I'm big.

Great job with the photos, Grammy!


I'm not sure I realized it before I took these photos how big I was getting!

Damn.

A little coupon fun!

Well, it's that time of year again and I can't believe we're celebrating another Christmas. Of course, that also means that our dear daughter is going to be a year older too!

So far we've done pretty good with all of the Christmas shopping and last night we started wrapping all of the gifts.

I was able to use some good coupon codes that I had received from couponchief.com to do some of my holiday shopping this year.

In fact, I really like the Target coupons and gap coupons that I'm able to find online.

The great thing about couponchief.com is that the coupons always work and I've never had a problem with expired offers or offers that have been shut down!

Here's what everyone wants for the holiday season:

Mama
ergo carrier for baby
new carseat for baby
new bras - too much fun?!

Mommy
dutch oven
batteries
tool set

Grammy
ipod idog
ipod
leapfrog game
jeep 4x4 big wheels

So Santa, if you're reading this....you know where we live!

He/she's HUGE!

Today we went back for our third shot at trying to get baby to cooperate for the nuchal translucency testing. The past few times he's been quite uncooperative.

Here are the great shots!

This one you can see the head to the right and his arm and hand is above his head. He has such cute pudgie cheeks too!





This pic is a good one of his hand in the air and you can see his fingers.

Happy 3rd birthday!

I can't believe our little girl is going to be three on December 28th! Wow.

We're going to do a little party at her daycare and figure we'll make cupcakes or a cake and her friends will love that! Then we figured we'd also do a little party at home with our friends and maybe some of her school friends too.

You never can have enough party, right?

Now, I just have to remember to start looking at cute kids party invitations so that people can mark their calendars!

These boots are made for walkin'...

There's nothing I love more than a pair of sexy boots. I've tried on a pair of them myself and because my calves are so big...the darn things never zip up right!

One outfit that is my absolute favorite is a nice skirt that goes to the knees, some tights, and some boots that go right below the knee.

Just if I had the body to pull it off...I'd do it in a minute.

The kid!

This was taken at 11 weeks 2 days.

He was squirming like crazy! He/she measured at 44mms and needed to measure at 45mms for the test. So the good news is...we get to go back next Tuesday to redo the test and for another ultrasound!

Yipee!

CHARGE!

Have you had a hard time finding Dodge Charger accessories?

Many people who are looking for car parts have a hard place finding the exact part they are looking for. My Honda is getting up there in age and I know at some point I'm going to have to get some of the parts replaced.

Of course, I'm hoping and praying that the car lasts me another 10 years! I can dream, right?

God knows, another car payment is not something that we really need right now! Especially after paying $5,000 for a new furnance!

A big appointment today!

I'm sitting here in my office and today we have the big almost 12 week ultrasound! It's part of the nuchal testing that they do to test the baby for Down's. I must admit as excited as I am to see the little guy....I'm so nervous that the results won't be good.

I just have to take it one day at a time. At least I have age and the age of a young donor on my side. Plus, there's noone in my family that has any special needs.

Another expense

It seems like lately everything is breaking! Our car needs to go in for a timing belt, oil change, and the brake light. The furnace died a few weeks ago, and just the other day I realized that I need to get a new printer cartridge for the HP printer we have.

I've lucked out and found a place that actually compares prices for printer cartridges: Cartridge Finder!

It's bad enough they cost so much money. But if you can trim a couple of bucks off of the price and have them deliver it to your door --- well, you can't go wrong!

This post sponsored by: Cartridgefinder.com

10w6d!!

I can't believe I'm going to be 11 weeks pregnant. I still feel like all of this is just a dream. I mean it's so surreal. I don't know when I'll actually believe that this is happening and nothing's going to go wrong.

Today I had a bit of a scare because I tried to use the doppler and the little kid was hiding out and wouldn't come forth with his heartbeat!

To say the least --- I freaked out and even got to the point where I had called the midwife and made an appointment to come in so she could check it.

Sure enough, a few minutes later....*swish*swish*swish*.

Bad girl/boy.

So much for...

actually exercising! It seems like we absolutely never have time and when we do it's spent with family or doing household chores.

We actually have some exercise equipment down in the basement and last time I looked it was dusty and serving as a drying rack for a rug.

I'm sure that Margot's New Years Resolution this year is going to be eat healthier, and exercise and who knows she might even start using the equipment or better yet get a membership to the local gym.

Of course, when the kid comes it seems like we both tend to lose weight due to the sleep deprivation and the nursing!

Have I mentioned?

How much I love my new washing machine?

We decided to go with the top of the line Whirlpool washing machine. Maytag has one that is the exact same thing but we were able to get the best deal at Lowes.

When I wish we would have seen all of the ratings for Maytag Washing Machines! I've also heard many great things about Maytag Dryers too. We looked in consumer reports and that only had old models and models that weren’t in the local stores.

Krillion.com offers a great services to customers everywhere! You can research and see reviews for your favorite appliances. This is perfect considering that when we tried to do this with Consumer Reports online they wanted to charge us an arm and a leg!

10 week ultrasound!

Isn't she/he getting so big??

Stretchy muscles.

Well, I've been feeling pregnant lately. At one point I thought I was over the morning, afternoon, and night sickness...however, today after Indian food I was reminded that the little guy does not like ethnic food!

I've thrown up Thai, Mexican, and Indian food now. I'm starting to think that they switched embryos on me!

I've also had some stretching around my lower belly. I know it's exactly where I've been hearing the heart beat on the doppler. Sometimes it feels like someone kicked me in the stomach!

It doesn't hurt...it's just annoying.

OUCH!

I went to the dentist about two weeks ago. It seems like one of my old fillings might need to be replaced but while I'm pregnant they can't do any dental work.

So first line of business when the kid comes is to get my tooth filled again.

