Throwback Thursday.... Baby Fever?!?!

So many bloggy friends are pregnant, just had a baby this month or have little ones under 3 months.... Am I crazy for thinking "I want another baby" when ours just turned ONE 2 weeks ago!?!?! And a few weeks ago I was telling my husband that I think I'm done.... Until he laid out his wants and thoughts on it all and suddenly I'm saying lets start trying now! ;) Well, at least the practice of trying.... But we have unofficially stated we'll see where he's at with his new command in 6 months, and go from there. :)

So, in the meantime, I'll just take in photos of all my friends baby bumps and little ones, and try to remind myself that I still need to catch up on the lack of sleep over the past year and half from our little monkey!

Pregnant with the Man-Child 4 days before he was born Sept. 2004

Pregnant with the Mini Marine 3 days before he was born April 2012

I am a Mom to Angel Babies

Today is a day to remember those that are no longer with us or those that were not able to ever make it into our loving arms.October 15th is National Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day
I am the mother of 3 Angel Babies. Jan. 2009 I had a feeling I that I might have been pregnant and told my partner at the time, but the next day I ended up starting which was a week late for me. It wasn't until I started cramping and bleeding more so than I normally did that I went to the doctors about it. He told me that I had been with child but the the HCG levels were way too low now and that my little angel would just have to "pass".... I never told my then long term partner about it and I know that it ate away at me for the months to follow and caused problems that I just couldn't face. He knew that two months earlier I had been told that I might not be able to conceive and that if I did it could cause medical complication for myself and even death.  Nov. 2009, the day after Thanksgiving I went upstairs and took a test, there it was, positive. Excitement hit the house only to have sadness hit days later when I woke up pain with the baby no longer there... May 2011, I was feeling extremely tired and was away in CO for training for work. After classes I found myself in bed for hours on end and just contributed it to the change in altitude. When I made it back home I realized I had not started. I was so swept up with work that it didn't even occur to me that it might be a possibility, even though we were "trying" I didn't want to get my hopes up. Sure enough the test showed positive... A week and a half later the pain started while I was teaching a class and during break I excused myself from questions to the ladies room. There was the proof that our baby was not staying with us.... I cried, pulled myself together, finished the class, called my husband and he picked me up and took me to the doctors... 

We decided after that to not try again until the following year.... 3 months later we were surprised with a positive test, refused to get our hopes up, told no one for weeks... We both did not want to get the families hopes up yet again until it was weeks past when the other miscarriages took place. 9 months later we were blessed with our perfect little boy.

I do often wonder what life would be like had any of the 3 angels made their way into the world, but we are so blessed to have the family we do have now. I know they are safe and eventually I will meet them. Until then, I know they are watching over their brothers, blessing us with a stronger family as each day passes.  

***Funnies Friday*** ~Pregnancy~

Wordless Wednesday: Birth of Our Son Michael

Smiles (with a spinal block)

In action

He cried before he was completely out

Almost!!

Welcome to the world Michael Richard Butta!!! 17:41  5 April 2012

My first view of Mikey

Daddy cutting his cord

First Kisses from Mommy

Daddy's first time holding a baby. His Son Michael (I cried so many happy tears seeing this!)

First picture with daddy and mommy

How much do I weigh?

Big Boy!!!

My first time holding him!

14 Hours & Counting......

Should I be in bed? Yes! Can I sleep right now.... Sadly, no..... My head is spinning and tummy has become a bit upset from being anxious..... Tomorrow we will go in for the scheduled c-section and bring our son Michael in to the world..... My eyes begin to water at this thought.... They are of course happy tears. Tears of joy and accomplishment that everything with him is good and healthy. That he will soon be in our arms. That I will have been able to give my husband, my love, my everything a son to carry on his name. That my oldest son is excited to have a little brother "finally" as he has said. That my previous miscarriages were just God's way of making me appreciate this little man inside so much more. This pregnancy was nothing like my first, there were many rough points and tons of more pain, but I would do it all again in less than a heart beat to have what will happen tomorrow take place, his birth. I look forward to looking into his eyes, to hearing his first cry, feeling his body against mine, smelling him, kissing his cheeks, hands, little toes..... My God, we're having our son tomorrow!!! It will be the first baby my husband has ever held, HIS son will be the first baby he has EVER held.... I cannot wait to see this. To see that proud daddy look on his face.... I know he will make a wonderful father. Less than 14 hours now..... I must attempt to sleep, especially with many nights to come of little sleep.... Sigh.... It is all going to be so worth it. :) Nigh night!

