Tillmans

Little Person.....

2010-02-11T09:35:00.001-08:00

My precious little person with those tiny little hands. Touching everything, breaking everything, but reaching out for me even in your sleep. I don't know what I would do without those little hands in my life. I laid down next to you last night and pulled you close to me...you clung to me like a little monkey. You are such an extension of me that you still fit so perfectly there; warm against my belly. You reached those little hands up and grabbed for me. You only held me for a second..all of the maternal instincts inside me come alive to the memories when I held you for the first time, leaned down and kissed your mouth. The little person that I carried inside my body for nine long months. Two years from now and well into eternity I'll hold those little hands...
....even when you push me away because you're growing up too fast and I'm holding you back...
... when you think that you figured out that you don't need me anymore and start pushing me away...
....only to realize that the older you get, the more you will need your momma.

You've left your little fingerprints all over my house and all over my heart and all over my life....I came to work with toothpaste on my pants again from those tiny little hands.......

I don't know how I ever lived without them.

.....

Thanksgiving! 09

2009-11-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

So Liz and Linda are here for Thanksgiving! Going to see the Nutcracker Ballet tonight. I seriously think I am more excited than they are! I've never been before, and I've always wanted to go. Jim and Anna are going to man the home front while Linda, Lizzie and I take on downtown. Hopefully it'll go on without a hitch. I hate driving downtown. One way streets make me homicidal. This will be a good test of patience and will. lol. We spent Thanksgiving at Grandma Janes house per the usual. Ate too much and laughed a lot- which is one of the best parts of Thanksgiving. You realize that you may actually LIKE your family. They're pretty cool people. haha. We got Lizzie a really cool MP3 player for Xmas/ which is why I'm sitting at the computer right now- downloading every Jonas Brothers song ever written.. Now I have like 7 folders of Hanna Montana, Demi whatever-her-name-is and Taylor Swift....the bonus though is listening to Lizzie swamp through the house singing at the top of her lungs. We have gone down in 8year old history for giving the coolest gift ever this year. We're pretty pleased with ourselves...hhaha. On another note, My dad is taking me out shooting in a few weeks. I've never shot a handgun, so I'm super excited aobut it. I need to get a fresh pair of wranglers and some chewing tobacco! Just kidding. He even got me a stianless steel case so I'll look like part of the polish mafia...I love my dad. He's so cool. He called me the other day to tell me him Wii Bowling League won a trophy. That's pretty impressive for an old fart that didn't even know how to text message a few months ago! They're getting with the program! My mom sent me a picture text a couple of days ago...and she has a facebook! It's like the Twilight Zone!

Only ONE post since 09 started??

2009-08-28T18:34:00.000-07:00

I have a friend right now that's pregnant and just started a blog...so I'm reading it and got all nostalgic so I flipped through mine and I realized that MY BABY IS ALMOST 2 years old!!!!!!! And I haven't written in this thing since the beginning of the year. Oops. Well.........We're pregnant again!!!! This is the best possible timing for us to add a new addition!! She is beginning the potty training process, so I'm positive that in the next nine months Anna will be out of diapers! Good thing too, because I don't know how I feel about wiping two little booties :) Everything is going well for us, we're finally pretty much finished with the house, Jim is doing well at work (when he's not out of town for training) and I'm working almost every waking second- which I sort of enjoy in my own twisted way. Here are some recent pics for those of you that keep up with this- that AREN'T on facebook.

It's been AGES since I"ve updated.

2009-02-18T16:17:00.001-08:00

I thought I would be better at this, but being a mother has taken more time than I expected, lol. Anna is 15 months and growing like crazy. She is the light of my life and the major source of most of my frustration. She's about counter height now, so things are harder to keep safe from her wandering hands. Recently, I found my car keys in the garbage can. I'm just thankful it wasn't the toilet. :) We've been throwing every spare cent into the house. It's so much fun renovating. Our recent expenditure is new glass doors across the back of the house. Lowes is coming out for the measurements on Monday. I'll post pics when it's complete.

Anna- 1 year!

2008-11-11T07:43:00.000-08:00

So it feels like everytime I take her in for shots she's got some sort of illness. The last two months have been a nightmare. She got the stomach flu..then I got the stomach flu, now she's got a cold...and Jim is getting it too. Poor thing had to get 5 shots yesterday. Needless to say it was a long, hard day yesterday! lol. I've been sleeping on the living room floor with her because she can't breath very well right now and is waking up every hour or so. I can't wait until she feels better, I feel so bad for her. She is walking really well, and her little vocabulary is growing. She's an amazing little person. And she's finally getting some hair!! YAY!!!! :)

Anna's First B-day!!!

2008-11-11T06:57:00.001-08:00

It went really well! She turned one on October 28th, but on Sunday the 26th I threw a party here at the house for her. She had a blast--well, the other kids did, she was mostly interested in the cake. lol. She loves all of her new toys, but didn't care for unwrapping them.

MMMMM!! Cake!!!

Hurrican Ike---and our new house...

2008-10-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Well, as most of you probably noticed, I have been absolutely horrible at updating this thing these days. We moved into our New house at the end of August. It's been a lot of work getting the place painted and uppacked, but fun also, becuase it's ours!! We lived here all of two weeks when that damned hurricane hit and we had NO ELECTRICITY for 17 days!! Obviously we had to move out to Katy to stay with a few friends because we were under a "boil water notice" and with all electric ameneties and no power anywhere in the area, getting gas, or power to cook and actually boil the water to drink was all but impossible. Plus, Anna wasn't doing well with the whole thing- I think she was feeding off of my stress. So we finally got power back on Sunday evening and we moved back home. I'm so glad to be back, but now we have to finish unpakcing and get settled in. It's a little overwhelming getting all of the debris out of the yard-- which already was full of debris from me trimming the hedges the day before-- there is A LOT of work to be done and not enough hours in the day right now. My goal is to get it all squared away and be able to throw a housewarming party sometime this month so everyone can come see our place. So far I've painted the kitchen, Anna's Room, and the hallway. I really love this house. The longer I'm here-- the more I love it!

Update!!

2008-08-06T07:25:00.000-07:00

Soo, it has been brought to my attention that I haven't updated this thing in a month. Things have been super busy around here!! We bought a house!! We close on the 22 of this month. I can't wait! It's a gorgeous place! I will post pictures ASAP!!

Here's the latest picture of Miss Anna!!! She is AMAZING!!! 9 months old now! She's pulling herself up and trying to walk! 3 teeth and counting!!

Work: My business is kicking butt! I've been SUPER busy with weddings and makeup. LOL. I'm doing the makeup for Channel 13 evening news now and also working for that Talent Agency...and MAC....and myself. Busy busy! But it's a good thing- especially when you are about to buy a house. :)

Best Idea EVER!

2008-07-12T05:58:00.001-07:00

Jim and I went to Jones Hall last night to listen to the Houston Symphony do a tribute to Pink Floyd. It was freaking AMAZING! Probably one of the coolest most soulful things I've done in this city. They are playing again tonight. If you can spare a few hours tonight, I promise, you will NOT be dissappointed!

Long time....

2008-07-09T14:17:00.000-07:00

I know, I know, I've been slacking in this blog lately. I will use the "been busy" excuse. Miss Anna is fully mobile, crawling ALLLLL over the place and getting into everything, and I've been working like a mad woman. ANd we've been house hunting. AND I've been feeling a little lazy these days, lol. Anna is growing so fast. She's got two teeth now. They're adorable. And we've got bite marks all over everything in our house. She's pulling herself up on furniture and most likely going to walk any day now! She says mama and dada to no one in particular. I can't figure out if she knows what she's saying or not. But who cares, her little voice is amazing! :) She does this thing we call "grape cheeks." She sucks on her bottom teeth and all of the fat in her cheeks squeezes into little balls. It looks like she's got a mouth full of grapes. It's my favorite face in the whole world. Jim and I are doing well. House hunting. It's tedious. It's hard to find a neighborhood that I like enough to want to live in for the next ten years. Eek. BUT, I hate renting. I hate white walls. :) That about sums up our month!

