A New Chapter

I'm starting a new little chapter in my life. I quit my old job I had before going on maternity leave & I' now going to be working at a bank which makes me so happy! I'm still in school, finishing up my AA & hopefully getting into the ultra sound tech program. I have a lot going on & I am excited & nervous!

My main goal in my life is to have Kiana & Joe & the rest of my family proud of me. Sometimes I am not sure if I am doing just that & I hope as of now that I am. I also want to make sure I am happy with myself & the person I am & that I am becoming & as of right now...I feel really, really, really good about myself :-)

After having Kiana, I didn't feel like me. Not in a bad way, I definately felt more grown up & I felt like a Mom right away. I became a new a me, a new me that I loved more than the old me. I feel more comfortable with myself especially my body which is weird because its waaay different then it was before Kiana. But I feel like I finally came into myself when I had her. My whole world changed & definately for the better. I have a whole new outlook on life & what I expect of people. I used to judge people on how they treated me, but now I base it on how they treat my daughter. If someone doesn't treat my daughter kindly or like the little angel she is...why do I need them in my life? She is my life! She is everything to me! So if someone can't appreciate her for that, then I don't need them in mine. I don't feel that this makes me stuck up or mean, I feel like I have my priorities straight because she comes first above all else.

I love my life! Even though there are some struggles I am going thru at the moment...at least I see a light at the end of the tunnel & I know that it will not be like this forever. I am comfortable with myself. I feel like I am good Mom & a good Wife & I hope a good Daughter & Friend as well. I am ready for these changes & everything life is about to throw my way...so bring it on!

3 MONTHS ALREADY?!

I can't believe my baby girl is going to be 3 months on September 30th! This is insane! I am really sad because I guess this means she is officially not a newborn :-( She just started growing out of most of her newborn clothes last week. She can still wear most of them, but some of them not so much. She is now mostly in the 0-3 months clothes. Isn't she just precious!

As of now she is baby talking like crazy! She has been since she was 4 or 5 weeks old, but now it is louder & she does it in response of us talking to her. She also tries really, really hard to mimic what we do with our mouths which is fun to watch, she is actually pretty good. Tummy time is going great, she holds her head up pretty good now, still has a ways to go though of course. She is also still breast feeding (is that TMI?) & my goal was to make it to 6 months so we will see how that goes.

I still can't believe that 12 weeks ago, this little girl was in my belly...it just amazes me! I love her so much & so does her Daddy! We are very, very blessed with this little angel in our lives!

HAPPY 3 YEAR ANNIVERSARY

On August 25th 2010, marked 3 years that Joe & I vowed to spend the rest of our lives together :-) It was actually the first anniversary he had been home for! Our 1st one he was deployed, but came home 2 weeks later so we stayed at Disneyland for the weekend. The 2nd one he was deployed & came home a month later & this one he was actually home for! So on Friday, Gammy & Bumpa (my parents) babysat Miss Kiana while we had a lovely little date night! We went to dinner to one of our favorite restaraunts Lucille's, which was amazing! We had fun talking about the old times & what we thought when we first met & first started dating...lots of fun! Then we went to the movies & saw 'The Expendables' which was really good actually. Then we went home & picked up our little angel that we missed sooooo much. It wasn't anything grand or exciting, but it was a lot of fun & it was nice actually being together for our anniversary! Here is to a million more to celebrate together :-) I love you Joe!

Loving The Mommy Life :-)

I am so in love with my daughter! I can't get enough of her! Just looking at her makes me so happy! She is seriously the most beautiful thing I have ever laid my eyes on! Every day she does something new to make me smile & laugh. I love watching her grow, but at the same time I wish I could stop time & she can just stay 7 weeks old. Its bitter sweet watching her grow. You just want her to stay little forever, but its amazing that she is so healthy & growing so well. She already makes me so proud!

Luckily get 6 more weeks off paid so by the time that is up she will be 3 months old. I still won't be ok leaving her, but I have to go make money for her. LOL! But I am in school & I finally got in the Human Anatomy 101 class I needed, so I'm leaving her 2 days a week with my Dad for the 4 hours I'm in class. I cry every time I drop her off. I know she is in great hands, but I just hate leaving her. In class I look at her pictures & just miss her. I call my Dad every time we have a break to make sure she is ok & she always is of course because she is a perfect baby.

I'm so happy Kiana is all mine! I can't imagine this life without her now & I even wonder how did I ever live without her before?! I didn't even know what happiness was til she came in my life! I can tell Joe feels the same way! He works really, really long & hard hours on the ship & its not a really fun job. He'll call me to let me know he is on his way home & I can tell he is in a bad mood. But as soon as he walks in & sees this gorgeous face of hers, he melts & he is instantly happy.

The both of us also don't worry about the small stuff anymore. We aren't concerned with having the best of the best or going out every weekend or seeing every movie that comes out. We are just happy to be spending our time with our little family. She is just everything to us & I can't thank God enough for bringing her in our lives.

FINALLY! I SAW ECLIPSE!

So last Sunday I was brave enough to leave Kiana for about 2 hours to go see ECLIPSE with my Mom. Holy crap it was freaking AMAZING! I loved the book so I expected great things for the movie & it did not disappoint! Of course I was just so happy because I freaking loooove Taylor Lautner/Jacob Black. (But I thought there could have been some more shirtless scenes with him...but thats just me) I think the movie was great! Of course the books are still better, but the movie was awesome. 

I was also proud of myself for leaving Kiana. Joe had duty so she stayed with my Dad & brother & she did great. She was only fussy for a little bit they said but then they calmed her down. I better get used to leaving her because I will be back at work soon but its too hard. I get sick to my stomach just thinking about it!

UGH! TIME TO VENT!

I just need to vent my anger over a few things about today!

1. THE STUPID NAVY SHIP MY HUSBAND IS ON! That ship is having these sailors come home sooo late! Some of them live in San Diego by the base so they aren't getting home as late as the rest of them who live an hour or 2 away from the base (like us). Joe hasn't been getting home til about 8:00pm at night everyday! Its so sad because he just walks in, showers, eats, spends a bit of time with Kiana before she goes to bed & then he is in bed by 9:30pm because he has to leave the house by 4:30am or earlier. This is insane! Then this past weekend he had duty (24 hour shift, every sailor does it every 8 days) & then he had to work another 10 hour day on Sunday, then a 14 hour day on Monday. Now he is underway & he didn't even get to come home last night & they weren't leaving til tonight! But they changed that & I had to bring clothes to him! So now he either won't be home til Saturday night, but he'd stay there anyways because he has duty Sunday, or the ship won't get in til Monday! I am just so mad! I know how hard he works & I'm just pissed that he isn't getting any time with his new daughter. Poor guy!

2. THE STUPID TIME WARNER CABLE COMPANY! Now I have cancelled with Time Warner last month after I paid that month's bill. We got a way better deal with Verizon & Time Warner had increased our monthly bill from $100 a month to just about $200 & could never explain why! So I cancelled them, returned the equipment & was done right. Wrong. They then send me a $400 bill! So I call them explained what I just told you & they said, "Oh no problem. We will fix this. Now you don't owe anything." Great. Now I have another $400 bill in the mail! I have to call them AGAIN & if they send me another bill after this phone call I'm going to do some serious ass whooping!