*~*Wordful Wednesday*~* Another Week Down

This past week has been a whirlwind..... Last week was a bit of cleaning and preparing for baby plus relaxing, until Friday.... Friday I packed up the living and dining room (which amazingly did not take as many bins as I thought it would with all our books). Had to do so to move all the furniture and items to the garage to have our laminate flooring installed on Saturday. The hubby and our buddy finished up around 1am..... And it looks absolutely amazing!!!! It was a long day, and I tried helping out a little where I could (clean-up wise) but also had a terrible case of allergies hit. Which was no wonder because once the carpet and padding was pulled up underneath it all was DISGUSTING!!!!!! Enough dirt to start a mini sand box I'd say, and that was just on the ground, not including what had become airborne. Dusting the next day was no fun, but I made sure I took a claritin first thing this time because I did not want to be bed ridden from allergies nor have my nose become even more raw than  it was from the day before!  Sunday was mainly a day of rest. Brought most items back in but was so tired from the previous day that there are still a number of items in the garage that have to be moved back in, book shelves and everything that goes on them and the desk and so on.

I have officially joined the LBC (leaky boob club) lol.... I did not have anything come in until after the birth of my 7 year old and now it seems like I should have no problem with feeding this one when he arrives. Which is a good deal because as of Monday, Week 37 Day 2, he is measuring to be 7-8lbs 10oz, and 38-39weeks along. Big boy is going to need A LOT of food!!!!  My doctor's appointment went well too. Had a number of questions answered and had to have the baby's heartbeat tested to make sure it was accelerating properly. Everything looked great. They said because of the GD he is measuring much larger than he should be and they want to test his lungs for full development on Monday via amniocentesis..... A big needle going through my belly!?!?!?! Sigh..... They want to ensure that his lungs are developed enough to deliver him next week and make sure that the GD didn't slow down their growth. I've also had to switch over my blood thinner to Heprin (which makes me feel like some sort of drugy because I have to do all the work of getting the fluids into the needle out of a little glass jar, did I mention I HATE NEEDLES? Well, I do!!!) and then after the c-section I will be back on the Lovenox for at least 6 weeks.

New meds..... Bigger needle.... Uggggg :(

 Monday night was filled with terrible pains, but it has come to the point that unless my water breaks or something more dramatic occurs I'm not running to the hospital. The pain was so intense that I actually fell asleep/passed out from it all. By Tuesday morning it was very dull in the back but still sharp in the upper stomach/lower chest. I wound up going back to sleep until noon, ate, and then fell back asleep..... Of course the hubby was happy to hear that I had been resting as much as I did, even if it wasn't by choice... Today I'm feeling good, very tired, but good!

So we have approximately 1 week left until baby Mikey will be joining our lives in the outside world.... And as of last night, I am a wreck with it all....  I look around and see all the things that still need to be done, plus his mom and dad will be out here that first week and then my mom and step dad will be out here the day after they depart.... And me being an organized/clean freak, I want to make sure everything is order.... Ha, everything in order.... Hubby asked me to make a list of everything I want to get done..... Why does the list keep growing? Probably because I know I'm not going to be able to do a whole lot at first after Mikey is here and I won't have time to "prepare" for everyone's arrival... I am looking forward to having family here though and hopefully some yummy meals from our moms ;) I'm always down for a mother's home cooked meal. :))

Well.... I should try and get to some of the easier tasks done...... Oh and am excited to have our new fridge come in later today! Yay to no more frozen milk!!! hahahaha 

37 weeks

Resting........

This past week has been one of the most rewarding, boring, painful, sleepless and all around relaxing weeks of my pregnancy thus far. Last Monday I was told to be home and take it easy for the next two weeks until I could be seen again. Not placed on bed rest but told to relax to have the contraction episodes stop. The first couple days I got a bit of cabin fever/distressed over everything that still needed to be done.... Yes, I tried to get it all done on my own... To the point of more pain and contractions and then of course immediately taking the doctor's orders to heart and began relaxing.

