our viking baby.

Viggo Edgar Harmon joined our family August 27th. We are so in love, if a bit sleep deprived...

sunday best: pregnancy edition

As any (or at least most...) pregnant woman knows, the last few weeks of pregnancy are really rough on your self esteem. It's kind of hard to feel pretty or cute when you're getting swollen and humongous. So this outfit did the impossible; I didn't feel like a million bucks but I felt more attractive than normal:) It's the same dress as here, but with different accessories this time.

dress: Gap Maternity (thank heavens for that OCS ball so I could own this dress!)
shoes: Minnetonka Moccasins
belt: supposedly Guatemalan made; I got it at a touristy shop in Estes Park Colorado
necklace: bought on our trip to the Petrified Forest this summer; made by an artist local to that area!

And I'm pretty sure I was around 33 or 34 weeks here.

sunday best: pregnancy edition

Since nothing fits right now and I have a couple pregnancy outfits I never got around to sharing, today we're doing a little flashback to the belly! These were taken right around my birthday so the fancy bright green bracelet I'm wearing is the gift I got in primary when they sang to me. (definitely one of the perks of being in primary!) You can't tell in this picture, but my cowboy boots have some purple stitching in them that this dress matched perfectly. (also, my legs got NO sun this summer. And you can tell....) I'm not sure how many weeks I was here, but it would've been about 2 months before my due date (I know I could figure it out if I tried, but math takes too much effort right now).

dress: Motherhood Maternity
shoes: discount boot store in Oklahoma.

the story of how oskar emerged into the world.

Like Nicola’s birth story, this one has been hard to write. Unfortunately, not because I wanted to get it perfect, but because I didn't want to relive it. After Nick’s birth I felt very empowered and even said right after he came out “I can do that again!” This time it was the opposite, the whole experience was frustrating and stressful. (and involved lots of moments where I sobbed in the bathroom)

Despite being on the other side of the country and far away from the midwives and hospital where I had delivered Nick, I really wanted to replicate his birth experience as much as possible. Part of doing that consisted of me switching from the Army hospital to a civilian provider halfway-ish through the pregnancy so it could be possible. With such a hard pregnancy I was really hoping that the birth could be a high note at the very end of all of this. I still wanted to labor naturally and hoped to recover quickly so I could be back on my feet as soon as possible once Oskar arrived. So I think the most frustrating thing of all was that what I wanted ended up being entirely possible and definitely could have happened if I were back in North Carolina with the same provider. What I went through the last couple weeks of this pregnancy and on until I checked out of the hospital with Oskar was a complete 180 from what a woman should experience at any time, pregnant or not. (and what was really frustrating was that all the work it took to switch providers ended up being worthless as the two big things I was trying to avoid ended up happening... not knowing the person who would deliver me and not being allowed to walk around once my water broke)

That said, I’m sure you are all now very curious what went on… I started writing a play by play of the whole experience, story format, but it was really stressing me out and making me upset all over again to relive it like that. So instead, I am just going to do some highlights/bullets of what went down then commence with the happy parts!

First, my body did the exact same thing as with Nick where I started dilating early (yay!). At 36 weeks I was 4 centimeters dilated and 80% effaced. Oskar had also dropped and was uncomfortably low in my pelvis. Unfortunately, at that check up I also found out I had high blood pressure. Luckily, I had no other symptoms of preeclampsia, but I was put on bed rest in hopes that would solve the blood pressure issue.

Then my midwife goes out of town for the next week and I am told I cannot see one of the other midwives but a random doctor for my 37 week checkup.

The days leading up to my 37 week check up I lose my mucus plug, have lots of indigestion (something my body does when labor is imminent), and in addition to the Braxton Hicks I’ve been experiencing for forever I start having irregular contractions.

