18 (almost 19) weeks

  *How far along?: 18 weeks, 5 days

*How big is your baby?: 5 inches, about the size of a pickle

*Total weight gain?: -2 pounds actually, despite my rapidly growing belly

*Sex:We find out next week!!

*Maternity clothes: I have no choice but to wear maternity tops, but I can still wear a few low-rise jeans.

*Stretch marks: Still none. Hoping it stays that way.
*Movement: I feel the baby every once in a while; still little flutters

*Sleep: No longer sleeping on my stomach. :(

*Best moment this week: Unpacking the suitcase to pack for our trip to see Derek
*Food cravings: No hardcore cravings yet... but I can't ever seem to get enough Chipotle.
*Labor signs: Definitely not
*Belly button in or out: In

*What I miss: A night of sleep without multiple trips to get up and pee

*What I'm looking forward to: Seeing Derek, celebrating Jackson's 2nd birthday, and finding out the gender of the baby all next Wednesday!

Jackson's new 'do

Well, I finally did it. Yesterday, I took Jackson to get his first haircut.

I was just so nervous. I love his little curls and I don't want him to look too grown up!! And just sometimes little boys look weird after their haircuts-- with the perfectly straight line across their foreheads (think Jim Carey, Dumb and Dumber). But though his curls were super cute, they looked super ridiculous half of the time. We get to see Derek in just 8 days and I couldn't risk a bad hair day for him, so we went to get it cut.

Check out the length of those curls by his ears. Definitely time for a cut.

He sat perfectly still (for serious... my son... still. Who knew?!) 

 Here's my handsome little guy sporting his new 'do. He still has some little curls. This makes me happy!

Look at these two-- a good lookin' bunch!

He seriously did great. I went to the store with a purse full of tricks to entertain him and to keep him still-- suckers, M&Ms, books, his blanket, his daddy doll... you name it! He took a sucker and was so compliant. I'm so glad I did it, but I don't regret waiting so long to do it!

Life at Basic Training (written by Derek)

Because we are so loved and blessed by our friends and family, each week I have several people ask how Derek is doing and what he's been up to. We do write letters and we talk on the phone every once in awhile, and though I would read about things he's been up to here and there, I didn't have a good idea of what the whole picture was like... or how to tell other people about what he's been doing.

So, a few weeks ago (communicating via snail mail is very slow process) I sent him a "survey" of specific questions so I could learn more about what he has been up to and what life is like.  He graciously filled it out so that I could pass it along. He responded knowing that this information would be shared, so I'm not violating his trust or anything. It's a pretty long post. He said it took him about four hours from start to finish to get through it all! Even though I've been in communication with him this whole time, I really learned a lot! So, here's a glimpse of basic training has been like for him!

___________________________

Question: Describe the organization of the army, in terms of platoons, company, etc...

There are four squads (12 guys), in a platoon (50 guys). Then 4 platoons in his company (200 guys). [Fort Benning does not process women in their basic training, so it really is all guys. Not being sexist.] You go through basic as a company. I am in delta company. There are other companies, but they are on a different schedule. Alpha graduated last week, bravo is on the same schedule as us. Charlie is on week 5 of training right now, etc. All of the different companies make up a battalion. We are in the 3rd battalion of the 47th infantry. The structure continues to get bigger, but nothing higher is relevant to me at this time.

Each platoon has two to three drill sergeants. Then there is a 1st Sergeant in charge of the company and he is an officer, but you don't want him to know who you are because it means you messed up if you end up in his office.

Question: Describe your average day. 

On an average day, we wake up at 04:00 hours. The first thing I do is hit the bathroom, shave, and brush my teeth to get personal hygiene done. Then I get dressed in the uniform of the day (usually PT's first) and then make my bed. Then, if I had laundry done the night before, I put my clothes away in my locker. I have to make my locker and boots look nice for inspection. Then, we clean the bay. Then, we have formation in our bay at 04:45 and the drill sergeant will inspect the lockers, bays, and bathrooms.

