Bragging!

So, of course every parent thinks that they have a great kid, but it is so nice to hear when someone else loves your kid just about as much as you do. My best friend (and pseudo brother), Randy Chambers, wrote the sweetest post about my little girl and I just had to share it. We have known Randy for almost 6 years now. He was just a high school punk when we first met him and I have watched him grow into a handsome college man now and ladies...he is SINGLE!!! He he! I am so honored to call him one of my best friends and Sophie's and Bean's uncle! Here are a few pictures of us and Randy.

 

Enjoy reading his blog! It just makes me a proud mamma!

The Random Musings of a Southern College Guy

Our "Little Bean": Update

So I really dreaded going to the doctor today. I have cried off an on for the past two or three days just not looking forward to having the conversation about our baby.

Before I go any further, I did want to share the few pictures we had of our bean going into this. These were from the very first ultrasound where our little bean was measuring a little small, but we still saw a heartbeat.

So, today I went in expecting to see something close to the same thing, not much, since the baby was around the same size at the second ultrasound. They took me back and I had to do the unpleasant ultrasound from the inside...not to be graphic. As the sac came into focus, I saw little white dots inside of it. I immediately thought, I have tumors! It came into focus and there on the screen sat a baby who was measuring 8 weeks 5 days with a HEARTBEAT!!! I screamed. I told her something was wrong that somehow she had pulled up the person from before me and it was their ultrasound I was watching. She said that this was my baby and she wasn't expecting to see anything either. I told her she had to stop the ultrasound and I needed to call Klint. She got my purse for me and I called him and told him to hurry to the doctor that we still had a baby. He thought I had lost my mind I am sure. He said he was on the way. I asked the tech to please get the doctor because I wanted her to see it too. I wanted to know I wasn't imagining things. The doctor walked in and said she saw the picture of the baby and that she was shocked too. I told her I was concerned because I had quit taking prenatal vitamins (I didn't see a need to take them with no baby) and that I had eaten a lot of seafood on vacation. She said not to worry and to just start taking my vitamins today! 

Klint got there, with Sophie since she had been sick, and we all settled in with baited breath waiting and watching. The tech started the ultrasound again and there it was. Our healthy little bean! It's heart was fluttering and it was wiggling like it was doing a happy dance. We all had our mouth's open looking at it! The general vibe was just utter shock! We heard the heartbeat, a healthy 174bpm! Sophie asked what the noise was and we told her it was the baby and she was going to be a big sister again. Here are the pictures.

Afterwards, when we talked to the doctor, she just told us we had a miracle baby and she thanked God that we hadn't done anything to end the pregnancy before they rechecked me. I go back next week for one more ultrasound, but she said that she didn't expect any different and that we truly had a miracle. She said she had never seen a pregnancy go from a heartbeat, to no heartbeat, to a baby that is measuring exactly where it should be. She said that the other tech just must have missed it. I guess I did too because I didn't see anything either, but I didn't really know what to look for either.

So, here I sit! In shock and awe and praising God for his amazing blessing! This is our miracle baby and I guess he/she is going to keep us on our toes just like big sister! My best friend, Jaime, said that my mom was really watching over me and the baby! I feel like she was right there with me today in that room sending me a rainbow!

Please continue to pray for us and our little bean!  We stand amazed!

Our Little Bean: A Roller Coaster Ride ( A personal post)

This is not the type of post I ever thought I would be writing about our "Little Bean".  This is pretty matter of fact and personal so if you don't want a lot of details about what happened then you may not want to read. I want it all out there for the record and I want to share our experience.

Klint and I always knew that we wanted one more child even though Sophie keeps us on our toes. We just always felt we needed one more. In May of 2011 we decided it was time to start trying to make that second baby a reality. That August I received a positive on a home pregnancy test. We were so excited because it was going to be perfect timing. We would have the baby in May of 2012, great for a teacher. We were also happy because it didn't take us nearly as long as it did with Sophie. Sadly, the next day I started spotting and started getting negative tests in the next couple of days. I did have a blood test and it came back negative. I suffered a chemical pregnancy, my second one. The American Pregnancy Association says this about chemical pregnancies:

     "Chemical pregnancies may account for 50-75% of all miscarriages. This occurs when a pregnancy is lost shortly after implantation, resulting in bleeding that occurs around the time of her expected period. The woman may not realize that she conceived when she experiences a chemical pregnancy." 

I know that have had at least two of these maybe three. More women are finding out about these because of early pregnancy tests. We were devastated because you are so happy and then BAM, the bottom falls out and you feel like you are starting all over. It just feels like a mean trick!

