12 weeks

I'm going to start attempting (emphasis on that word) to take a weekly baby bump picture and post some things about my pregnany. I think it will be the best way to remember this pregnancy and document all of the wonderful things that are happening!! I'm stealing/borrowing the "template" from Kelly.

Pregnancy Highlights:

How Far Along:12 Weeks

Size of baby: Baby Nelson is the size of a plum

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I have no idea-I don't weigh myself and I don't look when I go to the doctor-ha!!

Maternity Clothes: Nothing yet-still able to wear all of my regular clothes. Well, minus one pair of pants (if you want to count those :))

Gender: Too early to tell, but we're not finding out anyways!!

Movement: Nothing felt yet, but it's still too early

Sleep: I'm starting to get up a few times during the night. But, I'm still requiring a lot of sleep!

What I miss: Ummm, nothing yet...

Cravings: Bad things!! Anything fried, like tator tots and onion rings (which are the best from the LeBonheur cafeteria at midnight!!), and Taco Bell bean burritos

Symptoms: Nausea all of the time!! But, it's getting better, especially thanks to Zofran! And I'm still very tired all of the time, although that seems to be getting better, too. And, I think I'm starting to develop heartburn (probably not helped at all by the Taco Bell!!)

Best Moment this week: Ummm, getting some sooooo cute baby clothes from my mom for Christmas!! She got boy and girl clothes, so she's not being biased-ha!!

A Family Christmas

Christmas Day was so special and wonderful, just like always! There's nothing better than spending time with the people you love. Nellie and I did our Christmas after we got home from Memaw and Pepaw's. We didn't do much, because we're getting a grill as our big present to each other. We both got some candy in our stockings, and he surprised me with a Christmas/birthday present. I'm going to see Lady Antebellum in concert in March!! I am so excited! Emily is going with me, and I'm sure we'll have so much fun!! It was a great gift!

Christmas morning, we woke up and headed in to Mom and Dad's house to see what Santa brought. We also exchange family presents, too. Santa was too good, just like always!! I got a good supply of maternity clothes and a massage. Nellie got lots of storage for the garage, and we got some new sheets. There were also lots of other goodies, too! Then, we opened presents from one another, and Dad read the Christmas Story from Luke. Mom made sausage cheese muffins-yum! Then, we just hung out, enjoyed each other's company, and I took a nap (hah) until it was time for dinner at Memaw and Pepaw's again. We ate steak, barbequed shrimp, and bakes potatoes-yum! You can't say we don't eat great!! It was a wonderful day filled with lots of fun and laughter. I love my family!!

Yay for Lady A!!

Christmas morning at Mom and Dad's

Dad's turn to open a present

Mom opening one of her many presents

Jacob inspecting a gift while Jamie watches

we're still not awake yet!

Chevy loves Christmas, too!!

Christmas Eve Celebration

We had a wonderful Christmas! Christmas Eve is always the same. We go to my grandparent's house, have dinner, go to the Christmas Eve service at church, and then go back to my grandparents for presents and dessert. We had wonderful food and a great time with the whole family. It always gets a little crazy, but it's so much fun!! This year we played Dirty Santa, which was a little different for us. We had fun with it, though!!

Noah, the cutest Santa ever!

Only a few of the massive pile of presents

Hunter helping Athens open a gift

Me with the sister, Jamie

Aiden and Hunter were so excited to both get motorcycles!

Memaw and Pepaw helping Athens open a present

All the girls with their scarves-Callie, Jamie, me, Jodie, Holly, and Taylor

Callie thinking very hard about which present to pick

The Nelsons love Christmas!!

Blair came home!!

One of my very best friends Blair moved to Colorado almost a year ago with her husband Daniel. Blair was in my wedding and I was in hers. We've encouraged each other through nursing school, our relationships with our boyfriends turned husbands, and through so much  more. I haven't seen her since she moved, so I was so excited to finally get to see her!! We met up at Bahama Breeze, along with Bridget, Sara, and Jennifer. We had a great time, even though it wasn't long enough. Hopefully we won't have to wait as long before we see her again!!

Love me some onion rings!! Yummy!

Sara, Jennifer, and Bridget

Me and my Blair!!

Baby Shower

We had my good friend Brittanie's baby shower on December 18. She and her husband Jonathan are expecting a baby boy in early February. His name is Tucker Wiley-soooo cute! Brittanie and I have been friends FOREVER-her parents kept me in the nursery at church. We had the shower at Faith, and had a great turnout. Tucker got a lot of very cute things, and it was so good to see everyone!

The sign in table with 4D ultrasound picutures and a diaper cake!

Mom made petit fours, mini red velvet cupcakes, and mini carrot cakes. Yum!

Very few of the all of the gifts!

Some of Tucker's presents!

The cutest little bear you ever saw!!

little lion booties

A camo outfit so he can match Daddy!

Me with the momma!

Tracy, Brittanie, and me. We've been friends forever!!

Date change...

On the baby front, we've had a change of plans. The baby won't be coming in June, as we originally thought. Instead, we'll be having a July baby. New due date: July 6, 2011. We had our first untrasound at 8 weeks 5 days. The baby looked great!! Heart rate was 175. Here's a picture of the bambino:

Look at him/her! Little stubby arms and legs and a big head!!

