Flashback Friday: The Big Reveal

So, I found out the other day that a friend of mine is expecting (more details on that later - for now I need to keep it on the downlow....I'm one of a handful of people that know) and it got me thinking about when I was pregnant with IzzyB. I wanted to share this story with you...

Hubby and I got married in April 2005. We did not have a traditional wedding - we got married in Vegas in April with plans to celebrate with our families later in the year. Why? Well, we originally had a wedding date set for September 17, 2005. We rented a hall and started looking at caterers and bridesmaid dresses and flowers and djs and we just decided that we didn't want to do it that way. We just wanted to BE MARRIED.  Skip the planning and the fuss and just do it! So we decided to go to Vegas for a few days, get married and then keep the hall rental in September and throw a big party to celebrate with our friends and family. Non-traditional? Yes. Perfect? Yes :) Anyhoo...

A mere 3 weeks (!) after the wedding I found out I was pregnant. Yep - what happened in Vegas did NOT stay in Vegas :)

That means that by the time our "reception" rolled around that fall I was 5 months pregnant. We had a pig roast, rented a karaoke machine and celebrated with everyone by eating and singing and being silly.

We had gone to the doctor about 2 weeks before and had an ultrasound. They gave us the opportunity to find out the sex of the baby but we had other plans. We had been talking all summer about whether or not we wanted to find out. We wanted to know but we wanted to be surprised at the same time. Believe it or not we were able to accomplish both! This is what we did:

When we went to the ultrasound appointment we brought three things with us - a small box, a "baby boy" bib and a "baby girl" bib. We gave all 3 to the technician and told her to find out the sex of the baby but to NOT tell US! Take the bibs and the box into another room, put the right one in the box and do whatever with the leftover bib. We took the box home and immediately wrapped it in pretty paper (to discourage peaking) and then brought it to our reception and put it in the basket that we had to collect cards and small gifts :) You've probably figured it out already but we opened the gift at our reception. Surrounded by family and friends we thanked everyone for coming and then told them about our appointment. I opened the present, pulled out the bib, screamed "It's a GIRL!" and everyone burst into applause! It was amazing!

It was so nice to find out about our princess with everyone around. Even if we weren't having a big party with everyone I think I still would have done something similar. Finding out in the office wouldn't have changed the outcome - we would still have been having a girl and still be thrilled about it. But I think finding out away from all that, surrounded by special people and being able to share the surprise was the best!


PS That was my favorite maternity shirt and I wore it CONSTANTLY even through the colder months with a long sleeved shirt underneath...I'm pretty sure I still have it so I'm thinking I might have to dig it out for my buddy :)

Flashback Friday: A Young IzzyBsMama

This is me and Lassie (such an original name for a collie, don't ya think?). I was about 5-ish. I dug this picture out the other day and was struck by how much Iz looks like I did at her age. I mean, seriously, if I didn't KNOW this was me I would think it was her!!!

Poor Iz...hope she grows out of it!!! :)

Flashback Friday: Itty Bitty

IzzyB ... February 2006

Gosh, it's hard to believe that the little person I spend my days with used to be an itty bitty ... on one hand, I can't believe how fast the past 5 years have gone and, on the other hand, I can barely remember what it was like when Iz was an infant....a baby....a toddler. She's not any of those things any more. Now she's a kid. She makes her own sandwiches, she pours her own drinks. She's independent and smart and funny and sarcastic and stubborn and a million other things that make her her. She's the light of my life. She's the hardest challenge I've ever faced. She's frustrating and complicated and the most wonderful thing I've ever been a part of.

She's my heart. Running around out there for the whole world to see :)

*** The amount of hair Iz has in that picture up there? The same amount she had until she was almost TWO! Our little bald baby!!!

