Baby Shower Pics!!

Grandma Pam looks so happy! Jenny and Jodi Izzy's Baby quilt from her great grandma Jean!

Cayce and Pooh Aunt Dina looks so happy to have her picture taken! Aunt Sherry also looks thrilled! Winnie the Pooh! (We saved his head for her 1st brithday cake!) Me and Cassaundra! :-)

It was a loooong day!!

Poor Baby

She has the hiccups. Again. She gets them all the time!!! :-( poor baby!

It's been a while!

Wow! I didn't realize how long it has been since I have updated ya'll!!! Sorry. I've been trying to get myself sorted out with school and all of my applications in for student teaching, novice teaching, advancement, and hopefully soon graduation!! :-) Anyway, nothing much has been going on in the belly area except she's moving an auful lot!! Yesterday I could have sworn I was carrying twins there was so much movement going on!!! It was kinda crazy! I also had my baby shower on Sunday. Everyone was so generous and Izzy and I got some really cool stuff! I can't wait to see her try it all out!!! :-) Thank you to everyone who came it was a great day!!! But we were very tired after everyone left! I fell asleep on the couch at about 8:30!!! :-) And, believe it or not, I forgot to get my camera out!! So I don't have ANY pictures from teh baby shower. SO.... If anyone has any pics, email them to me so I can post them k??? :-) Izzy's hungry, we gotta get food. I'll tell ya all about my labor dreams I've been having lately later!

Dreams

I had a dream about her last night. She was at the age where she just starts holding her head up and begin awake for periods of time. I was taking her to my calculus class (I don't know why, I guess I REALLY wanted to go to class...) and I saw her whole body. She was little bitty but a chunker, she had brown hair (not sure about that....... this is the first dream where she has had hair that is not blonde) and she was SOOOO happy. I mean crazy happy. All you had to do was look at the kid and she would crack up laughing. A big belly laugh to, not just a little giggle. It was the cutest thing ever!!! :-)

28 Week Update

So this week she can now open her eyes and bat her eyelashes at me. She also turns her head toward light. She's packin' on the pounds now and weights just over 2 pounds. She should be around 15 inches long... (Izzy may be a bit shorter than normal, just because well, ya know.... look at me, she aint gonna be no basketball player!!!!) At my next appointment I plan on talking more with Dr. Kindred about my options as far as when I should go to the hospital, etc.... Also, this will be my last 4 week appointment on the 24th. After that appointment, I will probably have 2 appointments 2 weeks apart, and then start going every week. (I guess this is when they wil begin "checking" me...... sounds like fun....) Also, I will be getting another sonogram around the end of October (36 weeks). I can't wait!!!!! :-) That's about all the updates I have, she is moving around and kicking quite a bit nowadays! Also this week I am going to try to find a pediatrician. Any suggestions?

Izzy's Room

This is... well, I don't know what to call it... A table to hold her junk?

I hope she'll be able to find a book to read...

This is the crib set, the bumper pads have little butterflys on them that she'll be able to touch and play with too... It's so cute!!!

This table is going to be next to my glider when I get it. (notice the bibs, and burp rags...)

Don't worry, these things will all be stored neatly away in Pooh Baskets

This is where I'm going to put my glider

This is what we got done over the long weekend. (I think we made GREAT progress.....)

When I said green....

Here is her crib

Don't mind the curtains or vaccum... the room isn't done yet.... Look, her diaper bag could get lost in here!!!

I meant green!! Mom and I painted Izzy's room last night... WOW!! It's not quite the color we thought it was going to turn out to be... But hey, now you can't say my house doesn't have any color.... :-)

27 weeks and counting.....

