Tomorrow is the BIG day!!!!

  
TOMORROW WE FIND OUT THE GENDER OF OUR FIRST BABY!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh my goodness.  I'm so excited!!!  I don't know how I'll sleep tonight.  I can't wait!!!!!  I still think it's a boy, but I'm starting to picture having a girl.  I guess just to prepare myself either way.  We do not have a preference one way or the other; we will be thrilled with either of course. 
So......our plans for the gender reveal party have changed....as of, like 5 minutes ago.  As you all know, Adam and I have wanted to have a gender reveal party.  I explained what that was back in one of my previous posts if you aren't sure what that is.  Well, our ultrasound was originally supposed to be tomorrow at 9 a.m.  However, the ultrasound tech's daughter is recovering from surgery, so the tech isn't going to come into the office until 12:30.  So the earliest we will be out of the doctor's office is some time between 1 and 2.  The gender reveal party is at 6:30, so we were thinking that wouldn't be enough time for someone to be able to make us a cake.  So Adam and I were just going to find out the sex at the ultrasound, and then I would come home and make a cake for the grandparents to cut into and reveal to everyone. 

Got it?

But....Adam REALLY wants us to find out with everyone else.  He wants us to be able to do the gender reveal thing.  SO.  I am hastilly (spell check???) trying to find someone (who we do not know) who can make the cake between 1:30 and 6:00 tomorrow.  If I don't find someone, then I am going to let the tech choose the cake color codes.  For example, if it's a boy, the tech can write down chocolate = boy and white = girl or vice versa.  She will keep the color code in a sealed envelope.  So we won't find out the sex at the appointment.  The only thing she will tell us is what color I should make the inside of the cake.  We won't know what that color means.  Then.....just before Adam and I cut the cake, we will pass around the note that has the color codes on it and let everyone read it (except for us).  When Adam and I cut into the cake, we will reveal the cake color and everyone will announce to us whether it's a boy or girl.  Adam came up with this.  Pretty clever, huh? 

Hopefully you aren't confused. 

Here are some cute ideas I found that I hope to use at the party tomorrow night!

Let guests vote on what they think the gender is.

Make a list of my cravings and other fun facts for decoration.

I like the pink and blue colors used in this at the top.  Not typical pink and blue.  This pink is more of a peachy pink.  I like it.

I will be sure to do a post on Friday if not tomorrow night!!!!!  Stay tuned!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Sunny Side English Muffins

This evening was a breakfast kind of evening.  I was wanting something easy, fast, salty, and easy.  :)  I browsed through a few recipes from a few websites and came up with a creation.  I actually didn't have a name for it, but Adam came up with one: "Sunny Side English Muffins."  He's pretty creative like that. 

Here's what you will need:

English muffins (whole wheat is best), turkey (you could use ham or bacon), eggs, and cheese.  How many eggs you need depends on how many sunny side english muffins you want to make.  1 egg per muffin.  Not pictured: non stick pan (you should use a muffin tin) and 2 Tbsp. melted butter.

You should definitely use a muffin pan instead of a regular pan.  (Definitely do not use a baking sheet for this! You will get egg everywhere.)  The muffin pan will hold all of your ingredients together.  That way, you don't have to back track like me. :)  My muffin pans are at my parents' house.  They were borrowed.  I can't say anything though, I have a casserole dish or two and half of my mom's tupperware collection at my house.

First, I separated the english muffins in half and placed them face up in a non-stick pan (Muffin tin for you!  You will have to kind of stuff them in the muffin pan, and that's ok.)  Next, I put a small slab of butter on each one.....

BUT.....then I realized that none of my ingredients would lay flat on the muffins if the butter was like that (think egg), so I took all of the butter off, placed it in a small dish and melted it.

Then I poured the butter over the english muffins.  I'm smart like that. :)  Next, I was going to put the turkey down, but realized that would make a slippery surface for the egg.  So instead I went ahead and cracked an egg onto each muffin.

A little bit of the egg white ran off, another reason you should use a muffin pan.  Next, I sprinkled some sharp cheddar cheese and covered the whole thing with a slice of turkey.

I put them in the oven at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes.  You can put yours in for about 5-7 minutes less if you like the egg runny.  If you are eating it on the go, obviously you should cook it for the full 20-25 minutes. 

They turned out great!  They actually stayed in tact, believe it or not.  Don't forget to pepper the eggs if that's what you like.  I forgot to do that for Adam's.  I didn't add salt because I figured the cheese would have enough (plus I'm trying to watch my sodium since I have been overboard on that lately). 

Hope you enjoy!

15 weeks pregnant...very late!

