Graduation Day

This has taken a while for me to post but last Friday was a BIG day at the Mustaine's. I had an appointment at my specialist and they informed me I was graduating. This meant that it would be my last appointment with them, and I would come back in 5 weeks to get my stitch removed. I was thrilled, mainly to stop paying for the visits, but also the time and energy it was taking to just go to the appointments. The baby looked great, was measuring about 4 pounds 9 ounces, which mind you sounds HUGE to me. MaryCate also had an endocrinoligist appointment that day and the Dr. was great!! He said MC is slated to be 5'8" (which dad was thrilled to hear) but we needed to get some testing done because her growth had slowed significantly and he wants to make some adjustments. So we have had the testing done and I should hear from him in the next few weeks.

Other than that not a whole lot else is new. We feel like we have been running around like chickens with our heads cut off lately. Chris is VERY busy with work, not to mention the Fort Myers Green Wave basketball team seems to just keep winning. MC has loved going to more games. The regional games have been starting at 7pm which for some reason is so different than 7:30. Just enough that she can usually make it through a whole game. The Regional Final is on Saturday night in St. Pete and if they win, they will go to state. For MC's sake I think we are going to just listen on line to the game, hope for the win, and make the trip to state if they get there!!! Go Green Wave!!

Today was a great day!! Chris and I had decided we would spend $1 or less on each other for Valentines day and so we had to be creative. He WAY outdid me! Which for some reason I never expected but we both had a ton of fun!

My Gift: I found a coupon for a free bag of KitKat's which he loves----I was pumped and still had my $1. Then I wrote him, what I thought was a sweet prayer about how much I loved him and what I was thankful for about him. Still had my $1. Grocery shopping today, Jello was buy one (for $.99) get one free!! PERFECT, he also LOVES red jello, so I gave him the boxes and said I would make it this week. I thought I had done well.

Chris's Gift: He started by playing me a song----I wanted to put it on the blog so when you opened it you would hear it, but that seems to be too confusing---but here is a link to you tube if you want to listen to it----the name of the song is "You're having my baby" and it is hilarious.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Vdb9Bra968

He still had his $1. Next he gave me a stickie, in honor of Gray's Anatomy, (which is funny b/c we are ashamed to admit that we LOVE the show). It promises 5 guilt free, no strings attached, not half way 15 minute back rubs. This is like PURE heaven to me, and he still has his $1. His dollar was spent on half of a yoyo form publix---i LOVE these things but they cost $2. So he went there and asked them if he could get a 1/2 of one. I was cracking up. They are basically 2 chocolate chip cookies with whip cream in the middle---way too much whip cream but I can take 1/2 of it off!! I got one cookie with 1/2 the whip cream and cannot wait to enjoy it!!

MaryCate got tulips from her Daddy, which of course, as you can see from the picture she loved!! Enjoy the video as well, of some of her latest tricks. I have been meaning to post her walking so here she is. I tried to get 2 other tricks but I am not sure you can see how funny they are on the video. The 1st are her spirit fingers. We have been to a lot of Chris's basketball games and she LOVES the cheerleaders. They are pretty smitten with her as well. Whenever they get up, to cheer a free-thrower on, they put up their "spirit fingers", which they have enjoyed teaching MaryCate. Although I do think it is funny, I continue to pray that she does not choose cheerleading as her hobby----I am convinced, b/c she is so little, she would end up getting tossed all over the place and I have already had my fair share of anxiety when it comes to her life!

My Dr.'s appointment went well on Friday. I asked for some clarity on the bed rest and swimming. She basically said that everyone is, and will continue to be, vague because there is not a lot they know or can prove about bed rest or a lack thereof. She said I could not swim because there is no cervix above the stitch and if water gets into my amniotic fluid they would have to take the stitch out because of infection and I could go into labor. In essence she said it was not really related to bedrest. She said I could keep doing what I am doing, and apologized for not knowing more, but it sounds like no one can really guarantee anything. She said to use my best judgement on what I do and do not do. Fair enough!

Enjoy the pics and videos!!

MaryCate with pigtails for the 1st time

Her hair is getting so long and on says when it is not curly enough it gets in her eyes!!

MC smelling her flowers that she got from Daddy for Valentines Day

My Daddy is the best!

This is to show her persistance and ability to NOT GIVE UP

Here she is about a week ago

This was last night!!

More Information

Information is something I am always seeking when I go to the Dr. these days. I feel like they must be so sick of all the questions I ask, but I also feel like I have good reason, given all we went through with MaryCate. A few weeks ago I went in for my Gestational Diabetes test and I failed the 1st one. They told me I would have to go into the lab for a 3 hour (which is actually a 4 hour) test. You are required to stay there the entire time, which I was just thrilled about. Had it been a spa, I would have been all for it, but a lab waiting room, no thank you. I set up the appointment for that day and quickly went online to figure out why this was happening and what I would have to do. I know that I have been unable to exercise and cannot because of my cervix, so I would have to change my diet, mostly by reducing carbs, since I did not have a TON of sugar intake. Anyhow then I was looking at all the symptoms and they lined up, so I was convinced I had it. I have been drinking so much water and that was a symptom. I have had a ton of swelling in my ankles, another symptom. I also assumed this was maybe why the baby has been so incredibly active. Well the 2nd test came back ok, so nothing needed to be changed but I am still a bit nervous about it and looking forward to my appointment this week so I can ask if it was a fluke or if my levels are somewhat elevated.

