Catching Up With The Conway's

No Baby...Just Yet

2012-02-16T09:45:00.000-08:00

Thought I'd update everyone since the blog posts are hit or miss these days.
Amelia hasn't made her arrival yet but we are in the single digits to my due date. I go back to the doctor on Tuesday, February 21st and if I haven't had her by then we will look into some dates that I can get induced.
I'm praying for her to come on her own, when she is ready, but I'm also hoping she gives us enough warning so my mom can make the flight from Missouri to Pennsylvania and be there when Amelia is born. One can hope, right?

It's getting close...I'll be sure to keep everyone updated!

Patience, Cankles And Chocolate

2012-02-14T08:59:00.000-08:00

With my due date SEVEN days away, my emotional and physical states are being tested. Yesterday, I was feeling great....energetic, excited and anxious to meet our little girl. Today has been a whole different ballgame. I've officially hit 'the wall' and I'm pretty uncomfortable. The pressure when I walk has intensified, the waddle has taken on a whole new definition, the energy levels have significantly dropped and my patience has seemed to blow out the window. I'm trying to keep a positive attitude because it could be another week plus until she comes or has to be forced out but today has been more difficult than usual.

I can remember thinking I wouldn't be that pregnant person that reached her breaking point in the last few days before delivery...I would be the one that enjoyed every last second that pregnancy had to offer! Well, I guess I'm the first person to admit that I've totally turned into that pregnant lady.

Not only is my emotional state being tested but my physical state is being tested too. My stomach feels so big and tight that if I didn't know any better I would think that it might burst if I bent over too far. Add a contraction on top of the tight stomach and it isn't pretty! Shirts aren't reaching my pants because the stomach is holding them up...thank goodness for long maternity tank tops. I consider myself extremely fortunate to have not had swelling like I have seen others get. My rings haven't felt comfortable for the last few weeks so I put them in a safe spot and gave my fingers some relief. My feet get pretty big at the end of the day but I try to keep them up as much as I can during the day...thank goodness for a desk job. Cankles (where your calves run right into your foot, hiding your ankles) have been spotted over the last few days. I'm hoping that a fresh coat of toenail polish will make the cankles look a little less noticeable. Which reminds me...I need to get a pedicure ASAP!

Valentine's Day couldn't have come at a better time. Chocolate, Chocolate, Chocolate!!! As if I needed an excuse to eat massive amounts of chocolate, my attitude today has driven me to stuff my face as much as I can. I must admit...the chocolate helped at first but when I realized it was just making my stomach tighter, I had to slow down!

Please say an extra prayer for us over the next few days...this uncomfortable waiting game is so much harder than I anticipated! Good thing I have some chocolate to make things a little bit better during the wait...HA!

Saturday And Sunday=Rest And Relaxation

2012-02-13T08:48:00.000-08:00

This weekend, with Jason working, the boys and myself took advantage of the empty house and spent most of our time relaxing. I had to snap a few pictures of our day...nothing too exciting but the pictures were too sweet to not take.

--Here is Bazzle in his favorite sleeping position...he loves laying on his sister!

--Muzzy spent a lot of his time in the window protecting/guarding the house.

--Muzzy loving on Amelia...I guess he didn't want Bazzle to show her all the attention so he had to get in on the action.

We watched movie after movie, took naps, made some yummy CrockPot soup, did a few house chores and just enjoyed our time together! This mama loves her boys and it was nice to have some time where it was just us! Gotta spoil them before their little sister makes her arrival!

Bump Updates: Week 38

2012-02-11T01:02:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 38....

I even decided to show bare belly this week! My stomach is about as tight as it can get...I'm not sure how much bigger or tighter the stomach can get.
How far along? 38 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, February 11, 2012)

How big is the baby? The size of a watermelon, a slightly bigger watermelon than last week!

Sleep? Sleep this week has been hit or miss. I feel like I say that a lot but it's true. There are nights where I will only get up two or three times and then there are nights where I'm up every hour. Unfortunately, I've started snoring and it's affecting Jason's sleep. He tries to be so polite but some nights I can tell he gets frustrated. I've also noticed that I've been drooling significantly throughout the night. I usually wake up with my hair plastered to my cheek...so gross. Breathing is definitely more difficult so I guess I've started sleeping with my mouth wide open. Snoring and drooling are not how I want to describe my sleeping habits...boo!

Food Cravings? Tuna club sandwiches from Jimmy Johns was my craving this week. I was just introduced to these and it's ridiculous how many excuses I found this week to drive ten minutes in the opposite direction to get a sandwich.
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Getting a package in the mail with homemade goodies from my mom and Jason's grandma. I absolutely loved opening that box and seeing so much love!
Development? Amelia isn't so little anymore. She could be as much as 7 pounds. She is still shedding all that lanugo, the hair that helped protect her and helped her regulate her body temperature. She has started producing surfactant like a champ, which will prevent the lung air sacs from sticking to each other when she begins to breathe. She could be here any day!!
Noteables? Amelia got some new clothes this week from our friends, Laura and Steve. She got the sweetest little outfits for when she is a little bit bigger...I'm so excited to put her in them!

Livin' On Love

2012-02-09T01:03:00.000-08:00

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

Our first date was on December 1, 2002. It's crazy to think that this year we will have been together for 10 years!
2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

I moved, about two hours, from my hometown once I graduated highschool to go to college. I was able to find a job at The Buckle, a clothing store in the mall. He can vividly remember walking in and me helping him find a pair of Doc Martens (remember when those shoes were so popular?). I don't remember him but shortly after he came in, he applied and got a job at The Buckle too. From there the flirting started and he asked me to come to church with him.
3. If married, how long have you been married?

We got married on April 26, 2008. It will be 4 years this April!

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding?

We got married in an outdoor garden at a local bed and breakfast. We were living on the island for Jason's medical school and we planned the wedding, with A LOT of help from my mom, for one of our short breaks in between semesters. Our wedding was the perfect size. I had two bridesmaids and then Jason had two groomsmen.

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another?

We're not too creative in this area. Usually I call him Jay and he calls me Ash. Sometimes we'll throw in a Babe or a Sweetie.
6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

His sense of humor, his dedication to family and work and the way that he loves me!
7. Tell us how he proposed?

This is kind of funny. We went and looked at rings pretty early on in our relationship so every trip that we took, I was always thinking, "this is it!". We went to Paris and I was certain that this trip would be where he proposed. I dressed cute, wore painful boots everywhere and made sure that my hair and makeup were always perfect. Needless to say, the trip was amazing but ended without us getting engaged. I was pretty heartbroken because I thought Paris would have been the best place for us to get engaged! Well, fast forward a few years. We went to Elephant Rocks, which is a National Park by our house, for my grandpa's birthday. We loaded up our coolers, grabbed the boys and headed to the park with our family. We started walking through the different paths (just him, me and the boys) and we made the decision to climb the tallest rock so we could see all the surrounding area. Up there, away from everyone, just our family of four is where he proposed. It couldn't have been more perfect for us...I'm so glad that he proposed exactly when and how he did it!
8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

I'm not a huge fan of Valentine's Day presents so we both decided to not go crazy on anything. We'd much rather save our money and take a weekend trip somewhere or buy something for the house. Before we got married and our money was separate, he went all out. I got flowers, teddy bears, a nice dinner and anything else he thought I needed. He's a romantic at heart!
9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

It depends on my mood. I'd love to say that I'm a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl but in reality, I enjoy being a homebody.
10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

I would love to take a honeymoon. We flew back to the island two days after the wedding so even though the island is a beautiful place, it wasn't a honeymoon. I don't really care where we go but I would like to take a week or two and go away.
11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

Unfortunately, Jason is working the night shift all next week so we don't have anything planned for Valentine's Day. We'll try to go to dinner or something when he has some time off but right now between his schedule and being so close to delivery, it makes things a little more difficult.
12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's Day?

My baby girl! I've been pleading with her to come a week early so we can have her on Valentine's Day but I'm not sure she can hear me!
13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

We have such a crazy, hectic life but I think we make it work by taking advantage of the time that we do have together. We could lay around in our pajamas all day or take a trip to the best beach in the world and we could have some amazing conversations and just enjoy each other. You HAVE to make time for each other!
14. Show us a picture of what love means to you.

Dear Amelia Jean

2012-02-08T13:55:00.000-08:00

Dear Amelia Jean,

Wow, little lady! We're definitely in the home stretch now...38 weeks you've been growing in my belly and now we are days away from having you in our arms. February 22nd can't come soon enough but if you are as stubborn as your ~~daddy~~ parents, then you might have us waiting a little longer. So many emotions flood my heart on a daily basis, especially with your arrival getting closer and closer with each passing day.

I'm thankful that God decided that you would be our little girl and that we would be your parents. Some days I catch myself just staring and holding my stomach, regardless of where I am, because it makes me feel so much closer to you. Your daddy loves when we lay down in bed at night...that's your active time! He talks to you, tells you how much he loves you and wraps his hands around my stomach. Feeling you move and kick against his hands melts his heart. He kisses you goodnight and falls asleep to you doing a special dance for him. Don't tell him but with every kick, you take a little more of his heart!

I'm nervous of how I will step into motherhood....will I embrace it or will I panic? I can't even imagine what it's going to be like when you get here. Our lives will never be the same and I'm sure that once I see your face and hear your cry, I'll never want our lives to be the same. I want to be the best mother to you, like rock-your-socks-off kind of mother, and I can promise you that I will do my best. The nerves will probably never fully go away but with each passing day, I'll get better at pushing the nerves to the side!

I'm excited to know I'm going to be a mommy...something I've wanted for as long as I can remember. I'm ready to hold you, console you, kiss you, cuddle you, spoil you, dress you in the cutest clothes, bathe you, share you with friends and family, introduce you to your brothers, rock you to sleep, sing to you, proudly walk you around the block in your stroller, take you to dinner and have everyone sneaking a peek and I'm ready to say, "family of three".

The list of emotions that I'm feeling can be a little overwhelming but the number one emotion that I'm feeling is LOVE. From the second that we saw those two lines, to the first appointment where we saw your sweet little heartbeat, to your first little kick, to the constant hiccuping episodes, to my rapidly growing belly and constant weight gain....I've been head over heels in love! You, my sweet little girl, are such an answered prayer!

Love,

Mommy

Child Like Heart

2012-02-06T07:04:00.000-08:00

Yesterday in Sunday School, my nephew did something that would be hard for a person at any age.

Let me back up just a little bit...a few weeks ago the Sunday School teacher was talking to the class on helping others in need. He proceeded to tell the class that they would be collecting money to give to kids that needed clothes, medicine and food in the upcoming weeks.
Well, fast forward to this week. This week Brock remembered what was discussed in the previous class, so he loaded up his pirate chest, which was full of money, and headed to church. My mom even tried to talk him through his actions but he wasn't having any of it. He knew what he wanted to do and he wasn't letting anyone stop him!

He was so proud walking into that classroom....all his coins, half dollars and silver dollars were going to make some kid very happy. Right when he walked in, he went straight to the donation box and unloaded his pirate chest full of money. He didn't second guess his decision for a second. He knew that he could help and he made sure that he did what he could. How is it that a 5 year old boy already has so much compassion for others? That his wants are put on hold so he can help others with greater needs? Did he know how many Legos he could have bought with that money? Not that he needs more toys but most 5 year olds don't know that!

His heart was lead to take action and he followed it. I could have cried when I heard the story and then when I got the pictures, I was beaming with pride and joy.

I need to take pointers from my 5 year old nephew! I want to have a giving heart, a heart that doesn't second guess myself when I write out that tithe check or when I feel the need to give a little extra. That's going to be my goal, my prayer and my desire. I want to have a child like heart, a heart so big that it's impossible to hide.

Such a sweet story...just had to share!

Bump Updates: Week 37

2012-02-04T12:29:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 37....

How far along? 37 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, February 4, 2012)

How big is the baby? The size of a watermelon

Sleep? Sleep is getting more and more difficult. Trips to the bathroom and hip pain is preventing me from staying asleep for more than an hour at a time. Certain days, when I can spread out and take over the whole bed, I can sleep for a few hours at a time.

Food Cravings? It's still Raisin Bran with extra milk and some toast with butter. I ate this for breakfast every day this week and for dinner a few nights too.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Getting a package from a blog friend, Lizzy, with goodies for Jason, myself and Amelia. Some people are so kind and generous...thanks so much girlie! This week I was also considered full term...woo hoo!

Development? Amelia is still gaining about 1/2 a pound a week and she is still continuing to accumulate fat under her skin. She has approximately 16% body fat right now! Her movements have decreased from hard kicks and punches to more of a wave, rolling movement. She is still practicing for her debut...inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, sucking her thumb, blinking and pivoting from side to side.

Noteables? A lot of people told me this week that Amelia looked like she dropped a little bit so maybe that means she's a little closer to making her appearance. The office girls went in on a birth poll for Amelia's birthday. It's so fun to look over their predicitions...

They also put together a 'Hospital Survival Kit', which was so nice. It was everything that I might find comforting during my hospital stay after delivery. I have some of the best co-workers..they are so good to me!

I Spy...

2012-02-02T07:45:00.000-08:00

I spy with my little eye...A FOOT. Can anyone else spot Amelia's foot??

Nursery Reveal

2012-02-01T16:50:00.000-08:00

Since the nursery was finished this weekend, I wanted to take and post a few pictures. We would love to get some sort of book shelf or toy trunk for the room but I haven't been able to find any that would work with the room...the dimensions of the room have been more of a struggle than we anticipated. As far as a nursery theme, we didn't really go with a theme for Amelia's room. Jason's only request was not too much pink so we tried to go with some fun girlie colors that she could still use when she gets a little older.

Her name behind the crib and the pom poms were ideas off of Pinterest. The lighting in the picture isn't the greatest but they turned out so fun and perfect for the room! I'm not a huge fan of having a lot of things sitting on top of dressers so we tried to keep her dresser as simple as we could. Just the necessities for now...I'm sure once she gets here we'll make things a little more practical, but for now, it's clutter free. The curtains match the crib skirt and I just love the way they look! It took us a little while to find hooks that would hold the curtains open. The curtains have a blackout backing so they are heavier than most curtains and the hooks we had just weren't working. Her closet is already so insane...we have clothes coming out of our ears. Right now, we just have newborn-6m hanging in her closet and we have her 6m-12m clothing packed away in a tupperware storage container. I have a feeling that her closet could go from organized to disaster in 1.2 seconds!Her room is finished...all we need is Amelia! I'm sure I'll be organizing and re-organizing until she comes but that's just the nesting!

Weekend Glimpse

2012-01-30T01:14:00.000-08:00

This weekend from 9:30a-12:30p, we had our first childbirthing class, at the clinic. Unfortunately Jason wasn't able to go with me because he was on call but I wasn't about to let that stop me from going. The class was really informative but I'm not sure how well I responded to all the information that was being thrown my direction. We went over the different stages of labor, breathing techniques, relaxation poses and different aspects of pregnancy. At one point we split into two groups, men and women, and we made lists of what we like and what we dislike about pregnancy. I had to take a picture of the men's list..gotta love their honesty.
I was finally able to get Amelia's curtains ironed and hung up in her room this weekend. I'm definitely not the person that irons in the family but with Jason being on call, I figured it wouldn't hurt to give the whole ironing thing a try. I actually did pretty good...I surprised myself at how easy it was to iron them.
We got our rocker/recliner for the living room this weekend and after some rearranging, we found the best setup for our living room. The boys love the chair, especially when they have a comfy blanket to lay on.
Muzzy was being all lovey dovey this weekend...he loves his little sister!

Even though Jason was on night call all weekend, I feel like we made the most out of our time and got a few big things marked off our list. The steady bout of contractions that I had on Friday night really seemed to get me motivated to mark a few more things off! Don't worry though..for as much as I did on Saturday and Sunday, I made sure to rest when I got too tired!

House Tour

2012-01-29T16:16:00.000-08:00

After three months, I figured it was a good time to show you the place that we call home. A few rooms aren't exactly how we want them but we're updating them when we can...owning and decorating a home is definitely more expensive than we thought it would be.

