We survived the move to Texas!

We have been in Texas about a month now. It was a really rough move with the boys, and me being pregnant with Iyla(yes we have a name!) It feels really good to be home, but I wish Derek could have actually stayed with us here and not had to have gone back to Georgia to finish up some work stuff, and go to the shooting range in SC. The boys and I have been staying with my parents, it just works better so im not alone in Waco being pregnant. My dad helps me alot, since he is home. which Ive just been so tired from the move. My parents have willingly been traveling with me back and forth from Waco, about 1x a week to help with unpacking and my OB appointments. Which wasnt easy finding an OB that I felt comfortable with. I did find a great Lupus dr, but both my OB and her are in Temple which is still a good 30min drive from our Waco house. I was so distraught about the whole process, that Derek and I were considering paying out of pocket for a birthing center. Now that I feel comfortable where we are at, I think I may still hire a doula to help me carry out my wishes of a natural birth this go around, with no medical interventions like pitocin, epidural, bath for newborn, etc. So back to Iyla Ray, ever since we found out we were having a girl we have been showered with gifts! Her little closet is already full, and we really only need big things like carseat, swing, and lots of cloth diapers! And instead of doing a traditional baby shower, im inviting close friends and family to do Painting with a twist for something different and fun! Im excited about everything, and anxious for Derek to get back to Texas and make our more permanent move to Waco from Dallas! Just 3 more weeks! I think we are really going to like Waco, and its so nice to be able to go up and come back in one day! Now onto finding a new car, to fit my family of 3. No minivan....never ever gonna be a minivan mom!!

Its a GIRL!!!

A few weeks ago we had our anatomy scan and we found out we were having a girl. Dreycin's intuition, psychic abilities were right all along! He knew without a doubt he was having a sister, and kept telling me "Its a girl!" Derek was shocked when the ultrasound lady told us, he was like are you 100% sure? She said Ive been doing this for 30 years, im sure! He really thought we were having another boy! Im so happy, to have a little mini me to have fun and shop with/for! ive already begun shopping sales! Its pinks, purples, and more pink invading this house full of blue and boys! Everything looked great on the ultrasound, Baby I weighed 6ozs @ almost 17weeks! Havent felt her a whole lot, but she is laying sideways across my tummy! The gas I had been feeling was probably her the ultrasound tech said, because she is so high. I am carrying her higher than my boys, and I can definitely tell with my clothes. Im officially in maternity clothes especially pants! We have had some other great news, Derek just officially received his promotion to SSGT! Lots of good news to look forward to over the next few months, especially our move to Texas at the end of this month and trip to Disney next weekend!

15weeks

I'm almost 16weeks, and in just 1 week we will find out what baby #3 is! Up until this point I have just gained a few pounds, maybe 5. I can still fit in my size 8 & 10 jeans with the hair tie trick. My workouts are still non existent, but I have more energy and doing more around the house and with kids. I have a fetal Doppler at home and baby heart rate is between 152-158, sometimes a little higher. My nausea comes and go, but I really don't have to take meds anymore, most of the time I'll pop a ginger candy in my mouth and that helps. I get overheated easily, and can't lay on my tummy anymore! We had an excellent 4th bday weekend for Dreycin, we went camping at Stone Mountain. I did have a heater blanket and air mattress, and we ate out most meals except breakfast! Dreycin and B loved it all the marshmallow roasting, camp fire, playing in the leaves, sky ride, but for Dreycin it was the hike up stone mountain with his daddy! We got off to a very rough start, but it got better as we adapted to our environment! I'm loving to eat my @ home chipotle copy cat bowls with avocado, fried eggs with toast and turkey bacon, turkey bacon sandwiches, chicken anything, ramen noodles, baked potatoes, home made refried beans in tortillas. I like to drink water again, but love whole food brand lemon lime drinks. I've cut back on the candy since Halloween, and dont really crave chocolate,  but will eat some trader joe's cookie butter! So we have dates for Dallas now that we have bought our first home! We will be in Dallas close to the new year! Very excited to be close to home again! Pic is us the night of USMC ball Nov 8, 2013(14weeks)!

