Tony's Big Day

Matthew and I were very excited to attend Tony's promotion and achievement medal recognition ceremony at his USAF Reserve Unit. After a long wait due to crappy leadership in his unit, Tony was promoted to Technical Sergeant (yay for the new interim commander who is ridding this unit of BS!). He also received his 2nd Achievement Medal for his commitment and service to his unit and Air Wing. Other than being a hot day, and even hotter indoors (seriously, I was sweating so bad, it was embarrassing), it was a wonderful afternoon and we were so proud to see Tony receive the recognition and honor he deserves!

20 Weeks and 3 Days

I had my monthly OB-Gyn appointment today with Dr S. I have now gained a total of 2 pounds with this pregnancy, which I was surprised that it wasn't more since I am really puffy (probably from the pizza we had for dinner a couple of nights ago). Exercise and eating smart is keeping me on track. I don't limit my calories but I don't let pregnancy be an excuse to get out of control. Especially knowing how salt can affect me and the water rentention I incurred with my previous pregnancy. We discussed my "low-lying" placenta, which she reassured me isn't anything to worry about. It is not in a "previa" position and it is common for a low placenta to occur when there has been a previous C-section. I need to be cautious of heavy lifting, nothing over 20 pounds and to only lift Matthew when it is necessary. Luckily, he hates to be carried which makes it better for me.



The Mattman came to the appointment with me since Tony has Reserves this week. I'm truly amazed at how well behaved he was at the Dr's office. He just played with his Hot Wheels and sat in his stroller with limited whining. I'm still having a bit of nausea...mostly as a result of diapers. I'm trying to introduce potty training but with lingering morning sickness, I'm finding it is not a successful operation for Mommy. The Braxton-Hicks still hit me with intensity some days but they aren't frequent enough to worry about. I'm having a lot of pain in my left hip, mostly first thing in the morning, so I'm sure its a result of sleeping positions. Overall, feeling pretty good, especially when I can squeeze in an afternoon nap.

Matty's Birthday Barbecue 3/21/09

Tony works every other weekend and in some months, his Reserve weekend coincides with his weekends off. This happened in March so we had to push Matty's bday party back almost a month past his actual birthday. This was actually a blessing since he ended up with RSV on his actual birthday and was sick for over a week (seriously, I had to nebulize him 3-4 times a day). It was a beautiful day and we reserved the picnic area at a nearby park and had family and close friends join us for a celebration. Grandma and Grandpa Palmer, Grandpa San Nicolas, Sandy and Eric Jensen, Mike Jensen, The Castro Family, The Knauf Family, Auntie Claire, Auntie Katrina and Kylie, Great-Uncle Larry, I hope I'm not leaving anyone out.... Oh yeah, the Eberts came late in the day but at least everybody got to see Zoey for about an hour. Auntie Sylvia and Uncle Rob couldn't make it because Christopher had a baseball game but they had a special dinner for the Mattman later in the week.

Matty had a fun time playing on the playground and just being the center of attention. He made a mess of his cake and got lots of cool presents. Mommy was about 4-6 weeks pregnant and hadn't told anybody yet so she was tired when the day was done.

19 Weeks and 5 Days...

...is how far along I am as of the print out from the Ultrasound Tech today. I had my routine anatomy scan of the baby today. Matty and Tony accompanied me so they could see the miracle of life doing back flips inside me. All is well and good- the heartbeat, the weight, major organs look great. The kidneys were measured and looked to be the appropriate size so there are no signs of hydronephrosis at this time, which is a relief. There is a 30-50% chance of this baby having the same issues as Matthew had and so far no signs. Matthew showed signs when I was 16 weeks along so this is very good news. My placenta is in a low-lying position, although they said it would be premature to call it "previa" but I will have a subsequent ultasound in 8 weeks to make sure the placenta is progressing its way higher in my uterus. I see Dr S next Wednesday so I'm sure we will have a more in depth discussion about this at that time.

I'm feeling pretty good these days. I still have days where I get nauseous and earlier this week, I was sick all day. I should be past all that, but then again I am still changing diapers so that may have a little something to do with it. I get tired but that is to be expected. No one told me that the Braxton Hicks would be more intense this time around. Wow! Talk about an attention getter. On Wednesday, I was at my mom's and had some major contractions and this evening as well. I wouldn't go so far as to say they were painful but they did get my attention for sure.

