The Henrys

Vroom Vroom

2009-04-04T21:03:00.000-07:00

Bottle time

2009-04-04T21:00:00.000-07:00

Sunday morning fun with Mommy and Daddy

2009-02-13T22:45:00.001-08:00

Little Indian Boy!

2009-02-13T22:43:00.001-08:00

Now the Jibber Jabber begins, Yay!

2009-02-13T22:39:00.001-08:00

Bath time Fun...

2009-02-13T22:38:00.001-08:00

Eating Avocados!

2009-02-13T22:37:00.000-08:00

Fun in the desert...

2009-02-13T22:35:00.000-08:00

OMG.... He's gonna be 30!

2008-09-29T22:05:00.000-07:00

Jaxons Baptism

2008-09-29T22:03:00.001-07:00

Baby Announcement

2008-08-29T19:44:00.000-07:00

My New Job!

2008-08-22T15:10:00.000-07:00

Yeppers, I got me a new Job with the County of San Diego!

I start tomorrow and will be working at the County Administration Building, right on the water, next to Sea Port Village in front of the Star of India. Its a Historic Building, kinda cool. I wanted to post a few pics of my new "Office". I'll be sure to give an update on how my new job is after I get situated....

Our Baby at Day Care!

2008-08-22T13:50:00.001-07:00

Here is the most recent picture of Jaxon at DayCare.

He's really enjoying my girlfriend, Beverly, and her son, Chance, who is 6 months older than Jaxon. She is a stay at home Mom who offered to watch Jaxon for us and we couldnt be happier to have him with her and Chance all day. They are gonna be best buds for sure!

I swear our Baby has the Biggest Cranium Ever!

Maternity leave comes to an end....

2008-08-20T08:43:00.000-07:00

Yes, the time has come... and I returned to work last Monday. I was actually looking forward to it as our little guy does alot of sleeping, pooping and eating...I was starting feel like I was back in my college days! (minus the homework of course) I was nervous about the mornings but he was only waking up once in the night and it gave me the courage to tackle whatever was to come in the early dawn.

The first week went great! I was in the office every morning at 8am and he did great at my girlfriends house who has an 8 month old. I trust her completely and I didn't have any tears or feelings of sadness like most moms say you're gonna have. Don't get me wrong...it was hard but nice to have a change in scenery and back in the Corporate world again. But then again, I'm really not like most women...at least that's why my Husband says why he loves me so much, because I'm a tough cookie!

Anyways, as the week went so well and Jaxon did fantastic but..... nothing is ever THAT simple! So to add a little more of a challenge, to my ever so easy routine Ive developed since giving birth, I got a new job! Here's the 411...

A friend sent a job posting from the County of SD to me online in June. My company has been experiencing massive layoffs in the last year and though I felt somewhat safe, its always good to be looking for the next best thing when you're still employed. The job had three major criterias... and I had all 3! BA in Public Administration, Certificate in HR Management and be a certified PHR (Professional in Human Resources) I applied and in applying you had to answer 10 essay questions..It was rough, not to mention long, but I was sitting on my ass all day with boob in my baby's mouth, so what the hell else did I have on my agenda?

It took me 2 days to complete and I submitted it online...done! I forgot about it and a month later I was talking to my cousin, she works at the County of San Diego. So she knows the Director of HR and spoke directly to him about my application. I got a call for an interview, I interviewed in front of a panel of 3 people, it was an intense interview and apparently, I nailed it! Two days later they called and offered me the job...

So, to make my life even more hectic, I'm accepting this new job... The benefits are awesome, pension, more paid holidays, 25 days of time off a year, you can practically wear your pajamas to work etc. etc. But... now I will be managing a staff of 6. This is a new venture for me. This is probably the one thing that scares me the most. I cannot be late, as I have to lead by example... a challenge apparently the County of San Diego believes I can do? I'm just getting the hang of managing my LIFE and now this opportunity comes up? Crazy!!

But I am a huge believer that God only gives you what you can handle in this life, so if he thinks I'm capable of being "Mom of the Year" than I accept, and graciously! I love my son more than any words can describe, I live my life for him and my husband.. I only hope our son sees me for the strong woman I strive to be. I want to be the example of what women can be, not only being a successful career woman but also a loving mother and wife . I hope he holds all women to a higher standard, as his father does with me, because he will have watched me not only raise him but provide for him equally along with my Husband. I want to show him that women really can do it all if they choose.

