Christmas 2012

Hold crap has time been flying. Christmas has come and gone and we are sitting at new years eve. I feel like since Christmas has past I have so much to do with so little time and that is true but at the same time not. I do have time since Skyeler will be gone soon for the last little bit of training and I will have all sorts of time while he is gone. But lets face it... time just continues to go faster and faster.

But anyway Christmas for us was more relaxing than hectic. I really don't mind that. Skyeler and I slept in a bit and we opened up gifts from each other, waited for everyone to come over for breakfast, had breakfast, opened gifts from siblings/parents, went for a walk, and went over to grandma and grandpa Knights. It was an enjoyable day. I do feel bad that we are never able to visit more than one family on the holidays but it is nice to be able to actually spend time with whatever parent we are visiting.

I am mostly blessed and glad that I was able to spend the holiday with Skyeler. With our life so up in the air the past little bit I am so happy that he was with me.

Baby Shower(s)

This past week I have had 2 baby showers. One was in Bountiful and was hosted by Lindsay, Debbie, and Mollie. The other was in Blanding and hosted by Skyeler's mom Julie. I had fun at each and I am so glad that I got a lot of needs and not a bunch of clothes. Dad and Kandie for Christmas gave us our baby gift with our Christmas gift which was a crib. We got to go pick it out since our life situation is so crazy and Dad and Kandie wanted to make sure we got what we needed etc... The sisters all went in and got baby a travel system, so a car-seat/stroller. I am so glad someone with baby experience picked it out. I was quite surprised and excited over the gift. I am glad that I don't have to worry about buying it and picking a crappy one plus now I am comforted with the fact that even if baby does come early we can take her home and give her a place to sleep. I was getting a little stressed with not having a car-seat because that is a MUST in order to take baby home.

Some other gifts included a car-seat cover, clothes, fitted crib sheets, diapers, medicine, bouncer, rubber duckies, blankets etc.. ooh and I got this amazing homemade diaper bag for Christmas from Mollie. The crazy thing is that even with all of these things I still feel so unprepared. I want to organize and have everything ready but I can't do that yet. I think that is the most frustrating part... Nothing in this pregnancy has gone the way I thought it would when it comes to prepping.

I do have a few pics and I will eventually post those. I'm sure I will have TONS of time coming up, starting in the next few days. Overall I am happy with all that has been given to us in preparation for baby. I feel so loved and blessed and I am so glad that our little one is coming to a good home with many many people who will love her and already do. I guess that is just one of the biggest things you want for your children... for them to be loved and welcomed. I can't believe that I will get to meet her soon.

Week 31: Baby Bump Photo's

I know it has been a while since I have put up any baby bump pics. Well now that the whole family has seen me I decided that I would put up a few pics.

I still find it funny that people continue to tell me that I am so small but yet I feel so huge.

How far along? *31 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss? 14 pounds
Maternity clothes? Yes,
Stretch marks? Nope
Sleep? This week it has been horrible. I am always getting up and I am finding it more difficult to get comfortable.
Best moment last week? Just know little on is alive and well.
Movement? Yes, and I love it
Food cravings? Fruit
Labor signs? No,
Belly button in/out? In,
What I miss: I miss not being kicked in the bladder and being able to breathe.
What I am looking forward to: I am looking forward to the baby shower!
Milestones: Still being able to breathe.

Week: 30

Holy crap, time has been flying very fast lately. I can't believe that we are already at week 30! This is kind of exciting but yet scary at the same time. I have lots to do and think about before this little one comes and I don't have a lot of time left.

How far along?  *30 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss?  14 pounds
Maternity clothes?  Yes,
Stretch marks?  Nope
Sleep? Has been a lot better now that Sky and I are sleeping on a Queen mattress and it isn't on the floor.
Best moment last week? Seeing people for the first time since being home and seeing everyone's excitement.
Movement?  Yes, and I love it
Food cravings?  Fruit 
Labor signs?   No,
Belly button in/out?  In,
What I miss:  I miss not being kicked in the bladder.
What I am looking forward to:  I am looking forward to the baby shower!
Milestones: I think hitting 30 weeks is quite a milestone plus still feeling good about how the pregnancy has gone so far.

This might be my last post without a belly bump photo! I think by this weekend I will have seen my entire family and so I will feel better about not ruining the surprise of how big/little my belly is. I find it so funny how big I feel but everyone says that I am so small. I will take everyone else's advice since I really don't know what is big for 6-7 months.

Oh I also had my first appointment since coming back to Utah and it went well. This doctor is going to go by the Feb 24th due date and not March 1st due date. YAY, for some reason I am very happy and excited about that. I know that the due date really isn't a big deal but when you have a doc that makes you feel stupid about when your baby is due and is just rude about it you tend to want to ignore what they say.

A year is a very long time.

