Our first rally

I've never been big on politics, basically because I don't follow it enough to have a true opinion. Hardy listens to Neal Boortz pretty regularly though and over the last few years has become more aware about politics....and tries to pass his knowledge to me.

I couldn't tell you who I would even vote for in the coming elections...bad right?! Except that it wouldn't be Obama (that's just my opinion).

Anyway back on point....Hardy found out that Newt Gingrich was doing a free rally tonight in Gainesville so we decided to go. Hardy's liked Newt ever since Cain dropped out. It was definitely a good time and he brought up a lot of good points...as I'm sure most candidates do when they're trying to win votes. We had fun! Hardy met him and got a book signed (Newt apparently writes historical fiction and Hardy has a copy of one). If you ever have the opportunity to go to one it truly is a great experience!!

Here are some photo's:

Hello PJ :)

Went to the doc this morning to verify PJ's due date. We got to see him/her again on ultrasound and he/she measured exactly 8.5 weeks so my due date will stay the same (Oct 6th).

Heart rate was nice and strong at 168

My BP was a little elevated so I've gotta watch that...

One Year Ago

One year ago today, my sweet Grandmother, Betty Fulbright passed away.

I wanted to type it feels like just yesterday that she was healthy and happy, but honestly it feels like she's been gone so so long. How does that happen?? I find it harder and harder to think of memories with you and I get angry. Angry because it makes me feel like I didn't pay attention enough to the time we shared, or that I didn't visit you enough. Obviously I can't rewind time and fix it, so I know I should move forward. I was so blessed to have you in my life for 25 years. You were the sweetest and kindest soul I ever knew.

I wish you were here so I could tell you in person that you would be great grandmother again, but you probably knew I was before I announced it to the world. I bet you never thought that day would come, ha ha. I believe one day we will all be together again, but I'll miss you until then.

I love you and miss you more each day.

::SIGH::

I hate complaining, I actually do.  Some people love drama, but I don't....I watch reality TV for drama.

 

 

But I must say (for the 100th time), I'm REALLY over having these migraines, like seriously.  I know I've complained about them numerous times even before I was pregnant and I apologize for being monotonous, but I have to vent!!

 

I have had one once a week for the last 3 weeks and that's too often for my sanity.  The worst part of it all is that Tylenol is the only "recommended" method and well, that never worked before hand...it's not really working now either.  Blame it on increased hormones and extra blood flow...my head feels like it's ready to explode into a million little pieces.  There's been no relief, I try the Fioricet they prescribed me, no go...I've tried hot/cold compresses....no go.  Of course more than anything I try to sleep, but when the throbbing hurts as bad as it has been, I can't even manage a full hour of uninterrupted sleep.  I secretly hoped pregnancy would "cure" my migraines because there wouldn't be the monthly drop in hormone levels just before AF arrives, but I was kidding myself.  I have never been in so much pain in my life than I have with these last few migraines....even having a dry socket after getting my wisdom teeth cut out seems like a piece of cake compared to this!!!

 

I'm happy to be pregnant, but I am NOT happy about these intense migraines.  So pray for my head, would you please?

 

 

 

 

 

Dear unborn PJ,

 

I will give you whatever toy you want and let you do whatever you want if you just help me through these next 7 months.  PLEEEEAASSSEEE!!!

 

Love,

Mom

I Love the 80s

I was born in 1985, but it would have been sooooo cool to have actually lived my pre-teen and teen years in that decade.  There's so much music from those 10yrs that I LOVE and listen to regularly! 

Here are a few videos of some of my favorites.  The list is TOOO long to blog about, but these always get me bobbing my head or dancing (like I actually can) .

ENJOY!  What are some of your favorite 80's tunes?

Pay it Forward

This morning on my way to work I was determined to stop and get a coke from Chick Fil A to hopefully settle my morning sickness.  When I pulled up to the voice box, I ended up ordering 3 chicken mini's too - hey you gotta eat something.

 

Anyway, when I got to the window, the cashier told me the gentleman two cars ahead of me had paid for my meal and said "Have a Blessed Day." 

 

WOW

 

It's amazing that even in a 'recession', there are still giving people.

