the good ole south

well, i just got back from a visit to louisiana. it was a blast. it was just nice to get away from new mexico & work...get away from reality. i did miss my husband & dharma dog (our st. bernard) while i was gone, but it was so nice to see my family & friends. and everyone got a glimpse of my belly & some even got to feel fox move. it was nice to see the green grass & all the trees. i think grass & trees are a luxury in new mexico. but it really felt & smelt like spring in louisiana. i've missed our beautiful flowers in my daddy's yard. i ate raising cane's.. twice. yum!! i wish new mexico would invest in opening one of them.

i got to eat dinner & hang out with my lady friends. we ate at the tokyo japanese steakhouse. it was a lot of fun! we "celebrated" jenifer's engagement, ashley's recent nuptials, & my pregnancy! we all just knocked it out at once!! haha! it was so great to see them. i later went to visit with my pastors from louisiana & my dear friend, jenny. they were having a game night & got to see a lot of people from my church there. i love how you can be gone for so long, but once you're reunited with your friends, it's just like old times. you crack up & joke & just have a great time!! i think this trip really made me realize how blessed i am to have these people in my life.

my saturday was a busy busy day. it was my nephew's birthday party!! we let the kids loose & run wild!! preston's birthday was spiderman themed!! everyone had a great time!! he was absolutely spoiled!! even though, he already is!! after the bday party, my family went to eat lunch. i got to meet my brother's girlfriend, sarah, who is expecting a baby boy, my nephew, in late august. my family had a great time. i later went to jenifer's bridal shower. it was very beautiful & i know she was blessed with a ton of bridal gifts. that evening, i went shopping with my sister in law, gina, & nephew, maddox. we love to shop!! i have such a great daddy that blesses us & let's us do some damage at the mall!! i got some great things on sale. i picked up a cute shirt for fox which brandon really liked. i spent the evening just relaxing with my daddy. just some good daughter/daddy time.

sunday was church day! i visited my "home" church. worship was really great. that's my favorite part of sunday services, worship. after church, i just hung out & visited with people. my friend, jenny, pulled me aside & led me up to the church annex to show me some new "remodelations". when we walked in, i was surprised!! they had a baby shower set up for me!! i was absolutely surprised & did not see it coming!! mrs. pam, jenny, & my daddy set it up for me. wow. it was so nice of everyone. i tell ya, i AM blessed. i got a lot of giftcards & money. and some cute outfits. i know fox is already blessed beyond compare & is loved. thanks to everyone for blessing me, brandon, & fox.

sunday afternoon, i took some maternity photos with jordan smith. it was a blast & so far the pictures are great!! i love them. jordan is really talented. i'm glad i got to do them with her. sunday evening, i was daddy's date to a marriage service thing at the church. it was fun. good food & good message!

monday, i got up extra early to say bye to my daddy. i went to gina & lester's to play with preston before he went off to "school". i love that little boy. i got to hang out with my sis & maddox. mrs. jane stopped by for a bit. i miss that lady. and then i was off to jackson to catch a flight to new mexico.

i really had a great time in louisiana. my family & friends mean so much to me. they are the ones that have helped mold me into the person i have become. they are greatly loved & appreciated. i thank God everyday for them.

i can't wait to see them again.. and to meet my baby boy after he's born.

it's a BOY!!

and he shall be called Fox, Ethan Fox.

we had our ultrasound on March 17, St. Patty's Day. I do have to say I was hoping for a girl. I really wanted to name her after my Mom. But I know one of my desires is to have a little girl. And God will give me the desires of my heart.. one day.. all in His time.

so the night before the actual ultrasound, i had a very real dream. brandon & i went to the hospital for my ultrasound, but instead of them performing the ultrasound.. the tech just gave me the sonogram & said "It's a BOY!!" I was so mad. I was confused & told her "I can't see it (penis). It's not a boy! " But she kept pointing something out to me that I had no clue what I was looking at. So I woke up from the dream & could not go to sleep. And I just had that feeling... it's a boy. when it was time to get ready to go, i told brandon my dream & told him we're probably having a boy.

so we go to the appointment & the girl was so sweet & pointed everything out to us. it's amazing how much your baby grows in just a few weeks. so she checks out the brain, the heart, the abdomen. and while she's checking on the kidneys, she moves the ultrasound device thing & quickly passes by the baby's legs. and there i saw IT. i saw his "3rd leg". i turned my head to brandon & whispered to him that in fact it was a boy. i saw it with my own eyes. and so the tech carried on with what she was doing & it was just amazing to watch the baby move & cross his legs. so about 10 minutes after my discovery, she asked if we would like to know the sex. of course we did!! she went straight to his legs & she confirmed that we are indeed having a BABY BOY!!

i have to saw he is quite handsome!! just like his daddy!! haha! i really do hope he has brandon's dimples!! but we are so so excited!! when i went in for the ultrasound i was 20 weeks, 0 days. and Fox measured 20 wks, 4 days. he also weighed 13 oz. and he has cute feet & nice plump lips (i can't wait to kiss them!!). i am now 23 wks pregnant. and i am telling you, i have an active baby. just last week, brandon & i were on the couch & i lifted my top to expose my belly. and a few minutes later, you could see my stomach move! it's just so amazing!! i love it!! i love to feel my baby boy move. he really enjoys michael jackson/jackson 5. haha!!

we purchased his baby bedding. we are doing a little jungle theme for him. we're not so much into sports or cars/trucks. i like monkeys/animals. i was so happy when his bedding came in!! it's so soft & cute! my sister-in-law & friend, melissa, are working on a little project for fox's birth announcement/nursery. i know it's going to be great!! brandon & i are in the process of cleaning out the garage to move his office in there. the office will be fox's den. :)

have i had any pregnancy problems lately? we thought i had gallstones for a few weeks. i had an ultrasound & it came back negative for gallstones, but i do have a minimum amount of sludge. i was told to stay off the fatty foods (the good pregnancy food) & exercise. so i'm doing so much better. no, i have not had any unusual pregnancy cravings. i honestly think it's a little bogus. now i know i'm not much of a healthy eater, but i think "pregnancy cravings" are an excuse to eat crap. haha! now, if you "crave" an apple, that's great! but if it's a double decker at 2 am, that's just retarded. eat a bowl of cheerios. my opinion. i have been eating a lot of lemons with salt. that's my thing. do i crave them? no. i just eat them when i go to restaurants. it's something i can do without. just saying.

i'm going to louisiana in a couple of weeks for my nephew's 4th birthday. i cannot believe Preston will be 4. it's all so insane!! time flies by so fast!! i spoke to preston on the phone a few weeks ago & i said "preston, guess what?!?" he said "huh?".. i said "i'm going to be a mommy!!" he said "no, you not mommy. you just aunt jj.".. i said "that's right, i'm just aunt jj." haha! it was so cute & funny. i'm not a mommy to him. i'm just his cool aunt!! :) i love him.

i'm going to be an aunt yet again. my brother, axel, is having a little boy. his girlfriend is due august 20th. so there will be two new babies in august. it's going to be a crazy, busy month!!

so far this has been a great pregnancy. not too much problems. i only have God to thank for that. i have to say i really miss my Mom during this time. i wish she were here to experience this with me & axel. she was the greatest Mimi in the world. she is greatly missed, but i know she's rejoicing with us in heaven.

well, that's all for now, i suppose. until next time..