It is amazing to me how time can be so different for people. In the same 24 hours different people can feel like the day has gone by quickly or by very slowly. But yet time is the same every day and for everyone.
This past year has been quite long but yet so very short for me. I can't believe that we are done with basic training and AIT. Maryland is now something from my past and it isn't something that I am looking forward to anymore. Skyeler has also been in the military for over a year now and only 5 more to go with 2 years.
What has really been hard for me this past year is that I have now spent 1 year without a very special person in my life.... When you are younger you always think or feel like these special people will always be around and when they are not there anymore it is hard. Especially when they have played a big role in your life. I still have days when I want to call her up and tell her about what is happening especially with the little one coming... I feel like whenever I have a list of people I have to update on things that she is always near the top of my list of people to call. I want to tell her all about my adventures and how my life is completely different. I still have my days where I just sit and cry and ache with the loss. Certain songs will remind me of her and I cry and then have to listen to the song again and again. Oh how I miss my loved ones who have passed on. I think of them daily and I just hope that they think of me. Death really isn't something that is new to me considering how many people in my life who have passed on, but in all reality it doesn't matter how many people you know who have died with each new death is a new experience and new pain that you have to work through.
If I could talk to my grandma Kunzler and aunt Kathy I would ask them if they are proud of the person I have become... I am sure they are, but it is just hearing it from them. I know that when I was younger they wanted me to be a little more girly and less of a tom boy and I just hope that they are proud of my choices that I have made in my life. I also wish that my little girl could have met them. It breaks my heart that they had to die when they did because I feel like my little one will be missing out on a lot. They were such amazing examples to me and I hope that I can be that kind of example to others.

What a long year it has been and I know that I will miss my aunt every minute of every day until I get to see her and my other family members again. I look forward to that day. I want it to come ever so quickly. I hate missing people. But we are bound to the laws of time and have to live in our 24 hour periods. So until that day I will do my best to make them proud and to be an example to others like they were to me. I will continue to miss them and look forward to seeing them but most importantly I will continue to love them. For that will never end.

Issues with leaving Fort Meade.

So for quite a while we have been trying to find out what will be happening with Skyeler and him going to airborne. His Sergeants at Fort Meade would say one thing and then his unit in Utah would say another thing and it got us quite confused on what was going to be happening. At one point it was possible for him to graduate early so he could make it to the last cycle, but it didn't work out. Then his Sergeant in Utah said that he needed to make sure he had orders for airborne and all he has was a reservation for the first class in January. This is not what was wanted by the Utah sergeant.  
The week of Graduation there was a main water line breakage at the MILPO building where all the reserve/national guard soldiers were supposed to go as part of their out processing so they could be cut off from the "BIG army". So since they were unable to go and get those papers signed and they were just going to mail them to him Skyeler was never cut off from being paid. (This is important)
SO Sky was mostly able to get his out-processing done but there was still this question about airborne. Skyeler needed to talk to his platoon sergeant and guess what he was on leave from Thanksgiving and wasn't available and Skyeler has to go through chain of command and he can't talk to any other platoon sergeant about issues like that. Time is getting closer and closer to us leaving and we still didn't have any answers. Sky had tried to talk to people but didn’t have any luck.
Thursday morning we were scheduled to get out of our house and then go pick up my medical records from Walter Reed and then head out. Or so our plan was… We still didn’t have answers on what was going to be happening and Skyeler was still getting different stories. So before we left for Walter Reed and home we felt it was needed to go to the detachment and see if and talk to Sergeant A.G. (Skyelers platoon sergeant). Sergeant A.G. was there and we were able to get him to talk to Skyeler’s other Sergeant because of the different stories we were getting. Long story short Fort Meade didn’t want him because he was done with training and thought that it was the national guards responsibility to do that but the Sergeant in Utah said it was the Army’s responsibility because it was in his orders to begin with and that Sky would be no use to them until he is airborne trained. Plus it was mentioned that the National Guard didn’t have the funding to send him.  Well Sergeant A.G. told us that we could go ahead and go get my records and head out and that they would figure it out. So off we go to Bethesda to get my records and that is a 45 min -1 hr. trip from Fort Meade. So we get there and I got my records and by the time I got back to Skyeler he had a few phone calls saying basically we were NOT allowed to leave and that he would have to stay at the detachment… WHAT!!!! We are no longer in a house and my dad didn’t come out because we were planning on having Skyeler drive me out. So long story short we had to go back to Fort Meade to figure this entire thing out.  It was getting frustrating and we were very unsure on what was going to be happening. So as I was talking to dad about our frustration and postponement on leaving they were able to find that Skyeler had earned 25 days of PTO and that what was going to have happen is that Skyeler is still part of the army and the detachment (good thing he didn’t sign those papers and that the building flooded) so he will be getting paid until he finishes airborne, BUT he will be having to take those leave days to drive me home and get somewhat situated just for him to fly back to Fort Meade on the 12^th of Dec then fly home again for Christmas break, then fly back again to Fort Meade on Jan 4^th so he can be flown to Fort Benning for airborne. What a hassle and a headache. But that is what had to happen in order for Skyeler to be able to drive home with me since we were ALL READY to go. If not Sky would have had to stay at the detachment and I would have had to wait for Dad to fly out.
So we got a very late start on our trip home but I am glad that we didn’t have any other problems or issues for the rest of the trip. I am also glad that Skyeler will be getting paid for Dec and Jan even though we have 3 or so airline tickets to purchase.