3. MY STUPID PETS! Molly is making my allergies act up which is so weird because I have never had a problem with her. But thats not why I'm mad at her, she keeps rubbing up on the computer & my hands while I am typing. Then she keeps attacking the bedroom door where Kiana is asleep so she can go scratch her bed! Ugh! Then Roxy is just barking & barking for no freaking reason at all! Freaking animals need to chill the hell out!

4. THE STUPID UNKNOWN SMELL IN MY HOUSE! I don't know where this stink is coming from! I have tried following it everywhere but there is no source! It smells like mildew but I can't find it! The last time we had this smell it was some food Joe left in the fridge but its not coming from the fridge. So my house stinks & I can't fix it or find it where its at!

5. THE STUPID BEST BUY SALES DOUCHER! They told me the Mac could not use Microsoft Word so they had me buy this super expensive program that is cool but no one has the technology to support the documents when sent to them (like I'm trying to upload & e-mail my resume out to companies). So I just wasted like $80 on this damn thing.

Lord, please make this day get better!

KIANA = 1 MONTH

I can't believe my Baby Girl is now 1 month old (July 30th)!

The time has seriously flown by! I know she is only a month, but that is super old to me at this point! She is starting to focus on people really good now & she is now smiling! Its gets more & more everyday! She is also trying really hard to lift her head up a lot. She is super social & likes to be sitting up whenever she is awake.

For the most part, she is kind of on a schedule. We have only had a hand full of "bad" days where she was just fussy & not going according to her schedule. But nothing we haven't been able to handle.

She is still breast feeding. I am hoping I can do it for a couple of months. I'm scared when I go back to work it will slowly lessen & I won't be able to anymore. I know it might be weird but I will be sad when I can't anymore. That is our own personal time together & its kind of neat knowing that I'm the only one who is able to feed her. It sounds a bit selfish but I'm just being honest.

I can't get over how much I fall more & more in love with this precious angel every day! Every day she is just making me smile & laugh & happy. I dread going back to work. I don't want to leave her. But Mama has to help Pappi pay the bills. I'm hoping we'll just win the lotto & then I can stay home with her all the time!

ECLIPSE!!!!

I bet you think I'm about to talk about how much I loved the movie 'Eclipse' & how sexy Jacob Black is & how annoying Bella is. Well guess what? I'm not doing that at all! I'm about to complain that I have NOT seen the movie yet!

'Eclipse' came out on June 30th & that was the same day my precious Angel was born! So I didn't see the movie...but I did something way better with my time...I GAVE BIRTH!

With the movies 'Twilight' & 'New Moon' I went the midnight showings & I did have fun. But seeing as how I was due any day when 'Eclipse' was coming out, I didn't want to do the midnight showing because I was just way too uncomfortable & way too pregnant to be standing in a line & being jammed crowded by all those screaming, annoying Twi-Hards. 

Yes I'm a Twi-Hard too & I'm proud of it...but it doesn't mean I like other Twi-Hards...they are annoying. LOL!

But my plan was if I was still pregnant on June 30th, I was going to go see the movie with my Mom, but I ended up being in the hospital on June 29th & I didn't even remember 'Eclipse' until someone mentioned it to me days later.

I haven't seen it yet because I haven't wanted to leave Kiana yet. I have only left her for about 30 minutes while I ran to the store & Joe watched her. I'm breast feeding too so I'm her food source so I can't really leave her either.

My Mom & I might go this Saturday to see it (I know its killing her too that she hasn't seen it either) but I'm still hesitant on leaving Kiana. She'd be with my Dad (because Joe will be working) & its not that I don't trust him, I'm just really scared to leave her still. It will only be 2 hours I know but I'm just not sure if I can handle it. Its still up in the air but I have to see the movie before its not in theaters anymore so I need to either wait it out some more or suck it up & just go!

Back To Work :-(

I didn't go back to work...but the Hubz did today :-(

He got 2 weeks off for paternity leave & it ended today. I could tell he was sad. Not only did he enjoy being home & being able to relax & do nothing, but he got to spend time with his new Baby Girl...oh & me.

We really didn't do much at all, but it was nice. We liked not HAVING to HAVE to do anything. Sometimes I think we all need that. Plus, we just laid around enjoying getting to know our precious Angel. It was amazing!

I know in a few weeks I'm going to have to go back to work too. I don't know how I'm going to handle being away from Kiana. I'm trying not to think about it right now. I'm praying we win the lotto so then neither of us ever have to work again & we can just be home with your Baby Girl. LOL!

But for now, I'm just going to focus on spending time with Kiana while I can. I'm going to try & develop a schedule with her the best I can (I know that is pretty impossible with newborns but we will try) & keeping the house clean, cooking for Joe & of course job searching (thats another story for another day though).

But right now as my precious Angel is asleep, I should be doing some more cleaning. But I just needed some time to get a few things off my chest & just express how much I miss Joe right now. I know he is missing Kiana like crazy right now too & that makes me even more sad. Poor guy :-(

I'M A MOMMA NOW :-D

CONGRATS TO ME BECAUSE I'M A MOMMA...FINALLY!

Yes on June 30th, 2010 at 6:30am, I gave birth to the most gorgeous baby girl, Kiana Jo Branson! She weighed in at 7lbs & 10 oz & was 21 inches long!

On Monday the 28th, my water broke, but it was more of a leak. So I went to the hospital because I was going to be induced anyways the next day (Kiana was due on my birthday & obviously that came & went) but they sent me home saying it wasn't my water (but come to find out...it was). Then at 2:30am on the 29th, my water really broke. But I didn't rush to the hospital. I called my Mom a few times wondering "Is this really it? Should I go?" I didn't know because I didn't want to be sent home again, but at about 5:00am I finally decided to go & got everything ready & me & Joe & my Mom headed to the hospital.

I wasn't having any contractions so they gave me some of those drugs to push things along. I didn't want any pain meds or the epidural but I ended up doing just that. I was in labor for freaking 28 hours & I was shaking like a psycho with pain. Plus my Hubby was getting way too upset seeing me in pain, he begged me to do the epidural...so I did. I'm glad I did too, I still felt pain while pushing Kiana out, but not as bad. So finally my little girl joined the world at 6:30am.

I have to say, Inland Valley was an amazing hospital & all the nurses were so amazing to me! They were so nice & helpful, I really enjoyed it there-so to speak-because of how amazing that staff was! If you are a Momma to Be in this area, go there to have your baby...you won't regret it!

But anyways, June 30th was the best day of my life! As soon as I laid my eyes on here I immediately thought, "She is a tiny Joe!" I even said it! Then I looked at my Husband & the both of us were just a mess of tears & just saying how much we loved each other & how much we loved her & thanking each other for making her...it was without a doubt the best moment in my life. I am sure Joe would agree as well.

