December 23, 2012

Surrendering Roman

Today is such a hard day for me......
I've been crying since I woke up knowing that the inevitable is fast approaching.
Today is the day I'm giving up my sweet lovable dog Roman. We adopted Roman on 4/2/11, a mere two in a half weeks before my mom passed away. He was at a kill shelter when he was rescued by Great Dane Rescue of North Texas. When they picked him up they saw he wasn't a full-blood Great Dane but after looking at that face they couldn't leave him. He was malnourished, riddled with heart worm disease and only weighed about 60lbs. His ribs were showing and his coat was rough but he was so sweet. We went to meet him at his foster home and took him home that day. It took four heart worm treatments to rid him of the disease. They compare heartworm treatment to chemo for dogs so he was pretty out of it those first few months. He was weak and lethargic. I use to sit on the floor with his head in my lap and feed him eggs, sweet potatoes and rice. That was from April to October but by the end of 2011 he was heartworm free, healthy and weighed a little over a 100lbs. I spoiled him with natural dog food, special dog meals and treats that I would cook, dog toys, plush bed and lots of love. He also returned it with dog-hugs, crazy dramatic greetings when I returned home and by doing tricks we taught him. He was truly a ham.

For the last couple of months it's been getting really hard on me to take care of him. Getting him to the park or dog parks just wasn't happening because I was SO tired. Cleaning up his hair was getting taxing and his dog-smell even two days after a bath was unbearable. My husband wasn't much help when it came to holding up his end of the bargain, so i slowly started coming to the realization that it our time with Roman had to come to an end.  I mulled it over for a couple of months and it was so hard. I cried about keeping him and cried about letting him go. It was a truly gut-wrenching decision. I spoke to my husband and he was trying to figure what changes we could make so we could keep him. However at the end of the day he finally realized he doesn't keep his promises concerning the dog and surrendering him would probably be best.

Danes are short-haired dogs and you'd think it meant no shedding but it's the opposite! Constant hair everywhere and I have OCD so I'm constantly cleaning! That's just something you can't do when your 7 months pregnant. Hell I can't even lotion my legs! I couldn't imagine having my newborn in a home where my tall dog could walk by the couch and shake dog hair all over her. Or that I wouldn't be able to put her toys or mat on the floor because there would always be dog hair on her things. It literally came down to me maintaining my sanity because Danes are NOT outside dogs.  Even though I'm going to miss him like crazy I know he will be in a better home. He is going to live w/ one of the ladies from the Dane rescue and her personal Dane. So he'll have a play-mate and be in a loving home with someone who knows all about Danes and their needs.

I guess it turned out that we were not his "furever" home but we did literally nurse him back to health, shower him with love and gave him a good home for almost two years. I have to find solace in that. Now it's time for his next chapter and I hope his next family is even better and has more time and energy to give him everything he needs. I love you Roman and you'll always be in my heart and apart of my most fond memories.

The day we brought him home on 4/2/11. You can see how malnourished he was and so skinny.

In October 2011 heartworm free and weighing over a 100lbs! I was so proud of all we accomplished.



December 22, 2012

Date Night Bump Pics

 
Date night with hubby and our good friends The Wallaces. We had a GREAT time and most of all my shoes were very comfortable even though they didn't look like it!
December 15, 2012- 28 weeks pregnant
 
 
 
 



December 15, 2012

It's Official! I'm in my THIRD trimester!!!


Holy crap!!!  For some reason I have been waiting for this day! The day that I'd be in my THIRD trimester!!!! I can not believe how fast this has gone by! She's almost here!!! Pretty soon I'll be waking up to get her out of her bassinet! I'm actually up now bc she's "rolling". Such big movements it woke me from my slumber. Geez I just want to hold her and nuzzle her neck. This is truly a gratifying moment for me and I'm not sure why but it seems so enchanted I could weep.....



Baby Size
14.8 in
chinese cabbage
Baby Weight
2.25 lb
Baby
Your baby's brain has developed more tissue and has formed grooves on the surface. It's likely your baby has developed a more regular sleep schedule in 20 to 30 minute intervals.

If you're having a boy, his testes are migrating into his scrotum. If you're having a girl, the clitoris is beginning to form.
Body
Welcome to your third trimester! This is a common time to find out how your baby is positioned (presented), whether it's head first, feet first (breech), or sideways. Even still, in the next month your baby may still change positions.

