating my baby. Before I was very weary about doing that. But I vaccine myself, even with new vaccines. I got the Gardisil vaccine 2 years ago. Whooping cough and Meningitis a few years ago. If i am willing to protect myself, I should be willing to protect my baby. What I am going to look into is spacing the vaccines so that baby is not getting more than 2 at a time with 2 weeks time, at a minimum, between those shots. Babies get twice as many vaccines now than when we were babies. This is my way of compromising.

What are your thoughts and feelings on vaccinating your baby?

Today B and I had one of the best days we have had together in a long time. We were up early, I made chocolate chip pancakes, B showered, I dressed and then we left the house with a mission. I headed to a local high school to drop off some items for my exchange student who is arriving in only 2 weeks (GASP!). Then we headed south to Longmont to pick up my ring. It is FINALLY done and looking better then ever! I visited my chiropractor and had a great adjustment! My hips are back in line and feeling great again! We then spontaneously decided to head to Boulder for lunch. We drove up to Pearl Street and ate at a great pub-like restaurant. We walked around, hand in hand, and just spent quality time together that we are so not getting by watching tv together. It was bliss!! B promised to take me out once a week now. I think we are both starting to realize this alone time is not going to be around too much longer, even though we will welcome our 3rd wheel with open arms! We are not going to be able to take a baby moon before the baby comes so we will have weekly dates out to spend time together.

My heart is still really heavy and sad for Stellan right now. I never realized someone could touch me so much without having met them, until I started to blog. There are a few of you I CAN'T wait to meet someday. Baby Stellan is a true miracle baby and has showed me what it means to live, no matter how hard a time he is having right now. I will think of him when I complain about finances and my achy back.

>PRAY PEOPLE!! Stellan Needs Us!

>

It is hard for me to hold back tear now as I write this. Our heart warrior, baby Stellan, is not doing well, not at all. Not even a little bit. By my own interpretation, I would say this is the worse leg of his SVT that he has had since before he was born. His brave mama is posting on and off to keep us updated but while gathering an army of prayerful people is necessary, it is not at the top of her list. It doesn't have to be. She knows we are out there praying for her son. No one wants to see this end badly. No matter how strong a faith one might have, no one wants to see their child meet the Lord before he has said his first words or taken his first steps. But it is that faith that heals and comforts us. So I am here begging each of you to take one minute to pray for blog baby Stellan. He needs us. His family needs us. The Great Physician will do what is already to be done. He knows the path that Stellan will travel and we all need to trust that, no matter how hard it is.

Thank you.

>My Name is Sarah, and I am a Hanson Fan.

>

(so hawt!!)

First off, a lovely shout out to my fellow Hanson buddy Clare! Of course I did not forget you girl! How can I contact you??

Next, thank you to those ladies who left such sweet words. Though we are not face friends you touched my heart. I feel much better!

Speaking of Hanson, they are coming back to Denver!! If you have not yet heard, I am a HUGE Hanson fan and damn proud of it. You can check out my post about their show I went to last November here. Anyway, I found out at the beginning of the month that they were coming to Denver even though they had not yet announced their tour. Just one of the lovely perks of having a bestie in the radio biz. FINALLY I noticed today the official date is November 3. I will be about 6.5 months pregnant and I DONT CARE! I am going to that show if it is the last thing I do before our kido comes. Today on my way to work I was thinking of cute things I could say on a maternity shirt. I am going to make something cute for the show.

Tonight I am going to see The Ugly Truth by myself. I love this whole going on a date with myself thing. It is fun!

Have a great weekend!!

>Godly Woman, Godly Wife

>

I don't really know how to start this post without just diving right in.

I wish I was a more Godly Woman and Wife. I love Jesus with all my heart, but I know I could do a lot better job in showing that love. Sure I pray to be just that, but my efforts fall flat and that is my fault. I am not a very good self-motivator. Never have been. The weird part is that statement is totally not true when it comes to my work ethic. I bust my ass at work and try to anticipate others needs, what I need to do next, and how I am going to do it. At home, that is a totally different story. For example, I cleaned the house on Monday for the first time in at least 2 weeks. I am not even sure when the last time was and that was only the second time since we moved in. Don't get me wrong, I love having the house clean and every time I get it into the state I like I vow that it won't get that bad again but then, sure enough, we both get lazy and fall short.