Minnesota vacation!!!!

2008-06-19T21:05:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back from our week long get away!! Anna handled her first plane ride amazingly well! I was almost SHOCKED!! She slept pretty much the whole flight and then played the "I'll-throw-my-toys-on-the-ground-and-you-keep-getting-them" game.
The trip itself was fun. It usually takes four days to get settled in and then you have to leave.lol. It rained a lot and I pretty much had the worst bad luck streak of my life. Lost my wallet and had to pass through a bunch of extra security to get on the plane, the airport lost my luggage, Anna broke my cell phone...the list goes on. Oh, and the teenagers are out for summer vacation so when we got home our whole street had their houses wrapped in toilet paper. I really expected the house to burn down just to top it all off. lol. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the trip!!!

Our Vegetable Garden!!!

2008-06-04T07:17:00.000-07:00

So I planted some basil, red and green bell pepper and Squash this spring and guess what?! I have a little bell pepper hanging off of my plant! Wahoo!! I noticed it last week, but today it is taking the shape of a real bell pepper. :) I'm so excited!

I also planted some elephant ears and a lily in the fron yard and they seem to be growing fine. Not nearly as exciting as the veggies. :)

Look what my baby can do!!!!!!!

2008-05-27T19:47:00.000-07:00

Anna's Baptism Pics

2008-05-16T07:58:00.001-07:00

God working his magic with my pastor and Debbie!!

Anna and her godmother

it was a windy day!

Kidney Infection :(

2008-05-16T07:21:00.000-07:00

Just wanted to keep everyone in the loop with Miss Anna. We spent the afternoon at the hospital yesterday because she was running fever of 103 degrees for a few days and we couldn't seem to get it under control. We got there and they couldn't figure out the source of the fever so they gave her a catheter and checked her urine for bacteria. Unfortunately she does have bacteria and white blood cells in her urine- which means that she had a bladder infection that has now become a kidney infection. Apparently this can be a very serious condition for a baby, so keep her in your prayers. They had to give her a shoot yesterday to try to battle the bacteria that is causing this, and she has to go in today for another shoot and to check the cultures from the lab. She will have to go in Monday or Tuesday for an ultrasound to check the damage that this has done to her little kidneys.

Last night her fever peaked at almost 106 degrees, but it finally broke and even though she is weak right now she is acting more like herself than she has in a week, so I'm hoping that the shot is doing it's thing!

My sweet sweet Anna!!

2008-05-03T16:40:00.000-07:00

She's getting baptized tomorrow! I'm so excited for her! I just know that God has amazing things in store for my sweet little girl!

Allergies

2008-04-28T15:56:00.000-07:00

So it looks like Miss Anna is allergic to Pears. She has the worst rash I have ever seen in my life on her little tush. Poor thing is absolutely miserable. And so are we! We've been having to give her oatmeal baths and put her in cloth diapers. I feel so bad for her. :( But, she's a trooper. Still her smiling self-- we let her hang out in her play pen while we cleared out some of the brush in the yard today. She loves being outdoors. Definitely takes after us! :) It was such a beautiful day today-- and one of the first that Jim and I have had off together in a really long time!!

Who doesn't love pictures!!!

2008-04-19T10:03:00.000-07:00

Oh, and if you get a chance, please please check out my website, www.makemeuphouston.com

CRUISE!!!

2008-04-10T16:53:00.000-07:00

Jim and I just got back from a 5 day cruise to Cozumel and Progresso, Mexico. It was a BLAST!! I missed Anna so much though, that was the worst part. It was so hard to go to sleep at night without taking care of her first. BUT---we got to relax, and lounge by the beach and consume ridiculous amounts of alcohol. lol. I still feel like I'm on a boat though....vertigo or something. We went snorkeling in cozumel...it was by far one of the coolest things I've ever done. Looking at all of those corals and tropical fish was amazing!! Here are a few pics...

That's our ship behind me

Pics!

2008-03-27T06:45:00.001-07:00

This is my favorite picture from Jim's Birthday..it's hilarious;

Here's Erin and I! Both a few months postpartum...Finally taking some downtime without the new additions!

Oh Yeah...

2008-03-26T08:11:00.000-07:00

I have another blog for my company also---feel free to check it out. it's
http://makemeuphouston.blogspot.com/

Here's what's been going on lately!!
Anna had her first Easter. We went over to Kim and David's house and pigged out on fajitas and spent some down time with the family. It was a blast! Anna got to wear her adorable dress that she got from Aunt Jackie-- She also got a beautiful one from her sister Lizzie, she wore that one on Saturday to Erin and Jamison's house where we colored some eggs...(okay,okay, I colored them..Anna just sat there.)
I will post the pics when Aunt Kim emails them to me!

I've been working a lot on my website...and doing a TON of photoshoots recently. Which has been a blast...exhausting! But a blast!

Jim just celebrated his...brace yourself--28th birthday. We threw him a big party here at the house. It was great to get to see all of our friends and eat way too much...and probably drink way too much too. I have some pics from that as well- but a friend of ours was the photographer, and most of the pictures are pretty random. haha.

Other than that we're just working. Anna is rolling over now, and trying to sit up. She is the most amazing little person. I love her so much!

We're leaving for our cruise April 5-10. I'm super excited for the vacation, but completely dreading leaving Anna for 5 days with my sister! I'm going to be a mess, I know it. I haven't spent the night without her. Ever. We're going to Cozumel, so I'm sure the relaxation--and the chance to sleep through the night- will distract us enough to get through it.
Sorry I've been slacking on this thing- I've just been crazy lately. Fortunately all of that is worked itself out. I had to design and launch the site myself, which was a lot of tedious work, but I figured it out. So now I have more time to keep you all updated! More to come!

My WEBSITE!!!

2008-03-21T12:16:00.000-07:00

It's officially launched!! That's probably why I haven't been on here posting as often! It's a lot of work to build a webpage. :) Check it out!! and let me know what you think!!!

www.makemeuphouston.com

She's GROWING too fast!

2008-03-08T11:09:00.000-08:00

Look at my little girl. She's going to be crawling soon.

The latest and greatest!

2008-03-03T12:59:00.000-08:00

So, Anna went to the doctor on monday the 25th and got 6 shots in the legs! Of course, mommy 'couldn't make it' for the shots, so Daddy had to man up and hold the little tike down while the nurse stabbed her 6 times!! (it wasn't THAT bad). Some good news came from the doctor visit too! At just under 4 months old she was ALMOST 27 inches long, and 16.9 lbs. She is height / weight proportionate, and literaly OFF the charts for her length at her age. We started Vitamins A, D, and C and Iron liquid supplement because of how big she is. We don't want any liver problems in her future because she grew so fast!! Anyway, here are some recent pictures of our monster girl! Enjoy!

Look at my precious little girl laughing!!!!

2008-02-17T18:54:00.001-08:00

I loove my daddy....

2008-02-16T08:26:00.000-08:00

Anna did the cutest thing the other day! Jim was laying with her, and she grabbed his cheeks, pulled his face to hers and tried to suck on his lips! It was the cutest thing. She loves us!!!

Updates...

2008-02-16T08:17:00.000-08:00

Look at the cute shoes my Aunt Candi sent me!!

