22 weeks to go

Today I am 18 weeks pregnant! Almost halfway there! I feel really good. It is so true, the second trimester is a million times better than the first.

I can eat pretty much anything as long as I don't eat too much. When I do eat too much, I'm miserable. I have to eat about five times a day. I usually get hungry around 11 or 12 at night, go figure. When Travis left for an eight day road trip the other day (only 2 nights left!!!) I was hungry at five in the morning. And when I'm hungry, I'm hungry. It feels like I haven't eaten in two days even if I just ate three hours ago. As far as crazy dreams, I haven't really had any. Haven't had any major cravings other than Moe's nachos and a banana snow cone (which are very hard to find in Louisville, but I did and I was soo excited). My face is definitely more broken out than normal which will hopefully clear up soon. So all in all, I feel pretty good. I can still wear my normal clothes, they're just a little uncomfortable. I'm starting to get a few more maternity items to mix in with my normal clothes. I think I'm just going to live in dresses this summer. They're the most comfortable way to go.

We went to our second doctors appointment and heard the baby's heartbeat for the first time. It was amazing. It was a strong, healthy 156. The doctor said both mom and baby are healthy as a horse! She also set us up for an ultrasound on July 7 to find out the sex. She wanted to do it the last week of June, but Travis will be out of town. I decided I couldn't wait that long and found a clinic that does 3d and 4d ultrasounds and will also do a 2d ultrasound to find out the sex. So we are going this Thursday morning at 9:30!!! I'm so excited. I haven't bought this baby a single thing because I am waiting to find out the sex. Travis promises we can go do a little shopping after our appointment. Please pray that this baby cooperates with us Thursday morning.

Mother's Day

Mother's Day has always been a difficult holiday for me. My mother left over twenty years ago around Mother's Day so it's always been a very sad holiday. This year it has a different meaning. I'm actually celebrating Mother's Day because I'm going to be a mother in November. So from this day forward Mother's Day has taken on a different, happy, wonderful meaning for me. So this year I'm focusing on the wonderful mothers I have been blessed with in my life.

First, my Aunt Debbie. She is an incredible mother to her two boys that she wanted more than anything in the world. I want my child to always know, and never doubt that it was wanted and loved, and never an inconvenience. My aunt definitely shows her boys that every day. She's also been a mother to me. She's been there and supported me through every up and down in my life and I don't know where I would be without her. She's the only person in my life that has been around since I was born, and I know she will always be there for me and my family.

Second, my best friend's mother, Karen. Karen is an unbelievable mother and woman. She's strong, funny, and amazingly accepting. She took me into her home the middle of mine and Casey's senior year of high school and made me a part of their family. They took me to family reunions, holidays, and always made me feel welcome and loved. They have now welcomed Travis into their family with open arms. I truely don't know what I would have done without them.

Lastly, Travis's mom Dena. She accepted me from day one. Never questioned or doubted me. She is always willing to help us or do absolutely anything we need her to. She's always there for her kids and now that includes me and BJ's wife, Amberle. She has an amazing relationship with her sons and daughter in laws and always supports us. She raised my husband to be an amazing man and for that I'll be forever grateful. I hope I'll have half the patience she did, especially if I have boys.

So to all of the wonderful mothers God has blessed me with, thank you. I hope to take something from all of you as I become a parent. You are all incredible women and I would not be half the woman I am today without each and every one of you.

And to my co-mother to be's out there, Amberle and Heather, congratulations ladies. This time next year we will be celebrating with our little ones. I know you are both going to be incredible mommies and I'm so happy to be going through this crazy experience with you girls.

Nearing the end of the first trimester

Our Wonderful Baby

Due November 15, 2010

Update on how I'm feeling:

Well I am officially nearing the end of the first trimester and let me tell you, it hasn't been fun. Now, I don't want to complain because it is my child and it is completely worth every second of nausea, every strange thing my body is doing, and even the acne that has come about in some strange places (my thighs for example, what is that about?). But I am glad I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. The past two days I have even been able to brush my teeth without gagging. Quite an accomplishment these days. I still have practically no energy and I find myself dosing off at the most random times, but oh well. May as well sleep as much as possible right now because I won't be getting much come November.

Back up to the first doctors appointment:

Travis and I had decided we would wait until we found out where we were going for the season to make the first doctor's appointment. If he ended up in Cincinnati we would have gone together, but he was sent to Louisville and they started on the road. So I went home and made an appointment there. I'm going to need a doctor at home because if everything goes as planned I'll be delivering at home (such an amazing blessing because Travis will not miss the birth and if it was baseball season, there's a big chance he could). I was sad he couldn't be there, but I will take what I can get and the two big appointments are when we find out what we're having and when we deliver so I'll be happy that he'll be there for those.

First ultrasound:

We did do an ultrasound while I was home and I must say, it was a much more difficult process than I ever imagined. I had to drink 48 ounces of water 2 hours before my appointment and once you start you're not supposed to go to the bathroom. I didn't think that sounded too hard, but the fact that you know you're not allowed to "go" makes it a million times worse I'm pretty sure. By the time the lady came to get me I was about ready to cuss her for taking her time walking to the door because she was texting. Then, after all of that we still had to do an endoscopic ultrasound because I wasn't as far along as they usually prefer. Luckily, I was allowed to "go" before they had to do that. My aunt and my best friend Casey were with me, and we were able to see the little arm buds and spine. The heartbeat was good and strong. It definitely was a relief to see the baby (I had taken 7 home pregnancy tests from the time we found out till going to the doctor, just to make sure nothing had changed).

