Happy New Year!!

Stephen and I are staying home tonight. No big deal, I'd rather stay home and be comfy and I think Stephen just really isn't up for the going out thing right now either. Our New Years Resolutions? Stephens is to be a good dad...=) He already is to me if he's making resolutions like that. Mine is to bring our baby boy into the world with a healthy start. I want to teach Michael so many things and spoil him. I know Stephen feels the same way. I know we're going to go through alot more changes together and I feel like we both have the same outlook and goals as far as raising our baby boy. I'm so excited for Feb to get here.
I've spent most of today painting stuff for the baby's room. I'm so excited that I took a more creative and inexpensive approach to decorating his room. Now all we need to do is set it all up. I can't wait. Here are some pics. =)

So Christmas went great. Stephen invited a couple of his friends over who were staying in the barracks. And together we made a great Christmas lunch/dinner. Stephen did the turkey and I handled the rest. WITH NO CASUALTIES OR FOOD POISONING!! lol. I was so glad everything came out great. Stephen loved his presents. I got him a Tom Brady jersey, some patriots flip flops, and a tool kit with everything in it that he needs. He got me a Dooney and Burke bag that is just gorgeous with the matching wallet and a beautiful pair of earrings. We really did well for eachother this year. Not that the presents matter but it was great to be able to spend Christmas just the two of us. Boston and Daisy loved their presents. We had them each a stocking with treats and toys and i kept two of the four bones Stephen's mom sent so they had something to open for Christmas..plus it keeps them quiet when company is here. So here are some pics I took of stephen and food and gifts and another preggo pic of me...getting huge!!!!

Happy Christmas Eve

Stephen is finally home. He left a little over two weeks ago to fill in on a boat in St. Pete. While I'm glad he got to go back to the states for a bit, i'm even happier that he's home. I picked him up yesterday from the "aeropuerto" around 1130 and we fought traffic to get home. He says I've gotten bigger...i absolutely feel bigger, that's for sure. Beached whale comes to mind when someone asks how I am doing. He had a great trip and was even part of the opening ceremonies for the St.Petersburg bowl..he was part of the American flag shaped like the u.s. But because of a stupid basketball game on ESPN, they skipped over taping the opening ceremony and went straight to kick-off.
Tomorrow is Christmas and I am so thrilled. It's our last Christmas just the two of us. Next year we'll have little baby boy to flourish with gifts and start the traditional "fib" about Santa bringing presents. I can't wait. We're normally in Mass at his parents' house for this time of year but because of my massive belly and risk of having a baby soon, we opted to stay home and spend it here. I love Christmas in Mass...the snow on the ground and absolutely frigid cold makes it all come together to feel like the holidays. It's almost difficult to listen to Christmas music here when it's 85 degrees out. So, we'll have some company over tomorrow and I'll attempt not to food poison them or burn anything. Let's hope it goes well. I'll post pics tomorrow of our gifts and food, etc. Dr appt on the 29th...so i'm hoping i have more great news to report.
Merry Christmas Everyone!!!

Saw my little man today

Our baby boy is doing so well...he's estimated 4lbs at this point..which is good. everything is developing nicely...and apparently he's a comedian already. he was sticking his tongue out during the ultrasound..i have pics to prove it..lol.

he's definitely still a boy...lol not shy at all. i can't wait to meet him, i'm so excited.

me, i've gained 6 more pounds..rounding me out at 26 lbs since i started this..and ten more growing weeks left. I'm anemic so he has me on iron pills...i guess that it's normal..he didn't seem too concerned. 10 weeks left chicks...i can't wait.


oh and p.s. they've warned me about his big head lol

Stephen wasn't able to come today because he left suddenly yesterday for Florida for two weeks. ahhh the joys of military and the amount of time they give you to prepare for such things....either way, i got a cd with the pics on it so i can show him when he gets home...or email them...

so here's a few comical pics you might enjoy...i cry everytime.

What a week

Thanksgiving has come and gone...with a full belly but a sad heart. Maw Maw Vern passed away on Thanksgiving day. We knew she wasn't far away after Mr Gary passed, that just destroyed her and she hasn't been the same since. She had a heart attack a week or so ago and told them she was ready to go. She joins Mr Gary (her son) and her husband. They've been torn since april of 2007 when her husband passed, then joined by Mr Gary this October and now she follows. She had a great and busy life...ending at age 78. We will miss you Vernice Brunies.

We went over to the neighbors for thanksgiving dinner. I made the only thing I ever make and that is cajun cheesy chicken..yum. Usually a crowd pleaser but I had an assistant this time that didn't measure the amount of salt he put in the pot. Bless his heart, he was just helping..lol. Love you honey.

Friday was nothing major to sneeze at. Heidi and myself went to Kmart to get a few things and I came back to get the house ready for company. Who will be here in a few hours, and we're still working on the last minute things. Oh if i weren't so tired all of the time now, it would all be done. Eddie comes today and then Thursday his sister and her husband will be here for the weekend. We have lots of fun stuff planned and I'm sure plenty of pictures to take. Stephen hasn't seen his friends since Lanelle's (sp) wedding last October.