We were also really excited to find that we won't be pregnant alone. My cousin and his wife, who live in Alabama, are expecting their second child in May. My other cousin and his wife, who are mom and dad to Hunter and Noah, are expecting their third baby June 21. AND, one of my very best friends, Bridget and her husband John, are expecting their third baby July 26. We are so excited to have a baby so close to all of these special people in our lives. We couldn't be more thrilled to share this time with them!!

On the other hand, I still haven't been feeling great. I've been fatigued the entire time I've been pregnant-we're talking in the bed at 8 or 830 every single night, no matter what time I got up. And working nights is getting harder and harder!! My nausea is slightly better, but still not great. I keep telling myself that I could be puking my guts out all the time, so I'm doing pretty good! I'm just ready to start feeling more like myself. Until then, this little wonder drug is helping me get through it...

Loving my Zofran! Life would be completely miserable without it!!

Our BIG News!!

I'm sure everyone has heard by now, and it's already Facebook official, but I haven't made it blog-world official yet. Drumroll please...WE'RE PREGNANT!!! That's right-baby coming our way!

I know you can't read it, but it says PREGNANT!!!

We'd been trying for about 5 months to get pregnant. Originally, we hadn't planned on starting our family right now, but after my surgery in March, the doctor warned us we might have a lot of difficulty conceiving. He told us to start trying right away, because of the time and because there is no guarantee my tumor won't come back. I was getting extremely frustrated and concerned that we were never going to get pregnant-believe me, 5 months is an eternity when you're trying!!

In late October, I started having some weird symptoms-cramping, fatigue, nausea, the usual. I was hesitant to think I was pregnant-didn't want to jump the gun. Finally, I was feeling so bad at clinical one day, Beth (the nurse who I also go to church with) made me take a test. The line was super faint, but it was there. Pregnant! I still wasn't entirely convinced, so I took another test when I got home-still very faint line. Finally, I bought an expensive test that says pregnant/not pregnant, and, third time confirmed it-baby on board!  I got my plan ready to tell Nellie:

Our pumpkins!!

I set these up on the fireplace one day while Nellie was at lunch with a friend. I was sitting on the couch, doing homework (of course) when he came home. I told him that I had decorated some pumpkins for him. His response-"Ok. What's that supposed to mean?" Me-"It's a date.". Him-" What date? It's not our anniversary." Me-"Do your math." Him-"I don't get it." Me-"it's our due date." Him-"Are you serious?"

So, maybe it didn't go exactly as planned, but it was really funny!! He was so surprised! And excited. We showed my parents the picture on my phone as our way of telling them, and they absolutely flipped. My mom was so  excited-screaming and fist pumping. My extended family responded the same way-they have the best response to big news!!

Christmas at home

I only have one picture of our tree to post, but it's so pretty, I just had to show you! I haven't had a lot of motivation, time, or energy to decorate for Christmas this year, but the important things are done. My Willow Tree nativity is out, the stockings are up, and the tree and garland both have lights. We're having a naked tree this year-no ornaments. I just don't feel up to it. At the same time, the tree is almost too pretty to put ornaments on! I'm loving just looking at it, all lit up, with nothing to take away from its beauty. Or its smell...:) I love this time of year!!

December is here!!

We always go on the hunt to find the perfect Christmas tree the weekend after Thanksgiving. We heard down to the Merry Christmas Tree Farm in Nesbit, MS, to find and cut down the best tree we can find. Usually, it's just my immediate family and Nellie and I. This year, my grandparents came (they usually let us pick their tree for them), my aunts and cousins, and our family came. It was almost like it was years ago-when the ENTIRE family would go to Santa's Forest and cut down our trees and dirnk hot chocolate. It was the perfect day for tree shopping-not too cold, and the trees were gorgeous! Nothing beats a fresh cut Christmas tree, with that beautiful smell-LOVE IT! We will never go artificial. I understand some people prefer it, but I might actually die if we had to! Ok, not really, but a real tree is that important to me. So, we could actually get a tree bigger than 5 feet tall because we're in our new house this year. We got an 8 foot beauty-here she is!!

Our little family, with Verdi the foster dog

I let hubs do all the cutting work-makes him feel more manly! :)

He loves his tree!

There she is, ready for her trip home!

Fall Update

soooo, major blogger slacker reporting here. Sorry!! I have been swamped with school, work, you name it! BUT, I am finally finished with school for the semester (yay me!!), so I have time to update! So, a fall recap. In my last post, I told you about going to Carrie Underwood with Emily, Carrie and Cory's wedding, and going to the Orpheum to see Wicked with the hubs. Here are some pictures from those fun nights!!

Best concert ever!! We had so much fun!

All the girls!! Em, her sister, and cousin each invited a friend. Her mom and aunt also came. Such a fun family!

Carrie rode around in a truck! No wonder she won Entertainer of the Year!

Awesome stage!

My sweet friend Brittanie! She and her husband are expecting a little boy in February. We're having her baby shower this weekend!

Reception shot from Carrie and Cory's beautiful wedding!

YAY! I love the Orpheum!

Nellie's excited-can't you tell?? :)

I'm excited! Love me some Wicked-although I felt like it was better last year...

Soooo, that's the October update. I have no pictures from Thanksgiving (sorry!!). I had to work the night before Thanksgiving and Thanksgiving night, so I was kind of a zombie all day long. We had great food and great family time!! Can't wait to do it all over again at Christmas!