Now that I have Kiana, I know what true love is. I have such a deep & unconditional love her for & for Joe. Nothing in this world matters more to me then her & Joe. They are my life, my heart, my everything. I never want to know a world without either of them. I wonder all the time now, "How did we ever live without Kiana?" I feel like she should have been in our lives a long time ago. She is perfect & wonderful & sooooo beautiful. I just stare at her constantly thinking I am so blessed & so beyond lucky. What did I do right in this world to deserve her? She is definately my little Angel.

I also feel a deeper love & connection with my parents because I now know exactly how they feel about me & my brother. I always knew they loved us more than anything, but now I know how that feels because what I feel for Kiana is what they feel for me. I also now know what they meant when they have said for years & years, "You'll understand when you have kids of your own..." yep...I do understand Mom & Dad :-)

Even though I have only been a Momma for 2 weeks, its by far the best thing I have ever done. Its the best job & title I will ever have. I am very excited to be a Momma for the rest of my life. Kiana is amazing & she continues to just make me & Joe smile & laugh with every little thing she does. I am very excited for this journey of parenthood & I could not ask for a better partner in this either.

38 Weeks & No Baby...YET

Wow. Its been awhile since I have blogged. But a lot has gone on that has kept me from doing so, so I will try & update a bit.

Right when I hit 36 weeks, I went on my pregnancy paid leave (the 4 weeks leading up to the birth). I didn't orginally plan on doing so, but I was getting more & more uncomfortable at work. I didn't feel like I was being very supported by some of the higher ups either so I know for my own sanity I needed the time off. I'm actually hoping to find a new job before my maternity leave is up because I haven't been happy there in a really long time. I'm still going to school to be an ultra sound tech, but I still need a job while in school so I'd like to find something better where I am more happy & maybe even some more money if possible.

Anyways, being off has been great. I have been able to finish up my "nesting" & get things done that are easier to do during the week & not during the weekends. I was doing a little bit of errands & cleaning everyday until last week when I almost passed out in Wal Mart from the heat. So lame I know. But now Joe & my Mom have ordered me to not be doing anymore errands alone. So I still clean up the house everyday, which gives me some contractions daily which is nice because I want this baby out!

I'm due June 26th, but I just don't see that happening. I just know in my heart I'm going to go til 42 weeks & then they'll induce me. I rather not be pregnant that long, especially with all the pain I am feeling now. I hurt everyday all day long. I can't even sit or lay down comfortably. I barely sleep at night, I probably get 2 hours of sleep at night & I try to nap during the day to get some rest. But that doesn't always happen either because I can't get comfortable.

I feel bad complaining because I have actually enjoyed being pregnant, I'm just done with it now. LOL! I am ready for my baby to get here & slowly but surely get my body back! I have really enjoyed this whole journey, but I am ready for it to be over so I can actually start being a Mom!

Baby Shower

 

On May 8th, 2010 my wonderful parents threw me & Joe an amazing Baby Shower! They always out do themselves! I can't wait to see them as Grandparents! They are both thrilled beyond belief about this baby girl! I have always been so blessed to have such amazing parents & now Kiana is going to be very blessed to have the most amazing Grandparents :-)

The Baby Shower included mostly family from both mine & Joe's sides & a few friends. We registered at Target & Babies R Us & oh my word we got a lot of stuff! I am so thankful for every gift we got because it is going to help us out in such a huge way! We pretty much have everything we need now! I am very excited to be able to dress her up in all the adorable outfits everyone got her! I don't know when I will ever have to buy clothes or diapers! LOL!

To everyone who came to the Baby Shower, thank you so much! Joe & I both appreciate it soooo much! More than you can know! Thank you for all the amazing gifts you brought for our Kiana, we are so grateful for everything! Thank you...a million times, thank you!

I also need to thank Uncle Tom & Auntie Shelli for providing the amazing food! Uncle Tom's BBQ is always outstanding & so it Auntie Shelli's cooking! I know how much my parents appreciated their help but I appreciate it too, so thank you guys! Oh & of course, thank you to my amazing parents for throwing the shower for us! As always, you did amazing & I can't begin to thank you & tell you how much we love you & appreciate all you do for us! I love you guys & thank you :-)

Maternity Photoshoot

On Sunday May 2 2010 (I was 32 weeks), Joe & I went & did the infamous "Maternity Pictures" with Anna Little (annalittlephotography.com). She also did my wedding pictures & if I ever need a photographer, I will always use her. She does such an amazing job & she makes it fun too. Obviously, Joe & me aren't models, but she is fun & just goes with the flow & really makes taking pictures painless.

I wasn't sure if I even wanted to do these pictures because I am not too big on showing off my belly (its extremely white & has a few stretch marks, naturally) & I haven't felt pretty in weeks. I know it sounds vain, but I am sure all women (especially any who have been pregnant) can agree its hard to make yourself take pictures. But Joe talked me into it & I am glad he did.

The pictures turned out amazing! I am not posting any of the bare belly pictures (not going to do it) but I have posted some of the ones I really liked. I have more on my Facebook page & of course I have a billion that she took at home. I still need to go print some & get these frames, but I need Joe to sit down with me & pick out the ones he wants to frame.

So here are some...take a look if you care!

Stress :-(

EVERYTHING HAPPENS FOR A REASON

That is something I have to keep reminding myself daily it seems. I get mad at that expression sometimes, especially now because I can't really SEE what that reason is yet. But I have to know that deep down inside, that reason will sprout up & I will go "Oh ok...I get it." But until that day, I am pretty frustrated.

Things have changed pretty rapidly for us. I just know that at some point I am going to look back & wonder why I was ever worried or stressed in the first place. I hope that day comes soon. I am tired of not being able to shut off my mind for a few hours so I can sleep. Ever get like that? Your mind is just going & going & you can't shut it off long enough to relax or even sleep. I hate it. Thats how I have been lately & its starting to wear me down.

Joe & my future baby are my constant reminders of what is most important in life. I know that & I love them for it. But I still can't shake the stress or the worry sometimes. I want to be able to for them so I can do better for them & not be this insane, stressed out mess. Its not good for Kiana either. She doesn't deserve it. I hope she doesn't end up like me in this sense. I want her to be more carefree like her Daddy, thats for sure.

30 Weeks Down...7-10 Weeks To Go!

Holy crap! In about 7 to 10 weeks I will officially be a Mom!

Am I scared? Hell yes! Am I excited? Hell yes!

Just this weekend I got to go visit my friends the Lawlers (I love you guys!) & Ashley just gave birth to her 3rd child, Brooklyn Grace, & I got to meet her & it really just made all of this so real!

I held Joe's little cousin Kalia when she was just 2 hours old, but I wasn't close to being a Mom. It was amazing, but it also didn't make me go, "Holy crap!"

Holding Brooklyn, I just kept thinking that in a matter of weeks I will be holding a teeny tiny little baby that Joe & I made. She will be ours. All ours. I'm so excited & also scared in a lot of ways too. I don't want to mess up, I don't want to do wrong by her. I'm responsible for her & the woman she will eventually grow up to be. I'm scared & excited...but I don't know what emotion is taking over me the most. I think it is pretty equal at this point.

All I ever wanted in life was to be a great Mom & a great Wife. I can't really answer if I'm a great Wife (ask Joe) but I strive for greatness & I'm going to continue to strive for greatness in my Mommy duties. I just want this little girl to know she is loved by me & Joe more than anything & we are always here for her & we will just do our best to guide her down the right path in life.

