the Life of Laci

365 days

2009-06-05T23:05:00.003-05:00

Alex left this morning and started his first day of Active Duty.

He will be home one year from today...

In the meantime, I have decided to put this blog on hold so it doesn't end up being a place for me to vent about this situation.

I have started another blog just for pictures of Zane, so Alex can see him everyday.

I can't guarantee a picture everyday, but that is my goal.

click below for

Daily Zane

And thanks to all who have been praying for us, we appreciate it!

In case of a canoeing emergency...

2009-06-01T15:19:00.004-05:00

...everyone can grab onto Zane's life jacket!

It's so big! It's as small as they come, though :)

He didn't like it at first, but then he fell asleep in it sitting upright.

We had a nice time with Alex's family just relaxing at the lake and taking a short canoe/kayak ride. The weather was great and it was a nice way to spend a Sunday afternoon!

Park Pictures

2009-05-20T15:28:00.006-05:00

Today we went to the park and had a picnic. I really wanted to take some pictures of Alex and Zane together, so that I did. I know Zane didn't really care that he went on the swings or the slide, but it will be nice to have some pictures of it :)

3 months!

2009-05-05T15:43:00.003-05:00

Zane is 3 months old today!

He has really been filling out and looking older lately.

Some new things going on this month:

He is now sleeping in his crib in his own room
He's had a few giggles!
He's discovered his hands. He looks at his fist like it is a piece of meat :)
He's drooling and making bubbles like mad
The sounds he makes are more word-like

We love him to pieces!

Zane got some vitamin D today...

2009-05-03T14:01:00.003-05:00

It's gorgeous outside!

Some family pictures...

2009-04-28T18:39:00.004-05:00

It's been awhile since I've posted, so I thought I'd get on and put up some pictures from this past weekend.

Here's Kaylee with Zane and her new little brother, Jayden.

The boys are exactly 8 weeks apart.

Grandpa Wayne and Grandma Tami with the grandkids

(Kaylee doesn't look too excited in this one, but it's the best one I got)

Close cousins

I guess Jayden doesn't want to be so close :)

Us by Mom and Dad's pretty (but stinky) tree

We love kissing those cheeks..

And Zane loves to fly!

2009-04-16T09:48:00.002-05:00

That time is coming again. It just hit me really hard this morning.

Alex's last day of work is on Monday, which makes me feel as though the time for him to leave is coming soon. I can't believe we have to do this again.

Up until this point I think I have handled this very well (and Alex agrees). But now I feel like a weepy mess again. I am totally overwhelmed with the thoughts of being apart for another year, this time taking care of a baby completely by myself.

I no longer live just a few blocks away from my parents, or a block away from my best friend. It's going to be tough.

Having done this before I know a little more about what to expect, but that doesn't exactly make it any easier. I know God will help us get through this again, but right now it just makes me sad whenever I think about it. I will have to get used to holding back tears again. Sometimes it doesn't work, but I try.

I haven't really noticed anything with Alex, but everytime I see him having fun with Zane it makes me sad about all the time he is going to miss with him.

This post is really a downer, but my blog is titled The life of Laci...and this is my life right now. Just writing this makes the load feel a little lighter.

Goodbye things taking up space..

2009-04-15T13:09:00.007-05:00

I finally made an appointment at the consignment store this week. These clothes have been sitting in my closet for at least a year now :) I didn't realize how much stuff I had just taking up space until I spread it all out. Yikes.

I love how good it feels to get rid of things..now I feel like going through the rest of the house!

Our week

2009-04-13T10:58:00.006-05:00

This week I put Zane in his bumbo seat. I'm not sure he's ready for it, but he sure looked cute and tiny in it..

He's also been drooling a LOT, so I started making him some bibs..(nice shot of the old man hair, too!)

Alex gave him a bath for the first time by himself..

We finally got around to doing his first handprint plaster kit. We decided to go ahead and do his foot, too :)

I made him some baby leg warmers and tried them out today..fast diaper changes!

And finally, I'll leave you with the onesie alien..

Zane is two months!

2009-04-05T09:00:00.007-05:00

Seriously, I know people say that kids grow up so fast, but I didn't know it was THIS fast.