Next doctors appointment:

My doctor at home said I could just see him twice during the season and then when we get home, or I could get a doctor in Louisville and then they'll just communicate. Being my first pregnancy I'm getting a doctor here in Louisville as well. They can't see me until June 3rd though and I'm really sad about it. Seems so long, but it's also a blessing because Travis and the boys have an off day that day so he will definitely be able to go with me and by that time I'll be 16 weeks or so, so hopefully we can find out if we're having a boy or a girl! We can't wait to find out.

Spring Training Update-Baseball Edition

After my long post as to what we've been doing I thought some of you may need a baseball update. So far, so good. Travis has really enjoyed being at Major League Spring training. They really have a lot of freedoms he's not used to in minor league camp. He gets to wear his pant legs down, which I think makes him look that much cuter in a baseball uniform, but his favorite is he's allowed to have facial hair. I prefer him without, but whatever.

He's pitched really well in spring training as well. We still don't know where we're going for the season, but I'm trying not to stress out about it. Our two options seem to be Louisville (where we do have an apartment set up) or Cincinnati (which is the big leagues, and I will not complain one bit about going there even though we have nowhere to live, we would figure it out). It's unbelievable to think about how far my husband has come in his career even in the few years we've been together. He's been working his whole life for a moment that could be just around the corner. It's an incredible process and amazing to watch.

*I must say my favorite spring training moment was watching Travis get Ken Griffey Jr. to strikeout. As a person that did not watch baseball or follow it at all until meeting my husband, Ken Griffey Jr. is someone I had even heard of before Travis. It was definitely a surreal moment. I just wish he had gotten to keep the ball.

This is why I've been MIA

I've been missing in the blog world, I know, I know. But I have really good excuses.

Excuse #1: We've officially stayed in four different homes during spring training. Yes, that's four homes in 2 months. Originally we were staying with a guy that had bought a house out here. Take my advice: do not rent from someone when they are going to be living at the house unless you know them very well before hand. Let's just say that was a learning experience for all of us. When we moved out of there we didn't really have a plan so the Denove's took us in for a few days before their family came in. Then we found a house we were going to rent, but it was rented for 9 days before we could get in, so the Lutz's took us into their home. We are so very grateful for our baseball family during the crazy times.

That brings me to Excuse #2: We lived in a 2 bedroom house with 6 adults, one teething, very sick 18 month old, 2 cats and 2 dogs for 9 days so needless to say I was not unpacking much and the computer did not leave it's bag. The Heisey's were in the living room and Travis and I were in a playroom/office separated from the Heisey's by a curtain. It worked. We had a good time, played Settlers, had a cookout, got some sun, and got to catch up with the Lutz's after missing them half of last season when Derrik had to have surgery.

And because of all of this moving and craziness I was very tired, but that also brings me to Excuse #3, if you haven't heard yet, I'm pregnant! We found out last week and we're so excited. So far, so good. I'm just really, really tired. Last night I experienced my first nauseousness, and I hope that doesn't happen often. We haven't been to the doctor yet because we're trying to wait and see one either when I go home or wherever we end up going, just depending on where they send us. But I have taken 6 tests at all different times of the day, on a few different days just to make sure I wasn't getting some faulty test. All said "pregnant." We are so very excited. It seems as though we may have "planned" perfectly and I should be due the middle of November/early December. "Planned" is in parenthesis because we weren't trying, but we weren't preventing. Travis is already talking to my belly, I'm taking my vitamins, and I have already started applying the cocoa butter.

So that's why I've been MIA this spring training.

Making Memories on Valentine's Day

One of the places we heard we had to go see while in Arizona was Sedona. The boys didn't have to go to the field on Sunday (Valentine's Day) and we had no real plans for the day, so we decided to hop in the car and go, and I'm so glad we did because it was beautiful. There are cute little shops and restaurants. We ate lunch on the patio of one of the restaurants and took in some of the gorgeous weather, went through a couple shops, and then went and climbed one of the mountains. Lisa and I would have liked to do some more shopping, but the boys were too excited about the large mountains in the area.

The boys while we were still on the trail and on the very mild part of the hike. They scared Lisa and I to death.

So glad to be reunited with our baseball family

That night, Mike and Katie (the couple whose house we're staying at) made us all a wonderful dinner and then we all got in the hot tub. All in all, it was a wonderful day with great friends, new and old, and a great day spent with the man I love.

It's experiences like this that make this life so wonderful and special, and make me feel so blessed to be living the life I am. I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday with the people they love!

Snow Days!!!

So the one thing I wanted to happen this off season before we left again was to see some snow. It seems it always snows a few days after we head off to spring training. Well, not this year. Not only did I get to see snow on two different occasions, we even got so much that we could play in it. Even build a snow man, a huge one, not just one that's a foot tall, but one that was taller than me! We ended up getting around 6 inches, which is a lot for us. Travis's brother, BJ, and his wife, Amberle, were snowed in with us so we all got to play in it together. The boys decided to maneuver a "sled" to be pulled behind the four wheelers. It was like tubing in the snow and was soooo much fun. The bad part about the snow was that it pushed back our leaving by a day and kept us from getting to see and say goodbye to some family, but hopefully they'll be able to make a trip out to visit during the season.

What we woke up to. We were shocked because the news said we would get a light dusting to an inch, and it wasn't supposed to come till the next day.