Rob also informs me that he has been selected to go on a testing mission at Ft. Sill the beginning of August but if I don’t have the baby by that upcoming weekend they wouldn’t let him go because it would interfere with his paternity leave. And he really wanted to go so he really wanted me to have that baby asap (like I have any control over it…)

I plan on seeing if my membranes can be stripped at my upcoming checkup since at this point I just need something to jumpstart labor and I’m on the verge of being full term. Oh, and there’s the whole high blood pressure thing too. (if there’s nothing medically wrong with you they are not able to start labor until 39 weeks. [found that out with Nick] But high blood pressure means something is medically wrong)

At my 37 week checkup the doctor is just what I feared she would be; arrogant and condescending. My blood pressure is still high but there are still no other preeclampsia symptoms. However, she decides that I should do all the preeclampsia labs because she had a patient who developed preeclampsia after having high blood pressure once. (never mind her patient was only 30 weeks and it was her first pregnancy) And makes an appointment for me to come back the next morning to go over the labs. Oh, and refuses to strip my membranes because I’m only 37 weeks. Never mind I have high blood pressure and the only way to resolve that is to get the baby out of me…

Rob and I go down to the laboratory to get said labs done (I should also mention that I did NOT want these done as it involved a 24 hour urine draw, not to mention I’d had preeclampsia with Max so the symptoms are forever engrained in my memory [it’s not something you easily forget] and this was completely different from that) only to find out I have to be fasting for 8 hours before they can draw blood and the urine draw has to start with the first pee of the day. So I cancelled the appointment for the next day.

I decide to take matters into my own hands and try out a couple old wives tales to jumpstart labor. And they work. About 10pm that night I start having regular, strong contractions.

They continue all night and by 6am they are about 5 minutes apart and a minute long so I call my midwife and she says to go to the hospital (and that she’d let them know I was on my way).

Rob, my mom, and I arrive at the hospital close to 8am, expecting this baby to be here by early afternoon. (once my water is broken it doesn’t take long for the baby to come out)

I’m sent to triage and they are sent to the waiting room.

This takes hours, with my mom and Rob completely in the dark as to why it is taking so long.

Despite my midwife calling ahead (she is still out of town so can’t be there herself) the doctor on call in triage does not want to check me in because I’m only 37 weeks.

One of the other midwives shows up and is willing to let me have this baby (like they had any choice, I mean I was IN LABOR), but is worried about preeclampsia too so orders all the labs done and talks about giving me the magnesium. She also wants to give me pitocin and I refuse both that and the magnesium.

I try to explain that once they break my water it won’t be long until the baby comes out and then no one needs to worry about preeclampsia anymore! They don't listen.

I’m sent to a room.

And it’s already mid morning.

My group B strep was positive (that’s a story in and of itself) so I have to have the antibiotics.

I’m hooked up to the monitors and everyone leaves.

And we are all alone for 90% of my labor and delivery. (quite the change from Nick's labor and delivery where my nurse was by my side the entire time)

I handed off my birth plan when I got to the room and they are ok with it. They seem to focus on the stuff I don’t care as much about (like leaving my baby at my side as much as possible; I meant this in that I get to hold him first before they whisk him away for a bath and keeping him in my room. They end up leaving the room after he is born and showing up awhile later to ask if he can be cleaned up. Not what I meant…). I have on there that I would like our son to be circumcised and they inform me they do not do circumcisions at the hospital. That is something we have to schedule with his pediatrician (this too is a whole story in and of itself…).

Eventually a nurse comes in with the antibiotics and I ask about getting my water broken. I’m told that can’t happen until I’ve had two doses of the antibiotic. (And I am like, GIVE IT TO ME NOW!!!! And had I known that I would have made sure you gave it to me HOURS ago!!!!)

I want to walk so I can progress and birth this baby as soon as possible (speed is your saving grace when delivering naturally) but the IV machine thing has a low battery so it has to stay plugged into the wall.

