A Day to Relax!

Who knew that Advent activities could wear a person out?!! Perhaps, it's the pregnancy that's exhausting me, but we have certainly been busy with a number of different Advent activities from Kaylee's calender. Today's activity is opening an early Christmas gift (some Christmas sleepers!), and I am thrilled to finally have a day to relax, to say the least! Not that we haven't had a great time with each new day that comes along, as you can see in these photos:

We've been baking!

We went to see some Christmas lights and displays!

We even made a
birthday card for Jesus!

We've been dancing!

We've been reading some
new Christmas books!

Kaylee and Daddy
made a Gingerbread house!

Kaylee has really enjoyed each and every day, and she is counting down the days until Christmas! That's not to say she's been a perfect angel in these days leading up to the big day. It's definitely been a challenge to get her to behave - as it usually is around the holidays! I'm sure if I were to pull out some of my old child psychology and development notes, there would be something in there about how anticipation affects a child's nueroreceptors, or something like that! I certainly don't expect her to be her absolute best, all of the time, but she has definitely developed some bad habits over the last few months. She's got what I like to call, "the quick-fire tongue." It's something I'm 100% sure she inherited from her Mama...oops! I was always getting in trouble, as a child and well into my teenage years, for saying something bound to get me in trouble. You never, thoroughly, think through the reaction you may get from said statement. I figured it would be something I'd be dealing with as a mother, but I never imagined it would happen this soon! She does keep us on our toes, and some days, Gene and I just look at each other in awe of the little firecracker we are raising! I know we have many interesting years of parenting ahead of us!

Bryson is enjoying the holidays, as well! Particularly, the goodies!!! I've developed the worst sweet-tooth I've ever had during this pregnancy. For that reason, I was relieved when I passed my blood-glucose test at the doctor's office yesterday! I've been trying to counter all of the sweets with some veggies, lately, but I may be too far gone to do anything about it now. I have gained around 15 pounds, so far, and I'm only in week 25! Bryson may have be put on a diet after the holidays are over! I remember that, with Kaylee, I gained the most weight in the third trimester, but I was also stuck with my feet up or in bed most of that time, as well. If I can manage to keep active, maybe the end result won't be as detrimental this time! And don't go telling me the old, "You are pregnant....your supposed to gain weight!" This boy is only around a pound-and-a-half, right now, and the other "stuff" only accounts for 5-7 pounds, so the rest is ALL MAMA! Despite the massive gain, I am not really showing too much. I felt huge with Kaylee, so we'll see what happens in the next few weeks with Bryson. It's been a totally different pregnancy, so there's no telling what is ahead of me! I was able to feel him move at around 15-16 weeks, and we've been able to feel him from the outside for a few weeks now, too. My stomach actually jumps when he kicks, which is always fun to watch! He moves ALL of the time. Some days, that can be exhausing. It will be interesting to see what happens when he doesn't have as much room to do all of that flipping around! We won't get to see him in an ultrasound, again, until around 33-34 weeks. That seems so far away! I informed Dr. Cornett, yesterday, about our conflicts around his due date with Kaylee's dance competitions. She politely told me that she will NOT allow me to travel the week before my due date, so we can only hope Bryson feels ready to come a couple weeks early! I cannot imagine missing Kaylee's very first competition! I told Gene that we will start urging him on his way come March (should we get good results from the next ultrasound, of course)! With any luck, everything will work out...I just have to try not to stress over it!

Well, I think I've included all of the necessary "updates" in this blog! I should really get it wrapped up so that I can finish up laundry still in the dryer and get the house semi-clean for the big weekend! Mom and Dad will be coming over on Christmas Day, for dinner, and I plan on going overboard, as usual, in my holiday ambiance! I'm sad that I only have a couple weeks left to smell the sweet smell of our Christmas tree and enjoy the reds and greens of the season that fill my home and my heart with so much happiness! On the upside, I'll get to continue working on Kaylee's birthday party and Bryson's nursery after the New Year!!! Until then, I'm going to enjoy the rest of the holiday season with the ones I love, and I hope you all get to do the same! Here's wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a fabulously Happy New Year!!!!!!

Love and blessings,
Jessie

Oh, Christmas Tree!!!

Oh, Christmas Tree, oh, Christmas Tree...how I love thee!!!! I LOVE Christmastime! I know...Christmas isn't supposed to be about trees, lights and decorations, but it IS one of my favorite parts. Something about the home feels more warm when it is all decked out in reds and greens.  I take pride in my decorating each and every year. One day, I plan to have a magnificent Nativity Scene, so when we sit together and read the story of Jesus' birth, our children can visualize that very night!

This year, I wanted to put emphasis on the mantle. We spend so many December nights by the fire, so I really wanted to give it some extra "love" this year! Of course, next year, there will be one more stocking added to the mix! I definitely think Santa will feel welcomed as he arrives down the chimney this year!

We chose to place our tree in the center of our living room this time around, and I must say...I love it! No matter what side of the tree that you look at, there is a different ornament to gaze upon. It's tall and elegant...picturesque, if I do say so myself! I can sit at my chair and look up to the north at the star atop our tree and think about the North Star that led the wise men to baby Jesus. I look forward to the memories that will be created in the presence of this year's tree!

Memories... That is what I had in mind when I decided to do an Advent calendar this year. I did some searching on the internet on Advent ideas. Many people give their child a small gift each day of advent, but I wanted our family to get something more from this new tradition. I found the idea on Pinterest to use Christmas socks strung up like stockings as a calendar. The next challenge was to what would go in the socks. I gave some thought to what all we had to do in the month of December every year. It seems like we always get caught up in having to do this and go there, and before we know it, things that should have been joyful end up being stressful. Determined to give each of those moments and tasks meaning, I decided to incorporate these things into our Advent calendar. Each of our Christmas socks would hold a small piece of paper with something we could do as a family that day. After a lot of scheduling and organization, our calendar was complete!