Flashback Friday - Halloween

2009

"Sleeping Beauty"

2008

"Flamingo"

2007

"Tinkerbell"

2006

"Bumblebee"

Flashback Friday - Old E-Mail

Lately I've been feeling a little nostalgic and I'm a bit of an e-mail "pack rat" so it's been easy for me to look back at some of the lovey dovey e-mails Hubby and I have sent to each other over the years. This is one thing he wrote to me back in June 2007 that I rediscovered the other day. I've since made it the background on my desktop and just keep reading and rereading and rereading. It's so touching, and sweet, and seeing those words from him make me realize I still feel the same way after all this time :)

"I can honestly say that no one has touched my heart the way that you have. I have never wanted to be with anyone else the way I want to be with you. When I wake up in the morning there is a certain wonderful feeling that I have inside that no matter how good or bad a day I have there is someone who truely loves me with me. I really feel that way all the time. You make me feel that way ...all the time. That's part of the unconditional love aspect I believe."

Let's all say it together..."Awwwwwwww!"

Flashback Friday - IzzyB's Birth Story

*Originally written January 20, 2006

I can't believe IzzyB is 10 days old already!
I finally have the chance to post delivery details (for those of you who want to know). I went into the hospital on Sunday, January 8th because I thought my water had broken. The doctor said it hadn't but kept me overnight for observation. They sent me home at 2pm on Monday the 9th and after eating dinner around 5 the fun began! It started with some bad lower back pain (which I had on and off so I didn't think it was a big deal) and then I got sick and up came dinner :) (sorry for the graphic details). Hubby called the doctor for me and I pretty much sat on the bathroom floor in severe pain. We were back at the hospital by about 7pm (5 hours after we left) and I was on an IV of Stadol by 8ish - that stuff doesn't help at all, by the way. It felt like someone had smacked me in the lower back with a shovel (constant pain) and then when a contraction would come, pretty much all I could do is cry and try to breath through it. By 11pm I was 5 cm dilated and offered more pain relief - I told the nurse I didn't care what they did, I just wanted the back pain to stop. I ended up getting an intrathecal (one shot to the spine as opposed to an epidural, which is a constant drip) and within 10 minutes I was sitting up, and able to hold a conversation. The nurse told me that an intrathecal would provide pain relief for four to five hours so we thought I would be all set. I started pushing at 4:30am and by 6:30am had made very little progress (and the intrathecal had worn off!). The nurses shift change is what saved my life! I think that if I was still dealing with the nurse that was there overnight that I would STILL be trying to push Iz out. The morning nurse came in at 6:30 and IzzyB was born at 7:10am. She did end up needing a little help from the vacuum which left her with a terrible conehead but that is almost gone now. I can honestly say that it was the most amazing experience I have ever been through, When she finally came out and they laid her on my chest I just couldn't believe that she was here and I was finally getting a look at my little girl.
We brought her home on Thursday the 12th and the last 10 days have been great. The lack of sleep is a challenge but it's worth it. Hubby took all of last week off from work and when we brought her home the two of us just spent hours looking at her. I never could have imagined the love that I feel for this little one. There are absolutely no words that can describe how I feel every time I look at her. I am so looking forward to watching her grow up (not too fast, though!) and can't wait to discover her personality.

So, that's it - that's how Iz entered this world and changed my life forever :) Hoping to drag some wedding pictures out soon so I can share that story with you too!!!

Happy Birthday RBB...missing you...and wishing Iz and Hubby had been lucky enough to know you :(