Once the antibiotics are done the midwife eventually comes in (it is now the afternoon) to break my water. I am told that once my water is broken I am not allowed to walk around because the cord might fall out. However, if they had enough nurses I would be able to as they could have one walk with me. (at the time they are telling me this there are probably 15 nurses just hanging out at the nurses station and only two patients [me being one of them] in the whole labor and delivery wing giving birth)

After an hour of staying in bed like a good girl I get fed up because I am not progressing at all. I get up and walk around the room as much as I can hooked up to everything.

Labor finally gets real!

And I start to be in a lot of pain.

There is no tub in the bathroom, so laboring in the water is not an option. (I had been told it would be)

Things get really, really painful. The monitors and IV line get to be too much so I rip everything off and have Rob take to IV out.

We finally see some nurses! And they don’t appear to be happy as I refuse to put anything back on. (they pretty much would only come in if something messed with the monitors. Even if we paged them it would be awhile before they showed up)

I’m checked and am only 7 centimeters dilated. I start freaking out because I’m in a lot of pain and don’t know how to deal with it and am sure I still have hours and hours ahead of me.

Drugs are not an option at this point as it could hurt the baby.

I finally find a position I can make it through the contractions in. I sit on the edge of the bed with my feet on the wheel, leaning into Rob’s stomach and gripping his hands.

Unfortunately for him, I cannot move out of this position until the very end so he ends up standing for a couple hours.

I start to feel the urge to push. They want to check me, but I cannot move. I also cannot talk and am in my own little world trying to deal with the pain.

I push sitting up on the edge of the bed.

Then the ring of fire begins. I panic. I jerk upright and Rob isn’t sure what is happening and all I am able to moan is “He’s coming!”

I fling myself onto my back while everyone whips into action and a whole bunch of people fly into the room. I am in complete and utter agony at this point and am begging them to just pull him out.

After a handful of pushes Oskar Royal Datus Harmon is born at 5:59pm. He is perfect and beautiful and I am so relieved he is out.

I get to hold my sweet boy and despite being uncomfortable, am in heaven. Then my arm starts burning. I ask what they are giving me and it’s pitocin. I tell them to stop it so they do, thankfully.

I deliver the placenta and everything and didn’t tear or have any wounds at all down there. But I start cramping horribly. Like, I feel like I’m in labor again kind of horrible. They give me some motrin for the pain but it does nothing.

Rob leaves with Oskar so he can get a bath and the nurses start to get me ready to move to my room. This involves punching down on my uterus while I am in the middle of a very painful contraction. The animal in me reacts and rips her arm away from me. The nurse is not happy about this at all and tells me she has to do this and tries again. I again grab her arm. She finally waits until I tell her it’s ok once the contraction has passed and her pushing down is only uncomfortable, not painful like before.

Our friends arrive at the hospital with the boys so Rob goes out to see them and bring them back to the recovery room so they can meet their new brother.

My mom and I head out to the new room, my mom carrying everything. We reach the elevators and my mom is told she can’t take these ones (they were staff elevators) but has to go use the other ones.

I get to my room and am left alone. For quite awhile. I manage to have more contractions that are so painful I am sobbing.

A nurse finally comes and starts going over information with me. I ask where my mother is and husband and children and she informs me they are out in the waiting room. And that only one other adult is allowed into the room as visiting hours just finished (they end at 8pm. I delivered at 6pm. It should not take two hours to wrap things up and get into a room). I ask her if they know this and she says no. I do not have my phone (or anything) as my mom was carrying everything and the hospital phone does not do long distance so I cannot inform my family of this. She says a nurse will go tell them. Once she is done giving me whatever information she leaves and tells me another nurse will come to check on me and stuff and that no one can come back until she has completed her check up.

I wait.

And wait.

And finally she comes in and does her thing. I’m STILL in a ton of pain and ask for pain meds. She leaves.

Rob comes. At this point I’m in enough pain I ask Rob if I can get morphine. He tells me no.