Anyway...what we have is ours and it is such a good feeling to be in a place of our own for once. Here ya go...the Conway home!Right when you walk into our front door, you can go upstairs or downstairs. If you go downstairs, then you have a large seating room, the soon-to-be man cave. The sectional couch and the large ottoman were given to us shortly after we moved in. We're hoping to refabric the ottoman to match the couch in the near future. We still need to get a TV for the basement so we can enjoy the large, comfy couch but for now that hasn't been a priority. The other side of the room has become home to the furniture that doesn't have a home. The wooden rocking horse was being given away by our neighbor and after we inspected it and found nothing wrong with it, we brought it home for Amelia. I think this will be a great playroom for Amelia once she gets a little older. The washer/dryer room is also downstairs but it wasn't clean so I left out that picture. Heading back upstairs, the first room to be seen is the living room. We just got our recliner/rocking chair so we had to rearrange our furniture this weekend so everything fit. Eventually we would like to mount our TV on the wall and get rid of the TV console, but that one is still on list. Right across from the living room is the kitchen/dining area. The kitchen wasn't as clean as I would have liked but I just washed the vacuum cleaner parts and they needed to stay on the counter to dry. Our table is in the same room...notice the high chair already assembled and sitting by the table. Behind the curtain is our back deck and back yard. With the windows in the dining area and in the living room, the house gets a lot of natural light, which we really like. After leaving the kitchen area, the hallway takes you to the guest bathroom and the bedrooms. The guest bathroom is the first room down the hall--it's a full bathroom, which has become my best friend over the past few weeks. I love taking baths in the evening to help relax before bed. The three bedrooms are all at the end of the hallway. The guest bedroom has been totally neglected since we moved in. We brought a king size bed with us because we thought we might use it in the master bedroom but we love how comfy our bed is so we put the big bed in the guest room. Unfortunately, the room isn't very big and the bed takes up the whole room. Eventually, we would like to make this an office with a daybed so there will be more room. Since we want to change up the room, then we haven't bought any bedding or curtains for the room. Having a bed for our guests is nice so we'll keep the big bed until we can get it fixed up. On the other side of the guest bedroom is the master bedroom and bathroom. We love our bedroom...it's so comfy! The master bathroom is a half bathroom...the bathroom is also my best friend throughout the night! Sometimes it's the littlest things that makes this mama happy! The other room is the nursery, which is by far my favorite room in the house. We didn't go with a theme for the nursery...we went with fun, girlie colors. I'm going to do a nursery reveal post with more details but here's a peek until then.

We love our house!! We couldn't be more thankful for the opportunity that we were given to purchase it and to be able to furnish it. Of course, there are things we want to change and update but it's a perfect first home for this family!! We can't wait to raise our family in it over the next few years!

Bump Updates: Week 36

2012-01-28T01:48:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 36....

How far along? 36 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, January 28, 2012)

How big is the baby? The size of a crenshaw melon

Sleep? Sleep isn't going the greatest right now. If I remember to take some Tylenol before I go to bed, then I can sleep a little more sound. I feel like I'm either tossing and turning or going to the bathroom. I guess this is just preparing me for those nights of little to no sleep once she arrives.
Food Cravings? Raisin Bran with extra milk and toast with butter.
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Starting weekly appointments with the doctor. I love getting checked out weekly so I can keep an eye on my progress.
Development? Amelia's bones, except for her skull, have fully hardened and they are ready to take on the world. Her Ulnar grasp is perfected and she is ready to squeeze her daddy's fingers! Amelia is weighing in about 6 pounds and she is about 20 inches tall. She is almost ready to make her appearance and we couldn't be more excited.
Noteables? I had about a 40 minute time period where the contractions were consistent and painful. If they would have lasted 20 more minutes, we would have been making a call to the labor and delivery office. It freaked us out quite a bit...we realized we have a few things that we need to get finished before little one makes her arrival. We got a call this week from the furniture store and our rocker/recliner had arrived and was ready to be picked up. This morning Jason went and picked up the chair and put it in the living room. I also went to the first child birthing class this morning. The class is a three week series but class #1 was informative! It's crazy to think that when the series is over, it will be SOOO close to having our little girl here.

Productivity....Never Felt So Good!

2012-01-24T12:32:00.000-08:00

Saturday morning, after we played out in the snow, we decided to get out and find a rocking chair/recliner for the house. We've been putting it off because we couldn't make up our mind on what style we wanted for the house and because Jason's schedule has been so crazy on the weekends that any time we had off we didn't want to be out shopping. We picked the perfect day to go furniture shopping because the snow kept a lot of people at home and we had the sales associate's undivided attention. After some haggling over the price, we finally were able to get the chair for a reasonable price! The estimated delivery date is February 13th...hope it comes on time or even a little early so we can make sure it's ready when we bring Amelia home.
Saturday evening, after many hours of discussion, we decided to hire a nanny/babysitter for Amelia. I think the term 'babysitter' is slowly disappearing and the term 'nanny' is being used more frequently. Either way...Ms. Raina will be coming over to our house and watching our sweet little girl for us while we are working. I've gotten the approval from my supervisor to have 8 weeks off and then we are going to discuss a more flexible schedule once I return. We have such a peace about this and just knowing that Amelia can be in the comfort of her own home for awhile is so nice. Did I mention that Ms. Raina is also a doula and that she loves everything that deals with childbirth, as well as the child. We are getting together to go over some materials and videos and hopefully put my mind at ease with the labor and delivery process.
Tickets to go back to Missouri in March have been bought and we couldn't be more excited. Jason's last vacation week is in March and we both wanted to get home and show off Amelia before summer started and he started his second year of residency. My mom, my sister and a few friends are planning a 'sip and see', which is similar to a baby shower (just with the baby) so I can get together with all my friends from back home!
The boys' vet visit has been made and it is tomorrow evening when I get off work. Muzzy needs his seizure medicine refilled and Bazzle needs to be seen so he can get a refill for his heartworm prevention medicine. I'm going to try and get the vet to give me multiple months of their medicine so that's one less thing I have to worry about!
I finally got around to printing off the blog book for 2011! We love adding each year's book to our shelf and this year seeing our book on our front doorstep was an awesome feeling!
I've updated Amelia's baby book with all the information that I could until she arrives. Sitting down, writing out feelings and seeing how far I've come in the pregnancy still seems unreal sometimes.

I still have a few things that I need to do but I'm slowly marking things off the list. Here is what I hope to accomplish before Amelia gets here:

Organize and label the storage containers in the garage.
Get carseats installed at the firehouse and get certification letter (hospital requires)
Iron Amelia's curtains and get them hung up
Touch up paint around the trim, ceilings and walls
Shampoo carpets--upstairs and downstairs
Finish packing hospital bag for Jason and myself
Make and freeze some meals
Print off pictures to add to Amelia's baby book
Find a pediatrician

Snow, Snow Everywhere!

2012-01-22T07:41:00.000-08:00

Snow. Something about it makes me smile. I turn into a five-year old little kid that wants to put on her snow boots and run around like a crazy in the white powder. We had been hearing about a snow storm that was suppose to blow through this area Friday evening drop about 2-4 inches of 'winter precipitation'.
Saturday morning around 4:30am I was up during one of my many bathroom breaks and I peeked outside the window. Snow was everywhere...and lots of it! I could barely contain my excitement. I rushed back to bed, gently nudged Jason and told him about the snow. From that second on, we were up, giddy and waiting for the smallest bit of sunlight to peek out from the clouds so we could go outside. Did I mention Jason worked until midnight and didn't fall asleep until 2am?
Finally, we got up around 7am, dressed in our warmest clothes, grabbed the snow shovel and we were out in the 5-6 inches of fresh powder.
I'm sure our neighbors were pleased to hear the scraping of the shovel on our driveway at 7am on a Saturday morning but we didn't care, we couldn't wait any longer!

The snow was so light, fluffy and beautiful on all the trees and shrubs.

When we had to go back outside for shoveling part 2, our neighbor came over and let us borrow his snow blower. Needless to say, Jason was in heaven! We'll definitely be on the search for a snow blower at the end of the winter season!

Funny story about the snow blower...or at least it is funny now. When Jason started cleaning off the sidewalk, he started blowing the snow in our yard but when he turned around, the snow was blowing on the section that he already cleaned off so he changed the blower head to blow out in the street. Well it wasn't ten minutes later and we had an older gentleman from a few houses down that wasn't happy. He proceeded to tell us that what we were doing was illegal and we could get arrested if the police were called. He didn't know where we came from but we should know better than to blow the snow out...no one else was allowed to do it and neither were we.

Seriously?! This hormonal mama apologized profusely and proceeded to go and grab the shovel to clean up as much of the snow in the street as possible. Doesn't anyone have any sort of kindness towards a new neighbor that just so happens to be as big as a house?! Oh well, I guess I should consider ourselves lucky that he didn't go back and call the cops and have us arrested. Next time I take the dogs out for a walk, I might just forget to use the doggy poo bags in front of his house. HA...only joking!

We tried to make a snowman but the snow wasn't very good at packing together so we just enjoyed the view from inside with a cup of hot cocoa! We LOVE snow!

Bump Updates: Week 35

2012-01-21T01:51:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 35....

How far along? 35 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, January 21, 2012)

How big is the baby? The size of a honeydew melon (I must have messed up on a previous week because she's already been the size of a honeydew melon..oh well)

Sleep? Sleep has been a little bit better this week. My hips don't hurt has much so I'm able to stay on one side for a little bit longer than I had been. This week I've also noticed that I sleep with my mouth wide open. I think very little breathing is taking place through my nose.

Food Cravings? This week was all about the fruit...bananas, Cuties, pineapple
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? I finally booked our flights home for Jason's March vacation. So exciting to think we are that close to seeing all our friends and family and even more exciting to know that Amelia will be with us!
Development? Amelia's circulatory system is complete and so is the musculoskeletal system. Her brain development is continuing to grow at a fast pace, which means when she comes out she'll be the smartest little girl around. All of her bones are still soft, including her skull, so she is able to make an easy entrance into the world. She has settled head down in the past week...her butt is pushing into my rib cage and making breathing a little more difficult.
Noteables? Walking is getting a little more difficult...I definitely feel like I've got the waddle down to perfection. I'm having a bit of pressure, which I know is my body's way of preparing for her arrival but it can be uncomfortable at times. I also have been waking myself up due to crazy dreams or a pile of drool on my pillow..more times than not it's the drool! I guess I'm so tired that my mouth muscles won't close anymore. Oh goodness! I also submitted my 'Leave of Absence' form into HR today for my maternity leave. It's getting closer!!

Showing Love

2012-01-19T07:43:00.000-08:00

This morning, right before my alarm went off, I had to sneak a quick picture of Bazzle showing Amelia some love. Any chance he gets to lay on my belly and show his sissy some love, then he's there! Someone is already in LOVE with his baby sister! So sweet!

Green Scrubs Explanation

2012-01-18T07:44:00.000-08:00

At Jason's hospital, green scrubs are used ONLY for the operating rooms and blue scrubs are used everywhere else and throughout the hospital.
Since scrubs, especially in the operating rooms, get covered with everything under the sun, they started a policy where the green scrubs couldn't be worn out of the hospital. If a doctor is caught wearing a pair of green scrubs outside of the hospital, then they get charged a $500 fine!
Jason wears sweatpants or blue scrubs to work and then changes into his green scrubs once he gets to the hospital and then has to make the change again once he heads home. Kind of a pain but it prevents sickness and human goo from getting all in his car, the house, etc.
I'm also glad that he doesn't wear them home because I don't have to wash them...I don't want those things in the same washer as our other clothes!!

Every once and awhile we'll see a doctor pumping gas or grabbing a bite to eat at a restaurant in green scrubs and we can't help but mumble under our breath and wonder how they escaped the hospital without a fine.

Back Off Ladies....

2012-01-17T13:52:00.000-08:00

Cause this sexy man is all mine! I rarely see him in green scrubs because he'll get fined if he leaves the hospital in those scrubs so unless I go visit him at the hospital, I don't get to see him in green scrubs. Something about seeing him in action, the green scrubs, the face mask and the surgical cap turn me into a giddy school girl.
I couldn't be more proud...goodness I love that man!

Mumbo Jumbo X2

2012-01-16T10:23:00.000-08:00

We got some pillows to help us get a better nights sleep called My Pillow but after two nights, we packed them back up and mailed them back. We were hoping that they would help us fall asleep, stay asleep and wake up feeling rested but I think the sales man might have been a little deceiving.
I interviewed two babysitters this past weekend from Care.Com. We still have the daycare center on hold but something about having a sitter come to our house and give Amelia one-on-one care seemed too intriguing to not consider. At first using the website was a little intimidating, but I think we found someone that will be a perfect fit for our family. This coming weekend we are hoping to have a lunch/dinner with our significant others to better get to know each other.
Speaking of significant others, Jason started a new rotation this month and the schedule is pretty intense. He's in the OR and his schedule is listed as 'swing', which means that he goes in to work and stays until he's released. He could be working 5-6 hours a day or he could be working 12-14 hours a day...each day's work schedule is unknown.
I've been loving Cutie mandarins here lately. They are so easy to peel and they do a pretty good job at quenching my sweet tooth.
Amelia's curtains should be arriving any day...I search for a box by my front door every night when I pull into our driveway. Once I get those ironed and hung up, then her room will be finished!! I'll be sure to do a nursery post once everything is in place.
We're looking into flights to go back to Missouri in March during Jason's last vacation week of his first year of residency. I know it's a little adventurous considering Amelia will be 2-3 weeks old AND we are taking the boys with us BUT we are really looking forward to getting back home and showing off our new family.
Our hospital bags are in the process of being packed. Amelia's bag is done and Jason and my bags have everything in them that can be packed right now. We still need to buy a few things but just in case something happens before our bags get totally packed, I have a list made.
We need to buy a rocking chair ASAP. We went and looked at chairs a few weeks ago but we couldn't make our minds up so we both agreed this morning that this weekend, a chair is the first thing on the buy list.
I need to have a meeting with my boss soon to discuss my maternity leave and my schedule once my leave is over and I'm back in the office. I've been putting it off because delivery seemed to far off to worry about my leave but now, almost a month away, I'm feeling some anxiety about not have talked to it with him yet.
Saturday night will be date night for the hubby and myself. I have to work at another Hershey Bears hockey game and he has Saturday off so he's going to go with me. We're both looking forward to a night out, even though I'll be working for part of the game.
My weight gain is just starting to get out of control. I try so hard to be good but my body doesn't get full very often, or maybe I should say it doesn't feel full very often. I'm hoping that these last few weeks the scale is nice to me. I start weekly appointments after Monday so maybe it will get better...one can hope right?!

Bump Updates: Week 34

2012-01-14T02:07:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 34....

How far along? 34 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, January 14, 2012)

How big is the baby? The size of a large cantaloupe

Sleep? Sleep has been a little hit or miss this week. One night Jason and myself were both up from 2:00a-4:45a. We eventually fell back asleep until his alarm went off at 5:15a..ugh! I hope that I go a few more weeks before the 'pregnant insomnia' thing hits because I'm not the nicest person when I'm sleepy.

Food Cravings? Still really enjoying my Raisin Bran with extra milk.
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Having the doctor feel around on my stomach and tell me the different body parts. I was able to feel her sweet little feet during the appointment. Since being taught what different body parts feel like, my nightly routine has turned into a "try and figure out which way Amelia is positioned" and I LOVE IT.
Development? Amelia is still growing and adding layers of fat under her skin...such a big girl. Her liver isn't fully formed but it is slowly starting to produce waste. This is the reason that babies born early tend to have a mild form of jaundice because the liver isn't able to breakdown all the bilirubin (a blood by-product). Amelia is definitely developing sleep patterns, which currently tend to be opposite of mommy and daddy's sleep patterns. Her fingernails are also getting extremely long....possibly even to the end of her fingers.
Noteables? My belly button is about even with my stomach. I have a feeling that it will be popping out in the upcoming weeks. I also feel like she is starting to settle down in my pelvic area. This week I've felt a lot of pressure lower than usual...not too much longer!

I've Been Tagged...And You're All It!

2012-01-13T12:02:00.000-08:00

I was tagged by Hannah at Dash of Sparkle in this game of random facts and questions. Her blog is super fun and uplifting...definitely go and check her out!

1) Post these rules.

2) You must post 11 random things about yourself.

3) Answer the 11 questions set for you in their post.

4) Create 11 new questions for the 11 people you tag to answer.

11 Random Things About Myself

1) I love familiarity and routines! I often get stuck in a routine (aka rut) when it comes to my daily activities. I eat the same thing for breakfast every morning, walk the dogs at the same time on the same path, drive the same way to work and go through the same motions every day. Boring, huh?

2) If I'm sitting at my desk, my shoes are off and my feet are wrapped up in my Snuggie. I'm not a big fan of shoes, unless they are flip flops.

3) I'm addicted to Scentsy. I am always changing out my scents and looking for new ones. I love for our house to smell good...I think it makes it feel more homey.