Made it back to Utah!!

I am back in Utah.... It is such a great feeling to be in your familiar territory and the place that you call home. I love seeing the Rocky Mountains and all the beautiful views in southern Utah.

We left St. Louis Sunday morning and made our way to Denver Colorado. That is such a long drive and it was a struggle to keep going when you have nothing to look at and it is dark. The only cool thing was when we passed (I am assuming) all the windmills and they all have a red light up at the top so we had HUGE fields full of red lights blinking on and off. It was crazy looking. We made it to Denver just after midnight and it was enjoyable to be able to spend some time with my friend.  Monday morning we left for Blanding so we could visit Skyeler's mom and surprise her by just showing up at the door. It didn't work quite as expected but the surprise was still there and of course it is always nice to visit. It is only a short trip but we still have to go to Richfield to visit Skyeler's dad and find a certain coat that I am hoping that will fit around my belly. I have been using Skyeler's jacket and lets face it.... it isn't winter worthy. After we visit Richfield we are heading back to Bountiful so we can start on the job hunt and get our room situated.

I just hope that we can get all of this traveling and visiting done plus getting Sky a jump start on finding a job before he has to head back to Maryland. That is right he has to go back... I will explain the story in my next post.

On our way home!

Currently I am in St. Louis, MO staying with mine and Skyeler's friends. It has been a fun trip home after we got over our stress and issues before we left Fort Meade. But all is well and I will probably have another post explaining the issues, but for now I will just say that we left Thursday afternoon and made it to Richmond, Indiana and stayed in a motel is it was dark and our excitement was wearing off and plus we had been driving quite a while and my leg was cramping. Friday we made it through Indiana and Illinois and stopped in St. Louis. I really do enjoy St. Louis. Especially since they have the City Museum and completely different looking parks. The weather has been perfect for us and I feel quite blessed.
While we have been here we went to the City Museum and Skyeler LOVED it. It was so much fun to see his reactions to the whole thing and to just encourage being like a kid and play! It was a lot of fun to watch our friends scare people in the caves and see their reactions... Then it was also fun to see peoples looks of "WHAT THE CRAP" when they see a 6-7 month pregnant lady go down a 10 story slide. That was fun, but it was quite the workout trying to go up all those stairs. Even though I didn't do everything everyone else did I did have a lot of fun. I will have to say that crawling through tunnels and other things was a wee bit hard at times but worth it.
But the trip has been fun and now we head to Denver and we have another time zone to go through. Soon I will be in Mountain standard time along with the majority of the family. I like traveling east to west better than vice versa. There is just something about an hour of your life being taken away that I don't like. :)

3.5 days left in Maryland

WOW, time has flown. I can't believe that I will be leaving in 3.5 days. I am so anxious to be home but I will miss being here. I do love the fall and I have made some amazing people.
By this time next week I could be back in Utah. That is just weird to think.  I am sometimes in the mindset that Sky should still be at basic training. Oh I hated having him gone and yet he is already done with AIT. An update on him coming home is.... We still don't know. They don't want him here at Fort Meade and his unit doesn't want him in Utah until he finishes Airborne. So we are waiting to find out what his unit says. Then today we found out that the building that Skyeler and the other soldier have to do out-processing has flooded and will be closed tomorrow.. Um they only have tomorrow to finish all of that so I hope it doesn't mess up plans for people going home since graduation is TUESDAY!
For the most part I think I am ready... almost everything is packed I just have to put stuff in the car and ship a few things.. But of course Skyeler won't let me help with packing up the car so it will have to wait or he will be very upset with me. Oh well, I guess I do have to figure out what to do with a ham and a turkey that is currently in my freezer.

Week 27:

How far along?  *27 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss?  10 pounds
Maternity clothes?  Yes,
Stretch marks?  Nope
Sleep?  Has been okay.  Even with Sky talking in his sleep and having to sleep on an air mattress.
Best moment last week? Baby kicking when I play Skyeler's song on my phone.
Movement?  Yes, and I love it
Food cravings?  I still want fruit and sweets and H20!!! 
Labor signs?   Are Braxton Hicks technically considered labor signs?
Belly button in/out?  In
What I miss:  I miss not having so many side effects. I have had so much nausea and now I am anemic.
What I am looking forward to:  I am looking forward to seeing my family!
Milestones: I think I passed my glucose test.

Thanksgiving 2012

This year Thanksgiving was quite different for us... I am so use to being surrounded by many many people trying to talk over each other and just having a grand ol' time. This year we went over to some friends house it is was a small but enjoyable gathering. I am thankful that we had someone to spend it with even though spending it with just Skyeler wouldn't have bothered me at all.

