Happy Halloween!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Halloween! Here is PJ in his first costume!!! (32 weeks and 3 days)

Time for an update!

I have no idea where the time has been going lately and it still hasn't really sank in that in just about 10 weeks PJ will be here!!!

School has been hectic, (what else is new?) but last week I got a little break. I attended the annual FCTM (Florida Council for Teachers of Mathematics) conference. Last year I went with one of my closest friends at school, and this year we were able to go together again. To be honest, that kind of break from the classroom is just what I needed! We attended different math workshops and learned some new ways of teaching our students math. It was definitely interesting and relaxing at the same time. The beds at the Marriott where we stayed were SO comfortable! (and we actually stayed in bed past 5:30 which is our usual wake up time!) By the time the trip was over I was definitely ready to get home. I missed James terribly. I mean, don't get me wrong, I always miss him when he is not with me, but it was just so different this time being away from him and being pregnant. I would talk to him before I went to bed each night, and on the first night after expressing how much we missed eachother, he told me something so sweet and so TRUE... He said, "Just remember, you are never alone. Part of me is with you right now, too" (meaning PJ of course) It is amazing to think that he and I made this perfect little boy TOGETHER! OK, back on track... so Lashay and I went to the mall and ate at PF Changs while we were there. We felt totally pampered and relaxed when we left! We got back around 11 AM on Saturday morning and I basically did nothing the rest of the weekend... I was having some slight cramping so I just tried to rest.

Fast forward to today... I went into work, still feeling crampy with lots of pressure. James had actually taken the day off to study for part 3 of his CPA test which he takes tomorrow. He kept telling me to call in so that we could go to the Dr. to be sure everything was ok, but I HATE calling in. I would rather show up, get things together, and have them get someone to cover my class. So I told the secretary that I needed someone to cover my class... I began to teach reading and the pressure felt like it was getting worse, so I got the kids started on an independent assignment. My principal came in to check on me, and said someone would be in there shortly. Luckily my FSU student was there today and was able to teach the kids. At 9:00 someone came in to take over for the day and I headed home. James called the Dr. while I was on my way and by the time I got home, he was dressed and ready to take me to triage. Luckily my dr. was the one on call so I was going to get to see her while I was there. We got all checked in and they hooked me up to the heartbeat monitor and the contraction monitor. Of course PJ was just kicking away and even got the hiccups! The nurse noticed on the contraction monitor that I was having slight cramping/contractions so Dr. McKinnie came in and checked my cervix... COMPLETELY CLOSED... I am 30% effaced which she said is normal for 30 weeks... and she did a swab test to see if I would go into labor in the next 10-14 days which came back negative!!! The nurse came in and gave me a shot to stop my uterus from contracting and within in a few minutes, the cramping was gone but I felt like I just drank 20 venti espressos from Starbucks. Definitely not a fun feeling! Shortly after that they let me go home and said everything was fine and told me some things to monitor. I was NOT in preterm labor which is what we wanted to hear! They say that your uterus contracts all throughout pregnancy and some women are more prone to feel those contractions. (Guess I'm one of the lucky few!) So now I am just resting for the remainder of today and tomorrow will be back to the grind of work!

Less than 2 weeks until I go down south for my baby shower with the family, and I can't wait, especially since I know PJ is going to be in there until it is time for him to come! :o)

James + Stephanie= PJ

We had our 4D ultrasound on Friday. Everything looks great! I can't say that I will ever get a 4D again, but it was a cool experience. Actually watching it on the screen is better than the pictures you get to take home. We saw his every little movement... opening and closing his mouth, sticking his tongue out... The part that made it the most worthwhile was that the tech. did a full look over of all his parts, and said that he is very healthy!!! He is getting so BIG... He was 2 1/2 pounds! So now today officially starts the 3rd trimester. I am getting so anxious for him to get here. After seeing him on that monitor on Friday, I just can't wait to hold him! :)

Wonderful Weekend!

