The Digital Age...

While surfing through the web on lunch yesterday, I came across a website for scrapbooking... Only, this one was different. This site was all about Digital Scrapbooking... Something I haven't looked into... probably because of all my real life scrapbooking tools, papers, stamps, inks, etc...

I decided to read a little more about this "Digital" scrapbooking... anyway, it made since for me to at least check it out since half of my life is spent behind my computer. Below, you will see, I am now hooked. It's actually less expensive than the tools I need to do regular scapbooking with actual paper and stuff... too... once you've purchased, it's your to use for whatever you want! I can also throw in some of my own designs and graphics... I think Harv will like it too... no more tip toeing through the living room on a Saturday, trying not to step on any of my projects I have sprawled across the floor.

Lotion infused extra strength Kleenexes...FOR ME???!?!

I tell you what... I'm learning more and more about "the little things" as we progress into this pregnancy... Before all this "Change" started happening... It would take flowers, a medium sized gesture, or a surprise dinner to light me up... but not anymore...

This past week, I have been sick with a bad cold. Normally, I would be popping sudafed left and right until it was all cleared up... but... with being pregnant, I can only take Benadryl (and a couple other choices) that don't seem to be working so well. On top of the fact that I've been using rolls of toilet paper to clear my nose which has made it hurt worse... we don't buy the good soft toilet paper...

My dear, wonderful husband went out for take out for himself while I sat at home and sipped on Grandma's home made soup last night... As he walked in with his bag of food, I noticed another bag.... in it... was a HUGE box of Lotion infused Extra strength Kleenexes...

My eyes lit up and I shouted (with a mouth full of noodles) "Oh, I LOVE YOU!"

And at that moment... I could've proclaimed to the world that I have the best husband ever and that there would never be another. That small little purchase he made just, meant the world to me. I seriously might cut up the box and put a piece of it in the scrap book.

My Husband... My Hero....

To Be... or Not to Be... Vaccinated....

I took a huge sigh of relief when Dr. Kumar told me that, at my next appointment, Friday, October 9th, the H1N1 Vaccine would be available for me. With all this Swine Flue scare, I had this since of security that we (the baby and I) would be safe this year... But, after hearing the news this morning as I was putting on my make-up, listening to the radio on my drive to work, and doing a google search to find out more info... I'm not so sure about my "since of security"...

I found a report, listing all the influenza vaccines (just the typical Flue Shots) and found this report :

" None of the influenza vaccines have been evaluated for carcinogenic or mutagenic potential, or for impairment of fertility. No animal reproduction studies have been conducted with any of them. It is not known whether any flu vaccine can cause fetal harm when administered to a pregnant woman or can affect reproduction capacity. It is not known whether any flu vaccine is excreted in human milk."

So... What dose that really mean?! And with the H1N1 being a brand new Vaccine... I'm sure it was never tested...

Although, the harm that influenza it's self can have on a Pregnant Woman can be life threatening to her and baby(with the Swine Flu effects being worse).

The question remains... to be or not to be vaccinated....
I'm printing off all this information to take with me Friday to my appointment... Hopefully Dr. Kumar can shed some light on this situation....

These are a few of my favorite things....

I think I was humming that song "These are a few of my favorite things" from The Sound of Music, as I was walking around taking pictures in the baby's room. (Note to self, add that song to the baby play list)

EVERYTHING in that room could be called my favorite, but, I do have three things right now that are particularly just the best.

#1 - Building Blocks

I know the baby won't really play with these until he/she is older, but, when i first saw them, I fell in love... not just with the blocks, but with all HABA toys. They are all made of wood and so very colorful. This set of blocks were made in Germany.( It's fun to say that. LOL.) But I do plan to have them on a shelf just to add a little more vibrancy to the room and more color for the baby to focus on. Plus, don't they just say "FUN"!?! Love them!

#2 - Baby's First Book

My very good friend, Amy, handed me a gift last weekend. It was this book. She thought of me when she saw it because she knows how much I love birds. And I thought it was cute because I am nesting right now. The little bird is a finger puppet and as you turn the pages, you can make him move around in his nest. SO cute and something that is SO special to me.

#3 - Wiggle Worm

Mom and I were at Carters last weekend just looking and found this on the clearance rack. SO cute.... I just love the little worm on it... He looks so happy.

