My little brag post...

Today I'm going to have a little brag post... because people can have those every once in awhile right?

I don't talk about it often, so some of you may not even know what I do for a living.. I am currently a Marketing Manager (with some Graphic Design on the side, just not in the title). I went to school for business, and always loved Marketing. It's my thang. Got out of college and was so lucky to end up working for a great company in their Marketing department, where I started to get more into design as well.

I've always been an artsy one.. loved making flyers and invites and such, but as I got more and more into design work, I just started to love it more. I didn't go to school for graphic design.. I am pretty much (besides a few basics classes I've taken here and there) a self-taught designer.. with some help from a few friends who DID go to school for just design.

Anyway, fast forward... I am now working for a new company as their Marketing Manager/Graphic Designer.. and my first BIG project here was re-doing their whole website.

And it's finally done. It's been launched for a few weeks now, but it's going great, and I'm ready to show it off a bit.

Those of you who have done websites know how much time, effort and serious shit goes into creating a BRAND new website... and not a simple one either. This was months of work, months of stressful work! BUT... I am so proud of my first website launch...

So.. if you're bored.. take a look!

www.agindustrial.com

My first official website launch.

A Small snapshot of the website

And yes, I do currently do work on the side (Rates are determined on the job). So, if you're in need of a designer for web, personal invites/announcements/ weddings/showers/birthday parties, blogs WHATEVER... you can check out my Design section here.

Its a mushy one, I won't lie.

Today is my husband and I's 2nd anniversary. Two years seems so short... but it's gone so fast. Everything about that day was just magical and full of love. It's a day I wish I could relive over and over... without all the stress of course.

Ryan and I have been together for 6 1/2 years... we met randomly one night, and since then it's just been ever growing love. I knew the moment I met him that one day I would marry this man, I just knew it. I'm so glad it came true.

Ryan is one special guy. I don't say that JUST because he is my husband, of course every wife thinks their husband is one of a kind and the best out there. That's why we marry who we do. But, with Ryan there is so much more to him then meets the eye. He's not perfect, no one is.. he has habits that truly make me want to bang my head in a wall... but overlooking that.. he is one special guy.

He's the guy that makes me laugh.. EVERYDAY. I'm talking huge belly laughs, or to the point he puts me in a laughing fit that I just can't stop laughing... he's hysterical. He's the guy that would rather stay home and cuddle on the couch all night, and doesn't complain when I just don't feel like making dinner. Instead, he's the guy that tells me to sit down and relax, he'll make dinner tonight. He's a family man, and cares so much about the ones he loves, he would do anything for them. He's the guy that would jump over mountains to make me happy, or try his absolute best... he always has my interest in mind. He's the guy that randomly tells me he loves me, and means it from the bottom of his heart... he's the one that tells me such cute remarks about "us", that it's just one more silent I love you.

He's the guy I love so very much. I'm so glad he's my forever.

It's such a great feeling waking up everyday and having so much love for someone... I thank God that he sent him my way, I have no doubt in my mind that I truly have found my soul-mate. Something, not very many people can say.

Happy 2nd anniversary to my favorite person in the world..

I can't wait for many many more.

I love this man with every part of me, body mind and soul!

He's so handsome =)

Its cold, and I love it

We left our windows in the bedroom open last night, and I woke up freezing.... YES!

Fall is my favorite season, it always has been and always will. My birthday falls what I consider in the middle of Fall (October 14th!) and has always made Fall that extra special. My Fall season is from September 1st through end of November. That's Fall to me, because once you hit December, that is all about Christmas, that's Winter.

Fall just makes me happy, and I totally need that right now. I've decorated, and started preparing the gardens for the season, and thinking about wearing sweatshirts and boots just makes me smile. The only downside this Fall is no camping... we love to go camping in the Fall and at 8-9 months pregnant, I just don't know if I could handle it. There is always next year.

BUT THIS FALL... is the best of any Falls, I will get to meet my sweet boy.. less then 6 weeks til my due date now... and I'm getting more and more excited. I'm hoping to have an early birthday present! A girl can hope!

****

Nights are beginning to be harder and harder to get some good sleep. I don't wake up every hour to pee like some women, just once between 2 and 4 am sometime... but my bones... oh my bones how they hurt. My lower back and hips and all those joints around there are hating me. Getting up at night and in the morning... shit, anytime I sit for an extended period of time makes me want to cry. OK.. not cry, but  DAMN IT HURTS. I swear one of these days my legs are just going to give out underneath me.

The belly is definitely starting to get in the way... of everything.

Also... people keep telling me that he will stop moving as much as he is getting less and less room. Well, he hasn't yet. I think he's got a shit ton of room in there, because he still moves like he is doing gymnastics or something. And as much as I enjoy feeling him move, and just sitting here wondering what he is possibly doing in there.... OUCH. He's under my hip bone, pushing out my belly button, and he is low.. oh so low that I think he could stick a hand out and wave.