I don't want Zane to grow up too quickly, but I do hope that time goes by this fast when Alex is gone.
Zane is a very alert and wide-eyed little baby. He wants to look at EVERYthing. I've been carrying him around in the wrap facing out and he likes that. He still doesn't sleep much during the day, just little cat naps here and there. That pays off at night, though, because he sleeps at least 5 hours straight. WooHoo!

He's so smiley! We had his pictures taken at Wal-Mart the other day and he did great.
We are really enjoying him :)

Happy Birthday, Alex!

2009-03-29T22:33:00.005-05:00

Today is Alex's 24th Birthday. So old! :)

Wayne, Tami and Evan came up and we went to lunch. They made it safely, but unfortunately the cake had a little incident...

VERY tasty, though.

Happy Birthday, dear!

Last Week

2009-03-25T17:16:00.005-05:00

Last week was a very busy (and messy!) week. Sarah and the kids came down and spent a few days at our house.

The kids got to meet their new cousin...

A rock band was started..

Hunter and Tate played in the mud...
We went to the dam...
Alex and Zane relaxed on the deck...

We made these (minus the whip cream and cherries)

And it looks like Zane was very happy with how the week went!

Today I...

2009-03-14T18:00:00.003-05:00

am thankful for the 5 straight hours of sleep I got last night (actually the past few nights)
enjoyed the sunshine, even though I decided not to go on a walk because it was quite windy
painted my fingernails dark purple and my toenails a bright red
made 2 lasagnas to go in the freezer and eat at a later date
wore a kelly green short-sleeved shirt that made me feel like it was spring
changed multiple poopy diapers, some within 10 minutes of each other (I think he waits for a clean one and then does it again!)
finally made 2 rings with beads I bought last year
ate peanut butter and chocolate chips for a snack YUM.
squeezed into and zipped up a pair of jeans that I couldn't zip up a week or two ago (this was before I ate my snack) :)

And I would still like to...

wash all the dishes I used for making the lasagnas (with gloves.. so I don't ruin my nails!)
fold all the cloth diapers when they are done in the dryer
tidy up for when my sister and the kids come
cut out the fabric to make these for Zane and my soon-to-be nephew
get a backrub from Alex
do a 10 minute ab workout dvd
put the 400+ pictures from my camera onto walmart.com so I can delete them from my card
sleep some more!

I think we have smiles!

2009-03-10T13:51:00.005-05:00

Zane might be at the *starting to smile* stage..

Jessica got a smile on Sunday, and Alex was holding him this morning and we got quite a few.

It's so cute! I just caught the end of one in this picture.

And this is for my dad. I am publicly acknowledging that we don't hate the cyclones just because we moved to Hawk town :)

Happy first month, Zane!

2009-03-05T14:41:00.003-06:00

I can't believe how fast time flies...Zane is one month old already!

When we first brought him home I cried a few times because I knew he wasn't going to stay that small for very long, but now I'm liking seeing him get a little bigger and more aware of things around him.

He's pretty good with lifting his head, even though he HATES tummy time. He would rather try to turn himself over (which surprisingly he can almost do!) than lift his head. Below is a picture of some tummy time that he just decided to fall asleep during :)

Speaking of sleep, he's not really into that, either. Hopefully someday...

Well, that's all for now because it sounds like he's calling for me!

Zane Pics

2009-02-23T19:09:00.003-06:00

I have been asked for Zane pictures, so here are some random ones :)

Smiley

Falling asleep while trying to suck on Grandma Mary's arm

So peaceful

Close up!

Watching tv with Dad

What I do when I get bored while feeding him :)

Practicing for senior pictures

Valentine's Day & the Magic Wrap

2009-02-16T14:16:00.005-06:00

This year's Valentine's Day was my favorite so far. There wasn't a romantic getaway or date night, but instead time spent with good friends, home made sugar cookies (Alex fixed the oven!!) and my two favorite boys.

Alex got me a nice card and wrote something sweet in it besides "Love, Alex"!

Zane also got me a card :)

We heated up one of the lasagnas I made ahead and froze and watched the movie Alex got me for a present: Baby Mama. Hehe!

Nick and Nette holding Zane

Zane has been kind of fussy because he only eats a little bit here and there, so I decided to try out the wrap mom made me to get him calmed down and get a good nap. Within a few minutes of wearing it he was out like a log! I have named it the Magic Wrap :) Alex wanted to try it out, too, so here they are looking cute.

And my lovely mother modeling the wrap!

He's here!