Not long until Christmas though and I can't wait. I've been waiting for this holiday since June. Mainly because it comes and goes so fast and then it'll be Feb before you know it and Michael Patrick will make his grand and hopefully painless entrance into the world. It's amazing how much you can love someone you've never met. Everytime he kicks me in the ribs or plays in my belly, i can't help but almost cry and laugh at the same time. That's our baby boy in there! Stephen is so excited about the baby coming. He got to feel him kicking for a good while the other night and his face said a thousand heartfelt words. It's amazing how something so great is so close but so far away ya know.

Michael, we can't wait to meet you. =)

Dr. Appt

Starting weight in June: 154lbs
Weight today: 174 lbs
I'm 5'9
27 weeks
He says baby is going to be big =)

And my dr turns to me and says Meeda (means, look or hey in spanish) You need to slow down (in his sweet puerto rican concerned accent). Then continues, "Have you ever had Thanksgiving in Puerto Rico?" "No.", "The Puerto Ricans, we will try to feed you...you need to be careful!"

Although I laughed at his sincerity and calling me "grande", I have gained 20 lbs thus far and feel like an Ogre....Fiona the Ogre to be exact. I love my dr, but where's my shirt that says, "Thanks, pregnant women love to hear about how huge they are"

R.I.P. Gary Brunies

On October 22nd Gary W. Brunies passed away from congestive heart failure. He will be and is greatly missed. We had his funeral at Our Lady of the Isle Catholic church the following Monday and said our goodbyes. Though he's gone he lives in spirit as we can't quit telling his funny stories and laughing about the fun times we all shared. I am incredibly saddened because he will not be around to see his grandson Michael be born into the world. I'm sure Michael would have loved to listen to his paw paw tell stories about his childhood. I managed to write and delivery a eulogy that truely did him no justice. He is and was such a great person and it does not seem fair to have him leave us so soon at the age of 57.
While I have been here, we have taken the kids out for halloween (i'll post pics later), a surprise baby shower was thrown (pics later) for Kassi and I, and on November 4th 2008, Kassi's daughter Morgan Rae was born into the world at 7:48 pm weighing in at 9lbs and .8oz stretching out at 21 inches long (pics later as well).

Plenty of tears have been shed this trip and just as much as they were sad, they were happy as well. It is unfortunate that Mr. Gary could not be here to share it all with us.

Same ole Same ole

Nothing too exciting has been going on. We dodged a bullet last week with the cat. 2 passing right next to us. So far, we've been lucky our first hurricane season here in Puerto Rico. Let's hope we do that good for the next few.

The baby is doing well. I got the lab results back from my cystic fibrosis test and alfafetaprotein test which tests for down syndrome and fibro mialgia and all are great! The doctor says the baby is big...lol..no suprise there. Stephen and I are both pretty tall and I was a 10pounder when born. As long as he is healthy. =) and so far, he really is!

No new pictures to post this week, I'm approaching week 23! How awesome is that?! No major complaints or complications, I'm just ready to see our little boy. 17 more weeks!!

Since i don't have any new photos or anything, here's a little video from a little adventure when we first got here.

Keeping busy

I've hit a pretty good cleaning spurt here lately. I think I may have mentioned that before. Our furbabies are not making it easy on me. Lol. I mopped the floor about three times today after they dug up a mud hole in the back yard...evidence is in the photo! lol .
We've been having some pretty good rain here the passed few days. I kind of enjoy it. It seems odd to have it so warm in October! But that is just one of the many things I have to get used to over the next couple of years.

I keep wondering if when the baby gets here and we move to the states, will it have some sort of effect on the baby. You know, being used to warm weather 365 days a year. He'll be two when we leave. Just one of the many things I spend forever worrying about. I'm assuming it's normal.. just incase it isn't...don't tell me! lol.
I'm also changing my baby doctor. I don't care for Dr. Oliveras at all. He has a horrible bedside manner and is very rude. I know having a child is one of the more painful experiences a woman can go through but I want this to be as good an experience as it can be. So, having a doctor a little more understanding would ease my worries. Stephen agrees. I don't know how he feels about Dr. Oliveras but he wants me to be just as comfortable. It's still hard to grasp that we are going to be parents. We've grown so much in the passed year. And I know we will be great, it's just something that I think about night and day. And then I feel Michael kick, and it's the most wonderful feeling in the world. It makes any bad day just disappear.