This trimester you will likely increase your prenatal visits to every two weeks to ensure your pregnancy is progressing smoothly. If you are at risk for gestational diabetes or your last glucose screen test result was high, your doctor may have you take the 3-hour glucose tolerance test.
Activities this week
Your baby will arrive before you know it! Now is a good time to run those crucial errands, something that becomes much more difficult the first month your baby arrives. Here are some things you'll need in the first few weeks: (Don't forget to check out the Newborn Essentials list of this app for a more complete list of basics your baby will need those first 3 months)
• Diapers and wipes.
• Baby care items such as nail clippers, a thermometer, a bulb syringe, and a pacifier.
• Baby-friendly laundry detergent.
• Sanitary pads for you. (You'll bleed for a few weeks after delivery.)
• Thank-you cards and stamps.
• Paper towels and paper plates for easy cleanup after meals.

Created with BabyBump by Alt12 Apps.




Sent from my iPhone

December 14, 2012

My bump, My Bestie and I

This is my best friend Jocelyn whom I also call "my wife". She's been traveling the last almost two years. Basically spending 3 months at different hospitals in different states working with preemies. She has finally returned home (hopefully for good). She came home just for me and baby girl! We've only been friends for 2.5 years but we have already shared a life-time! She has cried more during this pregnancy than I have which is hilarious! She's undoubtedly one of the most caring and genuine people I have ever met and I'm so glad she's here to experience this with me! I love her more than a 75% off sale!!!! Here's to many many more years of friendship!

December 7, 2012 at the Goss-Michael Museum for the Soulful Christmas Gala and Toy Drive
26 weeks and 7 days

At my nephew's Kindegarten Christmas Program on December 13, 2012
27 weeks and 6 days

Updates on Baby-

Last Thursday I  had a doctor's appointment with my OB for growth measurements, glucose test and sono.  I was a couple of days shy of being 27 weeks at the time. Baby girl was doing great! Her measurements were a week and 2 days more than what she should have been at the time! She already weighed 2.7lbs! Her heartbeat was 159 and everything else looked great.

The glucose drink was so gross I truly thought I was going to hurl! It was orange flavored and totally did not taste like Sunkist! I received my results the next day and I passed the test with flying colors. My nurse said my levels were 117 and they normally like to see them under 149 so I did great! No gestational diabetes for me! Score!

I also completed my pre-registration for labor and delivery. I did my paperwork online and before my OB appointment we had a quick appointment with L&D to answer a few more questions. So when we walk in for our 9:00am c-section on March 1st all should be smooth!

As for me I had lost another 2lbs since my last appointment not sure why especially since the baby had gained. However as long as she is growing and thriving I'm not at all worried about my weight issues. I'm pretty sure since I'm heading into the third trimester I'll start gaining soon. I have noticed that I can actually finish a meal now and the other day I even had seconds. That has not happened since I was like 2 months pregnant. I normally get stuffed extremely fast and by the time I take 3-4 bites of food my dining experience was over. However, I can feel a change coming!

My next appointment is Dec 27th. My doctor wants me to start coming every three weeks now which is fine with me because I love to see the baby and hear her heartbeat as much as possible. So that will be a great after Christmas gift!

You know it's really hard to believe that after Christmas and the New Year we will only have like 9 weeks to go before we meet our daughter! This is so surreal!

November 28, 2012

Bump Pics and Signage

November 27, 2012----25 weeks, 4 days
Lord I can barely see my TV over this bump!
 
November 23, 2012---24 weeks and 7 days
The day after Thanksgiving! My tummy kept peeking out the bottom of my shirt.
This shirt's a no-go! LOL

November 25, 2012----25 weeks and 2 days
Heading out for the day with the hubs!

November 25, 2012
My hubby was extremely excited to be able to park in the front due to this sign!
He actually wanted a fist bump for this! LOL

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving has come and gone and frankly I'm thankful for that! This year I hosted again and I cooked everything, including my first turkey and ham! I made a truffle butter turkey and it turned out pretty good but it was not as flavorful as I would have liked. However she was sexy and she was my first! Being that I used expensive a** truffle butter that was $30 for 2.65 ounces, I had to name her something classy! I went with Penelope :-)

Next year I'll try a creole style recipe for my bird b/c I like lots of flavor. My ham was totally awesome! I did a honey baked ham copycat recipe and it was a hit. Thankfully I didn't cook a stupid amount of food like I did last year, however it was still too much food! I think next year I'll just do a turkey breast and ham as well as cut down some of the recipes. I made too much of all the sides as well including but not limited to: mac n cheese, dressing, green beans, corn etc.  Each year so far has been a learning experience I think I'll have it nailed next year.  Thank God our Christmas is always a non-traditional meal!