2009-02-11T15:23:00.005-06:00

Well, today is my actual due date, but someone decided to come a little early!

Zane Alexander was born on February 5th at 3:20 pm

Weighing 8lbs. 4oz. and 19 1/2 inches long

I am very happy with how everything went, so here are the birth details!

I started having my first contractions on a Sunday, and on my appointment that Monday I was dilated 2cm and 100% effaced. I continued having regular contractions for the next few days (ouch!) til my appointment on Wednesday.

Alex and I had packed up all our things for the Wednesday appointment, because I was REALLY hoping to stay and have the baby! I was pretty uncomfortable. I asked the midwife to check me again to see if I was progressing and I was at 3cm then. I was quite disappointed to go home since I was in so much pain, but I had to.

Then came Thursday morning. The contractions had gotten worse and were now about 4 minutes apart, so I woke Alex up and we got around and went to the hospital. We got there about 7:30 and I was at 5cm, so I got to stay (YAY!). I had told Alex on the way there that I would REFUSE to go home even if it wasn't time yet :)

I chose to get the epidural, even though I was already at 7cm by the time I got it, and probably could have gone without. I knew it would take a little but longer, but I wanted a bit of relief and rest at that point.

When we got to the hospital I had been told that none of my midwives would be there (due to some scheduling thing) and that a regular doctor would deliver the baby. I was pretty disappointed because I really liked the midwives, too. BUT, a few hours into things one of the midwifes shows up and says that she had changed her schedule for the day so she could deliver the baby! I was very happy about that, she is super nice.

Anyway, everything was going very smoothly and I only pushed for a half hour. It was nothing like I thought it would be (which is a good thing!) and apparently the first thing I said after they handed the baby to me was "I could do that again". All the nurses said that wasn't really something they hear at that point :)

Now on to pictures!

Alex has been enjoying his "paternity leave" by holding the baby a lot and playing video games. Sometimes both at the same time :)

Alex and Zane in his hospital hat

Zane's coming home outfit was pretty special because it was also Alex's coming home outfit! It was a little big...

All swaddled up

The family picture
And my "40 Week" picture!

More pictures to come!

Cutie patootie diapers

2009-02-02T17:03:00.003-06:00

Here are the pictures of the cloth diapers that mom and I have been working on. Ok, so she really did most of the sewing, but I was there to give her directions and cut out the pieces!

I hope they are as absorbent as they are cute!

I don't think it will be too much longer...I am dialated 2cm and have been having contractions since yesterday morning. Ouch! :)

I totally got showered!

2009-01-28T09:50:00.004-06:00

Last weekend I had not just one, but TWO Baby showers! It was a weekend of fun, games, yummy food, and presents. I am very grateful for everything we received...this is definitely one blessed little baby!

Other than gifts spread out all over the living room floor, I am feeling more settled, excited and ready. Only 2 (HOPEfully not much more than that) weeks to go! Today I'm working on cooking and freezing ahead some meat and main dishes to make the first few weeks maybe go a bit easier.

Maybe I'll post a belly shot tomorrow...I sure feel like I'm bigger!

37 Weeks

2009-01-21T13:13:00.003-06:00

Today I start my 37th week, and according to my weekly Baby Gaga newsletter, that means I am full term. I have an appointment (and group b strep test-woohoo) tomorrow so maybe they can tell if I'm close or not.

The bird mobile is finally finished! I made the birds months ago, and went out and got the sticks before the snow came. That was awhile ago :) I sewed the birds to the sticks and then had Alex put it together, since I knew it would be a balancing act that I couldn't do. I love the way it turned out! I got the idea and pattern from here.

I got my eyes checked yesterday, the first time in about 2 1/2 years. I'm pretty sure they changed alot. I haven't gotten new glasses since I was in 10th grade, so I'm ready for some new frames. I ordered 3 (yes three) pairs from Zenni Optical, a place that LacY told me about. They have super cheap frames and I'm excited to wear them! Oh, and to see better, too.

36 Weeks

2009-01-16T09:37:00.005-06:00

I really don't have anything new for this week, just the usual weekly picture :) I'm having a harder time getting around..my hip is killing me. I went to the Chiropractor a few days ago, but I think this hip thing isn't going to go away until after the baby is born. Eek! He suggested using my heating pad on it at night and I think it helped a bit last night.

