Birthday Boy!!!

So today Duke is 2 years old!

I can't believe that 2 years ago our buddy was born! And let me tell you what a gift he is!

He was such a little guy when I picked him out, barely 5 pounds. And when I picked him up to take him home he was only 8 pounds. Now our big boy weighs anywhere between 75 to 80 pounds. And he is just a big baby!

He loves his daddy more than anything in the world!!!

He can play fetch all day long!

Loves to go to the lake!

We honestly sometimes think he is human!

He has a huge vocabulary!

He is a lover!

He thinks he is a lap dog!

He loves his crate and will just go in it whenever he is ready for bed!

He can now have the entire house when we leave and we know he will do nothing!

He loves to EAT!

He loves people!

He loves his sister Molly most of the time!

He is as loyal as you can get!

He is scared of the vacuum cleaner, the broom, Izzy's swing! Really he is just a big scaredy cat!

He is the daddy's shadow and mine when the daddy is not home!

He is our family and he means the world to us!

Duke you are amazing! We are so lucky that we were able to get you! You bring us so much joy and happiness! It is hard to imagine life before we had you! You changed us for the better!

We love you buddy more than anything and can't wait to go to the lake tonight to celebrate your big day!

Happy 2nd Birthday Dukey!!

The Nursery!!

Well the nursery is officially all ready! Everything for the most part is in its place, now all it needs is a baby!

Here are some pictures of it!

The crib and changing table!!

The changing table and the rocker!! And the super cute T-shirt sign from Jessie!! Thanks!

The dresser finally came and is now filled with all her yummy smelling cloths!!

I had this turtle in my room when I was a baby! Thanks mom for keeping it! Who would of thought I would be hanging it in my baby's room!! It was just meant to be!

Waiting......

In life we are always waiting for something! It can be the smallest or the biggest of things. But no matter what we are always waiting!

We are...."Waiting for the fish to bite or waiting for wind to fly a kite. Or waiting around for Friday night or waiting perhaps for their Uncle Jack or a pot to boil or a better break or a string of perals or a pair of pants or a wig with curls or another chance. Everyone is just waiting."

~Theodor Geisel

Well, I have been waiting to get pregnant for awhile and with being pregnant there is a lot of waiting involved. First, you are waiting to see if you are late for your period, then you wonder how long you should wait before you buy a home pregnancy test. You finally get the test and you have to wait to get the results, which isn't long, but long enough when you are anxious. You wait for your first doctors appointment. You wait for the 2nd trimester to get here so that your chances of miscarring are less and you usually start to feel better. Waiting for the 20 week mark to get your first ultrasound and possibly find out the sex of your little miracle. And the waiting just goes on and on.

Well now I am 38 weeks and 5 days and I am ANXIOUSLY WAITING for our little Izabelle to arrive! This has to be the hardest part of all the waiting you do in your pregnancy. Sure I know my due date is June 2nd, but it is not set in stone as that is when she will arrive. She could arrive any day now and the not knowing is killing me. It is all I can think about. And since this is my first baby, I really don't know what to all expect. Sure I read and read about how I should be feeling but everyone is different. I just wish I knew when she was going to arrive because I am tired of waiting. I just want to hold her in my arms and not in my stomach anymore!

38 Weeks exactly on this picture!

So on that note, Ms. Izabelle~WE ARE ALL READY FOR YOU TO ARRIVE!!!

Update!!

It has been a long time since I have written on here. We have been so busy, the weekends are full trying to prepare for the arrival of Miss Izabelle, and after work I am so tired I don't want to do anything. But we are all doing well.

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  I am 34 weeks tomorrow.

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  I started my maternity leave early and I am very excited about that! Hopefully I will be able to enjoy these last few weeks and get us and the house ready for a baby!

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  Joey is incredibly busy at work and is working very long hours.
  


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  I was able to go home in March and help throw Katy a Bridal Shower. It turned out really nice and it was so good to be home and see all of our family.

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  I had an ultrasound this past Monday and everything looks good. My placenta has moved so I am out of the danger zone. Izzy is 4lbs 13oz, taking breathes on her own, and making lots of big movements (which I could of told them that). She also looked like she was either sucking on her fingers or her thumb. So cute and I just can't wait to see her!!!

