Back to the beginning.....March 15th :)

So when i found out i was pregnant i did take pics of the 2 pregnancy tests i took. So this is where it began, funny is that when i sent it to my Aunt Darlene she thought it was a picture of a toothbrush(it was a text of one pregnancy test)!

Family time

Well this last week was full of events. The Bearce's (my dad's side of the family) came in from Oklahoma to visit with us and other Doss family in the area. It was so nice to have family here just for the comfort of love! I went for my 24wk OB appt on Wednesday with Derek, everything is looking good im up to 186 now, BP was 110/70 (way better than last week) and was told i should only gain 9-15more lbs????!!! I was also told that from now on i will see my high risk dr every 2wks, and continue with the sono's every 4wks. I also went part time this week and have already begun to see the benefit in my joints and energy....On thursday afternoon the Bearce's and I went to visit my great Aunt Dora in Florence, Ky. She has a pretty dry sense of personality but for the age of 76 she sure was up for laughing and telling stories from our past. It was a nice visit. On Friday my PBK eco glider was delivered and it is soooo comfortable! actually right now Derek is sitting in it doing his homework! This week my uncle Brian also put together Dreycin's crib and then helped Derek move the heavy furniture into his room. It's all coming together and i cant believe only 15more weeks! For the most part my cousins Jesse and Bailey played our Wii Mario kart which probably had dust on it from us not using it in so long. i was glad to see that they weren't bored! We had a small celebration of Bailey's bday 28th of july, Brian's bday Aug 2nd, and mine Aug 22nd with a buttercream vanilla cake:) i couldnt eat much because.....did i mention the sickness returned out of nowhere on thursday and friday? This week was definitely full of good food too! Deborah my aunt ate White Castle everyday, for her and my dad it was a childhood favorite! When we went up to Florence we had the Cincinatti famous chili which was really good! Here in Louisville we went to Lynn's Paradise cafe which was a experience in itself! Yesterday the Bearce's headed out and I actually made it to water aerobics for the first time this week and it was much needed! I went for my trim at the aveda salon got home and stayed in the rest of the day catching up on all my dvr'd shows! Derek and I actually played mario kart for a little while! Today we slept in and then headed out to spend some more $$ on Dreycin. About 2wks ago we had gone and bought the mattress, well then i got a 15% coupon in the mail for mattresses so i decided not only was i going to get my money back i was going to also go ahead and buy some other things i had gotten coupons for. So off we went to Babies r us with all my coupons. We got the mattress(again), mojito playard, waterproof crib cover, and medela breastpump, which a BIG thanks to Grandpa Joe and Mamaw Gwartney! I was also so proud of saving $84 on everything!!! We also went to pottery barn kids where I had $175 in rewards from buying the eco glider. We bought two baby blue blankets, a crib sheet and changing pad cover, and a bundle me lite in black for the winter time, basically all for free since I had my rewards gift certificate!!! We finished up the day at Whole Foods got some fresh veggies for the week, and ate lunch! Definitely a great week! by the time i was done writing this Derek had fallen asleep in the eco glider!

more pics...

the baby book says that my belly should be the size of a soccer ball now!!?? Oh and thats my caramel covered chocolate cupcake i had today after grocery shopping at whole foods! yummy!!

mmmm...caramel covered chocolate cupcake :)

Yesterday Derek went to go get the baby furniture, right now its going to sit in our garage for a little while because we aren't quite ready to put everything together! my parents are going to come at the end of August so maybe they can help us! Besides he was busy putting together our new entertainment center, we got it because it covers/hides the cords in the back and it was the matching one for our desk we got a few months back. I guess that is me going into mommy-mode about cords laying around! Derek also put up the curtain rods for Dreycin's room yesterday, my dad had told us last time he was here we really needed to get some curtains in that room due to the sunlight. so for right now we are just using some sheer curtains instead of using Dreycin's baby bedding curtains. My hubby is such a handyman and so wonderful:) he is really just like the energizer bunny....he keeps going and going and going!!! I appreciate it because right now im just tired all the time and want to lay around!

my 2nd prenatal massage yesterday was awesome! it was so nice to lay on my belly! i slept really good last night too!

Last night we went to this homemade pie kitchen, and about two nights ago Derek discovered this scrumptious caramel covered chocolate cupcake, he left me 1/2 when i had gotten home from work yesterday and it was OH SOOOO GOOD We had to go get another! it even stayed down which was a surprise! Im actually going on 2wks of NO all day sickness, WOOHOO!! maybe that means i can have a dessert every once in a while with chocolate!!! Last night Derek just about bought the whole store...he got oreo cheesecake, chocolate chess pie, and a buttercream covered chocolate cupcake. That boy can EAT and EAT and EAT. Funny thing is that i didnt even get to eat my cupcake last night, by the time i ate dinner with my nonalcoholic beer i was so full i just went to bed (not without taking tums 1st). Another thing i want to point out is that in Texas for some reason there is no such place, well that i have encountered that is a true homemade pie kitchen. Thats why I believe we are in the true south here....with just about every food fried too. Just 1 thing i will miss when we part ways with Kentucky. Speaking of Kentucky, yesterday it was 67 degrees it felt so good I was in heaven! i even had to wear a sweater when we got out yesterday evening because it was so cool! We even went to On the Border on friday night and sat on the patio and I had to ask Derek to go to the car to see if I had a sweater or something in there, it was chilly!