Flashback Friday - Pregnancy

I kept an informal on-line journal while I was pregnant with Iz and through the first couple years of her life...here's the pregnancy part :) Saturday, June 11, 2005 Tomorrow marks 8 weeks...on one hand, time is dragging and on the other, I can't believe it's been over a month since we found out and it's been over 6 weeks since this little one was created :) We still have not seen the doctor. June 22nd is my first appointment but that's only with a nurse (to take samples and get a medical history). the first "real" appointment is on June 29th. That's the one I'm really excited about! I'll be almost through my first trimester and, hopefully, we can hear a heartbeat and, FINALLY, get some confirmation that there really is a baby in there! Not that I'm complaining about my lack of morning sickness (or any other symptoms, for that matter) but it will be reassuring to hear a professional say "yes, you are pregnant, it's not some fluke" :) Wednesday, August 10, 2005 Okay...I'm not good at keeping up with this but I will try and get better. At my appointment on July 22nd (?) Hubby and I heard the baby's hearbeat for the first time! A strong 160bpm. My next appointment is August 19th and then I have an ultrasound scheduled for September 6th. We are still undecided about finding out the sex of the baby but I am fairly certain we will end up wanting to be surprised :) Sorry to disappoint all of you who HAVE to know . . . Sunday, August 21, 2005 At my checkup Friday, the doctor barely pressed the monitor to my belly before he picked up baby's heartbeat! A relief after my trip to the ER last week (just a VERY painful UTI nut still scary!). Only about 2 weeks until our unltrasound and both Hubby and I are so excited to see this little one and get an update on his/her progress. We have definitely decided to be surprised about boy/girl instead of finding out at the ultrasound...pink or blue?

Wednesday, September 14, 2005 We had the ultrasound done last week - we have a nice, big, healthy baby in there. 13oz! Boy or girl? We didn't find out. We really want it to be a surprise! Tomorrow is my glucose test, to check for gestational diabetes. Not really looking forward to that, since I've heard all kinds of terrible things about the stuff they make you drink. I promise to keep more up-to-date with this (especially after the scolding I got last night from SK!). I think Hubby and I will be hitting BRU and setting up a registry within the next week or so, so keep your eyes peeled for that! Sunday, September 18, 2005 Well, well, well...yesterday was a pretty exciting day for all three of us, as well as our family and our closest friends. For those of you who couldn't make it, Hubby and I had our wedding celebration and revealed to everyone (including ourselves) that we are expecting a Baby Girl! It was the best way to be surprised, but also to know in advance. It was so exciting to open the "present" from our ultrasound technician and pull out a pink bib with everyone watching and waiting . . . It was amazing! Friday, October 7, 2005 We have decided on a name for this little one inside of me...IzzyB :) We finally made the decision yesterday when we got tired of referring to her as "the baby." Things are going very well. Iz is getting very strong. She kicked me so hard that she almost knocked me over in the shower the other day. and she kicked Hubby in the back the other night when I curled up behind him to fall asleep! I have an appointment next Wednesday and will have my glucose test to check for gestational diabetes and I only have 16 days left of my second trimester - time flies when you're having fun!!! Monday, October 31, 2005 I had my glucose test done and have not heard anything back from the doctor - no news is good news!!! I have a prenatal class at the hospital tomorrow night and next Tuesday and an appointment next Wednesday - then I'll be going every 2 weeks! Hopefully at my next appointment they'll give me an idea of how big Iz is . . . my guess is around 3 pounds!!! Less than 3 months to go - I can't wait! Wednesday, November 9, 2005 I had a doctors appointment today - everything is going along perfectly. My BP was 130/73, Iz's heartbeat was 147 BPM, I gained 1 pound in the last 4 weeks (16 pounds total so far), my fundal height was 29cm and the results of my glucose test were right on the money! The doctor says that whatever I'm doing, keep on doing it! I start going every 2 weeks now, until the week before Christmas and then it's EVERY week until I pop! Wednesday, November 23, 2005 Hubby asked the doctor at my appointment yesterday if she knew how big Iz is right now. She said the average baby is 3 to 3-1/2 ponds . . . and Iz is bigger than that! She told me that unless I go really early that I shouldn't hold my breath for a 6 pounder - more in the 8 to 9 range. YIPE! But, as long as she's healthy, I'm okay with that. Everything looks good. My BP