I realize I am what I am today because of everyone in my life who pushed me to be better then I thought I could ever be. I also realize this is exactly what my Husband and I must do for our son. But first, WE have to lead by example. He will watch us, we will be HIS motivators in life, we will help him achieve his goals and be his supporters as he grows. That is what being a good parent is really all about for me. I know I may lose my mind, my hair, gain a few wrinkles and grind my teeth down to the bone but I've put my husband on sanity watch and told him if at any time I look like I'm about to lose it.... then take a garden hose to me on the front lawn ; )

Jaxon is doing great! He went to bed last night at 8pm with no crying and I woke him at 7am to leave for Daycare. So hes sleeping through the night at 11 weeks, thank the Lord! He got his first round of shots this week and the doctor says hes a healthy baby... big baby, but healthy. He is 14lbs 5 oz and 24" long now. Hes in the 80% percentile for his growth so far, says hes gonna be a big guy like his Daddy. He has a little bit of a Heart Murmur but doctor says he will probably grow out of it. He didn't cry when he got his shots, so apparently he got his pain threshold from his father as well ; ) Jaxon and I leave for Dallas for 4 days in September to visit my best friend, Jaime, and her family. Im so excited to take Jaxon on his first plane ride! Another challenge that I accept... doing things like that make me feel so liberated, like I can do anything! After the trip I will have to post another blog giving the updates on our travel experience....

Daddy is doing well. Shane actually watched him the whole day on my first day back to work and he did so good! There's no challenge he wont accept, though he did commend me (and all women who stay home) He said it was a much bigger job than he had anticipated it to be. But he did awesome and Jaxon loves his Daddy so much! Shane's due to finish his school here soon, only 5 more classes to go before he gets his BA. The buggy is done for the most part. He's almost totally ready for the big race in February. Here is his information link http://pirate4x4.com/koh09/drivers/shane_henry.php
He completed his first DirtBuilt Chassis in July and was happy to have it done, but Hey! we gotta keep the business running ; ) I'm sure hes going accept another order soon, but for now he wants to play with his own rig for a while.

We leave for Negril, Jamaica in November and are excited for the vacation. Here is where we are headed... http://www.sandals.com/main/negril/ne-home.cfm We cannot wait!

That's it for the latest updates on the Henry Family! I will post more pictures soon....

Some updated pictures of our Lil Guy!

2008-07-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

Say Cheese....

Jaxon Randall Henry at 6 Weeks

Jaxon and I at the Padres Game @ Petco Park!

Baby Love....

He's Extremely Patriotic!
Whoops wrong hand... He still has alot to learn from Daddy I guess ; )

Due to Popular Demand

2008-06-23T10:24:00.000-07:00

Hi all! Wow, it sure is a full time job being a new Mommy. Every second of the day my thoughts are focused on our little guy...Is he hungry? When did I last change his diaper? If he's sleeping I constantly check on him to make sure he's breathing and the list goes on... Shane and I gave him his first "real" bath the other day (not a sponge bath) because he finally lost his umbilical cord, Yay! He did so great, he was such a gem and loved the warm water. Daddy is such a huge help and we couldnt be more in love with our little boy. What a true miracle of God he is to us.

Here are some recent photos of our growing bean....More to come!

The Baby Story...

2008-06-06T09:23:00.000-07:00

Jaxon Randall Henry is here....
Date of Birth: 06/01/08 (39week s 4days)
Original Due Date: 06/03/08
Height / Weight: 20 3/4 in. / 7 lbs. 5oz.

I woke up at 2am Sat morning, May 30th and had 4 contractions that were 30 minutes apart. Then Sat morning around 9am, I had minor cramping all day long. At about 5pm Saturday we started timing the cramping. It kept increasing from 10 to 3 minutes apart and started to get more and more intense. We left for the hospital at 8:30 pm and I had dilated to 3cm. At midnight I was admitted at 4 cm and the contractions were every 30 seconds. I got my epidural at 1am and continued to dilate to 10 cm by 10am Sunday Morning. I started to push at 10:15 and the he still had not dropped yet, so he was really high in my pelvis. The doctor said she was going to give me 3 hours to push and try to bring him down and out on my own, otherwise they wanted to get him by Cesarean. I was determined to do this on my own...so with my Husband and both our mothers by my side, I was cheered on to push! It took me 2 1/2 hours to get him to finally crown and then the last 30 minutes I had to get him out. I did it! But that last 30 minutes I pushed like nothing else. I kept looking at the clock and was determined to get him out on my own. I did and he was born exactly 3 hours and 1 minute after I started to push. The doctor was amazed that I did it within the 3 hours. Once he came out he had the cord wrapped around his neck, so that was a little scary, but I had no idea until it was all taken care of. He didn't cry at all once he was born and had his eyes wide open and was looking at everyone who held him just an hour after his birth. It was the most amazing experience I have ever had in my life. There is nothing like giving birth to your baby and all the work was so worth it. We came home On Monday and he has taken to breastfeeding right away. We are just working on a schedule now....

and they call this "Work"?

2008-05-20T16:47:00.000-07:00

I had my Work Shower on Monday. We got lots more Baby Stuff and stocked up in the diapers department for sure... Here are a few pics to commemorate our Babys 3rd Shower! I didnt even imagine having so many Partys thrown in his honor and he isnt even here to help celebrate :) He must have his Mothers Party genes already... Daddy better watch out! or better yet... watch out girls, this little guys gonna be winning over your hearts all around the school yards everywhere soon enough!

Shanes Work Shower...

