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.

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

 

 

 

 

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

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!