New Beginnings Ahead!

Tuesday December 21, 2010

4 Days Until Christmas!!! I just can't believe it! Where did this year go?? This past year has been great but it also makes me realize this will be our last full year of just Morgan & Crystal. Starting in April of next year it will be: Morgan, Crystal, & Cayle. I can't wait!!
I hope everyone has a very Merry Christmas. This Christmas is so bittersweet since it will be our last Christmas of a family of two. (Even though Cayle already has presents under the tree ;) Thanks to Grandpa & Gramma/Dad & Robin)
Since this will be our last Christmas of just Morgan and I, I really wanted to get Christmas pictures taken together. So, my wonderful friend Angel came over and took some Christmas photos of us and the pups. It was fun, sweet, and of course chaotic at times. But when is it not chaotic around here with those two pups??
Here is one of my favorite photos. I love this one because it shows my belly with our bundle of joy inside. :)


Not only will we be welcoming a baby into the world next year, we also have more changes ahead.
Yesterday, December 20th, Morgan re-enlisted into the Marine Corps. Basically dedicating four more years of his life (ehhmmm our lives) to this country. How awesome is that?? Can I get an Amen!? :D I am so proud of him and so very thankful. It takes a special person to dedicate their life to the service and we would not be the country we are without our service men and women.
With the re-enlistment also comes a new duty station. Morgan will be deploying one last time with his current squadron. They will deploy in the beginning of 2011. That will be his last tour of duty with his current squadron here in Hawaii. We have definitely made some awesome friends and made some amazing memories here in Hawaii. However, after this deployment....we will be sent to a new place.
When Morgan returns from deployment later next year we will then transfer to North Carolina. I am so looking forward to that move because I already have family in NC. It will be nice to get to see them more frequently. Also, I am not sure if you know this or not but NC is a LOT closer to Texas than Hawaii is. So, we will be able to see our family and friends in Texas a lot more too! Yee Haw!!

Now about little Cayle. I will be flying home to Texas in early February with our pups. I will stay in Texas the entire time Morgan is deployed. Therefore, I will be delivering the baby in Texas. I am really excited to be able to be around family during this time. HOWEVER, Morgan will be deployed when it is time for Cayle to be born. BUT he should be able to fly home for the birth and get to stay a couple weeks with us. I really hope it works out and he can make it home for the birth. If not....well...yea, I am not even going to think about that.
It will be very sad to not have Morgan there with us for the first few months of the baby's life. But you know what...we do what we have to do. Morgan is doing his job and making this country, your life, and my life better by doing what he does so I cannot complain. God has blessed us with amazing family and friends and I know they will be there for us through this all.

This next year is going to be such a wonderful experience...I just know it! I am so looking forward to being in Texas and seeing everyone and of course can't wait for April to be here!
Friday I will be 24 weeks!! eeeeee!! Time seems to be flying by. I am so thankful to be where I am. I am not having any pain and not being too moody. Right Morgan?? ;) This part of the pregnancy has been really good. I wish I could stay this size for the rest of the way. I am really not looking forward to getting bigger and feeling like a blob and being achy and yadda ya. But I guess I gotta take it. And I will! Anything for this little man.

Well, that is all for now. I hope you are still awake and have made it this far in the blog. I feel like I have typed a chapter already.
Love to all and MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

2nd Trimester. Wooo hoo!

Thursday, December 9, 2010

Howdy everyone! It has been way too long since I have updated this thing. So, here we go.....

As of tomorrow, I will be 22 weeks pregnant. 5 1/2 months!! I can't believe I am already over half way. It makes me so happy to know things are truckin' right along. The first 3-4 months were not easy but I must say things are a LOT better nowadays. I guess what they say is true: 1st Trimester is hard, 2nd Trimester is a breeze, and 3rd Trimester you are just over the whole thing.
I am definitely feeling more "normal" for the most part. I haven't gotten sick in several weeks and have a good amount of energy during the day. Thank you Lord! I still feel nauseous first thing in the morning but as soon as I have me a bowl of cereal I am good to go.
Two weeks ago we had our 20 week checkup and ultrasound. I thought the ultrasound would take just a few minutes; the tech would check the gender and make sure the baby was healthy and we would be on our way. But nope! Apparently they can tell a LOT more than that with all of this technology they got goin' on. She documented his weight, length, 7 views of his heart, checked all his organs and got numbers on all sorts of stuff that I had no clue about. That appointment is very important to track that stuff so they can tell if the baby is developing properly. It is really great to know they do that. Even if it took over an hour. Of course our little baby boy had a lot to do with the time frame of the appt. He decided he wanted to stay folded up like a book the whole time and that made it difficult for the tech to get proper readings and measurements on things.
Here he is:


At the appointment he measured 10in and 13 oz. Morgan and I already have a bet going as to his size at birth. I think he is going to be 20 in long and Morgan thinks 19. We haven't bet on the weight yet. That is to come... :)

Cayle (pronounced like Kale, the vegetable) has definitely been moving around a lot lately. Well, I am sure he has always moved around but I am finally starting to feel it! It is SO cool. It feels similar to gas bubbles (gross I know). But I like to think of it as soapy bubbles that are being blown in my belly and when one of the bubbles pops that is when I feel him. :) Morgan has tried feeling him but he hasn't yet. The OB said it will be a few weeks before he can feel it from the outside. I can't wait for that moment though!!
Besides me feeling him move around in my belly not a lot has changed besides the way I feel physically. I still eat all throughout the day. I am not craving fruit and pickled okra like I was but I still try to eat some sort of fruit everyday. I ate the heck out of watermelon in my first trimester. I guess watermelons are out of season or something because I bought one the other day and it was not very sweet. But nothing a salt shaker won't fix!! Mmmmmm
There aren't any foods that turn my head the other way anymore either. Eggs were a big "HECK NO" for awhile but I can eat them now. Pretty much I am on the good road I would say.

I am so thankful and I can NOT wait for April. I am just so ready for my little boy to be here.
We have no clue where we will be in April and where we will be delivering him. It really bothers me not having a set plan but there is nothing I can do about it. That is the military life for ya. All I can do is pray to God to take care of us and all else will fall into place. It is a big possibility that Morgan will be deployed in April but hopefully he will be able to fly home for the birth. We will cross that bridge when we get there.

Exciting news: We have a nursery started!!! Thanks to our wonderful friends Ann and Geoff and our awesome parents Ken and Dana!! Ann and Geoff have given us a baby swing and bouncer for the nursery!! And Morgan's folks bought us our crib, changing table, and glider!! Morgan has assembled the crib and changing table but we are still waiting on the glider to arrive. We LOVE everything and are so thankful for it all!!!
Here is one of my favorite pics of Morgan assembling the crib. He has his little handyman Tank with him. Also, on the side you will notice our swing from Ann and Geoff.


Well, I guess this will be all for now. I am so thankful to still be carrying a healthy baby and dream of meeting him everyday. Thank you God for this blessing and thank you all for your support!

Here I am as of today:
22 Weeks