Rodeo Roundup

Life has been so busy around here that I haven’t even had the chance to tell you all about us taking Jackson to his first rodeo! We had such a good time, and we were so lucky to be given some great tickets by a friend of mine. We took Miranda’s little girl, Gracie, and she and Jackson had a blast! We got there early enough to enjoy the livestock exhibits and the kids got to ride a mechanical bull! Jackson especially loved the bulls, but the entire evening was really fun, and the kids really loved their cotton candy! Enjoy the pics!

Gracie and Jackson petting a calf

Checking out the wild horses!

The two cutest little kiddos in their matching hats!

Jackson riding the mechanical bull!

So stinking cute!

Yee-hah!! Ride’em cowboy!

Gracie’s turn!

Cute little cowgirl!

Jeremy, Jackson and Gracie

Me and my favorite cowboy!

My best shot at taking a picture of the bulls!

We had such a good time, and I can’t wait to take both of my little cowboys with us next year!

29 Weeks!!!

How Far Along: 29 weeks

Size of baby: 15 inches, and weighing 2.5 pounds, about the size of a butternut squash.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I know that I'm up 6 pounds, but I see the doctor again this coming Monday.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity, all the time with the exception of a few t-shirts.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade. Movement: This little man is moving all the time, and he especially loves to kick my bladder.

Sleep: The restless legs are killing me right now, and the only way I can relax is to take benadryl which leaves me feeling comatose the next day. I can't win for losing!

Symptoms: Just heartburn and restless legs this week.

Cravings: Yogurt and blackberries.

What I Miss: Not being affected by restless legs, and not having to potty every time I stand up. It feels like I'm going to pop, and then all I get is "tinkle, tinkle." Sorry if that is TMI!

Best Moment this week: Getting the bedding into the crib. I love it! I'll post a picture soon.

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Anderson in person in less than 11 weeks!

An Interview With Jackson

I saw this on a friends blog, and I just loved the idea of interviewing Jackson as a 4 1/2 year old. It would be neat to ask him the same questions in 6 months or so to see how much he changes. Enjoy!

1.  What is your favorite dinner?
Hotdogs.

2. What is your favorite color?
Red and black and white.

3. What is your favorite drink?
Coke

4.  What is your favorite game?
Tag.

5.  What is your favorite thing to do outside?
Swing on my swing set.

6.  What is your favorite fruit?
Oranges. Did you know I even like to eat the peel?

7.  What is something mom always says to you?
To go pick up my room, and I do it!

8.  What makes mom happy?
To hug and kiss her.

9. What makes mom sad?
For me not to listen.

10.  How does your mom make you laugh?
When you talk funny.

11.  How old is your mom?
30.

12. What is her favorite thing to do?
Play hide and seek.

13. What does your mom do when you're not around?
Go look for me.

14. What is something your Mom isn’t very good at?
Not putting puzzles together.

15. What is your mom's favorite food?
Tokyo Japanese.

16. How do you know your mom loves you?
Because she tells me she loves me to the moon and back.

17.  What do you want to be when you grow up?
A garbage man.

18.  How would you spend $100?
I would buy some games and movies or Spiderman or Batman or costumes.

19.  Where would you like to visit?
I want to visit California.

20.  What is your favorite thing to do?
Play karate with Daddy.

He's Too Sexy For His Boot

Y'all know that I'm married to the sweetest, most loving, caring, and accident prone man alive, right? If you are new to Wade's World, or just need a recap of his injuries, you can find his accidental adventures here. It's been awhile since Jeremy injured himself, and as he put it himself, he was overdue. Saturday he took care of keeping his record intact.

Saturday afternoon our hand-me-down TV that was given to us by my parents bit the dust. It was a 32 inch "older" model TV that probably weighed about 60 pounds. We had our smaller TV in the office and Jeremy decided to go ahead and swap the TV's out late Saturday evening. He got the big TV out of the entertainment center, put the smaller TV in, and was in the process of trying to move the big TV into the office to get it out of the way when it happened. It all started off so innocently. Since I'm pregnant, and obviously can't be lifting heavy objects, Jeremy decided to have me hold the cord of the TV so he wouldn't trip on it as he carried the TV into the office.

Let the record show that I told him not to pick the TV up.

I suggested that Jeremy "walk" the TV into the office because it was so heavy, but Jeremy decided that my method would take too long. So instead, he picked the TV up (remember, it's an older model, meaning that it was pretty large and oddly shaped). He made it all the way into the office when he stumbled just a little bit and the TV slipped from his hands and the edge of the TV fell directly onto the top of his feet.

In case you missed it earlier, it was about 60 pounds of TV that squared the top of his feet, but mostly landed on his right foot.

Jeremy went down like a ton of bricks, and I sat there in shock that once again Jeremy had managed to injure himself. After a second or two Jeremy got up and was hobbling around the room. I asked him if he needed to go get it x-rayed, and Jeremy said that he thought it was just bruised. It was about that time that Jackson walked into the room and asked Jeremy what foot he had hurt. When Jeremy said that it was his right foot, Jackson decided that it was the perfect time to stomp on Jeremy's foot. I kid you not.

Jeremy hit the ground again, and I was left in shock again. Jackson did get in big trouble for his little stunt, and Jeremy hobbled to the couch. He decided just to take some Tylenol and ice his foot and not to go to the doctor. By Sunday morning his foot was really bruised and red, and he could barely walk. After showing his foot to some ladies at our church that are nurses, I nagged him to death until he agreed to go to Primed after we ate lunch to get it checked out.

After a few hours wait it was determined that Jeremy did in fact have a hairline fracture on the top of his right foot. He is now the proud owner of a new sexy, orthopedic boot that he will wear for a week or so until his foot heals. And after his foot heals, his new boot can join his crutches and knee braces in the attic, until Jeremy's next adventure!