We continued trying but had several things to overcome. Klint had several months of adjusting to a new medicine and we had different health issues. Finally, in May of 2012, a year later, we got a positive. I felt so good about this one. The first sign of being pregnant was being super tired starting that Wednesday before our positive test. It was like I hit a wall. Then that Thursday, the day before my period,  I went and bought a bunch of dollar tree test and got a positive that night. It made me even more excited because it wasn't first thing in the morning like you are supposed to wait and try. It made me double excited because Klint could see the line and he could never see the line before. That Friday morning I took another one and got a darker line. I had no sign of my period. I went to school and told a few friends. I was still a little skeptical because I had been here before and knew how fast it could all change. Sure enough, I had a shock that afternoon with some spotting. Nothing major, but I freaked! Klint told me that he wanted me to go get a digital. He said it would make me feel better and we would no one way or the other. I went that night and it instantly came up pregnant. We were doing good and by Sunday I had no more spotting. 

Monday I went for a blood test and Tuesday got the results. My numbers were 537. Pretty high and really good for early pregnancy. I went back that Wednesday for another blood test to make sure my numbers were going up. They had gone up to 1450. We were ecstatic! The doctor wanted me to come one more time to make sure my numbers were still good. I went back the following week and they were in the 15,000s. At this point we had told our parents. Sophie knew and had told almost everyone she met. We had no reason to think that anything was going to go wrong because my numbers were higher than they were with Sophie. The doctor called that Thursday after my last blood test and told me she wanted me to come in Friday because my numbers were so high she wanted to make sure that I wasn't further along than what we had predicted I was.  I freaked! I just knew she felt something was wrong and I spent the whole night looking at everything bad it could be! Needless to say, that morning I was a nervous wreck. 

The same ultrasound tech did our ultrasounds with Sophie so she was excited to see us back. We got the ultrasound underway. She showed us thegestational sac, a yolk sac and a tiny baby. He/She was measuring a day smaller than what I actually was, but Sophie measured smaller too. I kept looking at the screen straining to see the flutter of the heart. Slowly she found it and I just cried. Our little bean had a heartbeat! We were really lucky to see it so early. It was only at 98bpm, but the tech told us it was still early and the heart had just started beating. We weren't too worried because Sophie's heart rate was 107bpm when we first saw her and the next week it was perfect. We had no reason to think that the same thing wouldn't happen with this one. 

We decided to go ahead and announce it to everyone. We took a picture of Sophie in her big sister shirt and told the world on Facebook. We knew it was early, but we didn't feel we had anything to worry about. That Thursday, we went back for our follow-up ultrasound. We expected to see a healthy bean and maybe even hear the heartbeat since I was seven weeks. As the tech started the ultrasound. She measured the gestational sac and it measured where it should be. She measured the yolk sac and it measured right. Then she measured the baby and it only come up to 6 weeks 1 day. My heart sank. I said something about the baby hadn't grown. The tech told me to wait just a minute and she moved around for a better look and remeasured. I'll never forget what she said, "Mrs. Jessica, this is your baby" she used the cursor on the screen to show me and Klint "and it is only measuring a day bigger than it did from the last ultrasound and there is no heartbeat." I just went numb. I didn't know what to feel. Poor Klint was in shock. We were leaving for vacation in two days and now we had to think about saying goodbye to our baby. The thought of trying to explain to Sophie what happened made me sick. I felt so many emotions. I was like a pinball hitting every feeling you could feel on my way around the board. 

The doctor talked to us and told us that she wanted to see me back that Tuesday. I told her it wasn't an option. I had to get out of town. I didn't want to stay here and think about what we had lost, I wanted to go away and grieve how I needed to and if I didn't want to think about it, I didn't have to. She said that was fine. She said it wouldn't hurt me to continue to carry the baby. I hated that thought. I felt like a walking tomb. She told me I might miscarry naturally (which I haven't) and if I didn't that we could talk about my options when we get back. 

So, here I sit. I go tomorrow to the doctor to discuss our options since I haven't lost the baby. I knew I probably wouldn't since I held onto my pregnancy hormones even after Sophie was born. Trying to form a plan to get rid of your baby is something that no one should ever have to go through. I keep saying the doctor will take care of it, but that feels and sounds so inhuman and just makes me cry because it was our baby for six weeks. Klint and I wanted this baby so bad! I have gone through the anger that God let this happen, to the sadness that I lost our baby, to the guilt that I might have done something wrong, to the silver lining phase at thinking about the things I can do this summer that I was going to have to put off, and back to the anger phase because I shouldn't be thinking about that.  

I didn't escape the loss completely on my vacation as I still had to deal with pregnancy hormones and the nausea they caused and the other effects they had on my body. I was in constant worry mode that it would happen while we were out at dinner or shopping. I didn't want it to happen where Sophie would have to see me in pain. She had already seen me cry enough and has/had been trying herself to figure out where the baby had gone. We told her that God needed an angel and he needed the baby to come back to Heaven. We also told her that Nonnie, my mom, was watching the baby now and I truly believe that and I am so glad that she is up there to be with him/her. That is my one solace in all of this. 