This is kinda of how it has been, if not worse, with my relationship with Jesus. I will get in these moods every few months where I will read my Bible and pray and be a good messenger for the Lord. Then I forget one night. And then the next night. And so on. I am not a morning worshiper. I love going to church, something which B and I have been doing regularly now. We love that time together and it is bringing us both closer to the Lord. But I still don't feel like it is enough. My dearest cousin is one of the most, what I would say, Godly Women I have ever known. Her posts have really been motivating and speaking to me lately. Having a close relationship with God is just as important to me as the one I have with my husband and B is starting to feel the same way. So how to we motivate each other? Before I was too tired or B was working or I whatever the excuse was for me to not follow through with something consistent. I don't want to be that wife or mother. I want my children to look up to both B and I as parents that love our Creator and influences them to want the same thing. I know that a relationship with the Lord is never perfect. It is always something to work on and I am feeling in my heart that it is time for me to seriously work on that relationship.

How do you bring Jesus into your daily routine? How do you stick to that routine? What do you do if you just "don't feel like it"?

One thing I want, but can't seem to find is a group of young married women our couples that want the same thing. A Bible study, prayer group...something like that. Our town does not have too much to offer in that sense. My church has a couples group but it does not meet during the summer. I am feeling lonely in the spiritual department. B is a great shoulder to lean on, but I feel like I really need a fellow woman to lean on. And I don't have any girlfriends here in town. I know it sounds crazy. I went to high school here and sure there are lovely ladies at work, but there is not one woman I feel like I can call or hang out with.

I pray all the time. I pray for our marriage, for the baby, money, health, family, friends, and people I don't even know (like some of you!). I am not praying for a close girlfriend or a closer relationship with God (yet). I am not one ask for help and that just might be my problem. So, here I am, asking for some prayer and any guidance you can offer. Tough as it is for me, I cannot do this on my own. I love you all. You have touched my heart and I know those of you who respond will know what to say, through Jesus I am sure, to perk me up, motivate my mind, and fill my spirit.

THANK YOU AND GOD BLESS!!

>200th Post AND 12 Weeks Going Strong

>How far along? 12 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: I'm a solid 134, three pounds since we found out.
Maternity clothes? Just work pants so far.
Stretch marks? None, but I have noticed my linea negra starting to show.
Sleep: Still sleeping well.
Best moment this week: We heard the heartbeat today! It was incredible!
Movement: flutters, but really nothing much.
Food cravings:pineapple, anything with bbq sauce
Gender: still don't know but I am really feeling like it's a girl!
Labor Signs: no way.
Belly Button in or out? in
What I miss: the motivation to get things done.
What I am looking forward to: feeling the baby kick! And not being stupid: today I did TWO loads of laundry WITHOUT soap. Who does that??
Weekly Wisdom: memory loss is a medical condition (duh!)
Milestones: linea negra line? yeah i think that counts. :)

Last week was totally boring. I worked, ate and slept. Sometimes I watched some tv (SUPER addicted to 16 and Pregnant) or a movie (went to see The Proposal by myself on Friday night-good one!). I have felt more consistent nausea this week. Usually shows up later in the day/evening and nothing makes me feel better. But I still eat and drink water. Feeling like crap is not going to let me deprive my baby of daily meals.

I went garage sailing on Saturday morning and found some cute things! A baby bath tub for $10, a few outfits and a diaper bag for $3. Tonight I spent some time in the pool and that really helped the literal pain in my ass I have had for the last few days. The pain runs down my right leg and sleeping the last two nights was very uncomfortable. It felt like I had bruised my tailbone. Ugh.

So yeah, this is my 200th post! I can't believe I have had that much to talk about in less than a year! I don't have anything fun to give away but I have a super fun question for everyone. I am working on a project and could use EVERYONE's input. The details of this project are still in the works and I will share them eventually, but not right now. Something else to look forward to! Okay, anyway...