15 Months Old!

Since we found out we are having another baby, we have stopped referring to Matthew as "the baby" but rather as our "big boy" and that is exactly what he is. His walk has turned into a run and he's saying over 20 words/combination words at last count. He loves Hot Wheels, well anything with wheels and of course his beloved Teddy. He prefers to be outside and we spend a good part of the day on walks or playing on the patio. We've had some warm days this spring so we have been in the pool at least a 1/2 dozen times so far this year. He definitely is enjoying it more and wishes I would just let him go crazy in the pool instead of making him sit in a floatie or being held the whole time. He has a sense of humor and finds it thrilling to make Mommy and Daddy chase him, especially when we are trying to round him up for his bath, diaper change, getting dressed, etc. He likes to hide in corners and behind furniture from us...we always know where he is because we can hear him cracking up from wherever he is hiding from. He also likes to pretend to talk on the phone. He'll take a random toy (usually his baseball bat) and hold it up to his ear and say "hello! yes! what? oh! bye bye!".

...and baby makes 4!

The rumors are true, we are expecting again! On March 7th, I took a pregnancy test because I was late and felt like I'd gained 50 lbs and it was positive. We were in a state of shock and didn't tell anyone for awhile. In fact, I called my mom on April Fool's Day and it took her and my dad almost 10 minutes to realize I wasn't jerking their chain.

Its amazing how early you start showing with a second pregnancy. At Matthew's birthday party in March, I was hoping their wouldn't be any comments about how fat I was getting. However, after I told people I was pregnant, they would say wonderful things like "I thought you were gaining weight". For the record, I haven't gained a single pound to date, my stomach just looks like I'm smuggling a bowling ball.

We probably won't be finding out the sex with this baby either (mostly because we like to annoy you), especially since the surprise was thwarted to due to visits with the peds urologist in the weeks prior to having Matty, there was no way around it. As for the hydronephrosis/reflux that Matthew had, there is a 30-50% chance that this child will have a similar experience. Matthew's new urologist has been a bank of information for us.

I've been to the OB-GYN twice now. I have a new doctor as we have new insurance. I really like her alot, she's a little more laid back than my previous doctor, though I would have gone back to him if I could have. I'm guessing we are having another boy because at my initial visit, the baby moved so much, Dr S couldn't verify the fetal size in the ultrasound so I had to go to a perinatologist for verification. At that appointment, this child didn't stop moving either. The technician suggested I ask Dr S for ritalin instead of prenatal vitamins. I had my 2nd appointment today and all is well. I'm still not gaining weight but because I was so sick in my first trimester, she had prescribed Reglan to curb the nausea. That definitely helped me function with an active toddler in the house. I'm still nauseous when I first wake up in the morning but I'm down to just one dose a day. I'm carrying high again, probably due to my tilted uterus. I'm also having unbelievable tailbone pain. I had this with Matthew but I remember it going away after I stopped working at AMN. Dr S said it will be subsequentially worse with each pregnancy ( so maybe we'll stop with 2?). Meanwhile I sit on pillows and get in the pool as much as I can.

So now you all know why I haven't blogged more. Between morning sickness and a busy toddler, I haven't been up to it. I'm hoping to make more time to blog so I can keep a record of this pregnancy too. Stay tuned....

Spontaneous Resolution

We've had some great news on Matthew's health in recent weeks. It appears as though his bladder reflux has "spontaneously resolved" itself without medical intervention. There was an 80% chance this would happen by his 5th birthday and we are thrilled and blessed to find out it happened by his 1st birthday. This means we no longer have to give him daily anti-biotics as there is no longer a substantial threat of a urinary tract infection nor will he have to go through any more invasive testing. His kidneys are still 2 different sizes but from the ultrasound images, they are both functioning properly without scarring or damage. He will have another ultrasound in late September to track his progress.

Matthew's urologist, Dr Walker, praised me for breastfeeding Matthew for the entire first year of his life. He said that made all the difference because Matthew never came down with one UTI in that first year. Apparently, the anti-biotic properties in breast milk were a major factor. There is 1000 times less bacteria in the dirty diapers of breastfed babies than in babies who are formula fed (which is what causes UTIs). I know I got more flack than praise for breastfeeding Matthew for 12.5 months, especially because I never forced him to take a bottle when he refused it all those months (its not like I was going back to work, it would have been out of convenience more than anything). However, I feel like my intuition was spot on because my son's health was more important to me than anything.

Matty's 1st Birthday 2-25-09

I know I am behind on blogging. Its been a busy year with lots of distractions. Having a walking talking toddler sometimes prevents me from getting on the computer other than to check email or facebook because he likes to type on the keyboards or steal the cordless mouse from me while I'm working. Matty was sick with RSV on his 1st birthday as you can tell from the pics. He had a fever and was really tired but he mustered up enough energy to devour a piece of cake. A week later, we went to Big Bear to see Grandma and Grandpa Palmer and they got him a special cupcake from the bakery that he annihilated. He also got a new quad that he keeps up at their house. Stay tuned for pics from the birthday BBQ.

Baby DJ Is Here!

My cousin Kalynn and her husband Donny have just had their first baby yesterday! DJ is here weighing in at 7 lbs 12 oz, 19.25 inches long. He's absolutely beautiful! Here's to 23 years without a female born into the Palmer family!

