Hiccup!

Jackson has the hiccups! I was wondering if I would ever feel them and if I would know it when I did. Tonight it was very obvious that he had them. So funny! Every 2-3seconds for about ten minutes.

(For the record 31 weeks prego)

31 Weeks

I get a daily e-mail from whattoexpect.com and today in my inbox I found this. How weird! I guess I'm right on target with the symptoms.

Week 31: Take a Breather, If You Can
Movin' on up, your uterus can now be felt four inches above your belly button. This means that your uterus is pushing all the internal organs that used to be there somewhere else. So your stomach feels like it's in your chest and your lungs feel like… hmmm… they don't even feel like they're there anymore — do they? That could explain why you're feeling a little spare on air lately, don't you think?
Indeed, in an effort to provide spacious-enough accommodations for your soon-to-be bouncing baby boy or girl, your growing uterus has compressed your lungs, limiting their ability to fully expand when you take a breath and causing you to feel like you've just run a marathon when you've only climbed a flight of stairs. While this shortness of breath may feel very uncomfortable to you, your baby is blissfully unaware and unaffected. Your fetus gets all the oxygen it needs through the placenta. So relax and take a deep breath (if you can).

That out-of-breath feeling may get better toward the end of your pregnancy, when your baby (and its uterine home) drops down into your pelvis in preparation for delivery. Until then, be sure to stand as straight as you can (given the weight you're carrying around) and sleep propped up or on your side so that your lungs have more space to… well, breathe.

How strange that I was just talking about not breathing and then I get this in my inbox! I am changing my countdown for now, backing it up a couple of days. My doctor is still going with the due date of March 31st instead of the 27th so I'm losing a little bit of progress this week!

Just Breathe

If only I could....I guess I am at that point where it is supposed to be difficult but Lord I need some sort of relief. Jackson's head is still on my right side directly below my ribs. He still hasn't flipped yet and obviously I wish he would! I am sooo looking forward to the day he drops, or lowers or whatever you call it when he is getting into position and I can breathe again. I can't lay flat and I can't sit up too much either. I hope something gives soon! :( When I go to the doctor on Feb 6th things are going to be different. This time we aren't gonna giggle for 2 minutes and say see you in 4 weeks, we are going to TALK. I need some answers (such as when can I fly and when can Little Jack fly and can I do my 6 week check up somewhere else like at Schofield Barracks in Hawaii and when will she decide to induce and what if he doesn't flip since he has been in the same position throughout the entire pregnancy and can she work with us on our dates since we are, as usual, on a tight military schedule). I know there are lots of things that can't be controlled, especially when it comes to labor and the army ironically, but everything has been so vague and I think we are close enough now that details aren't that much to ask for. My doctor is so sweet but I need some feedback! We have plans that have to be made at the last minute, it is crazy! I guess I'll go ahead and go there: Plane tickets, block leave dates, housing, vehicles, portable EVERYTHING for Jackson, doggie arrangements, etc. It is a long story and when I get more details I will fill you in. Basically, our family will be spread across the United States for 2009 from the middle of the Pacific to the start of the Atlantic literally (primarily Hawaii, Arkansas, Georgia, and Virginia) and we are trying to maximize our time together. Add in Jeremy coming home from 15 months in Iraq, the same week we get a new baby, followed by Officer Candidate School, and a Permanent Change of Station that we won't even be notified of until April probably and you get one confused couple! Oh but we can and we will handle it!