4) Before getting pregnant, I refused to go to the bathroom outside of my house and my work. Public restrooms grossed me out. Now, I'm just thankful that there are gross restrooms around when I need them! Funny how the times change..haha

5) I'm a nervous hair twister and nail biter. Gross with a capital G but so hard to stop.

6) I shattered my growth plate in my left foot when I was younger so I have one foot that is an 8 and one foot that is an 8 1/2.

7) I told my dad at lunch one day when he came to the town that I was attending college that I would marry Jason after only two weeks of dating. I was smitten from the very beginning.

8) I didn't pick out my cake, my flowers, or the wedding colors for our wedding. I walked in to the bakery and said, "white cake, white icing and it needs to feed 200 people", I walked into the florist and said, "here are the colors my bridesmaids will be wearing and no roses", I let my niece pick out the color for her dress that she would want to wear and that became our wedding color. So easy and a lot less stressful on me! Surprisingly, I loved how everything turned out!

9) I love to drink the juice from green olives.

10) I secretly think I'm Martha Stewart. Any chance I get to make a craft, I'm there!

11) I hate plucking my eyebrows so much that I usually just let them get really bad before making an appointment to get them waxed.

11 Questions From Hannah

1) What is your "must have" beauty product?

Undereye concealer! I have the deepest, darkest circles under my eyes and if I don't put on any concealer then I look pretty rough.

2) Who do you most admire and why?

My mom would take this question hands down. She has the biggest heart for others with rarely thinking of herself. She's the best mom that I could ever have asked for and I'm so glad that God decided I would be the one to get her!! I hope that I am as good to Amelia as she is to me!

3) What is your favorite thing to do on the weekend?

Sleep in and go out to breakfast at a cute little cafe by our house. I look forward to this time with Jason because it's so hard to coordinate our schedules that when we have time together, we spend it over a plate of french toast and a cup of hot chocolate.

4) What is your favorite childhood memory?

I loved camping with my grandparents for weeks at a time. We would take our bikes and our swimsuits and just enjoy summer break. I loved spending all day in the river and then riding my bike around the campsite to other friends' camp sites to play. So much fun!

5) Are you a winter or summer kind of gal?

Summer! I love the clothes, the sun, BBQs, swimming, floating, camping and just being outside.

6) What is your favorite movie?

Dirty Dancing...I love Johnny and Baby!

7) What is your favorite item in your closet?

Right now, the items in my closet are fitting tighter than ever and the options are limited. If it fits, then it's definitely a contender for my favorite item.

8) What is the best vacation that you've been on?

I loved our time over in England for Jason's last clinical rotation. I feel like we were able to see so much and really connect during our time there. It was a pretty amazing time!

9) Favorite band/musician?

Hmm..this is a hard one. I like all different styles of music but I would probably say Lady Antebellum is my favorite. They have a lot of songs that I crank up and sing as loud as my lungs will let me.

10) What's your favorite cocktail or mocktail?

I'm not a huge drinker but I do enjoy a nice glass of wine or an ice cold beer occasionally.

11) Best gift you've ever received?

I have multiple so I can't pick just one. First and foremost, the best gift I have received is my salvation. My loving God is so good to me, even when I don't deserve it. My wedding ring, because of what it symbolizes, and my pregnancy, because of how I feel, are also some really amazing gifts that I've received!

I love to read all the random facts about all you bloggers out there so please feel free to play along. I'm going to be lazy and have you answer the 11 questions that Hannah generated!
Enjoy!

Brother Bear

2012-01-10T13:31:00.000-08:00

My boys are definitely my babies, especially Bazzle. Here lately he is all about his mama and I would be lying if I said it didn't make me feel pretty good. He sits on the bath mat when I shower, lays on the bed when I get ready in the morning and needs to be laying on me when I'm on the couch or sitting on the floor. Muzzy is more of his daddy's boy right now so Bazzle has been able to have a little more attention from me.

I snapped a few pictures of my sweet little man these past days and just HAD to post them. He's going to be a great big brother...Amelia already has two of the most protective brothers that a little girl could possibly need. I'm so excited to see how great they will interact with her once she arrives and how she will grow to love them as much as we do!!

You Know You're Pregnant When...

2012-01-09T07:40:00.000-08:00

You are still eating when everyone else has eaten enough to feel 'stuffed'....even eating what leftover food they have on their plate so no take home containers are needed.
The zipper on your winter coat doesn't zip due to the fact that you have a watermelon for a stomach so you snap the few buttons around your belly that will hold your coat closed as much as possible.
You only wear slip on shoes, regardless of what they look like, because it's too hard to try to reach down to tie your laces.
You get out of the shower only to throw back on the pajamas that you just took off..not because you're going back to bed but because you want to be comfortable for a few extra minutes before putting on your work clothes.
You've been instructed to 'watch your weight gain' and you can't stop yourself from eating two cookies, a package of peanut butter crackers, 4 pieces of gum and a handful of almonds as a morning snack before lunch.
You get exhausted looking for rocking chairs...using your muscles to pull up your body from all the different chairs can be so exhausting on your body.
You use so much cocoa butter on your body that by the end of the day, your clothes are stuck to your body and need to be peeled off.
You look for the bathroom immediately when walking into a business or restaurant. Running/waddling and a full bladder don't mix.
You grin from ear to ear when you feel movement in your belly...sometimes even stopping what you are doing just to watch the action.

I love being pregnant but I know I'm going to love having my little girl in my arms even more...counting down the weeks!

Bump Updates: Week 33

2012-01-07T14:14:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 33....

How far along? 33 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, January 7, 2012)

How big is the baby? The size of a pineapple

Sleep? Sleep this week was AMAZING! I hate to say it but having the whole bed (Jason took a trip back to Missouri for his vacation week) to really spread out and fling my body and arms in any direction that I wanted really made for an awesome week of sleep!

Food Cravings? Raisin Bran with extra milk! I'm still incredibly hungry but trying to be as good as possible. Some days are better than others but every time I see the weight on the scale go up, I always say I'm going to try and do better.
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Picking up Jason from the airport and having him immediately reach out and touch my belly. He missed his girls...probably as much as his girls missed him!
Development? Amelia is putting on about 1/2 a pound every week from here on out so she is ready for her debut in a few weeks. My amniotic fluid has maxed out, which means that no more fluid will be added. There is less fluid to cushion all the kicks and pokes so it could start getting uncomfortable when she moves. Antibodies are being passed on from me to Amelia--she is starting to develop her own immune system.
Noteables? Grandpa and Grandma Conway sent Amelia a baby doll and a cute frame for her room. I can't wait to get it all set up in her room! I also got my MOBY wrap this so I can baby wear Amelia when she is small. I practiced tying the wrap around my body and carrying around a Cabbage Patch doll. I'm hoping that I get better at it...it's a little more difficult than it looks. I also attended an epidural/anesthesia class this week and I learned all about the processes that will take place once I go into labor. Only one more class to take...child birthing classes start in two weeks and then I will have gone to all the classes that they recommended attending before Amelia arrives.

Scaredy Cat

2012-01-04T08:43:00.000-08:00

With 7 weeks left until Amelia's due date, I've found myself fretting and stressing out over how she will actually make her appearance...like all the time. I know how the birthing process works but now that Amelia is getting bigger and I'm getting more uncomfortable, I'm forced to face the issue of labor and delivery and it SCARES me!

Last night I had an epidural class where the whole process of the epidural/medication part of childbirth was explained and I realized how little I'm prepared mentally for this! I'm not scared or nervous about the epidural but the pain and pressure that the epidural might not totally numb. I know there are different views on medication during delivery, especially in regards to epidurals, but there was never a doubt in my mind. I want to be numb, I don't want to feel the pain that comes with delivery and I want it to fully work...essentially, I want LABOR to be EASY.

For some reason I feel like that is a contradictory statement. Labor is making turning this mama into a scaredy cat, plain and simple.

I know once I see my sweet little girl that the whole process will be worth it!

*I just went back and read this post and realized I'm such a baby! How exactly did I think Amelia was going to make her appearance?!
I want to remember the whole process: good and bad so I'm leaving this whiny post!

Rest And Relaxation

2011-12-31T18:11:00.000-08:00

This past week, the week in between Christmas in New Years, our office was closed. It was such a nice time to have time off, recoup and get ready for 2012.
Not only was I off work but I got to cash in some of my Christmas gifts. I got some great gifts for Christmas from Jason, Amelia, Bazzle and Muzzy. I didn't give any specifics of what I wanted but I did say I would prefer something relaxing and pampering. Well...my gifts were perfect! I got a 1 1/2 hour prenatal massage, a haircut and a facial. I booked my massage for my week off but I planned on saving the other certificates for when February gets a little closer. I thought I should spread out the pampering over the next few weeks.
The massage was heavenly. I haven't been able to lay on my stomach in months but with the help of the pregnancy pillow, I could. I had to take a picture of the pillow...it looked pretty silly!The holes seemed huge before I got on the massage table but once I got situated in the pillow, it fit pretty good. Fitting into a pillow that looks like the above picture is a little depressingThe massage felt so good...I could definitely tell that I was tense in certain places!
Well after I realized how good it felt to get a little pampering, I decided to book my haircut AND my facial. Haha...so much for spreading out the pampering.
The haircut wasn't anything drastic. Just a trim...it had been since May since I had my last haircut so it was pretty bad. It's amazing what a fresh trim did for me...so refreshing!
The facial was good but it took a bit for me to get comfortable. Because I have a huge basketball for a belly, it makes breathing a little more difficult. Add a steamer, facial masks and warm towels wrapped on my face with just a hole for my nose makes breathing even more difficult. The facial felt so good but there were a few times were I had to sit up to catch my breath or move the towel away from my face so I could breath. I was a little embarrassed to be so fidgety during certain parts but it couldn't be helped.
After my days of pampering, I came home and rested a little more with these two sweet boys. They love snuggling on the couch with their mama...and this mama loves snuggling on the couch with her boys!
It has definitely been a relaxing week and I'm ready to take on the next few weeks before Amelia gets here and I'm out on maternity leave.

Bump Updates: Week 32

2011-12-31T17:15:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 32....

How far along? 32 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, December 31, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a honeydew melon

Sleep? Sleep is about the same. Still tossing and turning a lot with some hip pain but I'm still getting pretty good rest, which I'm thankful for!

Food Cravings? Mexican. I'm not sure what changed because I got so sick on Mexican in my first trimester that I never thought I would eat it again but this week I couldn't get enough tortillas!
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Laying in bed with Jason's hand resting on my stomach feeling Amelia go crazy. I bet she kicked 30 times in a row...daddy couldn't believe how active his little girl is at night. We just laughed and laughed, which seemed to make her want to kick even more.
Development? Amelia is still putting on some weight...she is growing so much! She has been practicing all of her moves for when she gets out of the womb. She is constantly swallowing, breathing, kicking and sucking. Amelia's skin is no longer see-through. Her skin is like ours now, with fat being added right under her skin.
Noteables? I'm not sure when Amelia will turn and stay turned. I bet she flips, from sideways to up-and-down, multiple times a day. She loves tumbling in mommy's tummy! She also gets the hiccups. She must really being practicing her sucking/swallowing skills because she has hiccuping fits a few times a day. I love being able to feel her flipping and tumbling around...she's getting to be such a big girl!

2011: Looking Back

2011-12-30T14:21:00.000-08:00

I love looking back at each of the photo folders for 2011...it's amazing to see what all we did the past 12 months. We've definitely had a busy, but awesome past year!

January: In January we were finishing up the last few months of clinicals in California. My mom flew in to see us and we decided to spend New Years day in Pasadena, California at the Rose Parade.

February: This was our last full month in California. We headed to the coast for some last minute Californian sun. We went four-wheeling on the sand duns...so much fun! We also had to pack up our apartment for the next stage, residency. We had no idea how much of a process this would be. How did we get so much?!

March: After we made the 38 hour drive from California to Missouri, we had a week to spend with family and friends before we were packing our suitcases again. While we were home for that week, we found out that Jason matched in his first choice for residency. Anesthesiology at Penn State-Hershey would be our next home. We didn't have much time to celebrate because we had one last clinical rotation to complete. This time we were heading across the pond for a 6 week stay in England so Jason could complete his pediatrics rotation.

April: We had some special visitors come and stay with us for a few days. My sister and niece came to England to help us explore more of the country. We flew home April 29th, the day of the Royal Wedding, and we were beyond grateful for our experience! We had such an amazing time...counting down the days when we can go back!

May: We celebrated three birthdays: Ana, Brock and Lance. It was good to be home to be part of their special days. We also flew to St. Maarten for Jason's medical school graduation. It was so nice to go back to the island for a vacation/celebration! We had to pack up all of our things and load them into a moving POD so we could ensure that our things made it to Pennsylvania before we got there.

June: We made the move to Hershey, Pennsylvania to start the next chapter of our lives. Little did we know how much our lives were about to change. A positive pregnancy test...Yay! I still don't think we'll really know how much our lives are about to change until she gets here..haha.

July: Jason started his residency and I couldn't resist a picture. He is such a handsome doctor!

We also made time to go and explore the chocolate capital of the country. The chocolate factory and the town were toured and conquered! We also got to see our little one for the first time--love at first sight.

August: We went and toured the Indian Echo Caverns. We really made an effort to explore and see as much of the area as possible when Jason had time off. We really enjoyed the cave!

We also started looking for our first house. Our apartment was nice but we wanted to have our own place.

September: We went to our first Harrisburg Senators baseball game at City Island. We were given tickets through my work and we couldn't resist the peanuts and crackerjacks. September was also the rainy season...it rained 29 days out of the month. Because of all the rain, our area was severely flooded during the end of the month and into October.

October: We bought our first house!! We were able to get all the necessary paperwork submitted and we were given our keys to our first home! Such an exciting time. We also went to the National Apple Festival and to Gettysburg. Both were a lot of fun...so much history so close to where we live. At the end of the month, we also got our first big snow (6 inches). It made for a chilly night for trick-or-treating!

November: I participated in a charity walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. It was such a rewarding night. My mom came to visit for a few days...she was such a breath of fresh air. It was so nice having her here!! We also spent Thanksgiving with Jason's family in Western Pennsylvania. It was the first holiday with them and it was wonderful!

December: Alissa came to visit us during her vacation week. She not only came to visit but she took our maternity pictures! She's such a great photographer and she gave us some great memories! We also spent our first Christmas in Pennsylvania. Jason was able to get some time off and we had some special visitors.

2011 was AMAZING...I wouldn't trade it for anything but I'm SOOO excited to see what 2012 has in store. God has been so great to our family this past year and in the past years. It's so easy to forget where we've been and how far we've come but looking back at pictures, it's a little easier to remember.

Conway Family Update

2011-12-28T13:45:00.001-08:00

I realized after looking over my past blog posts that it's been WAY too long since I've given an update on the whole Conway family.
Jason: Residency has been a definite adjustment over the past six months. It's crazy to think that he will be starting his 7th month of residency in January. In December, Jason was scheduled in the Emergency Room and for January he will be back in the operating room. For anesthesia, he only gets to be in the operating room doing anesthesia for 6 months out of the year and the other 6 months he's used in other specialties around the hospital. He doesn't mind the other rotations but he loves it when his anesthesia months come around. He's really looking forward to getting back in the OR. The first week of January is his second week of vacation that he gets to cash in. Before he started in July, the hospital assigned him three weeks of vacation during his first year (August, January and March) so he's looking forward to having some time off.
Bazzle and Muzzy: Potty training for the boys, when we first moved into the house, wasn't fun. They've always been puppy pad trained(on the island, in California and the Pennsylvania apartment) but for some reason they couldn't figure out where their puppy pads were, so we had some struggles. Since they didn't have accidents in the previous apartments, they weren't kenneled or secluded in a particular room. Well, since October we've had to take a different approach. They've been spending their days, while we are away at work, in the wash room on a comfy bed and a puppy pad. They've been doing so good that the past month we've started giving them a little more freedom. They get to have full reign of the house when we will be gone on short trips (4 hours or shorter) and they haven't had an accident in a pretty long time. I'm hoping that they are getting used to their home, their routine and using the potty soley outside. We'll see how the snow/ice affects their potty breaks but for now they are doing so good.
The boys have also started getting a little more familiar with Amelia's room. I'll be organizing or doing laundry and I'll make an effort to go and do it in the nursery so they get comfortable with her room.
Ashley: Work is going really good and I couldn't be more thankful for my position and the flexibility that comes with it. Right now, the office is closed until January 3rd so I'm taking advantage of my time off and trying to rest up as much as possible. I've filed my short-term disability claim for maternity leave and I've booked Amelia's daycare center. I still need to have a meeting with my direct supervisor to discuss maternity leave details (just in case I go early) because the daycare center isn't available until May 1st.
I'm definitely in the nesting stage...everything needs to be perfect before February rolls around and I don't have time to do as many things around the house. I've slowly started doing research on what to pack in the hospital bag so I'll be making a list and slowly adding to the hospital bag in the next few weeks.
Amelia: Growing, multiple episodes of hiccups, tumbling and sleeping is about all this little girl is up to and that is okay with me. With the scare we had this week, I'm glad that she is taking it easy and still baking! She is so loved that everyone is counting down the days till she will be here with us...56 days until her due date!