Remember when you were taking sex ed in heath class while in high school and you pass condoms and birth control around, ask crazy questions and learn, what you're thinking, is everything you should know about teen pregnancy. WELL, so far the only thing I learned in my sex ed was that having sex makes babies. Duh. No one told me about the round ligament pain, the exhaustion, the discharge, the lightheadedness, the constant peeing....you get it. Now tell me, what do you wish you would have learned in sex ed about pregnancy? If you have never been pregnant, what do you want to know? There is no holding back here. TMI does not matter. So, that is your mission. Give as little or as much info and antidotes as you wish. I know I have a ton! Once everyone has had a chance to participate then I will create a post with answers and what not.

Now have fun! I hope everyone is having a great July so far (we are!). Only a few more weeks until my birthday and our 1st wedding anniversary!

Lots of Love,

Sarah

>Sorry 199

>This is my 199th post and it is an apology. One which I am sure is not necessary but my guilty conscience will not relent until I say sorry.

I have been the WORST Reader reader. I love reading all of your great posts, but after 4 or 5 at a time, I get so tired and uncomfortable. I am ready to just put the computer away and lay down. I am not commenting as much, which I wish I was doing more of. Thank you to everyone who has not abandoned me because of my laziness. You all rock and you know it.

On a side note, I love cake baking shows like Ace of Cakes and Cake Boss. I worked a 13 hour day today, babysitting until this evening. I feel so pregnant. My head hurts. My stomach feels huge. I'm nauseous. I'm tired. Nothing makes me feel better. So I am off to bed early.

>To Poop or Pop

>

My dear cousin Heidi first read the "milestones" comment as "pooping" and not "popping" out. I laughed so hard I scared the dogs. The funny part is that I am hoping that too will be a milestone too. TMI warning: it's not easy and if you have ever been pregnant then you know what I am talking about. I am trying to eat as much fiber as I can, but I also think my prenatal vitamin makes it worse. What do you think? I just wish all those gas pains were the baby's movements! It would make the whole process so much more interesting.

+++

My husband is amazing. A few weeks ago we went to the mall and since out jeweler closed, I wanted to take my wedding ring to a different jeweler to have my ring cleaned. We took it into Zales and they happily offered to clean both our rings for free. Before cleaning, they always check the prongs for looseness. Nearly all my prongs needed to be adjusted so they could not clean my ring. Because we did not purchase my ring at Zales, they would have to charge us $25 per prong. We have a lifetime warranty for my ring and our closest jeweler is 30 minutes from here. I forgot about the ordeal and figured next time we headed to Denver we could get it looked at. Welllllllllllll today B stopped by my work and picked up my ring to take it into our jeweler. I was SO happy he remembered to do that! B is not very good at remember to take care of things like that (like the DAMN VACUUM I asked him to fix almost 2 WEEKS ago!!!). But the ring is more important. Now I just feel super naked without it.

+++

I went grocery shopping tonight at a small organic store that just opened up not too far from where we live. Have you heard of Sprouts? There are a few stores in other states. It is kind of like Whole Foods but has been around WAYYY longer. I was SO impressed! I was able to get several organic produce items, a rib eye steak, two fresh-baked loaves of bread, and spaghetti sauce for LESS than $50!! I will defiantly be going back.

Lots of random things this tonight. Things are going really well and no complaints yet. Hope everyone else is having a great hump day!

>The Basics

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Ms. Jenna over at You, Me, and Babybee has been doing these cute weekly updates on general things so I am going to start doing it as well!

