Our Anniversary

Kevin and I will be celebrating our 7th wedding anniversary in a couple of weeks (July 14). I was going through some old pictures tonight and found some that I just had to share with all of you from early on in our relationship. Happy anniversary, honey, I love you! We don't have anything too exciting planned since the 14th falls on a Monday and I will be about 37 weeks pregnant by then. Maybe a nice dinner or a nice lunch. Only time will tell!

For the first time, Mr and Mrs Buck


Me before the big moment with my girls


A few months before the wedding


On vacation in April 2001 with my family

I've Been Tagged

Ihave been tagged by my friend April...so I decided to have a little fun on a Friday morning. Here is how it works..3 joys, 3 fears, 3 goals, 3 current obsessions/ collections, 3 surprise facts about you & then 3 people you want to tag!

JOYS: (do you feel like I'm yelling at you when I capitalize? because I AM!)

my son (and the one on the way)

my husband

my family/friends

FEARS:

Rollercoasters...I know it sounds crazy, but I am afraid I am going to fall out.

Losing people I love

The basement of my house...it is kind of dark and creepy down there! :)

GOALS:

Raise children who are productive members of society.

Get my house to a state of total declutterment (if that is a word!)

No more drama in my life.

CURRENT OBSESSIONS/COLLECTIONS

Getting ready for Alex's arrival

The Twighlight book series

Getting the budget done before I give birth

SURPRISE FACTS

My eyes are different colors

I cry when I get mad...even if it is over something stupid. I can't help myself!

I had LASIK surgery three years ago...best $ I ever spent.


I TAG

Misty

Jade

Barbara

Have fun ladies!

Dosen't It Just Figure

Back in February, some of my friends in the OR scheduling office were going on and on about this book called Twilight by Stephanie Meyer and how I needed to read it. Well, I am always game for a good book and was looking for something to read...I finished it in 3 days. Then, I borrowed book 2and finished that in 4 days (only because I was reading it while I was in Texas visiting friends and felt obligated to socialize!). Now, I am not going to lie, book 3 sat around my house for a few months, but I finally decided I was ready to sit down and read it again...4 days later I finished that one too. Needless to say, I am hooked!

Book 4 is scheduled to come out on August 2. I already pre-ordered it through Amazon so that it will be at my house on August 2, but I am very nervous about this release date...given that it is only 3 days before my due date and there are already indications that I will go early. Thank goodness that my last official day at work is going to be August 1 with a planned induction date of August 5. That gives me 3 days to read book 4. If nothing else, I will just get the epidural early on in labor and read through my labor.

Pregnancy Amnesia...I don't think so

I was complaining to my doctor that I didn't remember the last few weeks of pregnancy being this hard with Matthew. He said that is likely due to "pregnancy amnesia". It is the amnesia that women get about how lousy pregnancy can be so that they decide to have more kids later...forgetting until it is too late just how uncomfortable everything is.

Tonight as I sit here trying to find something to watch on tv, I realize that there is one thing I haven't forgotten about...the pain of giving birth. No "pregnancy amnesia" there. I remember exactly how uncomfortable Matthew's big head was. I just keep hoping that Alex has decided not to grow as big as his brother was (just a reminder, my "little man" was 9lbs 1oz). I have been working really hard at keeping my sugars under control so that Alex has no excuse to gain a lot of weight, but I am not getting my hopes up for a small baby either! I will be happy with 8lbs, I could even be happy with 8.5 lbs.

So, my friends, I ask for your prayers for a small head and small shoulders! I figure at this point, it can't hurt!

My pregnancy pictures

I know I have said it before, but my good friend, Misty, is an amazing photographer. I just love to look at her work. Last weekend we went out and had some fun taking pregnancy pictures in an "urban" setting...and I have to admit...I don't look as bad as I had imagined I did! :)

If you want to see them, click here.

We started digging out all of the baby stuff last night. We tore apart the car seat so that I can wash all it all up and get ready to put it in our car. It is going to be kind of cramped having both kids in the backseat, but Matthew will just have to learn to deal! He is so anxious to get everything set up for Alex he can hardly stand himself! All week I have been bringing home baby gifts from people who couldn't make it to my shower today, and Matthew has had an absolute blast opening them all.

More pictures to come soon from the shower. Have a great weekend everyone.

Back to Work :)

I saw the doctor today and he sent me back to work, no restrictions. Obviously if I start contracting again I need to go in, but I figure at this point I am just not going to worry about it! Alex is doing great and I didn't gain any weight in the last two weeks so I was happy :)

My baby shower is this weekend and I am very excited to see what Kristin has put together for me! She has worked really hard on everything, so I am sure that it will be a great time! Pictures to follow :)

Pregnancy Update

Well, it was bound to happen. I knew that an "uneventful pregnancy" was too good to be true, especially after the problems I had while I was pregnant with Matthew. I had my first round of contractions yesterday that had to be stopped by medication. I forgot how much I hated terbutaline (the meds they used to stop them). It made me all shaky and crazy for about 30 minutes...Alex wasn't a fan either! So, here I sit at home...bored to tears...taking a break from some of the work projects I never seem to get to when I am in my office. Maybe a couple of days at home will be good for me!

Alex is doing really well. He was handling the contractions just fine yesterday, so at least we know there is no stress for him.

On a happier note...I had a great time with my friend Misty on Saturday. She is a wonderful photographer and we went out to do some pictures of me and my pregnant belly. I will share them as soon as she has time to get them proofed and sent to me. She really is very creative and I know that everything is going to look great!