On Tuesday Skyeler had a mandatory "Feast" that I was able to go with him to. This feast was basically a thanksgiving dinner provided by a non-profit organization that is here on post. It was a lot of fun and hey why not enjoy a free dinner. Especially since I was nauseous all day because I had an OB appointment in Bethesda and I had blood drawn and had that glucose test. Lets face it almost everybody hates that stuff because of how much sugar you have to drink and for me it is worse with the constant nausea/morning sickness I already have. They did tell me that I needed to fast before the test and I knew that wasn't going to happen... So hopefully those results turn out okay. Needless to say the rest of the day I felt like crap and really needed a good nutritious meal to counter all that sugar.

This year I have felt very blessed and I am truly thankful for much in my life. I hope that I can continue to see the blessings in my life and to be grateful for all the small things as well as the big things more.

One more week!

So time has been FLYING! I can't believe in 1.5 weeks I will be on my way home. I am ready and my nerves have been calmed quite a bit with a possibility that Sky could graduate a day early and head out to Airborne and have that all finished before Christmas. I am excited for that possibility. Hopefully we find out soon if it is going to happen. I don't think Sky's classmates are happy about it and I feel bad that Sky is a "special case" but he is going to training and not going home. I really wish that he could be done NOW, but luckily airborne is only 3 weeks. I can handle that..... I hope.
Other than that I am excited for my trip home and I am just trying to prep and get things organized and packed plus selling some stuff. Things have been coming together fairly well. YAY!

Week 26:

How far along?  *26 Weeks
Total weight gain/loss?  7 pounds, He he
Maternity clothes?  Yes,
Stretch marks?  Nope
Sleep?  Has been okay. 
Best moment last week? Time is starting to blur together, but I did see some of Sky's battle buddies and they all loved the baby bump.
Movement?  Yes, and I love it
Food cravings?  I still want fruit and sweets and H20!!! 
Labor signs? None.
Belly button in/out?  In
What I miss:  Being able to move normally and not have the constant nausea or worry of nausea. I also miss being able to bend forward easily and get out of my car without having Sky help me out.
What I am looking forward to:  I am looking forward to my drive home. I do worry about how many miles I will be driving while 6 months pregnant, but I'm sure I'll be ok.
Milestones: I am almost to the 3rd trimester!

Veterans Day 2012

This year for Veterans day Skyeler had the opportunity with his class to have a VERY SPECIAL final project where they filmed President Obama at the veterans day memorial ceremony thing at Arlington National Cemetery. Skyeler was able to sit with all the press individuals like CNN etc. He was chosen by his peers (and later we found out by his instructor) to be one of 3 directors for the project. I knew he was going to be picked. He has done an amazing job in this class so far and his peers really respect and like him.

Skyeler has spend the past couple of days at Arlington Cemetery filming interviews, the changing of the guard, the President, and much more. Each person in the class will then take the footage and have to make a 5 min documentary as their final project. I'm glad I'm not doing it and that it is Sky that hast to. They have A LOT of footage.

We also had the opportunity to have a friend stay with us while she was visiting her husband who is in Skyeler's class. I have had a lot of fun and I am glad that we were able to join our hubbies at Arlington for the last little bit of filming and we were able to see the changing of the guard and just see this place for ourselves. It was a fun experience. Only crappy part is that on Monday they stayed out there late and hardly got to see them.

Here are a few pics of Arlington. Some pics Sky took and I took a few myself. I'm sure you will be able to tell but I will get better!

Our 5th Wedding Anniversary

Does it seem like time just fly's to you? I can't believe that Skyeler and I have been married for 5 years now. It just doesn't seem like it has been that long! I know that I thought my life would be different from where it is when I look back. But I am very happy with where I am and the relationship I have with my husband. We have been through a lot and have had some crazy adventures.

Our celebration started out with a matinee of the new Bond movie. (It was really good)

Our theater is the Egyptian 24 and the whole theme is Egypt. Really cool.

Our next stop was to the D.C. temple. It really is a cool temple and I love the experience. Sadly this was probably my last time attending this temple. Skyeler of course brought the camera and tried to get some practice in.

I really like how my hair color looks in this one.

We then had dinner and went home so Skyeler could pack for his assignment for Veterans day. Yes he had school/work on Sunday but I think it was worth the experience.I am just glad that Our anniversary fell on the only day Skyeler got off.

Overall I am grateful for my day and for my husband. He has been such a blessing in my life and I look forward to many many many many years and forever with him.

Remind me to stop stressing.

There are a few reasons why I really shouldn't stress about stuff. 1- there really isn't any point to it, what happens will happen and sometimes  you just can't do anything about it. 2- stressing makes my morning sickness worse and it really isn't best for the little one. 3- "Stress it's a killer sir,".... I just hate being stressed out.