The Conway family is doing really good. We are trying to take each day as it comes...some days are harder than others but we realize how blessed we are and we tackle the obstacles that come our way.

A Small Scare.... But A Clean Bill Of Health

2011-12-26T11:40:00.001-08:00

**This post has some areas that might be considered TO MUCH INFORMATION. Proceed with Caution--You've been warned!
After being on my feet pretty much all Christmas Eve and Christmas, I noticed my Braxton Hicks contractions were more frequent and I noticed that I had a pinkish color when I went to the bathroom. Of course, I start freaking out because Amelia needs to bake for a few more months before she can make her grand arrival. I took a bath to try and help me relax and went to bed a little earlier than normal. When I woke up this morning, I had some extra fluid that gushed out. I immediately ran to the bathroom and started praying. Since this is my first pregnancy, I don't know what each passing week will bring and I started panicking. Even Jason suggested that I call my doctor and try to schedule an earlier appointment. My appointment was originally made for Friday but as soon as the clinic opened this morning, I called and made an appointment for today.
I was glad to hear that I could get in to the office with such late notice, especially since it was the day after Christmas and most of the physicians were off work! Definitely a God thing...he knew how bad I needed to get some assurance, good or bad. Once I signed in and sat down, I realized that I would be weighing in the day after Christmas. I immediately started trying to figure out what I could take off to subtract the pounds. After I saw my new weight, I realized I didn't take off enough. HA...I hate weigh ins!
Jason called me right when I got in my room and told me that he was done for the day and he was heading to the clinic. Definitely another God thing...he knew how bad I needed my husband for support! After a detailed workup, we can now rest assured that everything is fine. I was up on my feet too much the past few days but my cervix is still closed, Amelia is still an active and healthy little girl and this mama is still fit to carry a 3.5 pound baby.
The doctor did find that I have a bacterial infection and she prescribed me an antibiotic to take for the next week.
I'm off of work for the next week so I can make sure that I rest and take it easy before returning to work after the first of the year.
I just keep thanking God for the good news...I now realize that I can't do things like I used to be able to and that's okay.

Christmas In Pennsylvania

2011-12-26T09:19:00.000-08:00

Since I'm almost 32 weeks pregnant and we didn't find out Jason's work schedule until the last minute, we decide to stay home and not do any long driving to the family's house. We spent Thanksgiving with Jason's family that lives about 4.5 hours away so for Christmas we decided to stay put. We had a pleasant surprise though when Jason's grandpa and aunt made the drive to spend Christmas with us. It was so nice to spend Christmas with family...we really appreciated them spending the weekend with us!
On Christmas Eve we went to our church's evening service. We sang carols, had a special story for all the children and then enjoyed a special message from the pastor. It really helped set the 'Christmas' mood. Christmas morning, we woke up bright and early and excited to see what Santa left us under the tree. Looks like the move to Pennsylvania didn't throw him off...we had so many presents under the tree. Here is our family picture on Christmas morning. Next year, we'll have a sweet little girl added to the picture!!
Even though Amelia isn't here yet, she didn't want her brothers to think she forgot about them. They each had a special gift under the tree. Jason got a few new ornaments for the tree. This one was our favorite. It's perfect because in the operating room he wears green scrubs. We were very spoiled this year. A lot of the things we got will come in VERY handy when Amelia makes her arrival. Amelia had just as many presents as we did under the tree. I had to take a picture of all her new goodies. She got a textured quilt, her own set of doctor scrubs, a teddy bear, a cute bag to take to daycare, Elf on the Shelf with a skirt, a workout kit (more for me while I'm pregnant), two little crocheted hats and a sweet pair of socks. After opening presents, we started cooking Christmas dinner. Ham, broccoli casserole, mashed potatoes, corn, hot rolls and a pumpkin roll were on the table for lunch. We ate until we couldn't eat another bite, said our goodbyes to the family and then settled in on the couch for a nap. It was such a great weekend. I'm so thankful that Jason was able to have Christmas Eve AND Christmas off! Most people don't get anytime off but he got both days off and we made sure to enjoy our time together as much as possible.
Our first Christmas in Pennsylvania was a success!! We definitely missed our family in Missouri and California but we definitely made the most out of our situation!
Merry Christmas!!

Bump Updates: Week 31

2011-12-24T13:04:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 31....

How far along? 31 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, December 24, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of four naval oranges

Sleep? Sleep is about the same. Still tossing and turning a lot but I'm still getting good rest, which I'm thankful for!

Food Cravings? No real food cravings this week. Since it was the week leading up to Christmas, I ate a lot of nuts, fruit, cheeses and homemade goodies from the different girls that I work with.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Being able to spend some time with our family from Western Pennsylvania. Grandpa and Aunt Diane came to spend a few days, including Christmas, with us. It was so nice showing them our house and our new town.

Development? Amelia's brain is still growing and developing rapidly. She's working so hard to be a smart little girl! Her bones are hardening but the skull is still soft and flexible. She still has some weight to put on (possibly 3-5 pounds) before delivery but she is pretty close to the length that she will be at delivery.

Noteables? Amelia is such an active little girl. We went to the hospital yesterday to show the family where Jason works and Amelia was in a weird position. She was kicking so hard right on my belly button that I thought I was going to scream. It's the first time that she has kicked and it wasn't enjoyable. I kept trying to push her around but she wasn't having it.

Amelia has more presents under the tree than the rest of the family combined. She isn't even here with us yet but everyone is so excited for her arrival!!

This week I've been having some weird dreams. Last night, I dreamed my water broke and I was running through the hospital screaming, "Page Dr. Conway and tell him his wife is having a baby"...the whole dream was me searching for someone to page Jason. I woke up and was exhausted...haha!

CPR And Infant Safety

2011-12-21T06:58:00.000-08:00

Last night, after work, was a class on infant CPR and safety. We were kind of dreading the class because after a full day at work the last thing we really wanted to do was go to a three hour long class. The first part of the class was practicing CPR on the infant and learning how help if the baby starts choking. Since Jason is in healthcare, he already knew most of everything they covered but he didn't realize a few things that needed to be done for a choking child. I was pretty much clueless on how to do CPR on an infant because the only training I've done has been for adults. The CPR portion of the class was very informative and I think it really helped calm us down and put our minds at ease for when Amelia gets here.

The second part of the class was on infant safety, which included car seats, cribs, play toys and how to baby proof every room in the house. This is where I thought I was a little more knowledgeable but after the teacher starting sharing ideas, I realized that I didn't know as much as I thought. Cribs shouldn't have bumpers or mobiles, car seats shouldn't have hanging toys or soft inserts added for comfort, sleep sacks are the best way keep the baby warm, swaddling is being researched by the Academy of Pediatrics for being unsafe and the list goes on and on. I know that everything that was discussed can be disputed but I still like hearing about things, especially when it's dealing with our baby.

Two classes down and two classes to go. Next on the list is a meeting with the anesthesiologist that will be going over the epidural procedure and what can be expected once I go into labor.

Weekend Fun

2011-12-19T07:52:00.001-08:00

This past weekend, with Jason working nights, I decided that I was going to spend the majority of my time crafting. I love playing around at AC Moore and coming home with goodies. I wish I was more crafty and creative...I'm always second guessing myself during craft projects. My main focus was on the nursery. The nursery is completed, as far as items needed for Amelia's arrival, but there are no decorations so the room still feels a little empty. Here is what my Friday night looked like (along with some classic Christmas movies playing in the background)...

Wooden letters, Modge Podge, a painters canvas, stencil letters, paint and anything else that I that thought would make my craft night complete was scattered throughout the house. Here is a picture of the project half way completed.

I'm really excited about how everything turned out...I think it gives Amelia's room the extra coziness that it needed. I'll show you a finished product picture of the nursery once I get a few things in order--I'm still waiting on the curtains to arrive!

Saturday evening I had to put away the Modge Podge and the paint to attend a Hershey Bears game. Our marketing department at work has a subscription with the hockey team and we are required to go in and set up a table at the game to build up our exposure throughout the hockey season. I hate that Jason was working because I think he would have really enjoyed the atmosphere. When he has some time off, a game will definitely be in our agenda.

Sunday was a lazy day. Since I was at the game WAY later than my bedtime, this mama was tired. I slept in, enjoyed a nice breakfast with Jason, took a nap and then did a little cleaning to get ready for the work week.

Even though Jason was working all weekend, I feel like I had a pretty productive weekend. I sure did miss him but I'm getting more used to these crazy residency hours.

**Just because, here is a picture of me at work this morning. Mama and Amelia at 30.5 weeks..

Bump Updates: Week 30

2011-12-17T01:20:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 30....

How far along? 30 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, December 17, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a head of lettuce
Sleep? Sleep is about the same. I'm feel like I'm exhausted all the time...I swear sometimes I could fall asleep sitting at my desk. I'm still tossing and turning a lot because my hips get pains shooting in them if I stay on one side too long.

Food Cravings? I've been eating on the pistachios this week. It is such an easy snack to eat, plus I love all the salt!

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? I'm not sure I had a best moment this week. I'm really enjoying being pregnant. I'm sure as delivery gets closer, I'll start feeling huge and miserable but right now I love my belly and how being pregnant makes me feel. I also got Amelia's coming home outfit. Jason approved and I placed the order so I could get it in and start getting our bags packed for the hospital.

Development?Amelia's brain is starting to take on the grooves and indentations that are associated with a brain. Her brain is also starting to take over tasks previously assigned to other pars of the body, like temperature regulation. With this new task, she will start shedding lanugo, the soft white hair covering her body that has been helping her regulate her temperature up till now. This week Amelia's hair, on her head, is also getting thicker. Her bone marrow has taken over production of red blood cells, which will help her thrive once she is born. Her organs are finally starting to take on the jobs they were designed to do.

Noteables? This week we went to a breastfeeding class, which was very eye-opening and informative. I think it made Jason and myself realize how soon our little girl will be here!

Breastfeeding 101

2011-12-14T08:08:00.000-08:00

Last night was the breastfeeding class that was offered by the hospital. I was pretty excited to go to the 2-hour long class because I wanted to make this whole experience seem even more real AND I wanted to learn more about feeding and taking care of Amelia.

It's funny how when I look at myself, I look pregnant. I can feel my growing belly and my baby moving around throughout the day but sometimes it still doesn't feel real. Walking into a room with 15 other pregnant ladies made me realize even more that I'm part of the Pregnant Club.

The class started with introductions and with each person giving a benefit of breastfeeding. There were so many good benefits...some I had no idea about. Here are just a few: Decreases chance of breast cancer in the mom (and possibly baby girl), increases IQ, improves fascial muscle movement, decreases the chance of SIDS, improves digestion, etc.

Once we finished with introductions, the information started flowing like crazy. I have family and friends that have breastfed so I thought I was pretty well educated on the whole process but I realized that there is a lot that I'm going to need to research a little more so I can be ahead of the game when February rolls around.

A few sweet videos were played so we could see feeding cues, appropriate latching and how much bonding takes place between a mother and the baby during feedings. Talk about a tear jerker...I was so emotional watching all the deliveries and then how the baby is given to the mom to instantly start breastfeeding.

I'm so glad that we went to the class...it was so informative. My list of things to buy before Amelia gets here has grown. There are a few necessities for breastfeeding that have been added to the list.

Overall, Breastfeeding 101 was a success in my book. It definitely made me more comfortable with my body and the whole process. Hopefully I can get through the rough first couple of weeks and be successful!

Brain Dump

2011-12-12T09:46:00.000-08:00

This weekend, I started getting sick. Nothing too serious but just the head cold stuff that is going around. I thought I could sleep it off on Saturday and Sunday but when I woke up this morning, there wasn't any relief. I'm praying that this cold hurries up and runs its course.
I started looking for Amelia's coming home outfit and I was overwhelmed pretty much from the start...the choices are endless. In February, Pennsylvania is going to be freezing so I want to make sure that she is warm, comfy and cute. Any suggestions for websites with adorable clothing??
Christmas is in less than 2 weeks! I really need to get my house in order before we have visitors. We are having some family come and spend Christmas with us so I want to make sure that everything is cleaned and in its right spot.
Tuesday night is my breastfeeding class and I'm really looking forward to it. Jason will hopefully be off in time so he can go with me...I'm not really sure what to expect. I'll keep you posted on how it goes.
Today is my mom's birthday and I'm a little disappointed that I wasn't the first one to tell her "Happy Birthday". She did get a lovely song but not the first of the day....dang! I guess there is always next year.

Bump Updates: Week 29

2011-12-10T12:23:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 29....

How far along? 29 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, December 10, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a butternut squashSleep? I've been sleeping a little more restless this week. I get some pain on my hips, whichever side I happen to be sleeping on, so I toss and turn a little more often.

Food Cravings? I have a glass of crushed ice almost every evening after dinner. I also happened to find the Little Debbie Christmas tree cakes and I'm needing one of those each night after dinner too :)

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? I absolutely LOVED taking maternity pictures. I'm so thankful that I now have those pictures as a reminder of my first pregnancy. I LOVE, LOVE watching Amelia move..she is such an active little girl.
Development? Amelia starts gaining a lot of weight this week. She will double, possibly triple, in the next eleven weeks. Her wrinkled skin is smoothing out as she starts developing a layer of fat under her skin. Amelia's body is composed of about 3% body fat so she's starting to get more prepared to make her appearance.
Noteables? I had another doctors appointment this week. Since Jason is working nights, he was able to go to my appointment with me this morning. He was exhausted but he was determined not to miss hearing his baby's heartbeat. This week I also noticed some fluids leaking from the future 'baby feeders', which really made me realize how close she is to making her arrival.

Seriously?!

2011-12-09T08:07:00.000-08:00

Imagine this....

Working 11 hours, eating take-out for dinner because you haven't eaten since lunch and taking the time to cook something after work doesn't sound too enticing, driving home like a mad man because your bladder feels like it could explode at any moment, stopping at a stop sign but not sitting there for the full 4 seconds and then seeing red and blue lights in your rear view mirror.

Yes you read that correctly. I got pulled over at the stop sign right before turning into our subdivision. I knew I was guilty...between the hunger pains from smelling my warm plate of nachos and the pressure of my full bladder, I didn't stay stopped at the stop sign as long as I should have.

The officer walks to my door, explains what I did wrong and then asks me for my license, registration and then proceeds to process everything in his car. The officer must have been having a slow moment because 20 minutes later and I'm literally about to bust. I slowly start having a mental breakdown...what if I pee all over myself? keep squeezing Ashley...you can do it! I can't make it too much longer. So after some internal fighting with myself, I slowly open my door, wave my arm to show the officer that I'm not crazy and I have no plans on attacking him. I proceed to say, "Sir, I'm 29 weeks pregnant and I feel like I'm about to explode. I'm not sure I can hold it much longer. Is there anyway you can finish the ticket by my house so I can go to the bathroom?" Crazy question, I know. The officer doesn't know me and he has no idea that I don't have a threatening bone in my body so he shines his light on me and says, "Ma'am, you'll need to get back in your car...this won't take too much longer."

Well that made this hormonal mama dry up those tears and get SO mad! I gave him the stink eye and got back in my car. 10 MINUTES LATER he comes back to my car with a ticket. He tried to make himself feel better by explaining to me that he ticketed me with a lesser offense (no points off my license and a cheaper fee) but this mama didn't care to hear any of his talk.

Once I was released, I rushed home to go to the bathroom, eat and inspect the dang ticket. Can you believe that for not properly stopping at a stop sign cost this mama $111.00??

GRRRRRR! Merry Christmas to me!

The Bestie Visits Pennsylvania

2011-12-07T10:32:00.000-08:00

This past weekend Alissa, my bestie from the island, made the 8 hour drive from Michigan to Pennsylvania to have some girl time for a few days. I'm so glad that she came...we haven't seen each other since the graduation on the island this summer!

Our first stop on Saturday was Chocolate World in Hershey. We decided to make our own candy bars...such a great idea. Before going in, we were allowed to choose the chocolate flavor we wanted for the base of our bar and all the inside goodies that we wanted added to our chocolate bar. I went with the milk chocolate base with almonds and toffee crunch added to the middle and Alissa chose a milk chocolate base with pretzels, toffee and butterscotch.

