Tessa is growing!

Well, I went to the doctor yesterday morning and we have good news.  Little Miss Tessa is going to be fat and sassy. She already weighs 5 pounds, 12 ounces!  I have gained a total of 5 pounds, so I'm happy with that so far.  All of her bones and organs look good.  They tried to get a good 3D picture of her face but she kept turning away from us--the turkey.  She's a busy girl in there, constantly moving around, covering her face with her hands.  She is measuring about 34-36 weeks and I am 33 weeks.  Being a diabetic, I think this is excellent. My doctor is a more glass half empty type person (he's a little pessimistic).  But you see, I know where all this is going.  I'm not sure he does....God is in control.  I'm not too concerned with all of this because of that reason alone.  It's been God's work from the beginning and He is in ultimate control. This is His roller coaster ride and I'm doing just that, enjoying my ride.

Ever since they gave me medicine for my asthma that worked, pregnancy has been down right enjoyable!!

I will start going to the OB doctor twice a week from now until delivery.  I am still considered high risk and they want to keep an extra close eye on Emy and Luke's baby sister.  So, I will do as I'm told.  I will go every Monday and every Thursday, no matter how old it gets.  Monday, they will check me.  Thursday is Tessa's day :) They will ultrasound me every week to make sure she is doing okay.  If she is stressed at all, they will probably induce me early.  I don't foresee this happening.  Everything looks great every time they check on us :)

So, I hope you all have an AWESOME week (as Emy would say) and work hard at school (as Luke would say) and keep checking back with me--we are gonna have a baby soon!!  Emy & Luke are getting REALLY EXCITED about this!!

Love to all,
Cindy

Comment Moderation

I have enabled comment moderation due to some folks who are reading my blog that I'm not too sure about right now.  Please keep leaving us messages, I will post them as soon as I can.

Sorry, but this is a necessary step.

Back pain, asthma and heartburn, oh MY!

Yep, all three at one time usually....not fun.   I sit here feeling sorry for myself and then I realize something.

I'm pregnant!  It just slips up on me sometimes, the amazement of what God pulls off in my life.  I mean, who would've ever thought it would happen to us?  Definitely not US. LOL!!

So, instead of feeling sorry---right now I'm ECSTATIC and looking forward to what God has in store for me--a brand spanking new baby girl to dress up, to love, to hug, kiss, and to share with my family and friends.  Emy and Luke will so enjoy this.  Darrell already is enjoying this. 

So, here's to Miss Tessa.  I love her so much already and can't wait to meet my little pink bundle of screaming JOY.

Short post--but to the point.  God never ceases to amaze me!

Please do me a favor also . we have international adoption friends who are getting held up in their 2nd adoption.  The little girl's name is Treya....please pray for Treya's safety and for Julie(mom), Pat(dad) and Devi's (big sister) peace of mind while they wait for this precious one to join them.  Treya is 20 months old and she needs to be home with her family so they can shower her with LOVE.  I ask this because ... that waiting?   It is HARD (hard doesn't even describe what you go thru). . . the waiting consumes you with every breath, every heart beat and everytime you answer a phone or get an email you are thinking "this might be it". . I've been there and done that twice and it is not enjoyable or fun. . . it's downright heartbreaking everytime the phone and computer doesn't give you the right answers.  I would really appreciate the thoughts and prayers for this special family during this difficult time.  They will appreciate it as well. 

If you want a peek at this family just look over to the right and click on DEVI's name.

I love my fellow bloggy buddies--they seem to just "get it".

Have a great week. Good night.
Cindy

Pregnancy update!

Here is an up to date pregnancy fact sheet on me.  I will be 29 weeks along tomorrow!!  Not much longer....the excitement is growing I guess, along with Baby Tessa.  Emy can't wait to get her hands on her and Luke, well Luke is Luke and doesn't really say much about the baby.  He will be a great brother and Emy will be her hero.....of course.