So you may ask why am I stressed... I'm sure you can guess especially with the little ones arrival coming closer and closer and me having to move soon and all the unsurities that that brings plus having to find a doc, an apartment, etc... but that isn't what is really stressing me out. Again in all reality I don't need to stress and just let whatever happens happen but I want certain things to happen and I just don't like what might be...

Skyeler and I have been trying to figure out the whole airborne training for a while. Skyeler has been trying to talk to his platoon sergeants here at Fort Meade but lets face it, they have a lot on their plates and taking time to figure this out isn't a top priority for them. So with no info from them I had Skyeler call his Sergeant back in Utah when he was doing his weekend drills and try to get some information from him. (plus he said if we ever had questions to call him) So we did and I am still not exactly sure what will happen but the options are very grim for me. 1- Sky was told that under no circumstances is he to return to Utah until he has finished Airborne. 2- The next available class for that Sky could make it to doesn't start until January. 3- That means spending maybe 2 months without Skyeler. Yes I know I have spent a lot more time away from him than what this would be, but I need my husband. Especially with our little one on the way. I don't want to have to say goodbye again. It is so very hard to do and only have emails or a phone call every so often rather than his arms around you. I just don't know if I can do it again.
OK, I know if I have to I will be able to manage again just like before but still. And if you are thinking about saying "welcome to the military" or anything related to our choice in signing up for this I will use my crazy pregnancy hormonal skills and smack you in the face.... with a chair.  (Please pick up on the sarcasm). *Venting session*  I am perfectly aware that this could happen when we signed up for it and I am aware of many things, especially since it is a reality to us and not something that many of you think of. But I hate the phrase "welcome to the military, or army life" I just figure it to be a bunch of empty words that someone says when they don't know what to say. I can say that NO ONE wants to hear that. They want a shoulder to cry on and to feel loved especially when a big part of their life is not there. If someone you know dies you don't say to their spouse "oh well, its life! things like this happen' NO! you give them a hug and you be there for them.
I know that we all have our different trials and situations that we go through. I know that everything happens for a reason and I do know that no matter what  happens I will make it through. I feel that I am suppose to learn something with each and every situation that occurs so I can help others when it is their turn to experience the same or similar hardships. I need to be better at seeing the positives of every situation even when things are rough, difficult, and just not what I want to have happen. But I am getting better, I still have a long way to go but I am getting better. I just hope that each day I can put a smile on my face and enjoy the blessings I do have.
So as I said before, remind me to stop stressing so much. That it is just a small thing, that no matter what happens I will be a better person for it. There really isn't a need to stress over the possibility of not being able to see my husband for 2 months. I have things to look forward to especially since with each and every goodbye the hello after my long wait is so much better and my relationship with Sky is always better for it. It is hard, but who is better to handle these trials than I am. For I would never wish this on anyone and I am willing to make the sacrifice. My Heavenly Father trusts me and knows that I can do it. Why not prove it to myself and know that I can. I just think I might need a little help, for I am human. :)

Week 24:

 How far along?  *24 Weeks and some days.
Total weight gain/loss?  5 pounds, He he
Maternity clothes?  Yes,
Stretch marks?  Nope
Sleep?  Has been okay. 
Best moment last week? Had an appointment last week and baby is still doing great.
Movement?  Yes, and any time I start to worry about how much or how little she moves, she gives me a little kick to let me know that she is alive and well.
Food cravings?  I still want fruit and sweets and H20!!! 
Labor signs? None.
Belly button in/out?  In
What I miss:  Being able to move normally and not have the constant nausea or worry of nausea.
What I am looking forward to:  I look forward to a lot of things but what comes to mind is not baby related. I am looking forward to being "home" with my husband and having all this training/military stuff over with and see our family.
Milestones: I'm getting fat! Just kidding. My belly is really starting to show and it is quite obvious that I am pregnant.

Hurricane Sandy Experience

Wow, that is all I can say. In all reality I really didn't know how or what to do in order to prepare for a natural disaster that I have never even remotely thought that I would ever experience in my life. So the days leading up to it I was quite anxious and I think that in return it made my morning sickness a lot worse than normal. But I feel that I learned a lot from this experience and I will know what to do if anything happens in the future regarding natural disasters. Here are a few things that I learned and that I think would be helpful to remember for the future.

- Only listen to the basics when it comes to the news and media. If they say it is serious and multiple sources say it is going to be bad then prep for it. But don't listen to the news too much because it will just freak you out.
- Take info from others lightly and use your judgement with what they say. I think a lot of my anxiety came from listening to much to others. Especially when they say that so and so had this happen to them and were told this... My example for this is, either on Sunday night or Monday morning a lady in my ward said that her family were without power in a certain area and were told by the power company to expect 2 weeks without power. I kinda got freaked out a bit and in all reality I don't think I needed to.
- Look up or be familiar with emergency preparedness stuff.  Look at what you can do for your OWN home and your OWN budget. Don't listen to much to what other people are doing because they are in a different area and have different needs. I felt like I needed to do so much more to prepare but in all reality I had what I needed for my own home. 
- Be confident in your abilities and judgement, but not stupid. If you hear that this disaster or situation is going to be really bad by multiple people and then are issued a MANDATORY evacuation. Just do it. Don't put others in danger because you don't want to leave your home or think it isn't going to be that bad. Trust your gut, you will know if the leaders of your town-city/state/country are right. Also your not superman or any other super hero with amazing powers. Don't go against what rules there are for your area. But know that you are able to deal with stress and unknown situations. If you took the time to prepare, feel good about your preparations and don't panic.
- It is very smart to let others know what is happening around you. Even if they don't truly understand everything that is happening in your area they do worry, even if they don't voice it. Plus if something does happen then they can be there to help out.