It was so much fun watching our chocolate bar move down the conveyor belt and getting made just how we made it.Once the fillings were added, the bar then went through a stream of melted chocolate and a cooler so our bars could be packaged. We designed our own package and then went to the cooling area to pick up our candy bars. It was a lot of fun seeing what exactly goes into making a Hershey's chocolate bar. Once we finished up, we stopped in the food court for some yummy hot chocolate and for a chance to gawk over the huge candy house. Santa was in front of the house taking pictures so I couldn't really get a full shot but you get the idea! The candy house took over 1,500 hours to build and it had so much candy on it...it was pretty unbelievable. Twizzlers, white Kit Kat bars, Cookie and Creme bars, Jolly Ranchers, Hershey Kisses, Hershey Bars and so many more different candies were used to build this 12-foot tall, 100 square foot house. It was pretty amazing!

On Sunday we went to a production of the Nutcracker put on by the Regional Ballet. Each show adds their own touches and this show was no different. We really enjoyed the show! It really made it feel more like Christmas. Once the show was over, we just spent the rest of the day lounging around the house. We made a yummy nacho dinner topped off with some homemade chocolate chip cookies. It was so nice to spend the evening lounging around and eating as many cookies as we could!

Monday was spent taking maternity pictures and then editing them...I'm so thankful for a friend that has an eye for great pictures. I originally had no desire to get pictures done and then when she said she was coming to visit, I figured that was my sign to have her snap a few! Jason also happened to be off that day so we could get some family pictures...I know looking back we will love having pictures of our experience!

Tuesday morning, Alissa had to go home and I had to go to work. She was only here for a few days but I think we made the most of our time we had together. No matter how long it has been since we've seen each other, we always pick right up where we left off. I'm truly thankful for her and her friendship! We're already looking at schedules and trying to arrange our time so we can get together sometime soon!!

Maternity Pictures

2011-12-06T09:23:00.001-08:00

Here is a peek at some of our maternity pictures that we had taken this weekend! HUGE thanks to Alissa for taking the time to snap a few pictures of our growing family...I had a hard time choosing which of the 75 pictures to post on the blog!! 11 more weeks until we get to meet our sweet, little Amelia Jean! This mommy and daddy are getting excited!!

Bump Updates: Week 28

2011-12-03T01:45:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 28....

Here is a full body shot...I was shopping with a friend and couldn't resist the mirror! How far along? 28 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, December 3, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of Chinese cabbageSleep?I've actually been sleeping pretty good. I have started noticing that I am getting muscle spasms in my calf muscles a little more. That's always a rough way to wake up in the middle of the night.

Food Cravings? No real cravings this week. Still love my veggie subs and Fruity Pebbles!

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Seeing Amelia's elbow sticking out right above my belly button. I can see her kicking and moving all the time through my clothes but one night I was laying down and it was so obvious that her elbow was positioned just right and it made a little jagged point on my belly.
Development? Amelia can now fully open and close her eyes, in response to light. She is now weighing around 2.5 pounds and may be close to 16 inches long. She can now suck, hiccup and take practice breaths. Amelia's lungs are nearly fully mature...such a big and healthy girl.

Noteables? I'm starting to realize with each passing week that I'm moving a little slower and I'm not able to do some of the things that I used to do. With only 12 weeks left, I'm also starting to get really antsy and excited.

I Hope...

2011-11-30T12:14:00.000-08:00

Just a few of my hopes for Amelia....my mind is constantly wandering to her and what the future will hold.

I hope you learn to take chances and to follow your heart.

I hope you aren't afraid to stand up for what you believe in.

I hope you love with all your heart...unconditionally.

I hope you get to experience things that others only dream of.

I hope you laugh when you want to cry. Laughter is the best medicine.

I hope you never forget how much your dad and mom love you...you're so special!

I hope you ignore all the negativity that comes with life.

I hope you become sweeter and more patient with each passing day.

I hope you respect yourself, your parents and your elders.

I hope you grow up to be a Godly woman that has a deep love for the Father.

Part of me can't help but to have hopes for Jason and myself during this stage of our lives. Amelia has really made us stop and think of our many blessings and hopes for the family.

I hope we learn to cherish every day and be thankful for what we're given.
I hope we're not afraid to live each day as if it were our last.
I hope we love each other more and more with each passing day.
I hope we get serious about setting aside 'family time' with our busy schedules.
I hope we laugh at our mistakes.
I hope we never forget to say "I love you"
I hope we ignore snippy comments that get made when we are sleep deprived.
I hope we become a unified team for our children to rely on.
I hope we respect our children, no matter what.
I hope we grow our family closer to God.

6 Months Down...42 Months To Go!

2011-11-29T05:21:00.000-08:00

Jason will be starting his 6th month of residency on December 1st. Doesn't that seem crazy?! I'm the type of person that has a calendar on my desk with X's on each of the days that have passed because I love countdowns and I love seeing how far we've come. 153 days of residency...gone!

His first year is half-way finished...only 3 and a half more years till he is done with basic residency.

December starts a rough rotation...he's in the emergency room. Even though he has two days off a week (Mondays and Wednesdays), the rest of the time he works the night shift. UGH.

I'm so proud of Jason and his dedication towards his job. I know there are days where the hospital is the last place he wants to be but still he gets up, puts his scrubs on and tries to make the best of it. The hours aren't glamorous and the pay is DEFINITELY not glamorous but he's doing what he loves and he's making the most of it.
Goodness, Gracious....I love my man!

Mom's Visit to Pennsylvania!

2011-11-28T04:05:00.000-08:00

My mom arrived in Harrisburg late Thursday night of last week....we've been counting down the days till her visit for awhile now so it was so nice to see her walk off that plane!
We had so much planned...I had a lot of things that I wanted to get done while she was here to help and give her opinion.
Friday evening, after a day at the doctor's office, we went to the hospital so Grandma could see her little Amelia. (excuse the crazy eyes) Amelia had her legs crossed like a little lady. It was so sweet to catch another glimpse of our little girl. My mom really liked seeing her and we really liked showing her off!
Jason had off Saturday and Sunday so we decided to show mom a little bit of the area. There is a National Christmas Museum about 40 minutes away and we were told that we definitely needed to go and visit. The museum had rooms that were set up to display Christmas around the world, Christmas through the years and Christmas as we know it now. So much history were in those walls. Some rooms were jammed packed with nick knacks, which made my hubby a little claustrophobic.
We really made an effort to relax and enjoy our weekend all together because Jason had to work all week and wouldn't be able to spend much time with mom. I was able to get a few days off so we had a lot of time to hang out! Once Monday rolled around, we got focused, made a list and we ran more errands than most people do in a week.

Amelia's nursery got organized, curtains got ironed/hung in the living room and kitchen, carpets got shampooed, couches got shampooed and pretty much anything that needed organized got organized.

Jason's attending gave him Wednesday AND Thursday off because he was on call Friday AND Saturday so we decided to put the tree up Tuesday evening so Jason could be a part of the fun and festivities. After we were finished with the tree, we loaded up the car for the drive 5 hours away to Jason's grandpa's house. We got there late on Tuesday but it was perfect because we could spend all day Wednesday and part of the day Thursday with family.

Friday morning the girls did a little shopping for Jason--the hardware stores were not busy at all-- and then we enjoyed a super yummy breakfast! We made sure to enjoy Friday and the little bit of Saturday that we had before she had to fly home.

Our time together was sooooo nice! I missed my mom so much and I've already started counting down the days till she will be visiting again when Amelia makes her debut.

Even though I'm a few states away...I'm still a HUGE mama's girl!!

Bump Updates: Week 27

2011-11-26T15:16:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 27....

How far along? 27 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, November 26, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a head of cauliflowerSleep? I've been noticing my energy levels are starting to go back down. Any chance I get to lay down and take a nap, I'm in!

Food Cravings? Anything and everything!! I'm reaching for food about every two hours...Amelia is one growing little girl.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? My mom came to visit and she helped me get Amelia's nursery in working order. I loved organizing all her clothes and going through all the nursery goodies. It makes February, her due date, seem so close!
Development? Amelia is starting to smile this week, especially when she is dreaming. Also, when she Amelia hears familiar voices, her heart rate may decrease, which means that our voices calm our little one! Amelia is also being measured differently...she is now being measured from head to toe. Her taste buds are very developed now and she will be able to taste the difference in amniotic fluid depending on what I eat.

Noteables? We spent Thanksgiving at Jason's grandpa's house. It was so good to see all the family...Amelia even got some goodies from her cousins. Amelia's first Thanksgiving with the family was really nice...next Thanksgiving will be even nicer!

Bump Updates: Week 26

2011-11-19T05:24:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 26....

How far along? 26 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, November 19, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a rutabagaSleep? This week I've been sleeping pretty good. I am starting to find myself tossing and turning more to get comfortable but it doesn't seem to interrupt my sleep too much.

Food Cravings? This week I found myself craving veggie sub sandwiches from Subway. This is an odd craving for me because I'm not a huge veggie eater but right now I can't get enough!

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Having grandma around to show Amelia some attention. We went to the doctor for a regular check-up and met Jason at the hospital for another scan of our little girl. Grandma loved seeing her little one and I loved showing my little one off to Grandma.

Development? My uterus is slightly bigger than a soccer ball...I knew something felt a little bigger in there. Amelia's skin has started taking on color because of the melanin that is now being produced. Her lungs are still producing surfactact, the substance that helps inflate her little lungs. With each passing day/week, her lungs are getting stronger and stronger. Amelia's retina, the part that allows her to focus images, is developing and she is now able to open and close her eyes. Unfortunately, the view inside isn't all that great but she is still able to open and close her eyes. Her pigmentation in her eye color will be developing over the next few months, right now there is little to no pigment in her eyes. She is growing so fast--right now she could be as much as 2 pounds!
Noteables? Grandma came to visit and she brought so many goodies. We also got a special package from Aunt Ange! My sister sent the cutest little clothes from Gymboree. She is going to be one well-dressed little lady!!

Another Doctor's Visit

2011-11-18T12:38:00.001-08:00

This morning was my 26 week doctor's appointment. It has been 6 weeks since my last visit because I asked to push back my appointment until my mom was here...I really wanted her to go to an appointment with me. Since I haven't had any issues so far, my doctor was okay with it.
I wasn't as nervous about the appointment and all the testing that I had to go through as I was the initial weigh in. I've really been trying to be good but with each passing day, regardless of what I eat, I feel bigger and bigger. Well, it was good news when I stepped on that scale.
Once in the room, the doctor gave me an orange drink that I needed to drink for the 1 hour glucose test. The drink wasn't as bad as I've heard from other pregnant moms but once I finished the drink, I was a burping machine. Something in that drink made this mama gassy.
Amelia's heartbeat was found (140 beats per minute) and my uterus was measured (26.5 cm)--everything looked good. I love hearing that she is healthy and I'm progressing in the right direction.
Once my appointment was over, I had to meet with the nurse to go over all the delivery details. It was so crazy going over labor, delivery and all the birthing class options. With 14 weeks left, I realized there are a lot of things to think about and consider before Amelia makes her arrival. The nurse was very helpful and insightful...I have a lot to talk through with Jason!!

Once we left the appointment, I later got a phone call with the results of my blood work from my glucose test. I PASSED so I do not have gestational diabetes! This is such an answered prayer...I was so nervous. My mom developed gestational diabetes with her last pregnancy so I was unsure of my results would be. My blood work also showed that I have low iron so I was given some ways to get iron into my bloodstream, for Amelia and myself.
My next appointment is in 3 weeks...my doctor said everything looks so good that I can have a little more time in between my appointments right now.
God has been so good...I am so thankful for this pregnancy, my healthy baby girl and the fact that I only have 14 weeks until I have her in my arms.

Pregnancy--Double Digits

2011-11-17T10:02:00.000-08:00

I almost couldn't believe my eyes when I pulled up a countdown clock online this morning and realized that I only have 96 more days until Amelia's due date.

I've officially made it to the double digit countdown...so crazy, so exciting and so much left to do!

I feel so happy and blessed to have made it this far and I can't wait to see what the next 3 months have in store for me. Amelia is getting so active and big that I'm really enjoying this pregnancy!

Tomorrow is the big, bad glucose test, some blood work, a meeting with the nurse to discuss birthing classes/hospital registration/etc and additional tests that the office needs to run. My mom will be with me so hopefully spending 3 hours at the doctor won't be as painful as it sounds!

The holiday season is going to go by so fast and then it will be time to welcome our sweet little girl. I have a feeling that I'll be making a calendar to mark off the days...it's getting so exciting!

Happy Birthday, Jason!

2011-11-14T06:06:00.000-08:00

28 years...where does the time go? It's crazy to think that we've been together since he was 18 and I'm so thankful that I've gotten to spend 10 years making this man feel special on his birthday.

This year his birthday fell on a weekend, which he actually had off, so I really got to spoil Jason. Breakfast, presents, cake were just a few of the 'extras' that he had for his special day. I didn't go too crazy this year for his birthday because of all the extra expenses that we've acquired over the last few months but each of his kids got him a present.

Since moving to Pennsylvania, he's been dying to update his wardrobe with some Penn State gear. This area bleeds blue and white...so his presents were ALL blue and white. I love making my husband feel so important and special...sometimes I forget to make him feel special during my everyday routine. What's better than a nice relaxing weekend with my birthday boy (plus some really yummy birthday cake)?!

This time next year, he'll be another year older but we'll have a sweet little girl that will forever change our lives.

Love At First Sight

2011-11-12T16:09:00.000-08:00

Last night on my drive home from work, I got a call from Jason wanting to see if I would come to the hospital. Usually he is so busy that I don't go visit him at the hospital but last night he already had all of his patients taken care of and he had a great idea. He wanted to see his baby girl, literally see his baby girl.
He reserved an ultrasound room so he could finally see his baby. The last time he saw her was at 9 weeks and she was nothing more than the size of a blueberry with a heartbeat.
Wanna know what love at first sight looks like....Well here ya go! He loved inspecting every inch of her body...he even counted her fingers and toes. Amelia wasn't too cooperative for her daddy. She was kicking around and moving so much that it was hard to get her in focus.
Daddy loves his baby girl...and that makes me smile!!

Bump Updates: Week 25

2011-11-12T07:46:00.000-08:00

Here is the bump update for week 25....

How far along? 25 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, November 12, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of an eggplant
Sleep? I'm sleeping pretty good...daylight savings time has really thrown off my routine but I can't complain about the quality of sleep that I'm getting.

Food Cravings? No real cravings...just reaching for anything and everything that is edible.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? I loved wrapping Jason's birthday presents and making sure the label read- To: Daddy From: Amelia.

Development? This week begins rapid growth of Amelia, especially when it comes to her nervous system. Capillaries are forming under the skin, which will give Amelia her color when she makes her arrival. Her lungs are beginning to develop surfactant, which helps her lungs send oxygen into her bloodstream. Her vocal cords are functioning now, which will lead to more hiccuping episodes.
Noteables? This week I got a lot of friendly smiles from strangers at the store or events I was attending for work. As big as I feel, I'm so glad that people can finally see that I'm growing a baby and not just getting fat! Also, the last 4 week doctors appointment is next week! I made it for when my mom will be here so she can go with me...gotta get bloodwork done, the glucose test, meet with the staff regarding birthing classes/registration/etc.

Aunt Elizabeth sent Amelia an awesome package this week...monthly 'Parents as Teachers' activities for Amelia from birth to 12 months. I'm so excited for her to get her so we can start working with her. It's a perfect gift for her!!

Single Digits

2011-11-08T01:18:00.000-08:00

I can hardly contain my excitement....my mama will be in Pennsylvania in 9 days!!

I think we've both been counting down the days since the trip was booked in August and now after many, many days being marked off my calendar I can officially say that she will be here NEXT WEEK!

This girl needs her mama...ASAP!

The Truth

2011-11-07T08:17:00.000-08:00

I saw this and just knew I had to post it...haha! SO TRUE

Light The Night

2011-11-07T04:56:00.000-08:00

Saturday night was the annual Light the Night walk for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society. A group of us decided to walk in support of a three-year old little boy that has leukemia. Our team met up, grabbed some dinner and then got ready for the 2 mile walk. Everyone that participated and raised money for the cause, was given a t-shirt and illuminated balloons. Personally, the balloons were the best part of the walk. Different colored balloons had different meanings (gold-in memory; white-survivor; red-supporter) and seeing them fly high in the sky was pretty neat.Even though the night air was a little chilly, we had a great time walking for such a great cause.
Hopefully for next year we can get a bigger group involved...giving back to the community is so important!

