All Aboard Choo Choo

For Christmas Mimi (AKA mom) wanted to take all the grandkids to Lubbock for the Polar Express Train Ride.  Sure you think that's not bad Kim and I are the only ones with kids and at this time I only have one and 3 weeks due to my due date. But when Mimi says all the grand children she means all of them so we had 8 kids ages ranging from 1 to 13.  Now it wasn't just going to be Mimi taking all these kids with out back up so one parent had to attend as well.  And of corse we couldn't leave Laura out so it was a must that she joined.  It was December 17, 2011 and I was ready to pop.  The doctor said I was good to go so long as I was comfortable to travel.  There was no way I was going to miss this.  Though most of the older girls acted like they were bored the young kids had a blast including us parents.  We opted for the upper cart and comfortable seating which meant we had a table not a bus like seat.  This was a little more price-EE but so worth it. We received hot chocolate in a souvenir mug and met Santa.

Hadlee was so excited to see Santa, she just couldn't wait for him to come over to her next. 

Love this... We have so much fun when we are together , and don't think we are ever together  without mom she is taking the picture I believe.  You can't have a Committee without the 4 of us.  This is the 2nd picture we took the first one consisted of Laura practically laying on top of me trying to get into the booth. I like this one better. 

Summer Vacation

Our last vacation with it just being the three of us.  Russell had a class to take for work in Victoria, TX so we tagged along.  After Victoria we made our way down to the coast for a day at the ocean.  

Here is a picture of Hadlee standing on the ferry we were headed to Port Aransas, then on down to Mustang Island for the day.  Unfortunately I have no pictures us at the beach only our memories.  We were too busy playing in the water with Hadlee to even think of taking pictures. 

After the beach we headed towards San Antonio for Sea World and the River Walk.  Here is Hadlee and her daddy enjoying a ride on the river.  She had so much fun and so did we, just look at that smile. My pretty little girl, how fast she is growing.

San Antonio was fun but the vacation wasn't quiet over yet we still had the Annual Family River Trip in New Braunfel.  In all we were on vacation for 1 week and 4 days.  And given that Russell is still here with us, it didn't kill him.  For those of you who know my husband vacations are not his thing. Work is his hobby, but I'm working on him and he is doing much better than from when we got married. Love that handsome man.

After Spring Break in Vegas!!!

Life after Vegas... wow, well lets just say it became very interesting.  My birthday was May 1st and several of us girls decided to go out and have a few drinks.  For some reason I just wasn't interested in drinking I practically nursed a beer all night.  The next day I found out we were expecting our 2nd child.  I immediately told Russell but was hesitant to tell anyone else.  After the last pregnancy didn't take I just wasn't up for a public disappointment, if the same thing happened again.  I called the doctors office that first week, this time I was going to be more proactive.  I called and requested a blood test to check my levels (progesterone levels), I went in that Thursday.  It was going to be a day before they would get my result back but I would know something before the weekend.  Typically no one called me with any results so through the weekend I went without knowing anything.  That Saturday I started spotting.  I called a friend of mine whom coincidentally use to be my nurse at my doctors office, she told me to go on bed rest until I could be seen by the doctor. Monday morning I was headed to the doctors office.  When I got there they immediately drew more blood and placed a same day rush on it.  A sonogram would ease my worst fears, there was my little miracle with a strong heart beat.  I went on to work and at lunch time the office called saying my first blood test showed low levels and they wanted to give me a shot of progesterone immediately.  I lefted school and got my shot during my lunch "30".  later that afternoon  they called again and said that my levels from the 2nd test where a lot higher.  I asked them a that time about the Rhogam shot he said we don't give those until around 28 weeks.  I told him that with Hadlee I was given one at 9 weeks due to bleeding, so guess what, yep I was headed back up there after school to get another shot, this time I was at 6 weeks pregnant.  With all this going on keeping it from my family just about killed me.  Mothers day weekend came around and my sisters and mom were all together, and it made keeping my secret even more challenging.  As the weekend came to a close and we were all headed home, my worst fear had come about.  I started spotting again.  It was all I could to load Hadlee up and get home.  Bed rest through the night until I could get to the Doctor.  I was 8 weeks pregnant and though I was spotting the baby showed to be ok.  I was then put on a progesterone pill and told just to take it easy.  For most pregnant women they have to wait until they are 12 weeks along before the doctor will see them and before they get a chance to see the miracle growing within them.  I however, was 8 weeks and getting to see my little one for the second time.  Things started to look more promising and so I decided to share my news with my family. Russell has always said that any decision I ever needed to make I couldn't make without running it by the "Committee." The "Committee" consist of my mom, myself, and my two sisters.  This is how I broke the news (even though my mom didn't believe me, hello there a sono pic to prove it).  And that is how my summer began.

Shortly after telling my family I needed to tell Melinda and two weeks after telling her she called me with her news.  Yes she too was expecting.  I cried I was so excited that I wouldn't have to go through this alone. She was about 2 to 3 weeks behind me and it wasn't even planned, nope just fate.  How amazing is it to be friends with someone you went to school with and through the years have stayed so close.  And for those of you reading this that don't already know this isn't the first time Melinda and I were pregnant at the same time (and once again so not planned then either).  Hadlee is 4 months younger than Melinda's daughter Katee.  The girls are in the same grade and have been friends since birth.  I look back at pictures from all the past birthdays and man how they have grown.  After both of us being prego for a while it was time to do some shopping so naturally we took the girls.  You never know what will happen when those two get together.  While trying on clothes those to snuck into a dressing room at Motherhood and well a picture is worth a thousand words.

These CrAzY girls!

My newest little girl smiling.  Doesn't she look just like Hadlee.  It took us forever to decide on a first name poor baby was known to be a girl for 2 whole months before deciding on Whitlee, the middle name wouldn't be decided until the hospital not by choice but because I couldn't decide. Look how long it took to pick out the first name.

It's Been A Year... Oh No.

So, much has happened in the past year lets see if I can fit it all in and in order. After my surgery, life got back to normal, well normal for us that is. My friend Melinda had gotten engaged at Christmas and the wedding was scheduled for March (Spring Break) in Las Vegas. Russell and I were excited to go we planned to stay the whole week. Melinda and Jason tied the knot and we had a blast but a week was way too long.