Today I was looking at baby classes and it looks like september will be a good month for that because Derek is off basically the whole month! Today my family gets here from Oklahoma, they stopped in Memphis to stay the night and will drive the rest of the way today!

24wk buddha belly with my "racing stripes"

24WKS and time for visitors!!!

this week i feel like i have been hit by a ton of bricks, my joints have been in so much pain i feel like i cant hold my own weight, and my knees are going to buckle which at this point i feel like its probably my lupus. along with that my blood pressure has been a little on the high side so im going to see my rheumatologist today. my mom seems to think that if im in pain then my blood pressure will be affected, we'll see what the docs say today. I am so thankful that I am going part time next week to see if my joints dont kill me as bad. I am also doing it to be the prevenative, compliant patient under my doc's care. My rheumatologist's PA recommended I watch my salt intake, drink water, and no caffeine. My dad's sister and her family are coming to visit this weekend from Oklahoma. They will be visiting some of the Doss/McNeely family, Mammoth Cave, and im sure swimming at the pool at our place! Its going to be a good week, i only work tuesday, wednesday, and thursday for4hrs each day.....bad part is i work this weekend sat and sun for 4 hrs each day im going to see my acupuncture/chiropractor doctor this afternoon before so hopefully i will find relief.....i also have a prenatal massage tomorrow :) Cant wait to see how active Dreycin will be after that. Last night Derek was able to feel Dreycin move for the 1st time, he was snuggling real close and we had both our hands over my stomach. I just couldnt wait for him to be able to feel a little bit of what i do everyday, which I enjoy so much! today he woke me up at 5:15am. he tends to get active at all times of the day, he doesnt tell time yet!!

Baby shopping :)...now 23wks!

Yesterday we had a busy day! First we made pigs in a blanket....yum! Derek decided to go to the pool with me and swim laps while i did my water aerobics which was so relaxing! Afterwards we went and picked up the baby bedding, which is so cute I just love it! Then we went to Babies r us and bought some essentials like the changing pad, crib mattress, baby bathtub, bumbo, hangers, and some cleaning stuff. I had coupons and gift cards for everything from the showers which was VERY nice:) We were in and out pretty fast, i think it surprised Derek a little. Then we went to Whole Foods, which is where i spent half my paycheck!!! I just love all the natural, bright foods....we also ate a light lunch there. Later on that evening after getting home, organizing putting things away we went back out to Target to get some odds and ends. I find myself (everytime we go out) buying a little something for Dreycin each time. Yesterday it was bordeaux's butt cream, and some organic cloth diapers and earth's best lavendar wash and lotion. I figure if i buy it all slowly it wont add up as much in the end, right? We got home and watched Confessions of a Shopaholic, which I loved, dont know about my husband though! Today i have been again cleaning and organizing, making space for Dreycin! I was about 8wks when we moved into our patio home so i think i just stuck things anywhere without thinking about SPACE for a baby! Its only a 2bdrm 2bath so its going to be tight but the last thing i want to do is move again, unless its closer to Ft Knox where we would be able to afford something bigger for cheaper? anyways, didnt sleep well at all last night my hips have been killing me? I cant believe its already Monday tomorrow, i mean where did the weekend go? im telling you part time is looking better and better every week. I have a interview tomorrow for a parttime position with a psychiatric hospital, doing part time assessments at Jewish hospitals here in Louisville. It would be like 20hrs a week, and PRN hours if I wanted to work more, plus WAY better pay since I just got my license! i hope i get it, but first i have to find something to wear that doesnt make me look too pregnant!! All in all im just not happy where i work right now, its like social workers are not viewed professionally, and im not kidding you when I say there is only 7of us in the department and we have more education than our whole department which is about 30. our pay sucks (i would be making alot more in dallas), and we are titled as discharge planners. I love working in mother/baby, but hate the days when im floated to regular hospital which is med/surg, tcu, ccu, icu, its just not what i want to be doing, setting up home health, hospice, nursing home placements....ugh! And lately that seems to be happening alot more, because like 3social workers will call in on one day? but thats a whole another story....that i will have to include in the book i write one day. Speaking of book, this week had many past memories behind it and I just want to tell my best friend Jessica that we are stronger individuals today than we have ever been because of what we have been through, sad that we lost them the way we did.