I haven't posted in a few days...I've been sleep deprived. hahaha. Anna's been really gassy and fussy at night the past week or so. Yuck. Poor thing...it's my fault. Whatever I'm eating is just NOT agreeing with her. :( She's so freaking cute during the day though! She laughs so hard now...and she smiles all the time! Here are some recent pics

Rollin...Rollin...Rollin.,......

2008-02-08T11:02:00.000-08:00

Anna rolled Yesterday!!!!! From her back to her stomach... I am the epitome of a proud mother right now :)

WHEN DOES IT END?????

2008-02-04T10:01:00.000-08:00

I'm watching the news...and in Houston....AGAIN....THIS WEEK..... they found a little boy starved to death and thrown in a dumpster. In an effing dumpster?! How do people just throw away people??? Just throw them away like they're nothing? there are no words.

The News....

2008-02-03T06:01:00.000-08:00

I've been following the story of little Elijah and his SICK BASTARD father, and it's just breaking my heart. If you're not aware of what story I'm referring to then you're lucky-- because I can't get the image out of my head. This 21 year old father stomped his 3 month old son to death with his foot. His FOOT?! It literally sickens me to think about it. But ever since I heard it, it's all I can think about. And to add insult to injury he just tossed his little boy into the street..like he was nothing. Anna is 3 months old. She brings me so much joy, I can't imagine her ever doing anything that would make me want to hurt her...she's the picture of innocence right now. All I keep thinking is that I wish they didn't do away with the electric chair.
Well, now that I've completely depressed you....

Jim took Anna with him to Katy so my sister could babysit her and he could help Brian fix his fence (and I could go to work).... I just realized that this is the first time I have been home without Anna since she was born!!! HOLY COW!! I've been tip toeing around trying not to wake the baby when it dawned on me!! I'm going to take a RIDICULOUSLY LOOOOONNNNG shower, and shave BOTH legs :) And take way to long to do my hair and makeup....I can't wait. I might even paint my toenails. :) I don't have to be at work until 12:30, so I've got a few hours to lounge!! YAY. :)

Anna!!

2008-01-31T16:50:00.000-08:00

She's so pretty. :)

Being a mom makes you cheesy...But I just love this...

2008-01-30T18:47:00.001-08:00

A Newborn's Conversation With God

A baby asked God, "They tell me you are sending me to earth tomorrow, but how am I going to live there being so small and helpless?"

God said, "Your angel will be waiting for you and will take care of you."

The child further inquired, "But tell me, here in heaven I don't have to do anything but sing and smile to be happy."

God said, "Your angel will sing for you and will also smile for you. And you will feel your angel's love and be very happy."

Again the child asked, "And how am I going to be able to understand when people talk to me if I don't know the language?"

God said, "Your angel will tell you the most beautiful and sweet words you will ever hear, and with much patience and care, your angel will teach you how to speak."

"And what am I going to do when I want to talk to you?"

God said, "Your angel will place your hands together and will teach you how to pray."

"Who will protect me?"

God said,"Your angel will defend you even if it means risking its life."

"But I will always be sad because I will not see you anymore."

God said, "Your angel will always talk to you about me and will teach you the way to come back to me, even though I will always be next to you."

At that moment there was much peace in Heaven, but voices from Earth could be heard and the child hurriedly asked, "God, if I am to leave now, please tell me my angel's name."

God said, "You will simply call her, "Mom."

My child is adorable

2008-01-30T14:00:00.000-08:00

New Pictures...

2008-01-30T13:51:00.001-08:00

First of all...remember that picture way back when of Mister Pickles sleeping in Anna's Bassinet before she was born?? Well...This is what I found the other day in her stroller.....

Look at my little eater!!!

2008-01-30T13:08:00.000-08:00

Soooo... after extensive research, we thought we'd try a little rice cereal today..here's what she thought..

It was a success!! She kept going "um num num num" after every bite. It was hysterical!!

I cut my hair!

2008-01-25T15:37:00.000-08:00

Anna always either pulls it out or throws up in it...so I chopped it off. I forgot how much $ you save on shampoo with short hair! It's great! :)

Stupid Half Asleep Mommy!!

2008-01-25T07:11:00.000-08:00

This morning I grabbed Anna to change her diaper...on my bed of all places. Well, the second I took her diaper off SPLASH. She peed all over my bed. I guess I should be grateful it wasn't poop!!! :) Parenthood never gets boring.

What Motherhood has taught me...

2008-01-17T16:39:00.000-08:00

I have learned...

...babies are the true meaning of love. I can be peed on pooped on, spit up on, vomitted on, woken up every 2 hours, have sore boobs, hold her until my arms feel like they're going to break off, and still melt everytime I see a toothless grin.

... that it is ok to get frustrated with feeling like I can not do anything but take care of Anna...this time will pass soon enough, and I will miss it when she is running out the door to play with her friends and I have all the time in the world to myself.

I have learned that I will never be the perfect mom...i will be learning what that means for the rest of my life.

...that even though I can not wait for the next milestone--holding toys, crawling,etc--it means giving up to some extent what I have now, like her being perfectly content in my arms.

...that nap time is a sacred time.

...that you never, EVER, wake a sleeping baby.

...a little dog hair, or dirt will not kill a child

...don't bounce the baby around immediately after they've eaten.

...it's ok to use formula.

...don't believe everything people tell you about when they raised their kids.

...trust your mother instinct, it's almost always right.

...your pediatrician will not be mad at you if you call for something in the middle of the night.

...it's OK to let them cry for a bit so you can go to the bathroom, make your coffee, take a breath, etc...(as long as they're safe of course)

...how lucky I am to have such a great husband...he is so hands on, and so helpful, he is a great father, and great husband, and a great man, and I try to remember that everyday.

...how much I love my mom, how much i am like my mom....and for once, that's a good thing, and how much I need and cherish her advice.

...motherhood has made me prioritize, and has made me more organized...you HAVE to be organized to get out of the house on time for anything.

...it is the least selfish thing I have everdone...

...that THIS is what "IT" is all about. Motherhood is my purpose, it is my day and night, it is my breath, and my every thought. I don't want to remember what life was like before her...it was lonely and boring. Now I laugh everyday, I smile more, I hug more, I love more, I live more.

Update!!

2008-01-16T07:53:00.000-08:00

I'm starting to fit into most of my materity clothes- which is AWESOME!! My goal is to ba back down to my pre pregnancy weight by Valentine's Day. But who really knows anyway because I don't have a scale. Haha. Ali, Luke (the bestman from our wedding), Chris (a groomsman) and Kory are coming to stay with us this weekend! They finally get to meet Miss Anna!! I can't wait. The semester started back on Monday. I'm taking online classes. What the heck was I thinking? I signed up for an online Spanish Class. Holy cow. It's going to be WORK. I'm also taking a history class that I'm really excited about. I love History. :) I am planning to get my certification to teach Aerobic Classes on March 15th. I can't WAIT! Gyms have childcare so I can bring Anna to work with me- and get a nice workout!! Valentine's Day is coming up and Jim and I are getting PROFESSIONAL MASSAGES!! Wahoo! He's never had one before and I really want to take him. :) I suck at giving massages, so this gets me off the hook for awhile. Haha. Anna is growing so fast!! She's started laughing now!! She's only done it a few times, but it's adorable!!

Every Woman....

2008-01-11T20:13:00.000-08:00

My Aunt sent me this..and I jsut love the rawness and total truth about it!

