Our Unexpected Beautiful Life

This past Sunday, we had Mom's birthday celebration and then went and spent all my gift cards! While this was indeed fun, I was pretty exhausted from all the happenings and was pretty cranky. And it really is overwhelming. Plus it was SO hot and my energy was pretty lacking, and I'm getting tired of being so tired, but we were able to get a ton of stuff with all my gift cards and my mom did a pretty good job of tolerating my mood. Mom helped me carry up all the bags and then that night, I organized and put stuff together and today I finished it all up, put it away and it all looks AWESOME. The room is REALLY coming together. With the cash I have left, it looks like I will get EVERYTHING on my list, with just the right amount of money. SO blessed!! My son will have everything he needs, plus the extras, plus a beautiful room. GOD REALLY DOES PROVIDE!!!!!

Saturday was my friends and family baby shower, hosted by my besties Christina and Jeana! They have put so much blood, sweat and tears into the planning of this that I knew it was going to be great, but they beyond exceeded my expectations!! The shower was held at Christina's friend Meredith's house. It was a beautiful home and perfect for a party. She was as gracious as she could be to all my guests and was a true lady. I am very grateful that she warmly allowed us all into her home. I walked in and saw the mantel first, which was ADORABLY decorated with a banner that Christina made. She made it as décor and for the baby's room. Yes, she took the time to MAKE this. It just blows me away. Mostly because I'm not crafty, but also because she's SO busy, I have no idea when she fit that in. On top of the banner was the letters she made for Adam's room. They are adorable. Nursery pics to come soon! But yeah she MADE those, too! WOW! Then I saw the food table. W...

Whew! It's been a whirlwind of a weekend! But in the best possible way!!! Friday we had a girls day! My friend Kelly drove up from San Antonio and I picked her up Friday morning at the bus station. We went to meet Christina at Cracker Barrel for brunch right after that. The food was really good but we had a pretty comical experience of the crankiest people on earth serving us. It was hysterical. After brunch, we went to Christina's to swim! This was definitely my favorite part of the day. There is nothing better than just laying out with your girlfriends without a care in the world. Was AWESOME! We even had sno cones delivered, thanks to Christina's sweet boyfriend. Christina and I "tanned" in complete shade and we somehow ended up burned, ha. I felt really fat in my swimsuit, but at least I felt fat with my girlfriends that don't care how I look. LOL I'm SO beyond looking cute at this point. I'm just SO tired. LOL. After we swam, Christina went ...

Today was great! I woke up feeling so refreshed and I actually felt really productive today! I got up really early, went shopping for Mom's birthday gift and food for her party, then went grocery shopping, got gas, and cleaned out my car! By then I was ready for a nap. I had a great 2 hour nap, then put together Adam's bath tub and high chair. I tested the bath tub and it is an AWESOME bath tub! It has bubbles, a shower, and a whirlpool. The shower is SO gentle and I absolutely love the infant bath seat. He's gonna have a blast, once he gets used to them. LOL. I hear all babies hate them at first. But once he gets older, I can see him loving those bubbles. SO cute. It looks like I will be bathing him in the kitchen, because the tub is big and luckily one counter fits it perfect. I've even found the perfect hideaway place for it when we're not using it. It's not really hidden, like at all, but it still works. LOL. His high chair is also adorable. Two cute littl...

Yesterday was an interesting day. First off, my sleeping schedule has been really whack because I'm a natural night owl and have been going to bed really late, like 3am late, and I'm all messed up from that. Well, mom and I had a deep cleaning day yesterday so I got up early, at 11am. Hey that's early when you're used to getting up at 2pm! Anyway, we decided to have lunch before we got started on the cleaning. We were at Chilis and I felt really good, in a great mood, and then after a really cold drink of water, I got this horrible Charlie horse feeling on my left side. It hurt SO bad. Then I got REALLY nauseous from the pain and it got worse and worse to where I didn't think I could make it to the car without fainting. So we rushed to the bathroom and I layed down on the bathroom floor. Gross? Yes, but it was cool and the only thing that helps me is laying down. Mom was awesome and got me a very cold paper towel, which in that moment, was like pure gold. I just l...

