I got a guitar!

And thus far.. I've learned the first 8 - 12 notes of Bella's Lullaby to play for Peanut. Not a tremendous feat by any means. But it isn't too bad either considering I've never played guitar in my life. :)

I just hope I can learn the whole song well enough to play it confidently for Peanut when she's little. Although I guess she's already hearing my practice sessions. lol Hopefully those don't scare her away from guitar music. I figure I can learn this and maybe a few easier lullabies to play for her around the time she's born. Or, that is my goal at least.

Reading guitar tabs is interesting. It's like trying to fly in a flight simulator with the directions being opposite of the way you try to go. Going from one string to the next is backward(ish) of the way I would imagine it to be when reading the tabs. I'll adjust I'm sure.

Anyhow, I am excited by this, so I thought I'd share.

My new guitar. Nothing great, but it works!

Happy Valentine's day!

From a mommy and her Peanut!

Taking care of big sister Emma.

Today Peanut and I will be taking care of big sister Emma before and after she has her tonsils and adenoids removed. We have the "mother load" of ice cream and popsicles for her to choose from along with a lot of pudding and jello.

We are not looking forward to surgery for big sissy to be, but we know it'll help her feel a lot better. I can tell Peanut is excited about her first time nursing, she's been kicking me all morning. That or she can feel mommy's stress. >.< Although I am trying my best to keep it to a dull roar for both my little ones. :)

Speaking of my cuties... here they are!

Thankfully we have help today so were not doing it all on our own. I have to say I wish it was at least one night in the hospital. I think that's the most nerve wracking part is bringing her right home and keeping her comfortable and safe and making recovery as smooth as we possibly can.

Babies and children should come with an attached warning sticker that surgical maintenance may be required. This is my second time seeing a child through surgery. Not that I'd put them back knowing in advance, but.. knowing in advance may have it's benefits? Then again... if I didn't know this was today... I just might not be so very darn nervous.

18 weeks

I can't believe how far we've come. It feels like the days and weeks crawl by, but here were are... 18 weeks. Such a miracle, I wasn't supposed to be able to even conceive, let alone thinking anything beyond that. I know I've said it before, but I'm saying it again, I feel blessed.

I can't believe how big I am!

I wish I had been taking measurements of my "waist" although as quickly as I popped out, I wouldn't have had a good baseline measurement anyhow. I love this little Peanut and I cannot wait to meet her, even her siblings are very excited. Every time grandma sees me she points out that I'm pregnant because I am so big already. It's crazy! 

I catch myself thinking ahead. Imagining this little ones first birthday and knowing that this will be the first grand baby not to have the traditional "first birthday cake" by great grandma. It's bittersweet, but I am hoping my mom will pick up the tradition and do the same for this little one and eventually her own great grand babies. I never thought I'd have a grand baby that Grams wouldn't see, I miss her and love her tons.

Okay, on that note, only 2 weeks until our level II ultrasound at which I hope to get a ton more pics and to hear only good news!

I really would like

to learn to play this for the baby.

I know it's probably silly but...

I am really very proud of me. I have been sticking to the new diet with only one accidental flub, never hesitating to take my blood sugar or check my ketone level and making too many tweaks and adjustments to the diet as needed to keep my blood sugar levels in check. Granted, I only have so much control over this, but I am doing so much better than I thought I could.

I do think it's likely that I will end up on insulin in the future, either near or far. But I will do that without question too. While yes, this is all absolutely for the baby... it isn't something I ever thought I'd be able to do... not even for myself. Well, at least the needle parts.

Needless to say, I love my Peanut to no end and will do whatever it takes to ensure, as much as any mother can, that I am doing the best I can for my baby. I can't control what is up to the higher power(s), only hope and pray that they allow me yet another healthy and happy baby.

Okay, it's kind of cheesy, but...

I made a collage of tummy pics so far. They certainly aren't uniform, I've had to take most of them myself, but they're getting there. Oh and the text that tells how far along I am seems to have disappeared on some of them once they were in the collage. (I need to find a better software.) They are in order, the first one was  5 days after the positive pregnancy test. I thought I'd have more time to get the "control" shot... but I was wrong.

Not great, but it's what I have so far.

I didn't think I was getting bigger, until I looked at this. I am a LOT bigger now than I was at even 8 weeks. Oh and obviously the 14 weeks and 15 weeks are only place holders. :)