Yet Another Trip to AZ

This weekend we headed to Tucson, but this time we had more than one Katie to visit.

We got to Katie Roley's house Friday in time to eat a late dinner; she had already put Ellie and Tate to bed and Lexie was spending the night at a friend's house, so it was WAY quieter than their house usually is! The next day we had a very relaxed day-we sat around for what seemed like forever in the morning, went walking, went to the mall, went out to lunch, and went to the pool to lay out and sat in the hot tub all before 4pm. Adam and Matt went four-wheeling and hung out in the garage fixing stuff all day, haha. While Katie and I got ready, Ellie got ready too, but not in a typical way. She is always up to something, and it is always something that makes us laugh.

That night we went out to dinner at a brewery that I had been to but Adam had not and he LOVED it!

We woke up and left the Roley's earlier than usual Sunday morning to head to North Tucson to see Katie Stanley, my college friend (and roomie in KKG and in our fancy house senior year :). Katie and her husband Jared are teachers in Wisconsin and were in Tucson visiting Katie's parents during their spring break. Katie's mom and dad have a BEAUTIFUL house in this little community that is set out towards mountains. I told Katie that I felt like we were at a resort. Her mom made us a really good brunch, then we walked around the area they live in to look at the other houses and scenery, and just caught up! Katie and Jared gave us the cutest little pink and white sleeper set for our baby too, which was such a nice surprise. It was such a fun morning and like every time I see my college friends, it makes me realize how much I miss them and how we need to make an effort to see eachother more now that we all live all across the country. I get to see LOTS of my friends in May with Darah and Lawley's weddings, which makes me so excited!

All in all, it was a great trip. I always get sad when fun weekends end, and I get sad that we have to sit in the car for 7 hours to drive home, haha. At least we got to see a really pretty sunset on our drive!

Baby Mara Rae Schick

Kristen had her baby and it was a GIRL! I was so anxious to find out since she wanted the sex to be a surprise. I am so happy for them, and so excited to see her in person in a month. This is the only picture I have seen of her, sent via text, but isn't she cute?

Skin Issues

Both Diggy and I are suffering from some horrible skin problems.

If anyone remembers, this time last year I was a nervous wreck because Diggy started itching uncontrollably. It got so bad that he started scratching and licking to the point of making sores and bleeding. After a few vet visits and failed attempts to cure his itching (special creams, shampoos, a few special diets that he did not enjoy, extra flea treatments, etc.) the vet basically told me that it is just the season, give him some benadryl, and quit being so paranoid.

Well, time went on, seasons changed, he stopped itching, and I forgot about it-until about two weeks ago. The weather started getting warmer, spring arrived, and the itching began. It makes me feel sick for him, his hind legs are wet and sore from licking and scratching so hard at all times. His favorite things like playing fetch and treats won't even distract him. He LOVES to sleep and usually sleeps 75% of the day and 100% of the night, but I hear and feel his pain all through the night when he starts thumping away. I LOVE spring, but I almost want to fast forward so his misery can end!

I also have a skin issue, although completely different from Diggy, but probably equally as bad if not worse-I call it PRACNE or pregnancy acne. It's my one complaint of being pregnant; I didn't mind the the nausea, the tiredness, I don't mind my expanding stomach, I just can't stand the acne! If you look at my face, you probably think I am exaggerating this a bit. Although I currently do have a complection that is more puberty-like than 26 year old like, it's nothing I can't handle and nothing a little makeup can't cover up most days. Don't let that fool you; if you look at my back, neck, and chest, you can see the problem! It is so gross and makes me feel so dirty. I have become obsessed with showering, disinfecting, acne-creaming, anything I can find to try to stop this from continuing, but NOTHING helps. I asked my doctor hoping he had a magical cure or he'd assure me it would go away soon but all I got is that it's "normal" and "hormonal." Still, you would think it wouldn't be possible to get zits when you have the cleanest back, neck, face, and chest in the world. I heard it is an old wives tale that when you're pregnant with a boy you glow and when you're pregnant with a girl you send her beauty and you look worse than ever. Let's hope this acne just means I'm helping her get really cute!

I don't know which is worse, skin issues that make you FEEL bad or skin issues that make you LOOK bad. Let's just hope that the change in climate this weekend in Arizona makes us both feel better!

It's a Girl!

We found out yesterday that our baby is a little girl! I can't even describe how happy I am. Of course I would have been so happy if it was a boy and loved it just as much, but I deep down I think I just really was wanting this one to be a girl-just to be sure I have at least one! I'm so happy her and Scarlett will be so close in age (hopefully they'll be as close as Emily and I have been growing up) and now Kristen and I decided that if hers is a girl, they'll be BFF's like we are, and if it's a boy, we'll plan a prearranged marriage. We win either way :)

The ultrasound this time was so fun to see. It was so strange to be able to see her spine, ribs, feet, hands, heart, kidneys, face, etc. She was moving around a lot and when they did a close up of her face, the radiologist showed us how she was sticking her tongue in and out (hopefully not at us, maybe she's a bit mischevious already, yikes!). She weighs about 11 ounces. Until now I have been excited, but now she seems like a real person to me! I can't wait for her to get here!