2008-05-14T09:31:00.000-07:00

Shane had his work Shower yesterday and it was alot of fun. They had the cutest cake ever! Here are a few pictures of our fun Luncheon at Waxie. As you can tell my Husband is quite a "Ham" for the ladies ; )
My work Shower is this next week. I cant imagine what else this baby could possibly need? We are so blessed to have such wonderful family and friends to support us. We are so grateful for everyone in our lives during this Magical Time....

Pictures of the Nursery

2008-05-08T08:51:00.001-07:00

We finally have the Nursery 90% complete! I have a few more things to hang on the walls but for the most part we feel like we are ready to bring him home. Only 4 more weeks to go! Here are some pictures of his new "Crib"....

Baby Shower

2008-05-05T13:22:00.000-07:00

My baby shower was this last Sunday. The weather was beautiful and we got so much stuff that it barely fits into the babys room. I cant wait to get in there and start putting everything away...It definately feels like we will be bringing him home soon now that we have some of the things we needed. We had over 35 women at our house. Here are some pictures of our wonderful day! Many Thanks to my Best Girlfriends Jaime and Beverly and my Mother for making my Babys day the best Ever!!!

You know you're Pregnant when...

2008-04-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

...your Husband automatically gives you a push when you attempt to get up from bed.
...when rolling over in bed feels like a three point turn and adjusting the belly pillow is like moving traffic cones around.
...you apply chapstick 5o times a day and your lips are still dry!
...drink 2 gallons of water and are still so thirsty you could drink the neighbors pool.
...cant hug your husband standing up for too long because reaching over each others belly's strains your back too much.
...you can't get up and off the couch without rolling to your knees on the floor before standing up and moaning at the same time.
...you justify everything you eat by saying "Because the Baby wants it".
...you finally realize what Detox must be like and look forward to getting tipsy off of one Beer ;)
...you cant eat enough Jalapenos and actually enjoy the taste of the Tums 2 hours later.
...giving presentations at work makes you so winded that co-workers fear you might be in labor!
...every morning you can still wear your wedding ring is a major achievement because you know so many pregnant women who cant do it at all.
...your Husband looks at your legs and says "Baby... your knees look Sad" : (
...you get winded and make several attempts to put your socks and shoes on each morning.
...you realize your wearing prints on Maternity shirts that you wouldnt be caught dead in if you weren't pregnant. (Who makes this &%$#?)
...when you fear that once your baby bump is gone, your chest may stay so big people will mistake you as a stripper!

Our First Hospital Stay...

2008-04-23T10:27:00.000-07:00

Last Wednesday Morning I woke up at 4am because my stomach decided it didnt want anything in it anymore. Between 4am and 6am, I was in and out of bed so much, that not only was I wondering where it was all coming from, but I was also so winded just trying to roll myself out of bed so many times. At 6:30 I made Shane his breakfast and climbed back into bed...I felt kind of dizzy and after a few minutes decided maybe I should call the doctor. I have heard about the body cleansing itself before labor like this and I knew I still had 6 weeks before labor so it made me kinda nervous. The nurse paged my doctor and she said to go to Triage right away...That scared me a little. I was thinking the doctors office might be fine. Thinking I would only be there an hour or so I told Shane to go to work and I would have my Dad take me. After intake at Triage I sat there for atleast 5 hours hooked up to a Fetal Moniter and IV after IV, the doctor came in and said I was severely dehydrated and was actually having minor contractions when I was admitted. A few times the babys heart rate took a dive and the nurses were great, they responded so quickly I felt like a three alarm fire was in process. The doctor told me she had to admit me due to the babys heart rate and they wanted to moniter him for 24 hours, so for the first time in my life I was admitted into the Hospital.

Shane did great. He figured out the Daddys Bed and was all set up with his pillow, blanket and computer for the night. We had a private room with Cable and Room Service. Though I didnt have the slightest appetite at all. He ate pretty well considering we ordered food three times that night.

I, on the other hand, was woken up every hour to have the fetal moniter checked and made to go to the bathroom to make sure my kidneys were processing all the IV that was being poured into my system. The next morning I woke up starving! I ordered up the biggest breakfast from room service and ate it all! Shane left for work and I was finally able to go home around noon. Apparently it was just a bug. I didnt realize that getting sick a few times wreaked such havoc on the baby. We didnt realize the intensity of the situation until we were leaving the hospital.

This experience did make me realize how NOT ready I am for baby to come home. I dont have the bags packed, or the room ready and totally forgot about Lexie in all of the chaos. I have so much to plan for still and thats just for the labor portion of this pregnancy....

I am more anxious than ever to get this son of ours here safely. Though now I am more uncomfortable than before...sleeping is not as pleasant as it once was. I still have no idea where this baby is though, as I dont look like I am due in 6 weeks. I've had a few people say to me in the past week that my tummy looks so small for being almost 8 months along. I do know he has now turned upside down, so atleast he is in the "GO" position, he just hasnt dropped yet. So until then, he resides in my rib cage. Shane says its because he wants to be close to Mommys heart....But he already is!