is staying steady and Iz is head down (and she's using her little legs to push herself further down all the time. The result? CONSTANT heartburn and the feeling that she's going to pop out about 6 inches above my belly button. I keep checking my belly for a bruise - that's how hard she's pushing !) She's a strong, healthy, BIG baby. Eight and a half more weeks!!! Sunday, December 11, 2005 With 6 weeks left (maybe less) I am definitely ready to have this baby. She is so high up that my chest and belly have merged into one :) At my last appointment (on the 12th) I had lost 2 pounds, bringing my total weight gain to 18 pounds at the 33 week mark. I'm totally okay with that! My blood pressure looked good and Iz's heartbeat is nice and strong! I have another appointment on the 19th and then it's every week until this little one makes her big appearance!!! Monday, December 19, 2005 I had another ultrasound on Friday and then my doctor's appointment today. Here's the deal...everything looks great. Iz is nice and healthy - amniotic fluid is okay, her digestive system is okay and blood flow through her umbilical cord is okay and she's DEFINITELY a girl! Guesstimated weight (drum roll please!) 6 pounds! 12 ounces! This could be off up to a pound either way, but with average gain of 1/2 pound a week she will be an 8-9 pound baby!!! Yipe! Her heartbeat is nice and strong - 142 on Friday and 136 today. She's healthy and that's all I can ask for. I'm not dialated yet, but I am 50% effaced so things are progressing. The docotr could feel a head so, although i feel liek Iz is up in my throat, she's ehad down and ready to be born. I have an appointment set up every week for the next 3 weeks, but let's hope for labor a couple weeks early :) We got a great new ultrasound pic, it's a profile of her face - she has the cutest little nose! Her lips are puckered and there's a blur to the left which, I think, is her thumb which she's getting ready to suck!!! Friday, December 30, 2005 Went to the doctors on Tuesday afternoon (12/27) and there has been a little progress. 80% effaced and less than a cm dialated. She also went over the ultrasound results in more detail and said that everything is perfect except the baby's size which is big but fine for now! Iz is officially full term on Sunday so if she's born any time after that then she should be fine. My last day of work is Friday the 6th and then I'll just eb home waiting for this not-so-little one to arrive. So...here's to hoping for an early labor! Next appointment - Wednesday, January 4th Wednesday, January 4, 2006 1 full cm dialated...that;s it! A little discouraging but I am still 18 days from my due date. My BP still looks good (138/73), Iz's heartbeat was a strong 152 and I gained 2 pounds, bringing my total to 26 - Yipe! My next appointment is Monday the 9th and the doctor said today that she doesn't think I'll be seeing them any earlier than that :( But she did say that things look good and I am progressing well for a first baby. Friday is my last day at work which is good, because no matter what I am doing or what position I'm in, I'm uncomfortable. So, at least I'll be uncomfortable at home instead of at work. Thursday, January 12, 2006 IzzyB was born Tuesday, January 10, 2006 (her Daddy's birthday!) at 7:10am. She weighed a whopping 8 pounds, 10 ounces and was 21.5 inches long. We brought her home today and all three if us are doing great! I will definitely post a longer entry later with more details but I wanted to get the word out that she's here!!!

Flashback Friday - January '09

"Flashback Friday" is something I've been toying with the idea of doing for a while. I'll warn you right now that I won't have something EVERY Friday and there's no way I'm organized enough to do things in chronological order but I thought it would be fun to take a look back every once in a while.

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I was messing around on FB today (Surprise! surprise!) and I came across this gem that I had posted January 4, 2009...definitely worth sharing :)

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So, Hubby made Iz a "rocket ship" out of some cardboard boxes last night and she's been playing with it all day today. A little while ago, she flipped it upside-down and climbed in so she was looking out through the door. ..this is the conversation that followed:

Iz: Daddy, I want ice cream.
Hubby: You ate the rest of the ice cream last night, remember?
Iz: no, Daddy just pretend.
Hubby: Oh, you want to pretend to eat ice cream, ok here's some ice cream.
Iz: No Daddy!
Hubby: I thought you wanted ice cream?
Iz: no you!
Hubby: but I tried to give you ice cream
Iz: no, I give you ice cream!
Hubby: Ohhhh, are you working the ice cream window?
Iz: yes!
Hubby: Oh, wonderful, can I have some ice cream please
Iz (deadpan): I'm sorry, but I don't have any ice cream.

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