Today, I got an invitation to an SMC pool party on September 13th. I was thinking to myself, "Oh fun, I love those!" And then it hit me! Adam will be here by then!!!! YAY!!!!!! He will be roughly 3 weeks old! Now I normally wouldn't be huge on exposing him to germs when he's so little, but because it's outside and fresh air, I think it could be good if I was recovering well. I would just need to make sure he is in the shade the entire time and that he doesn't get overheated.  I'm excited! His first party!! I was excited to RSVP with a +1. It made my day!!!!!

Something new that started about three weeks ago.... I've started dropping EVERYTHING.  It's so bizarre how suddenly I can't hold on to anything.  Now I've always been a bit on the clumsy side,  but this is ridiculous.  I bet I drop objects out of my hands about four times a day.  I guess it goes along with expected clumsiness,  balance and forgetfulness in pregnancy.  The things they don't tell you....

Well yesterday was a day of contractions. I woke up with one, an uncomfortable tightening in the abdomen. I thought it was an upcoming stomach ache but it never happened. Then an hour later I had another one. All day I felt like crap, so tired and easily light headed and queasy. Then I slept for three hours. When I woke up, I felt a little better. I was more alert and had a little more energy. Mom and I went to look at gliders, and in the middle of the store I had another contraction. After that, I didn't have anymore. Phew! I did, however, continue to feel bad later that night. I was having some pulling and discomfort in the pelvis area, I can tell he's growing. I'm also having a hard time getting comfortable in bed and when I was laying there, I got real nauseous and had to turn off all sound and just close my eyes and relax. I finally fell asleep.  Now it's the next morning, and I seem to be doing better. It's clear the contractions yesterday were Braxton Hicks, ...

Tonight, I went to see Jeana and we had dinner and then went to a Grease Sing-A-Long. We laughed like crazy like we always do. We always have a great time. This time, though...something was different. When we were in Kroger, I drug behind, having to walk super slow because I'm so sluggish. Then when we got to the theater, it was slightly warm, I broke out in a sweat, and had to fan myself during the entire movie because I was feeling faint. I'm sure the people next to me just loved that. I had about 5 bathroom breaks over the course of our visit, and the biggest thing I noticed...when I was sitting during the movie, I couldn't believe how uncomfortable I was just SITTING in a movie chair without my feet being elevated. I also can't cross my legs anymore so I felt very manly sitting with my legs apart, sweaty and uncomfortable. SO NOT ME! So yeah, I just feel like a big mammoth. I've felt things here and there in this pregnancy but the last stretch is definitely ...

So one of my besties, Gwen, has a son that is three and a half months old. Today, I went over there to spend time with them, and she also was going to show me how to use my breast pump. First of all, this baby is SO adorable, I still can't believe I'm having one. Anyway, we put him in a bumbo and it looked like he was sitting up, and we both got on the floor with him and our breast pumps. We were going through all the parts and figuring mine out, as it's different than hers. There were a few, "What the hell is THIS?!" remarks from all the weird looking parts of it, and it just is crazy how both of our lives are so different now. Who knew the two girls who used to shake it at the clubs would now be learning about breast pump parts with a sweet little pumpkin sucking on his fist watching us. LOL. How things change. We put Hayes, her little boy, up to my tummy to introduce him to his future bestie, and Adam kicked. SO cute! It will be so fun watching them grow up...

Great news, I've found Adam a great doctor! Her facility is located right across the street! It takes about 30 seconds to drive there, and I LOVED what I saw today. When I walked in for the consult, I was greeted by VERY sweet nurses. There was NO ONE in the waiting room and they had two separate areas for well children and an area for sick children. I was very happy to see this as I know how easily germs can be transferred. I got a tour of the facility and loved the rooms! They all had a theme. I saw a SUPERMAN room, and a CURIOUS GEORGE room. All adorable! Then the doctor came in and we talked for awhile. She is VERY sweet, very personable and outgoing and I explained how I don't really know what I'm doing and how this is a whole new world for me. She was very informative and answered all my questions. She even said, "Wow, you are by far the most organized mom I've seen, and I've had a lot of prenatal consults!" I was like, REALLY?! She's like, ...