This is probably one of many hospital visits we will have in our lifetime together. Being that he is the son of Shane Henry, he will most likely have his fathers love of the outdoors and passion for things that have wheels and go fast! Until then he will continue to grow for the next few weeks until he is ready to come out and meet the world.

Hormone Issues...

2008-03-28T13:29:00.000-07:00

The Saturday before Easter I brought Lexie to the Groomers. I thought, instead of having a little girl to go buy a pink ruffled dress for, (since that isnt happening with this baby) that I would get my other little girl all prettied up for Easter.

When I left her there at 8am she seemed so nervous. I was saying good-bye to her and I told the Groomers "I'm sorry, but she always gets so anxious when I bring her here" So the Groomer says to me "Its okay, she is probably just upset that you're leaving her" Wrong thing to say to a pregnant lady....

All of a sudden my lower lip started to tremble and I pulled my Sunglasses down over my eyes and left. I cried the whole way home. I dont know if its the pregnancy or what, but I felt like I was the worlds worst Mother at that point. The way she looked at me with those sad eyes...Ugh! It was just awful.

Needless to say she was fine when I picked her up. She was so excited to see me. She was soft and clean, she probably didnt even remember the tradgedy that had just occurred only 2 hours prior when she thought I was never coming back....

I realize alot of it was pregnancy related hormones. But this is the closest I have ever come to those feelings that mothers tell you they experience, when leaving behind their little ones for the first time. So I do empathize with them... I just hope I can keep it together better, I have never been like this before? Im always the tough one, atleast I thought I was?

Regardless, Lexie recovered from the horrific episode just fine and this is how I found her the next morning when Shane and I woke up....
Im so glad she is such a lady ; )

A Wonderful Surprise!

2008-03-26T08:59:00.000-07:00

So when your husband comes home with this... 2 months before your baby is due, what does a pregnant woman assume?

A.) What will a newborn do with this?

B.) Have I really gained THAT much weight?

C.) Will the Hospital allow us to bring the baby home on this?

No, the answer is....

D.) This is for night runs out to the desert for when my Husband doesnt want to pack up the entire family and the Fifth Wheel for a long weekend. He can just grab the flat bed and go out by himself for a day.

See, now doesn't that makes sense? and to think I was wondering what he was gonna do while I was out on Maternity Leave? Im so happy that he can entertain himself....

(If anything, he deserves much more than this for accompanying me to the baby classes once a week that he so lovingly does without complaining)

So then.... He gets me this Wonderful Surprise~

and all is right with the world once more!

(I think this was a tactical manuever? But greatly appreciated none the less!)

2nd Night of our Baby Class!

2008-03-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

So last night we went to our second class at the hospital for our 6 week enrollment of Child Birth Preparation classes. The first night was the instructor teaching us about our changing bodies and what we have yet to expect. It was informative and good to know......

But last nights class came Fast and Furious.... right off the bat - we got a video. Yes, the dreaded "Watch this Lady give Birth" video! Let me just add that she was in labor for 24 hours, no drugs, never screamed and 4 pushes the baby came falling out....YEAH RIGHT! Where do they find these women? Good for her... Not to mention they dont tell you ahead of time that your gonna get the full shot of the kid coming out. Which, may I add, I was not ready to see....they even showed the placenta! Yes... it was chillin on a plate on a table in the delivery room. I just about threw up my Twizzlers that I was snacking on like I was at the Movies. Of course, my Husband, the ex-Military War Veteran Doctor was fine with it. "Intrigued" is a better word for it. Infact, as I was hiding my eyes, he said that it didnt look any worse than BRAIN MATTER! OH... for the love of God... it just got worse for me.... and HE wasnt helping my stomach issues.

With all of this being said, you should know I have never been admitted to the Hospital, never slept in a Hospital Bed, I've never had a cast, never had any type of surgery and have only received 3 stitches in my little toe when I was 11 years old and it was in a clinic. So needless to say I have an unknown fear of Hospitals, let alone if blood or organs have to be involved, then I start to get pretty uncomfortable.

So after this Wonderful Lady popped out this kid, I was able to wipe the sweat from my brow as if I had just delivered this baby for her. The video was finally over, whew!!! OH...But wait!!! Then the instructor asked "Does anyone know what to people do with the Placenta?"....and Im thinking to myself...Oh please dont say that people keep it, what.... let me guess... they use it as a wall decoration, right? No, worse!!! One Husband piped up and said that some people EAT IT!

Dont ask.... Here came my Twizzlers....Then she said, some people donate it, some people do the whole Cord Blood Banking thing and then....

Yes... some people take it home.... and Bury it. Huh?

At this point I couldnt keep my mouth shut. I said under my breath to Shane.. "Oh sure and then during a family dinner in walks the dog with your placenta in her mouth, wagging her tail wondering who's gonna play fetch with me now!" So, needless to say we had some other couples doubled up over our smart ass comments to one another but, Come On! Who does that? She said they plant a tree where its buried, etc etc. Big Whoop! Throw that thing away... Baby is here, the placenta did its job, cut the cord and move on.