Friday the hubby had a St. Patrick's Day Golf Tournement and since he wasn't going to be home until later (he's been taking care of dinner) I decided to make corn beef and cabbage in the crock pot. Easy enough, except for the wonderful aroma throughout the house all day making me want to eat everything in sight....

Friday night was filled with tossing and turning and PAIN, lots and lots of pain. So much that I woke up after a couple hours in tears and asking my hubby to rub my back. That didn't work so I took a very hot shower, mainly on all fours letting the water hit my back full force. No help there either.... That's when I caved and took an ambien... The docs have prescribed me with flexril and ambien. I hate taking meds, especially when pregnant. It is bad enough I have to shoot myself up daily with blood thinner, but now these in order to get "some" sleep and pain relief....??? Since eight days ago when I got these I have taken them 3 times in an effort to find the sandman. They lasted all about 3-4 hours and I was up again middle of the night/early morning with the same or more pain. So I stopped taking them and have been working with 2-3 hours of broken sleep at a time.
The couch has become my place of solace. Comfort during the day of sitting or napping and comfort at night of sleeping/napping. The baby belly is so big it is difficult to turn from one side to another in bed without pushing/shoving my body in that direction. I compare it to doing a sit-up with 25lbs of extra weight being strapped onto the chest... (man if this were the way it was I'd have abs of steel right now... lol). So when I wake up between 1-3am I mosey onto the couch and find sleep faster there then in bed. Besides the comfort I don't like the idea of waking the hubby so much at night with all that he does and is doing during the day with all of my tossing and turning.

Saturday was a crawfish boil with the hubby's co-workers. It also happened to be a gorgeously WARM day out. I sat out talking to several wives while taking in the rays, ate some very spicy crawfish, and drank lots of water. Then it hit me, that need to potty but nothing there.... Pain had been generating throughout my back and belly for a couple days already and now dehydration. I had been drinking water all day, but just not enough. So, I found a cozy spot on the couch inside and downed a few bottles in little time. The man-child was having a blast making lots of new friends and the hubby was having a blast hanging out with his buddies and drinking some drinks for the both of us... hahaha.. So I relaxed and read a book on my kindle on my phone. Then the dessert table requested my guarding.... Needless to say, I caved and sat my prego butt there and consumed 2 pieces of cake, endless amount of apples and fruit dip, and a couple little cupcake like desserts with cherries and glaze on top.... Good for my blood sugar? Not so much, but I figured one binge day was well deserved for all the pain the littlest dude was having me endure. We were there into the evening and grabbed a big bag of food to go and took it to their friend on base that was on duty and didn't get to make the party.

Sunday we took a drive out to J-ville to get Baby Blue (my 67 Chevelle). We took her out for a spin around the block parked her and then waited a little while before trying her out again. The hubby went to take his turn driving it, would have been his first time doing so, and clunk clunk clunk.... She wouldn't turn over.... :-/ Tried again, nothing.... Damn... Re-built motor, new intake, new carb, new alternator, new exhaust... Sigh..... Carb needed to be readjusted was what our friend said. He'd get that done and bring it out to us this week. Well it turned out that the gas gauge is not working right. She was out of gas... LOL. This of course was found out after we had already made it home later that night. Booo... After we left there we went to Sears and took a look at refrigerators. Ours has decided that it would rather be a freezer for the entire upper back portion of the fridge. Walked around there a little, made our way to Lowes for comparisons and found one we liked but decided to discuss it and look up specs back home first. Decided on one and knew on Monday we would have to go buy it for the sale they were having plus the additional 10% for military discount. I love good deals! We also picked up our laminate flooring for the dining/living room. (Very excited about not having carpet there anymore). The guys will be doing all of that this weekend!

Sunday night turned into another night of hell with contractions, stomach pain/stretching stabbing pain in upper stomach/lower chest and lower back pain. Walking around the stores was not my body's idea of relaxing. :(  I found myself on the couch again after only a couple hours of tossing and turning in bed.... Between the softness of the couch and being completely exhausted I passed out quickly and was woken 3 hours later by the alarm clock to get up and help get the man-child ready for school.