I would like to put up some pictures of the stuff I've been making lately, but most of them are just unfinished projects! Maybe later. I hope to sew up some diapers this weekend, too.

35 Weeks

2009-01-08T09:46:00.004-06:00

This has been a pretty busy and successful week so far. On Monday we got the email that the crib Alex's parents got for us was ready to be picked up (thanks Wayne and Tami!!). I have finally gotten Alex to clean up his "Army closet" and the stuff he was keeping in the baby's room, too. All that cleaning was done on Monday, too, so the living room is FULL (I mean FUULL) of stuff to throw away and a bunch of cardboard boxes. I've felt a little booby trapped these past few days, but the trash doesn't come til Friday so we haven't put it out yet :) I am so thankful for all the cleaning progress we have made and I love the new crib!

I had my appointment on Tuesday and everything is going well. I scheduled the last of my appointments, too (only 3 left...WOW). After that I went to a couple consignment stores and scored a bunch of 50% and 80% off baby clothes! I was feeling a little worried that I didn't have any clothes to fit the baby right away, but I feel much better now (and excited that I got some great deals!).

I have been making a lot of lists lately of things I really want to get done soon...so I guess I better get to it!

Get yeast to work....CHECK!

2009-01-03T12:59:00.000-06:00

That's right. Ever since I wrote about cinnamon rolls on Thursday I've been drooling for them. I figured I'd start in the morning since who knows how long it would take me to get it right. I did the yeast and water mixture 3 times and ended up using the third one. I've learned that those little individual packages of yeast are not the thing for me...I need a huge bag for practicing!

I'm so happy they turned out, otherwise I probably would have cried!

...2009...

2009-01-01T10:44:00.006-06:00

Happy New Year!

I've never really been into making resolutions, but there are some things I would like to do or accomplish in 2009. They are as follows:

Learn to play guitar

Learn to knit

(these first 2 were also things I wanted to do last year but didn't quite get to them)

Not be a weeny when it comes time to give birth

Make the most of the time Alex, the baby and I have together

Find some tasty meals to add to my menu, and maybe even sneak in some extra veggies for Alex

Train the cat to not jump on the counters or eat my plants

Have a flower garden

(which I did last year until the lawn guys weed whacked it off. This year I will put out a sign!)

Pay off the house! I'm not sure if it will happen this year, but that sure is Alex's goal for when he goes over seas.

Not be so electronically challenged

Find a way to make an income while still being home with the baby

Take more pictures

Get the yeast to work so I can have pizza dough and cinnamon rolls that actually RAISE

and last but not least...

LOSE 25 POUNDS! Hehe.

Holiday Time

2008-12-30T16:55:00.006-06:00

I didn't take very many pictures at our Christmas', but here are the few I did get.

Wayne & Kaylee handing out presents

Tami and Jes

The wrapping paper fight going on between Evan, Wayne and Kevin

Double belly shot! Me at 33 weeks, Jes at 26...

...and we can't leave out Grandpa Ferree!

Sweet Treats!

2008-12-24T13:21:00.004-06:00

That's really what my past couple days have been about. This morning I finished all the candy for the tins we give out, and I'm still working on these ADORABLE crochet cupcakes for my brother-in-law's girlfriend. She collects cupcake stuff I guess, and when I found that out I thought I should make her some. I know they're not edible, but they're so cute I want to eat them!

We are leaving for Osky as soon as Alex gets home from work. I'm not quite sure why they are open today, though. Who really goes to donate plasma on Christmas Eve? Hehe.

Merry Christmas Eve!

32 Weeks

2008-12-19T13:03:00.005-06:00

So much to do, so little time. I have a list of stuff I want to get done, but some Christmas presents I'm making are getting in the way :) On Wednesday Alex's mom, Grandma and sister came up and we did our Christmas shopping. It was fun, and I'm pretty excited about watching the Lost season 4 that Alex will be getting! As far as the shopping goes, I'm completely done buying presents, so that's nice.

In weather news, we got a ton of ice last night. Alex had to go out the sliding back door this morning because the front door was stuck shut, and he spent a while chunking the ice off the car. Poor guy. Here is the view from our front window...well, it's almost a view:

I guess I'll just be staying in today and work on that pan of brownies we made last night. YUM.

31 Weeks

2008-12-13T08:56:00.004-06:00

Welp, I'm not sure what to write, so here's a recap of the past weeks events.

