Worries.

Lieutenant is finally home and it has been a busy week. On his way home he got into a small collision so we have been dealing with that, finding out the sex of the baby (WOO!) and just trying to get our lives back to normal. He had a hard time with integration the first couple of days which was weird to me because he was only gone for the length of a less than half a deployment. He went back to work today though and I went back to figuring out meal plans, doing enormous amounts of laundry and planning for my next semester in school. I really want college to be over but I still have a ways to go and its frustrating. I know college is done at your own pace but in all reality I should have been done in August. My goal is just to buckle down and keep going, class by class. It may take me a year but I'm going to finish. I wish I had done community college first and then transferred to save myself a lot of debt but I can't go back now. I will be paying off this student loan until I'm 90.

We are also trying to move into a bigger apartment in January since the one we are currently in is extremely small and we won't be able to afford living on base. We would be completely broke for four months though so we probably won't be doing much celebratory things this Thanksgiving or Christmas. Lieutenant may fly out to Vegas to see his family but I would be staying here to save money. With my current job I make enough money to pay all of my bills but LT said that after the baby arrives he wants me to quit my job and be a full time stay at home mom while continuing school. I don't want to put the financial burden on him but he won't be able to handle the baby on weekends when I work while he is continuing his master's degree. We really need a miracle at this point financially. I feel bad that we got pregnant right now even though I know how much of a blessing it is, despite LT telling me I should never apologize for that. I just want us to be happy, healthy and financially stable and I feel like everything is crashing down on us.

Yearbooks! An update

Last March I wrote a blog on Shutterfly yearbooks and was approached again this year to follow up on them. Not only is it a brand new year for school-aged children, but so many changes happen over the course of the year. This year it is a little different for me since we are expecting our first baby and the yearbook seemed like a great way to preserve our memories of our first born. We will be using the Shutterfly yearbook to document our pregnancy and birth story, including some milestones that he or she will go through. We have even thought of documenting the first year of the baby's life this way.

I am definitely one of those not very crafty people so the more I can shortcut online, the better! To learn more about Shutterfly and their products you can visit their Facebook, Twitter, and Google+ among other avenues.

(This post was sponsored by Shutterfly, though all opinions are my own.)

Pregnancy Survey: 15 Weeks

Woo 15 weeks!!!

How far along? 15 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  My scale is wrong! All I know is I'm eating regularly and hoping to gain weight by October 10th.

Maternity clothes? Pants and shirts when I'm at work, boxer shorts and tank tops at home.

Stretch marks? Nothing new to report

Sleep: I sleep okay but the body pillow is not a miracle worker or anything. I am constantly overheating and throw the covers and pillows on the floor.

Best moment this week: Knowing I am going to get a 3D ultrasound!

Movement: Nothing yet :/

Food cravings: Pancakes and fruit roll ups still!

Gender: Just a few more weeks til we know! We could find out earlier but I want Lt to be there.

Labor Signs: Nope

Belly Button in or out? Innie, wide, I hate it. 

Wedding rings on or off? Still on and still pretty loose

What I miss: Greasy food

What I am looking forward to: The ultrasound!

Weekly Wisdom: Go to bed earlier

Milestones: Easing my way in to the beginning of the 2nd trimester.

Current events.

Before posting my 15 week survey I just wanted to blog. Lieutenant will be home this week and I couldn't be more excited or thrilled. Even though we got to see each other during his TDY, it has been really difficult without him. Lexi had a very hard time too and had a lot of anxiety which caused her to act out. Lately she has been very calm, quiet and friendly which takes a lot of stress off of me.

Posted in the AFB yard sale page on Facebook was an ad for a free 3D/4D ultrasound for a start-up company. I jumped on the opportunity because I've always wanted to get one done. I knew space was limited so I made sure to call and email them. I was one of the lucky few that got in! My appointment is Thursday morning but Lieutenant won't be back by then so I will have to go alone. I am debating getting the sex of the baby put in an envelope so we can find out once he gets home or waiting until he goes to the doctor's office with me in October. They also will be giving us $30 off of our next appointment with them just in case Lieutenant wants to get one done further in the pregnancy.

I have tons to do this week - everything from cleaning the entire apartment from top to bottom, making sure all the laundry is done, going full on grocery shopping for the first time in months (meaning all of his favorite foods) and then preparing for another semester in school. My semester is from October to January and I need to get some classes done before the baby gets here. I think that I will take two classes for the first half of the semester and maybe one or two for the second half. I have about 72/121 credits completed and I just really want to get it over it. I would have had 12 extra but they did not count when I transferred from UNLV. The first and only thing I am going to focus on after graduation is paying off my student loans. I owe a ridiculous amount and I am not going to make Lieutenant pay a dime for them because its my responsibility. But it also gives me an initiative to start a college fund for our child. I don't want them to have to suffer and struggle and owe the government for their entire life just because they wanted to further their education. I had to take out two credit cards in addition to my student loans and small grants just to pay each semester. I am in the process of snowballing my credit card debt and car note and when I complete those I will start putting all of my money toward the loans. Ugh, so stressful.

Well I'm starving! Time to go eat and then fill out the 15 week survey!

Back to business.