I'm praying a lot more these days. I keep praying she comes out healthy & happy & I think the rest will fall into place. Everyone says that I will just KNOW how to be a Mom when she gets here...I hope they are all right!

Book Worm

Ok so I'm what you call a Book Worm & I'm damn proud of it too! I loooove reading! It is the most relaxing thing to do! When I'm reading, I'm always comfortable & I can just forget about everything & get lost in a whole different world. Cheesey? Maybe a bit but I love it & I don't care!

I like all types of books, it just depends on my mood as to what I am going to read. I think my favorite genre would probably be the Fantasy Fiction or Sci Fi types. I love reading about Vampires, Werewolves (waaay before 'Twilight' was even born kids) & Wizards & whatever other mythical creatures you can give me. LOL! I think in those books I can truly lose myself & completely forget about everything else because it is so different from my life.

I also love giving book recommendations (as well as movie recommendations) & for the most part, no one has told me that the book I suggested sucked. I think really one time & I'm still mad at my cousin Dominique for that! I think she is trying so hard not be sucked into the 'Twilight' craze. This girl ONLY READS romance novels, so I told her 'Twilight' is up her ally & I spent $60 & bought all 4 hard cover books for her for Christmas. She read 3 chapters of 'Twilight' & said it "sucked." Not one person who has read the 'Twilight' books have said it "sucked". My Husband has guys on his ship who has read them & all of them love the books! So I think Nique is being a brat & she needs to suck it up & read the freaking books because she will end up loving them!

Anyways, I just put together a list of some (ok...a lot) of my favorite books. I won't write a review for each one of them, but if you are curious what its about or how much I liked it, just ask. But these books are seriously amazing. I don't recommend them to EVERYONE because not EVERYONE will love them. But if you need a good book to read, take a gander at this list & ask what I thought of it if you care :-)

I will also keep adding to this list as I read more & I start remembering the books I have read...so check back every so often :-)



The Twilight Saga by Stephanie Meyer
-Twilight
-New Moon
-Eclipse
-Breaking Dawn

The Harry Potter Series by J.K. Rowling -The Sorcerer's Stone
-The Chamber of Secrets.
-The Prisoner of Azkaban.
-The Goblet of Fire
-The Order of the Phoenix.
-The Half-Blood Prince.
-The Deathly Hallows

The House of Night series by P.C. & Kristin Cast
-Marked
-Betrayed
-Chosen
-Untamed
-Hunted
-Tempted
-Burned (Coming Soon!)

The Maximum Ride Series by James Patterson -The Angel Experiment
-School's Out-Forever
-Saving The World & Other Extreme Sports
-The Final Warning
-Max
-Fang

The Blue Bloods Series by Melissa De La Cruz -Blue Bloods
-Masquerade
-Revelations
-The Van Alen Legacy
-Misguided Angel (Coming Soon!)

The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants by Ann Brashares
-Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants
-The Second Summer of the Sisterhood
-Girls in Pants: The Third Summer of the Sisterhood
-Forever in Blue: The Fourth Summer of the Sisterhood

The Gemma Doyle Triology by Libba Bray
-A Great & Terrible Beauty
-Rebel Angels
-The Sweet & Far Thing


The Host by Stephanie Meyer

The Other Bolelyn Girl by

The Pact by Jodi Picoult

Wuthering Heights by

The Last Song by Nicohlas Sparks

My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult

Dear John by Nicohlas Sparks

The Notebook by Nicohlas Sparks

The Last Summer of You & Me by Ann Brashares

Nineteen Minutes by Jodi Picoult

A Walk To Remember by Nicohlas Sparks

Mor Furniture Store = CROOKS & LIARS!

  


Me & Joe are starting to be able to buy new furniture for our home now. But we are going slowly & making sure we get what we want. With tax returns coming our way soon, we were hoping to buy 2 big pieces & then save the rest of the money & just get things as we are able to. We were going to buy an entertainment center for the living room & a new couch. The couches, we already have picked out & they are at the OC Swap Meet & we'll be going to get that in a few weeks coming up. So we decided to go looking for an entertainment center.

We went looking at all those stores right off Los Alamos in Murrieta. Mor was having a sale so we went in there. We saw this beautiful 6 piece entertainment center there & the sales price said $1400. We thought it was too good to be true but this salesman, Harris, said it wasn't & easily convinced us to get it.

He had said he could sell us a BRAND NEW entertainment center for $1400 when its normally $2200 but because of the weekend sale its only $1400. So thats why we wanted to get it. He said we can put it on layaway as long as we just pay $180 to hold the BRAND NEW entertainment center for us & hold on to the sales price. We had 30 days to pay it off & go & get the entertainment center.

After that original day, I'd call a few times every few days to make sure they still had our entertainment center & we were getting it for that price, everyday he said "Yes." So this went on for 3 weeks. I went in Saturday & he said everything was all good, even took off sales tax so we were getting it for exactly $1400. He said we'd have it in 3 weeks. Then I left.

I come home, 2 hours later he calls saying, "I'm sorry Mrs. Branson I had to void your sale because we have no more of those entertainment centers in the warehouse. We are sold out." I got mad because I said he should have checked that before taking my money. I said thats not good business, his reply was, "We don't have the ability to check how many we have until the sale goes thru." I said that was a lie because I have called him several times asking him if they still had any & he gave me an exact number every time I called. He was caught in his & didn't know what to say. He just kept stuttering & mumbling things that didn't make sense. So I went on to yell at him & told him to give me my money back he said I'd have the money by Monday.

Its Monday & we don't have our money back. Joe calls on his way home from work & asks for the General Manager. The GM was super nice & Joe tells him the entire situation. The GM is pissed at Harris because he lied to us on several occassions. The day we went in there we put our 10% down, Harris went to go get the ok for the sale & was told he can't sell us a BRAND NEW center for that price, only the floor model (which we did not want because it was all scratched up) & he needed to call us right away & tell us that. Now I talked to him on the phone several times & he never once mentioned that nor told me that when I came in with my money on Saturday. THEN instead of still telling me the truth, he says they are sold out of the entertainment centers when in fact they aren't.

The GM was pretty upset & was really helpful to us. Now he is trying to sell us a brand new one for $1980 but we said no (waaay too much) & we just want our money back & he said he will do all he can to have the money in our account by the end of the week. Harris also has no right or the ability to know when the money will be in our account so he lied on that too. I'm just so upset that we were completely lied to several times & we don't have our money. I can't believe that is how that place does business! I'm warning everyone I can to not shop there. I'm sure me & Joe aren't the first ones this has happened to. I'm giving them til the end of the week to put the money back in my account (because the bank said we have to wait at least a week) & if not then this will get even more serious & more crazy!

27 WEEKS PREGGO :-)

Yep I'm now 27 weeks preggo!

I think that means I'm in my 3rd trimester...I have read that I am & I have read that next week I will be. Either way, I'm pretty much there so I'm saying I'm in my 3rd trimester.