Friday- The parade was FREEZING..and a little dull. There weren't many entries this year for some reason.

Saturday- Candy making was fun, although I overdosed on too much sugar :)

Sunday- I almost finished my quilt!

Monday- I finished my quilt! Whoops I forgot to take a picture.

Tuesday- The shopping trip was postponed due to the sucky weather, so I just hung out at my parents' house feeling a bit "stranded".

Wednesday- I made it home safely and started working on getting my Christmas presents ready. I didn't realize it was so close already!

Thursday- I don't really remember..

Friday- Alex came home! Here are some pictures mom took of us by the tree. It is hard to take pictures with Alex. Out of about 20 you may get a FEW good ones :)

Cross eyes. Why? I don't know.

Helping me out with my double chin. Thanks.

And lastly..me scolding Alex not to get his cookie dough chocolate on my (sister's) sweater.

Well, I'm off to see if I can drag Alex out of bed and maybe hit some Doorbusters at the mall. I've never been in town the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas so I never get to hit the sales! Hopefully that will change today..

30 Weeks

2008-12-05T10:05:00.006-06:00

So this week at my appointment I was shocked to find out that I had only gained 1 pound since last time...and that was on Monday right after all of our holiday feasting! I'm making Christmas candy with Alex's mom, Grandma and sister tomorrow, though, so I will probably add a few more then :) The heartbeat was 153 (I think that's what it was last time, too) and is supposedly head down now. I finally met the last midwife (there are 3 and I rotate between them) and she is really nice, too. I will be happy with any of them when the time comes.

Later I'm heading down for the lighted Christmas parade..BRR! I made this scarf last night, so maybe that will help me stay warm. I'm also staying for the weekend and then a few more days until the annual Christmas shopping trip with the in-law ladies. I plan to do the binding on the quilt while I'm there, too, and then it will be finished! Alex has a week of training starting tomorrow, so my busy week should make our time apart go fast.

Yay for Christmas fun and all things dipped in Almond bark!

Christmas on Thanksgiving

2008-12-01T16:07:00.004-06:00

This year we decided to do Christmas along with Thanksgiving at my parents' house since Alex was supposed to leave right after Christmas and it would just make things a little less hectic. Even though the plans have changed, it was still really nice and it got me in the mood for Christmas time. We got back last night and I put up the tree!

Mom and Dad liked the calender we made them...

Callie liked her blanket..

The boys (including Alex) liked their ton of blocks..

And the rest of the pictures I just think are cute :)

I love time with all the family!

For Miss Callie

2008-11-21T08:49:00.005-06:00

Earlier this week I asked my sister if there was anything Callie needed for Christmas (since we are doing our family Christmas on Thanksgiving) and she suggested a tag blanket. I had never made one, but they are so cute so I gave it a try. I got the directions for it here. I whipped it up last night, along with a (skinny) elephant with a tag that can attach to the blanket with a plastic ring. I love it!

Oh Sarah, please don't show Callie. I want her to be surprised :)

28 Weeks

2008-11-20T18:17:00.005-06:00

Hello Third Trimester!

This is what happens when I ask my dear photographer to make sure to not get my double chin in the picture (I know, an impossible task).

This past Monday I had my glucose tolerance test, which ended up going quite well. I was nervous about that drink, but it wasn't bad at all. Alex just sat there making fun of me for taking tiny swallows. Then (eventually) came time to take my blood. Last time it took 45 minutes which included FOUR needle pokes (2 successful), me getting dizzy, the lady telling me to lay down for 15 minutes and drink some juice. But THIS time it was great! She got it first try (cause I told her which one actually worked last time) and I was out of there in just a few minutes. She probably hasn't ever seen someone so happy to get poked, but it was the easiest blood draw I have ever gotten so I was pretty happy. I start having check-ups every 2 weeks now.

A Blessing

2008-11-19T09:48:00.002-06:00

Yesterday morning we got a call letting us know that Alex's deployment has been changed to June instead of this January!

I am so thankful and relieved that he will get to be here for the birth and even a couple months afterward. That means the world to me!

Just wanted to share my joy from God's blessings...

Free Cat

2008-11-15T09:26:00.003-06:00

Any takers??

This is what I woke up to this morning. This was not a new spot for the plant, it's always been there it's just that it's on a new stand now. I guess Scar just got bored and hungry last night. I am NOT happy about it, that's my favorite plant and now it's half missing.

