Thankful

We have so much to be thankful for this Thanksgiving. Yesterday Dale came home from Iraq! Yay! He flew into Indianapolis where he will spend the next 4 or 5 days in demobilization. We are ecstatic to have him home safely. Thanks to everyone for their prayers and well wishes.


P.S. I love this picture of Dale - it's so him.

11 Weeks

I know, I know - I'm a horrible blogger as of late. To be honest I got nothin'. I've just been dealing with fatigue, fatigue and more fatigue. You're probably already sick of hearing me whine about being tired but really, it's nutso. Imagine walking around all day feeling like you've just drank a gallon of NyQuil and all you want is a nice warm bed and your favorite pillow. That's my life. My doctor says I'm about to turn a corner is a week or so since I'll be going into my second trimester and I will have more energy. Man, I hope so - I've become a hermit that works, sleeps, eats, sleeps, eats some more, sleeps... repeat. 

At my doctors appointment on Friday my doctor also told me that we would be able to find out the sex of the baby after Christmas, right around my 20th week - I cannot wait!!! I want to shop for everything baby but I'm resisting until we know what it is. Probably a good idea right now since I have no patience for the holiday shopping crowds and lack of parking spaces at the malls. 

On the other hand I do have some serious Christmas cheer this year. Last year I was such a grinch. I wanted nothing to do with Christmas, I didn't want a tree, I hated all Christmas music and barely decorated our house. This year it's all I can do to wait until after Thanksgiving to get out all the decorations and start putting them up. Yay Christmas! And don't even get me started on Thanksgiving - oh boy!!! 

Anyway, that's all I have for now, sorry it's not more exciting. I'll try and update a little more often :-)   

Fatigue and Artificial Sweeteners

I'm about 8-1/2 weeks now and I feel pretty darn good. I will say I'm really REALLY tired most of the time. Not having any morning sickness so far has been a blessing so I can't complain too much about the sleepiness. Also the pain I experienced in the first two weeks is completely gone (thank goodness). I guess the little poppy seed just thought it needed to stretch out my stomach muscles really far!
I'm getting used to what I can and can't have but it's pretty frustrating when reading about the do's and don'ts. My BIG thing is Diet Coke. I miss it more than anything! I read on some sites it's ok in moderation but some say it's not ok at all - and I just want someone to tell me my child will not be hurt if I stop for the McDonald's Diet Coke once or twice a week. Why can't someone just say it's ok? I get that caffeine is ok in moderation but then there's the aspartame, so many reports about artificial sweeteners - arg!!! It's enough to make me crazy. Don't even get me started on being told I couldn't have a steak cooked medium. Wha? Really?
I know I sound whiney and it really is a small price to pay but I just wish the "rules" were more black and white.

But every day that goes by I get more and more excited about our little boy or girl. And yes, we will be finding out what it will be - I don't think I could wait until the birth. We're waiting to even discuss names until we find out the gender too.
So that's basically it for now, just still getting used to the idea that there's a little bean hanging out in my stomach - still a crazy reality and I don't think it's completely sunk in :-)