Just a few little tidbits as far as an update goes! That is the most current anyways. Hopefully now that I am on maternity leave I will have more time to post!

Pregnacy!!!

Yesterday, a co-worker told me she just loved being pregnant! I looked at her and was like really?

I have heard people say many times how they loved being pregnant and wish they could be all the time. Well now that I am pregnant, I am very jealous of those woman who REALLY enjoyed it.

For me being pregnant has not been so wonderful. Don't get me wrong by saying this, I just have had a more difficult time and of lately it is getting to be more enjoyable, but I still would not say I love it.

Some of my difficulties(just to document them because I have not so far!):

• First, I will say that my due date falls at a not so convenient time and has caused me to stress and worry. Which I know is silly because I can't change anything. But by golly gee I really want to be at my sister's wedding!
• Being sick for about 3.5 months sucks! I felt like I literally had the stomach flu for the entire time. And then on top of that I would get cold sick as well! Spent some time in the ER and lots of doctor visits. Finally, after all this they finally gave me some antibiotics. I am glad that they are cautious but seriously I was hurting so bad, that I could put it in the same category as when I broke my arm and had to have surgery!
• I went from being an active person to basically a couch potato. I had no energy, even when I stayed home from work. But when I worked I was so exhausted I could not do ANYTHING! It was hard because I couldn't understand how I changed basically overnight to a completely new person. I was not Melissa and wondered where she went and if I was ever going to come back. During this 3.5-4 month period I honestly thought I was going to have to quit because I knew if it stayed like this I would not make it till June! I have never missed so much work in my life! But, I am very lucky I work at such a wonderful school with wonderful people who were very understanding!
• I really could not eat or drink much. I went from water being my main drink to not being able to stomach it without gagging! But if I drank juice, even watered down I would get really shaky. Soda did not taste good. So I worried about becoming dehydrated. I also really had no appetite and everyone who knows me knows I LOVE food! I went from obsessing about food to getting sick just thinking about it. The only things that ever sounded really good to me was anything super salty, but then I would get thirsty and not know what to drink! And then I would worry that I was not eating and giving the baby nutrients it needed to grow! I just couldn't win!
• CONSTIPATION!!!! Need I say more really. But I will. I am not a very regular person anyway and struggle with this issue. Which is one of the reasons why I drink Diet Mountain Dew. The caffeine definitely helps me with this problem. Well I was told NO CAFFEINE at my first appointment, especially in the 1st trimester. So I did what I was told, but man was I constipated! Which just made me even more uncomfortable.
• BODY CHANGES!!! Once again people who know me, know I struggle with this issue. Yes I know it is because I am pregnant, but in the beginning you don't look pregnant, you just feel fat and bloated. Some days, I felt like I was a balloon and couldn't figure it out because I was eating less than I probably ever have in my life. I know some of it was my imagination but still. And on top of that my boobs which are already big have turned into melons! My shirts are tight because of my boobs, not my belly but my boobs!! And they hurt so bad in the beginning! Joey would look at them and it would hurt. And of course, I have gotten many comments about them and about how huge they are-like I already didn't know this!! I sure hope that after I am done breastfeeding they go back down to my normal size which I would be so thankful for!
• Lastly, can we say EMOTIONAL!!! I am already a very emotional person but now I am like 100 times more so! Poor Joey, because for those 3.5 months he got snapped at and yelled at for really nothing at all, but just because he was there. But he was SO WONDERFUL through it all and never snapped back, just took it!

So, pregnancy is wonderful huh?

People who have enjoyed it probably had a much smoother start and for them I am very happy. Because the start of my pregnancy was not fun and I would not wish my experience on my worst enemy.

But about a week into my 2nd trimester I did start to notice a change and am so grateful for that. Because I know that some woman have been sick the entire 9 months and have had a lot worse. So grateful I am.