Updates to Come Soon

Soooo...with a toddler in the house, finding time to blog has been a struggle. So much is happening and the Little Man is growing like a weed on steroids. Stay tuned for new pics and updates!

Visiting Zoey

I went to see Shannen and Zoey today. She's gorgeous and so tiny. I don't envy Shannen right now, these days are the toughest but she's a great mom.

New Arrival!

We have a new "niece"! Zoey Rose Ebert was born at 12:30am this morning. Weighing in at 7lbs 13oz and 18 1/2 inches long. It was a quick labor and Shannen's water broke in the pool at 24 Hour Fitness (you might not want to swim there for awhile) and a few hours later she was here!

We are so excited and can't wait to see her!

Technical Difficulties

Well...first of all, I can't sleep because I found out about 2 hours ago that Shannen is in labor so my new "niece" will be born soon.

I haven't blogged since Tony's graduation because of a little glitch in the system. For an early Christmas gift, we bought a digital video camera so we can take good video and upload, etc. Love the camera. The software sucks. So it took me awhile to get the software installed and then to figure out how to upload. I uploaded but can't find the files. Meanwhile, it interfered with our software for our regular camera, so I can't upload anything off of it. We've moved since I installed that software so I would have to find the box with all our software in it so I can reinstall the Canon software. Meanwhile, I have at least 100 Christmas/New Years photos to upload and its killing me. Seriously.

Anyways, we're all doing great. Happy New Year!

Alphabet Tag

Thanks Mel!

Alphabet Tag
A--Attached or Single: Attached... And wouldn't want it any other way
B--Best Friend: Castro and Shannen
C--Cake or Pie: Pie, something fruity
D--Day of Choice: Sunday
E--Essential Item: deodorant
F--Favorite Color: Yellow
G--Greatest Accomplishment: Matthew
H--Hometown: Valley Center, CA
I--Indulgences: the occasional glass of wine
J--January or July: january
K--Kids: 1
L--Life is incomplete without: My husband and Matthew
M--Marriage Date: October 1, 2005
N--Number of Siblings: 1 brother and 1 adopted brother
O--Oranges or Apples: apples
P--Phobias or fears: where do I start?
Q--Quotes: "Wrecked him?! Darn near killed em!" Mike Palmer Sr (you had to be there)
R--Reason to Smile: My family
S--Season: Fall
T--Tag 5 Friends: Ashley, Alicia, Castro, Kalynn, Christy
U--Unknown facts about me: I can't think of anything right now
V--Very favorite store: Old Navy and Target
W--Worst habit: Being a clutter queen
X--X-ray or Ultra Sound: Ultrasound, I'm not usually in pain when I get one of those
Y--Your favorite food: Mexican
Z--Zodiac: Capricorn/Aquarius cusp

10 Months Old!

On Christmas Day, Matthew turned 10 months old. At that point he had 4 teeth, crawling like a champ and would take as many as 6 steps at a time before panicking on dropping on to his bottom. As of today, Matthew has 5 teeth, about to break a sixth and is walking across the room! He says "Mama" "Dada" and "hi" with discrimination. He is waving and when its nap time and I carry him back to his crib he will wave to whoever is in the living room and say "ba ba" like bye bye (he's never had a bottle so he wouldn't even know to ask for one). He also says "heh dat" which I think is "hi there" because I say that quite a bit. He says that to his toys and my parents dog.

We shall post pics soon, we're still having technical difficulties but I'm working on an alternative way to get the pics on here.

Christmas Wonderment!

Getting the house decorated has been a chore with an infant and a husband in the Sheriff's Academy! We usually have everything done by the end of Thanksgiving weekend, but we've had lots of distractions and since I'm doing my best to keep us mindful of the true spirit of the season, I'm not allowing it to stress me out. That being said, we are just about done with the decorating part and its been such a joy. Matthew is loving the Christmas music and the lights on the tree and he's actually listening to us when we tell him "no" or "don't touch". The one thing he is allowed to play with are the jingle bells on the door knob. He'll play with those and giggle for quite awhile before he gets bored with them.

Rockin' Robin!

After visiting Santa and doing a little shopping around the Temecula Promenade, we hit Red Robin for lunch so Mommy could have a salad and Daddy could scarf down a burger and bottomless fries. Matty was enjoying playing with the crayons and paper kids menu (really? a 9 month old needs crayons?) and playing with Mommy's canteloupe wedges. We honestly could not have asked for a better behaved little man. We even went to Mass this evening for the Celebration of the Immaculate Conception and he was an angel there too.

The St Nicks Go Visit St Nick

We were sure that going to visit Santa would result in a screaming 9 month old and that this sadistic right of passage had to be done. Matthew absolutely adored Santa. He couldn't stop looking at him and he would talk to him. He was so good, Santa didn't want to let him go. We couldn't get him to smile for the camera so we just ordered the pics of him and Santa looking at each other. I hope all of our future visits go this well.