Just today I had some of those Braxton Hicks people always talk about. It wasn't too bad, just felt like a period cramp, but maybe more sharper. I was in a bit of pain, I guess more discomfort than anything. But on my lunch break I just went & laid down for an hour & I felt fine after that.

I have a doctor's appointment on Thursday & then after that one I'll be going every 2 weeks. I hate going to the doctors. I always have. I just get super scared that they are going to tell me something with me is wrong. Now that I go to an OB, I'm always fearful they will say something is wrong with the baby. Everyone keeps telling me to relax but I can't help it & from what I hear I'll never stop worrying about her. :-)

I'm not scared to be a parent, I know its going to be hard & scary at time...but I feel the good outweighs the bad. I'm just more scared of screwing up. I want my daughter to just love me & trust me & know that I am always here for her, just like my Mom always made me feel. I'm terrified of screwing that relationship up & whenever I think about (which seems to be a lot lately) I just kinda panic.

I can't believe in about 13 short weeks, I'm finally going to be a Mom! I'm happy, excited, scared, thrilled & a whole bunch of other emotions all rolled into one little person (me). I can't believe she is almost here...I hope she is just as excited to meet me & Joe as we are to meet her.

NEW MOON!!!!!!

AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

NEW MOON COMES OUT ON DVD TONIGHT AT 12:01AM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a pirated copy from Ashley's Hubby-which I watch all the time-but the quality isn't perfect & I can only see a 6 pack on Jacob Black when I know on the real DVD it will show the entire 8 pack. Hahahahaha! OMG I'm so funny! I just kill myself!

I didn't pre-order it but I'm just going to be a bit normal & walk into any old Wal Mart & buy a copy. If they are sold out, then you might see me on the 10:00pm news tomorrow being carted off to jail for beating the crap out of random people. I know, its a bit extreme but I'm so freaking excited!

A Letter from a Pregnant Woman to all Non-Pregnant People

I saw this online & I could not stop laughing! This is so funny! Anyone who isn't pregnant or never been, probably won't find it funny.





A Letter from a Pregnant Woman to all Non-Pregnant People

I hope you find these guidelines helpful in your interactions with pregnant women as failing to follow them may result in serious physical harm. If you are thinking, "Surely she doesn't mean me"- then you should probably read this twice.

1) The appropriate response to a couple telling you they are having a baby is "Congratulations!" with enthusiasm. Any other response makes you a big fat jerk!

2) Through the wonders of science, we now know that babies are made ONLY by the mother & father- not grandparents. Unless the baby is in your uterus or you are the man that helped put it there, you may not ever use the phrase "my baby".

3) On the same note, unless you made the baby as defined in 2, the pregnancy, birth & raising of the child are not about you. You do not have input. No one wants to hear your opinion unless they ask for it.

4) The body of a pregnant women should be treated the same as any other body. You would not randomly touch someone's stomach if they were not pregnant, nor would you inquire into the condition of their uterus, cervix or how they plan to use their breasts. Pregnancy does not remove all traces of privacy from a woman.

5) Likewise, no women wants to hear comments on her weight...ever. A pregnant woman does not find it flattering that you think she is about is pop, must be having twins, looks swollen or has gained weight in her face. Telling her she looks too small only makes her worry that she is somehow starving her baby. Making such comments invite her to critique your physical appearance & you may not act offended. The only acceptable comment on appearance is "You look fabulous!".

6) By the time we are 20-30 years old, most of us have picked up on the fact that the summer is hot. We are hot every summer when we are not pregnant. We don't need you to point out that we will be miserably hot before the baby comes.

7) There is a reason that tickets to Labor & Delivery are not yet sold on Ticketmaster. Childbirth is actually not a public event. It may sound crazy, but some women really do not relish the idea of in-laws & other family members seeing their bare butt & genitals. Also, some people simply feel like the birth of their child is a private & emotional moment to be shared only by the parents.

8 ) Like everything else in life, unless you receive an invitation, you are NOT invited. This includes doctor appointments, ultrasounds, labor, delivery, the hospital & the parents home. You do not decide if you will be there for the birth or if you will move in with the new parents to "help out". If your assistance is desired, rest assured that you will be asked for it.

9) If you are asked to help after the birth, this means you should clean up the house, help with cooking meals, & generally stay out of the way. Holding the baby more than the parents, interfering with breastfeeding & sleeping schedules & making a woman who is still leaking fluid from multiple locations lift a finger in housework is not helping.

10) The only people entitled to time with the baby are the parents. Whether they choose to have you at the hospital for the birth or ask for you to wait three weeks to visit, appreciate that you are are being given the privilege of seeing their child. Complaining or showing disappointment only encourages the parents to include you less.

Parks & Rec = AMAZING!

Do you love tv show 'The Office'? Well if you do then you are (almost) as rad as me! If you don't like it, then you are a stupid person & I don't want to know you!

Hahahaha! Just kidding...well kinda of.

But I think if you like/love 'The Office' then you really need to be watching 'Parks & Rec' also. Its on right before 'The Office' so its not too hard to find or at a weird time where you can't watch it (plus everyone pretty much as DVR right?)!

It is really, really, really funny! I'm telling you! I laugh just as much & just as loud as I do on 'The Office'! My 2 favorite characters are Tom (played by Aziz Ansari who I just adore) & his boss Ron. They are the best part of the show for me & I just can't get enough of it.

If you haven't already, start watching it. Its not too hard to catch on to the story line...but watch it if you want to laugh.

DAMN DOG >:-(

Ok I love my dog Roxy & she is doing really, really well in her training & is just a great dog in a lot of ways. Except for one...SHE BARKS AT THE WORST TIMES OVER NOTHING!

Pretty much every night she is barking non-stop from 1:00am to about 4:00am. No kidding either. Its awful for us because Joe gets up for work at 4:00am everyday so he really needs his sleep. Plus, I can't imagine how much our neighbors hate us right now. I'm shocked they haven't called the cops on us.

I can put her in the garage every night but I don't want to because she destroys everything in there & we really have way too much stuff in there to move in out of the house every night. I obviously don't want a bark collar either because I want her to warn me when there is actual danger. Especially when Joe deploys. I'm thinking maybe a muzzle just when she starts barking so she takes the hint that we don't want her barking at that time.

My Mom sent me a great article (http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=2+2085&aid=153) teaching you all the types of barks dogs have & what they mean & what you can do to stop the problem. But I'm still thinking of starting with a muzzle for like a week or 2.

Anyone else have any better ideas? I'm up for suggestions.

6 MONTHS PREGGO

YAAAY I'M 6 MONTHS PREGNANT! ONLY 3 MORE MONTHS TIL MY BABY GIRL IS HERE!

Sometimes I feel super big, like everywhere. But then I realize I'm only REALLY gaining the weight in the belly & even the boobies. (Some of you women may say thats a blessing but no...its not!)

But then some women tell me, "My God you are huge!" That totally makes me feel like a cow. I eat pretty good, drink tons & tons of water & I do my walks everyday for about 40 minutes! I feel pretty healthy until some non-pregnant woman wants to inform me of how ginormous I am. Its really making me have a complex now!

At 5 feet tall & being like 115 before I got pregnant, I feel like I look pretty good. Yes I'm sure my belly is big but hello! Have you seen me? My torso is pretty tiny & Miss Kiana only has so much room she can go.