Baby #3

We are 10 weeks today, size of a prune. Which I may need to buy some prune juice because this nausea has gotten the better part of me this week and I have been popping zofran a lot! Nausea and fatigue, this constant tiredness is for the birds. I try to sneak in naps when Derek is home for lunch or in afternoons when he gets home, but it is seriously kicking my butt! My workouts cease to exist, but until week 7 I was doing t25 4-5days a week, now I'm lucky if I get in 2-3 days of 20 min workouts with weights. I'm hoping this will subside soon. I've been eating a lot of baked potatoes with my vegan toppings, pasta with vegan Alfredo, vegan ramen, rice and lentils with avocado slices, chicken a few times a week, and lots of sandwiches with miracle whip and tomatoes! Today I woke up from my nap dreaming about eating a slice of cake with a buttercream icing! I'm dying to eat sweets but they make me sick, more nauseated! I did sneak in some Oreos today with some rice milk! I also love fruit Popsicles,peppermints, gum, and ginger candy to help ease the nausea. So as far as #3 goes, I found out from Dreycin! About one week before I was suppose to get my cycle he told me out of the blue in the kitchen, "you're pregnant." I was speechless, I mean Derek and I had talked about #3 but in like 6months after we had made our move, and we had been very careful since I had mirena removed in June. So I took a. Pregnancy test and it was negative, I was like see he is wrong my cycle is coming, but it didn't and I took another pregnancy test the weekend after my birthday and it was positive. Dreycin has continue to talk about the baby, and says "He will show her....." Yes he says her, she all the time. I can only hope it's a girl, but all I pray for is a healthy baby. The slew of doctors appointments have begun, we have already had 3 ultrasounds, and I will start seeing the high risk dr in addition to OB. 

In other great news we have taken a duty assignment in Waco, Tx. He received selection for promotion to Staff Sgt! Which means we will be near my parents and Derek's, about 1.5 hrs away. It is truly the best blessing and best time especially with #3 on the way! We are set to move in Feb, but I will prob move in January to find housing!

I don't know exactly why, but I decided to start potty training B this week, and he is doing really well with it. We've only had a few pee accidents and 1 poop accident! And lastly, we decided to take advantage of being close to Walt Disney world and go the week prior to christmas. It will be our christmas to the boys, and maybe they will have some stocking stuff to open Christmas Day. 

So that's the latest and greatest with the Delavega family!

Flying with toddlers

So about 11 years ago I use to get panic attacks, where I would hyperventilate and puke. That's how I was feeling this morning before leaving to go to the airport with the boys. Very anxious about the travel, especially going through security. I was carrying 3 Carry ons, 2 car seats on go go babyZ wheels, and two kids. Not to mention my checked baggage 1 suitcase! My dad and Derek's dad took us to airport, after asking a million people calling airline and being told there was no assistance for a mom traveling alone the check in lady said she could print up a dummy ticket for one of my dads to go through! So I was saved, mini panic attacks stopped and it was smooth sailing! The pilot and crew helped me onto plane, installed car seat and helped me get organized and seated on plane with bags in compartment. Amazing service from American Airlines! Besides who wouldn't help a mom with two kids and shit load of crap!

