TIRED!

What has happened to all of my energy? If you were to come over to my house you would see a permanent butt imprint in my couch! I'm still napping on the weekends and can barely make it during the work week without a nap. I thought all of my fatigue would begin to diminish after my first trimester.... Saturday I made a mistake of running errands (about 5 stops in all) and paid the price for it later in the evening. My back began to ACHE! I need to learn to take it easy and realize that I'm not super woman...instead I'm just a pregnant mom who needs to learn to rely on others for help.

Good news...I was officially released by Kettering Reproductive Medicine last week and I am now able to go to my regular OB/GYN. I see Dr. Woods & Dr. Horlocher at Miami Valley Hospital-these guys have a serious following at LexisNexis (especially in my building)! I absolutely love that group...the 2 of them have the most impeccable bedside manner, are very laid back and have a great sense of humor. All of which I think is super important in any doctor but especially ones that have to look at your girlie parts and deal with your hormonal moodiness when your pregnant! My first visit with them since being released was this past Tuesday and it went wonderfully! I go back in 4 more weeks (when I'm at 16 weeks) then again at 20 weeks. Our 20 week visit is when we will have our ultrasound and find out the baby's sex. I've been so spoiled up to this point and had about 5 ultrasounds just in my first trimester; who knows how I will do having to wait 8 more weeks for my next ultrasound.

We are planning on taking Stella with us to the 20 week ultrasound so she can be with us when we find out if the baby is a boy or a girl. I know that she will be super excited either way but this way we can share the excitement and the moment with her too.

12 WEEKS!

Well we aren't 100% out of the woods yet but we're getting pretty close! I can hardly believe that we are now at 12 weeks! It's been great so far with the exception of fatigue and nausea but that's par for the course....

Here is baby's latest photo from my most recent doctors visit:

At one point when the doctor first turned the ultrasound on we were able to see the baby sucking its thumb. It was way too cute.... one of the ultrasound photos even shows the little hand above its head and you can make out the little tiny fingers. I'm just waiting for the day when I can kiss those little fingers and toes; I don't suppose the September can get here fast enough.

I've begun to feel tiny little flutters, often times mistaken for gas. I guess it won't be too much longer when I begin to feel the kicking and the punching.

Stella is so enamored by the ultrasound photos. She loves to look at them and asks nearly everyday when the baby is coming. Like Todd, I think that she is rooting for a little boy but I know that they will be just as excited if its a girl (in about 5 more weeks we will know the sex of the baby). I know that Stella will be a terrific big sister and I cant wait to see her interact with the baby!

Pregnant & in Sin City

Vacationing while being pregnant can be an experience in its self! But vacationing in Vegas, a town which is definitely meant for families or pregnant folks, can be quite challenging. With the exception of always being hungry, because there is always bound to be a buffet just around the corner, it can be hard to fit in around Vegas! Everywhere you turn people are drinking, dancing, gambling, or making a mockery of themselves. When I ordered a virgin strawberry daiquiri at Paris (the hotel) the lady behind the cashier seemed a bit bewildered. Once I explained that I was pregnant she sympathized with me and even gave me a better deal on the drink. Weird, but oh well.

So far I'm up $300 just from playing black jack. Everytime I sit at the slots I never win enough to convince myself to cash out. I think mama's little peanut is her lucky charm this time around.

Salt, Salt & Salt!

Well if it isn't bad enough that almost everything that I eat now a days gives me the worst case of heartburn. Now I am craving salt like crazy! If its not Chipotle, its nacho's from Taco Bell, french fries from McDonalds or an entire bag of salt & vinegar chips! Poor Todd & Stella have had to deal with my crazy cravings and have found themselves eating more Chipotle than I am sure they would have ever imagined or cared to. Most folks that know me know that I love anything chocolate. But surprisingly enough nothing sweet sounds good right now. Lets hope that my sweet tooth will return for summer because Stella loves getting ice cream at Graeters or Dairy Queen.

We're absolutely positive!

We've waited long enough to share our wonderful news! Yes your eye's haven't decieved you, we are pregnant! As of today we are exactly 9 weeks and 2 days! We were going to hold out a few more weeks to share our news but the sheer excitement is killing us!

Here is Baby Langley's 7 week photo. As you can see our little peanut now has a head! :)

Here is our 8 week photo! Its so hard to tell from this little picture but little peanut now has little hands and feet

We recently shared the news with Stella and oh the questions she asked. :) She is so so cute and so excited to be a big sister. She has since named the baby "peanut." Everyday its a new set of questions...We are so excited to give her a sibling and can't wait to share this journey with her along the way. Stay tuned to our blog...

Happy Valentines Day!

We had a great Valentines weekend. On Saturday we had a kid free night courtesy of Teta & Gido! I don't know what I would ever do without them! So Saturday evening Todd and I had a nice dinner at J.Alexanders (one of my favorite restaurants!). Thank God for call ahead seating. If we hadn't called we would have had to wait 40-50 minutes. Since I called ahead we only waited 15-20 minutes. Dinner was delicious of course. We had Spinach Queso for an appetizer and then I had soup and salad for dinner and Todd had Chicken Parm. We were home before 6pm and relaxed and watched a movie!

Sunday we headed to church and when we got home we gave Stella her Valentines card and candy! She just added to the stash she got from her Valentines party on Friday and was so excited to have received another present of course!

I don't think we could have asked for a nicer and more relaxing weekend.

Snow days

Sometimes snow days are great because it grants you the opportunity to stay at home with your kids, catch up on laundry or even just relax! Today however, I used my "snow day" to reflect on how lucky I am.

I have a great family! Todd, Stella and I have each other, our health and a roof over our heads. In the current economic flux Todd and I both have good stable jobs close to home. Stella is an active and vibrant 6 year old with a captive imagination! You cannot begin to even guess the things that she comes up with or the questions she asks! She definitely keeps up on our toes.

My parents and sister are both spitting distance from me and I know they would be there in a seconds notice if we ever need anything! I can honestly say that I don't know how people live so far away from their families. I talk/text to my sister and mom at least once a day. We might not have much to talk about but we check in on each other and are just assured that all is well.

Teta & Gido (my parents & Arabic for Grandma and Grandpa) go "ape-sh!t' if they don't see Stella and Sophie (my niece) at least every few days. I'm serious my mom goes nuts if an entire week goes by and she doesn't see them. My sister and I didn't have a close relationship with our grandparents growing up. All of our grandparents lived in Egypt and we only saw them once every few years and they all died when we were both fairly young. Whats so sad is that my memories of them are so vague and distant. By the time I was 15 years old all of my grandparents had passed away. I am so jealous of the relationship that both Stella and Sophie have forged with their grandparents because I never had that with any of my grandparents. I know that the relationship and memories that they are making with them will last a lifetime!

Call me crazy but I just don't know how people live so far away from their families/parents/siblings. I know I am nuts and yes i know there are days that I would like nothing more than to never speak to them again (especially when they are annoying the crap out of me or around the holidays)! But I wouldn't know what to do without them. They are such an essential part of my life that I can only imagine how lost I would be without them.

So on this cold and frigid snow day when schools are closed and everyone is out plowing or shoveling their snow. I am warmed by the thought of how lucky I am to have such a wonderful family!