Sneak Peek!!

Sunday we had our last offical family pictures taken as a threesome. I wanted to get them done before I looked more pregnant than I already do. We had a girl that I met while planning our wedding photograph us, Trisha. She is starting a side business of photography called Seelen Photography. She just recently did our friend's Melissa and Nick's maternity pictures as well. I was very impressed and felt I would give her a try (since my first choice was not available, she was booked until June).

We started at the Jewel Box and ended at the lagoon infront of the Art Museum. The tulips were so pretty this time of year and inside they have the beautiful hydrangeas that were present when we got married. It was alittle colder then I had hoped, but all in all it was fun. Trisha did great with little miss, she pretty much ruled what happened. We should have forseen that she would get side tracked since there might be other kids running around and playing..lol. Next time I will have to keep that mental note.

It's a........

GIRL!!!

So we are very excited to announce we are having another girl. For those who can't tell, where the words gender are, there are 3 white lines (really only 2 are visibal on this shot) which lets us know it is a little girl. She was not shy at all, this was the first view we saw when the ultra sound tech started. I found it kinda funny, our child is not modest at all..lol. We are measuring right on track.

Let me just tell you about how we told my parents. We went over there after the ultra sound. On the way Dave and I decided that my parents would have to get it out of Chloe. The tech gave her a picture so the way there (about 15 mintues) we told her it was a picture of her little sister. So when we got to my parents, my mom was at the neighbors house checking out the renovations they had done. Dave, Chloe and I (I was being more noise then impaitent) went over there to let my mom know we were home. Once we got inside my parents house my mom asked but Dave said Chloe would have to tell them. So here is how it happened. Chloe came to me and asked for her picture. She took her picture to my mom and said (3 times before my parents caught on), "this is my sister." My mom after the 3rd time looked up ans goes, "is she saying what I think she is saying." We told her yes, my dad was very happy, deep down he wanted another girl. Dave on the other hand I think wanted a boy, so we would have one of each but he is happy knowing the baby is healthy.

Her Profile

Chloe loves Genevieve

Okay, I don't have pictures cause I forgot my camera, and I will of course have to ask Melissa if I can post them on here, but Chloe loves Genevieve. She got to hold her yesterday (when I was willing to put her down..lol). She loved it. The first time you could tell she was uncomfortable with it, but the second time Chloe actually put her arms around Genevieve just like you would to hold her (Genevieve was placed on a pillow that was set on Chloe's lap). Chloe asked Genevieve for kisses and even wanted to play Patty Cake with her. She sang her "Oh Susanna," "Home on the Range," "ABC's,", and "Twinkle Twinkle." It was very cute.

So just to tell you how much she loves her, we got in the car today to go to my parents (I had a dentist appointment) and Chloe said, " Mommy, we go see Genevieve?" It broke my heart when she got upset when I said we were heading to Grandma and Grandpa's house because she wanted to see Genevieve. Maybe on Friday we will be able to head that way again. I know Melissa and Nick are getting settled in, I just don't want to bug them because my kid (and I of course) want to visit them everyday. Even though I did say I would be more than willing to baby sit while Melissa napped. =)

Cross your fingers Chloe is this excited about her brother or sister that will be here in September. Right now she knows we have to leave the baby at her house. Though Chloe did say she would love to take her home with us..hehe.

Oh, and one more thing, our BIG ultra sound is tomorrow night at 7:30!!!

Ahhh

Can I just say that when I publish the previous blog, everything was lined up nicely and now it is not. I am totally aggrivated with this..AHHH!

Our House

Okay, so I guess it is time to talk about our house since the weather is getting nice and we will be spending time working on little projects. We moved in the house in Nov of 04. This house was originally my Great Grandparents (My dad's side). Then after one other owner my aunt purchased it, then we became the proud owners of it. I honestly can remember being here as a little child playing in the backyard and inside the house. I really wish I had (or could find) pictures of the house before the 2nd owner renovated it. So when Dave and I moved in there was some TLC needed with the house. Nothing major though, thankfully. The huge projects we have done have been mainly outside the house. But we did completely change all the appliances in the kitchen. I love the look of stainless so we went to stainless.

The outside projects have been as followed:

• removal of window boxes on porch
• addition of railing and columns to porch
• 2 dead trees removed
• tear down of sun porch
• removal of old landscaping
• planting of landscaping
• retaining wall built in back yard to extend patio
• pouring of new patio (in progress)

So we still have lots of things I would like to accomplish. Notice I said "I," well that is because I know Dave thinks we are done..hehe. Little does he know I have lots of other plans in my mind.

Here are just a few just for the front:
Plant some summer and fall annuals (unless I can find something that is a perennial)
paint the porch rail and columns
paint the shutters, if not completely replace
new walkway

I have lots of ideas for the back patio but we are just focusing on getting the cement poured this next month. My online friend Yara has been wonderful with helping me with ideas for planters and giving me some gardening advice. I an totally a novice with all this. But I am really enjoying it. I would like to possibly make a kiddie garden in the back yard or get Chloe her own planter and let her grow something for herself. We are always excepting ideas!