I have to say that I am not trying to complain. I feel very blessed every single day. I know things could be much worse. First of all I have Jeremy. What an awesome husband and I CAN'T WAIT to see him as a dad. We are so much alike, we laugh together and are best friends! It is kind of funny to see how we are reacting to the situation we are in and I know one day we will laugh at the curve balls. He calls me and I try to make sense of what is happening by trying to talk about the future and then he convinces me that there is no rhyme or reason, then the next day he calls me wanting to plan every detail of the next 6 months. Ha! We both know that can't happen but man do we try sometimes. We have our moments....anyway I couldn't have asked for a better husband. It is all so worth it. Things fall into place for us and we have to have faith that that will continue to happen. Now we get to have our first child together which amplifies everything by a million! We wouldn't have it any other way though. We already love Jackson so much and are SO ready to meet him! He is the biggest blessing ever! Which leads me to Jeremy's job....it is stable that is for sure! He made the decision to re-enlist because it was best for his family and what a sacrifice he is making for us. Because of his career I can stay at home with our kids and give them the life that we desire for them.(Not what I imagined when I finally graduated college and had big dreams but this dream is way better than those dreams). I don't know how long all of this military/stay at home mom stuff will go on, but we know that even the army has been a blessing for us :) Imagine the places and experiences that lie ahead. Jackson will have enough miles racked up for a free hotel stay in his first couple of months on this Earth! Plus, we are surrounded by the best(with a hint of crazy) family and friends that we could ever want. So please don't think I am complaining or ungrateful sometimes. I know life is not easy and could always be worse. I love my life! This is my digital diary though and I'll whine if I want to.

Well I guess that's all for now. I'm going to eat 4 tums and stick my head out the back door for some fresh cold air before I drift off to sleep for about an hour, wake up, bathroom, repeat!

Before I get too far behind....

Although I had a great birthday last year, this one was even better. One reason is probably because 2009 is the year Jeremy comes home and last year he had been gone a month at this point, so we were still getting used to him being deployed. I loved my cake! It was so pretty and yum. I love Disney, in case you're wondering! Thanks everyone for making my birthday so special! I haven't updated in awhile I know, so I have several pictures. Oddly I don't have as many as I should though! We have been thankfully busy plus my camera is still very messed up. Dad sent me a new one (thank you!) and I need to go through 2 CD's of class and really experiment before I figure that thing out. It has lenses and things that I don't understand plus it isn't really something you tote around in your purse....
We went to Carino's for dinner and it was great. I think I need to go there more often. My friends Tiffany, Chris, their son Noah, and Eddie took me to El Chico during the week too! Every night this past week we had something going on.
We went to the Brad Paisley/Dierks Bentley/Darius Rucker concert on Friday night after we went to Red Lobster (Brian's gift to me) :)

Jana was down on Saturday night, we went to a benefit out in Poyen that Brian was singing at. Chloe loves her Aunt Jana. Here she is giving her kisses. She really can't get enough of her! (by the way I would never let my dog do that to just anyone! Jana loves dogs as much as I do and she was laughing and playing with her. So if you don't want Chloe kisses when you come over I understand).

They were tired and while we were talking they decided to relax. No joke they fell asleep like this.

My friends Brooke and Adam were in town this week too, so of course I had to go over and see their little Baby Brandt! He is so cute, 3 months old! He is such a sweet, happy baby!

So cuddly!

Here are my 2 again, I just love them. They were napping on my body pillow that mom got me for Christmas. I think they love it as much as I do.

Brian had a show at the VFW last weekend too. We all had such a great time. I was thoroughly entertained the entire night by everyone on the dance floor + Brian's singing. I'm so glad my family likes to laugh and have fun! (Below)

These were my beautiful birthday flowers from Jeremy! I love them! The vase is pretty too, I didn't have a red one.
I didn't get pictures of our girls' night on Thursday night (Colton's and the movie Bride Wars) and I didn't get pictures of the benefit that Brian took part in on Saturday. On Sunday, grandma and I went to finish up registering at Wal-Mart and Target and we had a good lunch at McAlister's. I didn't find much at Target, they were sold out of everything. It was pitiful! Wal-Mart was good though (finally! I have been to 3 different Wal-Marts trying to register and their registries were broken at all of them. So frustrating). Anyway, it is finished! I also didn't get pictures last night. I went to On the Border with Mindy and Cheyenne, it was a little mom's night out thing that Mindy was putting together. My first mom's night out even though I'm not quite a mother yet! Only us 3 out of like 30 people showed up but that was fine with us! We talked forever.

It is also tax season again! So that means less time at home with my pups but more money to put back for this crazy year of traveling and chaos that we are about to endure, trust me.

