Tired

Whew.  The girls weekend in Atlanta was exhausting!  15 people, 8 adults and 7 kids, will all but one being under the age of 5.  Exhausting! 

We went to the children's museum.  It was ok.  We also went to eat at Johnny Rockets, which was fun but extremely stressful for  me with all the kids and Peyton not wanting to be patient and wait for the seat, wait for the food, wait to leave, etc.  Going out to eat with toddlers just isn't fun, but with 5 of them, it is just torcher!

Then we ventured to ikea.  Um, no one told me what an experience that was.  wow.  we even lost one of our party and couldn't find her for about an hour.  I loved lots of things at ikea and let me tell you as soon as i get pregnant and start working on a 'plan' for the office and baby room and how to move all the rooms around, i'm going back to ikea with a plan and to stock up on lots of goodies.

More later, maybe!  But one last thing to say, good thing we only do these weekends about once a year, because it will take that long before I want to do it again. 

Ten Questions

Top Ten: Getting to know YOU!

1) What would you call yourself if you could choose your own name?

Natalie Nicole.  I know, it is my real name, and is it conceited to love your name?  well i hope not because i would chose the same name again in a heart beat!

2) What was your worst date (as in going out on a date, not an actual calendar date…unless you have a really bad one to share)?

don't recall a specific bad date - but I do remember Eric and I having one of our worst fights ever at a Braves game.  So maybe that would qualify.

3) If you had to teach one subject in high school or college, what would it be?

Math.  No doubt about it, it would be math.

4) When was the last time you laughed so hard you cried?

i don't typically laugh until I cry.  but my face does hurt when i start laughing.  and Eric makes me laugh daily.  so yesterday?

5) What is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for you?

Need to think on that one for a minute. 

6) If money or skill-set was no issue, what would you love to do for a living?

Dolphin Trainer.  Or Professional Scrapbooker.  Or just professional crafter! 

7) What is one thing as an adult/parent/spouse you do that you swore you would never do?

Let my kids sleep with me.  Peyton is 3 and still sleeping with us most of the time.  There I said it.

8) If you could go back to one particular time in your life (not to live, not to change anything, just to visit) when would it be?

I guess Childhood - before 4th grade.  My Pop died when I was in the 4th grade.

9) If your walls could talk, what would they say about you (good & bad)?

That our family is very loud.

10) If you could fix or put an end to one problem in the world what would it be?

Hunger

Happiness

Wrote this long post at the doctors office - then somehow lost it on the ipod when i saved (or didn't save) ...so i'm writing it again.

Called the resort in PCB this morning, and the pool is heated, rooms have wireless, AND they are in the process of renovating our unit.  Woohoo.  I will be nice and brand new  by the time we get to go.  Whoohoo!

Then Eric got a call from the place he went on an interview with BACK IN JAN!!!  And they finally confirmed that he has the job.  Woot Woo...

So then began the frantic search for a daycare, think I found one, one that I really like and that quite a few of my friends use, so fingers crossed we have somewhere for Peyton to go starting Wednesday.

Vacation - 32 days and counting!

Free Bible

Here: http://www.busymomsbible.com/

Pregnancy Update

If we get pregnant this month - the baby's due date will be around Thanksgiving - depending on when (and hopefully I will for sure) ovulate.  I'm on the same medicines I was on last month and I ovulated, and he added a medication called Metformin - which will help to regulate my cycles some more, so I'm hopeful.  I have PCOS (Polycycstic Ovarian Syndrome) and I'm overweight, and 80% of the women that have PCOS that are over weight have some form of insulin resistance, which makes ovulation  more difficult - along with other things like facial hair (oh the horror) and trouble losing weight.  I had done research and was actually going to ask the doctor to put me on the Metforim (a blood sugar mediciation) when i went in for the ultrasound to check my ovaries - but before I could even ask he suggested that we add that to my medications.  I have already noticed a small change in my 'cravings' and my 'want to eat constantly' tendencies. 