Seriously, if you want him...he's yours.

27 Weeks

2008-11-12T13:40:00.003-06:00

Not much new this week, I just have the qlucose screening test coming up on Monday that I'm not looking forward to. I think Alex will be able to come with me, so maybe that will help when they go to take my blood.

Here is a picture of the baby's room now. It's kind of dark in there since it's gloomy today, but the color is a VERY light khaki or maybe more like Oatmeal, but it's NOT white :) It's probably the most boring neutral color I've ever painted, but all the green chips I picked out were just like the living room and hallway so I didn't want the whole house to be the same color. Plus, with all the colorful fabric I'm putting in there it should be ok. The quilt is still in progress...

This is the dresser and the stand (above) that I also painted last week. No worries, I did wear a mask the whole time. So fashionable.

The room is painted!

2008-11-10T15:32:00.002-06:00

It was not a pleasant experience, though :)

Alex was whiny cause he hates painting, and thought his methods were better than mine. I was unhappy because the first coat of paint took about 3 HOURS because of all this method arguing, AND I had to go out and get more paint. I kind of expected to have to get more, but I wanted to make sure we needed it first before spending more money on it. But it was 5 o'clock Saturday night...I was tired, hungry, getting sore already, and I was not in the mood to go out and get more paint. I did anyway since I knew if we put it off til Sunday that I would be even more sore and not able to paint.

So I get to the paint counter at Menards, hand the guy my chip, and he starts making it. It gets mixed and jiggled around, and then he spends a while with his back towards me trying to wipe up a mess and get the lid back on. Oh great. Then he gives it to me (with some paint already dripping out of it) and says, "just be careful where you put this in your car because some of it leaked out."

How exciting. I start my walk to the front counter and paint starts to drip more and more out of the can (it was the kind with the screw off lid). I'm thinking "I could be getting this all over myself" as it continues to ooze out. I finally get to the check out and ask the boy for some paper towels. He kind of looks at me like 'what happened' and gets a manager to come help clean the mess up. The boy asks if I want another one, which I don't because the paint is fine, I just wanted a normal can of paint that isn't leaking all over the place.

And then I start crying right there at the check out.

I blame it on the hormones, tiredness and the fact that I knew that I still had to go home and spend a couple hours painting. The manager keeps apologizing to me and even gets on a phone to find out who mixed my paint. I told them I was sorry for crying and that I was pregnant, I guess hoping they'd understand that I'm not just a woman who goes around crying about spilled paint :) I paid, they wrapped it up in like 4 bags and gave me a wad of paper towels and I got out of there.

All is well now...the room is painted and looks good, Alex and I are still married, and I can laugh about the fact that I bawled in Menards :)

26 weeks

2008-11-06T08:59:00.005-06:00

Well, the baby is certainly active alright. This week I have felt like he's going to kick (or punch or whatever) out of my right side. Maybe he'll be a soccer player or a super fast swimmer.

Here is a cute picture of Alex and Scar from the other night. I guess Alex thought it would be fun to stick him in his shirt, and Scar actually liked it!

Now I'm off to put the 3rd coat of paint on a stand for the baby's room. I really hope to get the room painted this weekend, but we'll see...

Yet another sucessful weekend

2008-11-03T16:11:00.004-06:00

Oh, it was so nice. The weather was, too!
Mom just happens to have 2 sewing machines at her house, so she worked on a winter coat for me while I sewed my blocks together. I love the coat. I always wanted a green one, and now I have one that will fit my growing belly with a cute little drawstring at the bust. It should keep me warm, too, because I started to sweat a little when she was pinning the hem :)

The quilt now has batting and a backing and is ready for hand stitching. Yay!

Grandma was also there supervising (and whistling as usual)

To top off the weekend Alex and I got a six pack and a pound from Taco Johns! Mmm, melty cheese and oles.

25 weeks

2008-10-31T08:44:00.005-05:00

I can't believe I'm 25 weeks now. I'm getting nervous :) This week I signed us up for an all day childbirth class that is later this month. It's the only class that worked out with Alex's hectic guard schedule, so I'm glad I got that done.

Yesterday we went out for a little walk on a trail so I could get some fall pictures of us. Thank you self-timer!

Today we are off to vote and get some paperwork done, then Alex will drop me off at my parents' house for the weekend on the way to guard. My quilt blocks are done, I just have to sew them together and then I start the hand quilting.