A friend on Facebook recommended that I read Heaven is for Real and it was a really good suggestion. The book is a true story about a little boy about Sophie's age who goes to Heaven. As the story unfolds about what all he saw, he reveals he met his sister in Heaven. His parents had never told him about their miscarriage. It was amazing to read about what he learned about his sister he never knew. The mom shared a little of her feelings about the miscarriage and it pretty much summed up how I felt.  

     "Sonja had told me that to her the miscarriage not only seared her heart with grief, but it also felt like a personal failure. "You do all the right things, eat all the right things, and you pray for the baby's health, but still this tiny baby dies inside you," she had once told me. "I feel guilty. I know in my mind that it wasn't my fault, but there's still this guilt." Heaven is for Real, Todd Burpo

I think I feel the most guilt at losing sight at what I do have. I have a wonderful, spirited, healthy, beautiful little girl. I wanted this baby so bad that I lost sight of that. I really did regain that focus on our trip watching her experience new things and have a blast. 

I know that we can have a healthy baby. We have done it once and we can do it again. It will be on God's time and I need to have faith in that.  And if it never happens, then we will be okay with that too. We have a wonderful little angel here and we know we have another one in Heaven waiting for us.

Thank you everyone for the prayers and love that you have shown our family through all of this. We are truly blessed. Please continue to pray for us this week as we meet with the doctors and figure out what we need to do. 

One more thing I want to share is a song that really spoke to me. Klint told me about it after my mom passed and I liked it, but for some reason it seemed to fit with this situation better for me. It is called "Just Breathe" by Pearl Jam.  

Vacation Time: Myrtle Beach

I feel like I need to blow the dust off of my blog. It is has been forever since I have posted! Maybe that will change this summer.

We just got back from a week at Myrtle Beach, South Carolina! It is definitely a great family place, a golfer's paradise, and a shopper's dream! There is so much to do as a family. They have a lot of putt-putt places, some great shows, and other attractions. One thing that Sophie loved was Broadway. It is a shopping center kind of on a boardwalk. They had bounce houses set out in the front which we took advantage of. Later, we walked around and found a whole lot of kiddie rides perfect for her. She road all of them and then got to pick a duck at the end and won a cow she named Clarice (or Maurice depending on when you ask her). Below are a few pictures. We did all of these rides and got the cow for $20. It was the best money we spent!

Sophie, Poppi, and Clarice

Klint and my dad went golfing three times while we were there. I think the course that Klint got the most excited about was Wicked Stick. It is a golf course developed and designed by John Daly. Klint did say that the advertisements were a little misleading as it is not a links course, but he did say it was a nice course and that they had a good time.

There is a lot of shopping. As I mentioned above, there is Broadway that has a lot of shops, but then there are two...yes TWO...Tanger Outlets! It is HEAVEN! He he! They have different things at each outlet. The one we really enjoyed was the one farther away from where we were. It had a Columbia outlet which Klint was really into because that is pretty much the only kind of shirt he wears now and they were cheap. $20 for most of the shirts he got. I got a Columbia sweater and a jacket for $30 each which was a great deal. I also got a few things for Sophie. Another hot spot for shopping for us was Bass Pro Shops. I even enjoyed shopping here. What was amazing was Klint didn't buy anything for fishing or hunting, but clothes. I bought several pairs of capri pants and jewelry. I love their jewelry. I know you wouldn't think they would have any, but they do and it is really cute. Of course, Sophie enjoyed the fish tank and I took advantage for some pictures.

We ate at a lot of great places while there. A few of our favorites is Joe's Hamburgers. They have the best burgers and they are a pretty laidback place. We also went to Joe's Bar and Grill which was nice. It was out on a marsh and they had a platform with food for raccoons to come and eat. Sophie loved it because two raccoons came up while we were eating. Klint and I had a date night while we were there and went to Rioz. Rioz is a Brazillian steakhouse. The waiters carried big skewered pieces of meat around and came to your table to slice it for you. It was good, but overwhelming and I got a little sick because it was too much at one time. I would go back again, but pace myself the next time. Below are a few pictures from Joe's Hamburgers.

Of course, Sophie's favorite thing about Myrtle was the beach. We didn't get to go too much on this trip because of the crazy weather, but she did enjoy it the times we went.

A lesson in jellyfish. I never saw any in the water, but I did see several washed up on the shore. 

 The last thing I will post were my favorite pictures from our trip. We took photos in a photo booth, something I have wanted to do for a long time. They are my favorite family photos!

 

Menu for 05/13/12 - 05/25/12

Here is the menu for next two weeks. I didn't do one for the last week because we will be out of town. Sorry, no grocery list! I had a lot of this stuff already so I didn't make a very good one for myself.