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD HAVE...
...one old love she can imagine going back to... and one who reminds
her how far she has come...
...enough money within her control to move out and rent a place of her
own... even if she never wants to or needs to...
...something perfect to wear if the employer or date of her dreams
wants
to see her in an hour...
...a youth she's content to leave behind...
...a past juicy enough that she's looking forward to retelling it in
her
old age...
...the realization that she is actually going to have an old age and
some money set aside to fund it...
...a set of screwdrivers, a cordless drill, and a black lace bra...
...one friend who always makes her laugh... and one who lets her cry...
...a good piece of furniture not previously owned by anyone else in her
family...
...eight matching plates, wine glasses with stems, and a recipe for a
meal that will make her guests feel honored...
...a resume that is not even slightest bit padded...
...a feeling of control over her destiny...
... a skin care regimen, an exercise routine, and a plan for dealing
with those few other facets of life that don't get better after 30...
... a solid start on a satisfying career, a satisfying, relationship,
and all those other facets of life that do get better after 30...

EVERY WOMAN SHOULD KNOW...
...how to fall in love without losing herself...
...how she feels about having kids...
...how to quit a job, break up with a lover, and confront a friend
without ruining the friendship...
...when to try harder... and when to walk away...
...how to have a good time at a party she'd never choose to attend...
...how to ask for what she wants in a way that makes it most likely
she'll get it...
...that she can't change the length of her calves, the width of her
hips, or the nature of her parents...
...that her childhood may not have been perfect... but its over...
...what she would and wouldn't do for love or more...
...how to live alone... even if she doesn't like it...
...whom she can trust, whom she can't, and why she shouldn't take it
personally...
...where to go... be it to her best friend's kitchen table... or a
charming inn in the woods... when her soul needs soothing...
...what she can and can't accomplish in a day... a month... and a
year...

Work Work Work

2008-01-06T20:01:00.000-08:00

Well, I'm full on back to work, and school starts on the 14th. I'm loving and hating it all at once. I feel like Anna is sort of adjusting, but her schedule is all jacked up now. We're working on getting it back to normal. I'm hoping to move her into her own room in the next month....IF (and it's a big IF) she decides to sleep through the night. She's only waking up at about 5am or so, but it's not consistent and I just don't have the energy to run across the house right now. She's doing great though. I love love love being a parent. We have the coolest little girl. She smiles ALL the time now. It's great.

New Year.....

2008-01-04T06:40:00.000-08:00

I'm hoping that this will have the same effect as writing down a to-do list..maybe the likelihood that I'll stick to these goals will improve :)

1. Be more open minded with food (ie, stop eating with my eyes) I always go off of the way something looks as to whether or not I'll eat it. I've realized that this is stupid, because fish with the skin on it tastes EXACTLY the same as fish with the skin off of it.

2. Lose this last 10 lbs of baby weight, get back into shape. I loved working out before I got pregnant. I miss it. I miss my cute clothes.

3. Be a great mom. You only get the chance to impact a life this much once. Noone will ever need me like my child does. I want to be knowledgable of her needs, but not over spoiling.

4. TAKE THIS ADVICE-----"If God delivers you from a messy relationship, friend or situation, why do you keep PULLING THEM BACK? Let it go!"
I don't think this needs explanation.

5. Be more "warm." The chicks at work said that I'm not "warm and inviting." Apparently people are afraid to hug me because I'm unapproachable and not necessarily a "huggie" type person. I think I got ruined in highschool when everyone would hug after every class. It's kind of creapy. But, nonetheless, I want people to feel comforted by my presence and not intimidated by it.

6. Be a better wife. Jim's a great guy. I forget that sometimes. I need to cut him more slack.

7. This should be the first one up there.. Get intuned with God. I know that "you only live once" BS is a contagious theory, but what about the bigger picture? I don't want to just believe in God, I want a growing relationship with him.

8. Forgive myself. I suck at this, have always sucked at this, and need to just do it all ready.

9. Get some investments going. Short term and long term. Because if
"you only live once" ---it might as well be in a nice place that you OWN.

10. Finish my degree! Seriously Janet...how long does it take to graduate college? I'm not going for a world record here!

I'm pretty sure I could fill up this page with a bunch of junk that I plan to change come 2008, because I do it every year...and unfortunately, they're usually the same resolutions. ***hangs head in shame***

New Year!!

2008-01-02T08:57:00.000-08:00

Lizzie and LInda went home yesterday. It was so nice to see them! I miss them all ready. I forget how much I love it when Linda is in town. She has this relaxing vibe about her. I like it. And Lizzie LOVED her new baby sister! She wanted to help all the time and fed her and hold her. I think Anna liked it too. She would just stare at Lizzie and smile. I got some adorable pictures. We rung in the New Year like old folks :) We all were in bed by 10:30. Hahaha. I watched the ball drop on the news the next morning. And I don't feel the least bit bothered by it either! I needed the sleep. My Aunt Jackie, Uncle Ismael, and cousins Gabby and Annie came into town also and got to meet Anna for the first time. I had a great week.

Anna's First Christmas!!!

2007-12-26T06:52:00.000-08:00

She looked ADORABLE in her little outfit!

Christmas Eve was spent at Great Grandma Jane's house and then Christmas Day was Spent at Grandma Carla and Grandpa Rick's (my parents)! She wasn't nearly as miserable as she was on Thanksgiving, thank goodness! And the weather was absolutely beautiful for both days. Ironically, we got a nasty cold front last night, so it's cold and rainy today. It's a good time to stay inside and clean up the Christmas leftover mess!!
Anna raked in the loot!

But I liked my gift the best :)

OH NO!!!

2007-12-22T12:52:00.001-08:00

Well, I've been waking up now for several weeks now with annoyingly numb fingertips, and sometimes even during the day. I chalked it up to the epidural, figuring that maybe they had pinched a nerve and that it would wear off eventually. Well, it seems to have gotten worse, and so I called and asked my doctor about it. Looks like I'm in the beginning stages of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome. It hadn't even occured to me. But being that I'm a makeup artist and a writer- I guess it sort of makes sense. But I thought this was something people in their 40's get after years of typing.... But the DR said that age isn't really a factor..more often it happens to older people, but I spend the majority of my life either typing articles on the computer...playing online, or putting makeup on people...so I'm just as active with my hands as the 40 year old typist. :) I always thought I would get shin splints from standing too long on tile floors at work. I never thought the actual WORK would mess me up! BUt it's not that big a deal, apparently I can pop a few tylenol and wear support gloves for circulation. Sexy :) So say a prayer for me!!

Slackers..

2007-12-20T19:14:00.000-08:00

I've been neglecting my poor blog this week. BUT-- I have a decent excuse. Erin had her baby boy yesterday. Dylan Reid Collins. 8lbs 2oz. He's a cutie...and MUCH MUCH smaller than Anna was. I got my X mas shopping done, finally. And started back to work on Tuesday. Working was harder than I thought it would be. I couldn't stand being away from Anna! She's been my little side kick for these past weeks. It was so hard to leave her home. Grant it, I'm only working part time, and only 5 hour shifts, but I was heartbroken!! It was all worth it when I came home and saw Anna sitting with her daddy on the chair. I went over to her and she looked up at me and smiled one of the BIGGEST smiles I've ever seen her make! It was priceless. She's graduated into 3-6 month clothing now! At 7 weeks! Can you believe it? I found my new favorite hobby....taking pictures of Anna in the bathtub. She LOVES bath time. It's so cute because her little butt and legs float so you have to hold her so she doesnt slide around. It cracks me up. :) Christmas snuck up on me this year...it's 70 degrees outside! ridiculous! This back and forth weather has everyone sick! ugh!

Here are some New pics of Miss Anna!
Her favorite past time..

Mommy LOVES my jammies!

And my FAVORITE!! ANNA'S FIRST SMILE!!!

Baby For Sale....

2007-12-14T00:04:00.000-08:00

It's 2 am. Guess where I am? Sitting here listening to my moody baby groan in her swing. She slept ALL day yesterday because I was drving around so much running Xmas errands....and now I'm paying for all the peace and quiet I had all day. UGH. GO TO SLEEP!!!!! I hope this doesn't mean she'll sleep all day again and do this tomorrow. I can hear Jim snoring from the other room. I'm so jealous. :)

Xmas....