Next, we head downstairs and form up for the first formation with all the platoons and the 1st sergeant. Then we head out to PT, which is usually 45 minutes to an hour. We either have running days or core body exercise days, pretty much. Some days are easy and some are hard. When we run, we will run 2.5 to 3.3 miles in about 20 to 24 minutes. After PT we will go take a quick cold shower to cool off (called heat dump). Then we will get dressed and go to breakfast.

After breakfast, we get ready for the main training of the day, which may last from a few hours to the whole day. The days also usually have an hour or two of down time where we sit around and wait (but sometimes we have to look busy). We eat lunch around noon and dinner is at 5pm. We are usually done with everything by 6:30 or 7:00. We do minor training in the bay or clean until 7:20. And then at 7:30, we take showers and then personal time starts at 8:00. Lights out is a 9pm.

You get 7 hours of sleep a night, unless you have a fireguard [one hours shifts of watch duty throughout the night] or a laundry shift. You will usually have a fireguard shift every night with a night off once very 5-8 days. So you get used to 6 hours of sleep. I usually go to bed 10 to 15 minutes early and it helps out.

Question: Describe some of the PT activities besides running.

Road marches are hard and long. Obstacle course was tiring. We did battle team tactics, which was running form barrier to barrier and firing live ammo while wearing body armor. 

Question: Describe the food and eating process:

 Food is called chow in the army. It is treated more like a chore that just has to be done three times a day and gets in the way of training. Chow happens one of three ways.

1. The majority of the time we eat in the dining facility (DFAC). The food is usually decent--sometimes really good and sometimes not to good. We go through the chow line and must stand at attention/parade rest and side step through the line. We have to sit a certain way and can only use one hand to eat, and you have to eat fast. We usually get about six to ten minutes to eat, but we average 4 or 5. We have gotten 50 guys through in 12 minutes before. 
2. Hot chow is where DFAC food is brought out to the field and we get paper plates and silverware. The food is okay some of the time, but it is hard to get good portions because it is served by other people.
3. MREs [meal, ready to eat] are actually pretty decent, some are kind of sucky. They come with heaters to heat up the main and side entrees, but we aren't allowed to use them so we eat them cold. 

After a few weeks, you aren't really picky about food [he has actually admitted to eating, and liking, vegetables- even broccoli!!]. It is just fuel to recharge until next chow. MREs will stop you up for a day or two, or for some guys- they will destroy the bathrooms within a few hours. [uhm.. thanks for sharing!?!] 

Question: What have been some of your favorite foods?

We had steaks a few times, which are pretty good. I usually get cottage cheese every day. Vegetables and rice are staples every day. Cereal is good at breakfast. Spaghetti is usually pretty good.

Question: What has been the hardest part of basic so far? 

The hardest part of basic training is the mental aspect of it. The physical part is hard sometimes and easy at other times, but your body adapts. Mentally you have to transition to being away from your family, living with 50 guys, and getting in trouble on a daily basis due to the group- even though you didn't do anything wrong. The drill sergeants are always right even when they are wrong. You have to do a lot of tasks that don't make logical sense and there is a lot of arguing in the platoon. There are quite a few guys I can't wait to never see again! So a lot depends on your mental attitude and moral. Sometimes a letter can really just make your day. But definitely, toughening up yourself mentally is the hardest part.

Question: What are things that you miss, but didn't really expect to?

Chairs. I miss sitting on chairs. We sit on the floor and ground all of the time indian style and it's not comfortable at all. I also miss civilian clothes. I miss being able to go to the store whenever I want. I miss the freedom from a very detailed routine. I miss the movies. We all really miss music. I miss homemade food. It's a lot of little things that you end up missing.

Question: What's the coolest thing you've done?

Hand grenades, machine guns, and shooting M16s with night vision lasers.

Question. What are have your PT requirements and what have your been your scores so far?

The PT requirements are based on your age [here's a link to a chart]. To pass basic, you have to get 50% on all three events [push-ups, sit-ups, 2 mile run] to pass. Each percent is worth 1 point, so the best score you can get is 300 and the lowest is 150. I scored a 198 the first PT test and a 203 the second. My running and sit-ups are in the 70-80%, but my push-ups are about 58%. I have passed every PT test so far, but I am still working to improve my score though. [He actually participated in his third and final PT test today, but I haven't heard the results. Honestly, it doesn't matter, only to improve his scores. The requirements are only that you pass one PT test during basic and he has already done that. Though I am sure the he did improve all of his scores.]

