Our last week together.

Eric leaves for Afghanistan very soon. He will be gone for 7 months. We will get through this, we have no choice but to. For us, and for our daughter. I have strong moments at times, and at others I am not so strong. I am blessed with a very supportive family, wonderful friends and a beautiful daughter.

Alexis is 2 months and 5 days old. She is all smiles, is trying to laugh and is just a very happy baby. She can hold her head up all by herself now too =) 

I am going home in a couple weeks for a month. I'll be there for Christmas and New Years. It should be fun, and we'll be counting down the months/weeks/days until Eric gets home! Please keep us in your prayers!

Dear Parenthood... I love you.

First and foremost, I am sorry that I haven't written in FOREVER. Being a mommy is more than a full-time job, meaning I'm busy 100% of the time. 

Alexis is 5 weeks and 3 days old. She is smiling more often than not, and is starting to reach out to grab objects now. She loves studying your face, and if you stick your tongue out at her, she tries to mock you. It is the cutest thing ever. As of yesterday, she weighed 10lbs and 1 oz, and was 22.5 inches long. She's growing and gaining weight appropriately. We found out yesterday that she has a heart murmur, which is most likely inherited from her daddy, so we are getting that checked out on Monday. Other than that she is 110% healthy, and 2 million % beautiful. We are absolutely in love with our baby girl, and wouldn't trade her or this experience for anything. 

Eric deploys in X weeks, so it's coming up really fast... faster than I would prefer. Please keep us, especially him, in your prayers and thoughts over the next 8 months until he comes home.

We get to travel home to Missouri in 12 days, for his pre-deployment leave. There we will get to go hunting, spend time with family and we even get to spend Thanksgiving there, which is a blessing. We will also be getting Alexis baptized on the 28th =) I can not wait. It will be a very emotional day. 

This concludes my post for now, so have a wonderful evening! 

2 days and counting!

2 more full days until our little princess is here! We can't wait. Eric has tomorrow and Tuesday off, so we're taking this time to get some last minute things done before our little bundle of joy arrives! 

Agenda for the next couple days:

Monday morning I have a Pre-Op appointment. This appointment is where I sign all my final consent forms, discuss pain management plans and get any questions that we might have about the procedure answered. Tuesday morning I have a APU (Anesthesiology) appointment. At this appointment we will discuss what type of Anesthetic I will receive and we will also find out what time we have to be at the hospital. Wednesday, of course, is the big day! Unfortunately, Eric and I's AT&T phones are being shut off on Tuesday, so unless we are allowed to bring the lap top to the hospital, everyone will have to wait on pictures until we get home. Hopefully my procedure will be early in the morning, that way I won't have to starve myself for TOO long prior.

Eric is not going to California in October like planned. Since I'm getting a C Section, I will not be able to drive or lift anything heavy for 4 weeks minimum. His command decided to let him stay home since I don't have any immediate family that can come out here for that amount of time. We also found out the results of his MRI. There is injury to his Petula and quite a bit of soft tissue damage. The doctor stated in the report that he can technically still deploy, but he will be in significant pain and discomfort, given his job. It is now up to his command to make the final decision on whether or not he goes, and if he does go... what he will be doing while there. I am very grateful that Eric does not have to go to California. This means that he gets to spend a lot more time than expected with Alexis, and that means A LOT to me, and him. 

If I don't get a chance to post tomorrow, this will be the last post until Alexis is brought home. Have a great evening! 

One day I WILL get used to things changing at the last moment.

This time, however... they change for the better!

Eric was supposed to leave in October (to California) for 6 weeks. It's a pre-deployment training called Mojave Viper. His command found out about my C Section, and told him today that he is to stay home! I won't be able to lift anything or drive for 4 weeks prior to the surgery, so I was really wondering how I was going to make it through having a newborn, appointments, possible emergencies, etc. ALONE! Now, thanks to a wonderful Lt. Colonel who had vowed to be more family oriented, that weight has been lifted.

Normally, Mojave Viper is required to deploy, but in cases as such... they can make exceptions. As of now, they are unsure (still) if he's deploying or not. We find out the results of his MRI soon, and that is THE deciding factor.

Alexis will be here in one week! Yay! We are so excited, as is our family and friends. I can't wait to bring this little bundle of joy into the world and start my life-long journey as a mother.

Sorry that this is short, but I must get something done today! Lol. Keep us in your prayers!

And time flies by...

I am becoming horrible at updating this. Hopefully I can break that habit sometime in the near future.

Alexis is due in 2 weeks and 4 days, but who's counting right? I've been having contractions every now and then, most of them Braxton Hicks. We will see what the next 2 weeks brings us! My uterus is measuring normally now and she's doing perfect! Eric and I CAN NOT wait until she is here!