Oh and I ordered more pregnancy and ovulation tests online - this is the 3rd pack I have ordered - hoping it is the last.  they have like 50 OPTs and 15 HPTs or something like that.  Well, this time the package had a little 'present'.  It was a temporary tattoo - a heart, with the word hope.  Something that sounds so simple - maybe even bore line corny - but I put that thing on my hip bone area, like it is a good luck charm or something.  I smile every time i see it...starting to wish they would have sent more than one ;)

I went to a baby shower last week at work for a friend, and it was hard.  Baby showers are hard.  Hearing that yet another friend is pregnant is hard.  Having Peyton ask for a baby brother is hard. 

And I get down.  Not daily.  but about once a month when it is obvious that I didn't get pregnant.  And each month is getting a little bit harder.  Last month was REALLY bad until I got the results from the 2nd blood test that said I actually DID ovulate.  When I got the results saying that I didn't, I was so upset that I left work early that day.  Hopefully it will happen soon.  This is officially the 13th month - so we are into the 2nd year of trying, and I pray that this journey is coming to an end soon.  Praying to see that 2nd pink line this month :) And Praying for strength in the case that I don't.  And thanking the Lord daily for Peyton and the wonderful blessing he has been to us...

Spring Break Trip Booked

I'm so excited now that we have officially decided to take a week long vacation this March during Spring Break.  With Eric's school schedule and lack of funds - we decided to go when it is cheaper AND Eric is out of school.  So in about 30 days we will be leaving for a whole week at the beach.  We are staying in a condo/timeshare that my grandma actually owns.  We have considered buying it from her a few times, but always got nervous to spend the money.  And it is an older resort - so I wanted to go stay, check it out, and then make our decision.  I also want a timeshare that is in June/July - because that time of year is the most expensive and that is the time of year that I REALLY **NEED** a break.  They are expensive to buy in those 'Red Zone' months - so we just continue renting when we can.  Hope the place is nice enough and cheep enough for us to seriously consider.  The yearly 'maintenance fee' is only $325 - so that isn't bad either - compared to many of the other yearly fees I have seen.

So we are excited!!!

And maybe a little bit crazy for agreeing to go during Spring Break.  So hopefully we won't regret it.  Panama City Beach has really made big strides in becoming a much more family friendly beach in the last 10 years or so, and we LOVED the trip last July ---so hopefully this isn't a bad decision.

Not the month

Well, it is official, I'm not pregnant, again.  But I'm not all that upset.  Which is somewhat shocking.  I think the fact that I actually ovulated has been enough success this month to keep me happy.

Eric rides on the ambulance for the first time tomorrow.

He had a 2nd interview, he has the job, but due to rainy weather the project keeps getting pushed back and it might be a while before he starts, looking more like mid-March instead of mid-Feb.  They wanted to make sure he was serious about the position because they want a permanent person.  But then they don't tell him what the pay is going to be, so it is hard for him to say, YES I want the job for sure when we have no idea what the pay would be. 

I've exercised 4 out of the last 5 days.  Go me.  Loving the iPod - I have an app called Lose It.  I have been tracking all food and exercise and it is helping me stay on track with this plan...we will see how long that will last. 

Girls weekend planned for the end of the month.  Looks like everyone is in!  EVERYONE.  I have no idea where we are all going to sleep!!!  ATL watch out...her we come.  5 Moms, 1 Grandma, 1 Aunt, 5 little girls, one baby girl, and the cutest little boy on the planet (that would be Peyton).  Funny tidbit, we used to all fit in one car for this trip, now we are taking 1 mini-van and 2 way too big SUV's.  So just 3 cars staying together in downtown ATL will be interesting, much less a group of 14 trying to find seating in a restaurant.  We are going to the Children's Museum, Ikea (well I want to anyway), and that is all that is planned.  We usually stop at the scrapbook store, but with this crowd, i'm thinking NOT. 

I'm off to take my bath and go to BED!  Tomorrow I'll only be working like 2.5 hrs b/c I have to take Peyton to school AND pick him up because Eric will be doing his clinical's.  I'm not too thrilled about having to take off work for this b/c i don't like wasting leave.............but he didn't have to twist my arm to get me to take off either.