• She sure is busy. Between dancing to Billy Joel's Movin' Out, actively participating in Calculus, and kicking me in the ribs the rest of the time I really wonder if this baby EVER sleeps??? Hopefully she sleeps at night, when I'm sleeping. I believe it's never too early to try and get her on a schedule!!! :-) (HAHAHAHHAAAAAA)
• Let's see, what else... Oh yea!!! If ya haven't heard, Allegiant Air just announced yesterday they are going to start non-stop flight service Peoria to Ft. Lauderdale on December 13. This is ver exciting for me!! I mean, now I don't EVER have to worry about driving more than 10 minutes to the airport, and no more connecting flights (increasing the risk of lost luggage)!!! With a baby on the way, this is a big deal to me (I know, the small things that excite me) I just worried how difficult it is going to be to try and lug a baby, stroller, car seat, diaperbag, luggage, toys, teddy bear, books, etc..... through a busy airport to try and meet my plane/connecting flight in time!!!
• I also got the paint for Izzy's room yesterday. I will be doing the lovely job of taping and cleaning this week so that we can get the room painted and ready for her to grace us with her presence. I'm getting very excited. When we get her room done I will put up pictures for ya to check it out!!! :-)
• Well, my computer does not like out internet for some reason, I gotta go figure out what is wrong so I don't loose this whole post......... I go to the doctor tomorrow so stay tuned for more updates.... :-)

Izzy's Noises...

So, today I bought a prenatal heart listener. I wasn't going to originally because I had heard that it was a huge waste of money. Grandma Pam decided she needed to hear Izzy so she said get it. Boy am I glad I did!!!!!!!!! This thing is amazing!!!!! Now, at this point, Izzy is still a little to small to hear her heartbeat with it, but I can hear her. I can hear her moving around, punching me, hitting me, and kicking me!!! She's big enough to move my stomach so I can see her move (on the outside of my belly), feel her kicking me inside, and now I can hear her!!!! Also, this thing allows me to record her sounds and I can attach them to an e-mail. If you did not get an e-mail from me with the attachments of Izzy's first sounds, let me know.... this means I do not have your e-mail address..... :-) I'd also like to try to upload the files to this website and post them on her blog so you can hear them from here too.... Not sure if that's possible though. We'll see..... Till next time!!! :-)

R.I.P. Thumbalina Kitty Beezer Briggs

Well, I'm not sure how many of you have heard but we had to put Kitty down yesterday afternoon. He had not been eating or acting like himself at all lately. Mom took him to the vet Monday morning, they said he was "stopped up" (not pooping.....) So the had to give him enemas (yes, it's plural). They decided to keep him overnight because he was still not cleaned out by this point. Thesday, they did an x-ray and found a mass in his abdomen. The vet said he could do surgery to find out what kinds of mass it is, but it is one of two kinds, one kind can be treated with Chemotherapy but there is no guarantee he will go into remission, the other kind there is no hope for. We will all miss Beeze a lot!!!!

Back to work... WOW!!!

WOW!! Three weeks off work is a really long time!!! I didn't realize it until this weekend! I had to work Saturday and sunday. After I got off work Saturday, I came home and little David was here playing in the pool and keeping busy. My body was in so much shock from going to laying around all day to suddenly being up and on my feet and running around all day, I was having some contraction-like pains! I laid down on the couch with a bottle of water and relaxed for a little bit before dinner and they subsided, but I continued to not feel very well all night long... :-(

Home, Finally!!!!

So, we finally got home today!!!!! (Around 3pm....) I'm exhausted!!! I got all of my clothes unpacked and am going to spend the reast of the night and all day tomorrow working on Izzy's room (getting Hannah's stuff out fo there, going through the toys, etc.....) This is my last week before school starts back up so I'm gonna be busy!!!! YEA!!!

Playin by the Pool

Look, it's a beached whale.......

Me and Claudia!!! :-)

A good picture of me and Brittany

And we had to take a goofy one too....

I'm not used to being in front of the camera......

Today Brittany and I went to Claudia's and hung out at the pool with her. It was beautiful!! Hot outside, and the water was cool but not too cool!! JUST PERFECT!!! I could have been there all day.... but poor Brittany has to work tonight... :-(

Our first baby shower gift!!!