 

 

THANK YOU secret breakfast buyer

 

Next time I hit up Chick Fil A, I believe I'll do the same in return (but it would be my luck the car behind me would be buying for an office-full of people ha ha ha ha)

 

Patience is a virtue

It's been extremely hard to be patient since I found out I was pregnant.  It feels like I'm driving my power wheels and the battery is running low.

 

According to my LMP, I should be 7w and 4 days along today, which would make me 8 weeks this coming Saturday.  But because the heart rate was low and visibility was sparse last week during our first ultrasound, we're not exactly sure how far along I am.  I can't imagine it to be more than a week off (if that), but still the unknown is frustrating.  This pregnancy app I downloaded on my iPhone gives me daily alerts and I don't even know if PJ has made those milestones yet!

 

I go back a week from today (2/29) for another ultrasound, to check development and that will hopefully give us a "without a doubt" age.  I know I'll have answers next week, but I just wish time would pick up a little.

 

I never knew pregnancy would be this complicated.  I've already been scared and worried and I'm not even 2 months along yet....sheesh!!

 

I think they should have a "pregnancy" course in high school that discusses all the good and bad, ups and downs - - - that might even prevent teens from getting pregnant if they knew the real truth about it. 

 

::sigh::

Congratulations!

Our nephew, Heath Payne graduated from ARMY basic training today at Fort Sill, OK. Although we couldn't be there in person we thought of you all day.

We are so proud of you PV2 Payne!

My daughter

Oh sweet princess Tinker Bell...you have such a pretty hour glass figure. You should be a pin up model!

The DirecTV remote has nothing on her voluptuous bod! Hahaha

Talk about pain...

All of my nerves and anxiety yesterday leading up to our doctor visit caused quite the migraine. Of course I know from previous conversations with the doctor there are a limited number of things you can take while pregnant, but he did tell me if no OTC medicines (Tylenol) help that they could prescribe me something temporary.

I took two extra strength Tylenol at about 7:30 last night and attempted to go to bed about 1hr later. Lately when I get migraines I've been tying a bandana around my head because the pressure seems to relieve some pain. I got to sleep for about 3hrs until the pain was excruciating and even my Rambo gear wasn't working. I got a
Ziplock full of ice and tried putting it on my head to no avail. I tossed and turned and flipped and flopped all night long and at one point even broke down in tears because it was just too much.

Hardy was sweet and in his sleepy state and tried to console me as best as he could. I texted my boss sometime before 4am knowing I wasn't going to make it into work today. I opted to take two more extra strength Tylenol along with a phenergan because at this point I was feeling nauseous from the pain. I wet a small towel and laid it across my forehead and hoped for sleep. I managed to sleep until about 9am and tried to function normally but it was hard. I had left a message for the nurses office explaining I needed something ASAP. I decided to try and sleep so I took two more extra strength Tylenol at about 12:45pm and warmed a bean pillow in the microwave, I lay the side of my head that was hurting directly on the pillow and drifted off to a 4hr sleep.

I woke up feeling better, but still not 100%. Luckily the docs office did call me in something (Butalb) and I'm hoping to get some relief soon.

I wouldn't wish a migraine like this on anyone, not even my worst enemy! Unfortunately women who suffer migraines before pregnancy will usually suffer more frequent or severe migraines during pregnancy. I'm trying to see the bright side of this and think about the outcome, but it is so hard to think of anything pleasant when my head feels like its splitting open.

We saw PJ today

My first OB appointment was today. Hardy was sweet enough to take the day off and go with me (even though I worked haha).

During the first 5 minutes of the ultrasound it was complete silence and I thought I might just melt into a puddle. The doctor wasn't saying anything and the nurse wasn't saying anything...

Finally I spoke up and said "Well what's going on."

The doctor admitted there was no sack or baby to be found....hard to believe with all the poking and prodding going on. He then decided to try it abdominally and thank god he did because it was then that we saw what we were looking for. After finding where he needed to be he switched back to the internal and voila found PJ!

I'm glad I told him prior to the ultrasound that I had a tipped uterus because that was the cause of the problem in viewing.

We got to hear the heartbeat on Valentine's Day just as I had hoped :).

But he scheduled me to come back on 2/29 to do another ultrasound. He's thinking I might not be as far along as suspected.

Here's our chance Rachael!

I got an email today from Disney saying they're hiring!!