Bump Updates: Week 24

2011-11-05T03:19:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 24....

How far along? 24 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, November 5, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a ear of corn

Sleep? I'm sleeping about the same. The boys still haven't found their puppy pee pad in the basement so I'm waking up pretty early with them to take them outside. They start getting antsy around 4:00am and I don't want any accidents so I get up. Once I get up, I'm up for the rest of the day. Dang dogs!

Food Cravings? There wasn't anything in particular this week. I definitely can see an increase in my appetite. As soon as I finish a meal, I'm already thinking about a snack. It seems like the harder I try to be good, the worse I am.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Getting two HUGE boxes of clothes in the mail from my mom. She has found some of the cutest clothes...Amelia is going to be dressed like a princess!

Development? Amelia's lungs are fully formed but they aren't quite ready to function out of the womb. She is gaining about 6 ounces each week and it is helping build her fat storage, as well as her muscle mass. Right now, Amelia's hair is snow white since there is no pigment in her hair just yet...but it's coming!

Noteables? She is moving around so much now that I can see her move through my clothes all the time. She gets very active when I'm in the bath...I love seeing the ripples in the water when she moves!

Such A Sweet Little Girl

2011-11-04T06:52:00.000-07:00

Our friends, Stuart and Camille, welcomed a sweet little girl this morning.
Jeanne Kathryn decided to make her appearance at 2:02am on November 4, 2011. I can still remember our daily exercise walks on the island that were spent dreaming/talking about our future children and now those talks/dreams have become a reality. It has been so awesome to talk her through her pregnancy and now I'm looking forward to talking with her through my pregnancy. Amelia and Jeanne Kathryn are going to be little friends....and I can't wait!

Jeanne Kathryn is such a lucky girl...she's got two of the best parents a girl could ask for!!

Jeanne Kathryn, I can't wait to shower you with kisses!!

Usually...

2011-11-03T07:15:00.000-07:00

Usually I'm pretty even tempered...

Usually I'm okay with working all day and coming home to make dinner....

Usually I'm organized and on top of EVERYTHING....

Usually I take into consideration other people's feelings over my own....

Usually I don't mind walking to the mailbox to get the mail...

Usually I have my Halloween decorations already boxed up...

Usually I don't freak out when the lights have been left on ALL NIGHT....

Usually I have patience....

Usually I look forward to cleaning and getting the house in order....

Usually I wouldn't admit to all these weaknesses, especially on the blog....

The past few days have been a little more trying than normal. I know that a lot of it is from the hormonal changes involved in pregnancy but goodness I hate how I have acted/reacted to a few recent situations.

Fun Friday

2011-10-30T03:45:00.000-07:00

My boss is obsessed with Halloween, like seriously obsessed, so this year we had a Halloween party. I googled 'Halloween costumes for pregnant women' and came up short. Nothing caught my eye...until I saw the cutest shirt from gladditudes.com. As soon as I saw it, I knew I had my outfit for the Halloween party. It's hard to see the bump from straight now, so I took another picture so the bump could be seen a little bit better. Here are a few of my co-workers showing their festive spirit...Ralphie from 'A Christmas Story' and Michael Myers from 'Halloween' Not only did we get to dress up but each of us brought in yummy treats for our lunchtime meal. I made mummy dogs (aka-pigs in a blanket) to keep the Halloween theme. I haven't had pigs in a blanket since daycare...I forgot how good they are!Here is a picture of our spread...needless to say, mommy and Amelia were extremely happy!

Gotta love fun Fridays, especially when they are completed with costumes and yummy food!!

October Surprises

2011-10-29T08:25:00.000-07:00

This morning we woke up to some unusual weather for October...SNOW! A cold front moved in faster than we anticipated and we got to experience our first snow in Pennsylvania and in our new house. The snow started around 9:00am and it came down so hard that by 10:30 we had an inch of snow!

Jason got to try out his snow shovel earlier than we thought...he was pretty excited! These were pictures from the first time he shoveled the driveway. I think the driveway was shoveled about 5 times today...and each time had more snow! Towards the end of the day, our neighbor about 4 doors down got out the snow blower. We couldn't help but stare at his ease of cleaning off his driveway. No snow blower for us, just a yellow snow shovel! By 4:00pm, the snow was still coming down. I took a comparison picture of our back deck. The snow tapered off once we got around 5-6 inches. We took advantage of the snow and enjoyed a day full of movies and hot chocolate...such a perfect day for lounging around! Towards the end of the day, I started feeling antsy and wanted to clean/organize/put together the nursery but Jason talked me out of it and decided that we should build a snowman. How could I say no to a snowman?! We bundled up and made the cutest snowman in our subdivision. I wonder what the rest of winter has in store for Pennsylvania when it begins snowing in October...crazy! I know one thing--we're definitely going to need A LOT more hot chocolate!!

Bump Updates: Week 23

2011-10-29T04:29:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 23....

How far along? 23 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, October 29, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a papaya

Sleep? I've actually been sleeping really good this week. I'm not sure if it's the new house or what but I'm able to fall asleep and stay asleep so much easier than I was doing in the previous weeks.

Food Cravings? Since our neighborhood had trick-or-treating this week, I consumed a lot more candy than I have in the past. The more candy I ate, the more candy I wanted!

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Getting all settled in the new house and starting to get the nursery organized and ready for our sweet girl! I could go through all her things everyday and never get tired of seeing her things!

Development? Amelia's skin is still loose this week but her fat is growing with each passing week and it slowly starting to fill in the loose skin. She is over a pound this week and she will double in weight in the next few weeks. Her blood veins and arteries are developing constantly to make her skin more like skin and less like a see-through material. Right now, she is used to familiar sounds and she will respond to them. About 80% of the time that she spends sleeping, she is in REM sleep, which is where the eyes move and her brain is very active.

Noteables? This week I could see Amelia's movements through my tighter clothes. It is so amazing to see random kicks and tumbles strong enough to come through my clothes. Also, I'm pretty sure Amelia had the hiccups a few times this week. This is the first time I've noticed it...such a weird feeling.

Trick-Or-Treat

2011-10-28T03:59:00.000-07:00

Trick-or-treating is done a little differently here than it is done back in Missouri. Different towns take different nights leading up to Halloween and designate them as 'trick-or-treat' nights. I guess this prevents total chaos on Halloween night. This year Halloween snuck up on us a little bit with the move...to be honest, we've lost track of time with all that we had going on. I'm a little sad that we've still yet to get a pumpkin carved but technically the big day isn't until Monday so we'll see what the weekend brings.

Earlier this week, I made a quick trip to the store for some candy(Hershey only products) and some adorable costumes for the boys. We can't have the boys helping pass out candy without looking their best for the trick-or-treaters. Here are some of the pictures that we took during our first trick-or-treating experience at the house!We had such a good time seeing all the kids in their costumes, passing out candy and talking about next year when we are those parents that have a baby to bundle up and walk through the neighborhood.

Pumpkin Fun

2011-10-27T12:09:00.000-07:00

Thought this picture was too creative not to post....Happy Halloween!

Not really sure what emotion I'm suppose to feel when I look at this but the HUGE pumpkin seed tears and the look of pain on the mama's face have me a little concerned.

All Settled In

2011-10-24T10:34:00.000-07:00

As of Saturday, we are moved out of our apartment and into our new home. Thanks to the help of some awesome family members and friends that decided to spend their weekend loading up boxes and furniture instead of relaxing on the couch, we were able to successfully get moved in.

Unfortunately, I didn't get any pictures of the movers in action because we were all unloading, organizing and cleaning like crazy people. We couldn't have made as much progress as we did without all the willing help...such a God send!

We started around 7:30am on Saturday morning and by 4:00pm Saturday afternoon, we were finished and we were saying our goodbyes to our family and friends.

Jason, myself and the boys all settled in on the couch and just took in the sight, smells and comfort of our new home. Even though we were exhausted, we still loved having a place of our own. After a few hours of resting, we decided to put together the nursery furniture. BAD IDEA.

We were too tired to think and read the directions...good thing we bought the insurance because some damage was done by using too long of a screw when hooking the legs into the dresser top. Unfortunately, we had to load up the dresser and return it back to Babies R Us and order a new one. Dropping the dresser off just a few hours after we picked up was a little awkward. We got back to the house after a depressing drive to the store and decided to just call it a night. Our bed NEVER felt so good! Haha...

Sunday morning, we got up and moving a little slower than normal. Around lunchtime we were feeling a little antsy and since the weather was pretty, we decided to put together the mower. Jason wanted to mow and I wanted to trim up some of the bushes. Seeing my husband mowing his grass with his new mower made the house feel so real.

We love having our own space, we love waking up in our new home and we love the fact that God has been so kind and gracious to our family!!

After moving 4 times in the past 4 years, it feels so good to say that we're now settled in and not going anywhere for 4 years!! Such an awesome feeling!

Bump Updates: Week 22

2011-10-22T05:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 22....

How far along? 22 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, October 22, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a spaghetti squash

Sleep? I'm finally sleeping better, maybe I'm finally getting used to laying around my belly? This week I've noticed myself waking up earlier than usual (4:00am) with my mind spinning. So much going on this week with the house that I'm not able to pause my thoughts!
Food Cravings? Lucky Charms have been my 'go to' food this week!
Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? I know I say this all the time but I LOVE feeling her move and I LOVE when Jason can feel her move. She's getting so active and big that it's easier to find her when she is tumbling around.
Development?Amelia's eyes are moving behind her eyelids and her tear ducts are developing. She is always getting familiar with touch...she may even grab onto the umbilical cord and practice her strong grip. She is now responsive to sound and light, which I use both when I try to get my little girl to move.

Noteables? I heard back from my follow-up ultrasound that was done on my right ovary and the vessels that are present on my ovary are within normal limits. No further follow-up is required until after Amelia is born. We moved into our house this weekend and we were able to go and pick up the nursery furniture. We're still a little overwhelmed with all the other 'house' things but I'm looking forward to breaking the seal on the box and putting the furniture together.

Hersheypark In The Dark

2011-10-21T09:03:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we were able to meet up with Paul and Kelsey, some island/California friends, that were in Pennsylvania for a few weeks doing a rotation at Penn State. We are hoping that he gets a residency at the hospital so we can see them more often...we missed them! We were so excited to have some time off together so we could go and explore Hersheypark.

Hersheypark is an amusement park in Hershey, which is a lot of fun for families. Right now the park has a Halloween theme and the hours are extended into the night a little more than their normal hours. They even renamed the rides with a more spooky name!

Even though I couldn't ride any of the rides, I still enjoyed walking through the park, taking in all the sights and watching Jason act like a kid again on all the rides. It was a different experience being at the park after dark, especially with all the Halloween decorations.

We couldn't walk through the park and not play some games. Our favorite was trying to bounce a frog from the launch pad onto the lily pad using a rubber mallet and some sort of launching gear...too much fun! We closed down the park, ate too much food and barely stopped talking long enough to breath. We had such a good time hanging with our friends! They will be getting married this summer so we're hoping to make a trip to see them on their big day!

Fancy Pants

2011-10-19T10:55:00.000-07:00

My work sponsored an event and last night was the fancy, schmancy event. The dress code was 'cocktail', which totally threw me for a loop. I tried on everything in my closet but zipper failure after zipper failure decided that I needed to go, bite the bullet and get a cocktail dress from the maternity store. I surprised how painless the shopping process was and found an adorable dress for the event.

Here I am at work getting ready to head out to the event...sorry for the ugly background but I wanted to show off the cute dress that I got before we headed out.

I didn't take too many pictures at the event because everyone was gawking and even a little appalled when I would pull out my cellphone and start taking pictures. Ryan, my boss, was one of the opening speakers at the event so we had to make sure to snap a few pictures and cheer him on!

The event was a lot of fun...a lot(450 people) of well-known, influential people in the community attended. I'm glad that I was included in the event, even though it made for an extremely long day for this mama!

I might need to get all dolled up a little more often...it was kinda fun, especially when the clothes fit!

Home Owners

2011-10-17T04:17:00.000-07:00

Friday night we met with the lenders, the sellers and we signed the paperwork to make it official. After we signed papers for about an hour, we were finally handed our garage door openers, our keys and we were announced as the new home owners!
We were given a gift card from our real estate agent so we could go out and celebrate!

It's been a long journey but we now have a place that is ours, a place we can bring our little girl (and future children home to) and a place we can make into a home!
We went this weekend to get the house cleaned up, got some bids from painters and slowly started moving some things. So exciting, yet so exhausting!!
We finally decided on a painter so he will start this week and he'll be finished by this weekend, which is when we are getting a U-HAUL and getting all of our stuff into the house.

Bump Updates: Week 21

2011-10-15T04:00:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 21....

*I feel like these bump pictures don't do the belly justice.

How far along? 21 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, October 15, 2011)

How big is the baby? The length of a banana

Sleep? My sleep has been about the same. When I lay down, I'm asleep in two minutes but give me a few hours and I'm up going to the bathroom. Still trying to figure out a comfortable position that I can stay in for the full 8-10 hours...have a feeling this might be more difficult as the weeks pass.
Food Cravings? Nothing that really stands out. I'm just hungry all the time.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Seeing Jason's reaction when he felt his little girl move for the first time. He's already so in love with his little one and that just melts my heart. I love laying in bed together with his hand rested on my stomach feeling his little girl...so sweet!
Development? Amelia is developing REM (rapid eye movement) this week which is important in her sleeping patterns because now she can dream. Brown fat is starting to grow over her body. She is no longer the bone thin little girl she once was. She will now be able to start retaining some body heat. Amelia is swallowing amniotic fluid each day for hydration, nutrition and to practice her swallowing. She's starting to develop what flavors she likes based on what I've eaten each day. Her arms are legs are now in proportion...no more Miss Bobble Head. Neurons are now connecting the brain and the muscles and cartilage throughout her body is now forming into bone.

Noteables? I went to the doctor this week and when we were listening to Amelia's heartbeat, she jumped from one side of my stomach to the other side. She had a strong heartbeat (169bpm) but she didn't want to sit still for very long for us to try to get another recording.
I also realized this week that seeing the numbers go up on the scale, regardless of how big my girl is getting, isn't an easy sight. More baby carrots and vegetables will be introduced into my diet over the next few weeks! I also had my follow-up ultrasound on my right ovary and the results came back good. There are some things present that the doctor wants to keep an eye on but what is there is within normal limits. When the tech was looking at my ovaries, she gave me a glimpse of Amelia. She was kicked back, arms by her face and looking pretty content. Even though the reason I was getting an ultrasound were a little scary, I loved seeing my beautiful girl again!

Love Letter

2011-10-13T01:19:00.000-07:00

Miss Amelia Jean,

I'm not really even sure where to begin with this letter, but I know writing a letter to you has been something I've wanted to do since I've known you were growing in my belly.

Being a mother is something I have dreamed about since I was a little girl, maybe even as young as 9-10 years old. Most girls dreamed of their wedding day and I skipped over the wedding and dreamed of my nursery and the baby that would occupy it.

Once I met your daddy, I knew it was love at first sight. There were a lot of date nights that we talked about the future: wedding, house, cars and starting a family but I always seemed a little more 'ready' to get started on these future goals than your daddy. He wanted the same future as I did but he wanted to have everything in order when the time was right. He wanted to make sure that he could support the goals that we mapped out for our lives.

A few years later we got married, moved to an island and found ourselves a little more busy with life but the thoughts of you never seemed to go away. There were many days where I would ache and long for you but knowing that the timing wasn't right, I pushed those feelings to the side and prayed for patience.

After your daddy completed medical school, we prayed and decided that the timing was a little more right. We were nervous but we knew that you were the missing puzzle piece for our family.

When we found out we were expecting a new member in the family, we were ecstatic! You had my heart and my love from the second I saw those two lines appear on that test...my sweet baby was no longer a dream! I wanted to make sure that everything was perfect for you, from the very beginning, so I had my nose in every pregnancy book, blog and/or website. You were loved so much from day one...God blessed our family and we were ready to take on the role of mommy and daddy.

The first time we went to the doctor, we were mesmerized at how beautiful you were. You were only the size of a blueberry but your cute little shape and your beating heart caused us to reach for the Kleenex box. Your daddy said he had allergies or something when he wiped his eyes but we both knew that you had already stolen your daddy's heart.

For the appointments that followed the first one, I made sure to record your heartbeat so I could share your sweet life with all the people that couldn't be around for the appointment. Your grandparents, other family members and friends would send sweet, love-filled messages to you after they would hear your precious little heart. I think you stole their hearts too!

