Its a girl???!!?? Or is it?

I am 19 weeks along now, and feeling great! I have had a number of check ups along the way due to a question about an antibody that I tested positive for. Yesterday was an in depth ultrasound to see if the baby is being negatively affected (or becoming anemic) becuase of antibody Anti S. If the baby were to become anemic, he/she may have to have a blood transfusion in utero. My check up yesterday in Des Moines indicated that so far there is nothing to be concerned about. Check back in four weeks. Additionally, I was hoping to find out if baby Rich is a girl or a boy! The sonographer said several times that she thought the baby is a girl, but in the end she said she wouldn't say for certain. That, the baby wouldn't uncross (HER??) legs during the whole 45 minutes! So I guess I will hope to find out more in four weeks!

A reminder that I haven't blogged in a LONG time!

Joe and I went to a family reunion last weekend, and I was reminded that I haven't blogged in FOREVOR. It was so much fun to catch up with Joe's aunts and uncles and cousins!

Today is Joe's birthday, number 38! Where does the time go??

We had such a good summer. We celebrated our 10th anniversary in Las Vegas! We stayed at the same honeymoon suite that we stayed in 10 years ago (ironically far less money now)...and then took a family trip to Myrtle Beach, Florida. We were nervous about the 18 hour drive, each way...but we made it. Not without a few hiccups, bumps in the road and a little vomiting, but we made it. The stay itself in Myrtle Beach was amazing. The ocean, the shopping, the view, the condominum ... all of it a real vacation. It was a hard reality that we were heading back to work in such a short time.

In additional joyous news, Joe and I are expecting another baby, the last week in February. We are very excited, and naturally nervous...but not as nervous as we were when we were pregnant with Will.

Work has been off to a good start this fall. A better year than some. And there is the promise that it will be a short one!

got a new car!

Just about four years ago, I bought what I thought was going to be an incredibly reliable and save Volvo station wagon. It was just the cutest car. It ran great, it was the promise of my life to come as a mother. Just months later, I began to have trouble with it. With each repair, with each 1,000 spent, I would grow more frustrated...but felt unable to walk away (since I had already invested so much). Countless suspension problems, the axel broke, twice. Over and over and over I would repair. Just after my son was born, the car broke down on Thanksgiving, it was in the shop for nearly 10 weeks. We got it home and it broke down again, back to the shop, we got it home again, and the check engine light came on I have ignored it for a year. I estimate nearly 10,000 in repairs later, I was driving the car rattling and banging along. I worked hard last summer to earn extra money, and I paid the $18,000 reliable and excellent Volvo off. I hoped to drive it another year or two. They are supposed to last forevor after all. Saturday, my mom and I were at Tulip Time in the McDonalds drive up when the transition service urgent message came on. I traded that piece of shit off yesterday. I bought a reasonable and ordinary Ford Freestyle. I am in love. The only good thing I can say about my Volvo V70 station wagon was that it was comfortable to sit in while you waited for a tow truck. I believe the reason they are so safe is that people can't actually go anywhere when they own one.

when pigs fly

J and I have been having some trying times at work. The spring, and May always bring stress the end of the school year blues for school psychologists. Teachers feeling desperate to refer kids, adding goals to the special education plans that already exist. But yesterday was a good day. I could see the relif on J's face and in his body language. We slept better. We were better parents last night than we've been in a few weeks. Summer is not far off now. One foot in front of the other.

21 days left of work until summer

Onward summer I say! Only 21 working days left until the summer months are here for this school psychologist! I have given my classes at Indian Hills there final exams, and after this week, I am off for the summer beak for the college as well! I couldn't be more ready. It is kind of sad in a way, that the main reason I like my job, is for the days off. I thought when I went to college for those 7 years that I would be really career driven etc. However, it seems that I was a born to be stay at home mom who doesn't stay at home. The weekend was a tease with activities and fun, only to return on Monday to the grind of boredome and pointless routine of my job. This summer we have a couple of fun things planned. Joe and I are going to be married for 10 years, it seems impossible! So my mom and dad are going to watch Will for 3 nights while we return to our honeymoon spot Las Vegas. We are going to stay at the Monte Carlo where we stayed on our honeymoon in the same honeymoon suite. In July we are headed as a family, by mini van to Myrtle Beach. Chad & Heather arranged for us to stay 7 nights at their time share. It should be a real adventure! And perhaps, most exciting of all, Joe and I are going to pursue another round of In Vitro Fertilization, transferring one of our frozen embryos in June. Hopefully, this will result in a pregnancy and a baby due the following spring. Crossing my fingers! ONWARD summer!

Its been a long time!

Its been too long since I have attempted, THE BLOG..but I'll try again. W is now nearly 18 months old!! I can't believe it! He doesn't tell us much yet, that we can understand, but he sure tries! I can't wait to hear what he's trying to tell us!

We are worried about the swine flu here, hoping that it doesn't affect W or us. Apparently, some schools are canceled, and I'm freaking about Ottumwa schools and what that could mean for us here at the agency where I work.

My cat is sick, he is a beautiful orange Tabby who is just four years old. Suddenly peeing where he shouldn't. Like on our couch. I'm hopeful that he has a bladder infection and can be medicated. I'm scared about our options if he can't.

TGIMonday?

I don't know what it means, when a person is ACTUALLY glad to see Monday come?? But, this weekend was such a drag in that my maternal grandma moved to a nursing home. A beautiful nursing home, but a nursing home all the same. This is an exhausting thing, both physically and emotionally. I find myself happy to be back in the weekly grind of work.

Yesterday my son (10 months old) was at day care, running...and fell slapping his forhead on the window sill. Wow a huge bump and bruise. When the day care called me, I said..."I'm just glad it happens to someone else". What I meant it that I feel terrible when he falls on my watch and I'm glad its not that I'm apparently inept but that he moves fast and these things happen. But the pause on her end made me feel like a child abuser.

And why is it, when you go through the "drive through" to quickly pick up a prescription...it takes so long? Why do you drop the script off, come back several hours later, to only then have them have you wait while they add the grape flavoring so that the baby will accept it?? Are they afraid you aren't really going to come back and then they will have grape antibiotic that nobody wants? All I know, is that when I drive though the Walgreens prescription drive through for the second time in a day with a sick baby either in the back, or at home, the LAST thing I want to do is wait another 25 minutes.

On the up side, Baby seems none the worse for the wear and blew me a kiss when I went to work this AM. Aah life is good.