I'm just going to try & not let the negative talk effect me so much. My doctor says I'm gaining the right amount of weight & until she tells me I'm too big, I'm going to feel good about myself!

SO HA!

Preggo Paranoid Freak

 

On Saturday (March 6th) I'll be exactly 6 months pregnant!

YAAAAY :-D

I have a doctor's appointment today & let me just say...I'm a paranoid mess!

The week I have a doctor's appointment, I'm always freaking out! I have a hard time sleeping, I over think everything...I'm just scared out of my mind. Then after the appointment, I feel good for about 3 weeks until that next appointment gets closer to being here.

I'm constantly scared something is going to happen. I'm always worried I'm going to go to my appointment & not hear her heart beat or find out something is wrong with her. I'm just in constant fear for her life & well being.

It probably doesn't help much that I'm always reading online & different books about pregnancy & all the bad things that can happen & other women stories about their loss & everything scares me! I don't want to do the wrong thing that affects her health or...makes me loose her.

Me & Joe are already so in love with her & we have always wanted to be parents & now we have this little Angel growing inside me, I couldn't bare it if something were to happen to her. I keep telling myself it will be easier when she is born & I know she is here & ok. But I doubt that. I keep reading about a bunch of other things you have to worry about when they are born. I'm just going to be a paranoid mess for the rest of my life!

I keep praying that God just gets my baby girl in this world safely & praying that He give me the strength to calm down & just know its all in His hands. I'm trying, but maybe I should pray a bit harder because I just can't relax. I love her so much & I just want her here & safely & healthy :-)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE

 

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JOE!

Yep, my Hubby is finally 22! I can now not feel like a cougar for the next few months! LOL! (I'll be 23 on June 26th...& that is also when my baby girl is due!)

I just have to say, I'm so happy & in love with Joe. I truely grow more & more & deeper & deeper in love with him everyday. I know that might sound cheesy, but it is true. He is my very Best Friend & he just makes me the happiest!

Its so funny because he has been complaining about how "un-fun" his birthday is going to be this year. He works, & I work plus I have class tonight. So I told him that we'll do dinner & a movie tomorrow (Friday) but he keeps saying he wished we were doing something else.

Hahaha! That dork! 

He has no idea I have friends & some family meeting us at the BJ's restaraunt tomorrow night as a surprise dinner! He better feel like such a butthead after he realizes what I did for him. Hahaha! He'll have fun. I wanted to do something at our house, but there is no way I could have pulled that off without him knowing because we work & get home at the same time. So I hope the suprise dinner is good enough.

Our Baby's Name

Our baby girl is going to have the name Kiana (say it like Key-On-Nuh).

We picked this name because Joe being Samoan, we wanted a Samoan or Hawaiian name somewhere in her name. (He has Hawaiians in his family too & Samoans & Hawaiians use pretty much the same names for the most part).

Joe has a huge family & I thought there would be no name left that hasn't been used. LOL. But my Dad was watching tv & saw this fitness Hawaiian woman named Kiana & he told us about it & me & Joe just fell in love with it right away.

Not only is it a pretty name, but no one in Joe's family (at least no one that we have met) has the name so that was a total plus.

I have looked up the meaning of the name & its the Hawaiian form of Diana. But I have read a few places that it means "Heaven" or "Heavenly" but then a few places don't give a meaning. So whether it means "Heavenly" or not, we love the name & its a great name for our little Princess.

Now as far as the middle name goes, we are going back & forth on that. I have always liked when girls have boy names & I originally wanted her first name to be a boyish name but when we found we liked Kiana, we thought we could do a cute boy middle name.

The 2 we thought of are Rei (say it like Ray) & Jo (after her Daddy).

Kiana Jo or Kiana Rei

We switch back & forth on the middle name & I think once we see he were are just going to know & decidde right then & there.

I love having her name already picked out because I feel like its made a bit of a stronger bond for me & my  baby girl in my tummy. I already want her here because I am already in love with her & I can't wait to officially meet her!

My One Eyed Pup

Last October, I surprised Joe with a puppy! We had been talking about getting a dog & researching & he was gone for a few days & I told him I'd go look at some dogs. We really wanted a rottweiler (I had finally convinced him a great dane wasn't happening-LOL) & we wanted a female.

I found people who had a male & female left & the price was perfect & they were full blooded rottweilers. She said someone was coming to get the female but if we got there first, we could have her. I sent my brother over to get her & he fell in love with her instantly & he got her!

I came home to this adorable 6 week old puppy girl & she was wearing a Dodger scarf already from her Uncle ;-) She was so cute & so sweet & so little. I lied & told Joe that the female was gone & we'll keep looking. He was so bummed & thought that we'd never find a good dog.

Well he came home 2 days later & was surprised at the door by a cute little puppy running up to him! He was so happy! Joe has never had a pet before (well we got the cat 2 years ago but she is attached to me) so he was thrilled! I even let him name her & he gave her a stupid name I hate...Roxy. But oh well, its his dog. He cleans her poop, he can name her right?

Anyways, Molly (our cat) & Roxy have played & chased each other from day one. But one day they were playing & Molly made a mistake & cut Roxy's eye. I know she didn't mean to because ever since that moment, she doesn't put out her claws anymore. Roxy's eye was messed up. It was gooey & white & we took her to the vet every 2 weeks for about 2 months & they kept giving us different eye drops to use on her & said she wasn't blind.

The the blue/white eyeball grew about twice its size. Have you seen the 'Harry Potter' movies? The Professor with that creepy eye named Mad-Eye Moody? Thats what she looked like. It was sad, I don't have pictures of her with her eye like that because it was gross & sad.

The Vet finally said she had to loose her eye :-( The pressure was making her eye grow & it wasn't going to get better with anymore eye drops. So we had to say bye bye to eyeball :-( I feel bad, I cried about it, but she is better off. Plus her one eye makes her look bad ass. She didn't even act sad or tired or anything but happy after the surgery. She was her happy self! I'm glad she is all better but I still get sad everytime I see her one eye.

Molly & Roxy still play & like I said, Molly never uses her claws anymore. She really likes the dog & likes to watch her play outside. They are best friends, or maybe more like frenemies. Hahaha!

Today I had to take Roxy to get fixed. Hopefully this is her last Vet trip. I cried when I dropped her off because she soooo did not want to be there. She knows that place too well & I feel awful. But after today I pray I never have to take her back!

21 Weeks

Yep...my belly is actually pregnant looking now :-)

I love it though! I really do enjoy being pregnant! I just don't like the acne (I never had it til now) & I can see my face is starting to get pudgy! But oh well, when I get the ok to work out for reals, I will. But I have been walking just about everyday the whole pregnancy & I'm going to keep that up because it does make me feel a lot better & I know its good for me & Kiana :-)

I can't believe I'm half way there! I can't believe in just a mere few months, I'm actually going to be a Mom! I really, really, really can't wait!

I know its going to be hard & difficult at times, but I'm ready for it. I've always wanted to be a Mom & now I'm going to be & every little thing, no matter how good or bad, is going to be more than worth it!

