Chosing a name...

This time around, we seem to be having trouble choosing a name.

Kaitlyn's first name was picked within a couple of days of finding out she was a girl, her middle name picked a few weeks later. After finding out she was a girl, I was determined to have a name! We went straight from the ultrasound appointment to Rite Aid where I picked up two of those 100,000+ and 30,000+ baby name books. We went through nearly that whole entire book before we had a name we could both agree on! Of course, the middle name was a lot harder. We chose Reagan shortly after former president Ronald Reagan passed away.

Matthew's name was decided on within a couple of days of discovering he was a he. I had a list of 10 names I loved. There were two Dusty didn't hate. He had a list of names he liked. We both had Matthew on our list and that was that. His middle name was the other name on my list he didn't throw out the window as fast as I could say it. It was easy.

Samantha was probably the easiest of them all. Dusty has had that name picked out since he was 12. I told him before we found out she was a girl that if it was a girl, he could have his Samantha Anne. Well, I think he meant Ann, but I like the added E, so that was my input.

This time, it hasn't been easy.

We've narrowed it down to two first names we both like: Charlotte and Penelope. We both have names that we like that the other doesn't love (me: Emily and Emma, him: Sarah and Allison). We both have middle names that we like, but nothing that we love. I have yet to hear a name that screams to me: That's it! Despite going through thousands and thousands of names. It has me half tempted to randomly pull letters out of a hat and invent our own name. Kaitlyn has made some suggestions: Carly, Victoria, Jeanette, Kat and Miranda are all the "real" names she's offered. Of course, there have been many more she offered that are not actually names and are rather things a child and adult would be tortured with as a name...

We've known she's a she for nearly a month. And at this point, she might just be named "Baby" with how far we're getting. Boy is it frustrating. I think it would be less frustrating if I wasn't anxious to order new Christmas stockings, or new wall decals with names on them for Samantha and the baby's room. Or, if I wasn't going to deliver in less than 5 months...

Any suggestions? What are your favorite names?

Where is the year going?

It's absolutely insane to me that we are already halfway through July! Now that a lot of the nausea has passed, I swear it feels like he days are passing at triple speed. 3 weeks from tomorrow Kaitlyn will start the third grade. Including this year, she only has three more before she graduates to junior high! How???

Both Kaitlyn and Samantha will be celebrating their birthdays in 4 months. I'm worried time will keep flying by, and as my belly expands, I will get even more uncomfortable. So, I've been proactive. Both girls have their invitations ready for their parties and all the decorations are ordered and on the way to our house. We're really simplifying the parties this year. They will have them on their birthday days, Samantha is having a Very Hungry Caterpillar party on Friday night and 8 days later Kaitlyn will have her Monster High sleepover. Kaitlyn is very excited for both. I'm sure Samantha is just excited for cake.

Matthew's birthday is also right around the corner. His fifth birthday is Monday, August 6 and we will be celebrating with our yearly balloon release at the cemetery on Sunday, August 5 at 11:00 am. If you'd like to join us, let us know so we can be sure we have enough balloons and such. Matthew's birthday is something Kaitlyn looks forward to every year. She thinks it's a fun for him to look down on us and be a part of his birthday party when the balloons get to Heaven. Samantha doesn't understand and it might be another year or two before she gets it.

Samantha is growing like crazy. She knows how to break our hearts. When I put her down for a nap, she cries and throws in a "mommy, help, pease!" and at bed time she does the same to Dusty after he puts her down, "Dada, help pease.". She knows what she wants and isn't afraid to scream a defeating no if it's something she doesn't want or throw a hysterical fit to get her way. When she wants to poop, she demands a fresh diaper first. She knows where the cookies and pop tarts are and that just happens to be her favorite cupboard. She is quickly on her way to the fabulous, terrible twos.

Kaitlyn is very excited for school to start. She has made it clear that she really, really wants to see her friends. Her school is having an ice cream social a couple days before that she is looking forward to. Cheerleading practice starts in less than two weeks and it looks like she is going to be a busy bee.

We've hit 17 weeks in our pregnancy. The little one is growing wonderfully. Her heartbeat is really strong and once in a while I can feel the flutter of movement. It looks like the blood clot is possibly gone. Of course, it's hard to tell because my placenta is being stubborn and instead of hanging out at the top of my uterus, hanging out at the bottom, completely covering my cervix and the front of my uterus, making it difficult to get a good look with ultrasound. It also means I get to keep taking it easy, limit my walking and minimize any lifting over 10 pounds(Samantha does not like this!), as well as trying to physically keep my feet elevated. I received my first p17 shot last week and have my next tomorrow. We have our "big" ultrasound on our anniversary this year. 3 weeks from yesterday we will celebrate 8 years of marriage! It's feels like it was just yesterday and a lifetime ago all at the same time.