Amelia Jean, you have been such an answered prayer and we are already so in love with you! Only a few more months and we'll get to hold you in our arms, kiss your sweet little nose and give you our unconditional love.

Love,

Mommy

Stressed Out!

2011-10-12T11:59:00.001-07:00

Yesterday, after a few stressful weeks and some serious paper chasing, we were finally told that we were approved for the loan. Looks like this Friday we will be home owners!!! YAY!

I'm sure you are wondering "if you got the loan, then what is there to be stressed out about?"

Well the whole process leading up to the acceptance letter were a little tense but today my phone has been ringing off the hook with calls from our lender. Apparently there were 3 larger sized deposits that were deposited in our account, aside from our work checks, and each of them need written verification from the person that issued the check.

Well after a few phone calls, 2 hours and about 15 emails back and forth, I think the issue was resolved.

I don't understand what the big deal is about a few extra hundred dollars in our account when our incomes meet the requirements for the house payment...ugh!

Nothing like waiting till the last second to get the paperwork completed for the closing on Friday.
This mama is about to go crazy with all this last minute, stressful, unneeded crap!

Hurry up, Friday!!!

Information Overload

2011-10-10T08:43:00.000-07:00

The weather this weekend was picture perfect. The boys loved soaking up the sun on the porch!
We went to the orchard this weekend and grabbed some fresh apples. We were hoping we could pick our own from the trees but unfortunately, it's no longer apple season. We bought the yummiest and most perfect apples for a pie.
Jason was able to feel Amelia moving around this weekend. I loved his reaction when he felt her because he looked at me and said, " Was that my girl?" He was pretty excited to feel her. We have been sitting within an arms reach on the couch the past few nights...he wants to be close in case she starts moving.
We are scheduled to close on our house Friday and I'm getting so excited. Technically we won't move in until the following weekend because we want to paint and get the floors cleaned but just knowing that we are so close to being home owners is a great feeling! I got an email today from the lender and he said we should hear something by the end of today. EEKK...I'm so excited to just hear something back after waiting around for a response.
My office mate and myself decorated our office at work for Halloween and just walking in each morning with all our Halloween spirit makes me giddy. I love holidays, especially when there are decorations everywhere!!

Bump Updates: Week 20

2011-10-08T05:02:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 20....

How far along? 20 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, October 8, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a small cantaloupe

Sleep? Sleep has been about the same. I'm able to stay asleep once I can get in a comfortable position...it's finding the position that is the rough part. I've also started limiting my fluid intake after 7:00pm and I find that it is really helping with the multiple trips to the bathroom at night.
Food Cravings? Nothing that really stands out. I'm just hungry all the time.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Being at the halfway point in the pregnancy. Now the countdown begins to the delivery date. It's so crazy to think I'm already this far along!! Amelia is getting so strong that we can feel her move from the outside of my stomach.
Development? Amelia's uterus is already fully formed and her ovaries are holding about 7 million eggs. She is growing so fast and this week she could weigh as much as 1 pound. This week the meconium, the sticky, black substance that will fill her first diaper, is starting to form in her bowels. She is getting so big and so strong this week. Her kicks, flips and movements are getting stronger with everyday.
Noteables? I'm noticing that all my growing parts are starting to itch during the day. I've been lathering on the stretch mark lotion after I get out of the shower each morning so I'm hoping that I can keep those pesky marks to a minimum as my body starts growing bigger. I've also noticed this week that when Amelia is in certain positions, I can't take in a full breath. My diaphram isn't able to expand as far down as it once was because of all the growing which has been taking place inside my stomach.

Feelings From The Outside

2011-10-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Last night as I flipped and flopped in bed trying to get comfortable, Amelia was doing the same in my belly. I decided to lay still, rest my hands on my belly and see if I could feel her move from the outside. I'm not really sure what week they say you can start to feel outside movement but I wanted to see if 20 weeks was our magic number.

It didn't take long and my hand jumped...not only could I feel her moving inside of me, but now I could feel her moving on the outside. Jason was sound asleep or I would have grabbed his hand to feel but instead I just enjoyed the 'mommy-daughter' moment.

I whispered sweet words to my little girl and encouraged her to keep up tumbling but after a few more flips she decided she was comfortable and was going to bed.

I think I went to bed with the biggest smile on my face last night...the power our little girl has over me is already pretty ridiculous! Once Jason is able to feel her, I have a feeling she will have him under her spell too!

20 Down, 20 To Go

2011-10-05T06:56:00.001-07:00

Today I've been pregnant for 20 weeks or 140 days, which ever you would prefer. I can't believe that I've reached the halfway point in my pregnancy and now with each passing day I'm counting down the days till Amelia is here with us.

*Sorry for the bathroom picture at work but it's the only full length mirror where I can take the self-portrait of the bump!

When I got pregnant, I thought I'd never get to the 20 week mark but now that I'm here, I realized how fast the weeks passed. I'm sure the next 20 weeks, with the exception of the last few, will fly by too as we get everything ready for her arrival.

The first few weeks were pretty brutal...Amelia was pretty rough on me in the beginning but once I got to the 14 week mark, the sickness stopped, the energy levels rose and I really started enjoying the whole pregnancy package.

Pregnancy is such an amazing thing and I love knowing that I'm growing a beautiful, healthy baby girl inside that growing belly. Doesn't get much better than that!!

Holy Moly!

2011-10-04T09:40:00.001-07:00

Yesterday when I got home from work it was like Christmas on our front door step. 2 boxes from Amazon (baby fingernail clippers, bottle drying rack and an 8 second thermometer), 1 box from Veggie Tales (movie for Amelia), 2 boxes from my mom (maternity clothes and some super cute clothes for Amelia) and 1 box from Pea in a Pod (maternity accessories).

We knew we had some boxes coming but we had no idea that they would all show up on the same day, especially when they were shipped on separate days.

I didn't hesitate to get the scissors and start opening our packages...so much fun!!

Countdown Days

2011-10-03T13:43:00.000-07:00

141 Days until Amelia's delivery date

82 Days until Christmas

51 Days until Thanksgiving

44 Days until Mom is in PA for a visit

40 Days until Jason's 28th Birthday

27 Days until Halloween

10 Days until we close on our first house

9 Days until Amelia and Mommy's next doctor's appointment

We have so many exciting things coming up....and the countdowns shrink with each passing day!!

The National Apple Harvest Festival

2011-10-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend was the National Apple Harvest Festival outside of Gettysburg, PA and after hearing so many good things about it, I knew we had to go and see what all it had to offer. We parked our cars in an open field and we were bussed to the festival in school buses...we knew it would be an experience from the very beginning! There was so much to see down each apple-themed road--Apple Butter Way, Candy Apple Circle and Adams Apple Ave were a few of our favorites. Homemade apple butter being made over a fire, corn being shucked off the cob, an antique apple press making homemade cider, yummy apple dumplings, pumpkin funnel cakes and SOOO much more! We found ourselves stopping to look at all the craft stands, food vendors and anything else that the festival had to offer.

We completed our morning at the festival with a self-portrait in front of the huge apple and buying some homemade apple butter! A cold front moved in this weekend so it definitely felt like fall as we walked through the festival. Yes, the green coat from England is back. Right now it's the only coat that will zip all the way up, but I'm not sure for how much longer.

Because we were so close to all the history in downtown Gettysburg, we decided to explore the museums and battlegrounds.We had such a good weekend! The cool weather, the warm apple cider, seeing Jason get super excited with each battlefield we passed and just being able to spend some good, quality time together was awesome. I can't believe it's already October...this year is flying by way too fast!

Bump Updates: Week 19

2011-10-01T05:31:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 19....

How far along? 19 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, October 1, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a mango

Sleep? I'm figuring out different sleeping positions to be more comfortable throughout the night. This week I started putting a big pillow in between my legs and laying on my side but all the pressure wasn't digging into my hip bone. It's working out pretty well so far!
Food Cravings? Still constantly eating or constantly wanting to eat but no specific cravings.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? Everything!! This week it really sunk it that we are parents to the sweetest little girl. I started singing to Amelia this week and when I would finish the song, I would sit and stare at my belly hoping for a kick in response to my singing. A few times she responded but most of the time I was left without a response...she already has a mind of her own. I LOVE feeling her move and will do just about anything, silly as it may be, to get her to wake up and kick for mommy. I'm sure once she gets bigger I'll be wanting her to stop kicking so much but for now, it's amazing.
Development? Amelia's skin is now fully covered in the vernix caseosa that protects her skin from the amniotic fluid. This helps the baby not get wrinkly from being surrounded by the fluid. Amelia's kicks and turns are starting to get a lot stronger with each passing week. The sucking reflex has kicked in and if her thumb drifts up to her mouth, she'll start sucking.
Noteables? Uncle Andrew and Aunt Holly, from Missouri, sent Amelia a package this week. The clothese were so stinking cute! Desiree and Thane, our friends from the island and Bakersfield, sent us a big box of goodies for Amelia. I literally squealed opening the box and seeing all wrapped goodies. She is starting to get a good selection of adorable clothing... I often tend to go and look through all her clothes hanging in the spare room. I can't wait to get them all washed and have them smell so clean and fresh. We really appreciate all the support we are receiving from our friends and family!!

I also got this text this week....

I love seeing her name and seeing it in brightly colored blocks makes it so much cuter!

Who Does He Think He Is??

2011-09-29T06:55:00.000-07:00

This morning on our walk, I noticed Bazzle stopping every once and awhile to scratch or bite himself. I didn't think anything about until we get home and he is eating himself alive...definitely not something that Bazzle does.
I flip him over and notice this...and then I notice one small little flea trying to hurry itself into the thicker hair to hide. Who does that flea think he is attacking my big boy?! I made sure to end the flea's life before giving Bazzle a flea bath, putting anti-itch cream on his leg, dosing him up on Benadryl and wrapping him up in a tight blanket so he wouldn't scratch.
I hope Bazzle doesn't scratch/bite too much today while I'm at work...his little sores already look so tender.
Since when do fleas come out in the fall? For some reason I thought they were a spring/summer annoyance...hmm.

STEP Exams Are A Thing Of The Past

2011-09-28T08:35:00.000-07:00

I realized that I forgot to give an update on Jason's STEP 3 exam. After a crazy month of studying and two days of exams, Jason received his STEP 3 exam results a few weeks ago and he passed with flying colors.

He was so worried about the exam because he studied for it during trauma surgery, aka-the worst rotation in residency, but once he saw his results he was relieved that he pushed forward and took the test early on in his residency.

We are so excited that STEP exams are completely finished and are a thing of the past. Boards will still have to be taken but having one set of exams completely done feels so good!!

I'm so proud of my hubby and his dedication to his profession and to his family. He's learning so much during residency and he's having a blast. The hours can be a little rough and tiresome but other than the occasional grumble when the alarm goes off, he's excited to get to the operating room!!

Emotional Mess

2011-09-27T11:36:00.000-07:00

Pregnancy is associated with being an emotional/hormonal mess or should I say being a hormonal mess is associated with pregnancy?! Once I told everyone the awesome pregnancy news, they were ~~warned~~ made aware of my unstable emotions.

With that said, I feel like I've been fairly normal in my reactions to certain things, with the exception of a few off the wall breakdowns. I can watch most shows on TV without tearing up, I can listen to Amelia's heartbeat on my phone and not completely lose it and I can feel her move and not feel the need to stop everything and shout, "she's moving again".

Yesterday when I got a card in the mail, the emotional mess came out in full force.

Seeing Amelia Jean wrote down on paper really made this pregnancy, my sweet baby girl and the titles 'mommy' and 'daddy' seem so real.

We are currently parents of the sweetest, tiniest little mango-sized girl named Amelia Jean. I was barely able to type that sentence with the tears welling up in my eyes. Like I said...I'm an emotional mess!

Couch Cuddling

2011-09-26T09:08:00.000-07:00

There isn't anything better than spending a Sunday afternoon snuggled on the couch with my loves. This is probably one of the sweetest pictures I've taken of Bazzle and his daddy. He was all snuggled up and snoozing on Jason...I could resist taking a few pictures!

Another Mish Mash Post

2011-09-26T06:49:00.000-07:00

After searching multiple websites, I finally found Amelia's nursery bedding. Before I was pregnant I had everything picked out in my head and knew exactly how I wanted everything but now that I'm pregnant, decisions are so much harder to make.
Our house appraisal is scheduled for Monday and we are excited to hear the results. We know the appraisal must line up with what we bought the house for or we will have to reevaluate the contract. Only 3 weeks until we close on the house and it will feel so good to know one more thing will be marked off the list.
I made Paula Deen's, Not Yo Mama's Banana Pudding, on Friday after I got home from work. It seemed like a great idea at the time but two days later and only a few servings left, I realized how bad of an idea it was. We definitely did not need to skip breakfast and eat banana pudding TWO days in a row but we did and it was some of the best breakfast we've had in a long time!
We watched Contagion yesterday, per Jason's suggestion, and I realized how scary germs and diseases can be. Needless to say, I am more aware of where I put my hands and how much instant hand sanitizer I can place around the house, in the car and around the office.
We locked ourselves out of our apartment for the second time in a month over the weekend. The first time we called the main office, waited for security to unlock our door and had to pay a $55 penalty. This time we were determined to not have to pay the penalty so we 'borrowed' a bicycle from a nearby neighbor so Jason could get a boost so he could scale up the wall and pull himself up on our deck. Thank goodness for messy neighbors that leave their bicycles out in the yard, a hubby that can pull his body weight up and a forgetful pregnant mama that forgot to lock the back door.
We went for a 4-5 mile bike ride yesterday and I realized how much this mama is out of shape. There is a really nice walking/biking trail that goes through Hershey and we decided to give it a try. It was so nice to be out in the fall weather, riding through corn fields and spending time with my hubby. I'm really going to miss him when he gets his crazy call schedule back in November.

If...

2011-09-25T06:20:00.000-07:00

If....

If I could have any job in the world....(Ashley) I would love to work in administration at a children's hospital or a pediatrics department within a hospital. (Jason) Anesthesiologist with no call and no weekends

If I had a day to myself....(Ashley) I would get pampered head to toe. Facial, massage, manicure, pedicure, hair cut and anything else I could squeeze into a 24 hour period. (Jason) Enjoying my family.

If I could get married all over again....(Ashley) I would do it all the time. Our wedding was such an awesome day! (Jason) I would do it in a heartbeat...maybe even, every year.

If I could live anywhere in the United States....(Ashley) Location doesn't really matter as long as we lived close to our family. (Jason) Colorado, in the mountains.

If I could have any talent in the world....(Ashley) Creativeness and craftiness. I love playing Martha Stewart but would really like to not have to try so hard to be crafty! (Jason) I would like to be able to sing.

If you met me in real life....(Ashley) You would know that I am very tender hearted and I would do just about anything for my family/friends. (Jason) I'm dedicated to my family and I love the outdoors.

If I went back to school....(Ashley) I would make sure to enjoy it. Cute notebooks, planners and smooth writing gel pens would be a must, regardless if they were on sale or not! (Jason) I WOULDN'T GO BACK TO SCHOOL, I JUST GOT OUT!!

If money were not an object....(Ashley) I would pay off ALL our school loans, support our family members that have always helped us out, buy plane tickets to go home every month and hire someone to update and decorate our house! (Jason) I would take my entire family on an awesome vacation and buy a large property so my friends and family could hunt.

If I could meet one celebrity....(Ashley) I would have to say Miranda Lambert. I think we would have a lot in common and so much fun together. (Jason) Big Ben from the Steelers.

If I could shop at only one store for the rest of my life....(Ashley) Target! I'm not a big shopper but I love walking the aisles at Target and being surprised by what is on the shelves. (Jason) The grocery store! I wouldn't want to run out of food.

If I could choose an animal/pet....(Ashley) My pups! No doubt about it and no questions asked. (Jason) My Dogs

If I could go on a trip right now....(Ashley) I would love to take Jason to Bora Bora or Fiji. I love the little huts on the water and I think we could both use some alone time in the middle of the ocean. (Jason) Elk hunting in Colorado.

If I could choose between a house maid or a personal chef....(Ashley) A personal chef. By the time I get home from work, the last thing I want to do is cook a yummy, healthy meal. (Jason) A chef would be awesome!

*I saw this and thought it might be fun to read how Jason and myself would respond to the different questions. Some questions were pretty hard for us to generate answers for but we were able to think of something.