My Top 5 Political(ish) People

Jeremy and I got to talking the other day about who we would love to meet if given the opportunity and why, and I thought that it might make for a fun blog post. Because there are so many categories that people could fall into, I had to get specific about what “kind” of person we were talking about. I mean, if I can only pick my top 5, are we talking dead or alive, Biblical or historical, famous or infamous…the list goes on and on.

So without further ado, here is my first list.

Amy’s Top 5 Political(ish) Living People That She Wants To Meet

George W. Bush.

It’s been 2 years, and I’m still obsessed with W. I adore the man, and I would do anything to meet him and his family. He seems like such a genuine guy, and I’m not going to consider my life complete until we meet. I know this sounds obsessed, but I can’t help it. I’m passionate…what can I say?

Rush Limbaugh

I listen to talk radio for 6 hours a day, and Rush is by far my favorite radio host. I think he is brilliant; a true genius, and he keeps me informed about everything going on in the world of politics. I.Love.Rush! If I actually got the chance to meet him I think I would be speechless, which would work out perfectly for him since he’s used to talking so much!

Mike Huckabee

Huckabee is my number one contender for the Republican nomination for the 2012 election. I agree with him whole-heartedly on his policies, and he would have my vote in a split second. He is a fellow Christian, and he is a dream candidate for me. He’s also from the South which earns him brownie points in my opinion!

Sarah Palin

Sarah is my top pick for VP in the 2012 election right now. I think she is an amazing woman with great political values, and she seems like someone that I could “know” in real life. That makes me like her even more. We could be BFF if given a chance!

Condoleezza Rice

Condi is on my list because she is from Alabama like me, so there is always the chance that we could actually run into each other. It’s not likely, but it could happen. Also, she was so faithful to W, and if he trusted her, then that’s good enough for me!

Who would your top 5 (living) Political(ish) people be?

28 Weeks!!!

How Far Along: 28 weeks

Size of baby: 14.8 inches, and weighing 2.2 pounds, about the size of a large eggplant.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I saw the doctor on Monday and I've gained 6 pounds total, which the doctor said was excellent.

Maternity Clothes: Maternity.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: All the time, some of which have taken my breath away they are so hard.

Sleep: Oh mercy the charlie horses and restless legs are killing me right now.

Symptoms: Just heartburn this week.

Cravings: I think yogurt is just about it for this week.

What I Miss: Not having to potty every time I stand up. I don't think this is going to change anytime soon.

Best Moment this week: Seeing Anderson at the 4D ultrasound was amazing. It shocked me at how much he looked like Jackson, and I know I'm biased, but I'm pretty certain that I'm going to have two of the cutest boys ever!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting Anderson in person in less than 12 weeks!

Our New Nephew, Cameron Charles Knight!!!

Jeremy's sister Amy gave birth early this morning to her sweet baby boy, Cameron Charles Knight. He is a tiny little man, measuring 18 1/2 inches long and weighing 5 pounds, and he was born around 3:30 this morning. We were so excited to meet the little fellow, and we headed out to Starkville first thing this morning. We fell in love! He may be tiny, but he is so stinking adorable! We are so happy for Amy and Adam, and we know that Cameron is so lucky to have such wonderful parents! Enjoy the pictures!

Just a few hours old and already so loved!!

Check out that hair!

He may be tiny, but he’s got long legs!

So stinking sweet!!!

Uncle Jeremy, Mimi and Cameron

Jackson meets his new cousin!

Congrats Amy and Adam!!! We are so happy for you!!

Meet Our New Little Man!

We had our 4D ultrasound with Anderson on Monday, and we couldn’t be more excited. It turns out that Anderson is the spitting image of his big brother! The only difference was that Anderson was MUCH more cooperative at getting some good shots than Jackson ever was! We took Jackson with us, and he was just so excited to see his brother. One time when he was talking Anderson turned his face directly towards Jackson like he was listening to him. It was pretty neat to see that. We were able to confirm once again that Anderson is, in fact, a little boy, and we know that he has hair and we were even able to see his eyelashes. He has 10 fingers and 10 toes, and he’s even already mastering the fine art of monkey toeing! During our ultrasound we got a smile and a wave (which was awesome), but the absolute best part was getting a glimpse of our precious son and knowing that he is growing just perfectly!

His precious face!

Strong little arm!

Sweet little smile!

Perfect little toes!

And remember how I told you that he looked like the spitting image of his big brother? Anderson is on the left and Jackson is on the right. They have the same nose, lips and chin, and both even love to keep one hand up by their face!

We have truly been blessed by God, and we can’t wait to meet our new little guy this summer!

Today is 4D Day!

This past weekend we headed to Hattiesburg, MS for Jeremy's grandfather's funeral. It was a really nice service, and the life of a wonderful man was remembered. It's hard for me to imagine that Anderson will never know the fun of having a great-grandparent, but I do know that Anderson will know all about his Papaw. He was a truly remarkable man, and I'm so proud that I knew him.

While we were there for the visitation and service, we were in a holding pattern with Jeremy's sister, Amy. She is in Starkville, MS and wasn't able to attend the service because she is 39 weeks pregnant. She was having contractions all weekend and we were pretty certain that she was going to have Cameron. Well, she's still holding on! We are anxiously awaiting the arrival of the new little man, but I'm glad that the stress of the week hasn't been too much for Amy to handle.

As if a funeral and a pending arrival weren't enough, we got word on our way to MS that my Dad was being readmitted to the hospital for an infection at the site of his heart catheterization. Luckily he didn't waste anytime when he noticed that the site looked infected and he was admitted a few hours later to treat a staph infection. He's doing really good now, but we would greatly appreciate your prayers that life would just be quiet for a little while!

And today is 4D day! We're going to the doctor at 9:30 to see Anderson and we couldn't be more excited. I'll post pictures soon, and I hope you have a wonderful day. Take care!