So, these are just a few of my faves right now... I'm sure there will be MORE to come. ;)

15 weeks

So, I thought I'd start doing weekly or bi-weekly updates on how things are going. Mainly so I can look back and say, ahhhh....yes.... I remember that.... I can't believe that next week we will be at 4 months already! I'm happy it's going so fast, I can't wait for the new member of our family to arrive... but... at the same time... I feel like I'm missing out on key moments. So, I'm gonna reflect on things each week so that I don't forget or miss it.

I receive an email from Baby Center each week. They are SO helpful! I get good information about what's happening to the baby this week (and yes, I know, everyone is different and things happen at different times, but, it's nice to have some kind of idea what's going on in there!) and what my body is or will be doing... it's VERY helpful at easing those "What's going On! Is Something wrong?!?" moments. I woke up this week with my head totally congested, my ears plugged or popping, and a major headache and back ache by the time I got home from work. If I didnt have a "That's normal" re-assurance in my inbox, I might have gone crazy and called Dr. Kumar every day! Plus, it's nice to know what's comming before it hits. I can make a list of things to have with me at all times so I'm prepared for the storm. LOL.

SO... What comes with week 15?
Gaining 5 pounds - Check (double check)
Take action - bag of grapes or cherry tomatoes for a snack instead of Dove Chocolate Bliss candy.

Nose stuffed up - Check
Take action - Sleep with extra pillow under head to help drainage, start up humidifire.

Lower Back Ache - Check
Take action - have someone give me a lower back massage, sit against a hot water bottle at work. (that sounds great with this cooling weather of fall! Might have hot coacoa too!)

So, I'm right on track it looks like and SO ready to jump into next week. Looks like I'll be looking forward to more energy, "glowing" skin (ROCK ON!), Feeling the baby move even more, and more showing in the tummy area! Excited!

Hey there! I have followers!

LOL. I have to laugh becuase, since I last posted... SO much has happened. Melissa was my only follower, so, I just decided to hold off on this blog and just do updates on facebook... Well, Now I have three followers! Guess I need to get my act together! ;)

Have lots of fun stuff to update... stay tuned. ;)

Baby Steps...

Looking at this picture brings tears to my eyes every time I see it. Not only because it is SUPER sweet, but, to know we've come this far. I remember not too long ago, Harvey's absolute fear of hearing those words "I'm pregnant!". We never went anywhere NEAR the baby sections of stores and if, by chance, we happened across some cute baby stuff, like, a pair of tiny little shoes, I was pulled away with a stern "NO". LOL.

When we went to visit Joe and Amy at their home after the birth of their little girl, Amy laid Cora in Harvey's lap without warning. I seriously thought he was going to pass out. He was as stiff as cat with it's back arched! I laughed outside, but, was a little worried inside. Would he always be this way with babies? With our Baby?

I've come to realise that, along with so many other things in life, you just have to take it one day at a time. "Baby steps" seems to fit this situation perfectly. And sure enough, after a little time, (and I think the realization that he will be expecting one of his own in less then 8 months!) Harv has started to pick up that "Daddy" instinct. This picture was taken two weekends ago. And just last weekend, We were at Joe and Amy's and Harv took Cora so that Amy could eat. Amy looked at me and said "It's like he is a pro now!"

I smiled with tears swelling up. :)

Looking Back

I went over to my mom's house late lastnight to get some information about our family and to go over any last minute questions with her before our first doctor appointment. She pulled out my baby book and we went through it.

I have to say that I adore my mother. After she showed me a couple of things, I took the book home. Harv and I sat on the couch and went through it page by page. She documented EVERYTHING! I think my favorite thing was this:

"Les likes to pull blanket over her head and pretend she is a monster" (2 years) LOL.

And even more detailed notes that listed all the words I was saying every other month and when I started to discover different things. (sigh) Just by reading all of the details hand written on notebook paper and stuffed into pockets of my book, I know she was a WONDERFUL mother and cherished every moment she had with Matt and I. I think we take our mothers for granted sometimes. I know I have.

She also saved my frist birthday cards! They are ADORABLE! And this one is my favorite... from my Aunt Joni, Mom's youngest sister.

E-I-E-I.... Duck!