Bump Updates: Week 18

2011-09-24T03:41:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 18....How far along? 18 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, September 24, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a sweet potato

Sleep? This week I actually was able to fall asleep and stay asleep, with the exception of a few visits to the bathroom. The back pain has seemed to disappear for the time being--I now wake up feeling refreshed! I did notice a few muscle spasms while I slept...but nothing too bad.
Food Cravings? Right now, the cravings have subsided a bit. I'm at the point where I feel like I'm constantly eating or constantly wanting to eat.

Gender? It's a GIRL...Amelia Jean
Best moment this week? I loved seeing my little girl again...she's gotten so big! I loved when the tech tried to get her to open her legs so we could see the gender. The tech wiggled my belly a little bit and I guess that frustrated Amelia because she started kicking her little legs just as fast as she could. She was already throwing a little temper tantrum, but she looked so cute doing it!
Development? Amelia sleeps and wakes regularly and now can be awakened from sleep by movements and noises. Soft hair, called lanugo, is starting to cover her sweet little body. This helps keep her warm. The eggs in Amelia's ovaries have formed...she seems too small to already have eggs in her ovaries. She is becoming a master of the yawn and the hiccup. Amelia's truly a one-of-a kind, this week she developed unique fingerprints one her fingers and toes.
Noteables? At my ultrasound appointment, the doctor was a little concerned that I had some fluid build up around one of my ovaries. There weren't any cysts present but the extra fluid gave some concern so I'll be getting another ultrasound at my next appointment to make sure the fluid decreases.

Now that we know we are having a little girl, I've started shopping for all the necessary nursery goodies!! So overwhelming but so much fun!

Memories, Sweet Memories

2011-09-21T12:28:00.000-07:00

Since the blog is a great way to document everything, I wanted to share some things, some pretty special things, that are going on right now.

Last night, we went shopping for Amelia's first outfit. I, of course, see the 'Buy One Get One' sale racks and head in their direction. Unfortunately all the newborn clothing on sale was for summer babies and since our little one will be a winter baby, then that wouldn't work. I got 2 outfits that are 3-6 months but... that didn't work for Daddy. He wanted to get her something that she could wear this winter, size newborn, so he went to searching the racks. He finally chose the sweetest little outfit...after long and serious deliberation! He was enjoying the shopping experience much more than I thought he would.
This morning as I was getting ready to head to work, I got such a sweet, unexpected text. Goodness, I married such a great man! I can't wait to see him with his little girl!
When I got to work, after a long meeting this morning, I had a package on my desk. Devon, my co-worker got us a little gift. This is her first gift from a non-family member...needless to say, I went a little gaga over it!It says 'mommy loves me on the front with cute little monkeys on the feet and a little monkey on the butt. I can't wait to pat that little diaper butt in this outfit!

Cute Idea!

2011-09-20T16:29:00.000-07:00

I thought these buckets were too cute not to blog! My cousin is painting the buckets and adding all the cute monogrammed goodies to make this an adorable gift!! She has twins and is trying to find things she can do to make a little more money...I think she struck gold with this idea.
I'm ordering one for Amelia, one with the Conway name and then I was thinking of a Halloween/Christmas one.

Please let me know if you are interested...I can pass your name and contact info to her! You can email me at: ashconway(at)gmail.com.

Baby Conway Is A.....

2011-09-20T12:48:00.000-07:00

Today was filled with a mix of emotions! I woke up like it was Christmas morning, showered, put on my makeup and even styled my hair...all in 40 minutes!! I parked in the hospital parking lot, made my way to the correct hallway and found myself sitting in a waiting room with all different sizes and shapes of pregnant women. My name was called after 10 minutes, a long 10 minutes I might add, and I think I pretty much skipped to the ultrasound room!

As the tech takes me into the room, I asked her to not disclose any important gender information because I wanted the gender to be kept a secret until Jason and myself were together. She tells me that she can't put the gender results in an envelope...it's against policy. I then proceed to ask if I can video record the ultrasound so he can at least see our little one move...it's against policy. *Yes, I took a picture of the room even thought it was against policyAt this point, I'm feeling pretty defeated. The tears slowly start streaming down my face as the warm goo was squirted on my belly. The tech proceeds to show me all the healthy parts of Baby Conway...so amazing to see a working 4 chambered heart, a fully developed brain and set of functional arms that may or may not have waved good morning to mama.Right before the tech discloses the gender, she makes sure that I am still wanting to know the gender of Baby Conway. I decided to try one more time and I ask her if I can call my mom on speakerphone so I'm not alone when I find out the sex of the baby...it's against policy.

I tried every option so I gave in and decided to find out the sex, regardless! She started searching and Baby had crossed legs so we had to wiggle my belly a bit to get the legs to open and the baby started kicking super hard and fast. Either we have a little soccer star or we have someone that is a pro at throwing tantrums already...ha!

Then clear as day, the little one decided to cooperate and we saw three white lines....

and I heard the tech say, "It's a GIRL!!", which of course generated more tears from this hormonal mama.

Amelia Jean Conway is a beautiful, healthy and lively little girl! We are so excited to meet our little girl in February!! She is already so loved and cherished by so many...her big brothers are going to love having a little sister to love on.

Gender Reveal

2011-09-19T07:04:00.001-07:00

I've been marking days off the calendar like a crazy woman and now the time has finally arrived! We have our anatomy ultrasound scheduled first thing in the morning and we'll know if Baby Conway is a boy or a girl. Unfortunately, Jason isn't able to get off for the ultrasound so I'm going to ask the doctor not to give any specific details and seal the gender results in an envelope.

Once Jason gets off work, then we are going to go out to a nice dinner, open the envelope and then go shopping for the baby's first outfit!!

To say I'm excited is an understatement...I can't wait to call my baby by name instead of referring to him/her as Baby Conway. I'm hoping that the baby cooperates so we can get a clear view!

So...what do you guys think??

Snips, Snails and Puppy Dog Tails (boy) or Sugar, Spice and Everything Nice (girl)?

Weekend Festivities

2011-09-18T13:45:00.000-07:00

This weekend we ventured out of Hershey and headed south to York for their yearly fair. We love the atmosphere that fairs have to offer and this fair was no different. We pulled into the gate and this mama pretty much ran to the nearest funnel cake stand as soon as the car was put in park...don't worry, Jason wasn't too many steps behind. Shortly after we grabbed dinner, we walked past one of the greatest inventions for a fair 'store'. It was tons of different assortments of candy that you could add to your bowl and pay by the pound on your way out. We took advantage and found some candy that we didn't think we could live without! Who can say no to caramel apple lollipops?? Not this family, especially during this time of the year!With our candy in tow, we made our way up and down each row of the fair taking in all the sights and sounds. We also made sure to walk off our dinner as much as possible because on our way in we saw a dessert that we knew we had to try before we left. The dessert we had to try was named 'Waffles and Ice cream' and it was two fresh, warm waffles with a layer of neapolitan ice cream in the middle. Think warm waffle ice cream sandwich...yum!We had so much fun holding hands and walking through the fair grounds! Definitely a nice, casual outing for us to get our bellies full!
On Sunday, we stayed in bed until the last possible minute before church. Both of us were dragging a little bit but after some breakfast in bed, thanks to Jason, we got up and ready for church. Well at least some of us got up...Yes, my husband thinks Gatorade is a suitable drink during any meal throughout the day, even for oatmeal. Haha..no complaints though!
After church and a nap, we met up with some friends for a walk around the Milton Hershey School. The boys' friend, Delilah, is such a sweet dog and friend to the boys...they love to feel like a 'big dog' on the walk and keep up with her!The weather this weekend was amazing. Mid-60s and sunny is the perfect weather for strolling around the fairgrounds and taking a walk with the boys! We are really trying to enjoy these weekends that Jason has off because we know that it won't always be like this!

Saturday Morning

2011-09-17T05:29:00.000-07:00

We woke up this morning to see the sun peeking over the trees and realized fall is closer than we may think. The last few days have been chilly...like 60 degrees chilly! We opened the sliding door, made us some tea, covered up with a comfy blanket on the couch and spent our Saturday morning talking and laughing. It's been one of the best mornings that we've had together in a long time. Both of us are grateful for the blessings we've been given, excited for next week to find out if Baby Conway is a boy or a girl and hopeful for the future.
This morning was a great start to our weekend....definitely looking forward to what the next few days have in store for the Conways!!

Bump Updates: Week 17

2011-09-17T00:54:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 17....

How far along? 17 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, September 17, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a turnip

Sleep? I'm starting to get uncomfortable during the middle of the night...my lower back aches if I lay in one position for too long. A pregnancy pillow might be next on the purchase list!

Food Cravings? This week there wasn't one thing that I felt my body was craving. I've realized this week that I haven't gotten sick in awhile so I need to be eating a little more healthy, especially if I hope to stay smaller than a hot air balloon throughout the pregnancy.

Gender? Still too early to tell--anatomy appointment is scheduled for September 20th!

Best moment this week? Counting down to the anatomy appointment. It was so much fun to be counting down the days and getting in the single digits! Tuesday can't come fast enough!

Development? The baby is starting to get body fat, or baby fat as we like to call it. The baby is now constantly sucking and swallowing. This week the glands in the baby's skin is producing the white, greasy material that will be protecting the baby throughout the rest of the pregnancy.

Noteables? The baby was super active this week! I loved every second of the constant movement. I actually stopped at work and started talking to the baby when he/she was moving--I wanted to encourage all that movement!

Weekend Recap

2011-09-11T11:58:00.000-07:00

This weekend was a little different than other weekends because of all the chaos that the flooding caused our area. I had to work from home Thursday and Friday because there was no traffic heading out or into Hershey. We were, and still on, on a water boil/water restriction so cleaning was a little more difficult that usual. The few days of being stuck at home made the weekend feel so much longer.

On Friday evening, one of the main roads opened up and we were able to get out of Hershey so we ran to the nearest AT&T so I could get a phone. What happened to my phone you might ask?? Well, on Monday while chatting with my mom on speaker phone, I tried balancing my phone on my glass of milk to the kitchen table and the phone went into my milk. Unfortunately, the rain came shortly after my phone went for a swim in my milk and it made getting a new phone pretty difficult until the rain cleared up a bit.
On Saturday, the baby got his/her first taste of fall. Caramel apples are now out in the stores and I couldn't pass them up! The baby definitely enjoyed the yummy apples!
My niece, Ana, also had her first cross country race as a 7th grader. The race was 7th and 8th graders and she was able to place and get a medal. Miss Ana got 3rd place overall and the 1st and 2nd place holders were from her school so her team got first place in the overall race. I'm so proud of her!! I wish we lived closer so I could be there cheering her on! I got a text of her and my sister, Ange, after the race and I actually got a little teary eyed. Call me a hormonal, pregnant mess but she just looks so grown up! Goodness, I love that girl!
On Sunday, we had our future house inspection scheduled. With the flooding, we were unsure if the appointment was going to be followed through with. This morning we headed to the house and this was what we saw...houses across the street from our home had so much water that everything in their basements got damaged. We were freaking out a bit on the drive to the house but thankful the water didn't make it to our house!!
The house passed inspection with a few minor things that needed attention, but not immediate attention. All we need to do is go over the paperwork with the lender and we should be in our new home in a month as long as everything goes through!

We were able to get a few things marked off of our 'to-do' list! Tomorrow I go back to the doctor for my 17 week checkup. I always get so anxious and excited right before an appointment. I'm ready to hear that heartbeat again...such a sweet, sweet sound to this mama's ears!

Bump Updates: Week 16

2011-09-09T05:29:00.001-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 16....

How far along? 16 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, September 10, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of an avocado

Sleep? I'm still getting up multiple times a night to go to the bathroom but I'm able to fall asleep without too much tossing and turning. I'm not as sleepy as I was a few weeks ago!

Food Cravings? I drink milk with just about every meal. Milk in my first trimester was my worst enemy but I'm loving it now!

Gender? Still too early to tell--anatomy appointment is scheduled for September 20th!

Best moment this week? Getting two big boxes full of maternity clothes from family back home and getting a baby package from my sister Elizabeth. We are so blessed in the mail category! Everyone has been sending us packages and cards...we love it!

Development? The baby is about 5 ounces and is about 6-7 inches long. Facial features such as eyelids, eyelashes, ears and an upper lip. The baby can now hear sounds and will move when some startles him/her. The baby is also becoming sensitive to light, even though the eyelids are sealed. This is also the first week that if I poke my belly, the baby will squirm around.

Noteables? The pups have fallen in love with laying on my belly. Whenever I lay down, I always have a little head resting on my belly. The baby is already so loved, especially by his/her brothers. I wonder if they can sense my pregnancy?! I would swear to it but maybe I'm crazy!

Flooding In Hershey

2011-09-08T08:26:00.000-07:00

Monday morning, the rains came. We didn't think anything odd with the rain...we just thought it's a rain shower. Well all day rain on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and part of the day on Thursday has created madness in Central Pennsylvania. I should have known that the area was starting to flood when I drove to work yesterday and had to turn around because there was some standing water that was too deep to drive through. Thank goodness I found an alternate route to work and nothing more of the rain was thought of. Around noon yesterday, we started hearing about some road and school closures and the panic started to sit in. Our school closed down due to rain and we all packed up and headed home to work from the comfort of our couch. I didn't realize how bad the flooding really was until the news started putting up flood levels and pictures of the devastation throughout the area. Hershey definitely got the brunt of all the rain!This is Hershey Park...the rain levels got so high that some rides were completely under water.This is the Pizza Hut about one mile away from our apartment and 1/2 a mile from our new home. The water created a gas leak so not only was the water something to worry about, but the potential gas explosion was a concern too.
An earthquake, a hurricane and flooding all within two weeks of each other. This Pennsylvania weather is crazy!

God Is SO Good....Residency, Baby And Now A House!

2011-09-06T08:28:00.000-07:00

Last week, we called our realtor and told her that we were still really stuck on the house that we originally put an offer on. Since we walked away and had no contact, our realtor contacted them to see if by some odd chance they changed their minds. Well...we heard back and they seller had a change of heart and decided that they were willing to work with us! I was outside when she called and I couldn't help myself...I started squealing and jumping around like a crazy fool. I may or may not have even told our agent that I could kiss her...haha!!

So as of now, both parties (seller and buyer) have signed the contract, the deposit has been paid, the inspection is set for next weekend, a meeting this week is scheduled with the lender AND our closing date is scheduled for October 14th.

So right now we are beyond excited!! Hopefully everything with the loan is able to be processed--Jason's student loans might throw a kink in the process and slow things down but we are hoping to have the documentation that the bank needs so everything works out smoothly!

My mom is coming to visit in November and I'm so excited that her first visit will be in our new house and we can go shopping for nursery things and get the nursery all fixed up during her visit!!

I know I say this a lot on here but God has been SO good to our family. We are so undeserving of his grace, kindness and love but yet he continues to bless our family. I'm praying that everything goes smoothly during our next scheduled meetings with the lender and the inspection man...I'll be sure to keep everyone updated!

Saturday With The Senators

2011-09-04T14:30:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we were able to go to a Harrisburg Senators baseball game. The Senators are a AA baseball league in Harrisburg and the university I work for advertises at the games so we can get free tickets to the games. This was the last weekend of the season, so I put in my ticket request and was pleased to get the email back saying that I had two tickets waiting for me at the stadium. Before the game, we walked across the bridge and enjoyed the river from downtown Harrisburg.The game was a lot of fun! We really enjoy the atmosphere that a stadium has and Harrisburg didn't disappoint. The game was pretty slow but it wasn't anything that some popcorn couldn't fix..HA!I even took a picture of the bump at the stadium! It was the first game for the baby so I definitely had to document it! I would say that our Saturday with the Senators was a success!

Bump Updates: Week 15

2011-09-03T12:49:00.000-07:00

Here is the bump update for week 15....

How far along? 15 weeks and 3 days (Saturday, September 3, 2011)

How big is the baby? The size of a large naval orange

Sleep? I'm still finding myself pretty tired but I'm having difficulty getting comfortable and falling asleep again after I get up to go to the bathroom multiple times during the night.

Food Cravings? Right now I'm not really craving anything in particular.

Gender? Still too early to tell--anatomy appointment is scheduled for September 20th!

Best moment this week? Finding out that the offer we put in on the house was accepted and we'll get to move in and get the house ready for the baby before the baby's February arrival!

Development? The baby's heart is pumping about 100 pints of blood each day and the kidneys are now producing urine. The baby is starting to look more like a baby this week. The eyes are now in the front of the face and the ears are on the side of the head. Baby toes and fingers are starting to wiggle, the baby is starting to suck/swallow and is starting to get super active.

Noteables? This week I finished four of the quilting squares for the baby blanket...I think the blanket is going to look so good!!