This weekend was a BLAST! My brother Ryan, sister-in-law Stephanie, niece Layci and nephew Brady came to town. (Hunter and Savannah stayed at home, so I was sad I didn't get to see them.) It was my brother's first time seeing mine and James' house! They brought up PJ's furniture and James and Ry got it all in the room just where I wanted it and then put his crib together! Nanny got us our bassinet so James got that all ready, too! It was so nice to be able to just spend some time with them! We stayed up late on Friday watching KNOCKED UP (hilarious movie... it's one of those you can watch over and over again) and then Saturday night we stayed up until 1:30 AM just chatting away. No TV, no other distractions... just some great conversation between the 4 of us. It really made James and I realize even more how important it is for our family to be close. Only a few more years in Tally and we are definitely moving south.

Stephanie helped me decorate for Halloween and James and I finished up the last few things this afternoon. I took about a 3 hour nap after they left this morning, and then we went to Walmart and did a few things in little man's room...

So here is the outcome of the weekend of work on PJ's room. We still have alot to do, but it is all coming together so nicely!

(Along with the palm tree in the corner, I am in the process of finding a personalized chair for him and making it like his own deserted island... I have a vision in my head so I hope it turns out they way I am picturing it!!!!)

26 weeks today!

The baby's room is ready for furniture!

James cleaned the carpet today and it cam out WAY better than I thought it would. My project today was to paint his name to hang up on the wall (which we won't actually hang until we get the furniture in the room).

So with Jess' podcast playing in the background (Halfway There) I got to work.... :o)

Here are the letters before....

And after.... With the parts of the bedding we have already...

I'm still alive!!!!

Wow! I really need to find the time to get on here more! Life has been so busy and I feel like I hardly ever have time for me! School has been very hectic.... There have been weddings..... my dad came up for a visit..... brother got home from Iraq for just two weeks (but we haven't seen him... he is in Mexico with his wife. At least we know he is safe for the time being).....third trimester has set in (and all I want to do when I get home is SLEEP!) I worked so hard this week at school so that I could leave at 3:10 today... (ON TIME) A parent came in for a conference, a fellow teacher needed help, and once again 3:10 turned into 5:10. James still has half days on Fridays, so my thought all week was... I will get home early on Friday and spend some quality time with my hubby. So I got home, exhausted, and laid on the couch thinking I would just sleep for about 45 minutes.. HAHAHA... 2 1/2 hours later I am finally awake! So hubby and I are about to get something to eat and watch a movie before I go back to sleep!

In other news, PJ is kicking all the time now. I have a video of my belly and will try to figure out how to post it on here! You can see it moving all around. It really is the coolest feeling ever!

ALSO.... HIS ROOM IS PAINTED.... James worked SO hard on this because next weekend my brother and sister in law are coming up to bring the furniture.

This is his bedding set! (The photo is from Babies R Us, it is not actually his room!)

Reality has really set in that he will be here in 3 months! James is renting a carpet cleaner tomorrow and spending the day making sure that it is all clean (since it used to be where the dog crates were). Our house is beginning to turn into baby land. There is a stroller in the living room, and baby clothes everywhere! I LOVE IT!

So, that is all I have to report for now. I promise I will get on here at LEAST weekly. I know there are some people out there reading this, and I need to post it for myself so I can have the memories! :o)

Becoming a Mother...

It is amazing how quickly your life changes when you find out you are pregnant... Even more incredible when you see the baby's heartbeat, hear it, and then feel him move and realize that you are able to create and sustain another person's life inside of your very own body. This journey of becoming a mother is the best thing that has ever happened to me (Besides meeting and marrying my best friend). I feel like I can finally relax and realize that everything is going to be okay! One thing I know for sure is that PJ already has so many wonderful people who love him, and can't wait to meet him!

It's a...

BOY!!! The arrow is pointing to the proof!!! James and I couldn't be happier! He is perfectly healthy and that was the most important thing the doctor told us! Here are some other pictures of Patrick James (P.J.)...

PJ's Profile

PJ's Face...

Here is his little foot!

The top of his head and hand.

So I am sad that the weekend is over and that I have to go back to work. My family left today and it was so good to see them, and have them share in this joy with us. Of course they had to go out shopping and buy tons of blue stuff to fill up the closet! :-)

Anyway, James and I feel so blessed to have made this little miracle together and we are looking forward to a lifetime of love and kisses when PJ arrives!

18 weeks and my belly POPPED!