Last Sunday, Our friend Sharron had a huge brunch at her house. It was great getting together with all of our friends on a Sunday morning. Some other families showed up with their kids too. There was one couple who sat with Harvey and I at the breakfast table and as we ate, (our Fabulous BLT sandwiches on home made bread and Gouda cheese...Mmmmm) we were watching this other couple's two little ones swarm around their mother. It was adorable. Two boys, I believe the oldest was 4 or 5 and the youngest was 2.. I think... but, anyway, it was SO fun watching the two of them interact. The oldest was the talker. He came over to me and in a very grown up way said "listen to this..." He then went over to his little brother and got so close to him that their noses were touching... He started to sing "Old McDonald had a farm... E-I-E-I..." he paused... the 2 year old then sang "Duck!" It was ADORABLE! I looked over at Harvey and said "THAT'S why we should have two."

Cloth Diapers Baby!

I've been doing research for almost a year now on cloth Diapers VS Disposable Diapers. I wanted to make sure I knew what I was doing when the time came for us to start our family. Now that day has come, I feel like a college student cramming for the final exam when it comes to finding the right diaper. And let me tell you, I am blessed to live in a day in age where I can read over 100 reviews in a matter of 30 minuets on any type of product out there! I work in marketing and know that when a company says that their product is "The Best" (which everyone seems to think their product is THE BEST), I know that there are at least 30 women (and sometimes men!) who have tried it and are ready to share their experiences... good or bad.

The results, well, as of right now, my vote is leaning to the far side of cloth diapers. GroBaby to be brand specific. "Are you kidding?" I'm sure you are saying out loud. And I totally understand where you are coming from. When someone mentioned cloth diapering to me several years ago, I laughed. "If you still ride a horse to work and your means of communication is a telegram"

But, I will say that I was secretly intrigued. And so the research began. What I've found is that cloth diapering has evolved from white cloths and close pins (and rubber diaper covers...which I found out that my mom tried on my brother) to very sophisticated all in one diapers, snap in and out diapers, and even flushable inner linings! (Who would have thought that poop actually goes in the toilet! Even Baby poop! (lol)) I was blown away with the fact that today's cloth diapering is actually more advanced than good'o huggies.

But, Just like Huggies, Pampers, Loves, etc. (an endless line of disposable diapers) Cloth diapers also have a WIDE range of different styles. And I would LOVE to go into the details of each, believe you me, I know how each one works along with the pros and cons. But I finally narrowed down my options to the newest and the most popular in Newton (every time Healthy Baby Boutique gets a shipment in, they are gone. In a Day!) the GroBaby Diaper. This thing is AWESOME!

Here is what it looks like. The outer "shell" is made of a breathable mesh fabric (no more moister being trapped inside from rubber covers causing diaper rash!) and the inner "pad" like inserts snap right in. And boy are those things thick and SOFT! you can even add extra liners for heavy wetting and overnighters. Once the baby's stool is hard (I hate that term... stool... it's called poop. LOL) you can put in a thin liner that will hold the poop so that when its time to change the diaper, you can pull out the liner and flush the mess. Toss the liners in the wash machine separate or throw the whole thing in at once! So many options!

But wait, it gets better! It is estimated that newborns go though 12-14 diapers a day. (my husband about choked when he heard that... He's been pricing out huggies just in case)

It is estimated that you will likely spend $50-$80 a month on disposable diapers... If you don't potty train until 3 years old.. that would roughly cost you between $1800-$2880...

I had the lady at Healthy baby quote me out if I were to buy EVERYTHING I needed to do the Gro Baby system (with buying 3 extra of everything just in case)

The Name "Gro" Baby is for a reason. This diaper has snaps so that the diaper can me made smaller for newborns and can be converted larger up to age three. So, One size outer "shell" fits all! Whoo Hoo! So, I estimated 8 outer shells which include one heavy thick snap-in liner, one thin add-in liner per shell at $25 a piece, Plus four extra Thick Pads sold separately and a container of the thin "poop" liners that flush (100 for $12 ) made my total to be $260.

TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY DOLLARS. from birth to potty training! Now that's a deal! Looks like we'll get a head start on putting all that savings into Harvey Jr's college fund! Won't he be embarrassed when we tell his college buddies he's there because mommy washed his diapers... Too Funny! LOL.