So here are some before and after pictures of the projects we have already completed (Before is the first picture, After is the second one). The plants used where box woods, 2 spruce trees, lots of bulbs (tulips, daffodils, and crocuses), a hydrangea plant, Japanese Maple, and a 5 Fire Bushes (don't remember the real name but it is a cousin of the bamboo plant). I would like to put some annuals where the are for some color during the summer months (unless someone has another idea for bulbs) as well as something colorful for the fall.

Porch

One side

The other Side

Water Gun

My "Great" Aunt Jean and Uncle Gary gave Chloe a water gun. Let's just say she picked up really fast how to use it. She soaked us all and even had good enough aim to hit us in the face.

Swimsuit modle in the making

Back from Florida!!

So if you were wondering where I had been, Chloe, my mom, my aunt, and I headed to Florida for a week. We left on April 10th and arrived down there the 11th. It was a needed get away, but at this point I need a vacation from the vacation..lol. Anyone else ever have that feeling. We had alot of fun down there. Chloe is a swimming fool. She loves the pool.

We go to Cape Coral, which is less then 10 minutes from Ft. Myers. I can remember going there as a kid and thinking it was the retirement capital of Florida, it is not like that so much anymore. Yes, there are alot of snow birds there, but it is growing so much. We stayed at my parents house there which has ocean access via boat. In other words we are on a Canal. When we went in January we were able to go out in the ocean which was really fun. This time since my dad wasn't there, and for the fact that his boat isn't a pontoon anymore, we didn't go out (with being pregnant, I am only suppose to ride in a pontoon boat, no rough waters for this pregnant lady).

One day we went to Sanibel Island, very beautiful place. At one point the Travel Channel voted this as one of the Most beautiful beaches. Now let me just say that this is not a playing beach because the sand is very "shelly" to walk on. It is, I guess you would say, a newer beach because the shells haven't been eroded to the soft fine sand we are accustom to. But very fun to go there and look for shells and just lounge in my opinion.

One day we also went to Ft. Myers Beach. This was a great day. Chloe played in the sand and water. I was totally impressed with how far out she walked in the ocean too. No just remember, we totally missed Dave when we were on vacation, but when we were there in January there was no way she was going to get in the water cause it was just too cold. We will hopefully soone get down there as a family when it is warmer. We sat in the water looking for live shells and just playing in the sand too. We actually found quite a few live shells and a crab of some sort. I have never (from what I rembmer) seen a crab before. We would pull the shells out and put them back in the sand just to watch then dig back in the sand. It was fun just chilling with her and playing.

Pretty much the other days we swam in the pool, shopped and visisted my great aunts that live down there. It was alot of fun, even though we really missed Dave.

Getting to know me....rambling so to speak

For those girls that read this who don't know alot about my past, here you go. I am the youngest of two. My sister Nicole had a lung disease. At 14 months she became very ill and the doctors at the time didn't know what was wrong with her nor did they think my parents would take her home from the hospital. I will have to ask my mom but it wasn't until the 90s that she was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis, idio meaning they have no clue how she got it. This is normally an "old man" disease, IE men in their 50s generally get it. So my entire life, somewhere deep in the back of my mind I knew there was a chance that my sister would die before me and possibly my parents. This disease progressively affected my sister until it was decided that if she was not transplanted, her heart and lungs would not be able to keep up with her bodies demand. Her heart pretty much was being effected because of the lack of O2in the blood there for having to pump extra hard all the time to get the O2 where it was needed. So I want to say sometime in 1997, my sister was put on the transplant list at Barnes Jewish Hospital. (Don't quote me on dates, I don't really remember the dates exactly).

So jump forward to September 23, 1997. I was a senior in High School. I was in the lunch room getting a bag of popcorn to head to the yearbook room to work on the yearbook some when I hear my name. This was the moment my life changed forever. It was Mr. Adams telling me I needed to go to the office because they had news about my sister. It was one of those moments that you just knew the what they were going to tell you. Of course I instantly started crying and shaking. The two of us took off running. I got to the office and Mr. Gore was standing there, I knew it, the call had come it was time. My parents were on my way to pick me up with my sister to head to BJ hospital, Nicole's lungs where here. I sat out side the school by myself for only 2 minutes before my sister's boyfriend showed up. I think that was the first time we had ever like touched, but we just sat there in dear holding hands until my parents arrived. We both jumped in the car (I thought he would sit in the middle to be next to Nicole but she sat in the middle). She held both our hands the entire way to the hospital. It was the most surreal time in me life, more than Chloe being born and marrying Dave. There is just something different about not knowing the outcome for something so huge. Curse getting there so early. It was the longest and slowest day I have yet to encounter, I mean if my wedding would have gone this slow, I would probably remember every detail that occurred. I can't tell you times when it happened, or even how long the surgery was, but I do recall she was in surgery over night. I remember that we had a gurney in the waiting room with us to take turns sleeping. I can't even tell you if my sister's boyfriend was there all night, nor who else was there besides my mom, dad, and I. I just don't remember. (it's funny how you can remember specifics on some and not others. Or better yet how I remember things compared to my mom.)