Life has been good. Peaceful. Things are so much easier without constant drama and gossip. I feel fortunate we took the steps to remove it from our lives. Without having to spend so much energy on things that really don't matter we have so much more energy and time to focus on the things that do.

A Drama Queen in the making

I think that's what we're dealing with. I think this little one is determined to be the center of attention, she must know what she is up against because she is determined to keep me off my feet and in my bed for the next 6 months.

It started with a migraine on Friday. A dizzying migraine that after some caffeine and tylenol was tolerable. It included minimal vomiting, which is normal for me right now anyways, so I can't really blame it on the headache for sure.

Well, that turned into being super nauseous when I went to bed that night. I tossed and turned all night, and felt super dehydrated. But, even sipping water had me throwing up, so I had a feeling that the next day I would end up at least taking a visit to the hospital to get something to make the pain and the vomiting stop. I figured we could all keep sleeping for now though and wait until the afternoon.

Well, at about 6 in the morning, I had to go to the restroom and there was blood. A lot of it, with some clots mixed in. With the girls still asleep, we decided Dusty would stay home and I would drive to the nicer, albeit a little further, ER to get everything checked out.

An u/s showed a healthy little baby, still measuring a week ahead (the ER doctor thinks we should change the due date, but unless I ovulated the day after my menstrual cycle started, it would be off, she's just growing well), her hand still above her head while she sleeps. And while her ankles weren't crossed during this u/s, the umbilical cord was hanging out in the middle of her legs. We didn't bother trying to verify the sex, because it really doesn't matter and I was just glad to see the healthy blood flow to the umbilical cord.

My urinalysis showed an infection, blood work showed dehydration, and I needed a rhogam shot for the bleeding. I was given the option of staying over night to get an IV of fluids, or going home with antibiotics and zofran and strict orders to stay in bed and do NO lifting until at least Tuesday when I start p17. I chose going home.

The day continued with the misery of wanting to puke nonstop and my head pounding. Today is a little better, but we're only a couple hours in the making. Here's hoping it improves!

Miller Baby 2012 Ultrasound Video

The video from yesterday's ultrasound.

It's A...

Baby!

A baby with a big head (measuring 5 days ahead!), 2 arms, 2 legs, little hands and a desire to sleep with one arm above it's head and one hand under it's chin.

Yesterday, my sisters and mom threw me a party with close friends and family to celebrate my 30th birthday.  Because we weren't exactly sure when we would get back from our trip to DC, yesterday was the day!

Earlier in the day, Dusty and I went to have an elective ultrasound to determine if we would be having a baby girl or a baby boy this time around.  After the ultrasound, I called my sister who filled the birthday cupcakes with a color to compliment what the ultrasound showed.

Kaitlyn has been asking nonstop what we were having.  After dinner, she got to take the first bite and tell everyone the color inside.



The inside was pink!  We're having another little girl, another princess to sew dresses for and stick bows in her hair.

It was a little bit of a shock.  I was thinking it was likely  boy, I mean, girl pregnancies have never given me so many complications from day one!  But, obviously this little one is going to be even more stubborn than the other two.

We've already been asked if we'll try again for a boy or if we're disappointed.  The answers are no and no.  My doctor has already strongly recommended a tubal for health reasons after this pregnancy, and I've agreed. I would never bring another child in the world under the hopes they are a different sex than than what we're currently raising.  And what's to be disappointed in?  We have a son.  While it would be wonderful to have the opportunity to raise a son, there are far more important things to worry about than if your baby will be wearing blue or pink.

My only irrational fear involves Kaitlyn.  I thought if we were having a boy, it would limit her being left out.  She would have the sister bond with Samantha and the new baby would have the age bond with Samantha.  So, everyone would have a special bond.  But, I know that in non hormone world, that's a silly fear.  And completely unfounded.

So far, the names we're considering are Charlotte and Penelope.  But, neither are in stone and we are thinking about others as well. 

Dora Belle Hulsey

August 17, 1927 to June 26, 2012. 

 

On Tuesday evening, Dusty's grandmother left her Earthly body to be with God and spend eternity in Heaven above. We're incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to visit in April for her to meet Samantha and visit with Kaitlyn. And now, Matthew has another family member with him. While we would love to physically be there with everyone who is mourning the loss of an amazing person, our thoughts and prayers are with you. Wishing everyone strength, peace and comfort on their journey of grief. She will be forever missed.

Build A Bear Promo

Wanna check out what happens when you drive down to Glendale for your oldest daughter to see and meet her absolute favorite celebrity?