I let him know the boys can’t come back, something he had not been informed about. The nurse simply cam and told him to come with her and that was it.

I fill him in on the situation and he leaves to go tell everyone else.

It is decided that my mom will stay the night and she comes in with all my stuff.

At some point the nurse finally comes back with my meds. I ask her where my baby is.

It’s probably four hours after his birth before Oskar is finally returned to me. I proceed to hold him all night. (while watching the opening ceremony of the Olympics)

There are a ton more check ups for me and Oskar, my blood pressure is finally down (imagine that!) and we are told we can check out 24 hours after he was born.

The next morning Rob comes back with my sisters and the boys and we have a happy reunion/ meeting of the new brother.

After a bit my mom, sisters, and the boys leave. It is just me, Rob, and Oskar and we just hang out watching TV until it’s time to go.

There are several things that have to happen before we can leave, like me getting a TDaP shot and them getting some of Oskars blood for something. They, of course, do not happen until 6pm.

About 7pm we are finally released and book it out of there!

now, pictures!

 

my feet, during labor. This was before things got really painful. (and I was being good and staying in bed at this point)

Oskar, not long after he emerged.

My  sweet boy:

everyone meets Oskar for the first time:

this picture is one of my favorites. 

one of the (few) perks of delivering here was the brand new facility. I LOVED the giant window that had a beautiful view of the mountains. Nick, our wild child, loved running along the sill.

Nick also LOVES his little brother. Instead of worrying about jealousy or resentment we have to worry about him giving Oskar too much love.

sunday best: pregnancy edition

So, pretty much the only maternity items I own are dresses. This is for the simple reason that I have yet to find a maternity piece that actually fits right... and dresses are the easiest to make work. This one is no different, I absolutely love it except for the fact that it's about a foot too long. I would hem it, but I've discovered that stretch knits and I don't get along when it comes to a sewing machine. And I'm pretty sure it would cost just as much as I paid for it to get it professionally altered. Plus I'm feeling pretty lazy these days (I blame it on the heat). So I just deal with it.

dress: Target Maternity (bought it online, otherwise I probably wouldn't have gotten it due to the length)
sweater: Old Navy (little girl's!)  (normally I wouldn't have bothered with the sweater since it's hot as hades right now, but I learned last week that the church building is now kept absolutely frigid so I made sure I was covered)
shoes: Charlotte Russe (one of the best purchases I made last summer, they go with everything)
belt: Forever 21

And I'm really glad I started doing these Sunday Best posts because it means I get pictures of myself that I like, a rarity. Especially when I'm pregnant. This week I got a new one to add to my favorites:

(don't you love my ombre hair??? Move to El Paso and you can have it without any effort too!!)

I would also tell you what week picture this is, but I honestly no longer have any idea how far along I am. Baby Center and my doctor both tell me different things, plus I'm measuring off and the baby is measuring off, so who knows when he'll pop out. I'm hoping to get things straightened out at my next visit...

sunday best: pregnancy edition

I tried wearing this dress a few weeks ago and it fit me like a potato sack. But I've grown a lot recently so when I tried it on again last week it fit!! It is perhaps my favorite article of maternity clothing I own. And is also pretty versatile; I first wore it to the OCS ball (I fancied it up with accessories), but it works great for more casual settings than even church.

dress: Gap Maternity
shoes: Target
belt: Forever 21

p.s. This is my 28 week belly!

just a little face shot

So I recently switched from the Army hospital here to an off-post provider and it was the best decision ever. It wasn't something I had planned on, but after asking questions about the birth and getting some unsatisfactory answers, along with the sub-par ultrasound experience I really felt like it was time to get the heck out of there. So I did, and I found a midwife!! That I absolutely love and puts me completely at ease. It's a good feeling to know you're in good hands. (and the brand new women's pavilion the hospital just opened helps too...)