2007-12-12T06:12:00.000-08:00

So here we are, barely two weeks from Christmas, and I have not purchased a single gift. All of the holidays just snuck up on me this year. We haven't even gotten a Christmas tree...Think anyone would care if they got a New Years gift? Just kidding. I know exactly what I want to get everyone. I even wrote it all out weeks and weeks ago. But I never made it to the store....I haven't even bought stamps for the X mas cards yet. I'm having my next kid in the spring if I can help it! :) I love you all. I promise!

6 Weeks old!!!

2007-12-10T07:44:00.000-08:00

My little peanut is getting so big! She's 12.4 lbs right now. She started smiling, holding her head up, she even rolled from her back to her side twice!~~~ and she's getting a little personality on her. :) I have my 6 week post partum check up this week, and then it's back to work for me! Yuck. I realized that I didn't post any pictures from Thanksgiving....and here is why.

They all look like this. She was not happy that day. At All. Hopefully things will be better at Xmas. :)

JIM'S FAMILY!!!!

2007-12-03T06:15:00.000-08:00

I really hope you guys are still reading this, because I'm still doing it! I jsut wanted to tell you all that I apparently have a lot of the WRONG addresses for you guys because a lot of the announcements were sent back to me. So if you didn't get one, it's because I have the wrong address for you. Linda just gave me some newer ones, so I'm trying again. I just didnt want anyone to think that I forgot about them :) Hope all is well with everyone!! I'm really jealous that you guys are actually having a winter season. It was 80 degrees here yesterday :( And humid. Ridiculous.

Look At This One...

2007-11-25T18:08:00.000-08:00

I call this, "WHOA DADDY- that's a cold washcloth"

Our Wee One..

2007-11-25T16:48:00.000-08:00

She's almost a month already! Can you believe it??? She started smiling the other day. Only for Jim though. I only get that open mouthed, "feed me" expression :) she's getting such a little personality on her. I love it! I can't believe how fast she's growing up.

HELP!!

2007-11-22T19:42:00.001-08:00

Hey Everyone!!!
As usual, I'm walking to support the AIDS Foundation Houston. This is such an important philanthropy for me because of my age group and the rising epidemic in my generation and my daughters generation!! Please help me support this cause by donating! Also, pleasde forward this to anyone else that you think may be interested in getting behind this cause!!

Click the link below to donate-- BONUS! It's tax deductible!! :) Please help if you can, every penny helps!

A Million Thanks!!,
Janet Tillmans
To make a donation online, visit my personal page.
http://afh.convio.net/goto/janettillmans
To send a donation, mail to:
Janet Tillmans
3410 Dawnwood Lane
Woodlands, TX 77380-1235

Make all checks payable to: AIDS Foundation Houston

Gobble Gobble

2007-11-22T05:36:00.000-08:00

Happy Thanksgiving!! I have soooo many things to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. I am thankful for the fact that God knows my heart. Back in February when I took that pregnancy test I was terrified. I just knew taht Jim and I weren't ready to be parents. I'm so thankful that God knew better!!! I am eternally grateful for the precious Angel that is keeping me up at night :) For the family that God has chosen me to be a part of, for the new house we just got! For the financial freedom to be able to stay home with my little Anna for a few more weeks. For an easy pregnancy and delivery, for great friends, great memories, and great things to come!!! God is good!

Mommy and Baby

2007-11-14T13:14:00.000-08:00

Doing what she does best...

2007-11-09T13:16:00.000-08:00

Anna Update!!

2007-11-09T08:21:00.000-08:00

She lost her umbilical cord last night. I can't believe she's almost two weeks old!! I'm starting to feel human again. We actually got some sleep last night, so I feel pretty good! She's such a sweet little cuddler! We're getting the hang of breastfeeding. She's a little piglet, but it's nice to have her rely on me so much. :) She LOVES to take baths-that's her and her daddy's time! He washes her and wraps her in a towel and she's so alert after that for a few hours..they just hang out. It's so cute. She's really alert for how young she is, it's impressive. She spends at least a few hours a day just looking around. She's started spitting up..on everything. So I've entered the part of parenthood where I constantly have milk on my shirt. haha. :) We're starting to get more settled into the house. Almost finished unpacking. We have a lot of stuff!! But we LOVE it here. It's so nice and peaceful to have your neighbors 50 feet away instead of only seperated by a thin wall.

Our Little Pumpkin...

2007-11-04T07:22:00.000-08:00

She's doing great. So freaking adorable, and for the most part, a pretty easy baby. She's really gassy, poor thing, and that's the only time she gets crabby. I, however, look like hammered do-do. I have spit up in my hair, breast milk down the front of my shirt, and bags under my eyes the size of a small country. And I'm looking sickeningly pale these days too, probably due to the massive loss of blood last week. All the while, she's just getting cuter. :) Motherhood is a funny thing. I was a little worried that I would get some form of the baby blues, but none so far...well, except for the general moodiness toward my poor unsuspecting husband. My doctor said it was normal. Probably because I'm so tired and sore from this breast feeding adventure...which we're actually getting the hang of by-the-way. Anyway--I got the blonde haired, blue eyed baby girl that I wanted. Though in six months she'll most likely have dark hair and brown eyes like her daddy. I'm okay with that. :) But only if in six months I can fit into my bluejeans again.

Our Little Skittle

2007-10-31T18:33:00.001-07:00

I had to share these pictures. She is the cutest baby that ever lived. See for yourself!!!

She's Here and She's Perfect!

2007-10-30T08:00:00.001-07:00

Anna’s Birth Story!!

This gorgeous little one was born on her due date at 2:20 pm weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs 2 oz 21 inches long!!

Here’s Her story!

Well, Saturday the 27th I was having a nagging back pain and painless contractions so I thought maybe I might be headed toward labor. I ended up taking a lot of hot baths trying to work that annoying kink out of my lower back.

At 2 am I woke up thinking my water was leaking so we headed to the hospital. We got there and they took us into the triage room and hooked me up to the monitor. My contractions were barely registering, she couldn’t reach my cervix to even check for dilation, and the tests proved that it wasn’t even my water that had broken. That is such a crappy feeling!! The nurse told us to go home, pop some Benedryl and get some sleep. She said I was only in pre labor and this would probably take at least 12 more hours, etc. So we followed her advice. We got home at 4am and both took a Benedryl. At 6:30 am (2 ½ hours later!) I woke up in screaming pain with contractions 3 minutes apart. I was thinking, “No way am I in labor, the lady just told me that I wasn’t!” Meanwhile, I’m in excruciating pain and the contractions stayed consistent. I tried to wake my DH, but he was doped up on that darn Benedryl and all he did was sort of moan and tell me it was okay…I was NOT okay. I was dying!
I was afraid to go back to L & D because I didn’t want them to turn me away, but I was in so much pain, I didn’t know what else to do. So I waited. The contractions were 2 1/2 –3 minutes apart for 2 ½ hours. Finally, I couldn’t take it any more, I decided that if they weren’t going to admit me, I would stay in the parking lot until they did!
We walked back into L&D at 9am. They checked me- I was at 5 cm! OUCH. I went from 2 to 5 cm in two hours. I was progressing really quickly. They got me to my room and hooked up to an IV by about 10:45, got my epidural by 11 am- all ready 6cm dilated! Everything was GREAT after that. My mom and sister and Anna’s Godmother showed up. I gave birth in my room, it was very intimate and calming! We were joking with the Doctor, it was so casual, I loved it. I dilated so fast! I was at 9 ½ cm at 1:45. My mom held one leg, my sister held the other, and my hubby stood behind me. After only 20 minutes of pushing, Anna was here! She didn’t even cry- I think she was just happy to be able to stretch out! They put her under the heat lamps and she just laid out like a belly up fish. Poor thing was so squished in there! I ended up with a 2nd degree cut, which isn’t bad considering how huge this girl was!!! We’re doing great! Anna is such a good nurser, she could suck the drapes off the wall! I’m so happy to have her here! She’s absolutely gorgeous and mild mannered. She’s been so good letting us sleep and she rarely cries. We are so blessed!