Maren's Baby Shower

Maren is my college roommate. We've been friends since I was a freshman at CSU San Marcos where we both also worked in our college bookstore. We were the 2 youngest people that worked there an both enjoyed torturing our manager, Melinda, so we bonded instantly. She and her husband Michael will be giving birth to a bouncing baby boy in January named Micah. I was so excited that her mom's friends who threw her shower held it at the Birch Aquarium at Scripps. What a clever idea, especially since she is doing the nursery in oceanic animals. We had the patio to eat, open presents and then had the entire aquarium at our disposal. It was a beaitiful day and a bit brisk, but perfect. Since Tony had class, I brought Matthew with me and he loved every minute of it. He loved looking at the animals, especially the great big tank in the middle. He stood at the glass talking to the fishies and shrieking with delight.

Maybe its because I'm a mother now or maybe its because i have the time to reflect on what Christmas really means but there is a sadness in my heart over the secularization and commercialization of Christmas. It has been in my heart for a few weeks now to share my belief in Christ our Savior in order to shine the light on what Christmas really means. Its not about going bankrupt or skipping a car payment to make sure your family has the best gifts on the block. Its not about the Christmas tree, the lights or the glitz and glamour. Its about rejoicing in the birth of Christ and nothing more. Sure, partaking in all of these activities is fun and helps to liven the spirit of the situation, but it shouldn't be a distraction from what the season is truly about. One of my most treasured possessions is my Nativity Scene that is on my mantle, one of the few decorations I have managed to display so far this season. I had the candles lit in it earlier and Matthew was fascinated by it and I started to reflect on the Gospel according to Luke, which depicts for us the true reason for celebrating Christmas.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin's name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, "Hail, favored one! The Lord is with you." But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. Then the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end." But Mary said to the angel, "How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?" And the angel said to her in reply, "The holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren;
for nothing will be impossible for God." Mary said, "Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word." Then the angel departed from her.

In those days a decree went out from Caesar Augustus that the whole world should be enrolled (in a census). This was the first enrollment, when Quirinius was governor of Syria. So all went to be enrolled, each to his own town.And Joseph too went up from Galilee from the town of Nazareth to Judea, to the city of David that is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, to be enrolled with Mary, his betrothed, who was with child. While they were there, the time came for her to have her child, and she gave birth to her firstborn son. She wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn. Now there were shepherds in that region living in the fields and keeping the night watch over their flock. The angel of the Lord appeared to them and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were struck with great fear. The angel said to them, "Do not be afraid; for behold, I proclaim to you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
For today in the city of David a savior has been born for you who is Messiah and Lord.
And this will be a sign for you: you will find an infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger." And suddenly there was a multitude of the heavenly host with the angel, praising God and saying: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth peace to those on whom his favor rests."
When the angels went away from them to heaven, the shepherds said to one another, "Let us go, then, to Bethlehem to see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us." So they went in haste and found Mary and Joseph, and the infant lying in the manger.
When they saw this, they made known the message that had been told them about this child.
All who heard it were amazed by what had been told them by the shepherds. And Mary kept all these things, reflecting on them in her heart. Then the shepherds returned, glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen, just as it had been told to them. When eight days were completed for his circumcision, he was named Jesus, the name given him by the angel before he was conceived in the womb. When the days were completed for their purification according to the law of Moses, they took him up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord,
just as it is written in the law of the Lord, "Every male that opens the womb shall be consecrated to the Lord," and to offer the sacrifice of "a pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons," in accordance with the dictate in the law of the Lord.

Luke 1:10-28, 2:1-24

So I'm guessing that at this point, the people who completely disregard what I'm trying to say have stopped reading, which is truly their loss. For the rest of you, have a blessed and joyous Christmas season. God bless!

Strollin' to the Park Today

Matty and I get out for a 2-3 mile walk several days a week. Often times its to the mall or to Starbucks for a coffee or just through the neighborhood. Today we went to the park that's about a mile from our house and the orginial plan was to just do a few laps around the park and walk home but Matthew saw some kids and he started shrieking with delight so we had to stop. I helped him play on the jungle gym. There was a mini slide that I guided him down on and I let him crawl on the steps and just play. He had so much fun getting dirty and just being a boy! Please excuse the photo quality- I took them on my phone.

Such a Little Man

Matthew is looking less like a baby and more like a big boy. He's growing and developing so fast! He's starting to mumble "da da da da" and he even attempted to take steps today. He did about one and a half steps and then toppled face first but he tried nonetheless. He was even playing peek a boo with me today. He was on the floor and he'd crawl out from behind the chair, giggle and then crawl back behind it. He did this over and over for about 15 minutes. It was hilarious and he was definitely cracking himself up.