Don't get me wrong, I love it.. and as a million and one people have told me that I will miss it... sometimes depending on what he is doing in there, I don't think I will miss is that much... especially when he's down there pinching on my bladder sending pain the whole way out... well you get it. Miss that? Probably not.

****

You know what I love? My husband. (big surprise right?) But seriously, I have to give a little credit to him in the fact that he's totally awesome. He has been the best through this whole pregnancy... listening to my every "hey, babe he's moving, come feel!" (probably ten times a day) to my every complaint, and whine of "can you help me" (he's hearing that ALOT more these days). But after everything, he still makes me feel great. Those developing stretch marks that I finally saw and pointed out to him, he just laughed and said "All I see is beauty marks." To this morning when finding clothes is becoming harder and harder, without wearing the SAME maternity shirts I have over and over again, he looks at me and smiles and says how cute I look.

Gosh... he's great. I won't say perfect, because NO ONE is perfect, and I hate when people say that, but he's pretty darn awesome, and I'm pretty darn lucky to have him. It's the little things that count people. He's going to be a great father.

The diagnosis

Tuesday morning, bright and early I rolled into the hospital, hungry and thirsty (because I had to fast) in order to get my abdominal scan.

I'm not sure if I had mentioned before, but my bloodwork came back for my possible gallbladder issues fine... there were no indications that I had any liver, gallbladder or kidney problems. Yet, my doctor still wanted me to get an ultrasound just to make sure.

I figured that since the bloodwork was fine, that it was pointless to do this ultrasound, that I was in fact being a huge baby and complaining about what probably was just "heartburn"... Great.

As I laid on the table, the technicians explained all she was going to do and started scanning around, all the mean while, Kayden was rolling and kicking up a storm, and hitting her arm multiple times. She laughed, and told me he was a little active one. Yep, this I already knew.

She finally got around to my gallbladder... why do they save the thing you are looking for, for last? She then looked at me and said, "Oh yes, you have some gallstones."

REALLY!?

Ugh.

My gallbladder was half full with stones and "sludge", such an attractive word that sludge is. THIS is where my pains had been coming from, those awful, awful attacks I have been having. Even though I was upset to find this out, I am relieved to at least know the cause of these pains. It's going to suck, because I'll have to get it removed at some point I'm sure. Gallstones just don't go away on there own, they are always there, always ready to give you the fright of your life.

I'll be discussing my options more with my doctor on Monday who I believe will be referring me to someone who obviously does these types of surgeries and stuff.

The fun part now is figuring out when. Obviously, I'm not able to have surgery while pregnant, although some women who have it really bad do. I've been keeping a good eye on my diet and keeping away from anything that could remotely "inflame" my gallbladder as they call it. So far it seems to be working, so I know I can hold out a bit longer. After I have the baby though, I'm just not sure when I will want to do this.

So many questions to figure out...
Do I want to have it removed while on maternity leave?
Do I want to wait awhile and then take off MORE work later next year when I really don't want to have to take off more work? (You can be out 1-2 weeks I've read)
What if I'm breastfeeding, will that effect it in anyway?
What about taking care of the baby after the surgery?

and.. more.

Questions I will no doubt discuss with my doctor.. it's just a lot to take in and consider. Let alone add the surgery bill to my already huge pile of bills. I hate bills.

So... this all sucks.. but at least I know what is causing the problem, and that there IS a solution. Maybe not one I am particularly fond of, but there is.

ONE good thing that has come out of this and will also help after I have the baby was my sudden HUGE diet change. I've stayed away from pretty much anything that has any grams of fat, whole diary, and food with lots of cholesterol. It's help me keep pretty healthy this last trimester, and will no doubt help me make good choices after I have the baby, and help me lose some of that baby weight I hope!

See.. there is always a positive somewhere amidst the negative.

Here is what a pic of some gallstones looks like.. I tried to find the least graphic image. They sersiouly just look like a handful of rocks you pick up outside. They can also range from small to like golfball size (or more!) rocks. MINE, are not that big, but still... ew.

The Maternity Shoot

Our Maternity Shoot pictures have finally arrived, and I am SO SO pleased with them. I am just in love with out great they turned out. There is just something fun about having a photo shoot and seeing yourself all dolled up and looking great, even with a big old belly. Luckily, I have a husband that is pretty photogenic. He always looks good in his pictures, and only complained a few times about the hundred photos we took, he's pretty awesome.

I wanted to share a few of my favorites from the day...

We just had a blast taking these photos, everything turned out exactly how I wanted, and it was all right in our back yard!

I just absolutely love this one. (I made those little banners) but the background and colors are just great, so simple yet so fantastic!

This has such a calming feel to it, we just can't wait for you to enter the world!

Ok, beside having a "sexy" feel, my boobs look huge people, and I can thank pregnancy for that.

I loved the photos in the field, definitely my kind of scene. So relaxing.