And I was SO excited when she ordered another ultrasound done just to make sure everything was good to go! It was yesterday and I got to see the screen the entire time and the tech told me everything she was looking at. And I finally got to see Oskar's profile. 

(he's got his lips pursed)

He even smiled for me at one point!

Unfortunately, we didn't get any awesome shots of his face because it was smashed into the placenta and both arms were up over his head (signature Harmon boy move). But I did find out he's got some big feet (just under 2 inches already!) and a big head (guess we'll see if it's still big when he's born). And while I'm 27 weeks, he's measuring 29 weeks (and is almost 3 pounds). The tech said that's normal, they'll go through growth spurts while in the womb too. I just hope she's either right or he comes early... we all know how tiny my body is so the last thing I need is a big baby. But since I'm really really hoping to deliver on Harry Potter's birthday, maybe the chances of that are higher? Guess we'll find out.

Also, only 10 weeks until I'm full term. This whole third baby thing is becoming more real all the time. (yes, I'm still wrapping my head around this pregnancy. Some days I really can't believe I'm pregnant again.)

sunday best: pregnancy edition

Ok, so this is not a Sunday outfit. But I wanted to share and get opinions... Rob has dubbed this the "half muumuu." I made it from this fabric I had my eye on for a long time and FINALLY went on sale. And I don't know how I feel about it and have not worn it outside of the house yet because of that. I'm not sure if my indecision over whether or not I like it is because it didn't turn out the way I had pictured or if I just don't like it. I've been studying the few pictures I took and I think I'll be tweaking the neckline some more, and maybe mess with the shorter side of the hem. But I would really really appreciate it if you'd give me your opinions too! The idea was to have something that wouldn't constrict my very sore belly (all these stretching muscles and ligaments hurt. A lot. Add in lots of Braxton-Hicks and anything tight around the bump is really uncomfortable), with lots of room to grow.

dress: McCalls pattern M6556 (I made lots of tweaks to the pattern to guarantee it would fit the whole 9 months. Some of them really weren't necessary, like lengthening it. The pictures make it look a little short but it hits at the knee as is. Or, I guess I shold say if you're short like me it will hit you at the knee. If you're really tall it'll be like the model. I'm planning on making a non-maternity version closer to the original pattern once I'm done breastfeeding.)

undershirt: Halftee

So again, please let me know what you think!  And I'll probably be sharing pictures of it again once I make the planned tweaks.

all it took was a dirty diaper

I don't know how to say it, other than this pregnancy has been hard. Brutal, even. In every way possible. Thankfully I do have good days, but this past week(end) has been mostly bad days.

Yesterday I woke up feeling even worse than the day before for no apparent reason. Then I looked out the window, saw how the wind was bending our neighbor's tree, and remembered we're expecting storms all week. Which means a change in pressure. Which means my pregnant body hurts.

But I still went through our morning routine and showered and fed the kids and got them dressed. But it was so hard to keep moving. All I wanted to do is crawl back into bed and forget everything I had to do that day and have to do the entire week. But I finally pinned Nick down so I could change his diaper, and because it was poopy, I took it to the outside trash. Something I was dreading because of the crazy wind, since wind here means dust, and that's the last thing I need a face full of.

And that's when it happened. I got a whiff of the air moving quickly down the street and am instantly transported back east. It's moist. And smells like green things. And is chilly. And I'm sure I looked like a crazy person as I just stood there and soaked it in. After throwing out the diaper, I headed inside then went straight to the backyard and leaned against the house for awhile just soaking in the wind.

And it's amazing how much better I felt after I went back inside. My whole day was turned around and I was able to face my kids and my list with energy and motivation.

All because of some wind carrying the promise of rain. And a poopy diaper that forced me to go outside.