I can tell you that there is one excited little girl that looks forward to each day and getting to see what we will be doing! The first day, we started out big! Our task at hand was to go visit with the merry old guy himself, Santa Claus! She was thrilled! We went down to Lochte Feed & General Store because, word had it, Santa was to be making a stop there yesterday afternoon. Sure enough, we arrived in time to be his very first "customer" of the afternoon! Santa asked if she had been a good girl this year. We had discussed the possibility, earlier, that he would be asking her this question. I had told her to be very careful not to tell Santa a lie because he had been watching, so he would know! She replied so innocently and honestly, "I try!" It was very cute! She proceeded to tell him that she would like a pink and white baby crib for her dolls, and Santa said he would see what he could do! We were very adamant with Kaylee only to ask Santa for one thing, fore he has so many children to bring gifts to each year - there's no reason to be greedy! In our home, Santa brings a gift and stuffs your stocking, and then Mommy and Daddy get you other things. I know, for a fact, Santa already has his elves working on Kaylee's baby crib, and I have no doubt that she will be thrilled when she sees in under the tree on Christmas morning!

I hope that I have many more of these stories to share with you as this holiday season continues! We have many more fun things planned, ahead, and more giving to do, as well. I know next year will be even more exciting, with Bryson in tow, and I am looking forward to many wonderful memories to create with my children, as well as new traditions for them to carry forward, too! I hope you are all having a blessed holiday season!!!

Love and blessings,

Jessie

20 Weeks & Vampire Babies!!!

Not only did I hit the halfway point in my pregnancy yesterday (20 weeks - yay!), but I got to have a "Girls' Night" with a couple of my favorite ladies, Karen and Sarah! We have made it a tradition to go see all of the Twilight Saga movies together (besides the first one), and it's always a great time!

The first time we all went together, we were going to be "cool" by going to the midnight showing. At the time, two of us were still in our twenties, but, somehow, we were the oldest people there - besides the parents dropping off their kids! For the last two movies, we wised up and started going to evening showings the day after the midnight madness.

Each time seems to be a different experience. Last night, the theater was filled with families and a lot of young kids - I mean YOUNG! Maybe I'm overprotective. I understand the movie is rated PG-13, but it is full of violence, sexual situations and partial nudity that my child is not allowed to see right now. Of course, they are allowed to have the f-word in PG-13 movies, too, so why even bother with ratings anymore? I understand that not everyone has read the books before they see the movies, so they don't know what they are "in store" for, but the fact that the past movies have insinuated that "Edward" won't...bed..."Bella" until after they are married should tell you that a movie involving their marriage might just involve the "bedding" situation, as well. If you've read the book, the scene plays out very violently. They definitely tamed it down for the movie - they had to in order to get to that rating! I still can't imagine explaining to my four-year-old what he was doing to her!

So, I'm pretty sure Bryson will be on his daddy's side of not really liking these movies. He "threw a fit" several times during the movie. I'm fairly certain he was frightened by the loud, violent fights between the werewolves, and during the last 15 minutes or so, he may have been looking for a way out - I'm not quite sure! I couldn't help but cringe a bit, and grab my belly when they cut "Bella" open to get the baby out - it was a bit much... I sure am glad that I'm not carrying a baby vampire...OUCH!!!:)

Well, that was our night! We had a great time, and we can't wait until Part II comes out in the Summer! You can bet we will be there, amongst all of the kiddos, enjoying some vampire love with the rest of America! When that is over, we can all be sad that the saga has ended, but we'll do our best to cope with our sorrows and find a new obsession! After all, we need a good excuse for many more "Girls' Nights Out!"

Until next time, here is a picture of Bryson at 20 weeks from the outside!

Love and blessings,

Jessie

IT'S A BOY!!!!

Well, we officially have a little boy on our hands! In approximately 20 more weeks, we will get to meet our son, Bryson Laroy Leonard!

Let me tell you, this name has not been easy to come by, but we were determined, as soon as we found out the sex, we would decide on a name for this little one! We had a girl's name picked out with no trouble at all. I had no idea that boys' names were so difficult. As soon as the ultrasound tech said, "Whoa! Yeah, that's a boy!" I turned to Gene and said, "We're gonna have to work on a name!" From that point on, the wheels were turning. I even went so far as to take suggestions on Facebook and download a babyname app on my phone! We spent the entirety of Kaylee's dance class time going through lists of names. By the time we arrived home, I had a list narrowed down of names I liked. Of course, Gene didn't like any of them! I insisted to him, "We NEED a name for this boy!" He took my phone and went back through the thousands of names, and then he gave me a list of the ones he liked. Of the six or so names he gave me, there were only three of them I liked. And it never fails, every one of them were names that friends of our's have already used. Fortunately, we have great friends who love their children's names so much, they are more than happy to share! I took a second Facebook poll on the three names we had picked, and left it for the night. At around two o'clock this morning, I awoke from one of my usual crazy dreams, and one of the names kept rolling through my mind. This went on for about two hours until I told myself, "I guess that's his name!" I got up this morning, did the normal routine, then checked my Facebook. Most of our friends seemed to, overwhelmingly, choose the same name that had "chosen me" during the night! I sent Gene a text, and the deal was done! Our son now had a name - Bryson Laroy Leonard!

I am so excited to begin preparations for Bryson's arrival! I had picked out a nursery design that I absolutely fell in love with the moment I saw it on Pinterest! Here is the general idea:



We decided not to go overboard on bedding, since we learned with Kaylee that: 1) They don't stay in the crib that long, and 2) Babies can do some damage! I did find a crib bumper that works perfectly, though, and it is currently on sale. I couldn't help myself, so I ordered it last night! This is what I chose:

I love the red/brown/cream color combo, and I think it will be perfect for our little man! I'm not so much an airplane fan, so we will forego the matching sheets and blanket for solid colors. We're going to use Kaylee's crib, which is a natural finish, and we'll be looking for a chest of drawers to double as a changing station - probably something second-hand. I guess we have some projects to get busy on!

I know that having a boy will be a new adventure for us! Kaylee is already planning how she's going to play with him and boss him around. She asked me this morning if she'd be able to hold him, to which I told her yes. I know she's going to be a great big sister and a great role model for Bryson!

As for now, Bryson is a healthy boy, growing more and more each day! He's right on track for his due date, though I wouldn't mind if he came a couple weeks early like Kaylee. (We make big babies!) His head is measuring a half-week ahead of his body, so you know where my mind is headed! Ah-hem.... I told Gene that he better not have put a big-headed boy in there! Kaylee had a tiny little head, and that was more than enough for me to "handle." (Sorry...tmi!) Bryson's hands look so big already. He was waving during the ultrasound - friendly little guy! His legs and arms looked really long, too, but he would never stretch out to get a good length on him. Just as I predicted, the week we have our ultrasound, he decided to go into hiding and burrow down! I have no idea where my children get their stubbornness from!

