It's a girl!!!

Oprah

OK, here is a little confession. I watch Oprah. I either watch it or record is everyday. I don't really like her, or MOST of the things she stands for, I just think her show is entertaining and get trapped in the stories she tells on the show.

Yesterday, the show was on "The Secret Lives of Moms" and it was SO good!!! It was all about the reality of motherhood and the fact that it is so easy to love our children and yet so hard to be a mom sometimes. Two different things and yet so interrelated. If you are a mom, or going to be one soon, or just wants something good to watch... go here and watch yesterdays show! It made me laugh and realize that I am not alone in my feelings.

It made me realize that when I feel like I have lost "myself" in motherhood... well, I have... but I am now in the process of redefining who I am. That my old "self" will never return and you know what, I am OK with that! More on this later... for now, I am off to have a sonogram!!! :)

Sick...

Sorry it's been a little while, I ended up catching the stomch flu from Kyle. I didn't come down with it until Friday night, I thought I was in the clear, but nope. We were at a baby shower and ended up having to leave early. I spent the rest of the night in the bathroom... not pretty! But, my wonderful sister came over and kept Ryland completley entertained, while my sweet husband took care of me. I am finally feeling back to normal today and I am now just PRAYING that Ryland doesn't get it!!!

Home

Finally we made it home. We flew home yesterday evening and Kyle is feeling a lot better! I will post more soon, there are tons for pictures from vacation that I haven't posted and ALL of the AWESOME stuff that Kyle and his dad worked on while I was away!!!

Today

Missed our flight last night...

Kyle is still sick...

Probably not going to make it home today either...

Totally convicted this morning by this post...

Heavy hearted for Stellan...

Sick Hubby

This morning Kyle woke up when I did... not a normal thing when he is on vacation, and I thought it was going to be a nice morning... boy, I was wrong! He has spent half the morning in the bathroom and the other half of the morning looking like this...

We are supposed to be flying home tonight, but I am not so sure we are going to make it on our plane! I think it would be hard enough to fly with a 14 month old by myself let alone a baby and a throwing up husband! It does cost quite a bit of money to change our flights, but really... what are our other options?

Please pray that Ryland nor I get sick and that he starts to feel better soon! He has a lot going on at work and really can't afford to miss tomorrow, its that last day of the quarter, but you can't control this and he just needs to get rest and get better.

Name Change

OK, so I have somethings coming up in my life within the next few weeks. Remember this post, when I not so subtly mentioned that I had a surprise that I would mention in a few weeks? Well, I still cannot tell you what the surprise is, but I am contemplating changing the name and domain for this blog. The surprise involves our family blog and the public and I am not so sure that I am comfortable with all of our names, including last names, being on here. I know this might make it sticky for you all when navigating to our blog, but hopefully I can make the transition as smoothly as possible and that you would all understand.

Currently I am deciding on a new blog name and begging Kyle for a blog overhaul... but those aren't so cheep, so we might be staying with the same design until I get some birthday money or someone wants to donate towards our blog remodel, lol! :) I feel as though I am entering a league that I am not qualified for! I will be surrounded by other blogging moms that have really great looking, fun, professional blogs with TONS of readers and here I am with my simple little blog with all 5 faithful readers! But, that's OK, the little fish has to swim with the big fish once in a while...

Pictures

P.S. If you are interested in seeing more pictures of our vacation, you can click on the photo in the sidebar under the "Photo Albums" title and that will take you to our month by month shots. Click on the "14 Month" album and view the pictures that my wonderful sister has taken of us last week! There will be more added next after we get home.

Snow???

We woke up this morning to a dusting of snow covering the ground, really!?! Last week when we got to NM we did not have the right clothes. I thought it was going to be cold to we packed cold weather clothing. After a trip to Target and Motherhood Maternity, we were equipped with warm weather attire. This week... its a different story. High's in the low 50's and snow... what? So, we pack up our new clothes and break out the winter wear again! Bummer!!!

On a side note, Kyle flew in yesterday morning! I am so glad he is here! I missed him so much while we have been gone... the old saying, "distance makes the heart grow fonder" really is true and I was so ready to see him! I had my best nights sleep last night with him sleeping next to me.