I do know on September 24, 1997 my sister was reborn. She had a brand new set of lungs that was going to give her a brand new life, one with out O2, the hoses, being able to walk with out getting tired, so much more was suppose to happen. It was a wonderful day. All my cares were taken away because this was going to cure her (this is honestly how I felt at the time, I now wish someone would have brought me back to reality with everything that could happen). Okay, so this is just part one of 2 Getting to Know Me posts I will make, but right now, I am alittle tired and I can't really see the keys because this is something that I am still extremely emotional about (come guys, I am pregnant it makes it worse too).

So I leave you with these links to check out (all the myths are courtesy of Confessions of a CF Husband.)
Organ Donation Myth #1
Organ Donation Myth #2
Organ Donation Myth #3
Organ Donation Myth #4

Other fun Sites:
Second Wind (my sister was a founding member. My mom and I participated in the group after she passed away before it became too hard on us)
Miracles for Life
Missouri Donor Facts
Missouri Donor Registry
Illinois Donor Registry

She is FINALLY here

After a long day on Melissa, no I haven't had the chance to talk to her; I got all my information via text message, Genevieve is finally here. I will let Melissa tell you the full story when she gets home but to me it sounds like after she started pushing at about 9 pm she pushed (off and on - she did pushed for 5 hours) until about 2:30 am (this is my thoughts only!!!). Finally they decided the baby need out since she just wasn't doing it on her own. Genevieve was born via c-section at 3:08. That is all I know and I told Melissa (via texting) I would call her this morning. I just wanted to let you know that she is here. I am sure mommmy, daddy and baby are doing fine, but I will come back and update when I hear for sure. But That is all I will tell you. I know mommy and daddy are totally excited to share with everyone there great news.

UPDATE: I have talked to Daddy and Mommy and they are all fine, just exhausted after the long eventful night. She will probably come home on Sunday so maybe early next week she will get a chance to update their blog. Nothing major happened other than Genevieve could not get passed Melissa's pelvic bone. They both are doing great. I can't wait to get home and go see her on Monday.

Melissa, Nick and baby makes three....

Okay, so last night Melissa called to let me know that as soon as a bed was available she would be called to St. Johns to be induced. She is 40w2 days as of today. I know she is going to try and use her brother's laptop if he will let them, but I will also 9for those who read our blog and Melissa's blog) will try to keep you updated along the way if she can't. So as of 10 am this morning she was at the hospital and had all her iv lines put in. She didn't get a good nurse and had to be stuck 4 different times which annoyed her, I feel her pain. But when I talked to Nick everything was in and they where waiting to get the pitocin. As soon as I hear something I will let you know. Send labor dut so Genevieve will make her debut tonight!!!

(p.s. I am in Florida..lol)

UPDATE: As of 1:22 p.m (MO time) the doctor had broken her water and she was at 4 cm.

UPDATE: As of 4:54 she was close to 6 and opted for her epidural.

UPDATE: As of 6:25 Melissa is 9 cm.

UPDATE: She has started to push at 9:04 p.m.

Where have we been???

So lately, especially on the weekends, we have been MIA. Well guys, it's LAKE SEASON!!! So of course we have been at the lake. Unfortunately the lake is up extremely high. The highest it has been since 1957 (I think that is the right year). We don't go to the Lake of the Ozarks, we go to Bull Shoals. In our personal opinion, it is much nicer than the Ozarks because there is less traffic. We don't need the bar scene that the Ozarks has, we prefer the less traffic. The only weekends it gets bad is Memorial, 4th of July and Labor Day. Outside of those weekends, you would be lucky to pass more than 6-8 boats a day. Wonderful!! It allows us to be able not worry about skiers or tubers with the traffic.

One of the reason's we have been going to the lake is because Dave and my dad are in a fishing tournament on April 19, but they are fishing against each other. Well and some truth came out the other night too. My dad refuses to lose to who Dave is fishing with, which is his cousin Randy. We laughed and said that is alright, cause Dave will catch all the fish anyway..lol. But anyway, Dave wanted a couple of practice weekends since the lake is up higher than normal.

So here is where we stay(right). And actually this picture is of a flood (not sure which one though). But the water is actually higher than this right now. And of course the marina has grown alot since this picture was taken as well. Okay so this will take some squinting, but if you look the right of the picture, you can see some brown buildings. That is the area my parents' cabin is located.

So that is where we have been people. hopefully soon it will start warming up and the marina will get it to where we can access the pontoon boat, yes because of the flood we can't get to one of the boats, so I can go for a ride. With being pregnant, I am only suppose to ride in the pontoon. I can't wait to get in the water this summer with my pregnant belly..lol.

P.s Chloe and I will be MIA from April 10-20 because we are going to Florida while Dave fishes in his tournament. My mom is also going with us.