My Mom is a smart lady.

I go to her whenever I need advice & she is usually right ;-)

She sent me this in an e-mail a couple of years ago, & I go back & read it anytime I'm down about friends. Its really helpful & it certainly makes me feel better.

Maybe it will work for you too :-)


People come into your life for a reason, a season or a lifetime.
When you know which one it is...you will know what to do for that person.

When someone is in your life for a reason, it is usually to meet a need you have expressed.
They have come to assist you through a difficulty, to provide you with guidance & support, to aid you physically, emotionally or spiritually.
They may seem like a God send & they are.
They are there for the reason you need them to be.
Then, without any wrong doing on your part or at an inconvenient time, this person will say or do something to bring the relationship to an end.
Sometimes they die.
Sometimes they walk away.
Sometimes they act up & force you to take a stand.
What we must realize is that our need has been met, our desire fullfilled & their work is done.
The prayer you sent up has been answered & now it is time to move on with your life.


Some people come into your life for a season, because your turn has come to share, grow or learn.
They bring you an experience of peace or make you laugh.
They may teach you something you have never done.
They usually give you an unbelievable amount of joy.
Believe it because it is real.
But only for a season.


Lifetime relationships teach you lifetime lessons, things you must build upon in order to have a solid emotional foundation.
Your job is to accept the lesson, love the person & put what you have learned to use in all other relationships & areas of your life.

It is said that love is blind!
But friendship is clairvoyant.

Kiana's Tinkerbell Palace

Yes, my sweet Kiana Jo is going to have a Tinkerbell bedroom!

Tinkerbell's main colors are green & purple. Its been really hard deciding how to go about her room & what to do. I want her to be able to grow with it too & I just have so many ideas & narrowing them down has been hard.

Plus, Joe has been working a lot (whats new) so we haven't had the time nor the energy to start painting her room. Once the room is painted, everything else will be easy. But I'm thinking that in the next 3 weeks, we'll have it done. Hopefully!

Anyways, I was thinking about painting her room a pretty, light purple. Then having a border going thru the middle of the wall either that white baseboard (I know there is another name for it but I don't know what it is at the top of my head) or an actual Tinkerbell border (either the wall paper kind or me painting with stencils a border).

Then I want to accent the room with that pretty green Tink has on her dress.

If anyone sees any Tink bedroom stuff or knows of any good ideas, PLEASE let me know! Just e-mail me samanthabranson@hotmail.com anytime because I want this perfect & I am not really the most crafty person!

Thanks To My Hubby!

 

My Husband is seriously amazing!

I have heard from other women how unsupportive or how unhelpful their men are during their pregnancy...but not my man!

First off, he is just very involved & very excited about the entire pregnancy! I know most guys don't get into being a Dad til the baby is actually born, but Joe has been on board from day 1! He loves how my belly grows & he loves all the different changes in me & the baby girl thats growing inside.

For the last 3 weeks, I have been feeling the "flutters" of the baby. He was so excited until he realize he can't feel her. LOL. He says he is jealous & wants to feel her move too! Well at 19 weeks he felt her a little bit, not much because she is still "fluttering" around, but he feels her move every once in a while.

He is constantly loving on my belly & talking to her & asking me how I am feeling & how the baby is. He is just so involved in this whole process, its made being pregnant easier & fun!

I'm so blessed I fell in love with my Best Friend at such a young age & then was even more bless to get to marry him & spend forever with him. I'm so excited to be on this journey of parenthood with him because he is just so wonderful to me & I know he is going to be the best Daddy ever!

Thank you Joe, you have gone above & beyond for me & now Kiana & I know you will continue to do so. You make me more & more proud everyday & I fall more & more in love with you everyday. Thank you for giving me the best things in this world; your love & now Kiana :-)

Real Quick

I wish I would have re-started this blog a while ago...but I didn't. Here is a silly little survey I did that should give you a quick version of my pregnancy!


I know this blog has seemed all about me being pregnant, but right now that is the biggest & most amazing thing I have going for me so why wouldn't I share it?!

So...here you go:


ABOUT THE MOMMY

Name:
Samantha!

Age:
22!

Is this the first child?:
Yes it is!


ABOUT THE DADDY

Name:
Joe!

Age:
21…almost 22.

Is this the first child?:
Yes of course!


FINDING OUT

What day did you find out you were pregnant?:
October 16th 2009 at 6:00am!

How did you feel when you found out?:
I was shocked, excited & just in awe!

Who was with you?:
No one…Joe was at work. But I called Ashley that morning & then waited for Joe to get home from work the next day & then I told him.

How did the Daddy react?:
I told him the next day when he got home & he was beyond thrilled & we both cried together!


TELLING THE PARENTS

How did your parents react?:
They were flipping out with pure joy!

How often do they call to check on you?:
Everyday…more than once a day.


ABOUT THE PREGNANCY

When is your due date?:
June 26th…my birthday!

How far along are you right now?:
21 weeks!

Have you had an ultra sound?:
Yes a few actually.

Have you heard the heartbeat?:
A couple of times.


SEX OF THE BABY

What do you want, boy or girl?:
It doesn’t matter.

Do you know what you are having now?:
Yes…I am blessed with a baby girl.

Are you happy with what you are having?
I would have been happy either way.


ABOUT THE BIRTH

Who is going to be with you?:
My Husband & hopefully my Mommy too. Everyone else who wants to be there can be in the waiting room.

Are you going to video tape it?:
Ewww no!

Natural or medicated?:
It would be nice to be natural but I doubt I will.

Do you think you will have a c-section?:
I don’t know yet. We’ll wait & see.

Do you think you will cry when you first hold your baby?:
Oh I know I will.

Do you know what you will say to the baby when you first hold it?:
I don’t know but whatever it is it will be right.

Are you scared about the labor?:
A little bit. I just know a bit of pain but its totally worth it.


NAMES

Do you have a name picked out?:
Her first name is for sure Kiana & her middle name keeps switching from Jo (after her Daddy) or Rei (say it like Ray) because we like the way it sounds.

Is your baby going to be named after anyone?:
Her middle name might be after Joe.

Did the Daddy help pick the name?:
Yes & my Dad helped too.


OTHER RANDOM QUESTIONS

Where was your baby conceived?:
In our house. LOL.

Have you felt the baby move?:
I have only felt the flutters so far & that started at 18 weeks. I am hoping to feel some real kicks pretty soon!

What was your first symptom?:
I felt like I had the flu all day everyday for a month.

Will you have godparents?:
I think so. We haven’t really discussed it.

What is the baby's room theme?:
She is going to have a Tinkerbell room!

Are you ready to be a Mommy?:
I’m ready & more than excited!

What do you think the baby will be a "Daddy’s Girl" or a "Mommy’s Girl"?:
My Husband will say Daddy’s Girl but I hope she is both.

School = BLAH!

I hate school!

I feel like I'm never going to be done with school! I feel like a loser sometimes that I'm still in school while others have graduated or they are really close to doing so. I know my situation is different from other peoples but I can't help but get down on myself for it.