I have noticed that the area is sensitive and I've always had sensitive teeth. In fact, I've tried Sensodyne and other toothpastes claiming to help with sensitivity.

However, I never liked how they left my teeth feeling. The flavor was horrible and I never felt like my teeth were clean.

The other day I was able to get a sample tube of Biotene toothpaste for sensitive teeth.

Sensitive toothpaste typically come in mint flavors or no flavor at all.

I was shocked upon trying Biotene that the toothpaste had a nice, fresh, almost citrus flavor. At first I was skeptical because it didn't bubble like the typical toothpastes. But I realized that it was cleaning my teeth.



In fact, after I was done brushing I spit the toothpaste out and I was happy to experience a clean and fresh mouth!

Last time I talked to my dentist I told her how minutes after I brush my teeth I feel like they are distgusting and my breath smells.

Biotene really helped with that. In fact, I really put it to the ultimate test --- I had oatmeal for breakfast!

Even after eating the oatmeal my breath smells good and my teeth feel clean! Biotene doesn't mask tooth problems ... but fixes them!

I'm going to have to get me some of this!

Almost 10 weeks?

I really can't believe that I'm almost 10 weeks pregnant. That, of course, means that I only have 30 more weeks and that I'm 25% through this pregnancy!

We have a lot going on this week. Today I have Sears coming out to give a quote on the furnace. Then tomorrow is our big appointment at the fertility center for an ultrasound and then the IVIG transfusion.

Wednesday Graem is home with me and I have another furnace person coming out for a quote.

Thursday I plan on subbing and Friday we have an appointment with the midwives for our first appointment!

Thinking about going back...

to school, of course!

If thought about getting some continuing education credits just so I can stay up with the latest and greatest management information.

That way when I return to the workforce in the next few years I won't have outdated and old information and styles.

At capella university they make going back for education easy! They offer online and evening classes that work around your schedule!

Specifically, I'd probably have to do my classes at night or on Wednesdays and Fridays when Graem is in school!

That way I could be uninterrupted and able to focus on my education. Capella even overs of a MBA program!

Sick kid.

Graem is sick, again.

I'm actually going to keep her home from school because she keeps coughing and is pretty sluggish.

I have an appointment at 4:00 with the pediatrician. I don't know what they'll do and I'm hoping that I can get some antibiotics but the guy I'm meeting with seems like a prick.

He was the guy who told us a while back that if we kept allowing her to sleep with us she'd be there til she's 18.

Hmm...then again, maybe he's right!

Spotting again.

Okay, this is my true confessional blog and I don't put everything on the other blog that I put here...so here goes the truth!

Saturday morning Margot and I had sex. Of course, this was the first time in about 8 months that we've done a thing! And it was pretty gentle and slow.

Afterwards I went to go pee and there was bright red blood. Shit. So of course, I'm a bit worried. It ended up stopping rather quickly but I still wanted to get it checked out.

So I decided to got the RE's in Syracuse. He did an ultrasound and baby bean was doing fine. He wasn't moving at all but his heartrate was 171 and the cervix was nice and long and the sac was attached good.

No worries. I was told that many times this happens when having sex and it's probably just an irritated cervix.

The good news is...I haven't bled since that morning and I feel fine.

I have a little bit of round ligament stretching from my lower belly muscles but that's about it!

Tomorrow's our big appointment and I'm going to try to drink some cold water to get the little one to move around before the appointment!

Looking for leads?

When I was in marketing I was constantly looking for leads. Of course, I had an old book full of cold leads and by the time I'd call the people it was quite embarassing because they would tell me that their loved one had passed away or just flat out hang up on me.

Many hotels and airlines are now looking for a targeted group and Travel leads!

MartinWorldwide specializes in providing companies and small businesses with great demographics and leads to start from. They have a complete database which is updated and current.

Before you start marketing -- make sure you know who you are marketing! Don't just dive in feet first because you could end up losing a lot of money that way.

No teach for me.

Well, the teacher left notes and basically said that if it's sunny outside that the kids will be going to the postoffice and if it's rainy the kids will be coming in for music.

The kids were suppose to be in at 1:00pm and since it's 1:25pm I'm guessing that they went to the postoffice.

I guess I'll have to find another day to watch the NutCracker with puppets!

I'm so damn tired.

I really can't explain how tired I get. Except to say that my brain drifts and I can barely keep my eyes open. Tuesday when I worked I was able to take a short nap.

When I'm home with Graem I really try to lay down with her during nap time and sleep about an hour.

Of course, today I'm working and I'll go home immediately and take a nap before Margot and Graem get home.

Sleep has never sounded so good!

This, of course, is on top of me going to bed at 8:30!

I hear in a few weeks I'm suppose to get more energy and get past this sleepy stage.

Do you know a good dealer?

I'm talking about a coin dealer, of course!

One thing that never loses it’s value is silver coins! Even when our stocks are floundering you can always look to silver, gold, and precious metals to maintain their value.

Monex Deposit Company offers silver, gold, and other precious metals for delivery or they will make arrangements to have your metals stored privately and securely at a bank or depository.

I didn’t realize this but Monex Deposit Company (MDC) is an industry leader. They sell gold in two forms: coin or ingot. The world demand now exceeds the supply demand for gold - which makes it a pretty smart investment.

I'm really excited...

for our appointment Tuesday! We'll get an ultrasound before the ivig transfusion and I can't wait to see the kid. I hope he's grown a lot since last week and his heartbeat is still going.

I've tried not to get overly crazy on the home doppler that we're renting. It's still pretty hard to find the heartbeat although I was able to find it a few nights ago for about 30 seconds.

The heart was chugging along and boy was it fast! At first I thought I found it but it was my heartbeat and of course pretty slow.

Then I came across the kids and it was about double the speed of mine!