 

 

 

Looking for your dream job?  That's exactly what you'll find at the Walt Disney World® Resort.  We are now hiring for a variety of roles in our enchanted Theme Parks and world-class Resort Hotels.

 

Why Disney? From our thrilling theme parks and resorts, to spectacular shows and beloved characters, Walt Disney World cast members have a world of opportunity, and take pride in turning dreams into realities.  Make your dreams come true by applying online today!

 

For more information about our current opportunities and to apply online, please visit waltdisneyworld.jobs/nowhiring

What scares you?

When I say scare, I mean...like heart pounding, adrenaline running through your veins scary.

Like the feeling you get before going down the first hill on a roller coaster...
Like the feeling you get when you're walking to your car in the dark...
Like the feeling you get when you walk down the hall in the night...
Like the feeling you get when your dog barks at mid air...

Last night for the first time we watched Paranormal Activity, hard to believe considering we're "movie buffs".  There was a lot of hype over the movie and well we wanted to know if it was worth it or not.  I'll say ultimately the movie stunk, because it ended stupid and there were a lot of things left open ended.  BUT for the duration of the movie, I found myself easily spooked of the unknown.  I realize having experience volunteering at a haunted house should put me at the top of the mountain, but it doesn't.  It certainly has helped build my tolerance, but there are still some things that naturally spook me.

I LOVE LOVE LOVE horror movies, but there have been few that actually freak me out.  Mainly because I know zombies and monsters don't really exist (right...).  When it comes to ghosts and hauntings though, who knows.  As a child I always feared Freddy Krueger over Michael Myers or Jason Vorhees...because I have had my fair share of nightmares, I could relate to a killer who comes after you in your dreams.  I never went to summer camp so Friday the 13th was always "unreal" for me.  Michael Myers was a serial killer...so technically he could be considered real, because there really ARE murderers in the world...but still, he's under my monster list.

So anyway...Hardy and I lay on the floor last night watching Paranormal Activity and I found myself numerous times backing up towards him and covering as much of my face as I could with a blanket while still being able to see the movie.  Ha ha I felt like such a little scaredy cat.  I went to bed and kept swearing I could hear things, then I had to remind myself "We have two cats" or "The ceiling fan has always made that noise".

I'm curious...WHAT SCARES YOU?

Telephone hell

A few days ago I posted about wasting almost my entire lunch break calling Georgia Department of Revenue.  Well I officially stayed on hold for 40mins before finally giving in and hanging up (a girls gotta eat).  So I thought I'd try again this morning first thing....but we're back in the same cycle and it's been another 40mins.

 

What in the WORLD is going on?

 

Hardy and I filed our taxes on January 25th, we got our federal refund already, but like I said in my previous post, our state hasn't deposited yet. 

 

You can go here: https://gtc.dor.ga.gov/_/#2    to check the status of your GA refund if you haven't gotten it yet.  This year was the first year (since being married) that I chose to file us married filing separate, because it made more sense.  When I check the status using either of our SS#'s this is the message I get.  Refund Status:  Your tax return has been processed; however, your check cannot be mailed.  Please contact the Taxpayer Services Division Refund Inquiry Section at 1-877-423-6711 to speak to a Taxpayer Services Representative.

 

What confuses me even more than the fact we haven't gotten the return is that it says "your check cannot be mailed".  In our entire history of filing taxes, we've always elected to have direct deposit....so why would there even be a check to begin with?? 

 

Sooooooooooooooooooooooo after 50mins on hold, I finally get a hold of someone and their explanation is that you're supposed to allow 4-6 weeks for processing.  He claims ours is still being processed.  Interesting, because I filed Hardy's parents taxes a week after I filed ours and they already received their GA refund.

 

 

BA HUM BUG!

 

 

Sweet pea

According to a couple of apps I've downloaded (call me obsessive) PJ is approx the size of a pea this week!

Unbelievable how something so small can be so complex. Can't wait to see our little alien on Tuesday :)

Run For Your Lives 5K!!

Via My Fox Atlanta :

UNION CITY, GA - If you've ever wondered what it'd be like to experience a zombie apocalypse, mark your calendars.

The Run for Your Lives 5k Zombie Run is coming to Union City on March 3rd. Runners will race against time and make-believe zombies as they head through an obstacle course to the finish line.