Having one handsome husband always make the photos look better!

Ryan just loved taking photos in front of his old Ford truck.. definitely a man's type of photo.

This is what I get everyday, so much love from that man, and this photo reminds me of how much he gives every single day. Got to love him!

Weekend Review: Birthing Class

We had our birthing class Saturday... and while it was a great learning experience, it was a longggg day.

We got there at 8:30 (the hospital is 45 minutes away mind you) and got our giant stack of papers, made our name tags, and prepared to sit for the next 8 hours.

I liked our instructor, she was funny, and really knowledgeable (I would hope) about everything, so that made the class enjoyable. Yes, there were a few things I did know.. I mean, I would hope no one would go into that class NOT knowing how a baby comes out, but I guess that is possible.

What I took most out of it was... YOU, as the momma that is about to push out this baby needs to be happy with the birth of your baby. Everyone goes into their labor with expectations and birth plans. I won't lie, I have mine written down. BUT.. that doesn't mean it will be exactly how you want it to be. Shit comes up. This helped my mind come to the conclusion that, even though I would REALLY like to be able to have this baby, all-natural... it just might not happen. So, with that being said.. I'm much more educated on the next steps if that just isn't going to happen... and I'm OK with that.

We learned a lot on ways to cope with the pains, and contractions and everything else, in hopes that I can try and do this all-natural... and I really, really do hope that they work for us. At least, I want to try... that's my goal, to try. I'm not going to go in there saying "I WANT THE MEDS BEFORE IT HURTS"... no.. I'm much more educated that the meds have risks.. that the meds aren't what GOD put into our bodies to help make this happen.. that my body CAN do this, and that is what I'm going to try. Don't get me wrong, if you had meds for your births, like most women do, that is ALL you, and 100% fine, everyone has their own experience and ways of coping.. and there is nothing wrong with that. I just hope that I can get through this birth without intervention and meds, but who knows, I could come out of this thing with having everything in the book... and that is where I have to be OK with the fact that I didn't have my "exact" birth plan.

Happy Mom, Happy Baby. Healthy Mom, Healthy Baby.... is the goal.

Overall, I did enjoy the class. It makes me feel a bit more ready for this, about as ready as anyone can be that has never given birth that is. I also think Ryan is a bit more prepared, learning ways to help me get through it, and the best ways to be there to support me. I really think that was valuable.

I know nothing will be perfect, but I want this experience to be the best that it can be... I mean, you only give birth a few times in your life, wouldn't you want it to go the best it can?

Leaving from the class Saturday gave me some peace of mind on some items and of course some anxiety. BUT.. everyday I'm bringing those together to try and remind myself that it will be here soon, and be over before I know it. IT does have an end.

I'm just ready to hold my little boy... so however he comes into this world, however we get him here... THAT will make me happy.

Weekend Review: Our new house guests

This weekend seemed to fly by. It was a long, relaxing one. I honestly didn't think I did alot, but I did. I just didn't over do myself, like I tend to do. I got a lot done around the house, so I'm pleased with that.

Friday we had our ultrasound, and baby boy is weighing in at 4 pounds and 11 ounces, 83% tile if I remember correctly. He went down a little in %, which was good the doctor said, but he is still bigger then normal. Overall though, he is perfectly healthy, and "is a great looking baby" as the doctor said. Now that I pretty much feel that the nursery is complete, I AM READY FOR THIS BABY.

Yep, I said it... I am about as ready as I can be. Maybe, just excited to see him and meet him, and well, lets be frank, NOT be pregnant anymore. 32 weeks this week, and it still feels like an eternity, but is only 7 weeks until 40... (gasp)

We didn't many good pictures of little man, he was being super stubborn (just like his dad already) and wouldn't move, he had his face buried and hands cover his face. We did get one picture that you can see his cute little nose and lips.

I just love looking at my baby boy!

Side profile of him (he is looking down the left)

Kayden at 19 weeks compared to 31 1/2 weeks

Saturday my husband came home with some new house guests. He was over at a friends who recently cut down a tree and happen to find a nest of baby... wait... ok... squirrels.

Yes, baby squirrels. We started with 4, but unfortunately, are down to 3, and more then likely will be down to 2. Two of the babies fell out of the nest inside the tree when the tree fell, we believe they suffered some internal injuries, they just aren't as lively as the other two who were still in side the tree. We figured out they are about 5 weeks old. They are JUST opening their eyes, so we have to still hand feed them. They are cute I must say. It's not everyday that you can hold a baby squirrel. I am interested to see how they turn out when they get older. We haven't decided 100% what will be done with them, whether we release them or not... I mean, how cool would it be to have a pet squirrel?! BUT... they are wild animals, so at this point, were just trying to make sure they live and grow. Hopefully, we can get the other one (who we think is hurt) to begin to eat more, but it is a struggle. We can't say that we haven't tried for them.

Aren't they just the cutest?!