Here is my 18 week photo (taken on July 22nd). My belly has definitely popped, and you can tell I am pregnant! I can't believe I am almost half way there. Friday is the BIG ultrasound and I can't wait to find out if it's a BOY or a GIRL! :-) Hopefully this week will fly by!

Pregnancy is a weight loss plan!

So, I have been doing lots of traveling, thus the lack of blogging! So, i am sure you are wondering about the title of my blog... Well, I have lost 15 pounds since I found out I was pregnant... The thing is, I EAT! I make sure I eat 3 meals a day, but I only want to eat healthy things, like salad and fruits. On a rare occasion I will crave something sweet, but it is VERY rare! The dr. said it's perfectly fine since I am a big girl to begin with... LOL! Other than that, everything is going great! James gives me a daily countdown on when we find out what the baby is... so we have 15 days! :-) He is all pumped to get the nursery ready. Everything is already pretty much moved out of there and cleared out.

I have tons of pictures from all of my trips, but have not put them on the computer yet, so I will get to that ASAP and share what I have been up to since going MIA! :-)

UPDATE!

Ok, so I know I haven't updated this blog in OVER a month... There is a good reason for this.... My laptop BROKE! I know I have had access to other people's computers, but there is a good reason that I just haven't had the time to do so. Here is a rundown of life since I last posted....

School finally ended.. THANK GOODNESS! I was so happy to leave my classroom behind for the summer and have a chance to REST before the baby comes! Unfortunately that hasn't happened yet!

My mom came up on June 2nd, and we celebrated James' birthday on the 3rd. We cooked his favorite meal- stuffed shells, and enjoyed a turtle cheesecake for dessert. At this point I was still in the first trimester and SUPER SICK, so I don't think I enjoyed it as much as he did!!!!

On June 4th, we had another Dr. appointment (the reason that my mom came up) and got another ultrasound:

So there is Baby Hartman at 11 weeks and 1 day. If you look at where I circled the baby, on the left you can see both feet in the air. On the right, is the baby's face looking forward with a hand on either side. The technician showed us 2 arms and 2 legs, we saw the heart beating away, and this time James got to hear the heartbeat, too. The baby was just moving all around, and I seriously think it was the coolest thing I have ever seen. My next appointment is on July 2nd, but I won't get another ultrasound until July 27th when WE FIND OUT WHAT THE BABY IS! :-)

So after the excitement of the Dr. appointment, I went down south with my mom, where thought I would sleep in, take lots of naps, and just relax... HAHAHA! I helped my sister in law with the kids, and actually ended up going to bed late, waking up early, and taking not ONE single nap the whole time I was there. I got to experience what life might be like with 4 kids (including a toddler, and a newborn) and now I completely understand when my sister says, "I'll call you back." and then I never hear from her for at least a few days. I loved every minute of being down there, though! It is always great for me to spend some time with my family, although I missed James like crazy!

Then my mom and I headed back to Tallahassee on the 17th of June, woke up on the morning of the 18th and attended a writing workshop together (which was also my birthday) and then celebrated my big 26th at the Melting Pot that night! :-) It was a lot of fun! My mom left the next day, and I went to a math workshop the rest of the week!

So now, it is the first time I have had to sit and gather my thoughts (with my new laptop that my dad got me for my birthday). I am officially out of the first trimester, although my appetite has not returned yet. As of yesterday, I have lost 13 pounds since finding out I was pregnant, but my belly has definitely started to pop! :-)

It is finally the weekend, and James and I plan to work in the garden he made for us, and I definitely plan to rest, because next week is full of workshops again!!! :-)

Being Pregnant!

I am here to say that all that crap you hear about being pregnant and having these cravings, and eating all the time is just that... CRAP!!! I have no appetite, and when I do, the only thing I want to eat is Cinnamon Raisin toast with cream cheese. Things I used to LOVE make me sick. Just the mere thought of pizza is enough to send me running to the bathroom holding my hand over my mouth. (although I have not actually thrown up at all). And another thing, morning sickness should not be called that... how about ALL DAY sickness, or POPS UP ON YOU AT ANY TIME OF DAY sickness. Those would be better descriptions of what it is actually like during pregnancy.