A Long Awaited Blessing...

2007-10-29T19:45:00.001-07:00

On the 28th of October, 2007 Anna Katherine Tillmans was born at 2:20 PM. Surprisingly, even after all the bets had been placed for the baby pool, she arrived exactly on her original due date. I guess the pot goes to the Doctor! Here are some pictures that we have been waiting to take for 40 weeks!

Officially OVERDUE.

2007-10-27T07:20:00.000-07:00

This little lag. Well, actually, my original due date was October 28th, so I'm not really going to freak out until tomorrow. :) It's the only way to keep the sanity around here. Well, we're getting the keys to the house at 6 pm on Monday!! YAY. I will most likely be in the hospital, but who the heck cares, we have a house! I'm so insanely excited about that. Now, if only this little one would show up...

Cross Your fingers!

2007-10-25T09:47:00.000-07:00

I had a few contractions last night, but they were sporadic and petered out before I had a chance to get really excited. Today I had my membranes swept again at my appointment. I'm feeling a little crampy and I'm spotting. I'm crossing my fingers that the full moon works it's magic tonight and I get to meet my little one in the next 24 hours!!

No Labor Signs :(

2007-10-24T04:28:00.000-07:00

What's going on?? I'm due on FRIDAY. In 2 days! Where are the contractions? Where are the signs of impending labor? Is she going to stay in there forever? It's so annoying these last weeks where you're constantly thinking, "Is this is? Is this a labor contraction?..Or is it indigestion from the tacos?" What a mess. haha. I have a doctors appointment tomorrow morning, I'm going to let her strip my membranes again...hopefully it will help push me into labor atleast by Friday. Tomorrow is a full moon though, so maybe she'll get all worked up in there and shoot out! I just assume she's a native Texan and is scared of the cold :) She must have more Janet than Jim in her!! We're getting really anxious! That's the understatement of the century, I think. Things are really rolling over here, we're almost finished packing to move into the house NEXT WEEKEND!! WahoO!! Our hospital bags are ready to go, I've nested this place so much I think I washed the varnish off of the kitchen counter, and now we wait. Again. haha. It's really not bad, until the evenings. Then I HATE being pregnant. I feel like the good year blimp when I try to go to sleep. It reminds me of that old cartoon with the hippo wearing a tu tu and roller skates. NOT graceful at all. Really makes you appreciate your body and realize that you never want to be morbidly obese because it hurts your back too badly! On an even more pitiful note, we've been trying all of those self induction methods to try and help induce labor. Walking, eating random foods that people swear by, etc... I could make a huge list, but it wouldn't change the fact that I'm STILL pregnant. So none of it works. I really thought about castor oil yesterday. REALLY thought about it. But then I gagged and realized GROSS!!! What am I thinking? I just have a few days left! I don't want to spend them on the toilet!!! :) hahaha. Well, I always feel better when I blog- love you all.

Down to the Wire!

2007-10-22T01:07:00.000-07:00

It's almost time! I have so much on my mind right now, it's keeping me up at 3 in the morning! I'm so sick and tired of being pregnant. It's exhausting. I'm tired of back pain and constantly having to pee. I'm tired of not being able to roll over in bed. It gets frustrating this late in the game! And I keep thinking, "What if I go past my due date?" UGH! I can't stand the thought of being pregnant for several more WEEKS. I don't know how people tolerate that. I am just holding on to the thought that SOME people go early...maybe will be one of those people. We've tried EVERYTHING though. All of the lame old wives tales that swear to put you in labor...well, all except the castor oil. No thanks. Well, I have come to the conclusion that NONE of those things work. She will come when she feels like it and not a second before. It really sucks not to have any control over this situation :)But I'm still going to walk 3 miles tomorrow, like I've done for the past three days. WHY? Because even if I don't go into labor immediately...and even if it makes me a heck of a lot more sore at night when I try to go to sleep...maybe the workout will fix a different problem----maybe my butt will go back to it's normal size after I have the baby. :)

MINNESOTA FAMILY!

2007-10-19T04:59:00.000-07:00

Unfortunately, we will not be able to make it up there for December 1st like we had originally planned. I'm so bummed out about this, but with the move on November 1st, and all of the commotion with the impending arrival, I didn't think it through well enough to not stress myself out! We are going to plan for something in late January or early February depending on how cold of a winter you guys get. I hate that you'll have to meet little Anna via the internet for a few months. But I promise, we will get her up there sooner rather than later! I'm only taking the 6 alloted weeks off for maternity leave, so chances are, I will be back to work before the second week of December. Yuck. I wanted to see if we could swing a trip up there for Christmas, but I think my boss would kill me. I'm going to leave that decision for when Anna actually arrives though. It all depends on her. We love you guys! I wish that we could see you all more often!

When will it be my turn????

2007-10-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Went to the Doctor today! 2 cm and almost fully effaced. So she swept my membranes..which hurts like a mother, but will hopefully send me into labor in the next 72 hours. Cross your fingers!! I feel fine...a little crampy and exhausted, but I would perk right up if I started getting some contractions!! Come on labor!!!

Time...

2007-10-16T07:10:00.000-07:00

Only about a week and a half left until it's time for Anna to show up!! I have another appointment on the 18th (Thursday). Part of me is hoping that I'll be dialated to 5 and she'll have to keep me there! :) I'm starting to come to terms with the pregnancy, and I've decided that rushing it is pointless. I'd stay pregnant for an entire year if that meant that Anna would be healthy. I just can't wait to look at her. And see a little Jim and and little Janet in there. Hopefully mostly Janet since she's a girl :) We're soooo excited. Every once in a while I'll just look over at Jim and say, "We're going to have a baby! Can you believe it!" hahaha. It's not going to sink in until I hold her. Everything is packed and ready to go. The nursery is ready....the dishes are washed...mostly everything is packed and ready for the new house. All we need is a little Anna to add to the mix! Just say a quick prayer for me that I go into labor naturally and don't have to be induced! I really want to do this on my own without all of the medicine (well, without the pitocin)

Baby Anxiety!

2007-10-12T06:03:00.000-07:00

I'm DYING to get this little woman out here into the world, but I'm so back and forth with it right now. I've just become fully aware of how long FOREVER is as a parent. And it's not that I'm not ready and willing to make that sacrifice...it's that I'm not sure that everything is ready for her. The place isn't clean enough for a new baby...it's not big enough...it's not safe enough..it's not perfect..enough. I've read about this ridiculous desire to nest with the upcoming arrival, but I've been nesting for months, and I still don't feel like this place is ready. And now I'm afraid I'm running out of time! I've been packing the place up for the move, so maybe it just feels kind of cluttered right now. I can't wait to move into the house! Only 2 1/2 more weeks of this crappy apartment! YAY! I'm hoping Anna comes sooner rather than later so that we can get a little used to our sleeping patterns :) The good news, is that if she comes on her due dat, Jim is off that whole week anyway for paternity leave, and he can pretty much get the place in order before he goes back to work. We've been SO blessed with pretty much everyone we know offering to help move our things and help us unpack it all. Or come hold Anna while we unpack it all. That took the stress right out of moving! I've been having really vivid dreams about miss Anna lately. It's weird. She's always way older...like 4 or 5. I can't picture her as an infant for some reason. I'm not afraid of parenthood..but I'm afraid of giving her a bath! I'm afraid she'll be all slippery and jump right out of my hands! I would have a nervous breakdown right then. :)

Almost 38 weeks!