21 weeks tomorrow

It seems so unreal that I am a couple of days passed my halfway point. I am becoming very anxious and I know my poor husband is so ready for me to be done with the emotional changes! Poor guy =) I have hit my cleaning spurt the last few days which i am not complaining about at all. The house is the cleanest it's ever been since I married Stephen almost four years ago. He's been incredible as far as helping me around the house...well not so much with cleaning (i'd rather do that myself) but he'll fix dinner or give my aching back a rub when i need it. I want to start cleaning up the spare bedroom and get it ready for Michael. It's just a few boxes and a frame that we need to set up for when company gets here next month...yikes! which reminds me, we need to buy a mattress set soon! =) Anyway, here are a couple more pictures at 20 weeks and 4 days..
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Beautiful baby boy

So today I went in to do the cystic fibrosis test and the alphfetalprotein (sp). Those didn't take too long, but I had to fast for like 16 hours and I was weak! Luckily subway is next door so i ran there before my next appointment. And wouldn't you know, while standing in line, I'm super dizzy and almost faint.. why??? ohhh because some smart person thinks it's okay to make a pregnant woman go 16 hours without eating. I finally eat my food and chug my water...yum! Subway. =) After I'm feeling better I go to the clinic again for my appointment and this time I was there for the hour long sonogram. I was so excited. She showed me all the parts of the baby who was extremely active at first and then fell asleep at some point. The ultrasound tech wanted to get pictures of the anatomy and extremeties so she did her thing while I laid there. Then, the baby started sucking his thumb!! It was so cute. She also said our baby was gorgeous! Well, of course he is!!! She eventually got down to where the male/female parts would be and was about to say it was a girl because of the three lines...I guess the baby must have turned the right way at that moment because she was able to get a clear shot at what was definitely a boy! We already knew from a few weeks ago but never got a picture. Well this time I do. Today was a great day...started off a little rocky but I got to see my son. Stephen is so excited. We are both ready for Feb. to get here so we can hold our precious little baby Michael.

Dr. Appt yesterday

Stephen and I had another dr. appt yesterday. I am 19 weeks and three days. We were able to see our little man again. But he was not so cooperative this time. He's a lazy little booger and didn't really want to show the goods for the doctor. So, mommy got her stomach pounded with an ultrasound remote thingy! Oh fun! It was pretty funny that he didn't want to move around then because as soon as I got home, he was active. The doctor ordered us another ultrasound..the more extensive one. He was getting a bit aggravated with the ultrasound when the baby didn't move around. We're looking into getting another doctor. I would still love to have the baby in the states, it just doesn't seem feasible at this point. Anyway, here is a picture of our little man's face and I'm posting another one of Aunt Laurie's drawing showing how Michael was flipping off the camera...lol. Like father, like son. =)

It was a good day

Today has not been a bad day at all. My sciatic pain has subsided for the time being, so i was able to get up and move around alot more. I have another dr's appt tomorrow at 4:20 and stephen and I will get to see our baby boy again. I am so excited...a little nervous though because when the last dr. told us we were having a boy, he didn't seem 100% and i was only 16 weeks. So it will be quite funny if I find out I'm having a girl. Either way, as long as my baby is healthy, I'm a happy camper.

Stephen just got back from St. Thomas today (I know, his job is so hard lol) I missed him so much. He was only gone a day though, but still it gets a little lonely sometimes. He brought me back a beautiful gift though..a stained glass picture type thing from St. Thomas. I'm scared to put it up, i don't want to drop it and break it, lol..I need to get one of those picture mount types. But with my animals, it'll end up being knocked over. I need a china cabinet. (hint hint hubby for christmas). I'm posting pictures of my clumbsy "i'm always innocent" boxer, Boston and of the hubby's present for me! I love when he brings me little things like this.

haha now does this look like an innocent face or a face that says, I just ate dirt and tracke it all over the floor, mom.
and this is the stained glass picture, it's actually a cut out seashell inthe middle..i think it's pretty!


I've been a little down lately though. It's the end of September and around the time I would be having my baby that I was pregnant with in January. I think a little sadness will always be with me around this time just because of what I lost. Although, I know that I am incredibly blessed to be pregnant again and this far along. I lost my little angel baby in February of this year and ironically am due with our little man in February of 2009. Hopefully I will have some ultrasound "gender proven" pictures to post tomorrow when I get back.

Here goes...

So I've started this blog to let family and friends and whoever else know how things are going here. This is much easier than emailing pictures to everyone and sending updates, etc. This way, I can post everything in my own sarcastic, artsy way.

How have we been? Doing great. I am in my 19th week of pregnancy with our baby boy Michael Logan. (Middle name to be determined) Stephen wants to name him Michael Colton or Michael Jaxon....He's in charge of the birth certificate, however, he's is fully informed and aware of the consequences if he names our son Michael Jaxon. haha. I am feeling much better now that the morning sickness is over. Looking forward to my next ultrasound on Friday. The last one we had was a couple weeks ago when we found out that we were having a boy. Stephen was excited the other night when he got to feel the baby kick for the first time. His face and mine were both priceless.


Boston and Daisy are still giving me hell. But I love those two dogs and would not trade them for anything in the world. Two of their most recent crimes involve unraveling a blanket I was making for the baby, in which I found the contents in the farther end of the back yard. Another was yesterday while I was on the phone, when they proceeded to "seize the moment" and drag a potted plant inside and throw dirt all over my floor.

Other than that, we have just been taking it easy. Me with being pregnant and Stephen staying busy with work. I've gotten to know Puerto Rico a little bit better and I like it. Still ready to go back to the states but I also realize that there will never be another chance for us to view paradise as we are now. For that, I am thankful.