LA for the day..

Yes you read it right. I had the opportunity to go to LA for the day with my step-mom and siblings on April 28th. The weather was absolutely beautiful out while back here at home was raining all day long. Our flight down  was pretty good. We were all the way in the back of the plane and the last to board. We got our rental car and immediately headed to Santa Monica. It was nice and no clouds in sight at all. We ended up eating there and decided to head back to the car to go to Venice Beach. Venice Beach was absolutely random. A lot of medical marijuana places. Many people in little clothes and street performers. However the beach was warm and amazing to sit in the sun. The downside, I got burnt pretty bad. I am tan in random areas. Daniel and Madeline had a great time playing in the water and some what making sand castles. By the time we were done with the beach, it was 4:30 and we were hungry. We decided to head back to Santa Monica onto the pier to eat. We chose Bubba Gumps and it was packed. I felt like we were sardines in a tin can. However my fish and chips tasted great. Daniel and Madeline were pretty behaved for being without my dad and Melissa got to eat a meal, lol. We didn't catch our plane until 9:00pm that night. We were so tired on the way home that Daniel fell asleep before we even took off. It was a great trip but I won't be doing any of that again while being prego. I felt like crap for a few days after than and being burnt was no fun. It was still a great trip.

Madeline and Daniel when we first got into the rental car

 Melissa, Daniel, and Madeline on Venice Beach

Daniel enjoying the warm sand

The view I had sitting on the beach

Madeline with her fit in "Forest Gumps shoe" and Daniel not caring

Congrats to my brother in the mix of this..

Well towards the end of March the whole family finds out that my brother finally proposes to his girlfriend Vanessa of almost 3 years. And like I tell everyone else, I knew she was the one. You see my brother is a serious long term dater. He's had 2 long term girlfriends since the end of HS and college before Vanessa that I have had the pleasure of meeting. There was a crazy rebound girl that he brought around after the 2nd one but I wasn't here and my family questioned what the hell was he doing with her. With both of those girlfriends, I always said it was never going to last. The first one was a little too tree hugging and they dated in high school into their first semester of college. I wasn't surprised when that didn't last. Then came along the 2nd girl. Her family had money, which is fine, but she kind of flaunted it. She never wanted to be around our family and never said too much around us. Like the girl before, she didn't last. When my brother started dating Vanessa, I was in Texas but I had heard of her from my dad. By the time I moved up here for the hubby's deployment, I met here a couple times but never chit chatted with her much. She was nice, could handle the family, and was never stuck up. Fast forward to this year. My dad, aunt, uncle, grandpa, and myself went to my brother's place to see it and just to visit in March. I already knew I was prego but was not spilling the beans. My uncle had asked my brother when he was going to "pop the question" and he just shrugged it off. When in all actuality he had already bought the ring and was just waiting for the right moment. Just a few weeks later they got engaged. I am truly happy for him. We have a love/hate relationship which is fine. Maybe with him getting married and us having a kid will change that.

^^My brother and Vanessa^^

Well the real kicker to all of this is when he's getting married. They chose October 22 of this year. I will be 37 weeks pregnant. HOLY BEANS!!! I'm nervous for being huge and everyone staring or let alone dealing with my mom whom I haven't seen for almost 4 years. This is part of the reason I waited to tell. I am not an ass even though I can be, and I wanted her to enjoy the spot light. She is the only child marrying someone who has 3 siblings. I hope she understands when I tell them. I guess there is always a reason for things.

Telling my Aunt...

PLUS A DAY

I had to come up with an idea to tell my aunt. To me it was even more special since I am due the day after her birthday. I had gone to Target, printed a copy of the ultrasound picture and put it in a picture frame. I had bought her a birthday card and wrote inside,"Happy Birthday, plus a day." My uncle was there so he knew because he wanted to know what I got her. We got a phone call from her when we were in the store but my phone was in the car. My hubby called her back and chatted with her. She was excited since this is the first baby between all the cousins, but only my brother and cousin Lance are old enough to be having any kids. I have kept her inform with everything and its nice to be able to talk to someone.

First Appointment...April 5th..

I had to lie to my dad. See the hubby couldn't get time off of work to go with me to my first appointment. So I needed a car to get there. I told my dad I had an appointment for my reoccurring hives. BIG LIE!!! I had my first appointment. I made sure I scheduled it for 8am. I didn't want to wait all day and this way I wasn't waiting even longer if she was running behind. Well I got the full on physical which was "so fun." But then came time for the ultrasound. When she started we couldn't see a thing, and my heart sank. However, my bladder was full and was reason for seeing nothing. After relieving myself, I got to see our little baby. It was so surreal. I didn't get to hear the heartbeat but it was there. Once we got some pictures, she decided to test me early for gestational diabetes due to family history.

Lets just say its not the best tasting drink to have but I did drink it within the 5 minute time frame. I am also very happy that I stopped at McDonald's that morning to eat or this would've been a suicide mission for me. So after drinking the fruit punch flavor, I had to wait an hour to get my blood drawn. I already had to get it drawn but this meant an extra vile. I was lucky enough to get a lady who knew what the hell she was doing. Last time getting my blood drawn, at the army hospital, I had a bruise within 10 mins. This lady didn't leave a bruise at all and I could barely feel it. I hope she is there again when I need to get it drawn in the future. So I left there happy and a little light headed. However the only person I could think of telling at this point was my aunt Genia. She has always been there for me and I knew she would be happy for us. 

Wanted to write....

Well at one point I wanted to start writing a blog. But I just didn't feel it was the right time. However, now I feel like I should. The last few months have been crazy so I'll start off by going back all the way to February. For the last 2 weeks in February I kept telling the hubby that I am pretty sure I am pregnant. He didn't believe me what so ever. I never have cramps before that time of the month, so I knew something was up. However he was going to the field the beginning of March. So I just left it alone until March. Well the day before he was going to leave I decided to take a pregnancy test that morning and it came back positive. But it was a blue dyed test so I didn't know what to believe. When he got off work we went to the store and got a FRER. I took it as soon as we came home and it was positive. He was happy but shocked. He had left for the field the next day and I was left alone for 3 weeks of pondering if this is going to last. But that was March......