Weekly Confessions

• I finally convinced Jeremy to help me unearth our office, which will be Anderson's room. I would have taken a picture of the before, but I was way too embarrassed. That room has gotten to be a catch-all in the worst way, and I seriously think that we were thisclose to ending up on an episode of Hoarders. We dove in Thursday evening, and within a couple of hours it was like a new room. We're still not done, but its a million times better, and I won't have to "accidentally" lock myself out of the room if we have company come over anymore!
  
  
• Well after Jackson went to bed the other day Jeremy and I realized that we were still watching Phineas and Ferb. And the worst part? We were really enjoying it.
  
  
• So far my bracket is doing really good. I'm just highly disappointed that Obama and I both picked Kansas to win. Let the record show that my bracket was filled out long before his big announcement. It just kills me that we agree on something.
  
  
• I've realized that Anderson is due in the middle of our church's Vacation Bible School. My family is obsessed with VBS, and I've already started checking the calender for possible induction dates. Don't judge me; I'm a planner by nature.
  
  
• I just booked our last vacation as a family of three. We're going to the beach before Anderson arrives, per a special request from Jackson. It's looking like my parents, sister, brother-in-law and nephew are going to be going down with us which will make the trip even more fun. I'm going to look like a beached whale since this trip will be just before my travel cut off, but it's going to be super fun to see Jackson have a great time.
  
  
• We have our 4D ultrasound on Monday and I am thrilled. I'm not, however, looking forward to getting on the scales. If my scales at home are any indication, it's not going to be pretty.

Anything you need to confess?

A Great Man

Jeremy's Papaw passed away this morning in Hattiesburg, MS. He is now in perfect health, and we look forward to seeing him again one day, although we will truly miss him. Please continue to remember Jeremy's family during this time, and remember us as we travel to the services.

27 Weeks!

How Far Along: 27 weeks

Size of baby: 14 1/2 inches, and weighing just over two pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Per the doctor, I'm up 3 lbs. Per my scales, it's gotten scary!

Maternity Clothes: Mostly maternity clothes just because they are more comfortable now.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: All the time!

Sleep: Jeremy says that I'm snoring really bad right now. I disagree.

Symptoms: I'm getting another cold I think.

Cravings: Yogurt and Fettuccine Alfredo from Olive Garden, but not together!

What I Miss: Not having to potty every time I stand up.

Best Moment this week: It's been a pretty normal week.

What I am looking forward to: 4D ultrasound on Monday and I'm so excited about seeing Anderson again.

I Wish I Had More For You...

Unfortunately, I'm about knee deep in The Bachelor, and I can't pull myself away from the TV long enough to blog. And I'm totally pulling for Emily, just FYI.

How about I just leave you with a picture of Anderson's crib bedding that I bought today. I love it, and I think it's going to be just perfect for our new little man!


So I'll catch up with y'all tomorrow. Have a great day!

The Birthday Party Disinvite

Jackson is obsessed with turning five in August, despite the fact that he's just a few weeks past turning 4 and a half. He's already planning where he wants his birthday party, what kind of theme, and what he wants for his present(s). I hate to burst his bubble, but he's NOT going to get the gift at the top of his list, which just so happens to be a $350 John Deere gator. I'm such a mean mom like that.

Jackson's last two birthday parties have been at the local YMCA playroom which takes care of all the setup and clean up, and all I have to do is show up. That's my kind of party! This year I'm kinda wanting to move the party elsewhere, just to shake things up a bit, but at the same time, I definitely want a party place that will take care of most of the details for me. I'm checking out some other options in our area, from the zoo to skating rinks, and from bowling allies to pizza places, but I'm nowhere close to making a decison yet.

Meanwhile, as I'm beginning to think about options for his party, Jackson has been planning his invitation list to his party, and making stipulations every way you can think of deciding who can or can't come to his party based on some contrary decision that he thinks of off the top of his head. Over the last few days I've heard some of the most hairbrained ideas come out of my sweet child's mouth:

• You can only come to his birthday party if you are wearing green. Or yellow. Or red. Or blue. This is all based on whatever color Jackson just so happens to be wearing.
  
  
• You can only come to his birthday party if you have brown hair.
  
  
• You can only come to his birthday party if you read him a book before bed.
  
  
• You can only come to his birthday party if you stay on "green" at school.
  
  
• You can only come to his birthday party if you let him stay up past his bedtime.
  
  
• You can only come to his birthday party if you don't step on any of the cracks while you are walking around Walmart.

Are you seeing a trend here?

But my personal favorites are when Jackson gets mad at me for making him do something that he doesn't want to do, and then he tells me that I'm not allowed to go to his birthday party. When I ask him who's going to pay for his party if I'm not there, he tells me that I can go, but only long enough to pay. After that, I have to leave.

It's good to know that I'm still worth something to him, even if it does make me his Sugar Mama!

Weekly Confessions

It's been awhile since I've confessed anything to y'all, so I figured it was high time to start it up again. Here goes!

• Apparently I've passed on to Jackson my extreme dislike of slow drivers. We were coming into our neighborhood the other day and got behind a car that had to be going 5 mph. Jackson said, "That slow driver in front of us is making me crazy. It's just absolutely ridiculous to be going this slow!"
  
  
• I was guilty two times this week of adding more hot water to Jackson's bath because I was too tired to bathe him yet. I don't think he minded, especially with his arsenal of toys to keep him company.
  
  
• I've sent Jackson to school this week every day with a pair of holy jeans on. He's down to two good pairs of jeans, and I don't dare let him wear them to school because they'll end up ripped too.
  
  
• We've kept the house clean for 4 days straight. I'm pretty sure that's a record for us.
  
  
• I just ate a bowl of red beans and rice dip for supper. Heartburn wise it will probably end up being a very bad decision, but I just couldn't resist. I'll post the recipe soon. It is delicious!
  
  
• Sean Hannity was making fun of the Twilight movies on Thursday's episode. Now I love Sean, but he went too far with that. It just reinterrated to me why Rush is my favorite.
  