There are many MANY other reasons as to why I'm going this route. I'm sure this isn't the best solution for everyone and I'm sure there are mothers out there who have the same strong opinion for the disposable diapers. But, after I watched a video on how long it takes for a regular disposable diaper to break down at the land fill, I couldn't do it. I'm not a "ALL GREEN" person yet, but, I'm trying. Step by step I've acknowledged my wrong doing to mother earth and I'm taking steps to make it right. This will be a BIG one. And I will say that it's been hard with everything organic being almost three times the cost... in this situation... it's a no-brainer... you will actually save thousands of dollars!

So, to wrap it all up in a couple of words:

Cloth Diapers, Healthy Baby, Saving Money, Helping Planet, Happy Mommy.

Family Growing Every Second!

My Brother and Sister-in-law just found out last Friday that the baby they are hoping to adopt will be a girl and will be born around September 10th! That's Next Month! They are super excited for their long awaited dream to come true. I can't believe that in a matter of a couple weeks, I will be an aunt, and then, 6 months later, I'll be a mom. Wow... Life is amazing! It just hit me yesterday that with Carlee (Katie's new little girl) will be comming home the end of September, I will need to send baby shower invites out ASAP! Here is a preview of the design I came up with yesterday. Don't cha just LOVE baby stuff! :)

Never thought I'd LOVE the word Preggo.

I never thought I'd Love the work Preggo untill the word discribed myself. FINALLY! We're having a baby! So, call it what you want, Preggo, Knocked up, Bun in the oven... I'm so Happy, I don't care! :)

On hold? Nope... just hit the snooze a couple of times...

So, I haven't been on here since... well... LOL. But "the little Harvey project" is still in the works. A few minor set backs called "Life", but, we're still on the mission with high hopes.

Updates:

Memorial Day weekend was going to be our first real "baby vacation" where we really planned on trying. But who were we kidding?! Did I really think that a tent out at the lake next to friends singing around the camp fire until the wee hours of the morning would be the romantic environment for baby making? Um... I really didn't think that one through. LOL. As much as I love starry nights, the sound of rippling water, a nice summer breeze blowing through the tent screens, and soft background music of an acoustic guitar, I forgot about the 15 other people who liked the same thing and pitched their tents not more than 5 feet from ours...
So, not a whole lot of baby making going on, BUT we did receive a whole lot of relaxing time and good fellowship time with our closest friends, which we were thankful to have.

Our closest friends, Joe and Amy Reger, are about to have their baby. Amy's first, Joe's second. It's so funny to watch them. She is still looking all fabulous and making this pregnancy ordeal look like a walk in the park. In fact, the baby is due in two weeks and we are still planning our annual weekend out at Marion Lake to enjoy their bluegrass festival this coming weekend! She is setting the bar high for the rest of us. LOL.

Harv and I discussed where exactly we planned to put a baby in our house... We bought a two story house the year we were married. It had to be completely gutted out. We remodeled the first level from top to bottom, finishing with the Kitchen this last Winter. We haven't even touched the upstairs, which we had in-mind for all our bedrooms. Calculating new Sheetrock, replacing and/or removing some walls, Possibly new carpet or hardwood floors, central heating and air, replacing all the plumbing... we are looking to spend at least 12-13 thousand to complete the upstairs... So, we've decided that if we get pregnant before we have that kind of money (which will probably be the case) we will turn the piano room into a nursery. "At least I can play the piano and sing the baby to sleep at night" I smiled. A good compromise.

Stuck in the middle with you

So, our drive home from group Monday night somehow consisted of the discussion on what we plan to do with our jobs, once we have children. In all honesty, we really have no idea, but, for some reason, we decided to act like we knew what the future would bring and how we would control the situation. LOL.

Harvey:
"My mom worked 9-5 and dad worked ALL the time... so, we went to day cares and we were fine."

Leslie:
"My mom stayed home with us... we only went to day care a handful of times and I remember...." and I continued with stories of how I was left behind when my daycare provider took the kids to the store, how I would secretly lay there crying during nap time, how I was accused of breaking all the crayons when I didn't... and so on and so forth.

"And not to mention what I saw when I was working at the daycare in Mesa while we were in college Harv... from that time on, I made a promise that I would never send our kids to that type of an environment. NEVER." I stated...

And we found ourselves, yet again, in a situation where we both were coming from separate places. Opposite situations. Stuck in the middle again.

I know he doesn't believe in me staying home with our kids until they go to school. If he did believe in that, there wouldn't be a discussion on this. It would just be common knowledge that I would quit any job that I had and become a full time mom. But, as much as I want that, I don't see the light at the end of that tunnel.