As for the pregnancy, in general, everything checked out good! Dr. Cornett lowered my blood pressure medicine because I've been nearly blacking out at random times. She said it's either that or my blood sugar getting low. She told me to start adding frequent protein/carbohydrate snacks into my daily routine, too. You don't have to tell me twice! I'm already to the point where I can't eat a lot at one time, but I am hungry nearly a half-hour after I eat. I go back to see her in a couple of weeks to double-check how the new blood pressure dosage is working. I told Gene, last night, that maybe the lower blood pressure this time around means this boy will be easy going like him instead of high-strung like me! (I'm convinced that's why Kaylee is the way she is...she made my blood pressure go up-up-up when she was in there!) I failed to remember to tell the doctor about my contractions a couple weeks ago - I can't ever remember the important things when I'm in the office! I assume everything is good, though, since we both came out with clean bills of health! I did get my flu shot, and I have the sore arm and head congestion to prove it! I guess it's better than getting the full-blown flu, though!

We made our "down-payment" for Bryson yesterday at the doctor's office, so we own half of him, now! It's a good thing we have insurance - that's all I can say! I do know that Hill Country Memorial can stop sending me mail asking for my donations because they will probably get a good chunk of our tax return next year! And NO, one Motrin should not cost $24!!!

Well, I guess that's it for now! For the next 20 weeks, I'll be anxiously awaiting the arrival of our little Easter baby boy!!! Until next time...

Love and blessings,
Jessie

19 Weeks!!!

It's only four more days until we get to have our ultrasound to see our bun that is now 19 weeks baked! You would think that would ease my mind, having such a short time to wait, but for some reason, as that day approaches, I continue to be more and more anxious!

The baby has been squirming around like crazy - pretty much every day. There will be times of stillness, but for the most part, this one's a mover and shaker, for sure! I can remember when we went for the anatomy scan and gender reveal ultrasound with Kaylee, she didn't cooperate at all. She was down low, and she kept moving into places where the tech was unable to get good measurements. We had ended up having to go the hospital so they could make sure everything was measuring correctly. Sure enough, she was perfect! This time around, the baby is riding high. I'm hoping this means that he or she will be easy to work with, come Tuesday!

What is my fear? I have that fear that, I suppose, every pregnant woman has. What if I go in there, and they tell me there is something wrong? I know that we will love this child, no matter what, but I hope and pray that he or she doesn't have to face any bigger challenges that those that are already ahead. My doctor asked me, at my last appointment, if we wanted to do any genetic testing. Of course, my reply was no. I love this child, and nothing can change that - now or ever. Still, I have that fear.

Yesterday evening, I had been watching television, facebooking and cruising Pinterest, as I do each evening, and the fear just seemed to overwhelm me. I try not to let it show because I don't want to scare Kaylee, and Gene just thinks I'm a fool for worrying about things out of my control. I decided that holding it in wasn't doing me any good either. So, what was I to do? I did the only thing I can do, and I handed it over to the Lord. Any situation He leads me to, I know He will be there to help me through it. I have to trust in that. I will pray each day, up until our ultrasound and each day thereafter, for His strength. I will pray that He watches over this little one as he or she continues to grow inside of me. I will pray that He will continue to watch over my son or daughter throughout the years to come. After all, our children are His children, first, last and always. He trusts them to our care and love during their short time here on earth.

"So, Lord, I ask this of you. Please hold unto my child, as you do, and provide me with the strength to help him or her grow into the precious gift that you intended for us. Grant me the peace I need to get through, not only the next four days, but to make it through the next 21 weeks. Thank you for all of your blessings!"

To all who take the time to read my ramblings, thank you!

Love and blessings,
Jessie

18 Weeks!

Here we are at 18 weeks! I can't believe this pregnancy is almost halfway through! Time seems to be flying by so quickly. According to babycenter.com, our baby is roughly 5 1/2 inches long and about 7 ounces. I know that sounds tiny, but when this little one gets to moving, it feels like he/she is doing acrobatics in there! There's still a split decision among friends and family on whether we have a girl or a boy in there. Going on my personal experience, I would guess a boy, if I had to guess, but that's only because things are so different this time around. I know that's not a reliable explanation, though. The countdown is on for us to find out, and after today, it will be only 10 days until we know what this little person growing inside me is!

This past week has been a bit stressful for me - although, I've been doing my best not to let it show. I began having Braxton Hicks contractions while at the Aggie football game last Saturday. I did my best to brush it off - blaming it on too much walking and not enough water. Sunday came and went, and I felt just fine. On Monday, out of nowhere, I had some more contractions. They weren't really painful - at least I don't think they were. I have a fairly high pain tolerance. That was the last of them, but it was enough to scare me into a state of "little activity as possible." I even took up hand embroidery to make myself sit still most of the days! (I may have developed a serious addiction in this!) I will be glad when the next 10 days are over, and the doctor can tell me that the baby is safe, healthy and perfectly fine!

I have a plan to start walking in the evenings, and Gene has said he wants to come along. (He may have gained a pregnancy pound or two in the last few months!) I know it will be good for me and great for an easier labor down the road. I have a pretty good handle on my weight, right now, but that's not to say I won't blow up next week! I am still struggling not to concentrate on the number on the scale, but seeing it pretty much unchanged for the last couple weeks has eased my mind. The holidays are around the corner, though, and I have a feeling I may gain a turkey breast and a slice of pecan pie...or three! I don't think I've ever looked forward to Thanksgiving dinner so much before! I've been fighting the urge to start baking already - even though it's one of my absolute FAVORITE past times!

Well, that's about all I have to update for now. With the holidays coming up, my posts will probably become more plentiful and hopefully, full of exciting information! I hope each and every one of you are enjoying this month of thanksgiving, and I will be in touch soon with more on our little life!

Love and blessings,
Jessie

Aggieland 2011

Every year, our family makes it's way to Aggieland to yell for our Aggies at a football game, eat great food and spend some quality time together. We hope to be able to continue this tradition throughout our lives - as it is a great time and crucial to the development of "Future Aggies!"

