My NEW Mommy Mobile!!

I'm still truly sad our Altima didn't last us a long time. I wanted to enjoy driving a car with no car payment, but sometimes I can't always get what I want! I know long term DH and I will love the piece of mind knowing we're carting around our baby girl in a reliable car, and we won't have to stress or worry about it breaking down on us with the baby in the car ...in triple digit Texas heat!

So, long story short, we looked into a Chevrolet Equinox! We went to one dealership and realized maybe it was going to cost too much. We had a number and we needed to stick to it! So we started to look at the new Chevy Cruze.! The price was about $5K less. It was smaller than the Altima, so we worried a little bit about convenience when we travel to Austin with baby and 2 dogs. Again, we were sticking to our number and couldn't complain.

Then, after about a week of car shopping we both came home exhausted and frustrated. Deep down we both wanted the Equinox. We continued to shop around and found new Equinoxes advertised for $19,995 in Frisco. We proposed this to our dealer and, even though, they would be losing $$ on the deal (supposedly!) if the other dealership was going to do it, then so were they! In the end, we got what we wanted for only $3K more than we were going to pay for the Cruze!! We stuck to our number and we still got what we wanted! A beautiful 2011 White Chevrolet Equinox!

Honestly, this was our best car shopping experience by far! We took our time and shopped around for WEEKS! It was exhausting and frustrating but in the end it paid off! We are 100% positive we got the BEST possible deal! My BIL has "connections" in the GM business who confirmed that we got a GREAT deal on this car. I feel so good about this purchase!





I'm so looking forward to having our family in this car! DH and I are so in love with it!

FINALLY, Daddy feels movement!

She's been super active lately and sometimes she kicks so hard that it startles me! I've been getting frustrated with DH, because I would put his hand on my belly, push gently... but apparently too hard, because all he could feel was HIS PULSE!! Then, she'd kick and I could see OUR hands move... and he couldn't feel her. ...OMG.

Then, finally, the hard kicks came back with a vengeance last night - may have been hiccups too! I placed his hand there and FINALLY, he feels her! He looks at me with huge bug eyes and says "Whoooaa! That was weird!" Haha - love him.

Willpower. Determination. Strength.

I've never questioned my ability to raise a child; however, when it comes to our particular situation I have most certainly questioned my ability to juggle a full time job, a new baby, my marriage, my company, AND continue to go to school.

My attitude has been "We'll see what happens..." I never intend to QUIT school; however, I have played with a few different ideas of what I may do.

Now, keep in mind, DH will *always* be in school! He's successful. He has drive, and he will graduate with his degree in 2.5 years. That will never change - baby or not!

My schooling has always been put second, and I recongize my ability to attend school as an amazing *oppurntunity*! After baby arrives in May, both DH and I will take both summer semesters off. He will return to school in the Fall, BUT will I return as well? No question, I will do my best to take on at least 2 online classes; however, for my degree plan I must take a science lecture and lab EVERY Spring and Fall semester, which means no online class... rather on campus classes!

Will we be forced to purchased a second vehicle? Can we even afford that? Probably not. That's my first obstacle.

Next is, can I even do it?

I want to EBF (exclusivly breastfeed). This does not mean directly from my breast 100% of the time. This means I want her to have only breastmilk for atleast the first 6-9 months. I know there are SO many factors that go into my ability to do this, so I'll cross those bridges when I get there. But in my mind, if I'm able to EBF long term, I will be required to pump at work - no problem (logistically). I will pump in the car, in public, whereever I need to. I will be completely committed to BF and completely commited to my child.

But will I be completely commited to school? I need to be. Especially for the sake of my new baby and her future! But will my time (what time, right?), energy level, and everything else be perfectly aligned to ensure I'm able to include school into the mix??

I'm not sure.

I have the support of my wonderful husband who is willing to ensure I'm able to attend school, but what if I become completly overwhelmed. What if I feel like I can't do it, like it's too much for me.... when really, is it too much? Or am I allowing it to overwhelm myself?

God delivers the answers...

So I'm walking through the student center at school yesterday and a travel system catches my eye. I think "What is a infant carrier and stroller doing in the student center? This is weird." As I countine to walk, I realize that next to the travel system is a mommy sitting on the couch covered by ironically the same exact Bebe au Lait Nursing Cover I registered for! As I keep walking to my class, it totally dawns on me... she's a mom, with an infant, BF her baby AT SCHOOL! Wow.

I wanted to say something to her. The visual she gave me moved me. I don't know her exact situation. Does she have one car too? Does she have an amazing partner who supports her? I do know one thing. What she exhibited to me was what I WANT to be able to do. She was doing the best for her child by comitting to BF AND she was at school furthering her education. She could have been at home BF in the privacy of her own home. Or she could have chosen to FF (formula feed) by bottle, avoid the awkward looks, and attend school. But she wasn't.

I was amazed, and for the first time, I was given confidence that if she can do it, SO CAN I!

21 weeks and lots of baby updates!