  
• Jackson had his 3rd trip to the dentist and I was a nervous wreck. Six months ago they told me they were watching 4 spots on his teeth that potentially could be cavities. We've done everything possible during the last 6 months to keep his teeth cavity free, but when he was back with the dentist (I'm not allowed back there with him), I was so nervous. When they came back he got an all clean report! Talk about relieved. I've only had 1 cavity, and I was just about sick that he was about to blow his record. I know they are just baby teeth, but they are my baby's teeth, and I'm just neurotic about them.
  
  
• I'm sitting here watching Anderson kicking my tummy, and from outward appearances, he's having a blast in there. I'm just glad that he's doing it now and not at 3:00 in the morning. Oddly enough, he has half of my belly sticking out further right now than the other half, so my stomach is on a tilted, cattywompus slant. It looks very strange. If it weren't for the already present stretch marks, I would take a picture to show you. Since I just wrote the phrase, "stretch marks" out, therefore admitting that I have them, you should feel pretty confident that I won't be posting any bare belly shots. Ever.
  

Anything you need to confess?

I’ve Been Invaded

Once upon a time, before Jackson, my bathtub looked like this:It was the perfect spot for me to take a hot bath, relax and enjoy a nice book.

Now, instead of being a place of rest and relaxation for me, Jackson is having the time of his life!

From night to night you never know who, or what, you might find. Last night this was the cast and crew:

First up we have Captain Jack Sparrow with his super duper Sonic straw, ready to take on Will Turner with his giant watering can…

Then we have a legion of cars, trucks, cement mixers and monster trucks, ready for their next challenge…

One lonely green snake, which looks VERY realistic….

Some kind of bomber plane and a front end loader (complete with driver)…

Assorted Superhero’s, like Captain America, Flash Gordon and the Green Lantern…

Batman and the Joker ready to fight to the death….

Twitch and his GI Joe Buddies enjoying a dip in the rooftop kiddie pool…

Spiderman enjoys riding his Monster truck, although he’s a little big for it…

Ken (circa 1986) and Leonardo argue over who is hotter: Barbie or April O’Neal…

And last but not least, a Froggy Lifeguard to watch over everyone, because around here, we believe in safety first!

I may not have my bathtub to myself anymore, but I can guarantee that bath time is never boring!

26 Weeks!

How Far Along: 26 weeks

Size of baby: 14 inches, the size of an English hothouse cucumber, and weighing just under two pounds.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I went to the doctor last Monday and I was up to 3 pounds gained officially. I kinda overdid it over the weekend, but I think I'm still doing pretty good.

Maternity Clothes: Mostly maternity clothes just because they are more comfortable now.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: He's moving all the time now, especially at night. A few times he has kicked me right in the belly button and taken my breath away because of how painful it has been. Other times (especially in the middle of the night) he seems to think that my bladder is a punching bag. Fun times I tell ya!

Sleep: Its been very rough this week. I fall asleep fine, but around 4:00 in the morning he starts kicking hard and it wakes me up and it's impossible to fall back asleep. When you add that to the fact that I'm up all night pottying, I'm not getting much sleep overall.

Symptoms: Just cold/sinus issues.

Cravings: I gave in to the key lime pie temptation, and it was incredibly good. I'm back to fruit now, mostly strawberries and blackberries.

What I Miss: Nothing much.

Best Moment this week: It's been a pretty normal week. Our next door neighbors gave us their barely used carseat/stroller combo which was so incredibly nice and generous of them. It's in great condition, and we were really excited.

What I am looking forward to: 4D ultrasound in two weeks!

And just because Lisa asked, I'm including a pregnancy shot. I've literally known Lisa since we were kids, and she is also pregnant with her second child (another girl for her!). We've joked that we should go ahead and set up arranged marriages for both of our kids! So here you go, Lisa. This is just for you!
Please pardon the lack of makeup. It was a long day! Also, from the looks of this picture, my nose has started to get bigger and I didn't even know it. How embarassing is that? Oh the joys of pregnancy!

And today is the last day to enter the Earth Fare giveaway over at my Cheese Grits and Jesus recipe blog!

I'm Calling In Sick From My Blog Today

Between Jackson's case of strep throat, Anderson thinking that the hours of 4:00-5:30in the morning is the perfect time to practice his karate moves, not to mention kicking my bladder all night long, and the fact that I'm getting a killer sore throat that I can only pray is just sinuses, I'm going to call in sick today on the blog and get some rest.

I'll catch up with y'all on Wednesday!

The Weekend In A Nutshell

• Jackson had strep. Again. For the second time since Valentines Day. Friday night started off normal enough. We decided to go out for Japanese hibachi and everything was just fine. Jackson was eating his food great, and then WHAM, just like that he was complaining that his throat hurt. Bad. I watched him for a second and realized that he looked exactly the same as he did when he had strep a few weeks ago. And I’m not exaggerating; it was literally downhill in 5 minutes. I decided to take him to the urgent care place and after an hour we were on our way home with a new prescription for an antibiotic. He seems absolutely fine now, but I think “the” talk is coming as far as getting his tonsils taken out. We’ll see what our doctor says.
  
  
• It has rained all weekend here. I’m usually okay with the rain, since it makes everything so pretty and green, but my problem is that it’s all wet and makes doing anything fun practically impossible. I had plans this weekend to go to a craft show that takes place on the first Saturday of every month, but sadly the rain/mud kept me away since it’s an outdoor event. Instead I made Jeremy and Jackson hit up a consignment sale with me where I scored some really cute outfits for Anderson, and some pajamas for Jackson. I used to wonder why there weren’t many options at consignment sales for older kids, but after watching how rough Jackson is on clothes, I found my answer.
  