Today, Mom and I went on the Labor and Delivery Tour at my hospital. It was great! The hospital that I have chosen to deliver my baby is Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital-Dallas, aka, Presby Dallas. So far I've been very impressed with the facility. It's not new and pretty, but it's a well-run establishment and the people are really good. On the tour today, the first thing they showed us was the parking lot we will enter in and where to check-in. The good news is that this is very easy to find. WOOP! They will get me registered, and then take me back into a Labor and Delivery room. This was interesting because I've seen many hospitals that have labor and delivery and the postpartum stay in the same room. At this hospital, they are separate. The Labor and Delivery room is HUGE! There's a big TV, a sofa, several chairs and then the normal hospital equipment. These rooms were much bigger than I was expecting so it's nice to know that when I'm in the most mis...

Baby boy has dropped to an even smaller percentile! He was first in the 97th percentile, then 92nd, then 76th and now 55th. I'm so glad he's not going to be huge!! OUCH! Everything looks great, he is measuring very average, with long legs and big feet! Cute!! It looks like he's going to have a tall and thin frame. He had his legs up above his head and was alternating between sucking on his fist and on his toes. Guess that is how he soothes himself. So cute!! I haven't gained any weight at all since my appointment last month but he's gained almost a pound so I must have lost and then he gained and it evened out. I have been eating less because my appetite hasn't been as strong, lately. As of right now, I have only gained 18 pounds so far in this pregnancy. I'm still huge but it could have been a lot worse if I had gained a ton in addition to starting this pregnancy heavy. I might gain another 7-10 pounds before it's over, but it's nice knowing that...

Yesterday was Father's Day. This is normally a happy day for most families, but I'm trying to figure out how to plan for it in our family. Luckily, all SMC's (Single Mother's By Choice) have this same dilemma, and every year we have a pool party with SMC's and their kids. It's always my favorite event of the year. I'm thinking with Adam growing up, if this party only happens on that one day a year, it will be a happy time for him, and that makes me happy. And luckily Adam won't be stuck in daycare doing Father's Day crafts because he will be home with me during the summer. I'm trying to think of another fun thing we could do on Father's Day that can be a tradition. Still thinking on it... It's possible I might be overthinking this. I was watching all the kids yesterday at the SMC pool party and they ALL were having a blast, just clinging to their mommies. They were SO happy! I think I'm so worried about him being upset, but he might...

So the 3rd trimester fatigue is really kicking my butt right now. Even the simplest thing makes me exhausted and I need time to recover. I've been in almost zombie mode when it kicks in. I'm hoping I have some higher energy days because I'm having a hard time getting all I want done in a day.  My to do list is very long and I'm feel like I'm not making a dent.  I'm also feeling pretty overwhelmed with the "putting things together" part of all his stuff. His highchair needs to be assembled, his bathtub needs to be assembled. And I'm not good at that stuff at all. I'm about to start asking boyfriends and husbands soon because it needs to get done. Plus I'll need help with installing a car seat properly and the stroller. Ahh!!! This is the hardest part for me. Not having a handy person in the house to help me. I'm hoping I can figure it out, soon.  So yeah, I'm pretty much overwhelmed and really tired. I've been productive in the o...

Tonight I had the breastfeeding class. I've gotta say, I've really enjoyed the classes so far. Because I'm an avid reader, I knew a lot of the information already, but I did learn some new things that I didn't know when I walked in there. And it was great actually seeing a visual of a proper latch. Don't worry, we didn't bust out the boobs, we watched a video. Ha. Oh and get this, I wasn't the only person by myself this time! HOLLA!! I will say most had their husbands, who looked totally bored lol, and then a few had their moms with them, and then one other lady was by herself. I have to say that I am very impressed with my hospital. Their education classes are fantastic and they provide such great services for pregnant women. I am feeling really good about having my baby at Presby Dallas!

Yesterday, I had a shower at Mary Kay that my mom's work friends threw. It was AWESOME. I've known a lot of these people for a long time as my mom has worked for the company for over 20 years. The people that work there are like a family and always are generous towards each other and their families. When I got there, I saw all this adorable décor that I couldn't get over. There were elephants everywhere, I was so excited. Then blue and white balloons, tons of gifts, an amazing elephant diaper cake, and a canvas with a tree drawn on it. There were paint bottles next to it and we all put our fingerprint on the end of the branch, representing the leaves. It looks so cool! I'm also taking it to my next shower to fill the tree up. *LOVE* the idea and it's going to look great in his room. SO special. One of my mom's friends knitted me a blanket for Adam, and many of her friends were very generous in their gifts. I feel so blessed! It was really fun playing the ...