I am going to pray on this more. Not so much to get what I want, but, to make sure we are making the right choice for our kids. I don't want to look back and say "I missed it." and I don't want to look back when my kids say "well... I didn't turn to you because you were busy."

Walking the same path...

I spent Sunday Evening with my sister-in-law, Katie. The goal was to teach her to knit. We worked on that for about an hour. Our conversations went from talking about yarn and techniques, to baby items, then to the main subject that was really on both of our minds.

My Brother, Matt, and his wife, Katie are in the process of adopting a baby from Russia. You can follow their story in more detail on their blog which is one that I follow. "Our Journey".

But Sunday night's conversations were a little more personal and more emotion driven than facts and time lines. I knew it would be a conversation that would take place and I knew it was something that we needed to talk about.

Katie and I seemed to fit well together as sisters from the beginning. None of my brothers past girlfriends gave me the time of day, so, when I first met Katie and she hugged me, I knew this was the one. I wasn't even surprised when Matt asked me if he could propose at Me and Jonathan's Wedding Reception. Katie was a brides maid and already a part of the family in my eyes. I actually felt blessed to be able to share my special day with them. The day my dream came true, was the day her dream had just begun. It was just right.

It was only natural that we had decided to have our children together. Or at least try to have them around the same time. We were so excited as we dreamed up plans for trips to the zoo together, birthday parties together, and all the fun things we did when we were kids.

It's been almost five years since My brother Proposed to her at the Harvey wedding and a lot has changed since. I guess life just happens that way. They have moved from Newton to Elbing and then from Elbing to Wichita and with Work, Responsibilities, and other Family, we just don't see each other as much as I thought we would.

It wasn't until this Christmas that the news was dropped that they were adopting. And it took me until two weeks ago to muster up enough courage to bring it up with her on Facebook. I guess I was surprised that She wasn't telling me. I wasn't included in the process. I mean, this is my only Brother, and the only "sister" i had ever known. But, I had to push that back (far back) and realise that this wasn't about me anyway.

This was about them.

The little chat window in Facebook was beginning to fill with 3 paragraph responses about where they were in the process, and bits and pieces of her hopes and fears. I knew this needed to be a conversation in person and not on the computer screen. She had mentioned that she wanted to learn to knit and make baby things for the gifts she would take to Russia. I saw that as my window of opportunity and said "Yes, I'll teach you. Lets get together this weekend!"

So, after only about an hour of knit lessons, we somehow ended up in the hallway upstairs, leaning against the wall and talking. We talked about their adoption and me and Jonathan's hopes of having a baby. It was a long (4 year) overdue heart to heart. Even though we are going in two completely different directions, we have the same goal, and we somehow managed to come back together at the same time.

I am so thankful for my Sister. And I am so thankful that we are walking the same path again.

Another Full time job?!?!

I think my biggest fear right now with having a little one, is, what will I do when it comes to my two jobs?

Growing up, my mother had two jobs as well. She cleaned houses and she raised me and my brother, Matt. I remember going with her to these cleaning jobs and helping out. She always gave us something to do. I normally dusted, Matt vacuumed. I wish those habits were ones that stuck with me! LOL.

But the best times that I remember growing up are the times at home. I remember Mom setting up my whole play-doe set on the kitchen counter. I remember all the fun craft projects we did together. I remember laying down in her bed room with her to take a nap. I remember my brother and I playing outside and running around the neighborhood.

All these wonderful memories I hold so dear, are what worry me today.

Last year, I found myself in a career. It wasn't anything I really had planned on achieving. but, none-the-less, I enjoy my job and it's a stable paycheck coming in. before I started my full time job, I was teaching part time at Butler Community College in the evenings. Hoping that my teaching job would eventually lead to a full time teaching job, I decided to keep that position along with my new full time job. So, I now find myself working a 9-5 (sometimes more) job and teaching 3 hours a week in the evenings. Which works out just fine for now.

But where will that leave us when we have a baby? What will be the best route to follow? I will be honest and say that I always dreamed of being a full time Mom. Staying home and raising my children. But, with Jonathan owning his own business, there isn't enough dollars coming in to do that. I made a pledge that I would NEVER send my kids to daycare. I've worked at a few day cares in my life and the bad taste will never leave me. I can't rely on my mother to take care of our kids while we work. What is the point in that? Although she would do it in a heart beat.