This year, we had a great time, as usual! We always try to get there just in time for lunch at the Dixie Chicken, where you can find the best hamburgers on this planet and a wonderful side called Tijuana fries! We make sure, each year, to get a picture of Kaylee in front of the Chicken. Here is how much our girl has grown from her first trip!

2007 - Technically, this was her first trip to the Chicken, but not during football season!

2011 - Oh, how much our girl has grown!

I also love getting a picture of Kaylee and her daddy on their way down "Bottlecap Alley." I picture them walking it together even when she's grown up and having little Aggies of her own!

2008



2011 - My loves!

I made it a point, this year, to get some extra special family photos taken during our trip. Next year, there will be a new member, so this year seemed like one of those moments I wanted to commemorate!

I love my family, and I love Aggieland - my second home! These are some very special memories we share together, each year, and, win or lose, we always manage to enjoy our time spent together there! Here's to many more years and memories to go!

Love and Blessings,

Jessie



Growing Up...

Today, Kaylee and I went with my sister and her kids to Love Creek Orchards in Medina to their pumpkin patch. It's a place we try to go every fall, and they have lots of fun for the kids and some great photo opportunities, as well! We first took the kids when they weren't quite two years old, and they really enjoyed it. Last year we weren't able to go with my sister, but we did go with some other friends. It was really nice to have all three kids together this year, and it's crazy to think that there will be one more added to the mix next year!

As we made our way through all of the different activities, painting pumpkins, the big haybale maze, petting zoo, etc., it was crazy to think how this has become a part of our lives and our childrens' lives. I can remember the first year we took them, and to think about how much they've grown, it kind of makes me sad. I couldn't help but go back to look at photos from the previous years to see how much our babies are growing up. Here's a flash of the years past for you to enjoy, as well!

2008

 



2009



2010



2011





16 Weeks!

Today, we had our 16 week appointment to listen to the baby's heartbeat, again! This time, Kaylee was along for the ride, and I was very much looking forward to seeing her reaction. A month ago, when I got to hear the heartbeat for the first time, Dr. Cornett really had to get in there to find this little one. Today, she barely touched the doppler to my belly and that little heart was beating away at 160 bpm! Kaylee thinks it sounds like the wind blowing, so now, everytime she hears the wind, she says, "That sounds like my baby's heart!" When asked what she thought about the whole situation, her reply was, "It's really loud, and it's nice, too!"

Kaylee is still very concerned about this baby going away like our last baby. She even told Dr. Cornett that she really hoped her baby was still okay. I think this stems from the fact that I have been sick with a stomach virus for the past two days - one that I got from taking care of Kaylee when she had it Sunday and Monday. I think, or at least I hope, that next month when she gets to "see" the baby again, that her mind will be put a little more at ease, and that she will be able to really envision her baby arriving in the next four months!

So, for all of you awaiting that big gender announcement, you better hope that November 15th is the magic day that this little one decides to do that perfect "pose" and let's us know if he is a he or she is a she! We will be blessed either way! Until then, I will work on getting my health back in order, feeling this little one wriggle around in there (yes, it started last week!!!), and looking forward to seeing "pictures" of my little sweet baby in less than a month!!!

Love and Blessings,
Jessie

Occupying My Time...

We are now at 15 weeks! Hooray!!! Time is really flying by, and if I didn't already have enough other things to do, I have now decided to take up crafting. I blame it on Pinterest - that site is addicting!

I used to be artsy when I was younger, but over the years, other things have begun to occupy my time. I don't really think anything has changed, but for some reason, I have developed the urge to create things for our home. For anyone that has visited our house, you may have noticed that there are a lot of bare walls. I have been very wary of putting things on the walls without being 100% sure that I can live with them for the entirety of my life.

Let me give you a back story to that fear. I come from a long line of borderline hoarders, and I have sworn to myself that I would never succumb to the urge to "collect" too much of any one item. My Oma had shelves of tchotchkes collected from various places and displayed throughout her home along with family photos. My mother has taken it to another level, even moreso, since having grandchildren, and has collectables, momentos from their travels, candles, photos and more, filling shelves and on the mantle of my parents' fireplace. Rather than replace older photos with new ones, she just gets new frames and the "clutter" continues on. I'm not knocking anyone for doing this...it's just not my taste. While I love having photos of family and friends throughout my home, I have always loved the look of model homes with the more artful appeal. I'd like to think when my home is "complete" someday, it will be a good balance of both. I want people to know a family lives here, but I also like the classy and clean look! I am determined to prove that you can have both!


Maybe it's the pregnancy hormones surging throughout my body, or maybe it's just boredom - I have no idea the source. These bare walls are screaming for my attention! The first project I took on was an addition to Kaylee's room. She loves butterflies, and she's always looking through the potterybarn kids magazine longingly wishing for one of the cute little girl rooms they display. She brings the magazine to me from time to time expressing her wishes for something that would be good for her room. Awhile back, she showed me some butterflies they had for the wall, but for anyone who knows, nothing sold by potterybarn is cheap. A couple weeks ago, I stumbled upon a tutorial on Pinterest on how to make the butterflies shown in those magazines out of scrapbook paper. Who knew it was such a simple task? I decided to go for it! I grabbed some scrapbooking paper that I have used to do some other projects for Kaylee, printed out a butterfly pattern on them, cut them out, folded up the wings and put them up on her wall with command hook tape (for easy removal in the future). It was way too easy, and turned out so very cute!

That project took all of 15 minutes, so I decided to attempt another item I had found on Pinterest. In Kaylee's bathroom, there is an entire drawer devoted to the storage of bows, ribbons, clips, hairbands, etc. The drawer is overflowing, and Kaylee is always getting new bows for her hair. When we moved into the house, Kaylee was not quite two, so we just decorated her bathroom in what we had lots of - rubber duckies! She is quickly growing too old for rubber duckies, and I have been wanting her to have a more mature bathroom, even if she'll be sharing it with a baby brother or sister. The project I found seems to be a good start and something to work around when looking for new decor for her bathroom. Plus, it's a bow holder! Talk about two birds with one stone! All I needed was an old picture frame, some cotton batting, some fabric, colorful ribbons, spray paint, and a handy husband helper! I "stole" a frame from my parents that had been hanging in their storage building for years, spray painted it with an ivory color that we had on hand, and gathered the other materials while it dried. I had Gene cut me a backerboard to fit the frame (since it didn't have one), and I wrapped it with the batting and fabric. I then spaced out the ribbons to my liking, and fastened it into the, now dry, frame. I had Gene staple on a thin piece of cardboard-like material to the back to finish it off, and voila, it was done! Rather than hang it on the wall, I am going to get an easel to display it on the previously vacant countertop in the bathroom. I like to think of it as functional artwork!