It really is the little things in life.

sunday best: pregnancy edition

So... I was hoping to put together such an awesome pregnancy outfit you would all say "WOW!" But the truth is, I have felt very homely this pregnancy and don't feel cute in anything. It didn't help that the outfit I had created in my mind for yesterday did not look the way I imagined on my body. So that was scrapped and this one was thrown on since we were running reeealllly late for church. It's the same dress as here, so not a maternity dress at all. Looking back, I wish I had put a belt on under my bust to help define my belly more (I'm not a fan of clothes that "hide" the belly, I feel like it just makes you look bigger than you are). And a cute jacket or cardigan would have been nice, but I was sweating just getting dressed (it got up to 97 degrees at one point this past week!) so that was nixed. But I have a cute accessory so that makes up for it, right? Oh, and since the last time I showed this dress I got some gladiator sandals! They work so much better! And, I also have to give a shout-out to Halftee, I'm wearing their boyfriend one here... it's so nice not to have the "shirt bump" along my bum when I have to layer! I think I'll be investing in a couple other colored ones at some point.

dress: Target
shirt: Halftee
shoes:  Forever 21

And as I was putting the pictures in, I realized maybe someone out there wonders about the boys clothes too...  So for Nick:

shirt:  Old Navy

pants:  Old Navy

shoes:  no clue.  They're hand me downs from Max, so probably Target.

and Max:

shirt:  Target (I'm in LOVE with Shaun White's clothing line there)

pants:  Old Navy

shoes: boot store here in El Paso

what you all have been waiting for.

Ok, I lied. I know what you guys really want is to see pictures of the little parasite, but he's still content with our current arrangement. But I have second-best; some belly pictures.

34 weeks. I felt huge then. Ha.

35 weeks. I felt like I couldn't possible get any bigger. Ha.

36 weeks. I was convinced I would give birth this week. Ha.

This child has other plans. And I guess they do not involve his mother seeing his father anytime soon.

But it's not all bad. At my last appointment I was 3cm dilated and 80% effaced, and Nicola is REALLY LOW and in position to be birthed (he's just leading me on I guess). And tomorrow will be a week since that appointment so I imagine at my next visit I will have progressed even more (yay!). I just keep telling myself, the longer this baby waits to come out, the more I will have progressed without real labor, and the faster he will come. Right?

bleh.

That's how I feel right now. Not sick, not exhausted, just bleh.

I'm officially in my third trimester. Have been for a week. And I feel it. It was instantaneous. Those energetic, nesting, 'I want to do this before the baby comes!' feelings have gone out the window.

Instead, I spend my day moving from room to room, object to object, trying to find the motivation to actually do something and finish it.

This is normal, right? Please tell me I'm not just a complete slacker and need to get it together. Please.

Although just being a slacker would be nice, because then I wouldn't have to wait until June for the cure. Sigh.

the belly

Here it is at 27 weeks.

i'm always right.

When I was pregnant with Max, I knew he was a boy. And I was right. With this pregnancy, I knew it was another boy. And I'm right. Nicola Anatoly Harmon will be joining us this spring! So far, everything is perfect, so I've got my fingers crossed this time he's here to stay.

Is there any doubt in your mind that this is a boy?

A cute little profile (this actually isn't the greatest, but having watched the whole ordeal I'm pretty sure he has my nose too)

So my ultrasound was right after I had lunch (Nicola's belly was full too during the ultrasound), which meant he was taking a little nap. This also meant that he was a little uncooperative and wouldn't flip over, so I get to have another ultrasound next month so they can see his little behind (ok, so they're more interested in his spine, but I'm excited to see his little bum). But it made for some adorable pictures with his hands over his face (which is how Rob sleeps...)

And he was sucking his thumb too!

It was very exciting to see this little baby finally, and to learn that both him and me are perfectly fine. And, it feels good to know I'm right!


If you're interested, I feel very strongly that the first three are boys, after that it's up in the air.

exactly one week later...

I look like this.

I had a lot of braxton hicks contractions on the trip down to Georgia to pick Rob up (which is not so fun when you're just sitting in a car for hours on end), with the result that I exploded! I'm probably twice the size I was in that previous picture.