Today I went to my friends house for what I thought was a "Girls Day". Turns out they had been planning a surprise baby shower for me for about 3 weeks now! It was A LOT of fun. I got to meet a couple new ladies, eat delicious cake and open some great gifts :) It was nice to get out, and it was a VERY nice surprise. I'm blessed to have friends such as these, that care! 

I have started attending church. I've only been to this church once, but I'm going to attempt to make a point of attending more often, especially when Eric deploys.

Eric's MRI went well, we are still waiting on the results. He hasn't been going into the field though because of his knee. Will keep you updated on that.

Cosmo is still just as cute and perfect as ever. I'm lucky to have such an awesome dog, they are hard to come by!

 Anyways, I'm going to get off here and watch some TV with the hubby. Have a wonderful night!

If I die young, bury me in satin. Lay me down on a bed of roses.

Hey all, thought I should probably update this!

Alexis update: Her C-Section is still scheduled for September 29th, if she doesn't come before then. My uterus is supposedly measuring normally, but the doctor that measured it was a bit of an idiot, so I'm going to have MY doctor re-measure it on Wednesday at my next appointment. Other than that, she is doing good. Still using my rib-cage as a kick-ball :)

Eric update: He is not going to Ft. Bragg for training, because of his knee. Can't say I'm complaining, but I'm wondering at how this lack of training recently is going to affect him when it comes time to deploy. Oh well, we'll see what happens! His MRI is on the 31st, so we'll hopefully know what's up with his knee shortly after.

Our tax return should FINALLY be here sometime in the next 2 weeks! Yay! They have taken forever to get it to us, and we sure could use it with Alexis almost here. It's such a relief!

Will keep this updated as long as the updates keep coming in! :) Have a great evening!

"Someday, we're gonna dance with those lions."

Good morning. The title of this post has no significant value to it at all, just a song I have stuck in my head =)

I had my OB appointment yesterday. Alexis' heart-rate was normal, and so is my weight gain, etc. My uterus is measuring a bit on the small side though. My doctor is going to measure it again at my next appointment (August 26th) and if it's still measuring smaller than average... I'm going to get an ultrasound to make sure that our little princess is growing properly. Fingers crossed that this is nothing serious, and that maybe she'll just be a little princess rather than an 8lb'er, lol. I have my C-Section scheduled for September 29th, so unless I go into labor before hand, that's when she will be here! Eric and I are beyond excited, and I am very much ready for her to make her debut. Sleep has recently evaded me, and it's taking an overall tole on my body and moods. I am trying my best to keep sane though!

A little update about Eric. He still has his MRI (for his knee) on the 31st of August, so we won't know what's going on with that until we get the results back. His company is choosing a few guys out of each platoon to make up a secondary platoon. This platoon will stay back in the states and will only deploy if they lose any guys out there and absolutely need them. According to Eric, people that are eligible to stay back are married Marines who do not carry a billet. (In other words, married marines who are not in charge of anyone except themselves). Eric does not carry a billet, therefor he is eligible. So, there's a chance he might not deploy when everyone else does. If he gets chosen, he could deploy at any time after the other guys leave, with as little as 48 hours notice... but will only deploy if they need him. So there's a SMALL chance he might not go at all. Keep in mind, he hasn't been chosen yet.. nor has anyone else, this is just a possibility.

In my mind, any extra time that he gets to spend with his daughter is a gift and a blessing, so we'll see what happens.

Cosmo is finally cured! After 3 different types of heart-worm and flea preventative, flea collars, countless numbers of shampoos and skin ointments, he finally does not itch. My mom sent us some Revolution Flea/Tick treatment and it worked wonders. It's so nice now that he's not suffering. Momma felt bad for the poor little guy =/

Keep us in your prayers. I will update this as we get updates. God bless.

A break from the heat!

Hello! I would like to start off by saying that I am LOVING this break from the heat! Right about now, it should be around 90 degrees and climbing, but for the last couple days it's been staying right around the mid- 80s! Back in the beginning of summer, I didn't mind the heat at all because I could be out in it and I could go swimming... but now that my activities are limited (due to a constantly growing belly), I'm not a big fan, needless to say.

Speaking of a growing belly, I will be 32 weeks (8 months) along on Wednesday! We're coming to the final stretch, and I am BEYOND ready for Alexis to make her debut. I am having loads of fun (haha) dealing with Braxton Hicks. They don't hurt THAT bad, but they sure aren't a walk in the park. Her room is almost 100% set up. We have everything we need for her to be here. I'm trying to space myself with her room. I get so anxious and excited that I want to spend hours on end in there cleaning, organizing and putting things away... but I know if I space it out a bit, it'll give me something fun to do when I'm bored. I can tell that Eric is getting excited for her to be here as well. We had an appointment a couple days ago, and we officially have a date and plan! My doctor wants to try to induce me on September 23rd. Unfortunately, NHCL (Naval Hospital- Camp Lejeune)'s policy is that they will not induce labor until 41 weeks gestation. Given my medical history with my back, and the fact that Eric might be leaving sometime soon afterward, she's taking the issue to the Board Of Directors, to see if maybe they will give us a "pass", so to speak. If they are adamant on not inducing me, I will be getting a primary c-section on that day (September 23rd). I have another appointment with her on August 12th, so I will know everything for sure then.