 As stated in a previous post, we recently "remodeled" our office. I had made a trip to Kirkland Home (one of my favorite places), for some decorating inspiration, and I did manage to find a few items that I thought suited the room. It has still been left with two bare walls, though. I have been brainstorming on what I should do with those walls for some time now, and I finally decided that at least one of them needs that combo of an artful, yet personal, touch! I have made this my current project, and I have chosen an item that I found on Pinterest (of course). Though I have some work to do on it, I wanted to share with you what the end product will be similar to. Yes, that's a curtain rod fastened to the wall with screws displaying block lettering that has been modge podged with scrapbook paper and vinyl lettering. I plan to purchase some black picture frames to display photos of our family in a collage above the curtain rod. I am very excited about this, and I can't wait to see how it turns out!

So, aside from dance, soccer, grocery shopping, errands, parties, housework, yardwork, playing incubator, doctor's appointments, teeth cleanings, cooking, baking, entertaining Kaylee and preparing for the upcoming holiday season, I have now found one more thing to occupy all of those hours left in the week - crafting! I am really enjoying it! I guess now we'll just have to wait and see what the 16th week of pregnancy has to offer next week! Until then...

Love and Blessings,
Jessie

UPDATE!!! HERE IS THE FINISHED OFFICE WALL PROJECT:

14 Weeks!!!!

As promised, I am posting an update on our bump! Today, we are exactly 14 weeks along, which officially, puts us in the second trimester! I know what you might be thinking....12 weeks is the first trimester...right?!! I thought this for years. After all, three months times four weeks per month equals 12 weeks. Nine months is full term...well, not in doctor's terms. That 40 week thing gets me, too!

I have to say, this first trimester was very different from when I was pregnant with Kaylee. Of course, there was that whole, "Will I miscarry?" question at hand. Fortunately, I felt really positive that everything would work out this time around. The biggest difference that I experienced was morning sickness. With Kaylee, I was sick morning, day and night well through the first trimester and into the second. This time around, there's been nausea to deal with occasionally, but it was more constant hunger than anything. Unfortunately, this has meant that I have had to eat - A LOT! This was hard for me going from barely eating to eating for what seemed like eight. (Not really, but I did feel a bit hoggish!) For awhile, I was terrified it was twins just because of the hunger factor. When I went in for my 12 week appointment, I was sure Dr. Cornett would be concerned about my weight gain. Apparently, four pounds isn't that bad because she didn't say a word. I still couldn't help but add it up in my head, though. Literally, I had gained a pound a week since my initial appointment with her. I certainly hope this trend doesn't continue! Luckily, things have leveled off this second trimester, and it seems that my eating habits have become more human once again. So many people have told me, "You're having a baby, you're supposed to gain weight!" The way I look at it, though, is that my bump is only about an ounce right now, the fluid adds a little more weight, and the rest is all mama! It's not like I didn't have a fat storage for this kid to work off of - that's what Kaylee did! I lost 15 pounds during the first trimester with her! I guess I'll just have to deal with the fact that this little one likes more cushion than that which is already available! Such a picky little thing - already!!!

So, as much as I dislike this part, I will, as promised, post bump progress photos. The first photo is the one I took the day I got my positive test - 4 weeks. The second was taken this afternoon - 14 weeks. (I know you are supposed to try to wear the same clothing for each photo, but I mistakenly took the first photo in my "small" jeans that I do not dare try to fit into today!)

14 WEEKS

4 WEEKS

Things have definitely....filled in...so to speak. Here's to hoping I can get back on the weight loss track after this little one makes his or her debut!

I was told today that I look cute pregnant, which I am sure was just kind words for a chubby mama! I'll take them, though! I am looking forward to getting an actual bump rather than what looks like a big dinner, and it can't come soon enough!

Gene and I were discussing the other night how quickly this pregnancy seems to be going. In six more weeks, he or she will be halfway cooked! April still seems so far off, though, to meet our little one. I keep telling myself to enjoy every moment of pregnancy, and in reality, I know there is so very much that needs to be taken care of before the big birthday! Kaylee asks all the time, "When can my brother come out?" (Yes, she thinks it's a boy!) We keep telling her that the baby has a lot of growing to do. She has been putting more thought into life when this baby gets here. She asked the other day where the baby would sleep. We showed her the room, and told her that if she wanted, she could have that room, with a bigger closet, if she wanted. She firmly told us NO with a dramatic explanation of not wanting to give up her butterflies and her pretty bed. Even after explaining to her that we would move everything and even offering to paint the room pink for her, she was standing her ground with her original NO. So, it looks as if this baby, whether it be a brother or a sister, gets the best closet in the house - besides mine, of course!

Things I am looking forward to in the second trimester:

1) No nausea! Well, it's still lingering a bit, but pretty much has said, "Farewell!"

2) Baby bump! I know I've "grown", but I'm ready to look like I'm smuggling a basketball under there!

3) More great blood pressure! So far, so good, and I hope it stays that way! I struggled with hypertension with Kaylee during my entire pregnancy, eventually going on bedrest and being induced two weeks early because of it. I know that the bigger the baby gets, the more pressure will be put on my body, so all I can do is pray that God and Dr. Cornett can keep things under control!

4) Boy or Girl?!! Yes, I will be sure to let everyone know as soon as we find out one way or the other. Right now, it is looking like we will be finding out around 20 weeks, which will be around Thanksgiving. I know it seems so far away, but it will be something that we will be "thankful" to find out!

5) Quality time with Kaylee! I know that once this baby does come, my time alone with Kaylee will be much more limited. I plan on getting to the zoo with Kaylee at least one or two more times before the holidays, as well as trying to do some other activities! Before long, she will be in school, and these days will only be a memory!