I was over prepared, I had one carry on strictly for activites!
1. 2 watercolor Melissa and Doug pads
2. Triangle ring crayons found in target $1 aisle
3. 2 Mini notepads to doodle
4. Sticker pad from Melissa and Doug
5. Magnet pad of race card
6. Airplane stickers
7. Books from half price (Diego/Dora)
8. Buster buckle toy(best $20 spent)
9. DVD player w/Diego
10. Two headsets
11. iPad
12. Mommy iPhone

Al that was used was 7-10, and 12! It was 1.5 hr flight when I thought it was 2, so we lucked out! I also purposely scheduled trip around Bronson nap time, and he fell asleep last 30 min of flight and during landing until we got off plane! The buckle toy saved B from screaming entire trip, he loves buckles is kind of obsessed with his high chair buckles right now so when I found this online I had to get it! I ordered it directly from the buckle toy company! And they sent it priority so I got it Monday afternoon before our Tuesday flight! Bronson also played with 3 apps on my phone,
1. Beari happy
2. ABC alphabet
3. Tozzle
For a very short time also watched Diego with Dreycin(which is what Dreycin did most of flght) but b really isn't into tv.

Dreycin and Bronson sucked on lollipops on the way up, on the way down Dreycin did say his ears felt funny but this time we were chewing gum? He also mentioned tonight again his ear hurt so I'm gonna be a little more observant the next day or so!i put him in a night time pull up just in case, he hasn't had an accident in forever but on occasion (1-2x a month) will wake up wet in mornings in pull up. Thankfully Dreycin did not have to go to bathroom on flight! He did mention he wanted to go see it but, I said next time(with daddy)! I also put bronson in huggies night time diaper and it held him the entire flight until we got to hotel!

Prior to boarding plane we had a picnic like lunch at airport. Pappa K fed them almond butter and crackers and I went and bought bottled water and mandarin oranges and that was lunch. I didn't have to pull out snacks for them during flight, I did share my cashew butter macro bar with them though. And yes I packed way to many snacks too. Security let me pass with 4 apple juice boxes whole foods 365 brand. I had two snack bags of roasted chickpeas, sun butter bars, plaintain chips, and gummy bears(last resort!).

I had a change of clothes for each boy, 1 blanket, we all dressed in layers so had sweaters but did not wear them bc we were hot! I also bought hylands calms forte to give boys for nervousness, which I probably needed more!!!

I could not have asked for this day to turn out better, 1 day closer to seeing the love of my life!

I can see the light....

Well we are super close to Derek's arrival and I have been spring cleaning getting things done, marked off my list. I want to make sure that when Derek is home we have lots of fun, free time vs taking care of business. My dad has been here almost a week helping me with house stuff, the boys, and that means extra workouts for me! My dad put some blinds up for me, fixed the kids table, tightened Bronson's crib, and even broke into my lockbox which i seemed to have misplaced the keys too in the last 6 months! im convinced one of the kids threw them away? or something, who knows im just glad it took him less than a minute to break it open! and sad you spend money on a lockbox and it only takes seconds to break into! I also took an exam to obtain my social work license here in Texas....took me two hours so no way I could have done it without my Dad helping with the boys! Dreycin and I got to spend some quality time yesterday went and walked around the mall bought daddy some stuff, got a snack, and it was nice just the two of us! We have been spending alot of time outside in this beautiful spring Texas weather! Has been nice to get boys worn out and in bed by 8!
Everyday we wake up Dreycin asks me Mommy is today the day we are getting on the plane? Soon baby, soon! Bags are mostly packed, and we are almost there! i can finally see the light at the end of this deployment! Can not wait until we see Derek!

Anticipation.....

It's getting closer, the end of the deployment is near! I couldn't be happier yet more confused on where the future is leading us. Many options have been visited and revisited, and for now the boys and I will stay in Texas until Derek receives orders, or decides in less than 1 year when contract is up to get out. For me it feels a relief that Derek will no longer be in a combat zone, but also feels like this deployment will be lasting a little longer until our family is permanently reunited. I am actively working on transferring my social work license from Kentucky to Texas and would like to find some type of part time/PRN work. I'm anxious to get back into the field just in case Derek does decide to end career with Marine Corps. The crazy thing is I found a lot of job opportunities, guess being a social worker in the medical field is a good thing! I'm starting to pack, get activities for kids on plane ride (say a prayer for me!) and have made all our arrangements so almost ready to head to Georgia!