P.S. Jenna's blog is so cute! I just love reading all about her pregnancy. :)

How far along? 11 weeks
Total weight gain/loss: barely 3 pounds gained
Maternity clothes? Just work pants so far.
Stretch marks? Nada.
Sleep: Sleep great! Sleepy around mid day, but avoiding naps because that makes it harder for me to fall asleep at night.
Best moment this week: Felt some flutters this morning and popping out.
Movement: flutters
Food cravings: nothing really. in the moment i will want a certain something like cereal or cheese.
Gender: Boy?? no clue, really.
Labor Signs: no way.
Belly Button in or out? in
What I miss: nothing! I love being pregnant! I suppose the only thing is a glass of wine with dinner.
What I am looking forward to: Appt. on monday to hear the heartbeat for the first time!
Weekly Wisdom: Drink lots of water. Duh.
Milestones: Popping out!

>11 Weeks with an Update

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I think I "popped" a little bit this week! When I am not wearing my work clothes, people can actually tell that there is a little bun in my oven! I notice that the skin around my abdomen is a lot looser now. I can feel my belly touching the bed when I lay on my side. It's so exciting!

This week Baby Mac is almost 2 inches long and moving around all over the place. It will develop kick reflex, learning to push off the uterine wall when it runs into it. Baby may start to hiccup, bones are hardening, and the fingers and toes can now separate and flex.

I feel pretty good most of the time. My tiredness is starting to become less frequent and my energy levels are increasing. Though there are things I like to eat, I still don't think I have a true craving of anything right now. Recently, it has been bagels with cream cheese and golden grams cereal. I have noticed that I have been a lot more weepy this week. I cried almost every day and even at silly things like commercials. Since the spotting scare, everything has been great! Nothing else to be too concerned about and a week from today we will hear the heart beat for the first time!

+++

In other news, last week was pretty busy with work stuff and celebrating my mom's birthday on Sunday. Saturday night we went over to the house and had a BBQ. I got my mom the Willow Tree "Grandmother" figurine. She has been collecting Willow Tree for a few years now and of course it made her teary! On Sunday I took her to see My Sister's Keeper and it was really good. I did not like how they changed the ending from the book, but it was still nice. Today, my MIL came up to take us out to lunch and spent the evening with B and me. I made a nice spaghetti dinner and we just hung out. I love that kind of night!

Nothing too huge to look forward to for this week right now. Hope it stays that way! We like a mellow lifestyle.

Have a great week!

~Sarah

>Spotting Scare

>

I sooooo did not want to start today the way I did. I woke up at 6:15 to get ready for work. Peed and almost flushed when I noticed something I should not be seeing: some spotting. Then I flushed, straightened my hair and sat next to B on the bed. I carefully told him I was spotting and that I needed to go to the doctor this morning. I called my boss and lost it. I knew spotting was normal in the first 6 weeks or so, but not so much at 10 weeks.

My appointment was set for 9:30 so we waited. I ate breakfast, watched Twilight, and slept a little more. We were taken right in once we arrived at our doctor, stripped, and waited again. Doc came in, did a pelvic and saw the slight blood tracings. "Nothing too serious," he says. "Lets take a look at your baby."

I did not even notice the uncomfortable wand this time. I just wanted to see that flutter and some movement and we were more appeased by our little one. The heart was beating fast and steady and it was moving around so much the doc had some trouble taking a good enough pic to measure.

Look at that difference! I can't believe how much our baby has grown in two weeks!! The head is on the left and an elbow or arm is pointing straight up. My heart warmed again and we were both so happy to see that everything was just as it should be, minus the spotting. Baby measured at 9w3d, about 6 days behind right now. That is so relative though. My cycle was never 28 days. Doc had no real explanation for the spotting. Even though it was not the cause, he asked that we refrain from the bedroom hop for a few days. Poor B.

Since this morning, the traces have gone away (PTL!!!). I am trying to lay low and try not to stress out and worry too much. Things are a little hectic around here and I am having a hard time removing myself from the mediocre situations. This is my reasoning for the spotting: too much anxiety and stress.

Prayers are always welcome. I hope you are all doing well.

Oh and PS: I have never and will never try RMOs. Never. EEwww.

>Rocky Mountain Oysters

>

MMMMmmm looks tasty, huh? Kinda like breaded chicken. But the truth??

Well, the whole "oyster" part of the name is very deceiving. No part of this meal has anything even close to seafood in it. So, for those of you saying you were not really into seafood, well, no worries there.