We had decided if it was a boy, we were going to a pub, Adam was going to drink beer, we would eat bar food and watch basketball. If it was a girl, we were going to my favorite salad place, Tender Greens, and shopping. We had good salads and soup and got some cute new stuff, mainly comfy onesies and PJ's but one sundress and pair of sandals I had my eyes on and a little blonde dolly!

I hate to be corny, but I feel like the luckiest woman in the world. I have a great husband, we have a great life, and now I'm going to have a little girl. What more could I ask for?

The Roley's Spring Break

Katie brought her kids here for spring break. She had a pretty good update of that on her blog, so I'm just including her link.

http://theroleyfamily.blogspot.com/2010/03/springbreak-2010.html

Final Prediction: Boy/Adam's Personality

After my ultrasound to find out the sex at the radiologist was cancelled, I just wasn't excited about my montly doctor appointment like I have been with my other two. I just want to get on with it and know! I don't know how people like Kristen (due in less than 2 weeks, looks great via a phone pic. sent to me yesterday, and ready to go, can't wait!) can wait to find out the sex when they know all they have to do is ask and find out (I do admit, it is going to be SOOOO fun when she has it because it will be such a surprise!).

My appointment yesterday though ended up making me happy, like the other ones have. First, I got to meet the doctor who will be delivering the baby. My other "doctor" appointments are actually with my nurse practitioner, who I love! She is who I see most of the time, however, she is not a midwife so can not deliver the baby. She is in her mid 30's and a woman and was pregnant too, so I just feel so comfortable with her-she actually just had her baby last Thursday so is on maternity leave now. To my delight, my ACTUAL doctor was super nice, made me feel really comfortable (even though it's a man :), and just gave me good vibes.

Besides meeting my doctor, I was reminded of how good it makes me feel each time I hear the little heart beating. Even though I don't technically forget that I'm pregnant, it is sort of a wake up call each time I hear it that there is a living little baby inside of me. Listening to the heartbeat one last time before I know the sex led me to a final prediction, now I have a feeling that it's a boy and it's going to take after its daddy!

I keep going back and forth with what I think (and obviously I really never know, but it's fun to guess), but here's what happened. I was lying there and the doctor found the heartbeat...it sounded how it always does except the machine kept making these really loud, sharp, static sounds (CCCCC, whooosh whoosh, CCCCC, whoosh, CCCCCC, etc.). I thought something must have been wrong with the machine, but then the doctor goes "Do you hear all those static noises?" I shook my head yes, and he continued, "Each time you hear that your baby's making an abrupt movement. It sounds like you're going to have a wild one on your hands because it's moving like crazy!"

My mom always tells me stories about how I was such a calm baby, how I loved to be rocked and I would listen so hard to what she was saying to me, how I slept so good, how when I was a toddler I loved to sit by a lamp and look at books, etc. I have no clue what kind of a baby or child Adam was but I would think if anyone guessed, he'd be more the type to be running wild and on the move at all times!

I think I might have my hands full for the next 18 years :)

Duvy's Visit

Duvy came to visit Adam and I this past weekend! It was a short but fun trip!

She got here Thursday night, we picked her up from the airport and went out to dinner, then home to bed! Friday we were excited to go to my doctor appointment to find out if it is a boy or a girl, and on our walk there, I got a call from the office saying I had to reschedule. That put a little damper on my mood for a good 15 minutes, but I tried to get over it and we had a fun day anyhow! It was pretty nice out so we went out to lunch and to the Coronado Beach. We didn't get to get much sun, but we still enjoyed relaxing and talking anyways! We ended our day by going out to dinner for Mexican food!

Saturday we took a long walk all around downtown, then headed up the coast for a little tour and some lunch. After showing her all the neat places in San Diego, we headed to Yogurtland (I have to take everyone there, and of course she loved it!), then home to relax for a bit. We went out to dinner for Italian food and then to Balboa Park for a dessert drink!

Duvy had to leave early Sunday morning, so her trip ended quickly! We had a great time and were sad to see her go! Diggy really like her too! Come back Duvy, or should I say to come visit wherever we move to this fall!

Girls Weekend in Arizona

This past Wednesday, I flew to Tucson to have a little girls trip with some of my girl family members in celebration of my mom's birthday. My mom, my sister Kristie and niece Scarlett, aunt Julie and cousin Courtney, aunt Cindy and cousin Katie, and aunt Carol and cousin Emily all flew in too. My sister Katie's house was completely open (her kids and husband went to hang out with their grandparents), so we just all had a big extended slumber party at Katie's house.

We basically did some sunbathing at the pool, dinners out, shopping, walking and talking, but it was so fun and good to see everyone!

My sisters and me with 2 of my fave cousins

Dinner

Sisters, mom, Scarlett, and me

Another dinner

Probably the highlight of the trip for me was getting to see Scarlett in person. She was soooo good, we just took her everywhere with us and she was perfect. She is sooo cute and sweet. She has this thin layer of peach fuzz white hair that comes to a perfect little mohawk peak. I had forgotten how tiny newborns are. If my baby is half as good and cute as Scarlett, I'll be super happy!