This and that

Nothing special in the post...just some random pics and video.

YH retreat

This past weekend, we headed to East Texas to Nacogdoches for a little mini alumni retreat.  We got to hang out with special friends from college and had a great time.  Here are some pics. that I took.  Didn't get too many because I was chasing after a little one.

Grant getting in some lovin' on "V"

"V" was just smitten with Ashley and Shaun's new little one.  Isn't she just yummy??

This is Big Sister getting in on the action.  She was letting "V" know all about how not to touch her sister.

Not 10 min. in the hotel room, and "V" already had my wallet out to hit the town!

AIR!!

I know what she is getting for Christmas!  She loved looking at herself.

Chillin' on the bed before heading back to campus.

Sportin' Uncle Daniel's hat while singing.

Playing catch up

The week of July 11-16, "V", my mom and I headed down to Boerne to stay with Artie's brother and his 3 boys.  They have grown up so much in the last couple of years that is it is hard to believe that they are turning 13, 11, and 8 this summer.  When Artie and I met, the 8 year old was barely one.  Boy how time flies.
We made it down there with out anything major happening.  I got my mom to go with me for safety reasons and so she could help me with "V" while I clean, do laundry, and cook for the boys.
We made it to the house before the boys got back from baseball camp at A&M, so I thought I would get the dishes washed and out of the way.  I was just washing along and then all of the sudden I moved my foot and felt some water.  I looked at the floor and water was just rushing from the bottom of the sink cabinet. I go in full out PANIC MODE!  I use all the towels in the house to clean up the mess and I finally get it under control.  Now time to was all the towels.  SUPER FUN!!  His brother forgot to tell me about the leak under the sink...won't make that mistake twice.
We spent most of the rest of the week swimming, playing, and just hanging out. Here are some videos and pics of the week.

 

V started a game with the boys of keep away.  Here is her playing with them.

Friday

Friday started off like all other mornings - up about 7:30 AM - breakfast and then...what in the world??  FUSSY BABY AHEAD!  Vivian just didn't seem like herself at all.  I took her temp. and of course, she had a little bit.  Nothing major, just 99.9.  But it is major since she is cutting some big teeth and we are leaving town today.  Not a good combination.  9 AM rolled around and Vivian was out like a light.  Then I REALLY knew she didn't feel well.  She slept until 11 AM and she woke up with no fever and feeling like her old self - YEAH!!
Spent the rest of the afternoon packing and waiting for Artie to get home from running one call in Dallas.
Finally got on the road about 4PM and headed out to Nacogdoches.  We are having a YH Alumni retreat.  It was super fun.  Will have to post pics when I get a minute - ha!

Thursday

I got up at 6:15 AM to get ready before little one woke up.  I was dressed and nearly ready to head out of the door by the time she got up at 7:15AM.  Today we headed  to my mom's house for the morning.  I am working on a sewing project - a dress for V - so she is helping me out with the pattern cutting and giving me tips on how this whole thing works. 
We left the house after some breakfast and got to my mom's about 9 AM. 
We cut out the pattern and then my mom had to run to the dr. really quick for a check up. 
V and I just played the piano and listened to some music while my mom was gone. 
Once she came back, it was time for lunch.  Left overs from last night were on the menu for lunch - turkey, green beans and navy beans.  I threw in some applesauce for good measure.
I went to get my hair cut at 12 noon and was back by 1.  V had fallen asleep at about 12:30 PM and then decided to wake up at 1:15.  NOT GOOD!!  I decided to head out and go home hoping she would go back to sleep.  No chance.  I tried to get her to go back to sleep when we got home.  Not gonna happen.  So, baby girl has been up pretty much all day except for 45 min.  That should let you in on how our afternoon was.  LONG!
Supper was pot roast, mashed potatoes and black eyed peas. 
We took a bath and played after supper.  V actually wanted to get in her exersaucer.  She doesn't generally want to get in there anymore because she hates being confined.  But, if she chooses it - she loves it!
Again - V is zonked out for the night.  She started to drift off at 7:30 PM.  I am beginning to think that Artie is the one keeping her up later.  With him having to work late all this week, she has gone to bed so much earlier. 
Until tomorrow - good night!

Wednesday

Our morning started at about 7:30 AM.  I was not wanting to get up this morning...still tired!  I finally got up and got sweet cheeks out of bed. 
Milk, snuggle, and then breakfast by 8AM - toast and apple yogurt.
Today, we are heading to the teacher store.  My mom is coming with us.
9:30 - heading out the door for Duncanville
10 - shopping!!
11 - heading for Cotton Patch for lunch - they have veges for little bit
Good lunch and v loved the meatloaf.  Guess that will have to be put on the list of thing to make now!
we headed back and made it home by 12:30...my mom needed to get back to go to the movies with her buddies.
12:50 - nap time
I did laundry again while sweetie slept.
2:45 - V woke up and she and I headed to BELK for a little shopping.  Not much there, but I did need to get some make up
Got a call from my hairdresser that she has an opening tomorrow - YIPEE!  Color here we come!
Got a couple of shirts and that was about it.
Headed home and it is nearly dinner. 
Dinner - turkey, green beans, and navy beans. 
Artie is going to be late again tonight, so I need to keep baby girl super busy. 
We played in and outside until about 7:45.
V was so sleepy, she just zonked out.
It is nearly 10 now and I think I am headed to bed!
NIGHT!