A little update about Eric... a while back (while working) he injured his knee. Ever since then, they've been sending him to Physical Therapy 3 days out of every week, for over a month now. He had a follow-up with his doctor on Tuesday, and he said that his knee is not improving at all. Eric has a MRI scheduled for August 31st to see if maybe there is something more to his injury, rather than just a sore ligament. If so, there's a small increment of a chance that he might not deploy to Afghanistan. I'm torn on this issue. I, of course, don't want him to deploy... but I don't want him to be in pain either. Oh well, we'll see how it turns out!

Keep us in your prayers!

Counting Down The Days...

Hey everyone! I'm so sorry that it has been AGES since I've updated. I've been super busy! We'll start where I left off...

Eric is still leaving for Trashcanistan (as I like to call it), in December. I am NOT looking forward to it, nor is he. It will be hard, but we will make it through. I have turned to God with all my fears and doubts about this deployment. It is in his hands now, and I pray that we have him on our side.

Just in case you didn't know... we are having a GIRL! YAY! Her name is going to be Alexis Grace. We are thrilled. She's still expected to make her debut in September, but as of right now, I am getting a c-section probably around the first week. =) I can't wait to meet her and neither can Eric!

Other than that, we're just sitting tight and waiting for our little Cinderella to get here. Eric just got back from Fort AP Hill. He was there for 2 weeks. He's supposed to go to Fort Bragg on September 1st, for 17 days, but probably won't since Alexis will be here. Other than those dates, he'll be gone August 16th-23rd, and October 8th-November 19th for training.

Keep us and our princess in your prayers! Love you all!

It's been a while!

Wow, It's been a while since I've updated! Eric is doing great. He's getting ready to head off to the Stone Bay Rifle Range for a week or so. I'll miss him, that's for sure! I'm doing a lot better than I was. Morning sickness is subsiding, slowly but surely. We added a new addition to our home. His name is Whiskey! So now we have Cosmo, who is a Redbone Coonhound mix, and Whiskey who is a pure-bred Treeing Walker Coonhound. They are darling! We had a photoshoot with LZT Photography this past Sunday, so I will upload those pictures shortly. I have my next ultrasound on April 21st. Hopefully we'll be able to see whether this little munchkin is a boy or a girl! I'm excited! Other than that, not a whole lot going on. Counting down till I get to go back to Missouri for Emily's wedding! Yay!

The field, Barracks duty and Ultrasounds! What a wonderful week! HA..

First off, I would like to thank Mother Nature for giving us this absolutely BEAUTIFUL day today. It is about 10:00am, and in the 60's. I really want to go somewhere, do something... but at the moment I have no means of transportation, oh well.

We still havn't heard anything on Haiti, but we have heard that Eric's deployment to Afghanistan was moved up to December of this year, oh joy! Supposedly his higher-ups have a meeting sometime this week to discuss Haiti.

I have my first ultrasound this Friday! Yay! I am 8 weeks and 5 days along as of today. I can't wait! Eric and I have picked out baby names! Girl: Alexis Grace and Boy: Abel John. We are both really excited!

Well, I'm going to get off here. The pups are whining to go outside, and frankly so am I. It's beautiful out! See ya!

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

I created this blog ages ago, and I am just getting around to actually using it!

Eric and I woke up this morning with 5 inches of snow, EVERYWHERE! Neither of us were thrilled, to say the least. We both used to live in Missouri, so we're quite accostumed to the snow, but that doesn't mean we like it! After shoveling snow off the truck, we trudged our way to Ihop. That place was an absolute mad-house. Not only were there tens of thousands of people there, but apparently they were short-staffed. According to our waiter, everyone had called off work because of the terrifying white powder stuff on the road. Come one people, it's snow! It's not that scary!

Anywho, an update on our current life... Eric will most likely be going to Haiti sometime in the first week of March. If he goes, he will be gone for 60-90 days. He has two work ups coming up as well, each a month long. One in July, and one in November. He also has a deployment to Afghanistan scheduled for January of 2011. Needless to say, we both have our hands full for the next year or so. Also, as you all may know... we are expecting a baby! :) According to the conception date and hormone levels, I am 7 weeks and 3 days along now. I have an ultrasound on February 26th, so we will know more then. Pregnancy is kicking my butt, that's for sure! I'm showing, but only a little. I have morning sickness like no other, and I'm constantly tired. It seems a trip to the store, or up and down the stairs for that matter, completely exhausts me. But it's okay, it's all worth it in the end!

Well, I'm going to sign off for now and watch "The Corpse Bride" with Eric. Fair-thee-well!