6) Feeling baby!  I know this little one is wriggling away in there right now, but I can't feel anything yet. (I blame all that cushion!) I can't wait to feel this little one growing and moving about, and I am looking forward to seeing Kaylee's face the first time she can feel him or her, too!

There is so much more to list, but you will just have to wait for me to blog about it later! I LOVE the second trimester, and I plan on enjoying every single moment of it! I have my 16 week appointment in two weeks, so I will be sure to post any important updates then! Until then, keep us in your prayers!

Love and Blessings,

Jessie

I'm a Lucky Woman...

I think we women, as wives, sometimes tend to overlook how lucky we are to have the men that we have in our lives. I guess, for myself, I grew up with a father that could do, fix or build just about anything, so, naturally, I just assumed when I found my husband, he would be able to do the same!

When I met Gene, back in college, I found out quickly that he was knowledgeable on many subjects. He had worked with an electrician since he was a teenager, and that was the work he was doing when I met him. My family was excited about this because it was the one thing my dad had no interest in messing with - electricity! He came in handy when it was time to change out wiring in an old house, upgrade an electric service or just put up a new fan! Shortly, after I met Gene, I ended up having to have my car fixed, and I shelled out a LOT of money to do so. Gene told me a week later that I could've bought the parts, and he could've installed them for free to save me $$$ - too little, too late! He had worked rebuilding old model cars for the "old man" in Big Spring, so he knew a little about engines. He is now the official at home mechanic for stuff like changing out brakes and other little jobs. I think my dad enjoys that as well! So, he could do electrical and mechanical...still not everything...right? Nope! He took a side project on to remodel the guest quarters of a good friend of our's in College Station. By the time I married Gene, two years after meeting him, I had found out that he could do just about anything asked of him. Well, he wasn't the greatest painter, but I guess you can't be good at everything!

As a little girl, I had always expected my daddy to build my house. When I married Gene, I knew he would be a big part of that, too. Working for Tilson, Gene had the connections to get the stuff done that we couldn't do ourselves, but for the most part, he and my dad built our house from the ground up! I remember going through a ton of houseplans, trying to find that exact one that would meet all of our expectations. It was impossible - I was so picky on what I wanted. Finally, Gene said, "Just draw it up, and we'll build it." That is exactly what I did. At around 2 a.m. one morning, I woke up with the exact plan in my head. I got up, flipped on the bedroom light, put it on paper and showed Gene. He liked it, and had a friend involved in drafting draw it up "officially." This November, we will have been living in this house for three years! It is hard to believe it's been that long already. I know, though, that I wouldn't have it if it weren't for Gene!

(During the building process...)

You wouldn't think it, but even with a new home, you can still find things to change. When we built, there were a couple things left for future projects. One of those was our office. Call it a "blank slate" of some sort. This past fall, I finally decided what I wanted for that room. Gene walked in from work one day, and I handed him a drawing of what I wanted. His reply, "You're going to have to buy this." I was shocked! "YOU, can't build it?!!" I replied. I just couldn't believe my ears. I set down my drawing, and put the thought of my dream office in the back of my mind. By the end of the week, I caught Gene with the drawing out in his workshop beginning construction on my new built-in! It turned out beautiful! See for yourself...

(I have to give my daddy credit for the paint job on the built-in and the walls! Like I said, Gene isn't a painter!)

Since I have gotten pregnant, I have been nesting like crazy already! I am on a mission to reorganize every closet and cabinet in this house. One closet that has driven me crazy since we moved in is our hall closet. The shelves we had installed were the simple wire closet shelving, which are fine for clothes, but not blankets and larger items. I was always having issues with items falling off the shelves or just not fitting all together. Everything would end up on the floor, and you couldn't even walk into the walk-in closet. I wouldn't even show it to people when they wanted to tour the house - I was so embarrassed! A week ago, I asked Gene if there was anyway we could change out those shelves. He told me to draw up what I wanted, and he would do it. Here are the before and after shots...

(Before)

(After)

It's like heaven behind those doors!

When Gene and I decided that we were going to get married, and we were discussing our lifelong dreams and goals, he told me, "I will do everything I can to give you everything you have ever wanted!" At the time, I just assumed they were words of love, but reality usually tells us that we don't get everything we want. Well, Gene must be pretty good at defying those odds, because here is the list of things I wanted out of life at that time...

1. I want to get married. (Check)

2. I want to live in a big beautiful home with a big yard in the Hill Country close to my family. (Check)

3. I want three kids. (Workin' on it!)

4. I want to be a stay-at-home mom. (Check)

5. I want us all to be happy and healthy. (Check - most of the time!)

I'd say he's kept his promise, and he continues to do so every single day! He listens to my hopes and dreams for the future, and I have no doubt that he'll do whatever he can to support those. Whether I decide to start my own business or go back to school, he will be beside me, rooting me on!

While Gene may not be good at cleaning up after himself, and he may not be one to help clean the house or do laundry, he is a wonderful husband, father and provider for our family! He was rough around the edges when I met him, but I have done some work on him over the years. You can say he's done much of the same for me. Never a day passes by when I don't thank God for giving me this man to love. We are still a work in progress, and that is how it should be! I wish for many more years to grow and change with this man I call my husband, and I hope that I never forget that I'm a lucky woman!

Love and blessings,

Jessie

Remembering Mr. Scott Fields...

The sad news came out today that one of my high school ag teachers passed this morning after a battle with cancer. Mr. Scott Fields touched many lives over his many years, including mine. I found out only a couple weeks ago that he was fighting cancer, so it was a shock to find out that it had taken him so quickly. I found out today that he'd been fighting the cancer since 2010. While we are sad at the loss of such a great mentor, we can find solitude in the fact that he is no longer in pain, and he is with the Lord.