By this time I was ready for the class to be way over.... The fact that the instructor said the placenta is grissley in texture was not necessary..nobody should even know that. My brain had shut off. I was sitting there desperately hoping our next class is our Hospital tour... I cant take much more of this.

I do have so say though, I enjoy the time I spend with my Husband in the class. We enjoy each other so immensely and laugh so much when we are together. If all I ever get from this class is his undivided attention then I think it was well worth it. Our lives will forever be changed come June 3rd.... and I know we will look back at our days before baby and wonder what we did with all our time together. I cant imagine loving a little baby boy as much as I love my husband.... I'm so excited for our son to be born.

Maternity Clothes..

2008-03-13T09:36:00.000-07:00

Okay, ALL Maternity clothes aren't so bad after all! I just ordered these from Motherhood Maternity. I cant wait for summer. Good thing this kid makes his debut first thing in June...I will be ready for the sun and my Maternity Leave for sure.

Baby Classes....

2008-03-11T16:08:00.001-07:00

Im so excited for tonight. We start our Baby (aka~Child Birth Preparation) Classes at the hospital. We enrolled for one night a week, for 6 weeks. But guess who is putting on a really good front about it all? Yes, my Dear Husband.... I think it was a forced smile through clenched teeth really. I asked him if he was as excited about it as I am....his response was....

"If I act out enough can they kick us out of the class?"

Wish me luck...I think Im in for it now! Update to come soon.

Commitment Issues...

2008-03-10T11:01:00.001-07:00

I (We) just cannot figure out what we want to name our son. I know we still have 3 months to figure it out and part of me is glad that I don't have to commit to a name yet, but the other part finds it hard to understand why this process isn't any easier to do? I have at least 10 names as options but none of them really grab me. Shane had one name he was ready to commit to but I just can't, not yet at least....

So I've conceded to the fact that our child wont be named for at least another 2 months. My goal is to at least figure it out by my Shower date, May 4th. But then again, I like unusual names so it may never be received well. Which is another reason to just wait until we are forced to name our child....once we are inside the walls of Sharp Mary Birch and the epidural has kicked in. Maybe in the next few months some happening will occur, or we will just hear it, and just look at each other in agreeance and we will realize we just figured out what to name him. One day I will tell my son how I pondered his name, going back and forth, just to make sure we gave him the best name we could. I just feel bad for not being able to make a decision but then again I had this same issue when we were house hunting...and we ended up with a beautiful home and I am still so happy with our decision and with our patience, we ended up with exactly what we needed at the right price.

So hopefully our patience and perseverance will pay off with this lifelong decision as well. I guess this is just the beginning though... Geez, Motherhood has already caused me headaches and the little sucker isn't even here. I guess this falls into the category of "Choosing your Battles" but I thought it was directly related to marriage, not to inner conflicts? So for now I will let it rest.

To Be Continued...

My Diaper Bag...

2008-03-07T15:10:00.001-08:00

So I bought it! and told Shane it was my "Push Present"...its early, but what the heck... I wanted it and couldnt think of any other excuse. I thanked him and he still cant beleive how many reasons, and holidays, us girls can come up with just for an excuse to get a present. I also needed to make the purchase while I still have my paycheck coming in. I absolutely love it and for those of you who know me best...Its definately me!

Because its my Birthday....

2008-02-29T11:53:00.000-08:00

Leap years, leap days and leaplings owe their existence to the peculiar way we keep time and lay out our calendars. While we conventionally count a year as lasting 365 days, it actually takes our planet 365 days, six hours, nine minutes and 9.7 seconds to complete a single revolution in its orbit around the sun. Astronomers call that a sidereal year, and it's close enough to count as 365 and one quarter days.

So in order to get rid of that pesky quarter-day (and make the scientific facts reconcile with our regular calendar), we add a single day back onto the calendar every four years. So 2008 will last 366 days, not 365--and anyone born Feb. 29, 2008, will have to wait until 2012 for their next true birthday.

The Romans were the first to think up this clever little time trick. Before the founding of the Republic, ancient Romans based their calendar on both the phases of the moon and the solar year. That meant that most years lasted 12 months, and measured 355 days. In order to make up the difference, they'd occasionally have a 13-month, 377-day year. But when Julius Caesar introduced a new calendar--dubbed the Julian calendar--in 46 B.C., he cleaned things up and moved to a 365-day calendar with one extra day every four years.

Usually, people born on a leap day simply choose to celebrate their birthdays on Feb. 28 or March 1. But sometimes the missing day can lead to tragedy. In the famous Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera The Pirates of Penzance, a main character is locked into a life-long apprenticeship with a pirate crew when he realizes his contract releases him on his twenty-first birthday--and because he's a leapling, that won't come around until his eighties.

Famous leaplings throughout history include Pope Paul III, born in 1468; Italian composer Gioachino Rossini (1792); band leader Jimmy Dorsey (1904); French-Polish painter Balthus (1908); and songstress Dinah Shore (1916).