• I have more energy!
• I am back to being a little more like myself. Still incredibly emotional, but Melissa has come back, not completely but mostly.
• We are once again getting home cooked meals, laundry is being done(not really folded but we have clean cloths), I take walks again with Joey and the dogs, we can actually go out and do stuff now without worrying about if I will get sick or to tired.
• I am back to working full weeks again. And when I get home I still have energy to take a walk, cook dinner, and just enjoy my family.
• I am starting to have a baby belly and not just a bloated belly!
• Still constipated but not quite as bad. I am back to drinking my Diet Mountain Dew, just small amounts, but I think it is why I am not as constipated!
• I can eat again and drink water!!! I don't really crave salty foods anymore, now I just want brownies, Cheetos, Mexican food, and really anything that is NOT healthy!! Oh and I love milk again. I can't get enough of it.
• I am sleeping better for the most part. Instead of getting up 4-5 times to go to the bathroom, it is usually just once. And I am enjoying this because I know that will change again!

So things have started to look up for me and I am SO happy about that! Because now I can start to enjoy pregnancy. Enjoy the fact that I am caring a miracle. And it is our miracle that we created. About 2 weeks ago I started to feel some movement and now I am feeling it all the time. We have a mover and shaker on our hands.

We went for our 2nd trimester ultrasound and found out we are having a girl! She was a major stinker and would not stop moving. So the technician had some trouble getting her measurements. But so far she looks very healthy and her heart rate is very strong when she stops moving long enough so they can get it!

So as of right now I can't complain. I am feeling good and have a healthy baby girl growing inside me. I have a wonderful husband who has been so AMAZING throughout this all. Has stood by me and lets me lean on me. When I was sick and a couch potato, he didn't complain, not once. Just took over all the household responsibilities and more! This was the first time I was basically out of commission and for a while. And he just proved to me what I knew all along that he would take care of me and everything else! I had complete confidence in him and that made it all just a little bit easier. It also made me realize that no matter what we are a team and when one of us is struggling the other just picks up where the other person left off! I also had great support from all our family and friends! So very grateful for every ones continued support and prayers!

So it has finally happened!!

After 2 home pregnancy tests and a trip to the doctor to confirm, we finally believed that I was indeed pregnant!!

We were so EXCITED!! And of course started thinking of ways we would tell our parents. And Joey decided that there was no way he was going to tell them over the phone, so we splurged and bought plane tickets home!! One of the best splurges ever and so glad that Joey took the initiative and did this!!

Joey, also came up with the awesome idea of how we were going to tell our parents that we were having a baby!! So lucky to be married to a wonderful and creative man!!

And 2 weeks after we found out, we were on a plane heading home to surprise our parents with not only a surprise visit, but with some very exciting news that they were going to be grandparents!!!

Thanks to Holly, as she was the only one who knew we were coming home and for keeping it a secret! And anyone who knows Holly, knows this can be a challenge! But she did it and was our chauffeur. So thanks again Holly!!!

So Holly, first brought us to my mom's work where we surprised, did not tell her anything just surprised her!! And she was surprised and it was so fun to see the look on her face!

After that we borrowed her car and headed over to Mom and Dad Ross's house! Where Joey called them and asked if they wanted to play a game of sequence and surprise there we were on their deck! Again, completely shocked and wish we could of had our camera ready to snap pictures of the shocked look on their faces!!!

Mom and Dad Ross were the first ones we shared our exciting news with! Joey's idea was to show them pictures of when they visited and just some other more recent pictures! And of course the last picture we showed them was this one:

Once this picture was on the screen of the tv, it got so quiet, that I looked at Joey like um what if they don't get it??? And he just shrugged his shoulders and before he could say anything his mom started to cry and his dad was like "really??"
Many hugs and tears were shared! It was a very special moment and they reacted in a way I never would of imagined as this will be their 5th grandchild!!! But they were so happy for us and so excited!!

After we spent some more time with the Ross's, we were on our way to tell my sister Katy and her fiance Brandon! We wanted to tell them in a different way, a more careful way because I am due on June 2nd and they are getting married on June 18th. So we just wanted to sit down with them and explain that no matter what happens we are going to try our best to be there for their big day!! I want nothing more than to be there and to share in their special day.I mean my goodness my baby sister is getting married and I can't imagine not being there!! So hopefully all our prayers will be answered and everything will work out and we will be there new baby and all!