May 13 - Slow Cooker Jambalaya
May 14 - French Chicken Broccoli Supreme
May 15 - Leftovers or sandwiches
May 16 - Crockpot Cube Steak and Gravy with rice and greenbeans
May 17 -White Chicken Enchiladas with black beans and pico de gallo
May 18 - Leftovers or sandwiches
May 19 - Tater tot casserole
May 20 - Pot Roast
May 21 - Taco Night
May 22 - Leftovers or sandwiches
May 23 - Go out after church
May 24 - Crockpot Chicken Parmesan 
May 25 - BBQ

Diabetes aka The Sugar: Part 3, Restaurants

So, I set out to start this whole series on Diabetes and got a little side tracked and didn't finish it. So this is the last post on the topic. I hope you can find something in any of these that will help you.

In my previous two post on the topic (Post 1 and Post 2) I talked about how Diabetes is not a death sentence and that food is not always the enemy. A big part of Post 2 was about portion control. Below is the chart I used from that post.

I said I was going to hang this on my fridge, but I haven't done it yet. Something to add to my never ending to do list! He he!

So what do you do if you eat out and the portions are already set? Can you tell the waiter to hold half the steak and baked potato? Here are a few things the teacher of our class told us to try to make eating out not so tricky!

1. Share a meal. This is a great way to get the perfect portion and honestly, how many times do you say to your friend or significant other "We could have split that."? Klint and I say it all the time. I will be honest and say that we are  not the best at doing this. We have tried it, but it is hard to make a compromise on what you want to eat and sometimes, the place you might choose is not conducive to sharing. All that aside, this will guarantee that you get a smaller portion and you will also save money buying just one meal!

2. As soon as you get your meal ask for a to go box and put half in the box. Okay, I know this sounds silly, but as a teacher, we are always looking for alternatives to the old lunchroom grab bag! If we go out to eat, we are taking food home with us for lunch the next day. Fellow teachers, am I right? This idea actually came from a teacher I knew. She would get her meal at a restaurant and then get a to go box and split it to ensure she saved some for lunch and because she knew she didn't need the whole meal that night. It really does work. Give it a try!

3. Order from the lighter side menu. Most of the time, these are healthier alternatives and their portions are smaller.

4. Dip your salad in your dressing. I am the world's worst salad eater! I want a little salad with my dressing. It is amazing that if you do this little trick how much less dressing you eat and let's be honest....dressing is full of fat. This was a suggestion from our teacher. I have tried it and it does work, but I really enjoy seeing my lettuce swimming in ranch! He he!

5. At buffets, make one trip and keep in mind your portions. Our church is notorious for hitting a buffet after Sunday morning worship. It isn't that bad as long as you make one trip. I know some people make two and three trips to reload on fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and fried okra. Heart attack! I usually make a salad to start off and then go and get my main meal and then a small desert and I usually don't eat all of that. Just remember portion, portion, portion!

I hope these five little tips help. I know some of them may be common sense, but it helps sometimes to read them. Feel free to message me or comment if you have a question and I will do my best to help!

May your sugars stay normal! (Little diabetes humor! Ha!)

Menu and Grocery List

So....yeah....I am a terrible blogger ...

Klint has been in tax season and things have been crazy at school with year end things. We have not had a really good week of cooking at home and our bodies and wallets are showing it. So, I am posting a menu for the first two weeks of May. I'm sorry that I have let this slip for more than just my family, but for other families too. I heard many people out in my community talking about my blog and saying with excitement that I do menus and grocery list and then I just stopped. I am getting back on the bandwagon and doing it right.

Something I am trying to do this go around is do healthy meals that are kid friendly. Sophie has not been a good eater lately and it is something I want to change. I looked at a few websites to try to figure out some recipes that she may like that aren't chicken nuggets and grilled cheese. I kind of put them throughout the menu.

May 1st - Chicken Lo Mein
May 2nd - Chicken and Rice with Vermicelli and slivered almonds, black beans and collared greens
May 3rd - Crispy Chicken Roll-Ups with steamed brocolli
May 4th-  Leftovers (I am eating with my aunt.)
May 5th- Shepard's Pie (I know! I know! But Klint has been begging me to try to make it.)
May 6th - BBQ sandwiches (Throw pork or beef in crockpot. Cook all day! Shred and add sauce! Yum!)
May 7th - Leftovers
May 8th - Spaghetti in Garlic Gravy with Herbs & Lemon Marinated Chicken and Cherry Tomatoes
May 9th - Sandwiches
May 10th -Pot Roast
May 11th -Garlic Lemon Chicken Kabobs with a salad and twice baked potatoes

The link for the menu is here. Sorry no fancy calendar this time!

Happy eating!