  
• The nesting has once again been ridiculous around here. I feel like a crazy woman when I get started, but I can’t stop. We managed to clean and organize our laundry room, baker’s rack (which is nothing more than a catch-all), pie safe (another catch-all), the top of the refrigerator yet another catch-all), and all of our “food” cabinets out this weekend, not to mention washing about 18 loads of clothes. I also straightened up the magnets on our refrigerator and added a cling on calendar and memo pad to the fridge. I’m almost embarrassed to tell you that I threw away a full garbage bag full of stuff that had either expired or that we were never going to eat or use again. Our cabinets are clean now and I feel so much better now that things are getting organized around here. We’re almost ready to tackle the office/future nursery, but not quite yet.
  
  
• Jeremy's sister Amy is so close to being ready to deliver their new baby boy, Cameron. Please be in prayer for her as she goes through the last few weeks of pregnancy, especially because we all know that the last few weeks are NOT fun. I can't wait to meet my new nephew, and I pray that Amy has a smooth and easy time with everything.
  
  
• One of our church members, Michael, has been on the heart transplant list for several years now. He had already had a heart transplant years ago, but because of issues with that heart, he needed another transplant. He had been called to UAB seven times for possible matches, only to get there and find out that he wasn’t able to receive a new heart. Several months ago he was a perfect match for the available heart, but unfortunately the heart had been damaged in transport, and wasn’t viable anymore. Saturday we got word that Michael had been called up again, and early Sunday morning Michael went into surgery to receive his new heart. It seems that everything is going great, and the heart is working perfectly. Please be in prayer for him as he recovers, as well as for the donor family who made such a loving decision to change someone else’s life in the midst of their tragedy.

I guess that’s all folks. Have a great Monday!

The Story In Which My Bubble Was Burst

Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are my travel days for work. I dress up on those days because you know, I need to for marketing and what not. Anyways, yesterday I had on a dressy pair of black work pants, high heel black leather boots, and a fitted periwinkle blue maternity shirt that has ruching on the sides. The best part of the outfit to me was that I finally felt like I looked pregnant, and not just fat, which for me felt like a big accomplishment.

My travel routine includes always stopping for gas at Entec before I hit the road. So I did just that. I'm just starting to pump gas when I spotted a middle aged lady getting out of her over sized SUV and walking toward me. I confess to you that the first thing I thought when I spotted her was that someone should tell her that white pantyhose are never okay, and secondly that white shoes before Easter are a big no-no. Putting my judgment aside, I smiled and said hello as she walked over. She came right up to me as I pumped, put a magazine into my hand and said, "Here you go. This is a magazine on how to have better health and nutrition. Have a nice day!"

Almost every pump at Entec was being used by someone getting gas, and I was the only person that she approached. I guess I just looked fat after all, and not pregnant. I was too surprised to say anything, and much to my dismay, I was, for probably the first time in my life, speechless. I finished pumping my gas, sat down in the car and realized that she had given me a Jehovah's Witness brochure on health and nutrition which I immediately assumed meant that she thought that not only was I fat, but I'm also going to hell.

I then called Jeremy to vent and decided to ease my hurt feelings over a plate of hash browns and toast with extra butter from Waffle House. I figure that if people already think I'm fat, I'll give them something to look at.

But at least I know better than to wear white shoes with white pantyhose before Easter.

I Drived All By Myself!

Because it’s been awhile since I shared some of Jackson’s cuteness, I couldn’t resist any longer. He's been coming up with some great stories, and for once, he actually let me pull out the camera. The funny thing is, when he starts his story he has no idea what he's going to talk about (which is very obvious!), and he's constantly looking around for new inspiration or things to add to his story while he is still telling it! He's such a little mess, but he's so much fun!

Hope you enjoy the video!

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

If you can't open the video, you can check it out here.

And Miranda and I have two awesome giveaways up at Cheese Grits and Jesus. Go check them out!

25 Weeks!

How Far Along: 25 weeks

Size of baby: 13 inches, the size of an eggplant, and weighing just over a pound.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I went to the doctor on Monday and I was up to 3 pounds gained. I'm so proud of myself, especially because I thought I really overdid it at the beach last week.

Maternity Clothes: Mostly maternity clothes just because they are more comfortable now.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: All the time! I had a couple of times this week where he literally took my breath away because he was kicking so hard that it startled me!

Sleep: No complaints in the sleep department this week.

Symptoms: Nothing new.

Cravings: I'm dying for some key lime pie, but I haven't given into the temptation yet.

What I Miss: Nothing much.

Best Moment this week: I just found out that I passed my glucose test! I was so excited. The test wasn't as bad as I remembered it being, but it also wasn't much fun. I'm just so glad that I don't have to do it again.

What I am looking forward to: My next appointment is in the 3 weeks and we'll have our 4D ultrasound. I'm so excited about getting a sneak peek at Anderson, and I just pray that he cooperates!

Happy 1st Birthday Luke!!!

One year ago today we were anxiously awaiting the arrival of my first nephew, Luke. He made his grand entrance after a blessedly easy eight hour labor, and Kellyn and Jason got to meet their sweet little boy.

And it was love at first sight…

It’s hard for me to believe that an entire year has passed already. I’ve so enjoyed watching Luke grow up, and it’s been amazing having such a sweet nephew to  love on. Luke is such a fun little man, with the cutest little personality, and a pretty good flirt already! Our family has been so blessed by his arrival, and we love him so much.

Happy Birthday Luke!!!!

We can’t wait to see where this year takes you, and we’re going to enjoy every step!!!

I'm Baaaccckkkkkk!

I'm back from my work conference at the beach, and let me just tell you, it was beautiful. We had wonderful weather (high 70's in Feb), great food (including a grilled shrimp dish with white cheddar cheese grits that was heaven on earth) and I met lots of really nice people at the conference. I made it a point to get out on the beach at 6:30 every morning and walk while looking for shells. That was hands down my favorite part of the trip. I could walk the beach every day, it's just so relaxing. I walked so much in the mornings that my calves were killing me by the time I got home. I just wish that some of my walking would have counter-acted the amount of good food that I ate. I have a doctor's appointment today (with my glucose screening), and I'm really nervous about getting on the scales. Oh well...the damage is done now!