After talking with them we went home to surprise my dad when he got home from work! It was decided that since one of the first things my dad does when he gets home on Fridays is head to the bedroom to get ready to go to the gym. Well, when he walked in his room to get ready, he had a mighty big surprise waiting for him in his bed-JOEY!!
My mom, Holly, and I were hiding in their bathroom, so I was able to get a picture of the shocked look on his face!

Being able to get this picture was key because it was an excuse to show them the pictures!! And as soon as my mom saw the picture, she was like "I just knew it!"

Both Joey and I knew she would figure something was up when she saw us and she was right! Lots of excitement was in the air!!

The rest of the weekend was spent with both of our families and sharing the news with everyone else!
The best was my grandma who we had to explain the picture to because she thought the dogs were having a baby! Haha

We went home back to Texas completely exhausted, but more than anything we came home very excited and feeling that this was for real now that we got to share it with our families!


I am officially into my 2nd trimester, as I am 14 weeks and 2 days!!
Yipee!
Hopefully this now means I will start to feel better and enjoy the fact that I have this little miracle growing inside me!

Here are some pictures of our 1st trimester ultrasound of our little squirt!!!

Our new doggy-Molly Girl!!!

On August 14th, Joey and I woke up and had ourselves an ordinary Saturday morning. We drank coffee, played sequence, and talked about what we were going to do that day. One of the things we needed to do was to take Duke to the vet for a check up on his sprained tail and get a shot. Dukes vet is at Petsmart and that Saturday the 2nd Chance Humane Society just happened to be there with adoptable dogs.

While we were waiting to see the doctor, Joey had to go to the bathroom and when he came back he was like you have to go look at a lab back there. So of course I did and we both got all excited and decided as soon as we were finished with the vet we would go back together and look.

When we went back to look, Joey had never seen the shiny black lab that I had my eye on. So we looked at the other lab he saw originally, but something kept bringing us back to the black lab they had named Lindey. So we asked if we could walk around with her and see how her and Duke got a long. Well we ended up spending 2.5 hours walking around with both dogs discussing what we should do. At one point we gave her back and said we needed more time to think about it, but for some reason unknown we could not leave the store or stop staring at her. In the end she won our hearts over and we went home that day with another dog.

We decided to change her name to Molly, since Lindey was a name that was just given to her when she was brought to the humane society and she did not respond to it at all. They said she was brought in by someone who found her on the side of the road and thought she was about 9-10 months old. Well, that night we found out she was a little younger than that because while we were watching the two dogs play we saw that Duke had blood on him. Once we realized he was fine and that the blood had come from Molly's mouth because she was still losing teeth, we realized that there was no way she could be older than about 6 months old! The vet agreed as well that she was about that age.

Molly is a completely different dog than Duke. One word to describe her would be "CRAZY". She is just a bundle of energy and we found ourselves comparing her to Duke constantly. They are just completely different dogs. Duke is totally a Daddy and Momma's dog, he likes to be with us, wants to please us, gets excited when he gets to go places with us, he is just such a good dog. Where Molly is completely opposite. Molly is a free soul, she likes to wander around, she is super stubborn, when she is up she is full of energy and can't sit still, and nothing really seems to phase her.

We found ourselves getting stressed out with her because she was so different. And it wasn't until someone finally said to us, "you know the dogs are going to be just like your kids will be, different from each other. Did you really expect to get another Duke?"

When we stopped and thought about that question we realized that, yeah we did expect to get another Duke. And then we realized how ridiculous we were for thinking that. Once we realized that and started to accept Molly for who Molly is, our stress level has gone down and we have begun to enjoy her much more. And realized she is just as great of a dog as Duke just in a different way!

Having Molly now for over 1.5 months, she has completely stolen not only our hearts but Duke's as well as they have become best friends. I honestly can't imagine life without Molly in it! She is our new addition!

But to all those out there wondering when we are going to stop with the dogs and have real kids.

(Mom this question is for you)

I did tell Joey that we can't get anymore dogs until we move to a bigger house with a bigger yard and mostly because I want a baby now!! So no more 4 legged friends for what I hope is a long while as we have our hands full with the two we have. Hopefully in the near future I will be blogging about a new addition that doesn't have four legs!!