When I went to college, no one really helped me on how to do so. I picked going to MSJC because it was cheaper & I thought I'd go into the Nursing program at the time. I did all my general ed classes (I found out later that my first year in college won't really count for anything because my councler just gave me a bunch of bogus classes...depressing right) & I ended up a year behind some people.

Then I decided, Nursing isn't for me so I decided to go into ultra sound tech program (diagnostic medical sonography or DMS) at MSJC. Before I can get into those classes I have 5 prerequisits to finish:

-Math 90
-Communications 101
-Physics 100
-Human Anatomy 101
-Human Anatomy 102

Last semester I completed & passed Math 90 & Communications. This semester I'm only in Physics 100 because of the budget cuts at the school, I could not get into Human Anatomy 101 (totally over crowded) & so I have to finish those as well.

I know I have worked full time & gone to school full time pretty much the entire time I have been in college, but I still feel down on myself for not being done yet. I wish I was in my career now, but I feel like I have had nothing but road blocks the entire time.

Now I am pregnant & I know some people will think I am not going to finish school because I'll have a baby. I'm going to do it, whatever it takes, especially for her. I feel like now I have even more motivation to get thru schooling so I can provide a better life for her.

I just need to remember to be positive & stop calling myself a loser, but I feel like one a lot & I know thats not right but...its hard. I want to be done with school & it is taking me forever!

Pregnancy!

I have loved watching my belly grow! I have been pretty luck thus far because I have only gained the weight in the belly & boobs. My doctor says I'm not gaining too much either, she says I'm gaining the right amount which makes me feel good & healthy.

Joe likes seeing the belly grow too, it just makes him more & more excited! At 18 weeks I felt the first "flutters" & then I didn't feel anything for a few days & up until now at 21 weeks I have felt her "flutters" non-stop all day long. Joe gets a bit sad (& jealous) that he can't fully feel her move, but he will. He is just so excited & fun through out this whole pregnancy so far.

But I'm told now that she can have REM sleep, she is sleeping more & thats why I don't feel her AS much. Joe can sometimes feel her move when he touches my belly, but we are still feeling "flutters" & no real kicks yet. I can't wait to start feeling actual kicks! No matter how bad they are going to hurt...I can't wait!

As for sickness, I had really, really bad 'all-day sickness' before I even knew I was pregnant & then it pretty much went away right at 12 weeks. But then at 14 weeks I started having morning sickness & puking at least once a day. I'm at 21 weeks & I still puke from time to time, but not that bad.

Also, I have had the worst tail bone pain ever! Its been like this since about 10 weeks. My doctor says where she is growing is probably right on a nerve. I have been walking for exercise the entire pregnancy & after I walk the pain is worst. But I'm getting thru it.

I love being pregnant! Even with all the discomforts I have really enjoyed it & I am just getting more & more excited to have this baby girl & meet her!

IT'S A GIRL!

 

At 15 weeks Joe & I took a trip to New Life Ultra Sound to find out if our little bean will be peeing standing up or sitting down. LOL!

Well we found out we are having a beautiful little girl!

We got there & the room is wonderful! I got to lay on this comfy bed & watch a big screen TV of our little one. She moved the entire time, she was pretty much doing back flips for about 45 minutes, but she was being a lady & not showing us her business.

The tech kept saying she was having a hard time finding "it" but not to worry because she will find it. Then after what seemed like forever she started typing "ITS A..." & I yelled "STOP! Do you know FOR SURE what it is? If you can't FOR SURE tell we can wait!" She laughed at me & assured me she knew for certain & once I saw that "G" I just started crying! Joe & I were so happy to finally know what our baby is. It didn't matter if she was a girl a boy, we would have been excited but it was just fun to finally KNOW!

9 Weeks

That is our little peanut at 9 weeks!

Me & Joe didn't want to tell anyone until we had our first doctor's appointment. But we did tell our family right away & I know it was a killer for them trying to keep in the exciting news! But thankfully they did & we announced we were pregnant!

Telling my family was hilarious! I wish we could have recorded their reactions because it was just priceless!

The day after I found out, I told Joe & we said we needed to wait to tell the family because it was Charressa's wedding & we didn't want to take away her big day. The wedding was beautiful & a lot of fun too, but my special Husband was a total mess about keeping the secret it.

He had gotten a tiny bit tipsy & kept touching & patting my belly & saying things about the "3 Bransons" & what not. I could not keep him quiet. So I didn't want my Mom to find out by accident so I told Joe I was taking her outside & telling just her.

First off, when I told my Mom she smacked my arm a few times & told me to stop lieing. Hahaha! Then she started jumping up & down & screaming & then yelled for my cousins Dominique & my brother's girlfriend & told them even though I told her not to! Hahaha!

Then she made my Dad & brother come outside, but my Uncle & cousins followed as well & me & Joe told them all & then they all grabbed each other & started yelling & hugging & jumping up & down! You would have thought they won the Superbowl or something! Hahaha! It was a great reaction & it was a fun way of telling everyone.

The next day we did a breakfast at my Uncle's house & told my grandparents. Grandpa screamed "Thank you!" a bunch of times & my Grandma turned purple holding her breath & she cried & was saying thank you as well.

I'm so excited! Not only for me & Joe, but for my family! They are overly excited because we just don't have babies in the family. Joe's side has a ton of babies which is so fun & now my side is going to have one! I can't wait. This baby is going to be spoiled rotten!

October 16th 2009

 

On October 16th 2009, I found out that I was pregnant for the first time!

I had been feeling "different" for about 3 weeks & I kept thinking & secretly hoping I was pregnant...but I wasn't sure. My friend Ashley kept telling me I was & making me take pregnancy tests. I had taken 2 & both said "no pregnant" so I thought maybe I was getting the flu that was going around.

On October 16th at 6:00am I took 1 more test because I was about 3 days late & I'm usually clock work (I know, TMI but oh well.) The test said wait 3 minutes for the result, but I had my results in 3 seconds & it clearly said "pregnant".

I just started shaking! I wasn't the least bit scared or worries or upset. I was completely over joyed! I'm actually pregnant & I'm actually going to have a baby! Joe wasn't home, he had duty so he wouldn't be home til the next day. But I had to tell someone so I sent a text to my friend Ashley asking, "Are there ever false positives on pregnancy tests?" She called me right away & we were talking & she told me I totally pregnant!

I wanted to tell Joe first, but I didn't want to over the phone. I had only told Ashley & I planned on waiting til the next day to tell Joe when he got home. I went to the store & bought another box of pregnancy tests (just to double & triple check) & a bib that said "I Love My Daddy" to give to Joe.

Again, I was going to wait til Joe was home, but I couldn't. As soon as Joe got in the car (I had to pick him up down at the base) I threw the Target bag at him. He was like totally confused & looked in the bag & he just yelled "What? What? What?" The whole time he was smiling & he pulled out the bib & yelled, "Is this true? Is this for real? Am I going to be a Daddy!? Really?" Then I started cry & he did too & we just hugged & cried & were both so excited!

Not once did we ever feel that "Oh crap...we're having a kid" feeling. The entire time from day 1 we have been so excited & so relieved! We've always wanted to be parents & have children (we're hoping for at least 2 & 4 is possible) & this is the best blessing ever! We are both so extremely excited!