My diabetes has gotten worse with the pregnancy.  I am on insulin and I am going to the doctor once a week for the high risk clinic because of my sugar levels and the fact that they call me a "geriatric" mother to be.....how wonderful they make me feel...I have gained a total of 4 pounds so far and Tessa is quite active at times and other times she is just a lazy bones.

I am sticking myself 13 times a day.  This includes checking my sugar 8 times and I have to give myself 5 shots of insulin throughout the day.  It's not as bad as it sounds.  It's just my new normal routine.  I am counting carbs and it stinks.  I am a country girl who loves her taters and grits and I just cannot have them right now.  I have switched over to whole wheat bread (and not much of that) and hardly any crackers or chips.  My diet consists of lots of protein, fruits and veggies.  I don't really crave much anymore, other than chili beans and hamburgers...LOL.  Now I eat my burgers without bread and it works out better :)

So there is my update.  My glucose screenings are getting better everyday, I am learning how to give myself more insulin depending on what I eat.  Fruits raise my sugar really fast.  I can't drink anything with real sugar (I haven't for years anyway).  But the bread, potatoes and things like that are slowly getting to be less difficult for me to give up.  I am staying away from pasta too.  No more Olive Garden, unfortunately...:( but I can live without that.  Anything to ensure a healthy baby. 

So I hope all of you have an excellent Sunday!  Enjoy your families.  Thanks for reading and keeping up with us.

Love,
Cindy

Emy's Blog

Hey everyone!
Emy wanted her own blog, so here it is.  I have comment moderation on for her safety so bear with me if you want to comment.

Have fun and visit her often.
Cindy

September 2010

Well, here we are and it's September already.  I am 28 weeks pregnant and Baby Tessa is a busy girl. She kicks alot sometimes and then again my stubborn girl stays really still for hours and worries me to death :) I've already told her to straighten up...LOL.  She shouldn't make her mama worry like that.  My mama told me I did the same thing to her so I guess this would be considered payback.

Emy is in 2nd grade and has loved every minute of it.  She is reading so well and her math is outstanding.  She will always excel at everything she does, no doubt about it.  Emy got a doggie a couple of weeks ago.  Her name is Ivana Diamond (guess who named her).  My dad took her to the vet because of a very bad tick bite and she had to be put on antibiotics for about 10 days.  That was fun.  My dad didn't want to say the name Ivana so he gave the vet a false name of "Pinky".  I still get a laugh out of that.  He is so funny. Ivana Diamond loves her new home; unfortunately we can't keep her in the house because of my asthma and allergy to dogs.  But, she has a very nice dog lot to stay in.  It is very shaded and she doesn't mind it.  Emy walks her every day, lets her run off of her leash, and she has to do all the feeding, watering and she even gave her some of her medicine.  She loves that doggie....she is a sweet dog.  I will post some pics later on.  Ivana Diamond needs a bath and so we will attempt that soon.  That should be something to see (LOL).  I am proud of Emy and her level of responsibility she has taken upon herself.  She has such a good, sweet heart and I love her soooooo much.

Luke is going to attend one more year of preschool before we attempt Kindergarten.  He just isn't where I think he needs to be.  He gets very frustrated, very fast, and then he is discouraged.  We are working on his letters, site words, colors, shapes, he is doing puzzles, we are reading almost every night and he loves to read....he is memorizing the books where he can tell the stories himself.  I am so proud of him as well.  He has come a long way in 2 years and 7 months......he has learned our language, speaks it fluently, throws temper tantrums, has bonded with his sister and us and our extended family, he knows how to fish, he adores photo albums and tends to carry around Emy's picture or one of the boys (Josh or Cristian).  He does still suck his thumbs and hopefully that will cease by the time he goes to Kindergarten but even if he doesn't, it's ok by me.  It's his security and I understand that. 

We had an awesome summer and Labor Day weekend will be great as well.  Cookout with the parents, a swim in their pool and lots of love and laughter....Can't wait for it on Monday!!