The weekend

2008-10-28T08:51:00.002-05:00

It feels like we got so much accomplished this weekend. We might not have, but the things we did were just so nice to have done.

First of all, the washer quit spinning last Wednesday. I put a load in and it made some noise, but everything was still in the same spot as when I put it in. No spin cycle. Alex came home on Thursday (YAY!) and took a look at it, fixed the belt, and then it popped off again. Luckily we have a spare washer and dryer at his parents' farm that we bought before we got married. His dad and brother came on Saturday to switch them out, but they ended up fixing the one we already had :) I still don't know what was wrong with it, but I have clean clothes now!

Alex also had his dad help him put some gutters on the back of the house (it's a mandatory thing here that had to be done by sometime in November). While we were getting supplies at Menard's I also picked up the paint for the baby's room! I can't wait to get that done, too. Anyway, it's a good thing that Wayne and Evan could come on Saturday rather than Sunday since it was SO windy on Sunday. I can't even imagine them trying to put gutters on in that wind...what a disaster.

It was so nice of them to come up and I'm very thankful to have a handy husband and family!

I also had my appointment on Monday. It was pretty short, they just checked the heartbeat (163) and stuff. I have now gained 10 pounds :) I'm not sure if it's a good or bad thing that I'll be pregnant around Thanksgiving and Christmas!

24 Weeks

2008-10-25T20:41:00.005-05:00

I was going to skip my 24 week picture (since I hadn't taken one), but Sarah wants one so here it is...24 1/2 weeks actually :)

I have also made a lot of progress on the quilt, the blocks are almost done!

I would write more about the weekend, but I'm sitting on Alex's lap typing this as he watches a show because we couldn't agree on who gets the computer. It's a good thing our screen is huge, but I'm getting uncomfortable... so I'll write more on Monday while he's at work. Hehe.

A walk with my love

2008-10-20T16:18:00.006-05:00

My visit with Alex was great! Even though he only had one week left, it was still nice to break up the 3 weeks with a visit. I picked up some Fazoli's on the way there so we could eat together, then we had a nice walk on a trail they have on base. Along the path there were work-out stations I guess you could call them, and so we tried some pull-ups. I was VERY unsuccessful!

Can he do it?

Oh yes he can...but only one!

After that I went back to my parents' house for the weekend and got all my fabric cut for the quilt!

23 weeks

2008-10-16T10:43:00.004-05:00

I don't know what it is about being pregnant, but it has really gotten my creative juices flowing. On Monday I went shopping for fabric for the baby quilt, and on Tuesday I started making the awesome*bird*mobile from this pattern I found online. Now I'm just waiting til I go to my parents' house this weekend so I can cut up all the fabric for the quilt. I'm not very good at the rotary cutter, so I need my mom's supervision.

Alex has now completed 2 weeks of training and only has 1 week left! I'm excited for him to come home and even more excited that I'm going to visit him today! I'm making 2 batches of chocolate chip cookies at the moment to bring him :) Now thats love...

Tagged!

2008-10-15T15:57:00.002-05:00

I've been tagged by Ashley to tell 7 random/weird things about myself. Some of these things you may already know, but they are still kinda weird...

1. I'll start with my ability to shape my tongue into a clover :) I'm proud of that weird talent.

2. I am clumsy. Maybe not so much these days, but I used to run into doorways a LOT. You'd think since I could see it coming that I would know where to walk, but it just didn't work that way for me.

3. Road rage is a bit of an issue with me. You may think I am mostly calm and nice, but walk in front of me in the crosswalk when I have a GREEN light and guess who's not so nice and calm! Alex can vouch for this. Many times, actually pretty much every time I would pick him up from school there would be 10-20 students walking across the street when they shouldn't be. Argh! It really gets to me and I usually inch really close to them until they realize they shouldn't be walking then, and they get out of my way. I should work on this.

4. I don't care which side of the bed I sleep on. Most people prefer a side, but it doesn't matter to me or Alex. Except for now that I'm pregnant I have to have the side closest to the bathroom. It's so nice to just sit up and walk 5 steps and be in the bathroom instead of tripping on things on the way there.

5. This one is a little embarassing, but my sister will get a kick out of it. I have hairy fingers. Gross, I know. Brent and Sarah like to joke about it with me a lot. Sarah even once made me a cd of favorites and wrote on it " Laci's Hairy Compilation".

