Sunday Walk

 The weather here in Texas during the winter is BEAUTIFUL! Sure there are some really cold days, but for the most part it's so nice. Sunday was no exception. It was the PERFECT day. Sunny with a slight breeze...just perfect. When we got home from church we went for a walk. We have these paths right behind our house that go all over the place. The boys had fun riding their bikes and playing with rock and sticks. Beats a Jersey Winter ANY day!!!!!

 

 Like how I'm wearing Rob's shorts? sad :(

And look at that beautiful sunset right in my backyard!!

My baby girl!

I had my Level 2 ultrasound done yesterday. (they do it at 24 weeks instead of 20) It was so awesome to see this little girl! They do the 3D ultrasound which I love! They put it on a DVD for you too so you can see her squirming around and making cute faces with her mouth and what not, I tried to upload it on here but it wasn't working. oh well you can just look at the cute pics! I think she looks like Jesse and Reven. She's got Rob's BIG nose and lips too! Isn't she a doll? Well everything on her was PERFECT!!!! that has been one silver lining in all this health issue stuff. she seems to be unaffected so far, so that is GREAT news! She's measuring a week bigger than I actually am so that is good, lets get her out early! 

Ok one thing you need to know about this little girl is that she is SOOOO active. I have never had a baby so active in the womb before. And I have 3 VERY active boys. I am a little nervous for when she gets out because she never sleeps...ever! I was telling that to Rob and I remembered a line from one of my favorite movies....the Ring! I love that scary movie, have you guys seen it? With the little girl (who's dead?) well there is a line in that movie where a little boy says in a whispered voice, "she never sleeps!" and that's what I tell Rob all the time. It's almost unnatural! anyway so I decided to call her SAMARA! that's the name of the little girl in the movie....

the little girl from the Ring.

  

Me dressed up as S from the ring...I told you I love this movie and this character!

MY little Samara!!!!

(this will not be her REAL name. but I am seriously considering it as a middle name :)

 

 

I love her so much already....

Jersey Girls

 

2007

Here are my two of my best friends. Lindsey(left) and Mel (right). We met in New Jersey back in 2006. Linds and I moved there the same weekend actually and Mel had lived there a year before that. We became best friends right away and did everything together. birthday's holiday's, girls nights everything! The same summer, 2008, they BOTH moved away from me. Mel's hubby was done with law school and Lindsey finished her masters and her hubby finished up Teach for America. Mel moved to AZ so I get to see her every time I go there and Linds moved to AUSTIN! She was the one who told us about it and made me start thinking about this part of tx actually. Well since Linds and I both live her Mel just HAD to come out for and "epic girls weekend" (that's what we called it) Now this was back in Novemeber and I just got the pics so that is why it has taken me SO long to post. We had SO much fun. Mel is pregnant with her 3rd baby (first boy) and is due feb 10th!!! so this was her "baby moon" and I of course am prego too so the fun had to be toned down a little but not too much. 

We stayed up late at Lindsey's house every night talking and eating. We went shopping and downtown to explore and went to Rudy's...best BBQ ever! It was a great weekend and we miss Mel like crazy but was so glad her hubby let her come while he (and a few babysitters) watchers her girls! Woohoo for girls weekends!

PJ party!

2010

 

 Here we are modeling our scarves that don't match but we were about to go out and it was cold!

Kerby Lane cafe. A must do in Austin.

Downtown Austin. SoCo ave!

 Famous boot place! had to get a little Texan while she was here!

"Hey Cupcake" another must do. I hate cupcakes but they said they were good!

 Mt. Benelle (sp?) a great lookout of lake Austin

 Nothing like Prego Booty!!!

Robb, Linds, and O-dubbs (rob's nickname for him) I am so glad they live here!

LOVE YOU MEL!

another update

This pic has nothing to do with anything. I just can't bear the thought of posting again without a picture!!


Ok so I got the Spinal Tap done on friday. We had to go to the ER to do it because no radiologist felt comfortable doing it on a pregnant woman. (yikes) they did assure me it was safe to do and the baby has been moving around like crazy since so I know she is ok. But I guess the ER doctors are better to do it anyway for some reason I am not sure.

The experience went way better than expected. the ER was the fastest place I have EVER been too. and I have been to an ER a few times in my day so I know how fast this was. Everyone was so nice and I had a good experience. The spinal Tap itself was....eh. It wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be but at the same time it is not something I will be jumping in line to do again. It did feel like an epidural a lot but this time I didn't get a cute little baby out of it. just 4 vials of clear fluid! But it is done and that's good. I had to take it easy for a while because they didn't want me to get a spinal headache and have to come back for a blood patch (don't ask) so far so good I feel ok except my back is pretty sore.

I have had some really amazing friends step up for me. I am so blessed to know such wonderful people! They have taken care of my kids and come over to watch them while I slept, and brought me dinners. I am so grateful. it's very hard for me to ask for help but they don't take no for an answer! It all helps so much.