So, Emy just came in from walking Ivana Diamond and Darrell is getting ready to take the kids fishing.  Soooooo, I guess this is my cue to stop typing and get started on my housework.  blah.  Talk with y'all later.  Have a great, and safe weekend.

Love,
Cindy

Summer!

These pictures just prove what a great summer we are having--it's passing way too fast.

Emy had a back to school pool party today and Luke went fishing with Daddy.

Overall, we have already had a terrific weekend--looking forward to a quiet Sunday, though.

Enjoy the pics!!

Are you rich?

Are you rich?

Do you know someone who is?

FRANKLY,
I AM LOADED.

And the name will be.....

TESSA RENAE

What is in a name?

What is in a name?  Alot of thought!  Man, its even harder to name this child than the other two.  We are really leaning toward Ava Renae (this was actually possibly going to be Emy's name so long ago and remains my fave).  Darrell likes Joy and Emy likes Tess.  Luke doesn't care.

Do y'all have any suggestions?  Now is the time to make your thoughts known....I feel like I can't rest until I've named this baby!

Later.

It's a Girl

Well, we have ultrasound proof---we have a girl. Now for a name. We could use any and all suggestions you may have for us.

The middle name will probably be Renae.

Thanks.

Love to all.

Busy summer days

Life is just busy. Especially now, in the summer. I love summer and always have. The kids and I are so much more relaxed, no homework, no reading EVERY single night (unless we want to) and no have-to anythings except for the regular teeth brushings, baths, and one little lady's hair brushing of course.

We are cleaning the house from top to bottom. We have a mess, to say the least. Our bedroom is looking really good right now. We are making room for a basinet/small dresser/changing table to go in there. Geez, I still cannot believe I'm expecting a baby. Really?! Amazingly still shocking to say to myself.

I am at 18 weeks now and I am feeling some changes that I'm not sure I'm too thrilled with. My tummy is really getting tight (and larger), like I needed it any larger...I know it is necessary but after what seems like a lifetime of trying to lose weight, here I am, trying to keep the weight gain at a minimum while also trying to fill in my hunger pains. By the way, I've gained ZERO pounds so far, but Monday is my next appointment and I can just about bet I've gained 2-3 over the past few weeks. This is not an easy task I tell ya. Because I am hungry all the time. The good thing is that tomatoes and cucumbers are coming out of the garden and they are my very favorite thing to eat in the summertime. I also love cantaloupe and watermelon so I can't wait for some of that to ripen up.

Everyone is asking what I am craving and the crazy thing is--I am craving red meat (it truly disgusts me what I'm eating). Before the pregnancy I had changed over completely to turkey meat. I would say for over a year, we have gone to no red meat or only occasionally (maybe 1-2 times a month). Now? I don't want turkey, I HAVE TO HAVE RED MEAT, or I'm not happy. I'm trying to really only eat it 1-2 times a week because it is so bad for us. This baby truly loves hamburgers and meatloaf LOL!!

I am looking for ground turkey recipes to hopefully make my life a little healthier. I am trying really hard, but losing to the cravings. . help me my blogger friends. I need new recipes.

Luke also loves ANY kind of meat. Emy is not a big meat eater--she will eat a little taco meat and she likes chicken, but not all the time. She'd rather have spaghetti tacos minus the meat. She is my pasta lover. Darrell is smart enough to just eat what is put in front of him and Luke follows suit. Luke is a BIG eater, almost eats as much as my 13 year old nephew.....PIGGY!

Anyhow, I'm swimming alot this summer, trying to stay in some kind of shape and with the 100 degree heat almost every day this past week, it has been necessary. This week it is supposed to cool down a little, thank the good Lord above. We need a reprieve from this heat wave! We had a thunderstorm this afternoon, so this evening when we went swimming, the pool was so much cooler and more refreshing. Swimming in the evening is my favorite!

Y'all keep me in your prayers, that I can keep the cravings to a minimum and eat healthier in the next few weeks. I need to, or I'm gonna gross myself completely out. ugh! red meat, yuck! and yum! I'm so weird.