Tuesday

V woke up about 7:10 AM and was as happy as can be.  Got baby girl up and ready for the day.  After some milk and snuggling, it was breakfast time.
Breakfast - Today was egg, toast, and apple yogurt.  V has seemed so hungry lately...so I just let her tell me when she is full.
Artie headed out early today, so we just hung out and played most of the morning.  Nothing out of the ordinary for us. 
With Lola and Otis being inside because of the heat, it has helped out with a little more entertainment!
Lunch - today was turkey, green beans, and peaches  YUM!
After a little more milk, we spent another hour playing around the house.
12:30 - out like a light
While nap time was going on, I check on all the outside animals, did laundry, and worked some on V's month books on Shutterfly.  After month 7 I kind of slacked off...All the pictures are there, just putting captions to all the pics.
3:30 - someone is awake!  I got the best chubby arm hug ever when she woke up. 
We played in her room until about 4:30 and it was off to see what was for dinner.  I had made pork chops in the AM so that they would not go bad, so that was the winner.
V helped (yeah right) me put her clothes away and straighten up her room before dinner.
5:15 - dinner - pork chops, peas, applesauce
V was super tired tonight.  Artie finally came home about 8 PM and V was asleep by 8:30.
I wasn't far behind her.  TIRED!

A week in the life...Monday

I follow a blog where she did this and I thought it would be a great idea to do this every so often so I don't forget what life is like around here with a little one.

Monday:  I woke up at 7:15 AM to a little one talking in the monitor in my room.  So, I got up and got Miss Priss out of bed.  She has really had no issues with not having a bottle anymore and we are NOT looking back.  V got her morning milk and we sat down for a little bit and snuggled while watching the news. 
8 - time for breakfast.  We had eggs and toast this morning.  She is such a lover of eggs and well, toast for that matter. Otis was hanging out in the kitchen and trying to get some food out of V...she loves to feed him off her tray.  After breakfast, we played in the living room for a while.  Artie was getting ready to head out the door, so he said his goodbyes and from then on Miss V was a fussy bucket. We played everything under the sun from puzzles to blocks.  Read a couple of books and then decided we would do some cleaning in V's room.  I am trying to put up the "baby" stuff in her room and only have out the things we use daily.  She loves playing in there.  Time for some homemade apple yogurt!  V is not a really picky these days and really loves yogurt. 
I also put on a roast for dinner!
11 - lunch - turkey, broccoli, and the left over yogurt.
12:30 PM-After much fussiness, V fell asleep while we were watching the news. 
While V sleeps, I cleared off the kitchen table to do a little sewing.  I am learning how to do this, so it is all new to me.  I cut out a stocking pattern since that seemed simple enough to work on my keeping the stitches in a straight line.  It turned out great!
2 :45 - someone decides to wake up.  I was needing to go to Wal mart and pick up her nap mat, so we got dressed up and headed out the door.  The nap mat was made by a lady in Red Oak and she did a super great job.
Wal-mart was not SO busy.  That is always a good thing.  Got diaper, wipes, goldfish, a few other odds and ends.  I also hit the fabric section and got a lot of fabric that was just a $1 or 2 a yard to play around with.  FUN!  V was so funny in the store. She was having a little snack of Cheerios and every time we would pass by someone, she would put out her finger (the middle one) and point.  They would be nice and say "HI" and then she would wave back.  While at the fabric counter, they lady helping us did not pay attention to V.  She lovingly slapped the counter until the lady looked at her and said "HI".  V just smiled and waved.  Man, she is an attention hog. 
5:00 - heading home now and have to pick up some pills for Artie at the RO Brookshires.
6 - Supper has been cooking since this morning...yum!  V ate some of the roast, but mostly green beans, peas and some bread.
After supper, she and I played in the living room until about 7:45PM when I gave her a cup of milk for the night.  She calmed down from that and then she just started nodding off. 
8:15 - put V in bed for the night
8:30 - Artie makes it home  - not good  ;-(
I got the rest of the kitchen clean and then Artie and I sat and talked for a while.  We decided to watch HORDERS (we love this show).  We ended up staying up until like 11PM - we never do that. 
That is it for Monday!

How we found out and told our good news...the truth!

I am linking up with Kelly's Korner this week.  This is a blog that I follow and she has a "Show us your life" Friday that never participate in until now. 

This weeks SUYL topic is how did you share your good news about bring pregnant to your husband/family/friends.

If you know us well, you know what all we went through to get Miss "V".  Two failed IVF's and 4 years of shots, meds, and raging hormones.