The belly and the Beach

This is Izzy and I's first baby shower gift from Nana Diana!

What a cute bag!!

Auntie Britt, and the Momma-to-be

Nana di's first pic with Izzy (and one of many pics with me......)

Me, Diana, and Britt on the beach after dinner

You can't see because it was dark, but this is one of those classic beach pictures...... Beautiful!!! This is about as close to the beach as I get!!! :-)

Journal Updates.

So I was flipping through my past posts... It seems like so long ago I started this thing! Crazy how time flys but drags at teh same time! I decided to update you all on my What to expect when your expecting journal since I haven't done this is a few months.....

• Month 4: I began showing this month (well kinda, I was at the fat or pregnant stage) Foods I can't get enough of: EVERYTHING. When I started wearing maternity clothes I felt :FAT
• Month 5: I felt Izzy move for the first time June 25th. It felt like a little heartbeat, but in my belly. I also Found out she's a girl. My message to my baby: Enjoy the room while you have it! :-) My latest wierd dream: (Okay, this is a long one) I was laying down and you could see Izzy kicking me through my skin (my skin was transparent) So, I pinched me skin one of the times she kicked so I oculd count her toes and look at her little feet but in doin so, I pinched the umbilical cord and broke it. The cord was the color on consistancy of a blue pool noodle. WIERD!!!!! What I like Best about being pregnant: Feeling her kick, shopping What I like least about being pregnant: geting big Exciting things that happened during the 5th month: 6/30 my murder mystery dinner party, 6/27 my birthday, 7/4 4th of July! 7/9 Doctor appointment, ultrasound, 7/11 Booked my Florida Trip, Cari and Hannah moved out, 7/12 Began registering 7/28 Whitney's Walk, and leave for chicago 7/29 shin splints and shopping in chicago 7/30 cancelled flight :-(
• Month 6: I still only weigh 115 lbs. Baby's movements feel lik: Muscle twitches, Baby is most active: bedtime and after meals, What I miss most about my non-pregnant body: my clothes (I think now I'd like to change this to being able to get out of bed without breaking a sweat!) Forgetful moments I've had recently: I'm a big ditz, I forget everthing! Best pregnancy advice I'm gotten: Get all you can get done in the 2nd trimester! Some things that have surprised me: How active and strong baby is getting. Some things I wish someone had told me about pregnacy: Pregnancy prepares you for motherhood: NO SLEEP! Nicest thing a stranger had said/done: offered me thier seat at the airport while waiting for our plane. Rudest thing a stranger has said/done: rand into me while I was carrying 2 gallons of milk at the grocery store and then gave ME the dirty look like I was the one that ran into them....... What makes me nervous about being a mother: discipline...... My message to baby: So, it would just work out if you behaved. Just always do as adults say, don't break the law, be a good little girl. That was I won't have to worry about how to discipline/punish you and you won't have to go through the "I hate mom" and "She is runining my life" stage. I think it would work out better for all parties involved if you jsut decided to be a good girl!!!! :-) HAHAAHHAHAAAA!!!! (I know, wishful thinkin) 6th Month happenings: 7/31: Finally got to Florida 8/1: I broke my phone, dad's company let him go 8/4: Edie passed away 8/5: Shopping with Jessica, Spirit arilines on the news for (once again) cancelling a lot of flights 8/8: felt a little sick today, Spirit airlines once again made the news for a monkey someone smuggled through security in africa, customs in Ft. Lauderdale, and onto a 2nd Spirit airlines flight to New York before being caught mid-flight. Also, the Endeavor took off today. 8/9 Swap Shop! New luggage, First outfit, Flannigans with Diane, Brittany, and John.