Back to the grind. Another update soon!

Haircut Drama

If there is one thing that Matthew hates more than anything in the world it is getting his hair cut. We literally have to prep him for about a week to get it done. We have tried taking him places here, but everywhere we have been requires that he sit on the chair by himself. I can tell you that isn't going to happen! So, a few months ago we bought our own set of clippers to start doing this at home. Last time I cut his ear, which freaked him out...this time I managed to poke him in the eye with the comb because he wouldn't hold still. Drama, drama, drama! You woud have thought that we were killing him.

Here is is after the incident...doesn't he look traumatized??

Matthew's New "Daycare"

Imagine my surprise when I found out that Kindercare wanted about $1600 a month for both boys to go there full time. Why work? So, I started my search in March for a cheaper alternative and found something even better...somewhere that Matthew loves.

My boss, Marilyn, had mentioned to me on a business trip that her daughter Leighanna was thinking about watching a few kids out of her home. I jumped right on that and called Leighanna up a few days later to ask her if she would be interested in watching Matthew and Alex. She said she would and my immediate thought was "score!" This couldn't be a better fit for all of us. Matthew LOVES it at Leighanna's house. They play outside (when it isn't snowing), bake cookies, play the Wii...and even better...he comes home totally exaughsted at night because she doesn't force him to take a nap! Do you know how nice it is not to have to fight with a 4 year old to get dressed in the morning? On the flip side...do you know how annoying it is trying to convince him to come home with us at the end of the day? :)

What is even better for me is that Leighanna treats him just like she would treat her kids. He is learning how to get along with her 2 year old son and tonight when Myles fell and bumped his nose, Matthew ran over to kiss it and make it better. So cute! Leighanna is due about 4 weeks after we have Alex (she is having a boy too), and I know she is going to have her hands full...but there is no one I trust more to be able to handle it and still keep her sanity.

We Graduated??!!

Kevin and I have been in marriage counseling for about 6 months to deal with some issues that have been causing problems for us the past 7 years. Not to give out too many details, but we basically had to figure out a way to create our own family without having any interference from the outside. Kevin, I might add, has done a fabulous job of standing up for himself and for me and taking back control of his life. I am such a proud wife!

So there were were, in Monica's office yesterday for another session, when she looked at us and said "you guys don't really need me anymore". All of a sudden I felt like a child getting a security blanket or favorite stuffed animal taken away. Can we really get through this without Monica guiding us?? The answer is YES!!! We are much stronger than we have been at any point in our marriage and I am so pleased to know that the work that we have been doing over the past 6 months has been what has saved our marriage.

For those of you out there who had hoped that we wouldn't make it through and that Kevin would divorce me...SCREW YOU! For those of you out there who have been super supportive of everything that we have been working for and providing not only verbal support but quiet support...THANK YOU!!!

31 Week Update

Wow! I can't believe that I am posting about being 31 weeks pregnant. Where has the time gone?? :) There are certain things that I had forgotten about being "very pregnant". The main thing was how uncomfortable I was towards the end. I am now swelling in my feet every day, moving hurts, rolling over in bed hurts...and let's not forget having to get up a couple of times at night to go to the bathroom. The question comes to mind...can I really go another 8 weeks. But, then I remember that it will be here before I know it!

Everything still seems to be going good. I have been trying to get out and walk each day, but that becomes more and more difficult with as tired as I have been. Thankfully I work at a very large hospital where I park about a million miles away from my desk and my employees are scattered throughout the building! :)

Matthew and I went and registered for items for Alex at Target a couple of weeks ago with my mom and sister. We had a great time! He picked out the bedding and blanket for Alex...mom and Kristin helped pick out a lot of other things. Thank goodness for my mom, she was thinking about a lot of things that I would have walked by or missed. Kristin is doing a great job planning my baby shower...I am totally excited for it! It is so nice to have the support of my family, especially because there have been a lot of outside stresses this pregnancy. I am guessing that the delivery will be a family affair again. Kristin has already announced that she will be the "counter" when it comes time to push. My mom made me verify with Dr. B that he doesn't care if she is in the room...I told her it wasn't him I was worried about being nervous, but my labor nurse when she realized that she was taking care of the COO's oldest daughter. I told her she would be allowed in the room on the condition that she didn't try to deliver Alex...she made no promises! My dad is bummed that he might be in Billings when Alex is born, but I told him that I will most likely end up with an induction again, so he can be there if he wants. He was there for Matthew and it was so amazing to share that with my family. I told Matthew how everyone was there to welcome him into the world...and what a special boy he is to have a grandma, grandpa and auntie who love him so much! Kevin and I agree that Matthew will not be at the hospital until after Alex is born. Our cousin Jenna is going to take care of Matthew that day for us. She is so wonderful!

Well, back to the grind! Hope you are all having a great Monday so far!

Kids say the darndest things...part II

Today I was over at my friend Misty's house to celebrate her newborn daughter, Clara's, blessing at their church. I was talking to her sisters about Matthew's new saying and Rachel's husband Sean (sorry if I misspelled it guys) pulled Matthew aside. A few seconds later, Sean told Rachel to ask Matthew "do you want a piece of me"...this time Matthew responded with, "no, I want the whole thing".

So, for the rest of the day Matthew kept coming up to me wanting me to ask him if he wanted a piece of me so he could use his new response. He even did it with my parents tonight...and of course got a huge laugh as a response. At least it wasn't hours of knock knock jokes (which has been even more popular in recent weeks at our house)!