I guess the ideal situation that could happen is that I will be able to teach full time at some point which would leave me away from my kids for only 3 hours, 5 days a week. Which I would then be able to ask my Mom to cover those 3 hours. And I know they (Mom and Dad) would love that time. But, it looks as though the full time gig at the college isn't in my immediate future and we've held off this long for starting a family, how much longer would we have to wait to have an ideal situation? Probably forever.

So you, the reader, as my witness, I am completely giving this over to God today. There isn't anything I can do to change this situation. I will have faith that God knows whats best for Jonathan and I and only He can put us in the places we need to be.

Mo' Tussin

A coworker of mine just clued me in on this tip... I guess some have used Robitussin to help them get Pregnant....

Hmmm...

There is some anecdotal evidence (not substantiated in the medical literature) that the active ingredients in Robitussin cough syrup change the mucus to make it more penetrable to sperm. Some recommend that a woman take two tablespoons per day in the two to three days preceding ovulation. There have been cases where women have had allergic reactions to this medication, although it is widely used and generally considered to be safe.

I guess Chris Rock was right when he said...

"All you need is some mo' Tussin"

LOL LOL LOL

I think I'll be allright without it. (smiles)

Proactive.... not Reactive

I found this list online today... so... I decided to post it so that I can go back and check things off as I go. I'm glad I did, becuase, there are somethings that I hadn't thought of! If anyone thinks of more check off items, please add them! The more help, the better!

Besides doing the deed with your partner, (LOL) there are several things you should do before you decide to get pregnant both for your health, your babies health and an increased easiness in conceiving.

Family history for both mother and father
Blood types of both mother and father
Rubella, 5th’s Disease and Chicken Pox immunity
Prenatal vitamins X - plan to start taking these next week! Any suggestions on Brand?
Prescription medicines X - not taking any and don't plan to take any.
Weight control
Foreign substances (smoking, alcohol, drugs)

Family History
During your first prenatal appointment your doctor or her nurse will probably just draw blood and ask a bunch of questions regarding your health and the history of health problems in both yours and the father’s family. Questions regarding birth defects, cancer, Downs Syndrome, and other general health questions. If you know these answers ahead of time it will make that first visit go much faster. (good call... I'll have to gather all that info soon)

Blood Types
The blood type is very important for both you and the baby’s father when you decide to get pregnant. There are rare occasions where the mother and father’s blood type will not be compatible. In this case the baby’s blood type may not be compatible with the mothers. This can cause rejection of the fetus by the mother’s body, or lead to serious problems after the baby is born. Knowing the blood types before getting pregnant can easily solve any problems before they occur. (another good call... I think we OK, but, better to be safe than sorry... sorry Harvey, I know how you hate needles!)

ImmunitiesDiseases such as Rubella, Chicken Pox and 5th’s
Disease can be very dangerous to a pregnant women and her baby. There are blood tests that can be done before a woman gets pregnant that tests her immunity to these diseases. If a woman finds that she is not immune to one or more of these diseases she might be able to take the vaccines prior to getting pregnant to assure that she doesn’t get the disease while pregnant.

Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins are very important for a woman once she gets pregnant. They help provide enough folic acid and iron as well as other essential nutrients that the woman will need to help sustain a healthy pregnancy. However, if you are thinking of getting pregnant, it is never too soon to begin taking the vitamins as an attempt to help maximize your health. (planning to start these soon!)

Prescription Medications
Be sure to review any prescription medications that you are currently taking with your doctor before trying to get pregnant. There are several medications that are not safe for you to take while pregnant and could cause harm to the fetus. In most cases there are alternate medications that you can take that are safe during pregnancy.
(CHECK... not taking any! Whoo Hoo!)

Weight Control
Before you get pregnant it is a good idea to be at the best weight you can be. A woman who is in the right span of weight for her height will have an easier time getting pregnant and staying pregnant. Women who are over or under weight may have a harder time getting pregnant as their body is not working to its’ full capacity.
(great... sigh... that means I actually have to step on the scale and pay attention... LOL)

Smoking, Alcohol, and Drugs
If you use any foreign substances you should stop. Smoking while pregnant can lead to fetal death, underweight babies and cause later health problems such as asthma in your child. Alcohol can lead to fetal alcohol syndrome which can damage parts of the brain. The same is true for recreational drug use. If you are addicted to a drug then your baby can also be born addicted to that drug causing him more long term problems in the future.