Question: What are you most looking forward to after basic?

I am looking forward to seeing you and Jackson. I look forward to having my cell phone back. I'm looking forward to junk food, sleeping in, watching tv, football season, sitting on a couch, sleeping in my bed, and having the freedom to do what I want.

Question: What are you most looking forward to never doing again?

Wearing body armor. Road marches. PT at 5am every day. Rolling in the sand. I hate the sand and never wish to go to the beach again... at least for a few years.

Question: What are most frequent conversation topics (keep it appropriate)?

Mostly food, sex, music, movies, life on the outside and rumors of the day.

Question: What is a team leader and how did you earn that role?

Team leader means that I am "in charge" of 6 guys in the squad. Basically, I ust repeat the orders form the squad leader and check my guys to make sure they're ready for the day. I got the job ecause I am squared away. I am always on time, have my gear, and don't get into trouble. My drill sergeant just learned my name in week six, so I am doing good.

Question: How many push-ups do you do on any given day (aside from the ones you do to receive mail)?

Not that many. In red phase [first three weeks] we did a lot. We do about 20-50 push-ups during PT each day. Sometimes 100-200 on running days.

___________________________

Here are some pictures from his company's facebook page (which is a totally awesome thing that a few drill sergeants keep updated-- just for us people back home.) There are lots of pictures on the site, and even though Derek isn't in but only a few, it still gives you an idea of what he's been up to!

I should know what kind of gun he is working with, but I forgot. Maybe the AT-4?

Prepping for PT test, number two. He's yellow (first platoon) #33.

So this was definitely a long read, but I think it's totally worth it. A big thanks to the cooperative hubby who spent a good portion of his personal time writing this! And a big thanks to you for actually reading the whole thing! :)

Have a question? Please ask! I will pass it along and find an answer! It would be super fun to send another survey with questions from you guys!

The climb

In the summer of 2005 I climbed a mountain, not too far out of Colorado Springs. I will still acknowledge to this day that climbing to the top of the nearly 15,000 foot mountain top was by far one of the hardest physical things I have ever done in my life.

The rocky terrain made the footwork so complicated. The Rocky mountains aren't big boulders to climb around; they are more like little pebbles. With each step forward, I'd end up sliding back gaining only mere inches at times. The altitude was killing my lungs. I was winded and exhausted even though my body could keep going. It was so aggravating. But I made it.

This week marks the two month mark that Derek has been gone. Instead of being my hardest physical challenge like the mountain, it is by far the toughest mental and emotional battles I've endured. I am continually climbing and unfortunately, I haven't even made it past the tree line yet with six months still left to go.

The intention of this post is not induce pity or to complain, but simply just to describe the journey. To document for me what it was like in this moment.

I can say that in both situations, even though it was a tough challenge, it is far from the worst thing that has ever happened to me. While climbing the mountain in 2005, I was able to enjoy the company of new friends. I hadn't had the opportunity to spend a lot of time with this group of people that summer, so it was very fun to have this experience in particular to share with them. Similarly, I have had unique opportunities present themselves in this time in which I have been able to have lots of fun and even meet new people.

Unlike the when I climbed the mountain, I have an entire community of people who are carrying me along this time around. I have people I can call in a pinch. I have people that continually offer support. I have people literally calling me with offers to come help.

I am so deeply blessed. But these blessings lead to one of the biggest internal struggles I face-- the constant need of needing help. I have always prided myself on being a strong, independent, capable woman and though I never thought I could do this on my own, I never thought I'd need so much help. It is humbling, it is frustrating. The shower breaks. Something in the basement is leaking. I need chemicals spread on my lawn but can't do it because I'm pregnant. Mold. The garbage disposal again. At times, I feel lazy and spoiled, yet others I feel utterly helpless. It really is a mental obstacle that I have to chose to overcome and to simply get over it.