I'll admit, I'm a bad blogger. How many blogs have I said that in? A lot! I used to have the reader app on my phone and would obsessively read other blogs but then life happened and blogging took a back seat. Today I read through some and was surprised at all of the changes. Their lives, too, had changed dramatically. Babies, weddings, school-aged children! It reminded me of how much life goes on no matter how long you try to take a break from it.

My purpose for blogging was to share our story and I haven't been doing a very good job of that. Sure, I've updated major events here and there but the major events only make up a percentage of our lives. Its the little moments that tell the real story; the behind the scenes parts.

I need to make a goal for myself to blog at least a couple of times per week, especially when the baby is here. I might even set blogger as my homepage to help me keep this goal. So here's to highlighting the little moments.

Pregnancy Survey: Week 14

Okay so I have one day left of this week but it still counts!!

How far along? 14 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  According to my scale, I've lost weight which worries me.

Maternity clothes? Pants and shirts! So comfortable!

Stretch marks? Nothing new!

Sleep: Got a body pillow but still waking up a little. It is not as bad though.

Best moment this week: Feeling good at work for the first time.

Movement: I thought I felt something today but it could be gas.

Food cravings: Pancakes and fruit roll ups.

Gender: We find out in a few weeks.

Labor Signs: Nada

Belly Button in or out? Innie but its wide and I STILL hate it

Wedding rings on or off? Still on!

What I miss: Sushi

What I am looking forward to: Finding out the sex!

Weekly Wisdom: Orange juice and greasy food don't mix

Milestones: Entered the 2nd trimester!

A vent post.

I haven't posted my 14 week photo or survey yet just out of laziness but I felt like I needed to come here and blog. Earlier I was on the phone with Lieutenant and he kept making random noises and jokes amidst Lexi barking. I flipped out after Lexi snapped at my finger because Lieutenant's noises were instigating her. He told me to calm down but I couldn't...no, I was so frustrated! I lamented to him that all day long all I hear is her barking and then when we get the chance to talk, I don't want to hear stupid noises or impressions...I simply want to have a conversation. I don't think that he realizes how alone I am here. He has friends and other students that he sees every day while I'm in the apartment with Lexi. Have I made a large effort to go and make friends? No, to be honest, because I'm just painfully shy. I feel like once the baby is here it will be easier for me to make friends but the problem is I just don't have the guts to put myself out there.

More than anything, I would rather be home where my siblings are. Where I can see my nieces and nephews and talk to my family about anything. It is so difficult being a military spouse in that sense. When Lieutenant is on a TDY or a deployment and I don't really have friends and my family is 1200 miles away..its rough. Lexi is supposed to be a companion but every day she just becomes more of a pain in the ass with her constant barking. I can't even sneeze without her barking at me as loud as she possibly can. I hate to say it but as much as I love her, sometimes I would like to get rid of her. I really hope her attitude fades as she ages because it is way too stressful on me to hear barking 24 hours a day whenever I breathe incorrectly.

Anyway, I just needed to come here and vent a little. I feel like its better to get it off my chest than to harbor it all inside.

Cravings! ALL the cravings!

My body has suddenly shifted into full pregnancy mode! Not only has my baby belly started blooming but I've craved everything from beef stew to cheesecake in the span of an hour. Yesterday my craving for pumpkin pie was so bad that I drove to the store JUST FOR PIE. I ate some today and got mildly disgusted by it. I feel like I am eating a normal amount but not really gaining weight. I'm thinking my scale is wrong though. It does have me worried, especially since my next doctor's appointment isn't until October. I just want to make sure that Jelly Bean is okay.

Lieutenant will be home within two weeks which is amazing! Even though I got to see him for a week I miss him terribly everyday. Its pretty amazing how much we've grown together. The other night I was thinking of how it used to be in high school. I attracted too many boys and all their drama and when I met Lieutenant there was NO drama. That is, until I decided we should just be friends, but that is all over and done with. The point is, we're happier than we have ever been before. We don't fight and when we have small arguments we always figure out a solution. I am definitely blessed to have such an easy going guy.

Texas weather is also starting to suck less so that is a plus. I absolutely despise summers in Texas but when Autumn and Winter come along I am one happy gal. There's nothing better than crisp air and a slight breeze! So ready for the seasons to change and to watch the changes my body is making to accommodate my little passenger.

Pregnancy Survey: Week 13

How far along? 13 Weeks

Total weight gain/loss:  No weight gain yet!

Maternity clothes? I just bought a pair of pants today. Good Lord Jesus they are comfortable.

Stretch marks? Nothing new, I just started using my Bio Oil again!

Sleep: Tossing and turning, waking up and needing to get a body pillow!

Best moment this week: Hearing the heartbeat today and learning how healthy me and baby are.

Movement: Just my stomach turning and sending my food back.

Food cravings: Baked potatoes!

Gender: I feel like it could go either way this week

Labor Signs: Nada

Belly Button in or out? Innie but its wide and I hate it

Wedding rings on or off? Still on!

What I miss: Hot dogs

What I am looking forward to: Finding out the sex in 5 weeks!!

Weekly Wisdom: Stay out of the heat!

Milestones: Almost to the 2nd trimester!