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!