The last day to register for the race is Friday. To register, visit http://runforyourlives.com/

Pinch me

Maybe it's a little bit of OCD...

Even though my period still isn't here
Even though my boobs are sore
Even though the doctors confirmed it

I still have a hard time understanding I AM PREGNANT.

I still had two tests left so yesterday to set my mind at ease (I hope) I took one after work. These lines don't lie...and this time the + line showed up before the control line even had a chance of getting dark. I'm hoping this will put my OCD to rest.....for a while :)

Lunch break...

I've been on hold for over 15mins trying to get in touch with Georgia about our tax refund. We already got our federal refund, but when I check into the GA income tax return it says it has been processed but the check cannot be mailed then tells me to call an 800 #. Grrr have any of you gotten your Georgia return?? If so how long did it take?

To try and make the time pass I've been reading an oldie but goodie from middle school...

Aldi

Hardy and I made our first trip to Aldi this weekend (there's one in Gainesville) and walked away with 40 items for $72. That included some bathroom items too. They don't have every single thing a grocery store may carry, but good enough selection. So far the things we have eaten have been just as good as name brand or better.

Some of the prices...

Loaf of bread $0.89
Gallon of milk $2.99
Bag of baby carrots $0.49
Bag of frozen shrimp $3.99
Gatorade (their brand) $0.69
Cereal $1.99-$2.29
Chips $1.99-$2.99
Extra virgin olive oil $3.99
24 pack of water $2.99

Hardy swears their oats and honey cereal is better than Honey bunches of oats. Their salt and vinegar chips are extremely good.

So far so good....we'll definitely go back!!

Friday funny-s

 

 

 

 

Countdown is still on :)

A couple of weeks ago I made a pity party post because I was having what I thought was a crap week. One of my points in that post was that we may not be able to go to Disney as we had planned ::severe crocodile tears::

Luckily after research and playing around with Tax Slayer, I figured out that we would be getting a tax return if I did married filing separate. I'll honestly say there are some benefits to doing it that way especially if one of you owes and the other doesn't.

Anyway once all was said and done we wouldn't be getting much back and would end up having to pay more out of our regular budget just to make Disney work. Then of course we found out about PJ and that shook things up even more. I researched different things online to try and find out how we could make it work.....and finally did. I couldn't totally cancel the trip because we would lose money, so I modified it.

We aren't going for a week as originally planned, so we are doing 2 nights at Coronado, 3 day park hopper plus dining and saving $610 from our original booking...oh yea.

Besides I need to hang on to my vacation for when PJ arrives that way I can have a couple weeks of full pay before my Aflac kicks in (did you read that Emily?!?).

Happy Friday everyone!

The surreal life

It's easy to say, "I have a new kitten", "I bought a house" or "Look at my new car". It's a little more difficult (or at least it was for me) to transition to "I have a husband" from "My boyfriend..." but this new life changing event is the most grown up thing I've ever experienced.

My mind still hasn't fully grasped the fact that there's a little blob of cells growing rapidly inside me.

Sure my eyes saw the pink line on the pee stick..not one but two.
Sure I heard the words come out of the nurses mouth when she confirmed their pee stick too was positive.

I get little spurts of excitement throughout the day and then it hits me....that little blob of cells will be a baby soon...HOLY CRAP! I was a baby once, am I really old enough to have a baby myself? Talk about the last few days being crazy, my head is spinning. It's all so new, but I'm already worrying...even about silly stuff

-Where will we put the nursery?
-How are the cats going to react?
-Will I be a good mom?
-Will it drool? Because I hate drool....
-I have a tilted uterus, will they be able to see/hear the baby like you can with a normal positioned uterus?
-Will I still be able to sleep with a fan in my room or will it block the sound of a monitor?
-Ohh emmm geee, I will be most pregnant during the summer and I HATE BEING HOT....

I was also thinking...since this little miracle is due in the fall, I'm going to refer to he/she as Pumpkin....and PJ for short (that stands for Pumpkin Jones for those of you who may be slow to follow lol.)


****On a very sweet note, my first OB appointment will be Valentine's Day. I couldn't think of a better day to hear PJ's first heartbeat. HEART DAY!