By the way, we are going on vacation very soon, so I'll post pics when I can. I'm planning on keeping the kids busy riding bikes, swimming and going to fun places like Chuck E Cheese. I'm more excited than they are :) later y'all.

13 weeks.....

This is Baby O at 13 weeks.

After this ultrasound, Darrell forced me to go to the Olive Garden for soup and salad.

YUM!

Insulin resistant

Have you ever heard of that phrase? Those are two very bad words to me. Because of my body being insulin resistant (my body produces insulin but does not use it efficiently), I became diabetic back in 1999. YUCKO!! Worst thing that ever happened to me.

Now, of course with the pregnancy, I need my blood sugar under excellent control. Pills just weren't doing the trick, so my OB doctor has finally done the dreaded deed--I have been put on insulin. I thought OH NO.....but you know, its not so bad. Today was my first day and it is not bad at all. I used to give myself allergy shots and I have recently started giving my papa B12 shots so I am familiar with needles and needle safety--thank the good Lord above.

My blood sugar is still elevated so I am asking that you all pray with me and for me and this precious little baby that with insulin, my sugar levels will improve quickly.

Hopefully, I will just have to endure the insulin throughout my pregnancy; afterwards, I have a good possibility of going back to oral meds. They are much cheaper :)

Oh well, just so you know, I will do anything at all to stay healthy during my pregnancy and if that includes walking twice a day, I will do it. The problem right now is that I feel so TIRED all the time (they say 1st trimester is bad for this). So, I will ask that you pray I get through this first trimester with a little more energy than I've had in my recent past.

For example: Today, after I picked up Emy from school, we went to town to buy
her a surprise for doing so well on her progress report. When I got home from that short trip, I went straight to the couch and fell asleep (I'm talking FELL FAST ASLEEP). I slept for about 30-45 minutes. Afterward, I was grumpy....Luke mentioned a grumpy kangaroo whose balloon popped (a book I read to him about feelings). LOL!! I love my kids--they make all of this fun.

Just a cute side note--Emy and Luke have started kissing my belly and talking to the baby--so far, its the best part of my day. :o)

Y'all have a great weekend and sleep well.

Until next post,
Cindy

Pictures for you to enjoy!!

All of us at Angie's birthday dinner at the Cracker Barrel.
Emy and Cristian playing checkers.

Curlers and daddy

Josh @ his Gotcha Day party. He's been home for 13 years.

Luke and his friend at preschool.

Emy practicing soccer with the pros (Carolina Railhawks)

Don, Ma, Mike, Emy, Papa and Luke

Emy the cheerleader/basketball player.

We are excited now......

Well, after the initial shock that lasted about 4 days, I can say with complete and total honesty and no reserve--WE ARE HAPPY AND EXCITED about our news. Being pregnant at 38 years old is going to be challenge. Well, I'll be 39 in November and Darrell will be 47 in May. I've never done this before; I've never been pregnant; I've never experienced anything like this. I am craving Wendy's chili and that is really the only symptom I'm having right now. I am a little tired in the evenings and find myself falling asleep early on the couch.

Darrell went with me to the first ultrasound appointment. We we heard the little heartbeat, he teared up (I did too, of course). That is such a special time for a couple. I have promised little Miss Emy that she can go with me to the ultrasound that will tell us the sex of the baby (about 1/2 way through, I believe). She is so ready for that day to be here. I told her that would be in about 3 months. She doesn't like to wait, you know. She really wants a girl, saying often "it better be a girl" and it sounds so cute until she says "or I'm gonna squash his head". Then it sounds a little rude. Thanks Emy for keeping it real.

I had actually lost 10 pounds during the first 6 weeks of pregnancy; as you all know I am overweight and needed to slim up a little (really alot). I had no idea that I was pregnant so I was watching food intake, counting calories and exercising alot more (just walking and biking). So, they don't want me to gain much weight, but they don't want me to diet either. I will take the high road. I will choose my food wisely, but I will eat enough to satisfy the both of us. And I will walk daily, even if I feel blah or bad or whatever. It doesn't matter. All that matters now is that me, my kids, my husband, that we are healthy and feel good.