Sono Video

22wks3d u/s

profile pic of Dreycin's face and definitely still a boy

hands in front of his face, and then his skeletal view of face

my men and their teeth......plus sono pics

Well we got home sunday night and jumped right back into work on Monday.....we were both exhausted. The pic on the right is of Pepper in our suitcase packing getting ready to come home.....he kind of likes the boppy??Monday came along and i noticed Pepper's front tooth was loose, i kind of freaked out because i was scared he was in pain.....so Derek took pepper to the Vet after work on Tuesday, he ended up staying the night because today they put him under for a cleaning and to get that tooth pulled. I was so scared for him, I mean pepper is like my child he has been with me for 6.5 years and I just couldnt imagine him being in a cold vet's office (i know it probably wasnt cold) over night. Anyways, today they called derek post-surgical and said he was fine just sleeping off the anesthesia :( Derek went and picked him up after our ultrasound appt and of course he had an anxiety/breathing attack, was shaking alot when he saw Derek, then Derek said he was really happy to leave! anyways the vet said that because pepper is a small breed (chorkie) his teeth have a more likely chance of rotting which the process has begun, but we caught it just in time. And on top of that i feel like a horrible parent who should of brushed his teeth more often?? Gosh what a way to start parenthood? The funniest part about the whole day is that.....well Derek doesnt think this is funny......but Derek got off work early to go to the u/s appt, went to get lunch at jimmy john's and his temporary FRONT two teeth fell out. So when i got in the car he said open your hand I have a surprise for you and dropped two fake teeth in my hand....ugh....on top of that he stunk really bad from working out at work so i was ready to GAG, thank goodness i had taken my zofran. He is going to dental tomorrow to get them put back in until his real teeth come in. So off we go to the ultrasound. It went really well, we got to see our PERFECT little boy Dreycin, when i think about it i want to cry only because im so happy and love him so much already. Turns out i DONT have a single umbilical artery, i have 2 artery and 1 vein which is normal. To say the least i was glad we had a different u/s tech and Dr Cook was the doc this time. He took alot of time showing us there was no cleft lip, no heart abnormalities, and most of all the normal umbilical cord. I think he was annoyed that they had told us that last time, so he took the time with us to color code the cords to show blood flow and show us the whole umbilical cord! As my mom said A prayer for God was answered today!! the u/s tech also took the time to tell Derek exactly what we were looking at, of course Derek wouldnt even talk during the u/s because of his teeth. Dreycin is measuring as a 1.4 lbs baby at almost 24 wks! I guess he wont be having any growth issues! The doctor even said he must have big bones, and also mentioned he had a great nasal passage?? ahhhh such a relief today was, it made my entire week look wayyyy better! i even went to water aerobics tonight which was so refreshing and relaxing! I came home to dinner made, a happy dog, and my sweet hardworking hubby:) Next u/s is August 19th:) at 28wks!!!

Our time at home in Dallas

It has gone by way tooooo fast, and in the end im left exhausted and crying because i dont want to go back to Kentucky! there is NO place like home, especially my mom and dad's house! We had some great baby showers, got great gifts, saw most of our friends and family. I have come to the conclusion that next time i will need a whole month at home just to see everyone and spend quality time! While ive been home Dreycin has blessed me with the experience of kicks at odd hours but i dont mind! Now just so everyone knows how we came up with Dreycin, it was my Dad's great mind! He took the first three letters of each of our names and then added the "Y" which in spanish means and. so youve got Dreycin! and the middle name is going to be Rex, there's a story behind this too. All of my family, which most are all in Panama call me the "Queen" which Reina in spanish. When my abuelo che found out we were having a boy he said "El Rey" which means King. He was saying the King will be born now! And so thoughtfully I found that Rex means King! So Dreycin Rex DeLaVega, and my idea is that when he is young, plays soccer or other sports they can call him T-REX! ok ok i know corny, but how CUTE! the other great experience we have had was to meet Derek's biological father's family. This week they have gone fishing, went to the house of blues, went to eat steak and we are even spending the 4th of July with them in Sanger(outside of Denton). Im kind of sad to know that this will be the last trip home before we have Dreycin because there is no way in hell I will travel 10days like this with a baby! Only on a true vacation will I go from now on! And this heat, with most days having been in the 100's I was completely drained and always in a bra and panties at my parents house! if only i could have gotten a tan....damnit!! Well im now 22wks this weekend, Derek even said i think you have gotten bigger since we got here.....and that may be true with all this good Texas food ive been eating. Gloria's, fireside pies, bbq, blue mesa......and the list goes on. i did get on the scale after i had eaten burger street and it said i was only 2lbs heavier, but i think thats because for about 1/2 the time ive had the all day sickness!?? Like i said it went by way to fast, with too many plans.....my husband has ADHD and can keep going, and going and going and going (energizer bunny)!!!

We have an ultrasound this wednesday July 8th to look closer at the baby's heart and face, will post more pics after that.