Wow. there are quite a few things to consider before any REAL BIG decisions have to be made! I'm glad we are looking at them ahead of time.

Its better to be PROACTIVE than REACTIVE... I sure do hear that alot these days... LOL

Little piece of orange hope....

If you know my husband, you know that he always has a Tennessee "T" on his person somewhere... most of the time, it's his orange baseball hat. We have collected anything and everything from glass wear, neon signs, professional prints, rugs,and even some custom "T" artwork from family... We plan to make him a Tennessee Vols office when we remodel the upstairs.

When we first started talking about babies, he always seemed to get this uncomfortable look on his face and there was always something else to talk about or get up a do. So, I got my creative juices flowing... there must be something I can do to help him feel more at ease with this. He liked the idea of having kids, I think it was mostly the "not knowing what to do" once we had kids that was getting to him.

I was looking online for a Christmas gift when I found the perfect thing. An orange and white pacifier with the Tennessee "T" on it. PERFECT! I had thought about saving it for when it was time to announce the new baby's arrival... but... If you know me... you know that I can't wait for anything.

And I'm glad I didn't wait. I had it sitting on the coffee table when he came home from work one night... when he first saw it, he laughed, and through out the evening, he kept picking it up and examining it. I knew right then that it was the smartest thing I could have ever done (By accident too!)

So, even though we don't have a bundle of joy on the other end of that pacifier just yet, it's nice to see it sitting in the house from time to time. To know that eventually, it will just be one of the many little things that get overlooked and stuffed between the cushions of the couch....

A little piece of Orange hope marked with a "T"

Smile

It all began with a smile and a big sigh of relief.

I guess you could say we've been "winging" it for about a year now. We decided early on that we were not going to go crazy over this with tests, constant temperature taking, going home at a moments notice to... well... you know.

But, with complication history in my family... It was killing me that I didn't know for sure. I decided one morning to figure out my cycle on the calendar and try the Ovulation testing kit.

I have to say that I didn't really pick a good time to be testing myself. With major changes at work that left projects and even job status on shaky ground, beginning to teach my spring semester of Illustrator at Butler, Jonathan trying to finish up the kitchen remodel (which left tools and supplies piled throughout the kitchen), among many other smaller projects in the beginning stages, this was not smart to be taking the ovulation quiz. I was already under so much pressure. But I didn't realise this until I had taken 6 tests out of the 7 that came with the kit and all were negative. No Ovulation.

"What dose this mean?!" I was pretty sure I had all the dates right... what was going on? I knew that there might be some complications lurking in my family history.. but I had hopes that we just might be OK. Was I wrong? Were we really going to have to go through a bunch of testing and medical procedures to have kids? Jonathan and I had decided early on that we really didn't believe in all that... but... if were were faced with it being our only option... would we stick by those beliefs? We had talked about adoption even before getting married, that it might be something to look at in our lives... but, being faced with it, would it be the right move for us?

All these thoughts raced through my mind in the matter of seconds after the 6th test came up blank. And none of those thoughts, I will admit, had anything to do with God's plan for us. All the thoughts were about what we had planned... what I had planned...

It wasn't until Wednesday morning, that I decided to take the last test. I didn't even want to look at it. I washed my hair, got ready for work, went out and started my car, and finally went back to see. I mirrored the smile that was beaming up at me....

"Thank you God"

proj⋅ect

...to propose, contemplate, or plan a large or major undertaking, esp. one involving considerable money, personnel, and equipment.

(I know this will take money, and I hope others will want to help... I just hope we have the right equipment... LOL)

It seems like every moment in our life consists of "projects". Wether its one of my "project deadlines" at work, a new "sign project" with Jonathan's business, one of my many "knitting projects", or Jonathan working on our never-ending home "remodeling projects". So, the title to our blog seemed to fall into place with "The Little Harvey Project".

The wonderful (and at times, scary) realization of this "project" is that it will be a continuous project for the rest of our lives. I am excited that it will be ever-changing and forever challenging, and most of all, the most rewarding project we will ever attempt.

I am happy that you are sharing in this endeavor with us and hope you are excited to share in our hopes and fears and joys of having our "little Harvey".