2007-10-11T11:17:00.000-07:00

Went to the Doctor today...I'm 1 1/2 Centimeter dialated adn 75% effaced. What does that mean exactly??? Pretty much nothing. She could come today....or in two weeks. Let's hope she comes today :)

I Married Spiderman!!

2007-10-08T14:33:00.000-07:00

Haha. Jim dressed up as Spiderman this weekend for Erin's son's 4th Birthday party! He's hilarious! He did such a good job, we're thinking of dressing him up as Tinkerbell for Anna's first B-day...just kidding!! Check out the pictures!

I go to the doctor on the 11th...hopefully I'll have some news! It's a "New moon" that day...maybe I'll get lucky and go into labor :) I'm feeling okay- today. But I have my ups and downs/ It's getting harder on my body. My hips are aching, and I'm swelling up. Sometimes I'm an emotional wreck. I'm definitely ready to meet this baby!!

Baby Talk!!

2007-10-04T04:46:00.001-07:00

SO I went to my 36 1/2 week appointment. You'll be happy to know that Anna is still most definitely a GIRL! :) And that she's got some BIG Angelina Jolie Lips. I will blame this solely on Jim :) She currently weighs about 6lbs 15 oz....what a little fatty! The doctor thinks she's probably a little less than that. She's guessing about 7 1/2 to 8 lbs for our little one at birth. Anyone else got a guess? I'm starting a baby pool. On an upnote, I lost 4 lbs! Yay. I can't even lose 4 lbs when I'm NOT pregnant :) Dr says it's the hormones evening out and a lot of people lose in the last trimester. Made me feel good though!! :) Can't wait to meet this little critter! Only a few more weeks! I stop working on October 15. My boss is afraid my water will break at work. hahaha.

36 1/2 week picture

2007-10-02T18:53:00.000-07:00

I feel like a hot air balloon. Get this baby out!!!

35 1/2 weeks appointment

2007-09-27T06:53:00.000-07:00

I went to the Doctor yesterday! I have no news at all actually. She tried to check my cervix to see if I'm dialating, but it was still far back, and it hurt like H*LL, so she decided not to torture me, and called it quits. I have an appontment every week now until Anna shows up, so maybe there will be good news next week :) Her head is down, and she's ready...I have my very LAST ultrasound next Wednesday, so we'll get to see how much my little fatty weighs. She feels pretty big in there, and I've been measuring ahead for my dates, so I know she's either fat or tall. Or both :0 I can't wait to hold her!! And to sleep on my stomach!!

WE GOT A HOUSE!!!

2007-09-25T15:04:00.000-07:00

We're soooo excited! We're moving November first! It's such a great place! 1538 square feet, 3 br, 2 bath..Huge rooms!! We've been on the hunt for a house for months now, and finally found one that we want to live in! YAY!! Looks like we'll be moving right after little Anna makes her debut!

Wide Awake.

2007-09-23T04:19:00.000-07:00

Still have that darn pregnancy insomnia. Seems like I just can't stay settled in bed. I have too much on my mind! We found a house that we love, we're supposed to go by and physically check it out on Tuesday. I found it online and read all of the specs and looked at pictures, then we drove by it and peaked at the neighborhood and in the windows. It seems perfect, we're just hoping that it is. I can't wait to have a yard for little Anna even though she won't exactly be using it anytime soon. I'm praying that everything will work out for us financially right now because of deposits and the expense of moving in general, but God has never left us empty handed, so I can't pick today to stop trusting him! I'm trying not to stress too much, but being off of work for 6 weeks of UNpaid maternity leave is really starting to freak me out. I just don't want to over do it. Working is starting to get really hard on my body these days, but I can't leave early because I can't take anymore than the alotted 6 weeks--and I really want to use that time to bond with my baby girl and establish a routine before I head back to the grind. If you're reading this, then shoot God a quick prayer for us! I know he will provide the money and the patience, but sometimes my faith needs a little boost. Oh yeah, we found a church out here that we're going to check out! It's called Grace Community. It's right down the street and brand new. I LOVE LOVE LOVE my church in Katy, but with our work schedules it seems like we rarely get to go anymore (because it's an hour drive!) I love to be involved in my church, so if this one is as great as I'm hoping, then Jim and I will be less than 5 minutes from it!! So pray for that too!! I have a doctors appointment on Wednesday- she's supposed to check and see if I'm starting to dialate and efface. I hope that I am!

Pregnancy Insomnia

2007-09-20T03:17:00.001-07:00

So..It's 5 am and guess who's all ready been awake for the past half hour? Ugh. I'm just really uncomfortable! Sleeping is so much work when you're pregnant! :) Between the swelling, the joint aches, the acid reflux, and the peeing...it's a wonder pregnant women get any sleep at all! Only a few more weeks Miss Anna, and mommy is going to evict you so she can have her body back! Sharing it isn't the bad part...it's having to carry around five pounds of human strapped to my chest that's exhausting! Anyway, I'll be 35 weeks tomorrow, my lamaze classes start on Tuesday, and I have a doctor's appointment on Wednesday. After this week I have to go to the doctor once a week so she can check my cervix--I hope I'm one of the lucky ones that dilates, and not like Katie who went a week and a half after her due date!! I keep thinking that I'll be a late one, just because I'm so freaking impatient. Some days I'm okay with her being in there. I think, "she'll come when she's ready" --but then days like this, when I can't get comfortable I'm like, "GET OUT!!!" hahaha. I want to slap the people that keep telling me "Get some sleep while you can! The baby will be here soon!" Because I have barely slept since the first trimester! I have to wake up every half hour to pee! Anyway, I've been nesting like a mad woman. I pinesol-ed the walls yesterday. It's kind of ridiculous the things you find to clean when you're pregnant. I even wiped down the electrical outlets. I'm officially ready for her to come. Now if only someone would give me a winning lottery ticket.....

Professional Preggo Pics!!

2007-09-17T18:22:00.001-07:00

We got the pictures from our photographer!! They came out GREAT!!

Update!!

2007-09-12T06:54:00.000-07:00

I have a doctors appointment today..Almost 34 weeks! WAHOO!! I can't freaking WAIT to have this baby!! It's almost time. We had a photographer take our maternity pictures yesterday. I think they are going to be perfect--and exactly what I was looking for. We're supposed to pick them up Friday, so I'll post some then. We went to San Antonio to visit Luke, Ali, and Chris, and then to San Angelo to visit Chris and Angela over the weekend. So now we're exhausted from driving! haha. And I'm feeling more miserably pregnant than ever!! With all of the junk food we ate over the past few days I DO NOT want the doctor to weigh me. :) That's the worst part of the doctors appointment..having to watch that number go up. :)

Anna's Coming Home Outfit!!

2007-09-08T07:15:00.000-07:00

We finally picked it out. It's this adorable little pant set that my G-ma Jackie and Grandpa got her..with some cute little booties.

Just in case it's chilly outside, I'm going to bring this sweater and hat that my mom made her!

Pics!

2007-09-06T15:38:00.000-07:00

Here's the 32 Week Shot!! I need to take a 33 week one tomorrow :)

And check out the AWESOME diaper cake Robi made me!! Isn't it gorgeous?

4D Ultrasound!!!

2007-09-04T17:56:00.000-07:00

What an awesome experience!! We got to see our little Anna in action!!! And to top it all off, my cousin Shannon is in labor as I write. I'm so jealous :)Here are pictures of our little girl!!!