Introducing Penelope:



November 17, 2012

Bump Pics and Hair Pics!

I cut about 8 inches off my hair in January and I've been keeping it cut. My hubby requested I grow it back out so no more cutting. Thank God I cut it b/c it's been growing like a weed while I've been pregnant. Honestly having shorter hair has not been easier at all! It seems thicker! Oh and I officially have the "pregnant" face! Ugh-

I cut about 8 inches off my hair in January and I've been keeping it cut. My hubby requested I grow it back out so no more cutting. Thank God I cut it b/c it's been growing like a weed while I've been pregnant. Honestly having shorter hair has not been easier at all! It seems thicker! Oh and I officially have the "pregnant" face! Ugh-

Heading to a weekday lunch w/ my girls!
23 weeks and 4 days
November 13, 2012

Heading to a weekday lunch w/ my girls!
23 weeks and 4 days
November 13, 2012

November 16, 2012

Niche Addition in our Master Bedroom

Our home is a 1941 bungalow and we love it! It has lots of character and it's super cute to us. However, I found that mostly in the 30's and 40's it seems as though builders gave you at least 4-5 exit/entry doors! One of those doors was in our master bedroom and it led to a private side porch that we never used. I've been wanting to enclose that porch for sometime now. So I called our friends who are some well-known designers in Dallas to come take a look and tell me if my idea was too crazy.  Now I wanted to enclose the entire porch but only a very small piece of the porch had an existing roof. The other part was completely exposed and it would have cost a lot of money to put on a roof and enclose the entire porch. So we settled on enclosing the small part with the existing roof line. It was not a big space at all, I'd say about 6ftx6ft or so. However enclosing that small part would take away the door (which I hated) and add a small niche to our bedroom. I figured we could use it as an area to put the baby's bassinet and then later use it as a reading nook. We decided to keep the exterior brick on one wall and the original slated ceiling detail. The contractor matched the top and bottom moldings just like in the rest of our room and Tommy painted it to match the color scheme in our room. We also had to hire floor guys to match our original hardwoods and they did an excellent job!  Here are some pics from start to completion. I have not decorated it yet b/c I'm waiting on my grass cloth to arrive for the shelf inserts and the back wall. I'll post the totally finished pics probably next month when I'm finally done. The small addition now looks seamless and flows perfectly with our room :)
 
View of the wall and door in our master that led out to the side porch

View of the wall and door in our master that led out to the side porch

Door that led out to the side porch and a small view of the side porch

Outer framing starts and exterior bricks removed

Outer framing starts and exterior bricks removed


Framing on the interior

Door and wall are gone :)

Had some bookshelves built out for the reading nook

Exterior brick that we kept and that was the porch light. You can also see the original slated porch ceiling. BEFORE PAINT.

AFTER PAINT
New floor installed-had to breathe for two weeks before it could be stained and polyurethaned
Hubby painted brick, shelves etc..

Niche is completed (view 1) + Floors are finished and look fabulous!

Niche is completed (view 2) + New wall sconce

Niche is completed (view 3)

Niche is completed (view 4)



Additional pics will come after we've finished the wall and shelf papering + decorating with books and knick-knacks.

November 13, 2012

Bump Pic!


23 weeks and 2 days
November 11, 2012



November 10, 2012

Gender Reveal Party (PICS) It's a GIRL..

Hubby serving the cake balls. All white with pink and blue drizzle on top.
They were SO yummy!

About to find out what we are having!! On the count of three everyone will take their first bite.

It's a....

It's a GIRL

OMG Can't believe it

So happy

Inside of a cake ball


 
Taking the pink balloons out to release up to my mom to let her know
she's having a grand-daughter

Releasing the balloons

Watching them soar

Heading up to heaven


Gender Reveal Party Scene (PICS)

Khyree and I (my newest nephew)
Keyshawn was at his mom's that weekend :(

Party Scene

Party Scene

Tommy, his step-dad and nephew Kemper

Deanna and Dorian

My Girls -Dori, Wendy and Annie

The Martinez Family! They were definitely voting for a GIRL!

My homemade lasagnas

Party Scene

Party Scene

Party Scene


My daddy and I

Serving up some of my mozarella, basil, cherry tomatoes crostinis

Tommy's Biological Dad

My mother-in law and father-in-law (Tommy's Stepdad)
 
Name suggestion board! Oh they had a field day with this!
Noxemia, Sha-nay-nay, Bob, Storm, Shirlanka...Lord!
 


Party Scene