So that's the latest pregnancy news......... I think we are gonna go swimming today. Maybe. I have to check the air quality first. OH YEA....... So on the news every day along with the weather there is an "air quality" report. Guess what the report said on Wednesday.... You should avoid going outside, or breathing outside air if you are in the "sensitive" category (elderly, asthma, active children and adults, etc.) And, according to theweatherchannel.com this is what bad air quality can do to people: People exposed to high enough levels of certain air pollutants may experience burning in their eyes, an irritated throat, or breathing difficulties. Long-term exposure to air pollution can cause cancer and long-term damage to the immune, neurological, reproductive, and respiratory systems. In extreme cases, it can even cause death.

But don't worry, All you Illinois people are safe, the worst I've seen Peoria with so far is "GOOD: Fine Particles" so that's good news......

New Stuff!!!

This is the front of the first outfit I have bought for Izzy... And the back...... :-) GOOSE!!!! And this is Izzy and I's new luggage!

Gotta love this Florida Swap Shop buy!! 5 pieces for only $100.00!!!!!! My old luggage has been loosing pieces (wheels, stands, etc... each trip) So I thought it was time for new stuff. This is the best deal EVER!!! Granted it's a little cheap but look at it this way.... I could spend a couple hundred dollars for a 5 piece set where I will only use 2 or 3 of the pieces, and then have to buy a new set in 2 or 3 years because the airlines are not the best with taking care of luggage........

OOORRRRRR......... Get this for $100.00, I'll use all the pieces because they are reasonable sizes and buy another set in 2 or 3 years not having spent or wasted any money!!! :-) It's a better deal!!!!!

Oh my oh my.....

I can't see my toes anymore. Well, the mosquito bites are almost gone. All that is left is a dark spot on my skin that barley itches at all any more. But Izzy doesn't care about that. All she cares about is that she thinks she's beginning to run out of room I think. She has been so active and is getting a lot stronger!! Today I was laying on the couch trying to take a nap and she would not stop flipping and flopping so that I could sleep. I guess I better get used to not sleeping because I'm not gonna sleep for the next 30 years! And obviously here is the lastest belly shot. I think my belly is getting bigger every day! lol!!!! WOW!! It looks HUGE like this!

Are you sure these are just mosquitos?

So, dad claims these are mosquito bites... This was yesterday... they are purple today. I'm not sure i'm convinced thats what they are, but i've got them ALL OVER my legs!!!! And they ITCH!!! How annoying!!!! :-(

Pics From Chicago

Here are some pics from my weekend in Chicago. I didn't take too many cuz we were too busy shopping! :-)

Finally in Florida!!!