The only bad part of the whole trip was that I missed my boys so much. I couldn't wait to get Jackson from school, and from the reception I got, the feeling was mutual! And I've got to hand it to Jeremy; the house was immaculate when I got home. I knew he would do a great job with Jackson, and as usual, he didn't disappoint!

Saturday we enjoyed my sweet nephew Luke's first birthday party, and I just can't believe that he is already a year old. He is such a mess! The party was so much fun, and Luke thoroughly enjoyed his cake. I'll see if I can snag some pictures soon.

Saturday afternoon we went out and picked out new patio furniture and a new gas grill for our back porch. We also got Jackson's sand box set up and loaded with lots of sand toys so he can enjoy that this spring and summer. We're trying to fix our backyard up since we have the new swing set for Jackson, and after 2 summers of me sitting my hiney in Jackson's little tyke's picnic set chairs, I figured it was high time to have some real patio furniture again. We got a nice little 5 piece set from Walmart for a great price, and with the new grill, I know that we're going to be spending a ton of time in the back yard.

I guess that's about all for now. Have a great day!

Happy Birthday Gigi!

Jeremy and I want to wish his Mom, Jackson's Gigi, a very Happy Birthday. We miss you and can't wait to see you again.

Happy Birthday! We love you!

Pardon The Blogging Hiatus

I've been busy working. We will return to our regulary scheduled program on Monday. Take care!

24 Weeks!

How Far Along: 24 weeks

Size of baby: 11.8 inches, the size of a large papaya, and weighing just over a pound.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Officially it's +1 pound, but I think it may be 2-3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Mostly maternity clothes just because they are more comfortable now.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: All the time, especially when I'm trying to go to sleep. He did scare me one time this past week when he didn't move much (if any) for almost a day. I ended up going to the hospital for a little bit to be hooked up to the fetal monitors and everything was fine. Of course the minute I got home he was going crazy moving around. Leave it to my second child to already be my difficult one!

Sleep: I'm snoring really bad this week because of a sinus drainage. I'm sure Jeremy is loving it!

Symptoms: Some Braxton Hicks contractions and heartburn. Nothing too terribly bad.

Cravings: Nothing much this week.

What I Miss: Nothing much.

Best Moment this week: Putting my toes in the sand at Orange Beach.

What I am looking forward to: Next doctor's appointment on the 28th, even though I have to do my glucose test, and I'm not really excited about that. At least I get to hear the heart beat again.

How To Cure The Winter Blues....

The best part? I'm here for 3 more days!

Beach Bound

Today is going to be an amazing day. I'm heading to the beautiful Alabama gulf coast for a work conference. I'm really going to miss my boys, but somehow I think that powdery white sand, glistening beaches and temperatures in the mid 70's might make me feel a little better!

Yeah, I still have to work, but it's work at the beach which makes it fine by me. Hey, it's a tough job, but someone has to do it!

Some Assembly Required

After taking Jeremy out for Japanese hibachi Friday night for his birthday, we came home and Jackson had the brilliant idea to go ahead and put together Anderson's crib. Obviously this was exactly the way Jeremy pictured spending his birthday evening, but Jackson would not be deterred. So we began to shift things around and starting pulling the crib out of the box. It was about 5 minutes into the assembly process that Jackson lost interest and the assembly was left to Jeremy and I.

The instructions themselves didn't seem too difficult until you realized that we only had 2 hands apiece. We worked for about an hour and a half and got 3 out of the 4 sides together before we realized that we had assembled the dumb thing backwards. So then it took another 15 minutes to undo all our hard work, reverse some of the pieces and then finish the crib.

All in all, I'm completely satisfied. We got a great deal on the crib, and I'm just glad it's put together. Here is a picture of what it looks like (from amazon's website).Now we just need to figure out how to finish turning the office into a nursery and we'll be ready to go. Good thing I have about 4 more months!

Happy Birthday Jeremy!!!

I want to wish my wonderful husband a happy 32nd Birthday today! Jeremy is such a great husband and father, and Jackson and I are so blessed to have him in our lives. We love you!

Happy Birthday Jeremy!!!

Toomer's Corner: An Auburn Tradition

Toomer's Corner is a landmark to Auburn University, my alma mater. After every win, thousands of fans flock to Toomer's to roll the 130 year old oak trees as part of our celebration. I found out last night that an Alabama fan called in to the Paul Finebaum show to brag that after the Auburn vs. Alabama game back in November, he drove to Toomer's corner and poured a lethal herbicide on the roots of the trees to kill the trees. University officials tested the soil and confirmed the reports. Here is the news article.

I'm just heartbroken over this. I know that they are just trees, but to Auburn fans it is so much more than that. It's part of tradition, passed down from one Auburn generation to another, to celebrate by joining other Auburn fans in victory. I understand rivalry pranks, but this takes that way too far, to a point of pure evil. The guy that did this sounds so proud of himself, and I'm at least glad to say that there are plenty of (sane) Alabama fans that are speaking out in anger against his actions. I understand passion for your school. I do not understand the need to destroy a tradition and be completely malicious.

This is a picture of Toomer's after Auburn's National Championship win last month, and a time lapse video of Toomer's being rolled after the game. It breaks my heart that I might not even be able to share this tradition with Jackson, and that the damage done to this historic landmark will likely never be repaired in my lifetime, and quite possibly in Jackson's and Anderson's lifetimes. Jackson just came in the room as I was watching this video, and his first comment was, "I can't wait to do that at Toomer's!" I'm just sick over the fact that more than likely, barring a miracle, he won't have the chance because of one sick fan.




I found this quote on facebook from a fellow Auburn fan, and I thought it was perfect: "You might beat us on the field, you might make jokes about us and call us names, you might mock our traditions and even kill our historic oak trees, but you will NEVER break our spirit, you will NEVER wound our pride, you will NEVER cause our class to waiver and you will NEVER tear us apart. We are a FAMILY and this will only strengthen our bond. ALL IN."