So, what are Rocky Mountain Oysters?

A Colorado delicacy.

Comes from buffalo.

Deep fried (usually, not always).

BUFFALO TESTICLES!!!

I am so not joking. People actually eat this stuff. My brother likes it. Someone I work with said it tastes like liver and that she likes it. (who eats liver!?) Okay, so why did this little trivia question pop up in my post yesterday?

Well, it has to do with my grandmother's birthday. We had dinner at a new restaurant on a golf course near my parents house and it had really yummy food like Ruben's, Pasta dishes, wraps, salads, and big game dishes. Two people who joined us for the occasion were my grandmother's brother and sister from out of state. Her brother used to live in CO and knew all about Rocky Mountain Oysters. His older sis (from out of state) had no idea. So when she read the menu options, she exclaimed to her brother how much she loves oysters and how few restaurants serve oysters anymore (she's 81). Her lovely little brother played along all coy and encouraged her to order some Rocky Mountain Oysters. When the sever came to take her order, shock spread over her face as this frail old woman ordered bull testicles. She looked at her and asked her if she knew what RMOs were. When my great aunt found out what a true RMO was, she about had a heart attack and so did her brother, from laughing so hard he nearly tipped his chair over. I was sitting right next to my great aunt and heard the whole thing and could not stop myself from laughing. It was the meanest, yet funniest thing I had ever seen my great uncle pull on his big sis. It made me so happy to see two siblings still playing along with each other even in their 80s. My great aunt punched him in the leg and laughed it off.

So that is why I brought it up. Because that is one of the best things I have seen in a very long time.

Now, are you hungry???

>10 Weeks

>

Growing right along!

People are starting to notice at work and I just can't wait until it is VERY obvious that I have not just eaten one too many burritos. This week, Baby Mac is bigger than a quarter and about the size of a kumquat (huh? what's that??). I feel that 10 weeks is a HUGE milestone for us. The first 8 weeks are so critical and I am so glad that we are only 2 weeks away from the end of our first trimester! What else is "shim" up to?? Well, it's learned to swallow fluid and kick, though I am not really feeling any of that yet. Small hairs are starting to spike up on the skin and all limbs can now bend and flex. See how big the baby is in my fake uterus to the right?? SO COOL!!

In other news, our 4th was great, aside from rain and me being super tired. We spent the day with family from out of state, took a nap, and had a really nice meal.

Quick Trivia Question ONLY for those of you who DO NOT live in or are from Colorado:

Do you know what a Rocky Mountain Oyster is? Leave your answer in the comments and I will see who the winner is tomorrow.

We missed fireworks because of the rain and I was to tired to go see them. Sunday was a super lazy day and today I started a new shift at work that seems to be going really well so far. Overall, things are going okay. Please pray for my friend Elin. She just had a baby girl on Thursday and she needs heart surgery out of state. Thank you!!

Oh and about the alias dilemma: Hi, My name is Sarah and that is all you're going to get. I am keeping B, B because that is what he wants and my husbands wishes are most important. :)

>Annoyed, yet Satisfied

>What I'm annoyed with:

1) I am very sad that MJ, pop prince, left this earth 30 years too early. I am glad everyone else is also mourning this iconic loss. What I am not happy about is how people, aka the media, will not leave him and his family alone. Let the man rest in peace! Who cares about whether or not his kids are biologically his? Who cares about the rehearsal footage? Who cares about what drugs he was on? None of that stuff will bring him back. I just wish people would leave it alone. And that he was having a peaceful, private, ceremony to celebrate his life. I do, however, realize that he is going out in style with such a massive funeral on Tuesday, something which I am sure he is doing the moon walk over. But all the other stuff is just too much. I am tired of hearing about all of it because when people die, I want to say my peace, pray, and let that person rest in peace.

