Ryker's Kindergarten Picture

I've been meaning to post this ever since we got them back. I don't know why but school photos always crack me up. I love his little missing tooth this year. I will cherish each year he gets them and I look forward to seeing how much he changes from year to year but I also get sad when I see them because it makes me realize that my baby is no baby anymore. School photos = Growing up! :(

Baby Update

So as many of you know I have been going to Seattle for extra close monitoring with this pregnancy. I don't know why but for some reason Seattle gives me more peace of mind and I am glad that my doctor here actually wanted me to go down there for extra care. Anyway, I have gone twice now (I go once a month) and I am pleased to say all is going well. I am 23 weeks now and am praying I can make it to the 36 week mark as I have been told this is when they will take the baby. Because of the c-section I had with Ryker (I was cut both ways rather than just the one way they normally do) they will not allow me to go past 36 or 37 weeks. So, if I do make it to then (fingers crossed and prayers being sent) well then that means I only have 13 weeks left. We are getting SO excited for our baby, THRILLED actually! I feel like I have waited forever for this day to come, where we would be blessed with another child and every time I feel the baby kick I feel like I need to pinch myself because I still can't believe it. I am still on edge and still check the toilet paper every time I go to the bathroom just to make sure there is no blood (sorry if too much info). I feel like once I hit 28 weeks (in 5 more weeks) I will be able to relax and breathe a little easier. I guess because in my mind I can picture survival at that point because I see it when I look at Ryker everyday. Even though I had him at 30 weeks they said he stopped growing and was more the size of a baby born at 28 weeks gestation. To all of you who have never had to worry while pregnant consider yourself SO lucky. I think we all worry a little bit as soon as we see the positive sign on the pregnancy test (must be the mom in us all) but to have a constant worry is just an added stress yet it is something I just simply can't help given my history. I'm open about my past pregnancies (I never used to be) but now I find it easier to talk about them and deal with them. I mean this is the 6th time I've been pregnant yet after 3 miscarriages and 1 ectopic this will be only my 2nd child to give birth to. Anyway, enough about my past, it's made me stronger in some ways and it definately has made me appreciate this new little baby that is on it's way even more. I still get teary eyed when I think about having another child to hold in my arms and now all I can do is pray that God will let this little life stay inside of me as long as possible so that I can take a baby home from the hospital and not have to wait weeks and go home with empty arms like I did when I had Ryker.

Here is recent pictures from my ultrasounds in Seattle. I may be biased already but I think my little baby has a pretty adorable little profile. We never found out what we are having, we LOVE the surprise but my prediction is BOY and Ben and Ryker both say GIRL. Time will soon tell.

VEGAS BABY!!!

Ben and I just returned home from a quick trip to Vegas. This trip was planned before I learned I was even pregnant. We went October 2 (my BIRTHDAY) to October 5 with some of the guys that he works with and their wives. We didn't know if I would be able to travel because of being considered a "high risk pregnancy" but thankfully we got the okay from my doctor here as well as my doctors in Seattle that I could go as long as I agreed to not be in the sun too much or do a lot of walking. Apparently both those things could make my blood pressure rise. I assured them I would be doing nothing but taking it easy and that if my blood pressure did rise it was only because I hit it BIG on the slots...which NEVER happened. We had a good few days away but in Vegas you can really only handle 3 or 4 days there and then you are ready to come home. My mom and dad actually were there the same time celebrating her 60th birthday which is the day after mine. It was nice to have them there too and my parents are the type of people that are actually fun to hang out with...they aren't too old to hang out and have fun with us youngins'

As hard as it was to leave Ryker, I learned that we need to do things like that more often. We don't leave him very much, especially overnight somewhere, and I know we have to be better about that. Not only is it good for Ben and I as a couple to get away but it is also good for Ryker. My goal is to at least once a year escape with just Ben on a quick little get away with just the 2 of us and I hope we can really make this happen!

Needless to say VEGAS was a blast! It's true you can still have a good time and be pregnant in sin city. ;) Sorry Ladies, the man below in the speedo is ALL mine. :) lol. Being the jokester that he is Ben had to take his speedo which is WAY too tight these days and give the guys he works with a surprise and a laugh when he whipped off his towel to ask if anyone wanted to go swimming. I tell ya, that man makes me laugh so much!