Mistakes in Motherhood

If you are on my Facebook, then this is old news, but I have not mentioned it here yet.

While Bobby was in Wisconsin, I got a pretty big shock.

See that little line? *Squint* Now do you?

This is my test from April 15th, I followed it up with a blood test which was also positive. I was in total shock. Seems like we were not as careful as we could have been the day before he went to Wisconsin.

Shock has faded, and now I am excited. Bobby is happy too, even though we has decided we were done.

On May 7th, I was able to see my little bean for the first time. His/her heart was flickering away and it was the most beautiful little blob I had seen since Sophia’s first scans.

A couple weeks later I got to see him/her again.

We decided we would have another home birth, and interviewed a couple midwives. I found one I love and had my initial appointment at the end of May. The appointment was pretty uneventful, it included vitals, a ton of paperwork and history, information on prenatal testing, and a ton of routine blood work.

I was so sick this pregnancy, much like my pregnancy with Sophia, except this time it started around 3 weeks, then started easing up around 11 weeks, and now is mostly gone, where with Sophia it eased up a bit, but was never gone. Also, unlike Sophia’s pregnancy, I have been able to eat, so I have gained around 5 lbs already, where with her I lost a bunch of weight, however, I also started this pregnancy about 45 pounds lighter than I did with her pregnancy, and Matthew’s pregnancy (where I also lost some weight in the beginning). This is making me guess we are going to have another little girl, but I have been wrong before.

We also decided we are not going to find out the sex of this baby at 20 weeks, as long as this baby cooperates and decides not to be obvious at my 20 week ultrasound. It was funny, I was kind of playing with the idea thinking it would be fun, when Bobby called me and said “I just thought of something crazy, but what if we don’t find out the gender?” Since then it has been settled and I am feeling a lot more at ease about not knowing and am excitedly buying little yellow and white baby items for the first few weeks. It will be so neat to be able to discover on our own what we are having as a family. With Christopher the midwife told us he was a boy at birth, with Matthew and Sophie I was told by the ultrasound tech.

Yesterday I entered the second trimester, such a relief.

1 Comment | In: This is how I roll | tags: Announcements, Me, Pregnancy. | #

Bobby just got a call from the interview coordinator in DC, they offered him the job and we have accepted!! He starts January 12th, deploys for Iraq (we knew and actually hoped for this) in February, and then will return a year later. The pay is a little lower than I hoped, but it is still a promotion and still makes up for the higher cost of living, and the year in Iraq more than makes up for the difference I had in my mind because we can use that money to get out of debt and when you are DEBT FREE you can survive on a LOT less.

The next month is going to be a whirlwind of activity as we prepare, we need to update our wills, get me a few Power of Attorneys, get him packed, increase our life insurance policies and spend as much time preparing the kids emotionally as possible. I know this is going to be a great opportunity for our family, as bittersweet as it is.

1 Comment | In: People, Places & Things | tags: Announcements, Bobby, Finances, Overseas Assignment. | #

Bobby leaves for an interview in DC, I was prepping Matthew by telling him that tomorrow night, daddy would be sleeping at work, not at home, and that he was going to ride an airplane to Washington DC. Matthew asks “To my grandma’s house in Washington??” and I said “No, grandma lives in Washington state, this is Washington DC”. He gives me his silly little grin and says, “Oh, I know, he is going to Barrack Obama’s house!” I had a little giggle and I told him he was right, that is where the Obamas will be living. I then showed him a map of the US and WA State vs. DC., and then we read Five Little Monkeys and I tucked him in bed. He is so cute sometimes.

No Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Announcements, Bobby, Family, Matthew. | #

We are going to be a family of SIX soon! Check out my Trying to Conceive page posts called “Post X from TTC section” (X meaning #1-#4) for more details.

3 Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Announcements, Family, Infertility, Pregnancy. | #

New Theme, new WordPress 2.2, new way to find me, AND a new merging of old and new. That is what I have been doing for the last two days. I won’t bore you with the details, but I will tell you it has been a tedious, time consuming, mind-sucking project!

My old blog posts are all now available over here and my old free blogger blog will now bring you here, so you don’t have to update your blogrolls until you are ready. I can also be found by going to http://www.mistakesinmotherhood.com.

The old theme, as much as I loved it, did not mesh well with WP2.2 so now I have the new pretty butterfly theme… come on, I need SOME pretty in my life, otherwise I might drown in all this masculinity/testosterone in my home full of men/boys.

