Merry Christmas!

So here is where the fun/chaos all began. We had to make a quick trip to Walmart to get some last minute groceries. Mallory refused to put on her jeans and insisted on wearing her coat (from last year) which made her belly stick out. If we had been going anywhere else, I would have pushed her to change, but I figured it was Walmart and that unfortunately she wouldn't be the worst dressed kid there.

Here was the Christmas Eve dinner, pre-chaos. You can see poor Ryan sleeping in the chair in the background after his nose surgery two days ago.
So I did not magically wake up to the best present of no sickness today, but Christmas still turned out to be so much fun - mainly due to Mallory's excitement from unwrapping presents. Although she didn't understand Santa this year, she was so fun and would scream with excitement as she opened gifts. I didn't get many pictures because we were trying to enjoy the moment, but here a few of the day.

Maybe next year we need a bigger tree?

Mallory stayed up so late last night from all the fun, and got up way too early this morning, so she barely made it through breakfast without falling asleep.

She started off just handing out gifts (in her pretty dress).

Then, she opened her first present. She hated when the paper stuck to her fingers.

Her second gift was this jacket - which she of course had to put on.

I love her face in this one.

She got awfully happy about the pig.

And then the cabbage patch doll.

Not sure what she was smiling about here, but this is how she was the whole time.

She had to hold on to her baby and her sock monkey.

She loved her new purse and bracelets from Chance and Bryce - went great with the jacket.

Mallory made this for us at school . We thought the foot looked huge and were hoping she wasn't the only kid who required a 5x7 instead of 4X6.

She got a band in a box set -which may have been a mistake - but she loved the shakers.

And the symbol.

This gift by far got the best reaction. She actually squealed when she saw this one.

Hopefully everyone had a wonderful Christmas!

Read more ...

First Snow (that stuck)!

Well what a week 10 this turned out to be. Thursday morning I woke up at 5:30am when Eric's alarm went off so he could get up and study for another few hours for his last exam. It didn't take me long to realize I had food poisoning. I decided it probably wasn't a bad idea to go into the ER so I wouldn't get any more dehydrated then I already was. Eric had his exam at 8:30 so he dropped me off at the ER on his way. They took my blood, inserted the IV, and then as I was leaning forward into my bucket, I fainted. Luckily the nurse was right next to me tying my gown or I would have fallen right out of the bed since the side rails weren't up. They said it's common that people faint when they throw up because it stimulates the vagus nerve...who knew!

This fainting was different than when I fainted with with Mallory at 14 weeks because I knew with Mallory it was coming and that I should have sat down. This time, I didn't even realize what happened and just woke up from what I thought was a really good sleep with the EMT, nurses, and doctors all around me yelling my name. They wanted me to take anti-nausea medication to prevent it from happening again, but I didn't really want to take anything without doing research on it since I was pregnant - they weren't too thrilled but I didn't end up needing it anyway. I called Eric's brother Ryan, who luckily had the day off, to sit with me in the case I fainted again, since Eric couldn't be there until after his final was over.

I had to get down a whole glass of apple juice before they'd release me, so 2 hours after I got the juice, I was able to go home. I couldn't eat anything the rest of the day but returned to just my normal nausea on Friday (never thought I'd be happy to return to "normal" nausea). Up to this point I was able to maintain my weight, but at my doctor's appointment on Friday, I weighed in 3 lbs less. THis was not really a surprise since I didn't eat for a whole day (which was awful, especially since the QVC had nothing but food on there that I wished I could eat but couldn't). No real stomach yet, except right after I eat and then it's like an all out food baby. I will try and get an 11 week pic and post it next week.

By Saturday I was feeling better and was able to take Mallory outside in the first snow we've had that actually stuck. She wouldn't keep the gloves on so we couldn't stay outside very long. She didn't know what to think, but here are a few pictures from how it went.

On our way to some snow...

She thought it was really cool that she could make feet prints as she walked.
Not so thrilled that she slipped and fell.

Picked up the snow.

And had to try it!

Have a great week and have a Merry Christmas!

Read more ...

Only 9 weeks?!?!?

Yes it's true, I'm only 9 weeks (feels like it's been months!) and I'm already counting down. Although it sounds crazy, I'm not counting down to the end, just to get past this morning sickness, which I hope is no later than 12 weeks. The morning sickness has gotten worse as the days have progressed and all I can hope is that the worst is in the past and it only gets better from here. I was reading back through Mallory's pregnancy journal and we went camping this time during the pregnancy- that is how I know I didn't just forget this stage last time, but that I truly did not have morning sickness with Mallory. If someone even suggested camping right now I think I'd be hormonally inclined to go off like they were the mad man for even suggesting it.

It doesn't help that Eric is in the middle of finals right now. I haven't been able to cook a meal in over two weeks! The smell and thought of any kind of meat (other than ham) makes me sick. The only things I can keep down are soup, bread, eggs, mashed potatoes, ham, and flavored lemonade. These combined are what I have eaten for 2 weeks straight. You would think I'd be sick of them by now, but any food is better than no food. It seems like this past week the sickness has gotten worse at about 8:30pm. I try and make it a goal to be asleep before then so I don't have to endure the worst - unfortunately most nights that doesn't happen.

Despite all this, I have managed to finally get all the presents wrapped, Christmas cards done, and the house semi-decorated (just one room, but that is all I'm doing). Eric will be done with finals on Thursday, so hopefully I'll have someone to complain to again, since Mallory doesn't really seem to understand I don't feel well. :) On a positive note, morning sickness is reassurance that the baby is still in there and doing well. Lately I have started to think it's a girl- not sure how good my maternal instincts are, but I guess I'll find out in 9-11 weeks from now.

Also, I took Mallory's 21 month stats today. She is 34.5 inches and 33lbs. Still the 99% for weight but dropped to the 88% for height. In just 3 months we'll be able to double her height to "predict" how tall she'll be!

Here are a few pictures from our Christmas decorating.

Read more ...

The Gingerbread House Experience!

And the beginning of our adventure started with the ingredients and a towel (for easy clean up at the end, I hope). She was so excited.

As I was putting the structure together, she got a bite of the tree.

Which left us without a tree top :(

Loved seeing all of the candy!

Well, pouring it on the house didn't go so well. I guess it's more fun to pour it on the table.

Hmm...if it sticks to the house, it must be able to stick to my nose!

She was so proud of all the hard work she did!

And the final product.....

Haha, ok, that was the picture on the box, but back to reality. Here is how ours turned out...



For about five minutes until it looked like this!

This is when we folded up the towel and called it day! Stickiness everywhere, stained hands, and a house I hope I never would have to live in.

Read more ...

8 Weeks and Christmas Festivities

Well, I'm officially 8 weeks! No new picture becauase, well, I look exactly like I did 2 weeks ago. Still sick and hoping that I'm one of the normal ones who stop getting sick somewhere between 12-14 weeks. Today I felt ok, so Mallory and I went and got the rest of the Christmas shopping done, went to see Santa, and enjoyed candy canes. If tomorrow is a good day, we hope to decorate the gingerbread house and the Christmas tree.

Enjoying a candy cane.

Could have told you how this was going to turn out.

At home afterwards just as happy as could be.

This was a while ago (before she broke the glasses).

Read more ...