More recent leaplings include actor Dennis Farina, best known for playing the role of Detective Joe Fontana on "Law & Order" and for appearing in movies like Midnight Run and Saving Private Ryan. Born in 1944, he's sixty-four years old this year--but has only seen 16 birthdays.
Actor Alex Rocco is best known for playing Vegas mob boss Moe Green in The Godfather. He was born on Feb. 29, 1936, making him either 72 or 18, depending on how you look at it.
National Hockey League goalie Cam Ward made history when he helped the Carolina Hurricanes win the Stanley Cup in 2006. He's now in the record books as the first rookie goalie to win the championship in over 20 years.

But wouldn't it be more impressive for this leapling to boast that he'd won the cup at the age of 5?

A Look Back in Time....

2008-02-29T10:52:00.000-08:00

Davis High School 1994

Viper Room 2007

Udder-ly Ridiculous!

2008-02-25T10:58:00.000-08:00

Please hang in there with me on this one... If you are offended by the word "breast" then don't bother to read any further!

In my efforts to research and plan ahead on everything that I could possibly need to know about being a new Mom, comes the topic of breast feeding. Seeing as I will be going back to work a few months after the birth, I needed to figure out what my options are. One option is to not breast feed at all. The other is try it out and see how far you get with it. I know my girlfriends have all done it and made it look easy enough, plus all the research in regards to the health of the baby, etc. etc. I'm sure I can pull it off! Not to mention the money you save in formula if you can do it. I came to the conclusion that I would definately need a "Breast Pump"...

Now my research starts with the breast pump. So I'm not "Super" High-Maintenance, I do consider myself needing "Maintenance" of some degree, but I am not about to use a hand pump! It reminds me of a farmers duty at 5am, like I could wake my husband up and say "Hey babe, its time for my milking!" Sorry......Not for me.

I decided, I must have an electric pump. Now here it gets even better, you actually have a choice between one pump or a machine with dual pumps! I cant even imagine a baby on one side, but now to imagine both boobs working side-by-side like teammmates... just to feed one little baby? Nows thats efficiency! Whoever created this thing must have had a business degree from somewhere, at a minimum, then he had to have a minor in Female Psychology because you know he had to convince a woman to actually try the damn thing out. I couldnt even imagine!

Upon initial research I found the "Medela"model to cost around $250-$300. Thats crazy! now who's saving on buying formula? Not me.... $250 to be "Milked" Yikes... So one of my friends gave me her Medela breast pump. But its only the machine, no parts included. It looks like a large black leather purse and you unzip the side to reveal an on/off switch, some gauges, a place to stick a small hose and an outlet for an AC Adapter to plug into the wall. Now at this point I must have looked like a deer in the headlights (No pun intended) because I have no idea what parts I need, are missing or where the hell to get them.

Long story short, I managed to get on a thread on babycenter.com, was directed to a website that dealt primarily with missing parts for the "Medela". So 1 week and $41.00 later, I had to tear the box out of my husbands hands, as he thought it was yet another garage part he ordered. I was finally in posession of what would allow me to psuedo-feed my son while I'm away at work in about 6 months.

You should have seen this! I was like a little kid putting together a science project, with twisty parts and rubbler flappy things... I had the computer on the kitchen counter looking up the operating manual and plastic parts that would one day attach to my chest in my hand. But I managed... I was ready to plug it in and then I thought to myself "How am I going to know if it's actually making suction?" I was not about to stick it on my chest...I am really not ready to go there yet. So I held the suction end to my belly and turned it on... I had to play with the knobs and I figured out they adjust the intensity. Not to mention, at this point,not only does it sound like I have a battery operated toy in my hands, but its starting to suck my stomach inward!!! Okay, so now Im afraid its going to give me a hickey or even worse my Husband is going to walk in and think I have gone mad.

After I realized it was working, I quickly un-sucked it from my gut and shoved all the parts into the bag. I closed up the machine to make it look like a purse again and threw it deep into the babys closet, never to be touched again for atleast 3 months. I was somewhat repulsed by the technology that is meant to replace what it supposed to be a bonding moment between mother and baby. I told my Husband about the encounter later on and told him I wasnt ready to feel like a farm animal just yet.... He agreed the whole idea is strange. And to think this is a for a baby that I wanted so badly... Now I am beginning to understand when my friends would tell me of the sacrifices and humiliating things you go through to become a mother. Boy oh boy, I just cant wait for child birth.... I promise to relay my innermost thoughts on that whole process, once it has occurred. But until then, I will continue to have these momentary revelations of the not-so-cute "having a baby" discoveries as we count down the last trimester of my pregnancy.

My Husband and the Buggy Update...

2008-02-15T15:32:00.000-08:00

Many of you may not know this but my Husband is in love with the dirt, second only to speed, is the things that he can make go fast in the dirt. This is why we have a buggy, a dirt bike, a quad, a Traxxas Revo and a Fifth Wheel to stuff it all into. With this being said you will understand the intensity of what I am about to explain....