Well onto the....good/bad part. The dr called today and the results were all normal. I should be relieved. which I am for sure. but that also means that I did all that for nothing, and also we STILL don't have an answer. which could mean it's something REALLY bad, or a mystery that could possibly go away when the baby comes out (lets pray right?) Anyway so now we wait for the blood work to come back and see if that provides us with any answers. He did give me a new pain med to try so I am going to start that tonight and see if it helps. I hope it does because the pain is becoming too much to bear. I am trying really hard to stay positive but I need some kind of relief soon. I can't sleep at all because it hurts so bad and that in itself is effecting everything I do. Not to mention no being able to open up a jar of juice or strap my kids in their car seats!!!

Anyway I will keep you informed when and IF I know anything. Thanks for all your prayers and thoughts!!!

Health update

So I have been meaning to update this for a while. But I wanted to wait till after my Neurologist appointment yesterday. Well I went....and it's not good news. Last week I went to the Neuro and he did an EMG test on me. (if you would like to know what that is, just stick your finger in light socket every 2 seconds for 3 hours straight. and then after that poke a very sharp needle into every single muscle in your body over and over again!) it was not fun to say the least. Anyway he did the test and took a bunch of blood to be tested. He also gave me a med that was supposed to help with pain but it ended up not doing anything so we've stopped that.

Well yesterday I went in again and he had to repeat some of the EMG test (sigh.....) Which was worse than the last time and then came in to discuss what's going on. My blood work returned and everything was normal. I was AFRAID of that. I wanted something to come back abnormal so we could have an answer. preferably a vitamin deficiency or something easy like that to solve. But that was not to be I guess. He said basically we have ruled out everything easy and obvious. So now we have to go further and start testing for a bunch of diseases and other chronic conditions. He took about a gallon of blood from me yesterday to run some more test. my body has still not recovered from that actually :(

He has a theory that he thinks it is. He thinks it might be a disease call CDIP. I can't remember everything it stands for but basically it's an autoimmune disease that I would probably have for life that effects the nerves and muscles. He's not sure at this point but the only way to diagnose this is to have a spinal tap done...right away...today actually.

In a couple hours Rob will take me to the hospital to have this procedure done. afterwards I have to lay down flat for at least 2 days. He doesn't want me to get a spinal headache or have any further complications. they have talked to my OB about having one done and supposedly its ok with the baby. They said the need to find out what's wrong far outweighs any small chance of something happening to the baby. Part of me agrees part of me doesn't. You know how a mother will do anything to protect her child.

As for me the pain is still here and still constant. we really do need to figure out what's wrong but I am also SO done with testing and poking and NO answers. You can only be sick and in pain for so long before you crack. I have already had many melt downs (poor Rob) and a couple panic attacks which I'm not proud of. The not knowing is the worst. But at the same time if it's going to be a life long disease that might put me in a wheel chair...I don't know if I want to know about it!! I'm sure it's nothing like that but still, the mind wonders ya know?

I am mostly scared for my little baby girl. I want her so bad. I want her to be ok and healthy. I want to be able to take care of her when she is born and not be in pain constantly. I want to find out what's wrong but I don't want to do anything that will put her in jeopardy. I got the feeling that if I was any further along they would deliver the baby right away. My Neuro is nervous that I am only 23 weeks. I just want everything to be ok. whatever that means.

I will keep you updated when I can. It's been a long road and it looks like it goes on even farther. but hopefully we will get some answers soon. Prayers are always appreciated! I love you guys and am humbled by the amount of support everyone has shown. all those who live here and who also live away. Just caring about me makes a world of difference trust me.

Lady and the Tramp...oline

When we first had Reven I told Rob that the year we buy our first house THAT Christmas we were going to get a trampoline. I LOVE them! My parents surprised us and got one for Christmas when I was ten...ish. It was so fun and a very memorable Christmas. I wanted the same thing for my kids. I know some people think they are dangerous but so are the stairs in my house so what are ya gonna do? Plus if a kid doesn't fall off a trampoline once in his life was he ever REALLY a kid??? Anyway, it's been BEAUTIFUL weather wise here in TX the weeks leading up to Xmas. Well Christmas Eve it decides to rain and go down to FREEZING! We had to set it up in the dark outside after the kids went to sleep and it was no easy task. Not to mention I couldn't really help Rob. I have my stupid health issues and have no use of my hands or anything else for that matter. Anyway we (uh...Rob) got it set up only after a few minor set backs. It was cold I'm not gonna lie but so worth it!

The kids love it, they are getting more and more used to it. (Mason and Jesse were afraid to jump with anyone else on it but they are getting so much better) they just have so much fun especially with Rob. I am SOOOOO jealous I can't go on it right now. Reven keeps asking if I can jump high and I just tell him to wait until this baby comes out then I'll be doing my front flips! until then I think I'll just lay out on there and work on my tan!

wish I could show you just how cold it was!

not the reaction I was going for but it works!

Christmas morning. They couldn't go on it very long since it was so cold but we had to let them jump a little!

Rob perfecting his back flip!

I love these next two pics.... SO fun!