When I think back on my memories of Mr. Fields, so many different ones come to mind - even some that should be left unsaid! For those who knew him, they remember the energy that he had about him. He was always busy with something, his desk was ALWAYS a mess, and he never stopped moving. He never hesitated to throw a workbook, or a chair for that matter, across the room out of frustration. We all know that each of us gave him plenty to be frustrated about! At the same time, he would be there for any student, no matter the situation. He wrote me a multitude of recommendation letters when I was applying for college and scholarships. He's the reason that I went into college with plans to teach high school agriculture. He plainly told me, "You don't want to teach ag! Do you want to do something where you have to work all of the time and get paid squat!??" Well, those were close to his real words...that I am sure! I can remember asking him if he liked his job. In reply, he told me that he didn't like it...he loved it, but he'd never recommend it. That was him...honest to a fault!

When I started ag, my freshman year, I can remember meeting Mr. Fields and Mr. Usener, his teaching partner, for the first time. I'd heard the horror stories already. Mr. Usener didn't like girls in ag, but Mr. Fields seemed to believe in giving everyone a fair chance. When we started doing judging contests, I tried my hardest, but I never did that great. Our sophmore year, we lost Mr. Usener early in the school year, and Mr. Fields took on more than any one man should ever have to. I believe it was a week or two after losing Mr. Usener, Mr. Fields called my house late one evening. My mom had answered, and he had asked to speak to me. She handed me the phone and told me who it was. I remember thinking, "What could he want from me?" On the other end, in that tone that he had, he quickly asked me, "Would you be interested in going to the Land Judging contest this weekend?" Of course, I said sure, and from then on, I was always treated with respect in his ag program. I may have never been the best at any of the judging teams I was placed on, but I was "dependable", and I think that is always what he needed from his students. And that is was he always was to us!

Teachers have to be there for their students. Well, that is what should be, but unfortunately, that is not always the case. Mr. Fields was always there for me, though, and for that I will always be grateful. My senior year, I was showing in my last stockshow ever. It was the San Antonio stockshow, and my pig was awesome! Cody Stone, the 4-H agent at the time, was confident that my pig was capable of winning the show. I, knowing how much work I had put into this project, was excited about this! I can still remember, to this day, how it all went down. The first job of our ag teachers was to double check all of our pigs with their validation papers. When they came to my pig, there was a problem. One of the ear notches had not been recorded correctly when my pig was validated. This was something I should have double checked at validation, but I didn't. The other ag teacher said he would take care of it, and told me not to worry about a thing. The next day, as I walked my pig into the show ring, the judge took one look and sent me to a holding pen. Mr. Fields and Cody were quick to my side with excitement. The ring-men came along to check the validation paperwork on each penned pig, and mine, of course, wasn't correct. I was sent back to another holding pen along with another little girl who's pig was missing a tag all together. Mr. Fields and Cody followed me, and they stood by me as the ring-man told me that they would have to send my pig to "the trailer." Mr. Fields filled with anger while trying to take responsibility for the mistake, my mistake. He begged and pleaded to the ring-man to let me show my pig. He told him that this was my last show of my senior year, but it didn't matter. The ring-man replied, "I already let that other girl's pig back in without a tag. I can't let two in with problems!" I was devastated, and so were Mr. Fields and Cody. As I exited the ring to the trailer, I was told that the judge pulled the ring-man aside, pointed at me, and asked why I was being sent away. I can only wonder what kind of success my hard work would have provided me that day, but I never had to wonder if my ag teacher had my best interests in mind. They were as heartbroken as I was that day. Mr. Fields apologized to me over and over for not making sure the validation was fixed the day before. I told him that I knew it wasn't his fault - it was just a hard lesson learned. Mr. Fields told me, some years later, when I was home from college taking in the local stockshow, that he continued to use me as an example every year at validation time! I'd like to think that I had impacted his life, that year, as much as he'd impacted mine!

I could sit here all day and write about all of the great things I remember about Mr. Fields. I can tell you about him driving like a maniac in school vehicles, off-roading in the caravan during land judging, and slamming on the brakes of the bus for "brake checks." I can tell you about him calling the last motel available in Stephenville after our other hotel reservations got screwed up and threatening the motel owner/manager to bring 20 high school students to sleep on the floor of his lobby if he didn't give us rooms for the night. Trust me, we would have rather slept on the bus than in this motel, but he made sure we had a place to stay! I can tell you how he always let us leave campus to go get donuts in the morning - as long as we brought him some! There are so many memories in my mind, and I know there are many more from his other students, too!

Mr. Fields wasn't always perfect, and he probably could have never passed a teacher evaluation if they knew what really went on in his classes. But, he was one of the most inspirational teachers I ever had. He was the reason I didn't completely hate high school, and that is saying a lot! Mr. Fields, I hope you know how very much you meant to me, and I hope you know how many lives you touched in your many years on this earth! You will be greatly missed, but we will carry all of these cherished memories with us until the end of time!

Love and blessings,
Jessie

Am I Ready for This???

So, we had a parent's meeting last night at Kaylee's dance school. The purpose of the meeting was to discuss competitions, dates, fees, etc. I thought the money part would be the most difficult for me to swallow, but it wasn't that bad, at all. For now, Kaylee will just be doing group dances. The real big bucks come in with additional solos and other dances. We'll have to pinch a few more pennies here and there, but I think we can handle the financials for now!

The real big shock came about when the dates of the competitions were read out. First competition, March 31st thru April 1st (i.e. a week before my due date). Second competion, April 13th thru April 15th (i.e.  a week after my due date). Third competition, April 20th thru April 22nd (i.e. the weekend of Aggie Muster). It really didn't set in until this morning when I was programing everything into my phone calender, how  much this is really going to impact our lives.

Lord knows, having a baby is stressful enough without scheduling conflicts. I can tell you right now that Kaylee will NOT be doing t-ball in the spring! I just can't handle it, and I know there would be no way to fit that, too, into her already buzzing schedule! I am running through scenarios in my head of how everything is going to pan out already. Maybe the baby will come a couple weeks early? Reality check...will I be able to take a week old baby to Kaylee's first competition? Will the baby arrive on it's due date? Okay, then we have an Easter weekend baby...making planning birthday parties interesting on certain years. Still, I can handle that. Surely, I can handle whatever comes along, but am I ready for it?

We are very fortunate and blessed to have some friends and family who have stepped in to say that they will make sure Kaylee gets to and from competitions and has an enjoyable experience, should we not be able to be there ourselves. Still, my heart breaks to think that I may miss my baby girl's first competition, or any of them for that matter. A good mommy would be there to fix her hair and put on her make-up. A good mommy would be there to take pictures so that she has those memories to treasure for years to come. A good mommy would be there to cheer her on as she dances her heart out on the stage in front of an audience. Am I ready to miss out on this?