I'm in Florida!! (FINALLY!!!) Here is how my weekend has gone...... Saturday mom, Dave, and I woke up early and did Whitney's Walk. It was amazing! There was such a huge turn out! It was great but a little long...... :-) After the walk, mom and I left for our drive to Chicago. It was uneventful and not as long as I expected. We saw so many cops!! It was crazy!!! Mom and I tried to listen to "Wicked" in the car on teh way, but it did not work out very well at all! So, as we were driving, we would listen to the CD, then get distracted, she's paying attention to other cars, reading signs, etc. I'm looking at everything bored with just listening. Then we remember we are supposed to be listening to this book and by that time, we are too lost to understand where we are at, what's going on, etc..... After we got up to Chicago, we relaxed at Nicky's house for a little bit then got dressed for dinner. We decided to walk to dinner becasue according to Nicky, the resturant we were going to was "not very far".......... Just a note...... the words "not very far" mean something totally different to people NOT from Chicago! :-) About 4,376 blocks and 30 minutes later, we finally arrived at the resturant. We ate at a little place called Raw Bar. I had the Shank of Lamb and it was TO DIE FOR!!! I can't believe how good it was! the sauce was.... mmmmmmm.............. I can't even decribe what it tased like because it has such a unique flavor! It was delicious! I highly recommend it if you are ever in Chicago. After dinner we had the Double Chocolate dessert, chocolate cake, layered with chocolate mouse....... YUMMy!!!! Light and chocolaty, rich but not too rich, just perfect!!! Then we took a cab (because preggo is not used to walking that much!) to Navy Pier where we watched fireworks for Venitian (sp?) night. After that we stopped at a little margarita bar so mom and Nicky could have a margarita before we headed back to Nicky's apartment for bed. Sunday: We woke up, went to a little diner that was only a few blocks away from Nicky's house then went back and relaxed untill my mom was ready to leave for Wisconsin. On her way, she dropped Nicky and I off on Michigan Avenue so we could do some shopping. We went to Filene's Basement, then to the Water Tower Mall (or something like that). I got some really cute maternity clothes at Mimi Maternity at the mall. I FINALLY found some jeans that fit me really good!!! They are so cute!! We ate at the Cheesecake factory, it wasn't anything too exciting, then went to Borders and rode the train back to her place. Sunday night we ordered pizza in and watched a movie. Premonition is an amazing movie and the pizza was the BOMB!!!! Monday: We woke up early Monday morning because I had to be at the airport at 4 am!!!! I got to the airport and found out my plane was cancelled!!! :-( Very sad! I ended up re-booking on a flight to Fort Meyers on Tuesday. So, I was stranded in O'Hare at 6 am. I finally got a bus that I took to Milwaukee and stayed the night with my mom at her hotel. We went to P.F. Changs for dinner after her training and then did a little shopping at the mall there. Tuesday: Woke up, took the shuttle bus to the bus stop, rode the bus to O'Hare. Got there 45 minutes late due to traffic, but it was okay because I was sheduled to arrive at the airport 2 hours and 40 minutes before my plane took off. I got on my plane (after they charged me $10.00 per piece of luggage I wanted to check in) and arrived in Fort Meyers ten minutes late. After a two hour drive, I FINALLY arrived at my dad's house!!! :-) After I got here, I realized I left my cable for my camera at home so I can't post any pictures yet, but I will be getting that situation straigtened out soon. Also, I broke my phone this morning so if you could, e-mail me your phone number, birthday, etc. because I have lost ALL of my contact informaiton, phone numbers, address, e-mails, birthdays, etc!!! Everything!!!! :-( So I will need all that info from ya!! (again....) Thanks so much!!!! I'll get the pictures up soon!

6 Months and Counting

Well I'm officially in my 6th month! :-) Exciting things that are happening this month:

-I am almost 115 pounds.

-Izzy's movements are getting a lot stonger! I can rest a book on my belly to read it, and when she kicks, the whole book moves!!!! Maybe she'll be a soccer player.

-She is also begining to form "memories". It's called Habituation. This is where she recognizes familiar sounds and they don't startle her as much. For example, the amtrack in florida. It will startle her the first few times she hears it, but like the rest of us, she will now be able to remember it and it won't bother her. (In other words her "selective hearing" is begining!!!!)

-Her lungs are also getting a fatty substance built up on them so it is easier fo rthem to expand and contract after she is born.

-By the end of this month, she'll be around 2 1/2 pounds and begin eating and sleeping at regular intervals. (Although I think she does already. She's up at night and sleeping during the day...)

-Her eyes are about to open for the first time too. (Even though the irises still don't have any pigment.)

-Teeth are forming.

-My uterus will be a little bigger than a soccer ball. (I guess that's why people are telling me i look like I swallowed a basketball!)

Other updates are: I'm leaving for Chicago on Saturday. My mom and I are driving up there in the afternoon and spending some time with my friend Nikki Saturday and Sunday. Monday morning, Nikki is taking me to the airport for my florida trip!! YEA!!! This will be Izzy's first plane ride. But I'm sure she'll do okay. While in Florida, Velma and Brittany are throwing me a baby shower! I'm so excited. I can't wait to see everyone down there and have two full weeks of R & R. :-) No homework, no work, no nothin! I'm sure I'll be bored after a few days but that's okay. I'm going to drive up to Port St. Lucie while I'm down there to visit with Jessica too! Since I'm going to have all this free time, everyone needs to keep an eye on this blog because I'm sure I'll be updating it almost daily!!! :-) Till then, Adios!!! :-)

Oh By the way....