On Oct. 8, 2009 (Thursday), I had the FET (fetal embryo transfer) to put 2 embryo's in and hoped they would stick. We would have the blood test to test HCG levels on Sat. morning.  I took off work to just let them work their magic and I stayed in bed for 5 days ( I put myself on bed rest).  I went back to work on that Tuesday and all day long I kept telling my aide that I just didn't feel right.  My side was hurting (down low).  I tried not to think too much of it because it was just going to mean another disappointment.  On the way home, I stopped off at the store to get a few things and decided to pick up a pregnancy test just to see.  I had always taken tests after each IVF (though I never told Artie I did).  I had to be a little prepared for the answer.  So, I always kind of knew before I got the results back...hoping the answer would change.

I got home from the store and put all the things away and decided to take a test just to see.  I knew it was going to be negative because it always was.  I no longer had put that stick on the counter when this popped up! 

I PANICKED!!!!  Where was the word NOT on the stick.  I lost my ever lovin' mind.  Of course, this was going to be the day that Artie was not going to be home until late.  I called my mother in a nearly crying voice to ask her if you can get a false positive.  Of course, she had a million questions.  One being "Why are you taking  a test...your blood test is not until Sat."  I finally got off the phone with her and called Winonah my sister in law who is a nurse.  She told he what I needed to hear..."You can never have a false positive...one a false negative."  Now I was freaking out.  Not that this isn't want I wanted...it just has never turned out the way we wanted.  I still had doubts that it was true (do you blame me??).  I hit the local CVS and bought 4 more tests.  All positive.  I then get the hair brained idea that I need to call my fertility dr. and see what in the world I am suppose to do with this information.  Nicki - who is one of the nurses at CAR ( my fertility home away from home) just started laughing at me over the phone.  She said, "Now you know you are not suppose to do that already."  I said, "Too bad...damage has already been done.  Now what do I do with this information?"  Nothing...do nothing until Sat. when we confirm.  YIKES.  If you know me at all, I hate surprises, hate to keep good news a secret (especially one like this) and just have a problem telling all my info.  So this must be kept a secret until confirmed....FINE!!! 

But, Artie does get to know.  I tried to think of the best way to do it.  With him coming home soon...I didn't have a lot of options.  I decided to put all the tests on his dresser (don't worry I made sure all areas were sanitized before, during and after).  He finally came home from Marshall and headed strait to the bedroom for his dresser to unload his pockets.  I stayed in the living room to not give anything away.  He yells in the other room at me, "What are all of these?"  I told him they were mine and his face just melted.  The biggest smile came over his face and he said, "I knew it was gonna work."  We hugged and I was already a basket case so I started crying (again).  I had to recap the whole crazy story for him that evening.

I went back to work the whole week and never said a word.  I knew the nurse was right...just wait.

Sat. 9:15 AM - went to dr. to confirm with blood test.  Of course their machine was broken, so they didn't call us until the afternoon.  I know so many of you were waiting for that call.  I am so glad we could share that moment with you. 

**Found out that hurting in my side was Miss "V" implanting herself for the 9 month ride!

So there is the truth...I did know a little before the blood test that Sat.  Don't be mad at me.  I did want to make sure before we told everyone!  Man...that was a LONG week. 

Chick fil a will never be the same!

This morning, me, "V", my friend Melissa and her little one "E", Lacy, Daniel, and "G" met up at Chick fil a in Waxahachie for "story time".  There were 2 big blankets on the floor and 2 ladies from the local library to do some things with the kiddos. 

For as young as all the kids were, I think they all did pretty well.  I felt bad for the ladies because they just didn't get the fact that you might need to be animated to keep the little ones attention.  Oh well, we had a good time and then all ate breakfast together!  Super fun!

Here are some pics from the morning.

We are swimming on the "Lion Hunt".

"E" loved the lion.

HELLO

My kid flipping the camera off and "E" not caring too much for the cow.

Miss Blue eyes!

Having a crabby kind of Wednesday

Today was a pretty good day...except for someone was pretty crabby this morning.  We have stopped taking our morning naps.  I am ok with this if she get a really good afternoon nap.  Today, she could not control it any longer...

Poor thing feel asleep while watching Jack's Big Music Show.

After a 3 1/2 hour nap, she was ready to go!  MiMi and PawPaw got her this riding toy for her birthday.  Needless to say, she has found her own way to ride it.  She worked and worked to try to get her body in that secret hole.

My friend Amy sent "V" a birthday present this past week.  We decided today was a good evening to put it to use!

Cousin love

"V" really enjoys all her cousins and playing with them any time she can.   Artie's brother was able to make it to the party and of course the boys came with him.  They are just too sweet with her.  They are all older, so this baby stuff is new to them.  They are all comfortable with her now that she is getting older and pick her up and spend all their time trying to keep her happy. 

Here are some pics of our weekend with the Rypple boys!

The boys making a tower for "V".

"V" having fun tearing it down.

Uncle Eric taking a Sunday nap before the Ranger game.

"V" figuring out that Ethan is asleep on the couch.  She is going to try to wake him up.

Ethan reading to "V".

Caleb helping "V" get started on her walking.

Thank you boys for a wonderful weekend!