On my end, what if I am having the baby on a competition day? Kaylee will have to miss the birth of her brother or sister. My sister will not be able to be by my side to help me through my labor and cut the cord like she was with Kaylee. How sad would it be to not have some of the people closest to my heart there when this new life comes into this world to meet us? It brings tears to my eyes to even think about it!

One might ask, "Why not wait another year for Kaylee to do competition?" I ask the same question myself. She wants to do it so badly, though, and I just don't have the heart to tell her that she can't do it! How do you tell a little girl that is putting everything she has into something that she will just have to wait? I can't do that. I can't tell my little girl that she can do anything she sets her heart to, then turn around and take it away. I won't do it!

Am I ready for this? It's not like things are ever going to slow down. Kaylee is getting older. She is doing dance and soccer, now. Next year, we'll add school into the mix. Then 4-H and stockshows get mixed in. Not to mention, there's this other little one here that will be needing us, too! I guess every mother going from one child to two goes through this anxiety at some point. Every mother asks themselves, "Am I ready for this?"

I guess I will just have to let everything play out, and what will be, will be! Despite the best planning, none of us really have any control over life. There will be days when I will feel on top of the world, like I am the best Mommy ever! Other days, something will come along and knock me back down to reality just to make sure I know that I am only human and, despite my best efforts, will not always be able to do everything right. For now, we will all have to wait to see how this story plays out, and I will find out along the way, the answer to that great question - am I ready for this?

Love and blessings,
Jessie

Reflection...

I had no plans to attend church today as I drove to town to take Kaylee to Sunday school for the first time in weeks. Though today was the 165th Anniversary of Holy Ghost Lutheran Church, not to mention the 10 year anniversary of 9-11, I hadn't given any thought to the fact that today would be a great day to go worship in the house of the Lord.

This morning, when we were getting ready, Gene had the Ground Zero program on the television. I sat and watched for a few moments as they read names of those who lost their lives that day, and my emotions started to get the better of me. I mumbled to Gene that this was too sad for me to watch right now and got up to go brush my teeth. I hadn't even thought about the fact that Kaylee was in the room watching, too. On the drive to town, Kaylee asked me, "Mama, why were those people on the t.v. so sad?" I tried to compose myself and come up with the words to explain to my four-year-old what happened on that fatefull day 10 years ago. I must have done a good enough job explaining because after a moment of thought, Kaylee replied, "Mama, I'm going to pray for those planes and the people who died and their families." All I could muster up with tears in my eyes was, "That would be kind."

I didn't lose anyone that day, yet it still brings a lump to my throat to think about all of those who did lose their loved ones. I can't help to think of all of the brave men and women who have lost their lives since defending our freedom because of that day. I think of the families who must be lost as their loved ones continue to fight for our freedoms. Sadly, most days go by without a thought of how different the last 10 years would have been were it not for the terroristic acts of 9-11.

We all remember where we were when the "world stopped turning." I was taking a finance exam, and knew nothing about what had happened until I met up with my college roommate for our Animal Reproduction class in the Kleberg building. I can point out the exact bench I was sitting at when she told me what had happened. I can remember thinking, "This isn't real....this didn't happen." Students were abuzz talking about people they knew who worked in the towers. I can remember one of my friends saying that our Ag Economics professor and is wife were there for a meeting that morning, but word had it, they were okay. For our campus, it was a dreaded reminder of lives lost on our campus just a couple years earlier when bonfire collapsed. That anniversary, too, is coming up soon. You just don't ever think that something like that will happen in your life.

Back to this morning, I dropped Kaylee off at Sunday school and then ran a few errands. I came back to get her when Sunday school was over, and was greeted by Kaylee and her friend, Rylie, ready to go to church. I asked, "Do you REALLY want to go to church?" - secretly hoping she'd change her mind. In the past few weeks, my pregnancy nausea has been a lot to handle, and I wasn't sure if I was prepared to withstand a full church service. I gave in, of course, and we went on our way. I am so glad that I did. Today's message was one that really reached to the core of everything going through my mind. We touched on "scars" and how, good or bad, they help us to remember signifcant events that have impacted our lives. There are scars left from the moment that plane hit the first tower. There are scars left from the moment we found out that we lost fellow Aggies when bonfire collapsed. There will now be scars for all of those who have lost homes and more in this past week to wildfires in Texas and floods to the east. I have a scar on my heart that will remind me each October that we have a child awaiting us in heaven.

I'm glad I went to church today. I think I needed that time of reflection to remember all of the things it hurts to rememeber. I can reflect upon all of those events in my life that made me a stronger person, a better mother, a better Christian. I would hate for there to come a day that I couldn't find solice in my grief. Fore, if we can't do that, all of the loss was useless. If we can't take the sadness of the loss of life on 9-11 and the 10 years since then and turn it into something positive - all is lost. I can honestly say, I hate war, and I hate that our service men and women have to sacrifice so much during war. But, I do support them, I support the cause, and I support the fight. If they weren't out there doing what they have been trained to do, all of those lives lost will have been in vain.

On our ride home from church, I had another talk with Kaylee. She hadn't listened well in church, so I thought she needed some help to understand the message. We went over the 9-11 story once more, and we spoke about the wildfires. I asked her to think about all of the things and people in her life that are important to her. I asked how she would feel if those things and people were taken away without warning. We came to the conclusion, that we have so many things to be thankful for in our lives, and there is never a bad time to stop and thank God for all his blessings he has bestowed upon us. There is never a bad time to think about the sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and what he gave up for us. It doesn't have to be Thanksgiving, Christmas or Easter to really stop and reflect on all of these things. It can be done at anytime and anywhere.

Thank you, service men and women, for defending our freedoms so that we can live with less fear in our lives. Thank you, Kaylee, for the push to go to church today, and thank you, God, for your one and only son, Jesus Christ. I leave you with these wise words my pastor once told me in a time of hurt, "We, as humans, are imperfect. The world is an imperfect place. Even, God is imperfect. We can't always understand it, but we must trust in God's grace and mercy to help us through."

Love and blessings,
Jessie