Not surprisingly, the hardest part really is living my life without Derek. I can honestly say that I never realized how much I truly need him each and every day. But really, I just miss him. I hate being the only one to watch Jackson grow up and pick a favorite color only to turn around to try to relay the experience with a pen and paper so Derek can read about it in five days. The 15 minute weekly phone calls are a privilege, I know that. But after the "do you need stamps?" and "have you checked the bills" conversations, there isn't a lot of time to just talk with my husband. I can't just call him up during the day to ask a quick question, I can't decompress from a stressful day to have him tell me to just let it go, and I don't get to share my many opinions about what's happening in the world. I miss my best friend.

I feel that I am constantly tired. Not even in a sense that I didn't get enough sleep. But in a way that I am always "on."

Monday night the trash goes out. Tuesday, bring the trash container back to the house. The electric bill comes out of the account on the 5th, student loans on the 13th. Why won't the garage door stay down? I have a doctors appointment, have I lined up someone to watch Jackson? Wait, it's quiet... where is Jackson? 

When I take anywhere (even at home, but that's easier) I am the one who is responsible for him at any given moment. Jackson is a very, very busy little guy and even to keep mental track of what he is up to is exhausting. There's no tag-teaming at entertaining the kid or taking turns acting as the human jungle gym. When Jackson wakes up in the middle of the night (which is A LOT) I am the one who needs to be there for him. Even the little decisions about keeping him fed, jacket or no jacket, or planning the days events... they jus add up. Sometimes, I just long for a day of not having to decide anything at all! A day without scheduling "the next step" or "the next seven steps" is probably more like it, because with every minor adjustment to the schedule results in changes for the rest of the day.

It's not like I don't have help. Far from it. Last week, Jackson spent the night a total of four nights at my mom's house. Aside from the feeling that I am too lazy or incapable of taking care of my son, it was nice to sleep through the night and it was a needed break. But truth be told, I needed that time. I had grad school work to catch up on, teenage birthday parties to host, and a myriad of unexpected events to sort through. As much as I would have enjoyed lounging around catching up on season one of Glee so I could watch the season premier tonight, that just didn't happen.

So, it's not that I haven't don't have the help that I need with Jackson. I just want my parter back so we can do it together. I don't like that my "breaks" require Jackson to be gone. I want to be able to "turn off" for a few moments here and there, but still have my favorite little guy still here. The chance to play with and enjoy Jackson while someone else can attend to his needs or the discipline. But that's just a part of single parenthood. But unlike single parenthood, I can anticipate a day when Derek will return.

My life is absolutely wonderful. I love being a Mommy and I am having a blast with Julie. It's possible that I just have too many things going on, but I can't have it any other way. If I wasn't occupied at nearly every moment of the day, I think I'd just have more time to dwell in self-pity and I refuse. I consider myself lucky that this is truly my hardest obstacle and unlike so many with husbands on active duty, mine is still stateside, which offers a peace knowing he's not off at war.

Time has gone by so fast that I can't believe that I get to see Derek in two weeks!! I am beyond giddy. Just thinking about the visit is enough to lift my spirits and knowing that after his graduation from basic training, he will quickly earn phone privileges every day and eventually a computer.

Upon completing the climb up and back down again of the mountain in 2005 I vowed never to do it again. I accomplished it once and that was good. After Derek gets home, I have my hopes that I never have to climb this mountain again, but this time it's not up to me. I realize that luxury isn't likely, but that is another issue for another day.

Thank you to everyone who has helped out-- you know who you are. I could never tackle this mountain alone. You've made this journey fun and entertaining.Your support, encouragement, and helping hands are what keeps me going.

Where'd this kid come from?

This is the outfit Jackson insisted* on wearing today.

*as in, threw a complete tantrum about the khaki shorts I was attempting to put him in because they weren't red. I am not making that up. I didn't have any red bottoms to put him in so I let him go pants-less, which prompted a second breakdown. When he willingly brought me the Mizzou shorts, I agreed simply because he can take his diaper off if he's not wearing pants.

I will avoid taking him out in public as I cannot even tell people that Daddy dressed him because it really was me who put this outfit on him! Oh well, this wasn't a hill I was willing to die on. Maybe he is just super proud of the great start of the season from both of "his" teams!