News

2007-08-30T20:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I went to the doctor! turns out I DO get another ultrasound! Yay! It's going to be at like 36 weeks I think. Just to make sure she's fat and healthy I guess. We're doing our 4D ultrasound on Tuesday. It's completely over priced ($150.00) , but I want to see her little face so bad that I think it's worth it! Maybe it'll give me the push I need to get through these next few weeks! And we're also taking maternity pictures Tuesday evening. :) Good thing we're doing it now...I don't know how much fatter I can get and actually ALLOW myself to be photographed. haha. I've been feeling pretty crummy today. I'm getting tired of being pregnant. I want my little girl. And my waistline back.

All Hail Queen of the Thank You Notes.....

2007-08-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

People keep making fun of the fact that my shower was on Sunday, I filled out my thank you cards Monday, and then mailed them by Tuesday. Ha ha. I know...I'm a little neurotic I think. I'm just sitting here waiting to hatch with nothing better to do than wash and rewash poor Anna's clothes and then wash them again because I used too much bleach and they smell.....I'm going to the store to buy scrapbooking stuff today to give me a hobby. haha. I have a doctors appointment this afternoon...pretty routine, I don't think there'll be any news. I wonder if I get another ultrasound. I need to pick a pediatrician, but I haven't really put too much thought into it yet. Been too busy doing thank you notes-:) We FINALLY got an answering machine!!!! Thought I would throw that out there because we're so excited about it! But, noone's left a message yet, so I haven't gotten to see it in it's full glory yet. My mom bought Anna's crib!! We're picking it up this weekend and her room will be complete!!! Now all we need is a stroller and we're set! There are so many things that you think you need with a newborn...and now I'm wondering what the heck I'm going to do with all of this stuff! haha.

BABY SHOWER!!!!!!

2007-08-27T06:41:00.000-07:00

The shower was PERFECT!!! Anna got so much stuff that I could successfully run an orphanage. :) We're so blessed!!! Click the "View Slideshow" Link below and hit play to see pics!!
View slideshow

Jim's job!!!

2007-08-23T09:27:00.000-07:00

Those people are SO SWEET!! They threw Jim a surprise shower last night at Saltgrass Steak House!! They bought Anna her swing and some other things we needed!! I was so shocked and impressed!! The swing is ADORABLE too, and it looks great in her little nursery. When I get the crib I'll post some pictures of the whole nursery, but right now it sort of looks like a storage shed. haha. Just had to rave a little! It made my day :)

IF YOU CAN'T TAKE THE HEAT.......

2007-08-21T15:58:00.000-07:00

You're pretty much screwed! It's SOOO HOT here right now! Jim and I just went for a walk at the park. The same mile and a half that we normally do a few times a week, and today it almost killed me!! I thought he was going to have to give me a piggy back ride back to the car!! YUCK. I'm soo ready for fall. For more than one reason! Can you believe I'm going to be a mother in only TWO months?! AND I'm having a GIRL!! I'm so lucky. I wanted a girl so bad. :) The baby shower is Sunday. I can't wait! I'm going to be able to get little Anna's room all set up. Don't worry, I will post tons of pictures!

30 week Picture

2007-08-20T19:07:00.000-07:00

Here's the Belly at 30 weeks. She's getting so big. :) That's Erin, she's exactly

two months behind me..pregnant with her second baby boy.

Two Year Wedding Anniversary!!!

2007-08-20T18:53:00.001-07:00

Today is our anniversary! Here's one of my favorite pictures from the wedding. :)

We're BACK!!!

2007-08-15T07:12:00.000-07:00

Well, we're back from Minnesota. We had SOO much fun. I finally got to meet a lot of Jims family. Everyone was so nice and relaxed, it was awesome!! Here are the pictures!! It was absolutely GORGEOUS there! The water was crystal clear, the weather was hot, but not humid.

28 Week Picture!

2007-08-02T07:00:00.000-07:00

There she is!! She's taking over my whole body! :)

Here's this year's first trip to Ely, Minnesota! (When Jim went in June)

2007-07-31T19:27:00.000-07:00

YAY for BLUE stuff!!

2007-07-31T13:34:00.001-07:00

Erin's having a BOY!! She just found out today! So I get to buy PINK and BLUE stuff this year! How exciting!! :) Aw...they're going to be boyfriend and girlfriend :)

Prenatal Work Out Classes!!!

2007-07-31T07:59:00.000-07:00

I started my prenatal workout classes at the YMCA yesterday! It's 3 days a week for 8 weeks. Monday and Saturday we do water aerobics and Monday we do Yoga. It was so much fun!! I met so many women that live around here that are pregnant! And I met a lady that is due the same day as I am, is pregnant with a girl, AND has the same OB as me! YAY. I can't wait until my next class......But I have to say, I must be out of shape because I was so tired when I got home that I just passed out!

LAST TRIMESTER!!!

2007-07-29T05:04:00.000-07:00

Wahoo! I hit my last trimester today. It feels like the time has flown by. I don't want to speak too soon, or it'll start dragging..but I can't believe it's almost over! And we'll get to meet our little peanut! WOW. All of the party plans are in motion for my baby shower! I can't wait! I'm excited to get Anna's room together..for no reason in particular..maybe just to have something ELSE to obsess over for a while. I'm SO ready for my VACATION!! Bring it on! I can't wait!! On a side note, CONGRATULATIONS SHEILA!! My sister graduated nursing school in May and started working at a hospital about a month ago...well, she had her LAST FINAL TEST that makes her a REGISTERED NURSE this week and she PASSED!! I'm so proud of her :)

COUNT DOWN TO VACATION!!!

2007-07-27T08:56:00.000-07:00

Wahoo!!! One week left until I get to see my mother in law and step munchkin for a whole week!! Unfortunately for them... it will involve my preggo butt in a bathing suit...hahaha. We're going to Camp Van Vac, that same place Jim went in June...It's so beautiful, I can't wait! I'm sort of nervous about leaving my destructive cats here alone, but we'll have to hire them a sitter to keep them from climbing the walls...By the way. . Kim! I got your package! My email won't let me write you for some reason- it keeps sending it back. Let me know when you see this.

Oh NO! This could be a problem....

2007-07-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

Yep, it is exactly what it looks like...my stupid cat laying in Anna's bassinet...on top of her CLEAN clothes....I set it up to see if they would bother it, and they haven't...until I just came across this-today. Sometimes I wonder why I even wanted pets....Atleast it's not the washing machine.

Baby Pics!!! 26 1/2 weeks

2007-07-24T09:09:00.001-07:00

Here's my latest Belly shot! Where'd my toes go??

Here's a decent shot of her little face! So far it seems like she's favoring Jim mostly..we'll have to see. Oh!! Her feet are HUGE! They're all ready 2 inches long!! She definitely got her daddy's long toes!!

Here's her Profile shot..it's changed so much since the last one. This one is a little hard to see...

The Joys of pets...

2007-07-22T08:52:00.000-07:00

Jim and I LOVE our cats....but they are so mischevious!! If you talk to us on a regular basis, you are very aware of the weird things that these little boogers do. Case in Point. Last night I was going to throw in a load of laundry...and this is what I found....

But don't be fooled, she's not the only bad one...they're partners. Look who I found lurking not too far behind....

If they weren't so darned cute..I swear....

Thanks Grandma!!

2007-07-19T06:03:00.000-07:00

Anna has her first piece of furniture in her nursery as of last night! My grandma got her the dresser off of my registry. I love it!! And I finally have a place to put all of her clothes! I'm starting to get REALLY excited--it's starting to look like a bedroom in here. YAY. :) Only 14 weeks left.
By the way..the outfit on the dresser is Annas coming home outfit! It's just a cute peach onesie with a matching hat and booties. A friend of mine is going to embroider her name on the hat. :)