I Forgot to tell ya.... My mom felt Izzy move for the first time last night. We were sitting on the couch watching VH1's top 100 songs of the 80's and Izzy was jammin out. I sat next to my mom to see if she would be able to feel it yet and she could! Then Dave came over to feel but I guess she decided to take a nap right then cuz as soon as Dave put his hand on my belly, she stopped moving and was still untill bedtime! What a little booger baby already!!! :-)

All Booked and ready to Roll!!!

Well I booked my flight for Florida!!! YEA!! I'll be heading up to Chicago for a weekend up there with my mom and Nicky on the 28th. Then I'll be in Florida on the 30th untill the 13th!!! :-) I'm so excited. I also in preparation for this trip got myself registered for my baby shower down there. That was so much fun! Sara went with my last thursday after work to register me at target. Then we went to dinner and Flat Top Grill (I had to, I saw a billboard for it!!) Then Friday I went to walmart and finished up registering after my "before baby comes" water aerobics class.... Which was interesting!!!! I have another class with the usualy teacher tomorrow so hopefully it will be a little better than last weeks!! :-) This week I have been spending my itme moving myself back upstairs to my room and am almost done. The plan is to have me moved all back upstairs before I leave for Florida so that when I get back, I can work on Izzy's room and get her room in order. I don't wanna be rushing to get everything done, I wanna have it done early because my mom is the only wierd person I know that went all the way to her due date... everyone else's kids like to pop out early. I gotta be prepared for that!!! LOL!!!!!

It's a....

This is the side profile of my baby Now she is smiling for her "first" picture! GIRL!!!!!!!!!!! Which means we will have an Izellah Mae Byrd running around in a few months!!! :-)

Happy Birthday to me!

So, yesterday mom took me shopping for my birthday... It was quite interesting. I did finally find some clothes that fit (YEA!!) but no jeans still.... Oh well... Also, more related to baby... I felt it move night before last night. It was as quick as a heartbeat. It felt wierd. interesting....... Also, Dr. Kindred does not want me to go see an endocrinologist yet because when he looked at the results from my thyroid test he thought that they looked more like this issue is due to pregnancy and may resolve itself after the baby pops out.... So that's good news!!!! :-) Well, that's all I have for yall!!!!! :-)

Yea!! I learned how to upload pics!!!

me and David Out ALS Walk Team Mom and Dave David in the Sand Hannah and I at her dance Recital Me and My sissy!!!! Oh my!!! HERE WE GO!!!!

The results

So It's Hyperthyroidism. Not sure what all that means. I have to go see an endocrinologist (sp?) on July 19th. I should find out more at that appointment. Till then, i jsut have to eat eat eat!!! :-) (My favorite pastime!)

A small problem... maybe

So, Dr. Kindred's nurse called me yesterday evening with the results of my tests... My thyroid hormone levels are supressed. They have to run more tests. I should find out the results of the second set tomorrow... Not really sure what this means at this point... But I'll keep you updated!

Doctor's Checkup

Well i had my 4 month check up yesterday... GOOD LORD!!! I was only there for TWO HOURS!!! He was pretty busy! I ended up seeing the Nurse Practitioner instead of Dr. Kindred. I weigh 105 lbs (gained 4 lbs.), and my blood pressure was 90/52. I guess that's pretty low but last time it was 90/50 so it's normal for me! The "Fundus" is at a 15 (which is apperantly normal for being 16 weeks...) Mom went with me and she heard teh heartbeat... It was 148. Slower than last time and a little more difficult ot find but it's there and doing good! They started me on some new vitamins, and next month is my ultrasoud appointment! :-) I get to see pics again! :-) Hopefully I'll figure out how to scan them and put them on here by then. The only other thing that happened was they tested my thyroid for hyperthyroid or something like that. I should find out the results today. I'm sure it's fine they just wanted to be sure because of all the headaches I have been having. Also, I don't think he/she is moving around much yet... (That I can feel at least) But soon enough I'll be able to!