WARRRRRR EAGLE!!!

Updated: An arrest was made on Thursday, February 17th. Criminal mischief charges have been filed, but this was a federal offense with more charges likely. Keep your fingers crossed that this man is held accountable for his actions.

23 Weeks!

How Far Along: 23 weeks

Size of baby: 11 inches, the size of a large mango, and weighing just over a pound.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Officially it's +1 pound, but I think it may be 2-3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: Mostly maternity clothes just because they are more comfortable now.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: All the time, especially when I'm trying to go to sleep. He's kick boxing as soon as I lay down.

Sleep: Not good this week. Jackson has been sick, and I've been overtired and I'm having a hard time falling asleep, let alone staying asleep.

Symptoms: Some Braxton Hicks contractions and heartburn. Nothing too terribly bad.

Cravings: Hash browns and toast from Waffle House.

What I Miss: Normal sleep patterns, although even that hasn't been the worst thing in the world. I've been really blessed with easy pregnancies, so I'm not going to complain too much!

Best Moment this week: It's been a pretty normal week, other than my nesting!

What I am looking forward to: Next doctor's appointment on the 28th, even though I have to do my glucose test, and I'm not really excited about that. At least I get to hear the heart beat again.

At Least It Wasn't The Flu...

So remember yesterday when I referenced that Jackson had a cold? Well, it turned out to be much more than that. He had acted pretty normal Sunday, even running wild for a good portion of the day. Sunday night he was fine, but around 3:00 in the morning he snuck into our room and when I felt of him he was slightly warm. I gave him some Tylenol and we all went back to bed.

Monday morning he didn't have any fever, only a yucky nose, so we gave him some Zyrtec thinking it was a cold, just like the doctor on Friday afternoon told us it was.

We were wrong.

I called his school before lunch and they told me that he was doing fine, with no complaints. My phone rang at 2:30 and when the caller ID said his school's name I knew it wasn't going to be good. His teacher told me that he had woken up from nap complaining of a sore throat, and it was hurting so bad that he wouldn't even eat his snack. I immediately started heading that way and by the time I got to his school he was laying on his cot outside his classroom (with his teacher sitting right beside him), just sobbing. His throat was hurting so bad that he couldn't even swallow, and he was burning up. I had already called his pediatricians office and they didn't have an opening until Tuesday morning, so I went ahead and took him to an urgent care center in our area. We had never gone there before, but they were wonderful.

They gave Jackson a strep test, and within seconds he had a positive result. When the doctor looked at his throat she announced that he had a "major" case of strep, with swollen tonsils and lots of infection. My poor little man ended up getting a rocephen shot (which took 2 of us to hold him down) and a prescription for amoxicillin.

He's been a trooper, even if he has reminded me 800 times about how bad that shot hurt his booty. This may not have been the Valentines day that I thought it would be, but taking care of my little man is worth every second.

I'm Nesting

The end.

No seriously. The nesting? I'm like a maniac right now. It started Friday night when I just had to clean our attic out and organize stuff. I thought I was done with my nesting craze, but then Saturday morning around 7:30 it hit me again that I just had to get out into our storage unit and start cleaning it out. Jeremy on the other hand had other bright ideas of things more pertinent to do, like sleep.

It didn't fly over well for either of us.

But I won.

After we had an early breakfast with my parents, (Dad is doing great!), we headed out to the unit and after an hour or so we were done. I'm in a "just donate it all to the church yard sale" mode right now, and it's crazy how much stuff I've let myself get rid of mostly because we just don't have room for the stuff, and also because it's stuff that I haven't used in years. I'm just done hanging on to it, and I'm also glad that our church mission trips can benefit from our junk.

And if that wasn't enough, I ended up keeping Jackson out of church on Sunday because he has a bad cold, and I completely, top to bottom, cleaned his room out. It looks so much better right now, and I'm almost ready to tackle turning our office into a nursery. We took our guest bed down this weekend, but the room is still a disaster. I can already see the difference in planning for baby number 2, because by this time with my pregnancy with Jackson his room was already done. With Anderson, I'm just taking my time. The crib has been delivered, but that's as far as I've gotten.

So with that, I'm going to call it a night. I'm exhausted from this weekend, and Jackson and I still have Valentines to take care of for his class party tomorrow. Take care!

Dad's Getting Out!!

I got word from my Mom just a little while ago that Dad has started the process of being released. He should go home sometime this morning!!!

I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart for your prayers for my Dad. We've had people literally all over the world lifting him up in prayer this week, and words can't even begin to express how grateful we are for that. Prayer really does work, and we ask that you continue to remember him as he begins his recovery.

Thank you again, and I'll keep you posted on how he is doing.

Great News!

This morning my Dad's heart finally kicked back into a regular rhythm and he was moved into a regular room. He should be able to go home tomorrow!!!!

Thank you so much for your prayers. They mean more to my family than I could ever express! This has been a stressful week, but knowing that people all over are praying for my Dad's health means the world to me.

I'm pretty worn out from the week, I just wanted y'all to know how great things are going. I'll check back with you tomorrow. Take care!

22 Weeks!

How Far Along: 22 weeks

Size of baby: 10 1/2 inches, the size of a papaya.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: Officially it's +1 pound, but I think it may be 2-3 pounds.

Maternity Clothes: I have two pairs of maternity pants, and a few shirts that I'm wearing, but the rest is regular clothes.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: All the time, and it's the best feeling in the world!

Sleep: Not good this week. Between not being able to get comfortable, and worrying about my Dad, it hasn't been a good week.

Symptoms: Some heartburn, but not bad.

Cravings: Strawberries and blueberries.

What I Miss: Normal sleep patterns.

Best Moment this week: Nothing really this week, other than Anderson's crib getting delivered. It's been pretty stressful.

What I am looking forward to: Our 4D ultrasound in March and getting another sweet peek at the baby.

