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Sunday, September 16, 2012

No Spend September... and maybe October???

For my last pay period (August 20-September 20), Andrew and I wanted to do a "no spend month."  Since I had been sick, we ate out a lot more than usual.  So, we had planned on cutting our eating out to $0, our extra spending to $0 and our grocery budget to just the necessities.  Then just a couple days later the hurricane came and wrecked our plans.  Well really it gave us an awesome opportunity to see friends and family, but that opportunity threw our plan out the window.  And made this past month a big one for spending.
We spent more on food/water before we decided to leave, we spent on gas to travel to see family, eating out on the way.  Then when we got back we spent money on groceries to restock the fridge.  It was just one of those months where the budget went the opposite as planned.. which happens sometimes.
So this next month (for us September 20-October 20) we are going no spend... and hopefully all goes as planned!  We will cut eating out and entertainment spending completely, and cut our grocery budget in half.  Lets see how this goes!  I will keep you updated! :)  
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Saturday, September 8, 2012

12 weeks...

It was a little windy...


How Far Along? 12 and a half weeks... 2nd trimester is so close!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: None so far...
Baby Related Purchases: Last week we went to Babies R' Us and Buy Buy Baby since we had the week off and so much time.  I bought some maternity jeans because they were super on sale and were longs.  I was worried I was going to have to buy really expensive pants just so they would be long enough.
Maternity Clothes: Most of my clothes still fit me, I am just wearing looser things.  I bought the one pair of pants, but I am not wearing them yet.  I did try the rubber band method on my pants this week.. but it was not comfortable.  I have a bellyband so if I feel like my pants are tight I might start that next week.  I was also blessed by a friend from work and his wife.  They gave me a box full of maternity clothes!
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: Sleeping fine right now.  Since I still feel really sick at night, when I get to sleep it is relief.
Movement: Nothing yet... a few more weeks!
What I miss: Running and enjoying food.  Hoping both will come back in the second trimester. 
Cravings: For the most part I still don't want to eat anything besides ramen noodles and french fries.  Really healthy huh?  I usually eat pretty healthy... I wish I were craving health foods! 
Anything making you queasy or sick: Smell of red meat or tomato based sauses.  When I had to cook all of our food when we came back from the storm it was like torture... but I know when we have meals for weeks it will be worth it!
Gender: Can't wait to find out.. about 7 weeks away... 
Labor Signs: Hopefully a long time away...
Symptoms: Still mainly just nauseous all the time, and tired. I thought the throwing up was over... almost made it two weeks then on Wednesday randomly got really sick in the morning... I am thankful for the symptoms and that Baby Skelton wants me to be aware of its presence... but I am ready to feel better!
Happy or Moody most of the time: I think happy most of the time...
Worries: Still working on trusting God in each moment.
Best moments this week: I told the kiddos in my class this week.  They were so funny in their responses.  When I told my first class their jaws literally dropped.  They were so confused... There questions where all about how I could be preganant if I didn't look pregnant.  My second group had a totally different response... when I old them their comments were, "I was thinking yesterday you were looking a little pregnant," and the best was "You know you could have 2 or 3 in there?"  I assured them that I had seen a picture and there was only 1 baby as far as a I knew.  They were just cute as could be!
Looking forward to: Another appointment a little less than 3 weeks from now!
Size of Baby: Size of a lime!
What Baby's Up To: (from BabyCenter
The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.
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Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Making the best...

Our Issac evacuation... or hurrication depending on how you look at it... was quite the experience.  We went from New Orleans, to Tuscaloosa, to Birmingham, to Atlanta, to Augusta, to Madison, to Tuscaloosa and back to NOLA.  Seriously it was a crazy... and fun week.
 
Where we live we have to clean out the fridge and freezer before evacuating.  The campus police come in and turn off the fridge and open the door. 
 
Now I have been told during hurricane season not to fill the freezer too much, so naturally ours was full of meat.  I was not about to let it go to waste!  Before we left we triple bagged everything put it in the bottom of our cooler and put four 10 pound bags of ice on top.  It is amazing how well coolers work... I guess that is how ice boxes worked years ago, because our stuff stayed frozen!
 
At least until Sunday.  Out food defrosted.  What to do with all of this meat?  We got home yesterday and I cooked
3 bags meatsauce
1 bag of beef chili
and the biggest pot of chicken chili I have ever made...
all of which I froze.
 
So now we have meals for weeks!  Saved money and time.  Now this was the first time I really cooked being pregnant... and made it through keeping everything down!  So it all worked out... a little crazy but we made it work :)
 
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Saturday, September 1, 2012

11 Weeks

11 Weeks!!!

 I have gone back and forth about whether to do weekly posts about the pregnancy.  I know many don't care to hear all the details, but with many of our friends and family so far away I want to share.  Next week I will throw in a picture... being away from home we couldn't pull that together...

How Far Along? About 11 weeks!  We were originally given the due date of March 18th base on LMP, but growth has been consistantly a couple of days behind that so the due date based on that is March 21st.  Not really to much of a difference, maybe the baby will come somewhere between my mother-in-laws birthday on the 17th and my brother's birthday on the 27th???
Total Weight Gain/Loss: None... I gained 5 pounds right of the bat (weird... have no idea why) and I am already back my original weight. I think it may be because I have trouble eating/keeping food down.
Baby Related Purchases: Nothing yet!  All of this free time because of the evacuation has let us start to do a lot of research that I might not have time to do later.  We started a baby wishlist on amazon, just to keep up with our research.
Maternity Clothes: Not yet.  I feel like I can tell the difference... but can still fit in most of my clothes.
Stretch marks: Nope
Sleep: At first I was having a lot of trouble sleeping. Having to get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom and then not being able to get back to sleep. Maybe I am just too exhausted or I have gotten used to getting up and falling back asleep, but things have gotten better:).
Movement: Nothing yet... think that is still awhile away
What I miss: Running. I never decided not to run, I just feel too sick all of the time. The only working out I can manage to do are these easy pregnancy DVDs... but I figure it is better than nothing.  I also miss wanting to eat.  Anyone who knows me knows how much I love to eat.  Right now food makes me so sick... which makes me sad!
Cravings: For the most part I don't want to eat anything. Almost all food is unappealing (this is the opposite of me usually). I have been eating a lot of potatoes because they are one of the few things I can stomach...potatoes in all forms- baked, mashed fried, tatered...  
Anything making you queasy or sick: Everything... pretty much queasy and sick all of the time.
Gender: Can't wait to find out! This is about 8 weeks away... any guesses???
Labor Signs: Hopefully a long time away...
Symptoms: Mainly just nauseous all the time, and tired. My finer moments include throwing up in the Chick-fil-a parking lot and on the side of the highway on the way to work.
Happy or Moody most of the time: I think happy most of the time...
Worries: Overall God has given us a peace. At times satan attacks us with doubt and worry, but we are clinging to God's sovereignty. 
Best moments this week: On Monday before we evacuated, my doctor squeezed in our appointment that was supposed to be that afternoon in the morning.  It was supposed to be just a check up no ultrasound or anything... but she snuck us an ultrasound... even a 4D one just to give us some peace of mind!  I can not express how wonderful it is to see that and hear the heartbeat!
Looking forward to: Another appointment a little less than 4 weeks from now!
Size of Baby: Size of a fig!
What Baby's Up To: (from BabyCenter
Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.
She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.
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