Movement: I felt the baby from the outside for the first time on Thursday. I literally saw my arm move! Unfortunately, she hasn't been that active since, and DH hasn't had the privilege to feel her. Thursday is his birthday and I think, she's making him wait so she can give him her "gift"!

Cankles: I have cankles already. Nice. Isn't it a little too early for this? Ugh. So depressing. I MUST increase my water intake, decrease the salt, and start working out again!! Ugh. I have no other excuse! Honestly, I don't mind the cankles right now as they're covered up all of the time, but I'm really hoping my fingers aren't next. Fat fingers = no wedding rings = very very sad A.

Diaper Stash: We are 95% done with our NB (newborn) diaper stash!! I'm so giddy! I still need to research more on inserts and cloth wipes. Then, purchase both and we'll be 100% DONE for 0-3 months (maybe longer!).

DH's birthday: So, DH and I have never really been "gift" type of people. We always go out to a nice dinner, but rarely do gifts AND dinner! When you're both students (now with a baby on the way!) you realize materialistic items are in no way necessary in life! So this year, I wanted to surprise him with gifts! I've always known I was married to an amazing man, but I didn't think I'd realize he's even more amazing than I thought. With this pregnancy, he has been so thoughtful. He won't let me carry anything heavy including multiple loads of groceries up to our 2nd floor apartment. He constantly asks if our baby girl is/was active today. And he actually wants to go shopping if it entails anything for this baby! He gets as excited as me to get fluffy mail (cloth diapers) and to even put furniture together!! He truly amazes me.

So for his birthday, I thought really hard, and I realized how his frivolous spending on xbox360 games has completely disappeared. Now, he sells his games on craigslist and uses that money to buy a new USED one! He never buys new games anymore. Also, he used to spend about $100 a year or more on Xbox Live subscriptions. (This is required if you want to play "online" with people around the world.) He used to really enjoy playing with his "online" friends, but he hasn't purchased a new subscription in a very long time. I appreciate all of the money savings on his part so much!

I also started to realize that his personal time is about to completely diminish. I mean, he's not a party animal by any means, but when he's home on Saturday night, he's always playing his xbox360. It's probably the only thing he does for himself to "get away"!

I want him to have as much "personal" fun time as he can possibly get in before this baby comes. So, I bought him a 1 year subscription to Xbox Live. After this baby is born, I know it is going to be extremely exhausting, especially since he'll be home with her while I'm at work, so I will urge him to get in "his" time as often as he can! With this subscription, he'll be covered for one year!


I'll probably put a card on his subscription "from his daughter" and add a note that says something like "Daddy, You better enjoy this as much as you can before my arrival!"

And also as a fun gift from myself, I purchased this T-shirt from Cafe Press. We found this online one day very early on in this pregnancy, and he loved it. I can't wait to see his face when he unwraps this!


Nursery Furniture: After a trip to Ikea yesterday, we have one piece of furniture left to buy!! We have the crib, changing table, and the dresser/chest of drawers!! Since I'll be in class till 9 pm on DH's birthday, he says he's going to have his own little "party" at home and start to put all of the furniture together!! lol!

20 weeks 1 day - HALFWAY THERE!!

2-0

Wow...

To look up at that ticker and see a number that begins with a TWO... Wow. I'm so grateful and so thankful to have made it to 20 weeks! Baby and I are halfway there. There are no words to describe how excited DH and I are! We're not even halfway ready physically, but we're so ready emotionally!

In the next couple of weeks, I think, we'll start the guest bedroom/nursery transformation. It's currently a guest bedroom with piles and piles of her stuff, business stuff, and misc junk. I want to get it cleared out and organized for her! Realistically, I'd like to be 95% ready one week before finals (approx. by May 1st). Remember, I'm the OCD planner and that's my "goal" date I'm setting! Then, after finals are over for both DH and I, we (hopefully!) have a couple of weeks to wrap up any last minute details before we welcome her home!

So far, this pregnancy has been a breeze! I wish I could say that I've returned back to my usual workouts, but I haven't. My excuses include: the holiday craziness, buying a new car, stressing about buying a new car, waiting for my new car (details coming SOON!!), it's 25 degrees outside (I walk to the gym from my office), and I don't have access yet to the gym at home. Sounds pretty good huh?

I've continued to feel movement daily. These days she's pretty quiet. I feel her most in the mornings and at night. I think she's a pretty chill baby... for now!

I've started to SPEND MONEY on this little girl!! Luckily, mostly everything I've purchased are necessities! Details coming SOON!

We have chosen names! I have my favorite and DH has his! We'll take both to the hospital, meet our little girl, and give her the name that fits her best! Details coming SOON!

My mind has been in overdrive lately, because I have one available week left before Spring semester starts for me. I've been reading my books as much as I can and researching as much as I can! The BIG decision - we've decided we will CLOTH DIAPER!! So that has taken up most of my "researching" time!

Here's my 20 week bump pic! Sorry about my finger being in the way! I think I still look fat, rather than pregnant! The little indention in between what I call my "top bump" and "bottom bump" still exists! When it vanishes I'm sure I'll feel like I look PG! :)