Well, here is my 15 weeks post, even though I'll be 16 weeks tomorrow!  This week we get to find out the sex of the baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Oh my goodness!!!!!!! I can't tell you how excited I am!!!!!  It will make everything so much more real.  Plus, I will finally get to start buying clothes and things for the nursery.  I am so excited about working on the nursery.  I really can't wait to get started.  Here is my 15 weeks belly!  It looks smaller than last week.  Oh well.  Thank you, mom for the maternity shirt!

Here is what my body happened with my body this past week!

You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now (a little more or less is fine, too) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up, for instance, you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.

If you're having amniocentesis, it'll most likely happen between now and 18 weeks. This test can identify hundreds of genetic and chromosomal disorders. If you're getting very anxious while waiting for the results, it may help to know that most women who undergo amniocentesis get good news about their babies — bringing welcome relief from their worries.
Don't be surprised if you and your partner are feeling a little stressed out these days. Many pregnant couples worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomforts on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women.


               Here is what happened with the baby last week!

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

                                    Thanks Babycenter!

The baby is still moving like crazy.  I think I even felt a kick this week.  It was a huge movement.  A lot bigger than the other movements.  Several people have asked me what it feels like.  It doesn't feel like butterflies to me....or gas....not that I have ever had gas.  :)  It feels like a muscle spasm...but in your lower stomach.  I love feeling it.  It is so awesome.  Adam and I both can't wait until he can feel it.  That will be amazing!  I will hopefully have time to do an update before we find out the gender!  If you have not voted yet, make your guess as to what we are having!  The poll is on the right hand side of the page.  (Info you might want to know: heartbeat ranges between 150 and 160.  I am craving salty foods- not interested much in sweet foods.  Adam and I both think it's a boy.  Adam comes from a family of 2 boys.  I think I am carrying the baby low, but I have been told by several that I am carrying high.)  Make your best guess!

Happy Veteran's Day!

Today I am wishing the love of my life a Happy Veterans Day!  I am so proud that Adam was a part of the United States Marines.  He served for 6 years, completing 2 tours of duty in Iraq.  I didn't know him during his first deployment, but we began dating about 8 months before his second deployment.  It was a really hard time while he was gone, but it made me realize how much I loved him and how dedicated I was to him.  We wrote each other every day.  We both kept all of the letters, and I hope to put them in to/from chronological order so we can go back and read them like a book.  I love you Adam!  I'm so proud of you sweetie!  Semper Fi!

Marine Corp Ball 2007

Always, always a gentleman.

Headed to his best friend's wedding!

Adam's  mom, dad, and grandfather.

The closest I have ever been to an M-16.

Good friends.

Adam's mom took this picture.  I've always thought it looks like it should be in a history book.

Writing letters to my sweetie!

I got Heidi while he was gone!

For my 21st birthday, I received a stack of letters from him....

......and flowers!!!

  

Heidi enjoyed reading the letters from the daddy she had yet to meet. :)



\

Passing the time.

                                                         Happy Veterans Day!



Tennessee Getaway

This weekend Adam and I had a little getaway.  We have both been slammed with work and church activities lately, and we really needed to spend some time together just us.  I snagged us some tickets to the UT game (thanks to a coworker who was selling them super cheap), and I was also blessed to snag a parking pass from another coworker for a parking deck (sort of) close to the stadium.  Nope, I'm not a UT fan, but my hubby is....and I'm a hubby fan. :)  We headed up Saturday morning, checked into our motel (I also snagged us a deal off of Orbitz for an overnight stay at a Ramada), and then headed over to UT's campus.  Before the game we enjoyed some delicious food!  I had a hotdog and a giant pickle (of course!).  It was the best thing I have had this pregnancy.  Hands down. 

I love how my belly just looks like a gut in this picture...not.  Oh well.  That pickle was AMAZING.  So juicy.  So sour.  So salty. So....ok I'll stop.  But seriously.  It was insane.  Ok, I'm done now.

Here are a few pictures from our fun day.

Clearly the guy in the foreground thinks I'm an idiot. 

I'm a band geek. For life.

Is my doctor reading this?  Please say no.

Hot chocolate.  Yesssss.

Peanuts.  I know, I know.  I might make the baby allergic.  I was going to not eat these, and then I remembered that I had peanuts back when I made boiled peanuts, so I went ahead and ate them.  They were yuuuumy.