2) Everyone's pregnancy advice: If I want it, which you have seen, I will ask for it. No one here is giving me unsolicited advice and I like it that way. What I don't like is someone asking me if I am going to have a natural birth or not, and when I tell them I have the worst pain tolerance of anyone I know and that most likely, an epi will be necessary, that they instantly scoff and judge. Back the eff off! This is not about you people. (again, not directed to anyone here, just venting)

What I am satisfied with:

1) Our modest lifestyle: we no longer go out to eat or shop or go to the movies. I love doing all those things, but not being able to do them has brought us closer together, showed us we have a pretty decent movie collection, and that the doggies just love it when we are home to throw the ball or snuggle. All things which are priceless.

2) My church: really, our church. B loves it. He was raised catholic and we tried out a few churches in town before settling with my church that I have been a member of for nearly 10 years. I have always loved my church and the pastors and their messages and the people. Today, we really felt like our church is a home and a place we can't live without. More people are starting to learn of our Baby Mac on the way and are beyond excited for us. Our paster knows us by name and has even mentioned our famous lightening bolt picture in a sermon. I could not ask for a better support system of people all seeking the same thing: the love and comfort of Jesus Christ.

3) All of you: I have not yet said "thank you" to those of you who have just been there from the beginning, offering all your advice when I have asked for it, who have given encouraging words and great laughs. This community has been a great outlet for me, not just as a place for me to keep a journal of our first years married, but as a place to build a support system of pen pals, if you will. Thank you, to each and every one of you who comment, make me smile, laugh and even cry sometimes. You're all lovely and I hope we meet and hug someday. :)

>This Whole Pregnancy Thing...

>

So weird. Being pregnant is nothing like I imagined it would be for me. For one, I have never been so bloated in my life. This is worse that drinking three beers on an empty stomach WHILE on your period. Yesterday, I was so bloated that when I stretched, I could feel my stomach protesting. The stretching was just not going to happen. While the bloat gives me a cute little tummy, it's not really the pregnancy belly--yet. And no that note, I cannot wait to have a belly to show off. Before I was ever pregnant I could imagine myself with a belly and it made me so excited to think about.

Yesterday, at 9w3d and nearly 2 and a half months pregnant, I felt our little Baby Mac bump up into my abdomen! It was the COOLEST feeling ever and now I have been trying to lay really still to see if I will feel it again. Another thing I can't wait for. :)

Biggest shocker?? I am not sick. I know this is a blessing and I thank Jesus everyday for not kneeling to the porcelain gods multiple times a day. A week or so before we found out we were expecting, I asked my mom if she was sick when she was pregnant with me or my brother and she said no. That surprised me and in the coming weeks, I waited for that dreaded smell of something to have me dashing to the toilet. But no. I always thought I would be like one of my good girlfriends who could not drive by a fast food place without leaning out the window. And that is how pregnancy is always depicted in movies and on TV. I just assumed I would be one of those girls. And here I am, nearly 10 weeks pregnant with only a few moments of truly feeling ill and pregnant at the same time. Again, I am sooooo glad I am not sick. I am a total baby when I get sick and would probably not be able to work which would just kill us right now.

I also don't have any really distinct cravings. The last few days I have been loving cheese with mustard, but it is not necessarily a craving, just something I like.

***

In non baby news, tomorrow is my most favorite holiday of the year. I love fireworks and BBQ and family gatherings. Tomorrow also just so happens to be my grandmother's 75th birthday and my parents are having a HUGE party for her. All of our family from Denver and out of state will be visiting and we can't wait to show off the little bump I do have and see everyone. I wish you all a happy weekend and NO RAIN! :)

**Coming soon: my alias dilemma. I have kept our names under-wraps here and will want to tell you the name of our baby. So what do I do??

>Butte and Tulo 101

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In case you were wondering, and even if you weren't, here is a little T & B history lesson for you. These two fur-babies are our joy in life and before they get a new sister or brother, they deserve a proper post all about them. For example, Butte would love that this post is all about her and Tulo could care less. In fact, he would rather I just talk about Butte and leave him out of the picture. Oh but wait, that fellow is quite the kidder. While he leads us to think he does not mind that Butte is our princess, he is soooooo jealous when it is all about her. He cannot stand it for one single second.