Tonight I opened the baby book that I got from one of my baby showers. I registered for this book so I was excited to open it and see what it said. Once I started turning the pages, I suddenly became very sad. There were so many pages dedicated to "Daddy." There were pages like, "How Mommy and Daddy met" and "Daddy's family tree." I absolutely hated the thought of filling out that book and having blank daddy pages. I don't ever want Adam to feel like he's different, or that our family isn't normal, and I think blank pages represent sadness. SO-I made a decision. I'm going to take the baby book back, and I'm going to make my own, fully customizable to our situation. And it is going to be FABULOUS! There are going to be child appropriate pages about Mommy and Mommy's story, and he is going to feel like the most important little person in the world when I am finished. My child will NOT feel different, and this book will represent m...

This post is full of TMI, so if you can't handle it...you might want to skip this post. :0) Validation, it's a beautiful thing. Yesterday morning, I was still bleeding so I decided it was time to go see the doctor. I unfortunately couldn't get in with my normal doctor, so I made an appointment with the doctor on call, who is a woman. I was a bit skeptical because I thought I would be hearing yet another, "I don't see anything, can't help you" but this time was different. I explained the really long story to the doctor and she examined me and said, "Oh wow. Yeah, there is long track of something that burst. It's still bleeding, I can see it." She said, "It's huge, the size of a quarter, and is full of blood. You have been putting pressure on that and that's why you were in so much pain. It's now draining so you are feeling relief and will continue to feel even better as it drains." She prescribed me some antibiotics...

So Friday evening, I was feeling hopeful that the cream would help and that many soaks would help the swelling and pain go down. No such luck. In fact, it got worse. Much worse. By night time, the pain I was experiencing was pretty much a 9 on a scale of 1-10. I tried to sleep, and about 30 minutes later I woke up from the pain. I simply couldn't take it anymore and I called my mom and asked her to take me to the emergency room. We got there, and this "all business" rude nurse told me to wait. Once she found out I was pregnant, she told me the Labor and Delivery nurse would come get me. I was glad because she was rude and I had a feeling they wouldn't know what to do with me, anyway. We wait about 5 minutes and then this lady comes to get me. She wheels me up to Labor and Delivery in a wheelchair and I get hella nauseous because I have a serious motion sickness problem and because I was already a little queasy from the pain. They get me in a Labor and Delivery hos...

Today was one of the hardest days of my pregnancy, if not the hardest. It all started a few days ago. I noticed this really heavy pressure in my lower abdomen, like uncomfortably heavy pressure. At first I thought maybe Adam was just growing or maybe dropped head down, but it was uncomfortable and I felt like I had to go to the bathroom about every 15 minutes. That made me cranky, but it was more annoying than unbearable. Then yesterday I noticed a more serious soreness in my woman area. It was even more uncomfortable and about a moderate level of pain. Well, this morning it was full blown excruciating. We're talking, hurts to walk, hurts to sit, awful awful pain. I called my doctor first thing this morning and they told me they could fit me in at 2:30 this afternoon so I left work at 2:00 and they got me right in. And then the second round of awful started... I was laying on my back waiting for the doctor because my back has been hurting from all the work labor this week. We...

I had my work shower today after school and it was WONDERFUL! Since I haven't ever been married, this was my first shower EVER. I had a great turnout, most of the staff came and Adam got a lot of new things. While all the stuff was awesome, my favorite part was reading the cards. I was surprised how genuine everyone was. And the common theme in all of their messages-"Lindsey, you are going to be a fantastic mother." It just made my year. Sometimes it can be scary taking this on by myself and it feels good to know that others see that I have what it takes. Makes my heart so happy. I put away all his stuff tonight and realized that I need to get a basket for all of his bath stuff for easy access. It's so fun organizing everything! And my first shower was OH-SO-MUCH fun! I love that my son is going to be well taken care of!!!! I'M SO HAPPY!!!!!! :0) :0) :0) :0) :0) :0)

Time to celebrate! This is my last day of my 2nd trimester! Yay!!