I know there is a lot more that I learned or could think of that would be helpful in the future, but my brain feels fried. But I am glad that Skyeler and I were able to come out of this storm/hurricane with little issues. I know that it could have been so much worse for us but we were looked after. We did our part in prepping and so what we couldn't do was made up for. I am so glad that Skyeler was home through the whole ordeal. I'm sure I would have been so much more stressed out if he wasn't. You can only watch your fence sway back and forth to that extreme for so long before you just want to run for cover in you hubbies arms.

So needless to say I am very excited to come home. I really don't think Maryland likes me very much, especially when they throw tornadoes, severe windstorms, and now a hurricane my way. Hopefully nothing else will happen in the last month that I am here.
Skyeler did take a few pictures/video of the storm and I will eventually add some.

Week 22

I know it has been a while since I last updated you with all the questions.. There just wasn't much exciting stuff happening and not a lot of changes. Plus I was waiting for a really good belly photo since this one will be my last until Christmas time!

How far along?  *22 Weeks.
Total weight gain/loss?  I am at my pre-pregnancy weight
Maternity clothes?  Yes, we even went shopping and got a few things. But I'm sure I will be needing more soon.
Stretch marks?  Nope
Sleep?  I have been sleeping just fine. But I have had a few weird dreams... 
Best moment last week? Finding out our little on is a girl, everything ultrasound related, and watching my belly move because of kicks from baby.
Movement?  I have been feeling movement like crazy. Funny thing is that I can usually predict when baby will be active.
Food cravings?  I still want fruit and sweets. Ice cream always hits the spot but in all reality when does ice cream not hit the spot. 
Labor signs? None.
Belly button in/out?  In
What I miss:  Bending forward with ease. 
What I am looking forward to:  I can't think of anything at the moment.
Milestones: Passing the halfway mark. I can't believe how fast everything is going.

Here are a few pics for you since I couldn't pick just one....

I know some of them are really dark again. I hate it when the sun sets a little too quickly. But some still look kinda cool Things have been going better lately with the morning sickness. I still have my days every so often but I have learned what needs to happen when I feel certain ways and I know when to stay away from certain foods as well.  I have an appointment next week and I am looking forward to that.
Hopefully the next time we take some pictures we can get some better ones that aren't so dark. Good think I have my own personal photographer that we can go out when needed and I don't have to pay for it!

Medieval Times - Baltimore-Washington D.C. Castle

Skyeler and I wanted to go on a date and we have been wanting to go to Medieval Times again since the Baltimore - Washington D.C. Castle is literally a 10 min drive from our house. The castle is located in the mall that we usually go to and so it temps us again and again. So finally we got some discount tickets and we went.

We took the new camera and Skyeler never put the thing down he wanted to capture every moment. Ok so he did put it down while he was eating since he really didn't want to get dragon meet (chicken) and bbq sauce everywhere. Skyeler also made a 20 min video and would love to share it but it is to big...

Yes I know, Crappy pic. But it was from my phone...and we had the red lights on us.

We voted for the Red Knight and we were very happy to find out that there was a new story! So no bad night at the end. Basically you had a bad guy come in and demand the hand of the princess and what not so the winner of the knight tournament got to fight of the bad guy and his minions! Overall it was extremely enjoyable. The choreography was really good all except for the first duel. They could have done better but the others made up for it. (I love the sparks that come off of the swords when they hit) We had quite a few people in our group that was interesting to listen to. They were a couple rows behind us and I would assume they (she) was black. You could hear her yell to the King "You tell 'em King!" and when the bad guy came out all the "oh no he didn't". It was just really funny. I hope that Sky and I can get another great deal and go again before we go. Especially since we have our 5 year anniversary coming up! Should I surprise him and just go? I know we already know the story but it is the over all experience that is fun!

I think baby is a fan of Medieval Times. I say this because she would not sit still and lets face it that place is awesome! Either that or it was the Pepsi and all the yummy food that we all love!

Hopefully I can get Sky to edit a smaller video to share and find where he put the pics. That way we can share some better pics.

What a wonderful day.

Well long story short, Skyeler was able to come with me to my appointment and there were no issues when I went to pick him up. The appointment went well. It was LONG but it went well. There are no concerns and I don't need any follow up ultrasounds.
Our ultrasound tech was new and so we were there for quite a while but it is okay. It just means that we got to watch the screen for a lot longer than what is normal. We got a few pics that are worthy to show off. We don't have a good profile pic but I am happy with what we have. I know that some of these are obvious but I am going to label them anyway.