In other breakdown news, Jackson was very upset at the fact that I left one of the sections of his divided plate empty at lunch time. He just couldn't eat anything on his plate until I had something in there. I found some fruit and then he ate his lunch just perfectly. Today's lunch menu: leftover roast, potatoes, green beans, and the added side of mixed berries!

When did my easy going child become so opinionated!? I'm not sure I like it.

Julie's Sweet 16

I have had so much fun celebrating Julie's birthday this week. She has been counting down days until her birthday practically since she got here, so I have been contemplating for awhile about how to make it super special.

Her birthday was on Tuesday. Monday evening I stopped by the school put balloons on her locker. Turns out it was the wrong locker, but I was only working with approximate directions from a friend (outright asking just seemed a little too obvious). Thankfully the friends I've been communicating with about her birthday were there to help out!

We encountered a few unwelcome surprises that day, but we got them all worked out and then I, unfortunately, had to go to class while Julie had a volleyball game. I was told that the entire gymnasium full of people sang happy birthday to her and that she served the winning point of the game. She was on cloud nine. I so wish I could have been there. She went home with some friends to celebrate her birthday some more with pizza and brownies. I popped in around 8:30, so I got to partake in a little bit of the fun. By the time we got home, she said it was too late and she had too much homework to open the presents, so we decided to wait until Wednesday.

Julie had so much fun opening the presents from her family and friends in Denmark. And her mom sent Jackson a gift too so he didn't just have to watch Julie have all of the unwrapping fun! Between the several things sent from Denmark, the things I got her (Mizzou shirt and Disney Princess SillyBand Bracelets), and the gifts from the party she ended up with a lot of really cool stuff!

Her party was last night.  There have been several parties lately and a few more are on the schedule, so we wanted to do something a little different than the typical cake and ice cream treats. So, we opted for waffles. And Mickey Mouse waffles at that (Julie loves Mickey and even has a dog named Mickey back home). The topping choices consisted of: syrup, chocolate syrup, peanut butter, mixed berries, strawberry jam, whipped cream, and chocolate chips. It was a big hit.

The stack of waffles!

 

Some of the kids got creative with their toppings!

We had about 20 high schoolers hanging out at our place and it was a lot of fun.

Julie had a great time. Isn't she just really pretty??

I shared her birthday surprise on facebook last night because I just couldn't keep it in any longer! But for those of you who haven't watched it yet-- you totally should!

This is Julie as she was watching the video, right at the point when her brother was on the video. She didn't take her eyes off the tv or stop smiling the entire time!

 

Being a host mom to a 16 year old is so much fun (albeit very, very busy), but lots and lots of fun!! I love this girl!

MOPS

I wrote this post yesterday with the intention of posting it last night, but my internet was down so it had to wait until this morning.

It's no secret that I despise practically all things cleaning, so it's completely ironic that my new favorite activity is titled MOPS. It actually stands for Mothers of Preschoolers and it's a community of moms that meet a couple times a month. There are groups all across the country and it wasn't until I had a friend mention MOPS on facebook that it even dawned on me to look and find a place close to me!

There was a meet-and-greet activity on Monday night and our first meeting was this morning. I love making new friends, especially ones who have a similar goals of raising their kids in a Godly home! Plus, there is yummy food. I'm definitely looking forward to getting to know the ladies more and making new friends.

One of Jackson's favorite things to do these days is to jump from the fireplace onto his little couch. This is what he was doing as I was preparing to leave... only he missed and instead of landing on the cushy part, he landed face first onto the plastic armrest. He had a nice goose egg as he walked into his class and the poor guy couldn't really open his eye all the way.

In other non-related news, I went to my 16 week check up yesterday and I actually lost two pounds, which still puts me at negative total weight gain. Interesting.

We have had just a crazy, busy week. I haven't even had the chance to write Derek a letter for three days-- a first since he left almost two months ago! Jackson and I haven't spent a lot of good one-on-one time together, but while we were eating dinner at church tonight, he insisted on having his arm around my back while we both ate for the entire meal. It was a hassle, for sure, but it was the sweetest thing ever. He would pat my back, lean over to give me kisses (without even being asked) and was just full of love. I was in mommy heaven!!

Are you ready for some football??