When Marcie (my doctor) told me the pregnancy test was positive, you could have knocked me over with a feather..no lie. I said WHAT? You are kidding me! No, we can't, the doctors said we can't have children. I was gonna ship Darrell to India again in 2 more years. What? Really? WOW! Thanks Marcie!

We are hoping and praying for a smooth, no-problem pregnancy and delivery of this miracle baby. We have figured out that God has a plan for us, whether we are involved in the start of the plan or not. LOL! Who would've ever thought that I would get pregnant after 18 years of marriage? We tried to have a baby before we decided to adopt from India (back in January 2001). After that, we no longer prevented it, but we weren't trying either. We were so satisfied with Emy and Luke and so blessed as well. Well, God had more in mind for us. Another blessing to share in our lives. So, we look forward to what this pregnancy brings our family.

Please join with us in prayer that everything goes well for all of us during this pregnancy. I have been labeled high risk because I am overweight and diabetic (type II) also. My sugars have been good since going to the OB doctor. She switched my medicine and it is "doing the trick".

Sorry I rambled but that is how my mind is working these days. I will keep you posted as time marches on.

Later y'all.
Cindy

18 years of marriage, two beautiful children,

and another one on the way. We found out today that we are expecting a baby....sometime in November. I am in shock and can't hardly put my mind around this.

So, I have been having some cramping for about 3-4 weeks, off and on, sometimes bad, sometimes mild. Luke has been sick with breathing issues for about 3 days. I took him to the doctor and asked her to see me as well (family physician).

She did a urine screening and found that I have a bladder infection and hello? I'm pregnant. WOW! Stop the clock...no way....you are kidding.....tears, laughter, shock, happiness, worry. You name it, I felt it.

We are very happy to share with you that we are going to soon be a family of 5! OMGoodness.......really?

I will post again when it all sinks in.....later.

Happy Easter

Happy Easter to all of my blogging friends.

Jesus LIVES and our God is awesome!

Ya'll have a great week.

Love you all.

Am I addicted? You can be the judge.

Well, am I?

Am I addicted to FACEBOOK?

I don't think so. I do think it could create a problem if I would let it. One of my high school friends recently told me she was going to quit facebook because it caused her stress and anxiety....

WHAT?

For me, FB is about finding old and dear friends who I love and used to hang out with.

For example, I haven't spoken to Jen R for ages, at least 12 years since I laid eyes on the girl. And I only got to spend an afternoon with her. So, really it had been about 19 years since I spent any real time with her!! Facebook let me find her!! We have since gotten together and our kids met and we have just had a jolly good time. I also found a guy, Danny R whom I haven't seen since my 10th year high school reunion. One night that I got to chat with him in 19 years---wow! Now we chat frequently on FB and we are planning on getting our kids together at the beach this summer to meet and play....can't wait.

I feel in my heart that FB has really been a great tool in finding old friends, keeping them and just keeping up with the everyday things in our lives. When I'm down, I go chat with Jen and she shares a bible verse or she pulls me up from the depths of my pity party. She makes me realize that without trials there are no triumphs....I end up laughing out loud...this girl is a trip.

FB can be bad

it can rule your life

it can cause stress and anxiety.

BUT ONLY IF YOU LET IT.

FB is not a problem for me. I love facebook. I appreciate the fact that it has generally made it easier to find old friends, and at my 20th high school reunion (coming up soon), I will KNOW them when I SEE them because of FB..LOL!!

I love blogging and blogging will always be a LOVE of mine.

I enjoy reading all of the blogs on my blogroll and yes, I read them frequently.

Basically,

Blogging is my Passion!

FB is just my daily update.

Need some tips

Okay all you busy moms out there. I need ideas on how to cook and feed my family healthy meals day in and day out. Keep in mind that I do work full time, please.

Share, share, share.

I look forward to reading all of your suggestions.

Thanks!