I promise I will try to update a little more now that I have a little less off my oh-so-full plate.

1 Comment | In: A lot about nothing, Geek Speak | tags: Announcements, Blog/Blogging, Technology, Updates. | #

Pretty exciting news around here, Austin got his acceptance letter to one of the Charter Schools here for next year.

I am not sure if I mentioned it, but his elementary school does single-sex classrooms for 5th grade. I just love it, and I think it is one of the numerous reasons why he made HONOR ROLL!! for 2 semesters in a row. This is the second year that his school has done this and they are finding all their positive research they did is proving true about the benefits.

Well, I wanted to continue the single gender classes, but the middle school he was slated to go to did not do this. I also wanted him to go to a school that has more parental involvement, higher test scores, more discipline, and uniforms. Basically we wanted a free/public “private” school.

So he MADE it! I need to finish filling out the paperwork, get his records, and his birth certificate (which STILL has not been sent from Illinois), including two references of character from non-related adults.

2 Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Announcements, Austin, School. | #

I must be copying Terri ; who by the way is copying Amy, so there Kevin!

This sweet baby girl is named Isis and she is my 8 week old blue fawn Great Dane born 11.03.06 at Penrose Great Danes. She was one of a litter of 8 and has 6 sisters and 1 brother.

Isis is just as sweet as can be and has the most beautiful blue eyes (which we were told will change to hazel). She is cuddly, and mellow, and already exploring her surroundings with ease. She gets along very well with Chloe, our 3 yr old Golden Retriever and is good with the kids. She is already pottying outside and comes when she is called.

We took her to Petsmart today to get her collar and while there put her on the scale. This little girl already is tipping the scales at 15lbs 7oz!

Right now my little angel is napping at my feet (I wish my baby would take her lead; my husband did!), maybe she knows she will be getting a b-a-t-h tonight, that is going to be fun!!

8 Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Announcements, Fur Babies/Pets, Photography. | #

Last month I became the owner of a brand spanking new web domain and have been working on making it unique from this blog, and trying to fill it with interesting posts so you are not coming to a blank page. I am new to WordPress, and this is my first domain. I hope you like it, hopefully I will update it more often than I have been.

Anyways, come check it out, come back often, link to me, and all that other junk. The URL is http://www.SumnerRain.com.

2 Comments | In: A lot about nothing | tags: Announcements, Technology, The OTHER Blog, Updates. | #

This morning started out like any normal day, 6 am, get up the kids, shower get dressed. But instead of a jeans and t-shirt, I put on a suit and makeup and fixed my hair, because today was our court date! At 8:30 we dropped off the baby at the sitter’s house and was at the attorney’s office by 8:50. At 9:20 we had an appointment with the attorney to go over the final details and then we walked over to the court house to be there 15 minutes early. We got called in by the court clerk and she locked the court room. The attorney then talked with the judge saying that BM has failed to contact and visit, has not supported him in 6 months. They then talked back and forth to make sure procedure was followed.

Finally the judge asked to talk to Austin, and made sure he was OK with the adoption and name change. He then asked him if he heard what my roles as a parent were (to make sure he has an education, a roof over his head, food and clothing) and told him that as my son he also has responsibilities that include obeying, listening and being respectful to me. The judge said he was satisfied that the termination was in Austin’s best interests and then seconds later said because Austin was free to be adopted that he was granting my motion to adopt and that was that! At 10:15 am MST I legally became the mother of my son who I have known in my heart was my own for 7 years now.

After a quick run to the county clerks office, and then back to the attorneys office, we were all done with the legal part of today. We had a nice brunch and the boys are now watching the new Superman movie with daddy. In about an hour we are going to head up north to Build a Bear to make Austin something to help him remember this day. We are then going to Red Lobster (his choice) for dinner.

Thank you everyone for your kind words and support through this. I really appreciate all of you!!

16 Comments | In: Uncategorized | tags: Adoption, Announcements, Austin, Photography, Updates. | #

Sorry guys, nothing witty or funny to say right now.  I have spent the last hour setting up my domain.  Expect a lot more to come when I have my official ‘grand-opening’.  A lot of big things to come as I slowly move my blog over, but for now my ‘main blog’ will remain http://sumnerrain.blogspot.com.

1 Comment | In: Uncategorized | tags: Announcements. | #