Arm

Back profile. This is Sky's favorite for some reason. He may be teasing but it is kinda cool looking.

Arm covering the face. Baby sure loved to have the face covered.

Face

I am just amazed at ultrasounds. Especially when they move it around so much and you get completely confused at what you are looking at. I like to say that I am ok at looking at ultrasounds because I had an intern with and OB/GYN in high school and got to watch a lot of these but the doc was ALWAYS explaining what things were.
It was so comforting to see the baby move. There were times when we were all looking at the screen and baby would move and I just had to say that I felt it. Other times we were waiting for the tech so Skyeler and I would sit and watch my belly be kicked by baby since they were strong enough to be seen on the outside.
Over all it was a great appointment and a great day.
I will post 1 more belly pic soon, but then you will have to wait till you see me in person! :)

*on a very random side note, I will be changing the settings on my blog soon to make it a private one... Just so you guys know.

"Tomorrow, tomorrow, your only a day away!"

For about a month I haven't been able to think much of anything else (besides heading back to Utah) than what is going on in my life tomorrow. Tomorrow is Oct 16th and I have my 20 week ultrasound in Bethesda at the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. Ever since I made my appointment back in September I have been hoping and praying that Skyeler will be able to come with me. To me it is such a big deal that he is there. I have always in-visioned my husband coming to every OB appointment with me as we anticipate what will be happening next and just being able to allow our relationship to grow and become more close with our excitement in this adventure. But so far he has only been able to come with me once to anything and that was taking me to the E.R. to get my 2nd I.V.  So this has been far from what I have wanted. BUT....... luckily Skyeler's sergeant and instructors have given him the go-ahead to be able to come with me and to get out of class and for me to be able to drive him during the work hours. (I wasn't able to drive him to an eye appointment a couple months ago because he can't ride in a POV privately owned vehicle during the work hours). Again I hoped that this would happen but I never thought that it would because hey... it is the Army. So as of now it is just making sure Skyeler gets his name on a sick call list in his ACU's at 4:30 a.m. (Yes, they are that technical/picky that they have to be in uniform just in order to sign a sick call sheet.) I am a little anxious about him getting his name on that list because if he doesn't he can't go with me. Needless to say I have been a little worked up about everything going smoothly.

I am very anxious for this appointment tomorrow. I know that this are going well with the little one, but there is always this worry deep down that I can't shake. I constantly have to know that baby is ok, and I hate how my appointments are 6 weeks apart from each other. I want appointments at least every 4 just so I can listen to a heartbeat or something. I know that I have been able to start feeling baby move and baby has been throwing some harder ninja punches but if I am not feeling them constantly my worry starts up again. I am sure that is all very normal, especially after losing one. I don't think one ever really gets over that. I do know that it has effected this pregnancy. 

Wish me luck tomorrow... I can't wait to be comforted about how things are going and to have Skyeler with me. We don't know for sure if we will find out the gender or not. It all depends on baby and I still haven't decided when or how I will inform family. It has been really hard for me to be so far away and not get the feedback from family and friends in person. So even if we do find out, we might not say anything until the family is together in person for Christmas.

A New Camera!

So maybe about 2 weeks ago Skyeler and I made an investment and got us, a.k.a. Skyeler a new camera. We got him a Nikon D3200, some lenses, and a few filters! Skyeler has really missed having a camera since he graduated BPS in August and we knew that if he wanted to make an amazing portfolio for job hunting he would have to have something now to be practicing with and furthering his skills. So we buckled down and got it. Since then he carries this thing with him everywhere and takes many opportunities to use it. I am glad since I didn't want to make an investment and have it sit in a corner.

Skyeler has taken many pictures ranging from spiders, me, scenery, to me, and did I say me. He gets really good practice when he is taking pictures of me since I still can't keep my eyes open with a flash.  But here are a few pics that he has taken recently.

Scary Spider who is missing legs.

Reflection

Sunrise at Burba Lake

The darker pics were taken at Burba Lake and it was quite dark outside. He was able to take these pictures without the flash but since he didn't use a flash they are a little bit more grainy etc... But I still think the turned out. I probably say that because I just thought I looked really cute in the pictures.
We are still waiting for some of the tree's to turn colors so we can go take pictures of them. We mostly have a few tree's that are red and the rest are still really green.
So what do you think?? I know I will miss this Lake when it is time for us to come back to Utah.
I think it will be interesting having Skyeler as a photographer. At least I don't have to search hard for someone to take maternity pics for me! Maybe need someone to take OUR pictures but I'm sure the other talented photographers in the family would be willing to trade!

Decisions, decisons. So much to think about.

The past couple weeks I have been thinking ALOT about my trip back to Utah after Skyeler is done with training. There is so much to do and to think about that I want to be prepared early even though that is a tough thing to accomplish, especially in the military. It is hard to plan anything when you don't have the right papers and you just don't know what is going to happen.