36 weeks (Sunday morning) and little/no sleep

Monday was spent relaxing and napping while waking every 30 min, then picking up the man-child to take him to his dental appointment. After we went and indulged mommy's new craving and one of little man's new favorite drinks from Dairy Queen. 

Hawaiian Blizzard... So yummy!

Jake's Arctic Rush

Came home and relaxed. Hubby made dinner and we decided to go on out to Lowes to buy the new fridge. But the door bell rang and there were our friend's Chris and Rick (his dad) and behind them was Baby Blue!!!!!! Little sneaks!!!! They drove her out to us! They told us that they received 2 offers from guys just on the drive out and gave me their cards... lol... might be something I'm willing to consider if the price is right. Immediately little man and I hopped into the front seat and took her for ride down the street. Hubby and son drove her to Lowes (his first time driving her) while I followed behind, just in case.  ;) Got there with the intention to buy a top freezer fridge and then saw a bottom freezer one with tons of fridge room.... For less than $1,100 with 4 year warranty!!!! Hubby wanted it more than the other one so we went with it and it will be here next week! Yay, no longer will have to defrost the milk in the morning... hahaha!!! I drove Baby Blue back home. Got her up to 55.... Speedometer is off a bit too because hubby said I was going 60-65....... But she sounds soooooo awesome and drives great!!!!! Now normally I can handle the smell of the engine/car.... But during the drive it was making me a bit nauseous..... Which means if I don't sell her this little man needs to come out soon so I can drive her without feeling sick!!!

I have been trying my hardest to take it easy and we will see next Monday how big baby is and what we'll be doing the following weeks. We both decided after the last appointment that a c-section would be the best option for delivery. Went over everything with the docs, including the med records from when the 7yr old man-child was born and it was not leaning anywhere close to being favorable for me having a VBAC.... So instead of going through the pushing stress and baby not being able to even pass through because I am too small and/or putting baby through the stress and having to go into a c-section or emergency c-section we're going to try and just schedule for it to take place... Either the first or second week of April since they schedule at least a week before due date....  I'm hoping I'll be able to go back to work for the last week or two, but the hubby is pretty adamant that I stay home. I'm getting a little taste of being a SAHM. Not so bad.... But it is driving me crazy that I can't do even half of what I would normally do.... That will change after baby comes of course and I won't feel so utterly useless.....

*~*Traveling Down Memory Lane*~*

Today the FedEx man delivered 4 boxes sent from my daddy's. Inside each of these boxes was a rush of memories..... My most favorite items from when the man-child was a baby; clothes, toys, stuffed animals, bassinet, car seat, etc. :) There were a few items that I thought had been lost during the move out east.... I cried when I saw them. Most of all, his first teddy bear and coming home outfit....

This was the teddy bear the hospital gave my son after he was born. The outfit was suppose to be his going home outfit, but as it turned out, he was a BIG Boy and this was way too small for him. His dad and I thought he would be small like we were.

This is the onesie he wore home from the hospital <3

I didn't know that I had kept so many of his "baby" toys!!! Baby Mikey is definitely set!

This is the outfit he was wearing the first time he started crawling! :)

These are a few of the onsies I absolutely loved him in, especially the red one! (which happens to be his favorite color now). :)))

My little beach bum outfit. One of my favorite's on him with his crystal blue eyes.

His first pair of jeans and leather jacket from Grandma

One of the rompers I loved him in.

These pj's are my favorite, even come with built in mittens so baby can't scratch his face, didn't know I kept so many of them! :)

Hehehe, a little shirt I bought for him at a tattoo convention

 His first swim trunks that he wore for his first time in a pool at 6 months old.

 He cried and threw a fit when we had to leave.... A little fishy just like his mommy :)

His dad is a Star Wars fan..... Yes, he has passed it down to our son, this was just the beginning...

Every Marine's child needs a camo outfit :)

From his first visit to the ocean/beach. He loved it even though his lips started to turn blue from the wind!!!!! Cocoa Beach, FL

Big Brother's baby bassinet. Baby Mikey will use it now and probably the next baby too ;)