6. I can write my name forwards and backwards at the same time. This is nothing new, but it is fun that it's only something left-handed people can do.

7. There is a tiny brown speck in my right eye. I'm not sure why it's there, but it is. Perhaps it's from one of my 3 eye injuries (that all resulted in eye patches!) or maybe that eye just wants to turn brown someday. Who knows.

Welp, there's my 7 things. I now tag Nette and Jes.

22 weeks

2008-10-10T15:57:00.000-05:00

Wednesday I started my 22nd week. I didn't get a picture of me at 21 weeks, so maybe there will be some noticeable changes from my 20th to 22nd week pictures. I have finally started to enjoy eating and have quite a bit more appetite, thank goodness. Sarah's delicious chocolate peanut butter muffin things and chicken alfredo have certainly helped me gain a few pounds. Yum.

Busy, busy

2008-10-07T15:22:00.005-05:00

This has been a very busy but fun week. I've been at my sister's house since Friday, and I always enjoy being here. It's cold in Minnesota, though!

Alex left last Wednesday for 3 weeks of guard training, so it worked out that my wonderful parents could bring me here last weekend and pick me up this weekend. It's always nice to get away when Alex is gone :)

Sarah and I have been working on a new craft project that is so CUTE. Bottlecap magnets. I got some of the directions on how to make them here. The gluing and resin parts were quite toxic smelling, so we wore masks for protection. They turned out pretty neat!

It's a....

2008-09-29T20:22:00.003-05:00

Boy!

Lord help me, a miniature Alex :)

The ultra sound went well, except for my uncomfortably full bladder. Surprise, surprise! But they were nice enough to stop after a little bit and let me go. We got a cute picture of the baby giving a thumbs up, but I don't have a clue how to scan pictures. Everything looks good and it confirmed that my due date is right on (Feb.11).

That's all for now, I can't wait to get the room ready!

In Loving Memory

2008-09-25T14:34:00.002-05:00

this is not the actual store where I worked, but you get the idea

I have really missed working at the cookie store these past 3 months. I have a cookie deficiency. Making cookies at home doesn't really appeal to me, and here's why:

You can see that the knob is an inch BEFORE the 200 degree mark and yet inside my oven it has reached a good 375 degrees and is rising. AHH! But, today I decided to go ahead and make some anyway. I can't make a sugar cookie as good as the store did, so I chose oatmeal raisin. Yum!

Oh Cookie Store, how I miss you!

Dad if you are reading this...I'm bringing you some tomorrow!

20 Weeks!

2008-09-24T16:17:00.003-05:00

I can't believe I'm half-way done already!

I have been feeling lots of movement for the past couple weeks, and Alex has even gotten to feel it a little, which I was pretty excited about. We have the first ultra sound on Monday, so we're hoping to also find out what it is.

I can't wait!

Whiperschnitzel

2008-09-20T17:20:00.003-05:00

I forgot to note that I am not crazy about the name of this, but I was stumped. I asked Alex what I should call it and he said, "Whiperschnitzel." Needless to say I did not take that suggestion and this is the best I could come up with. I think I just used too much brain power getting this started. Oh well.

Why are my fonts different sizes?

The first one...

2008-09-20T15:08:00.005-05:00

So I have decided to start this to keep our friends and family up to date on the pregnancy, army stuff and whatever else (maybe also my crafty things). I enjoy reading my friends blogs, so why shouldn't I have one, too?

The main thing I wanted to get out there first is the decision we had to make a couple weeks ago. Alex's six year active term with the national guard is ending on the 26th, and then he starts 2 years of inactive duty. He was presented with 2 choices, which I will try to explain as simply as I can:

1. ING - neither one of us knows what this stands for, but it means that he would stay in the unit he is in now, and only deploy when they do (in January).

2. IRR - (individual ready reserve..I think) means ANY unit could take him anywhere at anytime. Medics are one of the most needed specialties right now so the chances of being deployed are pretty great.

While neither one sounds great, we decided on the ING. He knows and likes the people in the unit, and also where they are going. We've done this before and kind of know what to expect, but since he leaves in January and I'm not due til February, he will miss almost the whole first year with the baby.

I know this post is kind of a drag (they won't all be like this!) but it is the easiest way to let everyone know. We've been handling it very well I think, but you can still pray for us!