Funday Sunday

Well - let me just say, that since my ovulation was officially confirmed, and I know this is just a waiting game to see if I'm pregnant - it really STINKS.  All the wondering is driving me crazy!  Oh well.....we will see soon enough - I should know either way for sure by next Weekend. 

Woke up with a bad headache, took migraine pill, hoping it is enough to keep me pain free so I can teach the K-2nd class at church today (that is enough pain all in itself) and then make it to tonight to teach my First Place class.

Played Wii for hours last night.  And I'm feeling it today!  Peyton loved watching me play, so I just kept playing, and unlocking more and more games.  He is such a little sweetheart too, he would encourage me when I fell or 'died' - and he sat right beside me on the floor and would rub my leg and say sweet things like 'than's ok mommy, keep trying,  you can do it'.  Moments like that make me realize that we are doing SOME things right, he has turned into a very sweet little boy. 

Ok - off to get ready for church. 

Fun Friday

I had to leave work early today b/c Eric’s papa fell and was put in the hospital, so he went with his mom to check on him in south Georgia…so I have had more times on my hands today then normal, and I wasted most of it on this stinking computer.  Grrrr.  Trying to figure out how to convert my .mpg movies into .mov so i can view them on my iPod - without having to play $30+ for a converter.  I did make a cute movie of all my movie clips from Peyton's first year though.  It is nice, even with a title and credits and everything.  I can't believe how easy it is/was.

I’m reading the 'I can do this' diet book – and it is going through the 7 habits of highly effective losers. Habit #6 – stay consistent with your eating habits. He tell of this guy who lost 100 lbs. Went on a cruise and gave in to every food temptation and ate like he used to for 7 days, gained 20 lbs in 7 days, then never got that off and ended up gaining back all 100lbs. I feel like that guy. I’ve told the story to you too many times, but I lost 44 lbs. FORTY FOUR. Then what happened, 5 inched back, then before I knew it, 30+ pounds were back. And all I do is lose weight, then gain it back.

I hate to say this, but I think what I need to do is not get obsessed necessarily, but make it an ALL IN IT mission. As in, I ‘know’ I can have a dr pepper one day in the future, but not today, tomorrow or for the next X months while I lose weight. Just this week I had one, and then you know what, I have had one for the last 3 days! I went weeks without one, then once I cave, I binge.

On a positive note – a great little quote in the book…

“The new 10 is the old 12”. Even though our society is getting BIGGER (33% obese or overweight) – the clothing sizes are getting SMALLER. So just think, I'm really not in the plus department - haha...

Oh, and one last thing in this book…

He strongly advises against weighing everyday during the losing weight phase. He said that getting that bad weigh in can be a trigger. And weighing only 2x a week for example is the better way to go.

However, in the maintain phase, he advises you to weigh Everyday…because then you can see the slight increase of a lb or two after a big dinner or special event, and then adjust accordingly to exercise more the next day, eat less, etc – and get back on track. This is critical to keep the weight off long term.

Here's to a great weekend!

Waiting

Ok, so I'm sitting in the doctors office waiting for
My ultrasound, so I decided to be productive and write to the good ole blog.
Of all days to have to come to the appt but a very rainy ugly day like today! I'm going to lose my great parking spot and then get drinched upon returning to work. This baby better know how much he or she was wanted!!!
What else is going on?
Eric passes his ambulance driving test, so he has a special license for that now.
Eric also joined the gum last saturday and has gone daily since.
I gained back just about all the wweight that I lost in the last two weeks! which is sad. I've been very hormonal and food cravings have hit very hard, I just wish I was pregnant already.
Peyton has discovered a new favorite show. Team Umizoombi. He so has been beging me for a new game that he keeps seeing commercials for.
Potty trAining seems like it is never going to hPpen at this point.
Which reminds me, Eric got a job starting mid-feb!!! So excited! So we hAve to figure out where to send Peyton soon. I'm hoping the daycare environment will help him to get potty trained faster. Those teachers will be more consistant than we have been.

Well hopefully the doc will get to me soon.