With that said, I wouldn't change it for the world. Annoying? Yes... Can I deal with it? Absolutely!

James went canoeing with some buddies this weekend... He left this morning and I miss him already. He kept asking if it was alright, and said he wouldn't go if I didn't want him too.... but we both know that after the baby comes, there won't be many trips like that. I think I would be okay with it if I could call him if I wanted, but he leaves his phone in the truck because last time one of the guys rolled their canoe over and everything went into the water... including their cell phone.

So now I am just trying to find something to do to occupy me.... I have grad school stuff to do, and I should get started on that. I have tons of pictures I want to upload to Flickr, and lots of things on my creative to do list...

April ATC- A World in Bloom

April ATC- A World in Bloom
Originally uploaded by fsucutie03.

I just found out I was pregnant in April, so this was my interpretation of "A World in Bloom"

MY BIG NEWS!!!!

MY BIG NEWS!!!!
Originally uploaded by fsucutie03.

This is Baby Hartman at 7 weeks!!!! We kept it pretty quiet until we saw the heartbeat at the ultrasound. It was the most wonderful thing I have ever seen. Things have been going pretty well! I am super tired all the time, and don't really want to eat anything. (well, except a starbucks decaf white mocha!)

I had to go to a specialist on Monday because I come from Jewish decent. I am very low risk since I am only 1/2 Jewish, and since James is not Jewish at all. That means that our baby has a 1 in 64,000 chance of having something wrong. I figure I would get the tests done anyway to make sure I am not a carrier of any disorders, and this way I can tell my kids when they get older and have their own kids!!! The best part about this appointment on Monday was the fact that I got to have another ultrasound!!! The baby had grown the appropriate amount, and I even got to HEAR the heartbeat!! It was the most beautiful sound I have ever heard! :-)

I love...

Tinkerbell
Originally uploaded by fsucutie03.

TINKERBELL!

Inspired by Jess

Inspired by Jess
Originally uploaded by fsucutie03.

Sickness, stress, and love

So I am finally over the pneumonia!!! Woohoo!!! If only the doctor had taken care of me the first time I went in maybe the stressed part wouldn't be!!!

I missed a whole week of school from being sick.... the 3rd nine weeks just ended, and last week was Spring Break... Those 2 events mean 1)report cards and 2)lesson plans. My report cards are due tomorrow afternoon, so I came home after school today thinking I could work on them from home, right? WRONG!!!! I have tried to log in 5,000,000 times and each time it won't work... it goes right back to the log in screen!!!!!!! So now I am going to have to somehow finish them tomorrow morning because there is no way I am leaving my house right now to go back up to school to finish them. When i got to school this morning, I had no idea what I was going to do with my students. I basically gave them busy work all day just so that I could get through the piles of papers on my desk from the week I was out. I am definitely not a "busy work" kind of teacher. I also got a new student today from England. I felt horrible just giving the kids busy work... I don't want her to think I am a boring teacher, but I also had to get things ready for her!

On a lighter note, I spent the last 4 days in Tupelo, Mississippi... the birthplace of Elvis Presley. My cousin got married and I was a bridesmaid. The wedding was wonderful and they were so happy and in love! I love watching 2 people in love... What I love more than that, however, is watching my husband watch people in love. On our wedding day, when I walked down the aisle, my husband's face was TO DIE FOR! His nostrils got all flaired up as he tried to contain the tears, letting a few slip by and softly fall down his face. Ever since that day, whenever we are at a wedding and he watches people take their vows before God, family, and friends, his nostrils do the same thing and he tries his hardest to contain the tears... If you know my husband, you know this is not a typical characteristic of his personality. So I am standing up in the front with my cousin and I look over at him only to see the nostrils are flairing, and he looks at me, smiles, and mouths "I love you." How sweet is he??? Everytime we are at a wedding, he thinks about our wedding day!!!

So, when I think about the last 2 weeks and the stress I am feeling right now, I am comforted by the fact that I have a wonderful family and a loving husband.

I love Starbucks!

This is a sketch I did in my new moleskine watercolor in response to an Illustration Friday prompt from the beginning of March- "WIRED". This is my favorite drink at Starbucks and you can tell it will surely keep you W-i-r-e-d!

Happy St. Patrick's Day!