Kansas City footballs starts tonight. Go Chiefs!

We went with a large group of friends to one of the preseason games and had a total blast! It was an exciting game (would have been better if we wouldn't have let the Eagles score in the last 20 seconds....) and both Jackson and Julie got to experience their first football game!

Julie has some great team spirit!!

Okay, so our seats were pretty high, but that means we were just closer to the newly added restaurant and viewing area!

Jackson getting his groove while waiting for the game to start.

And then he yells, "Go, Go, Go!"

(his chant for whenever he sees football on tv)

This kid could not get any cuter!

Of course, he got a little restless, so Grandma entertained him with some Elmo on her iphone.

And eventually, the little guy fell asleep. It was way past his bed time! He's such a sweet cuddle bug.

With our schedule being so full as it is, I doubt we will make it out for another game, but we will definitely remain loyal Chiefs fans throughout the season despite the likelihood of only winning a game or two! Maybe the guys will surprise us. Tonight would be good. Beat the Chargers!

Grandparent's Day

Jackson has totally hit the jackpot of grandparents. Not only because they are just a great help to me, but they just love him so much! They are always excited for him to come visit, eager to take him places and to do new things, and are just so involved in his life.

They were all so excited to meet Jackson, especially being the first grandbaby on both sides!

This is one proud Papa. He loves having Jackson be his helper.

Grammy was wonderful at keeping Jackson entertained as we waiting at Children's Mercy for Jackson to get glued back together!

Grandpa passes on his loyalty to the best teams around. Look how happy these boys are!

Grandma loves to share her iphone so Jackson can watch Elmo and play memory games.

Jackson is fortunate enough to have SIX living great-grandparents, all of whom he has met (though I couldn't find pictures with them all)!

Great Grandma Dryer was happy to hold her first great-grandson on Thanksgiving 2008.

Great Grandma Trickel got down on the ground to play with the little guy before he was even crawling!

We were so happy when Great-Grandpa Duff decided to move back to MO after living the past few decades in California! Jackson always goes straight for the pen in his shirt pocket!!

(not pictured are Great-Grandma Duff, 

Great-Grandma Chapman, and Great-Grandma Creason)

Happy Grandparent's Day!! Derek and I couldn't have picked greater grandparents if we'd have tried! Thanks for all you do, but most importantly, thanks for loving him so much and so being involved in his life!

Rainy Day

This summer, I have this unnatural ability to make it to the grocery store before the rains come only to have it pour as I'm leaving. This provides me with the wonderful opportunity to run to the car, buckle in a child, load up the grocery, return the cart to the cart bin-- while getting my second shower of the morning. It has happened no less than three times in the past two months. Maybe I should just avoid going to the grocery store at all!

While I am trying to avoid getting soaked in the rain, Jackson had a different attitude. After we got home, he ran out to play in the "ning" or is it "nane"... whatever it is, he loves "rain"! He was having too much fun to make him stop, so I let him play for nearly half an hour. He enjoyed running through the puddles, jumping, splashing, and eventually just sitting down in the water itself.

And yes, those are shorts he is wearing. Having a kid in between sizes is just awkward all the way around. These are 24 month shorts (he is 23 months) and I noticed they were big when I put them on this morning... but he didn't look this ridiculous!

If this doesn't scream "ghetto white boy" I really don't know what does. I mean, look at the saggy pants, exposed boxers (diaper), and shorts to his ankles.

Unfortunately, his Dad isn't here to take the blame for this one. But-- in my defense, I blame the fact that they were wet (and heavy). We will definitely be returning these shorts to the box and I have no choice but to keep up with laundry of the few 18 months shorts that still fit.

Peanuts

Today, I have two types of peanuts to discuss. First, we'll talk about the actual peanut-- the kind that Jackson is allergic to, the kind that we have avidly avoided his entire life.

Unlike most cases, we fortunate enough to discover Jackson's allergies preemptively, before we ever had any adverse reactions. Derek's allergist is also a pediatric allergist and had urged us to bring Jackson in for a visit due to Derek's abundant allergies. It's been about a year since we took him in and discovered he is allergic to eggs, soy, tree nuts, and peanuts (because peanuts aren't really nuts). His allergies to eggs and soy are mild enough that he can handle when they are included in products, just as long as he's not eating just eggs or just soy. The nature of eggs and soy allergies are also that they will cause puffiness, redness, and discomfort, but their most serious effects are nothing like minimal effects of coming in contact with nuts and peanuts. So, of course, we have taken very strongly to keeping them out of his system.