He built his first buggy a few years ago with borrowed tools in a garage in Carlsbad where he lived his days in bachelorhood. He aquired a large following in the desert of guys who were so impressed with his abilities, that at times he has paled in comparision to a rock star. During those years he established a logo to accompany his new name of what he said he did and that was DirtBuilt Industries (http://www.dirtbuilt.com/). This buggy was pretty pimpin....though I cant comment on the components of the engine, suspension or axles. I do know it had custom crushed velvet and leather interior, along with disco lights that would flash in rhythm with the bumpin sound system. Needless to say it was always the crowd pleaser!

Now it wasnt really a sand buggy, it was built for rock crawling. Which if you google, you'll see is an up and coming sport. A spin-off to Jeepin. Anyways, he sold his last buggy in February 2007 and here we are in February 2008. He started building the new “hybrid” buggy (which can crawl like a spider and race like a trophy truck at Baja 1000) last June right before we got married.

Recently, he was invited to be a competitor in a race called King of the Hammers in Johnson Valley. (http://www.kingofthehammers.com/) A day long race, including 70 miles of desert racing and rock crawling, with check-points. This race requires a co-pilot, window nets, helmet, racing suit and a green sticker. As you can imagine, as he finishes up the building of his second buggy, this is all that we have going on in our house right now. We leave Wednesday Feb 20th. Media day and Pre-running take place on the 21st and the race is at 9am on the 22nd.

I haven’t seen much of my husband in the last 2 months. He comes in to sleep, eat, shower and shave. Then he works all day and is gone in the garage until about 10:30 every night. I have never seen such a determined and more committed man in my life. I knew when we met that he was everything I wanted a man to be in my life. Someone that makes you feel safe, like no matter what happens he will take care of it and make it all better. He does all of this for me.... Then somewhere in his long days he still finds time to tell me how beautiful I am, pick me up and swing me around, chase the dog around the yard and make sure all of our bills are paid on time. He is truley the icon of a what a Husband and Father should be and I cant wait for us to have our son. I have never been more proud of a man in my life.

So, in conclusion, I will have my husband back in about 2 more weeks. I have never complained nor “bitched” about his dedication and love for the sport. Instead, I enjoy watching the smile on his face and seeing the rush he gets from his accomplishments achieved through determination and hard work. A trait I hope our son will also aquire. Until I do become a mother, I will continue to try my hardest to, "Improvise, Adapt, and Overcome" - as my Husbands says it - a motto he has carried with him since he went to war in Iraq.

Check out the beginnings of what is soon to be our newest member of the family... http://www.dirtbuilt.com/gallery/main.php?g2_itemId=23

Public Recognition...

2008-02-04T14:35:00.000-08:00

On Saturday I was in the back of the house finishing up some painting, my husband was out in the garage desperatly trying to finish his sand/rock buggy in time for the big race on Feb 23rd, when I heard our Golden, Lexie, bark! She doesnt bark very often and I thought something must be wrong? The front door was shut so I thought maybe Shane was hurt out in the garage calling for me.... I opened the front door and Shanes welding away...I let Lexie out and she ran to the grass and stopped, ears upward. I walked over and it was the Mail Lady....apparently she had just brought the mail over. She was atleast 2 doors down by now and on foot. When she saw us both standing there watching her, she proceeded to walk all the way back to our house. She got down on her knees and greeted my dog and I thought to myself "This is strange?". As I began to apologize for my over-friendly dog, she said "Oh, its okay, we're friends" and handed my dog a treat from her pocket. I introduced myself, thinking how does she know my dog already? Then I began to introduce my husband and he interupts me saying "We've meet also" Hmmm, now Im feeling like I work to much (scratching my head)... She was a very nice lady. Thankfully she was tired looking and aged way beyond me needing to ever worry about her daily visits to my home.

As she continued to play with Lexie she said "It looks like your gonne have a little one to play with soon, huh?" and I thought...OH, She's referring to my huge watermelon of a gut! I was so excited I said "Yes! Oh Thank you...we're having a boy!". She asked me when I was due and then I realized why women rub their bellies.... Its our way of connecting to that little guy we're referring to at that moment.

So as I stood on the lawn with my dog, rubbing my belly and the mail lady walking away from us. I realized that for the first time I was "Assumed" to be pregnant, not asked, or avoided because I might just be a "big girl" but I was publicly recognized as being pregnant by a stranger. I was so excited, especially because my husband was able to witness it. Even he said that he perked up from his work bench when he heard her say that to me. It was a nice moment to share with him and Lexie. I think the excitement was more from the fact that I had wondered when, and where, I would be when it would finally happen and it happened when I was at home, dress in duds, no make-up, hair all tied up in a funky ponytail on top of my head AND I was barefoot.... in my driveway with my husband and my dog by my side.

It turned out to be a moment that I will always remember. If not only because my dog has a way of making friends on her own or that my husbands winning personality continues to shine even through the most expensive of welding helmets, but because it happened when I least expected it to and Thats what life is all about ~ Right!

At the 1/2 Way Mark...