Here are a few what if's or possibilities that have been going through my head.

- What if we can't get out of our housing contract when we need to. It does say that we need to give a 30 day notice and have orders to break the year lease and be in the house at least 6 months. We will barely hit 6 month in mid November. I want to leave before December. I don't want to have to pay December's rent because 1-it is expensive, and 2- I am ready to be home.
- Skyeler wants to drive home with me. So do I stay in Maryland until he his done and drive home from Maryland, or Sergeant Bennett (his platoon sergeant) told him the other day he could drive to Fort Benning, GA for his airborne training. So do I drive with him to Georgia right after graduation and possibly stay with a friend who lives a few hours from Fort Benning.
- Do I just drive home with someone that is willing from Maryland (possibly my dad) after Skyeler's graduation just so I can be home earlier and get things done... such as get Skyeler ready for School or apartment hunt, and find an OB? Plus not having to be in a car longer than possible while I'm 6-7 months pregnant.
- How will my body handle the LONG drive? How will the baby handle the long drive? Will my Hyperemesis work with me long enough to get home? Yes, I still have morning sickness and it sucks and it makes me slightly worried about the drive home.
- If I do drive with Skyeler to Georgia what roads would be  best. Should I go up through Kansas, Colorado and a little into Wyoming (states that I have been to) or should I travel along the southern states such as Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico (states I haven't been to) and up through Blanding, Utah and make a stop to see Skyeler's family. And if we take that route how long do we stay? Sky hasn't seen the majority of his family since Christmas last year and he saw his parents the weekend before he left in Feb. He has been quite homesick. So I would feel bad saying Hi and Bye within a day because I'm anxious to see my family. But we could just make a trip in January or New Years. UGG more driving....
- If we go through the southern states will we avoid possible snow and more dangerous weather conditions than if I traveled from Maryland through the northern states or even through Kansas from Georgia. Plus how much time will I have to get back to Utah and will we make it for Christmas in Bountiful?  
- How much crap will I be able to fit in my car and how much will I have to ship home.

These are just a few thoughts that I am constantly thinking about... They are some big decisions and I don't think they will have a huge impact on my life. But I just worry about driving all the way around the country 6-7 months pregnant. In all reality I just want the car and my stuff to magically appear in Bountiful and that I could just fly home. I would love to drive with Skyeler home but I think I will be quite anxious to get home and have the drive over with. Plus I hope I'm not a cranky pregnant lady through the whole trip. That could get old FAST!

So for those who read this, what would you do if you were in this situation? Do you have any other options that I am not seeing? What roads do you think would be safer to travel. I am willing to drive more miles if I know the weather would be better. (and I know you can't predict the weather) I think that there will be a difference between Colorado and driving through the Rockies and driving through Arizona. I know we are a ways out. But it is going to come fast and I just want to have my options.

Get us back to Utah!!

Ok so not to bash on Maryland or our experiences out here but Skyeler and I are really excited to go back to Utah. Mainly due to the fact that in South Salt Lake an old high school is being transformed into a Film and TV STUDIO!!!!

We are so excited for the opportunity to have more stuff come to Utah that is film related. Skyeler picked a good career choice when it comes to all the incentives and other things that make Utah a good choice for Film. But now a studio.... I really hope Sky can get a resume in ASAP and that he will be qualified to get a job there.

I really do feel like doors are opening for us whether they be big doors or small doors. I think that no matter what if Sky does or doesn't get a job at this new studio that it will be beneficial and help Skyeler out with his career goals.

Week 19: Almost Halfway There!

I am sucking in as much as I can...

Baby bump + Food baby. 

How far along?  *19 Weeks.
Total weight gain/loss?   I am at 119. So lost 13 gained 12.
Maternity clothes?  Yes, Even though last week I said I would be far from it. I decided to try on some maternity pants that was given to me by one of my sisters and lets just say I would rather wear the maternity pants than my newly washed jeans.
Stretch marks?  Nope
Sleep?  Better than last week, even with more 2:00 am trips to the restroom. 
Best moment last week? umm, I guess just realizing my baby bump is bigger than I thought it was. 
Movement?  Still only every so often but I feel it more and more.
Food cravings?  Fruit and certain sweets.White fluffy cake!!!  
Labor signs? None.
Belly button in/out? In- But it has started to slant upwards.
What I miss:  I guess I miss being around family.... Since this being our first baby and I am not getting all the excitement vibes from family and friends in person, it has been kinda hard.  

What I am looking forward to:  Still looking forward to my 20 week ultrasound.
Milestones: Almost halfway!! I'm not sure if this is a milestone but, I had the first person rub my belly.

So really nothing much to update on besides realizing maternity pants don't put pressure on your belly like my recently washed jeans were. If I the pants  have been worn and a little stretch then I can wear my regular pants just fine. But they do tend to slide down below my hips.