And it was something we had succeeded quite effortlessly. That is, until Jackson picked up a peanut shell off the ground at the Chiefs game that we were at the other day (this was bad news on several different levels)! It took a minute for me to actually realize what had happened and the whole ordeal was probably over within three to five minutes. But being that it was his first contact with the food he was allergic too, it definitely seemed much longer! I was trying to race through the information the nurses had so adamently made me rehearse in the office so I would be prepared. I knew I had his epi-pen, but it didn't seem like he needed it. Of course, I took the shell out of his mouth and then a few seconds later, he threw up. Fortunately, the friends sitting down the row from us have sons with similar allergies and they reassured us that throwing up is what happens when they eat peanuts. Which, of course, was nice to know because I had no idea. Jackson ended up falling asleep at the game and I came home and gave him some Prednisone after we got home to help combat anything left in his system. After talking to the doctor the next day, I did everything right, though I should have had given him Benydryl too.

Ironically, the nurses had hoped that by Jackson's yearly allergy check up that he would have possibly outgrown the egg and the peanut. We are going to get his blood drawn today and something tells me that his peanut allergy is still going to be there. The only scary part, is that peanuts are what he's least allergic too, which makes me shudder at the thought of him actually ingesting a nut. At least, I can know what to expect and how to deal if (when) we have another encounter with peanuts.

__________________________________________________________

And now for peanut topic number two:

For the past several weeks, I have referred to the little baby inside of me as "peanut" but I clearly need to change the nickname to something that doesn't induce the vomiting reflex in Jackson. I mean, that's not the best way to start the sibling bonding process!

Anyway, I've seen several bloggers do this little survey each week through their pregnancy. I'm am definitely not going to commit to that because that I know I won't keep up, but I am hoping to keep updating periodically throughout the pregnancy.

*How far along?: 15 weeks

*How big is your baby?: approximately the size of an apple: 2 inches & 4 oz.

*Total weight gain?: Nada

*Sex: Too soon to know. Yes we will find out. Most of my friends and family are convinced it's a girl.

*Maternity clothes: A friend gave me tons of super cute clothes last summer, so I have a new (to me) maternity wardrobe.

*Stretch marks: Nada
*Movement: I first felt the baby move at 14 weeks and have felt similar small movements, but nothing quite so big.

*Sleep: It's not the child I'm pregnant with that keeps me up at night. But when I do get the opportunity to sleep through the night, I always have to get up to pee.

*Best moment this week: Feeling the baby move.
*Food cravings: Water actually. I can't get enough. (which is the cause of the above frustration)
*Labor signs: Definitely not
*Belly button in or out: In

*What I miss: Basically just Derek. I haven't really been pregnant long enough to really miss anything

*What I'm looking forward to: finding out if we are having a boy or girl when we go visit Derek in October!

The First Volleyball Game

Last Tuesday was Julie's first volleyball game! She's a dedicated basketball player at home, but had participated on a volleyball team. She picked up the game very quickly and was so excited to hear that she made the Varsity volleyball team. Go Julie! She will claim that it because she already knows a "ball sport" that it was easier for her to adapt to another "ball sport," which probably has a lot of truth to it. But, really, the girl is an athlete. A natural. She is so fun to watch!

Here's some pregame action.

A little bit of practice before the game

The huddle!

Julie is down and ready.

She has several very nice blocks during the game 

(being tall definitely helps!)

It's so cool to watch the game and have my "kid" on the court. It just makes the game that much better-- "Yup! She's mine!"  The Lady Mustangs took 3rd place in the tournament last week. The last game on Thursday night was so intense, but it made the win so much sweeter! Julie enjoyed a nice weekend off, but is ready for practice again. Two more games this week! Go Mustangs.

And thanks to Grandpa and the in-laws for keeping Jackson so I could watch the games and attend to my concession duties!