2008-01-15T16:46:00.000-08:00

Today I am officially halfway through my pregnancy...it seems easy so far. But as most things in life go...its always easy to start a project but to complete it is where it gets a little tough. So as I prepare myself for the second half of the best thing to ever happen in my life, I reminisce about how easy this has been thus far. I feel him kicking me every night as I watch TV and enjoy his little movements. Knowing that with each week, that foot will grow and grow and eventually not be so cute anymore! Its amazing how you can fall in love with someone who hasnt even made their presence in this world yet....and to know he will already know the sound of my voice and the pitch of my laughter when he finally enters this world!

I Felt Him KICK!

2008-01-08T10:15:00.000-08:00

Finally! I'm 19 weeks, one week away from the halfway point, and I finally felt him kick. It was the strangest thing I have ever felt. It felt like a heart palpitation but obviously much lower. And because I always get so scared of having a panic attack, and because it felt so similar, my heart started to race.... Then I realized what it was I had just felt.

It was my first day back to work after a nine day vacation through the New Years Holiday. Shane and I had packed up the Trailer and the dog and headed to Glamis for me to spend my first sober New Years thinking about the sacrifices my body has been experiencing for this unborn child of mine. I did fine, though the fireworks made Lexie pant so loud we had to lock her out of the bedroom in the trailer on New Years Eve, you would think SHE was the one suffering from PTSD in our family after all those KABOOMS! Though Shane did try to hit the deck during an initial game of Yatzee earlier in the evening when the first firework hit. It was a great little vacation for us. I cant wait until we get to bring our son out there to play with Dad in the dirt.

Once we got back from the desert my Dad took over our house, remodeling the guest bath and baby's room. He said that I am nesting and he knew he needed to get this done for me. Apparently Contractors are afraid of Pregnant Women customers, as they tend to nit pick and nag the entire time their home is being redone. Though I did a fantastic job of scraping the ceilings and demo-ing the bath room, I found it quite therapeutic. I am very happy to have the baby's room done. I know I will only get more uncomfortable as time progresses.

Yesterday was my first day back to work after the desert, home construction and 9 days of sleeping in with my Husband and dog every morning. So last night after a bowl of soup I laid down on the couch for about an hour. I was thinking to myself that it was about time for me to feel him kick. I want to know hes okay in there and that the Quad rides were okay to do just like the doctor said they were and within that instant I felt the flutter. Then another one! Ahhh, hes in there!!! Inside me.... Crazy!!! I wasn't alone on the couch after all.

So as I continue down my path of ever growing experiences as a new Mom-to-Be, I look forward to seeing him with my own eyes in about 4 1/2 months. I am enjoying every moment and trying not to remember what my body used to look like, just hopeful it might come back to me one day.

Boy Names?

2007-12-17T10:32:00.000-08:00

So what should we name our Baby? Please leave us a comment we are open to suggestions...

Its a Boy!

2007-12-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

We found out on Sat December 15th. We had an appointment at 8:30 am for a 4D Ultrasound. I had some horrific dreams all night that I missed the appointment and I was so upset. But we made it and it was an unbelievable experience to say the least. Right away the doc said "Wow, he is quite developed for his age" So my Husband is quite proud! I am working on adding the video to our blog soon. We are so excited and we are so happy to be having a son!!

14 Weeks -12/04/07

2007-12-04T12:02:00.000-08:00

So a girlfriend of mine suggested I start a Pregnancy Blog. I checked it out and came to the conclusion that being the first born of an AP English and Journalism Teacher with a Masters Degree, I should probably channel some of her creative writing skills with the hopes that it will have a trickle down effect to my first born.

We are 14 weeks pregnant today. I say "we" because I didnt get pregnant by myself! In my short lived experiences in life I have already learned that if I take complete ownership of something early on, later I will begin to struggle with the division of duties. This could be a very key detail in the first few important weeks following delivery.

Other than my ever expanding uterus, my Husband and I purchased our first home together in November of this year and we just moved in this last weekend. I finally get to call that extra room, a Babys room. Sounds funny but it feels good to designate that third room in my home that sometimes was a storage room and at other times a guest room. I bet that third room finally feels like it has a purpose now?? Alot of people never figure out their pupose, so I am glad to bestow it even though it is on just four walls. I guess I need to start small.

In the 14 weeks that "We" have been pregnant I think that I figured out why it takes 9 months to grow a child inside of you. We need to be able to talk about the baby for approximately that long before we can grasp that it's actually going to happen. It's alot like engagement, I guess. You need to play pretend before it really takes place, so you can have time to mentally prepare. Although my Husband and I eloped, I think he feeds off of the shock value he achieves in life, we didnt get to pretend (He is such an adrenaline junky!!) But wih a baby, you are forced to pretend for 9 long months before "it decides to makes its debut in your lives forever".

In my 14th week, I feel really good. I never got morning sickness and I dont really have a belly yet. I am waiting until someone finaly says to me "So when are you due?" I think I may cry when that does happen, I need a good reason for feeling so bloated!

So, here's our first entry into our Blog. I will make sure to keep current and add to it as much as I can. Only 3 weeks until Christmas....let the maddness begin :)