We had a really fun time.  I LOVE spending time with my husband.  He really is my best friend.  We do go through rough patches of course, but we have always been such great friends.  I truly enjoy his company.  We have the best talks.  We talked the whole way there and the whole way back.  The day after the game, we went to the mall up in Knoxville (not sure which one), and just walked around and spent time together.  He even went into some lotion and candle stores with me.  Now that's a man.  He even comforted me when I had an emotional moment.  This store was having a sale, and I was trying to figure out the cheapest way to get their free gift (must have a value of $13 or less). I only had to spend $15 to get the free item.  I broke down in tears in the store because I felt like I was spending too much money when we needed to be saving money for the baby.  He gave me a big hug and told me that I was spending our money wisely and that these were products I have been saying I needed for a long time.  What a sweetheart.  I love him. 

Testing all of the lotion scents from a that store came in handy on the drive home.  We drove past a paper mill that smelled AWFUL.  I mean....take a Heidi fluff and multiply that times 1,000.  It was bad.  So we sniffed all the tester lotions we put on our arms/hands.  Life gives you stink.....sniff your arm.

I love my husband.  I am so so thankful God has blessed me with Adam, and I will do my best every day to never take him for granted.  He is such a wonderful gift from God.

14 Weeks Pregnant! 10.31.11

Woo hoo!!!!!!!!!  14 weeks pregnant!  I feel like that is a milestone.....I'm just not sure what for.  Haha.  I always thought 14 week pregnant meant that you are really super pregnant.  Haha.  Oh well.  In my head, it was something to be celebrated.  Woooo hooo!!!!! 

I have had a little more energy this week, which is good because I need it!  My husband's aunt and uncle are in town (his mom's sister), so we have been spending time with them and my father-in-law every evening this week.  We have been out late, and I have had to be at school early every morning, so I'm surprised I haven't hit the deck yet.  I have also had a TON of work to do at school.  It's amazing how much paperwork is involved with EIP and Special Ed.  I honestly feel like I don't have enough time to actually teach the kids because I'm so busy filling out forms, keeping documentation, and monitering their progress.  I'm not sure how they're supposed to make any progress if I only have time to progress monitor them....it's crazy.  If you're in education, you probably understand, if you are in EIP or Special Ed, you get me and are shouting out an AMEN in agreement, and if you aren't in education, I probably just put you to sleep.  I'm sorry. I try not to talk about work too much just for professional reasons, because a lot of it is just too boring to read about, and because writing on here is my escape and my chance to not be "Mrs. Hare" for just a few minutes.  :) 

My appetite this week has gotten INSANE.  I am hungry. all. the. time.  It never ends.  Even if I have a huge meal, I am immediately hungry about an hour later.  I can't control it.  I know it's not just cravings, because if I don't eat something right when I get hungry, I throw up.  I had a doctor's appointment this week, and I talked to her about my hunger. She just said to make sure I am making healthy choices.  As long as I am eating healthy, she said I could eat as much as I wanted.  Ooops.  I have been eating.....pizza.  Lots and lots of pizza.  It's what I want all the time.  I am only up 4 pounds though, and my doctor said that she is happy with that.  I just got supper out of the oven....it's.::coughpizza::::.  Maybe my doctor won't read this. 

Speaking of food....here are a few of my staples!  I am a bad example.  These are all a bizillion calories.  Please don't copy me. 

Yep, I told you they were bad.  Probably some of the worst store bought foods out there.  Bad baby, bad!  ;) 

We have our gender ultrasound in 2 weeks!  I can't wait!!!!  We are going to have a gender reveal party that same day.  We'll have the ultrasound at 9 a.m. and the gender reveal party will be that evening.  Yay!!  I'm so excited!  I'm convinced it's a boy, so I will be shocked if it's a girl.  As soon as I found out I was pregnant, I was looking at boy clothes and thinking about life with a boy.  It's not that I have a preference, but that is my intuition.  Watch it be way off.  The heartbeat was at 150 at the doctor's office yesterday, so it is still up there. 

My husband and I are going to the TN/MTSU game this weekend.  I am not a TN fan....but my husband is.  I have agreed to cheer for TN as long as they are not playing Auburn. :)  I think that's a pretty good compromise.  We are going to make a weekend out of it and enjoy some alone time.  We are both very excited! 

Here is the belly for this week.  I think I look pregnant now....what do you think?

And here is what my body is up to this week!

Welcome to your second trimester! Your energy is likely returning, your breasts may be feeling less tender, and your queasiness may have completely abated by now. If not, hang on — chances are good it will soon be behind you (although an unlucky few will still feel nauseated months from now).

The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad. Starting to show can be quite a thrill, giving you and your partner visible evidence of the baby you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby, and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.

And here is what the baby is up to!

This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Thanks Babycenter!

Since I have more energy, maybe I'll be able to get up some more posts other than just my weekly updates.  We will see!  Enjoy the rest of your week!