*****I need to update once more with a couple of prayer requests....I don't know what in the world is going on this week. Please pray for my dear friend Torri! She is very sick and they are doing tests today. Also please pray for the Fitzgerald family. I am good friends with their 2 daughters (Tia and Jessica). Their house burned to the ground this morning. They lost their home, vehicles, boat and pets. I don't know details but I know they are lucky that they got out in time.

Well I guess that catches us up on everything. Jeremy will be in Arkansas in less than 2 months and he will be flying out of Iraq in less than a month! We are ALMOST THERE. I can finally say

Happy Birthday Amanda! (from Iraq)

Today is my beautiful wife's birthday! She is 26 years old today. I hope it's a wonderfully pleasant day for her. HAPPY BIRTHDAY SWEETHEART!

11 weeks left and Reality is here!

Shae was very sweet! I really enjoyed my 4-D ultrasound today!

Mom thinks his eye is open here...I can see it I think. You have to look really hard!

I am so glad that we decided to have the 4-D ultrasound done! I have almost 50 pictures but I only put some on here. It was a great experience getting to see him rub his eyes, open his mouth, stretch, and do all kinds of other little things. We have it on video too. He is measuring pretty big for his age...my little countdown says he should be almost 3 pounds and he is measuring 3 pounds and 3 ounces. They said his size is about average for a 31 week baby (and I am 29 weeks for sure). Not that he is too huge or anything but she did estimate about a 9 pounder. I was 9 pounds 13 ounces so we will see. Jeremy was around 7 I believe. Anyway, no wonder I have grown so much here lately! He has grown a lot! The tech also said at this point they start growing really fast so HERE WE GO!! She said he was perfect though, everything looked perfect. I did find out that he is still breech. I hear that a lot of babies flip and stuff but he really likes the position he is in (which is legs stretched out straight below him). He has been breech the entire time but I'm not giving up hope that he will flip. They said there is still lots of hope. Some flip late! I have been feeling movement up high on my right side under my ribs and come to find out that's where his head is. At the same time, she said he was really low. I wonder if he will be tall....OK on to more pictures....Did I mention that I am so in love with this little guy?

Hand in the eye, but this resembles my baby picture!

Awww I love this one

Profile and muscle shot :) I see Jeremy in this picture too.
Aww he was rubbing his eyes
Mouth open, she was trying to get him to move some and he did!
I think this one is funny...he is getting mad!

Yesterday I got to talk to Jeremy on Skype for a little bit. I love it when this happens! We looked at some baby stuff and he saw how big I'm getting on the web cam. He is sleepy here (always really, he is working 16 hours a day). I can't wait until he sees his baby boy! I wish he would call me so I can hear his reaction.

Short one

I don't think Barney found this sleeping position as comfortable as Chloe did

28 Weeks Lord help me

2009 finally!

Well the end of 2008 was a busy and fun ending for us. I have some random pictures I have been meaning to post so here we go....


Baby Girl


I spent New Year's Eve at my cousin Lindsey's house.


Chloe is getting even better at sitting up and begging for whatever (attention, treat, toy) It is so cute!


They love sleeping on my belly, I guess the extra heartbeat is relaxing to them!


Lots of naps for everyone really...I found Brian and Chloe like this the other day.



This was Christmas night, we were SO TIRED!



Papaw and Rosie came by to see us and we had a great visit.

Grandpa loved his new record to CD converter.

Of course I loved my dachshund calendar from grandma and grandpa

Brian in Ashley's glasses.......

He gets pretty silly around the holidays I guess :) Here are his new Mario boxers he just opened.

Ashley and Brian at Christmas lunch

She got a really pretty pink sapphire and diamond necklace from Brian.

Grandma also got a really pretty necklace from grandpa, it was aquamarine (her birthstone) and diamond.

Our great friends in Springfield (that we don't get to see nearly enough) Dave, Erin, and big brother Kevin welcomed their newest baby boy into the world on Dec 29th 2008 at 1:40 pm. He was 8 lb 3 oz and 21.5 inches long! So cute! Welcome Connor Jacob Disseler! Congratulations ya'll!

Jeremy is doing good and staying SO BUSY in Iraq. He said there are so many deadlines and he is starting to stress. It is welcome stress though, they are leaving next month!

I think I'm caught up now! Happy 2009!