Oh, and this baby is crazy. I started feeling him (we think) on the car ride down (again, it's hard to miss when you're doing nothing but sitting still for hours), and last night when I laid down for bed he started going crazy in there. And I mean crazy, I'm only 16 weeks and I could feel him kicking my hand (granted, it was only twice that I felt him with my hand, but the theatrics went on inside for awhile). This kind of scares me as Max was the most chill, calm baby ever.

Oh, and do you like my new top? I got it on post at the PX. Tax-free baby! If you pay any attention to what I wear, you may notice a trend: I really like henley tops and stripes. So naturally I bought this without even trying it on.

Oh, and on another note... the Goodwill pile is bigger. Someday it'll actually make it to the needy.

my belly

Here I am at 15 weeks. Yes, I know there is barely anything there to you. But had I taken this picture before I was pregnant, it would be a straight line from the bottom of my ribs to my legs.


And fyi, that is not a pile of dirty clothes behind the door. It is the pile of stuff for Goodwill (in my defense, it was all in a big bag before Max used it as a stepping stool/playground)

hello again.

Did you miss me?

I'm (hopefully) back after a way-too-long absence. I'm hoping that I'll keep up with things on here from now on, though, as we have some big changes coming up...

The first is, Rob leaves TOMORROW for OCS (Officer Candidate School)! It has been a looong wait and we are so ready to finally get this show on the road! I will admit, I am going to miss him a lot, but we're lucky and he'll only be gone for a couple weeks or so before coming home for Christmas. But after Christmas we'll be sending him off for 12 weeks, so I imagine that goodbye will be a little harder. And then in March we'll find out what he'll be doing and where we'll be going.

That means, we'll be moving! We're not sure at what point I'll be joining him: it all depends on what sort of training is involved with his job. But come March, I'll be packing up the house and getting things here in order to be left (we're keeping our houses). As I've never had to move an entire household before (just me and my bedroom) I'm a little nervous about getting it done, and done well (I'm OCD about organization, and if I can't find stuff I go crazy), but I figure I'll get plenty of practice in the next 20 years.

And I get to start adjusting to life as a military wife. That too, I am a little nervous about as I still feel clueless (I think it's the kind of thing you learn through experience, not reading the little pamphlets they give you). But I'm going to do my best to keep upbeat and send Rob all my love and support while he's rolling through mud and running with 50 pounds on his back while getting his head crammed with tons of information that makes no sense to me.

But really, I am VERY excited this is all finally happening!! (especially when we start getting the paycheck!) And I think that is because I am excited for another reason...

We're having a BABY!!! I'm due June 3rd, and I've been sick as a dog. I'll be 14 weeks Thursday, so I'm hoping this pregnancy sickness crud will go away in the next couple of weeks (especially as I will no longer have Rob here to do stuff for me). It has been getting better, so I don't think I'm completely crazy hoping that. I have, of course, been terrified of another miscarriage 'cause I REALLY want this baby, but so far everything's been good. I'm starting to show (I'll have to put up a belly picture soon to see if I'm the only one who can see it), and I can't button my pants anymore, and I'm very excited to get big and fat. And feel the baby move. Oh, and we're pretty sure it's a boy (Nicola).

So yeah, that's our life for right now. And that's why I've been absent: being upright would make me puke so I've been in bed for the past two months. But I am determined to update regularly as I can now be upright and move around, and so Rob knows what we're up to while he's tracking drug dealers in the wilderness and fording rivers in all his gear (ok, so that might be a little bit of an exaggeration).

And as I'm sure you would rather not see a picture of me puking (that's about all I have to show for all this time), here is a picture of Max at his Nana's (I think it's kind of obvious that Nana's house is the fun house).

And maybe I'll get around to posting all about the fun stuff we did the past few months, before I got pregnant...