Also, please continue to pray for baby Stellan! He is still not stable and his heart rate continues to beat at an extremely high rate. My heart hurts for them to think what they are going through right now!

Just a few more...

Just a few more pictures of our vacation. We went to the top of the mountain last week and Ryland had her fist in counter with snow on the ground! We are still having a wonderful time, but we are ready to see Kyle! He flys in tomorrow morning and I can not wait! A week and a half is too long to not see him, but I am so thankful he has let me come!

Speaking for Kyle... I can not wait to go home next week! He and his Dad worked their tail ends off on our house last week for 5 days and got SO much done!!! I will post pictures as soon as I get home, but really, it will be like coming to a new home!

On a side note I would like to share something real quick that we figured out this week while in NM. I have always used Boudreaux's Butt Paste to treat diaper rash on Ryland, although she never really suffered from diaper rash much. This week she developed a case of sever diaper rash and I could not get it to go away. So, Dr. Mom (my mom... she should have been a doctor) read in her medical books that the key to fighting diaper rash... cream with Zinc in it and Cranberry juice in older babies to reduce the PH levels in their urine. So, last night, my great Dad went to the store at 9pm to get Desitin and cranberry juice. She had half a cup of juice before bed and a good slathering of cream... this morning, the rash is gone!!! So, it will now be Desitin (or A&D cream) and cranberry juice from now on!

Please Pray!

I have been following this blog for over a year now. I do not know this family, but I feel like I do through their blog. Last summer MckMamma was pregnant with her 4th baby. They had given her the news that her soon to be born son had sever heart problems and most likely not survive outside the womb. Though this prognosis was something no women ever wants to hear, MckMamma held strong to the knowledge that our Lord is in control and is the ultimate Healer.

Here is what MckMamma says about her sweet baby boy:

"MckMuffin is our cuddly 4 month old son S! In the womb, he was diagnosed with heart failure: premature atrial contractions at 20 weeks; supraventricular tachycardia, hydrops, and intermittent advanced secondary heart block at 23 weeks; and enlargement of the heart at 32 weeks. When the doctors told us at 24 weeks that our very ill baby would surely die, we chose to give our son completely to God, for He alone knows best. We have not stopped praising our Lord since then, for MckMuffin was healed and was born a well and whole full-term baby...with dimples!!"

Stellan has been a healthy baby boy with no symptoms what so ever of his previous diagnosis. He did contract RSV about a month ago, but came out of that battle completely healthy.

Well last night they took to the ER because of some coughing and a low grade fever. After receiving a neb treatment his heart rate sky rocketed to 300 and has since stayed in the 280's-290's. Please go here to read the full story and pray for this sweet little baby and his family! The good Healer has healed him once before and can do it again!

Just to keep you happy...

Here are just a few shots of our trip to Albuquerque. We are only halfway done with our vacation and we are loving it! Ryland is totally smitten for her Paparino (oooh-no, is what she calls him). When he is in the room she wants nothing to do with anyone else, not even me. :) She will not let him tell her "no" at all. If he does, she gets a very sad face, sticks out her bottom lip and starts to cry. Needless to say, she has him completely wrapped around his little finger.

We have been to the Zoo, the Aquarium, the top of the Mountain, my Mom's classroom, and almost every good restaurant in town. Ryland feels right at home here, so the trip has been very easy.

In less then one week, my baby bump has decided to make its appearance and I now have only three things that I brought to NM that fit. Nice. So, we are going to have to make a shopping run and find some clothes for me to wear... but I will never complain about "having" to go shopping!

I will post more upon our return, but I thought this might hold you over.

Etsy.com

A college friend of my sisters has her own Etsy shop, and look who one of her models is! :) The clothes she makes are oh so adorable and you should check them out! Just click on the picture to link to her site or click here.

Baby on the way!

OK, I know I said no more posts for a few weeks... but I have not left yet... and I needed a break from packing/cleaning. :) So, here are a few items that I am looking forward to getting for baby number two (you can click the picture to be linked to the websites):

Vacation here we come!!!

Alright, I am leaving for vacation very soon and will warn you now that there probably won't be any posts for about 3 weeks! But, I promise upon our return you will get more pictures then you could have asked for! :) I also have some exciting news to tell you when we get back!!!! But.... you'll have to wait for it!