I was talking to a girlfriend of mine this weekend who said she had a lot of swelling and swimming really helped. I figured I would give it a try, not for exercise but just to get the weight off my feet and relax in the pool. I went out and bought a cute maternity suit, and on the way home figured I better call and make sure this is ok. I 1st call my specialist and they told me they would ask the one Dr. I am not quite fond of. He said no====so I proceed to call my OB and see what she says, at which point I get lectured about the fact that I am on "modified bed rest" which for the record means nothing to me. What I know of bed rest is lying on my back all day, showering every other day and only getting up to use the restroom. The only indication they have given me was to lay down "when possible"----and I have made it clear that I have a 20 month old, which basically means "when possible" is nap time. Luckily I have an appointment on Friday and will get more information, but apparently no swimming for me and luckily the store took the suit back!! Sorry no pictures this time, I have been trying to lay down more and not run for the camera :)

Things I love that MaryCate does

Lately I have been thinking about all the hilarious things MC has been doing. They are really hard to catch on camera because as soon as you take it out, all she wants to do is play with it and stop doing what she is doing. SO, I thought I would list them for you and if I get a chance to catch her doing some of them I will post a video.

1. I take her for a walk down the street almost every day in her little pink car. As we pass each house, whether someone is out there or not, she waves.....as if she is in a parade. She totally thinks she is princess Di already.....it is going to be a long road with this girl!

2. When I go to get her up in the morning I have to kiss her stuffed animal she sleeps with before I can get her out----we call him pink lucky----then I have to kiss the monkey's on her mobile----then she will come to me

3. MC still naps in her swing, good thing she is only 17 lbs. If she is bored, before falling asleep she holds onto the mobile that turns above her and it makes this annoying woodpecker sound that she thinks is hilarious

4. BIG NEWS---she has been taking 10-15 steps on her own----when she does this, as it is with everything she does well, the whole room needs to clap once she has fallen to acknowledge that she did in fact do something great. Then you ask her if she wants to do it again and she gets really excited and says "yayayayayaya"

5. At night she always wants to see my tummy---she thinks it is very funny that I now have no bellybutton (as do I since this never happened with her). She pats it a little and then I tell her to give the baby a kiss goodnight and she lays her head on my belly and kisses it

6. When you ask her to give you a kiss or just tell her you love her, she puckers up like she is going to give you the biggest kiss ever......but she never goes in for the kiss, just likes to show her lips off

7. When you ask her if she has a tooth, she gets so excited and sticks her finger almost all the way in her mouth so that she can feel it way back there, and proudly begins laughing

That is about all I can think of for now. I am sure there are a million others, we'll save them for another day!! I am finally posting a picture of my bump, although now I consider it less of a bump more like a mountain. The past week has been pretty hilarious. When I tell people I am due in April, their reactions are priceless. This past week I had 2 people ask if I was having twins----then today someone asked how far apart MC and this baby would be. I had to explain that she was quite little when she was born and it seems that I am quite big considering I am not due for a bit yet. I am still feeling pretty good though, but after seeing this picture Chris took this morning I am wondering myself how much larger can I actually get without tipping over. My biggest concern is actually driving----I mean my tummy is getting quite close to the steering wheel, it's not like I can back the seat up and still reach the gas pedal.......2 kids continuously looks more and more attractive!! That is all for now!!

I saw this rainbow the day my Grandma was having surgery---it was a lot prettier when I was driving. I knew it was a reminder that she would be just fine, I was a bit nervous, but everything turned out GREAT!!! GO Nita GO

Daddy reading to MC in the comfy chair---mind you mommy cannot sit here anymore---well she probably could sit there but could definitely not get up once she was down

They look nothing alike :)

MC sporting her shades on a bright day as she goes for a nice run with Daddy

I like my bump, I like my baby bump!!!

I have an ARTIST on my hands!!

We had a pretty busy week last week and it looks like this week will be a lot slower. We had a ton of Dr. appointments and even went to a few of Chris's basketball games. MaryCate can usually last about a half, but that is sometimes pushing it. She just wants to get out and crawl on the bleachers, which is never a good idea. In speech this week MaryCate made her very first art project. It's not much, but she did have to say "on" "hat" and "bububububu" for button while her therapist helped her put it together. She also did the coloring at the bottom. I thought about posting it up on our fridge, but MC's Great Grandma Shea is not feeling to hot these days, so we sent it to her to hopefully cheer her up a little bit!

I had 2 Dr.'s appointments this week and finally got to see the specialist I really like, who explains things to me so clearly. He basically said nothing had changed since my previous appointment, but he showed me what had happened at that point, which was a lot more than I got from the doctor last time. Basically when I was pregnant with MC, they could not prove that I had an incompetent cervix, that was just the assumption, but now they have the proof. The stitch is holding tight, but there is no cervix above it---plenty below it. They have not put me on bedrest, which I am so thankful for. They do want me off my feet as much as I can, which is so easy with a 1 1/2 year old, but I am doing my best.

That is about all for now. We were busy today celebrating the feast day of St. Brigit!!!!

MaryCate's project

Here is what MaryCate does when I try to stay off my feet

Her clothes and everything on her shelves end up EVERYWHERE. She is obsessed with her SOCKS and loves pulling them apart and acting like she wants me to put them on her feet, but when I do, she takes them off instantly! Pretty sure at this point the chances of finding matches on any given morning is slim to none.

She loves the hat she got from her Mema, but it only fits when we unroll it

Irresistable