Update On Dad

Dad is still in CCU because his heart is still in Afib. They are giving him medication to try to help it, but so far it's not helping very quickly. His other numbers are doing good, with his blood pressure finally starting to rise to a good level, and if it weren't for the heart being out of rhythm, he would already be home. We are hoping that he will be moved to a regular room tomorrow.

Mom got to speak with the heart doctor today and she really liked him. We won't know about the extent of damage for awhile, but I ask that you pray specifically that whatever damage has occured will not be permanent. God says that whatever you ask for in prayer he will give you, and I'm specifically asking him for this, and I know he is powerful enough to do it. Dad's spirit is great, and he is just beyond ready to get back home. Please continue to remember him in your prayers. They are greatly appreciated!

Update On Dad

I just got home from the last visiting hours at the hospital with Dad. He's looking good, and his color has really improved from yesterday. He is still having irregular heart rhythms, so for now he is still in CCU. His blood pressure has gone up some from yesterday (which is a good thing!) and his respiration has also improved.

He is in really good spirits, laughing and joking, and we're keeping our fingers crossed (and praying!) that he is moved into a regular room tomorrow.

Please continue to remember him in your prayers. We should have the results of the echo cardiogram tomorrow, so pray especially for that. I'll post more when I get updates, but for now, I'm heading to bed. Night y'all!

Please Pray For My Dad

My amazing Dad had a heart attack early this morning (Sunday). After a heart catherization it was found that he had 100% blockage in his main artery, and 80% in another artery. They put 2 stints into the main artery and left the other one alone for the time being for fear that it would trigger a second heart attack.

He is resting comfortably right now in CCU, and hopefully he will be transferred to a regular room tomorrow. He is still having some issues with his heart being out of rhythm, so they are watching that.

Please pray for several things for him:
1. Minimal damage to his heart.
2. Normal heart rhythms to return quickly.
3. Blood pressure to stabilize (it's a little low right now).
4. A full and speedy recovery.

I'll post more later, but for now I'm exhausted. It's been a very long and tiring day. I just ask that you please pray for my Dad. He is so precious to me, and my family covets your prayers during this time.

Once Upon A Time

Once upon a time there was a girl named Amy. She was a busy Mommy who just so happened to be pregnant with her second little boy. Life was good, but Amy was tired. She had been solo parenting since Tuesday at 6:00 in the morning since her husband Jeremy had to go out of state on business.

Amy did fine managing the household and working until a vicious head cold came out of nowhere and proceeded to knock her out. It really was too bad for Amy that a terrible storm had come up, and she was stuck at the house with no pregnancy safe medication to take, and it was raining too hard to go get something.

So she toughed it out (because what other choice did she have?) and her and Jackson went to bed on time and life was good until 2:30 in the morning when she started coughing so hard that she started to throw up. And the evil dog Macy did nothing to help Amy out, especially when she kept wanting to go in and out at 3:00 in the morning and bark at the entire neighborhood.

Then the next morning Amy had to get herself ready, her son ready, and then drive over 300 miles around the state working, only to get home and have to get ready to go to church to teach missions class.

And thankfully by the time she got home from church, her prince had arrived back at home, just in time for her to pop some Sudafed and drift off for a long winters nap.

Or something like that.

The End.

21 Weeks!

How Far Along: 21 weeks

Size of baby: 10 1/2 inches, the size of a carrot.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I went to the doctor on Monday and I had gained 3 lbs since my last appointment, which, when you factor in the fact that lost 2 pounds since the beginning of my pregnancy, means that I have gained 1 pound overall. I'm pretty darn proud of myself!

Maternity Clothes: I have two pairs of maternity jeans, and a few shirts that I'm wearing, but the rest is regular clothes.

Gender: We're having another little boy, Anderson Moore Wade.

Movement: I'm feeling movement all the time now and I love it! In fact, Jackson got to feel Anderson kicking on Monday which he thought was really cool.

Sleep: Its been terrible this week. I just cannot get comfortable, even with the help of my trusty body pillow.

Symptoms: Nothing much this week, other than a cold starting.

Cravings: Strawberries and blueberries.

What I Miss: Normal sleep patterns.

Best Moment this week: I have three: announcing Anderson's name, hearing his heartbeat at the doctor's office, and watching Jackson's face light up when he felt Anderson moving. It was magical!

What I am looking forward to: Our 4D ultrasound in March and getting another sweet peek at the baby.

It's Official: Baby Wade Has A Name!!!

Breaking News: Baby Wade has a name! We had gone back and forth and back and forth, but we have finally settled on a name that makes Jeremy, Jackson and I all happy, which was a stretch for a little while there. Since we already have a Jeremy and Jackson, I figured it was only appropriate that we have another "A" name to join the family, especially since I'm all into symmetry and stuff. After much deliberation, we finally came to a consensus...

Our new little man is going to be named Anderson Moore Wade. Anderson just because we like the name (and it starts with "A"), and Moore is my maiden name. Since I only have 1 male cousin with that last name, I really wanted to make sure that the name was carried on. And just FYI, but Anderson and I will share the same initials which I thought was pretty neat. Planned, but neat none the less.

So that's it. Anderson Moore Wade.

What do you think?

It's Like He's Trying To Speak To Me...

The other night I wasn't feeling great, and I sent Jeremy and Jackson off to Walmart for a few things. When they got home, Jackson ran into the bedroom with a Redbox movie.

Jackson: "Mommy, guess what movie Daddy let me rent. It's a really good one!"
Me: "I have no idea. What movie did you get?"
Jackson: "Spit On Me."
Me: "What?"
Jackson: "Daddy rented Spit On Me. It's a really good movie!"
Me: "Spit On Me? I've never heard of it."
Jackson: "Well, John Michael brought it to school and I really liked it, so Daddy rented it for me."
Me: (Realization dawning on me) "You mean Despicable Me?"
Jackson: "That's what I said....Spit on Me!"