Butte came first. My dad woke me up at 9am to say we were going down to Boulder to get a puppy. He had seen one online he really liked and wanted me to check her out so we all piled in the car and headed to the humane society. When we got there, we found out the puppy my dad had seen online had two other people waiting to adopt her. So we looked around and saw our Butte with her brother playing with a rag. She was so cute and sweet. We took her out and played with her. She was a birthday present for me after my summer on the Jersey Shore. She was the sweetest puppy and quite the handful. I fell in love the moment I held her at the humane society and she melted my parents hearts quickly.

As a puppy she:

*would scoop up food into her mouth from her bowl in the bathroom and run into the living room, all while flinging food out of her mouth onto the wood floor. Then she went back and ate the flung food one by by one as she made her way back to her bowl to repeat the cycle.

*slept in bed with me with her head resting on my neck. She hates being under the covers and no longer sleeps on the bed.

*was afraid of the cat. She would run and hide between my legs. The funny part? The cat was afraid of her. We had to use a baby gate to seclude the cat into my parents room and the laundry room where her food and cat box where for months.

*loved, and still loves, the snow. Watching her hop like a bunny through 3 feet of snow was quite possibly the cutest thing she has ever done.

*destroyed this bed within the first four months of owning it. We quickly discovered that there was no toy this puppy could not destroy. Red kongs did not have a chance. It was the black ones that stuck around and now, she does not destroy anything but baseballs.

Now Tulo, our second child. He was a miracle purchase. B had expressed to me how much he had always wanted to own a Greyhound and so I would check craigslist on and off for puppies. I also did some research on retired Greyhounds, thinking and hearing from everyone that adopting a puppy was next to impossible. Well, imagine my surprise when one October evening I came across an ad on craigslist for a Greyhound PUPPY!! I immediately called the listed number and made plans to meet with the owner the next day. My next call was to B, telling him that I had a HUGE surprise for him. The next day one our way to the house I told B what we were up to and he was thrilled. When we got there, the lady actually had 10 puppies, but could not advertise it as such. We played with each of them and met the parents. The father did not have papers so while Tulo is a purebred Greyhound, he has no papers to prove it, but we didn't care. B instantly became attached to who would be Tulo. I was leaning towards an all white puppy, a female. But this was B's choice, not mine. We paid up and took Mr. Tulo home!

He fit into our family very quickly. He is very lazy, does not play fetch, can run as fast as a Greyhound should and Butte can keep up with him. He has several nicknames: Tutu, T-Dog, T-Payne, TT, Poop-low, Puke-low. Those last two are self-explained. Tulo hates the rain. He learned how to swim on our after-wedding honeymoon. He can eat anything. He whines when Butte is gone too long. He is a great guard dog. And he is just the best male dog I have ever known.

We love both of our dogs so much and we could not ask for better dogs. I know they will both be wonderful with a baby. They love children and Tulo is so sweet and gives kisses.

Do you have pets? What do you love most about them?

>Nervous Mommy Here

>Okay ladies. This post is for all you mommies and expecting mommies. I am going through some nerves here and I need someone to help settle them or verify I should do something about it.

Oh the Pull: Since the middle of the night when it woke me up, I have had a pulling/ache/throbbing/something-pain in the lower right side of my abdomen. Comes and goes. No bleeding or cramping anywhere else. Localized, not traveling down my leg or into my back. Should I call the doc? I know that to some extent this is normal uterus growing and stretching, but is it really supposed to be uncomfortable? Pain wise on a scale of 1-10 it is barely a 2. Noticeable, but not necessarily painful. This is me just being a new, naive mommy worried. It's still early and I CAN'T WAIT to be done with my first trimester on the 27th. YAY! 26 more days!

Crazy-ass dreams: I have had more nightmares in the last 4 weeks than I have in the last 4 years. Last night? I was running through a hall dripping of bright red blood that was on fire. WTF?! I know this part is normal, but what are some crazy dreams you have had while pregnant?

Okay so there were just a few things I wanted to bring up. Any suggestions and reassurance would be so so SO appreciated!! Thanks ladies.