Hoping for a Healthy Heart.

When Alyvia had her 2 year check-up, her pediatrician said that she wanted her to see a cardiologist. She discovered a heart murmer that she "hadn't heard before." A small one, so that eased my mind a little, but still. Her heart?! Nothing could possibly be wrong with it. She laughs, screams, runs, plays, cries, and breathes just fine. So that's what Im going to tell myself all day tonight/tomorrow. Everything will be JUST FINE at her appointment tomorrow morning.

Dev says that I have an irregular heartbeat - he likes to listen to it with his stethescope sometimes. So hopefully its just genectic and we'll be in and out of there in no time.

Nevertheless, please pray for her tonight. Thank you.

New plans!

A lot of new things are going to be happening the next few months. Well, we'll be busy getting ready for May-July! Devon and I realized a while ago that our lease was up the SAME week Im due! EEEK! We have 3 bedrooms, and plenty of room for the new baby - BUT our electric bill has been outrageous. We have ALL electric, and when we moved in we had asked the home owners what was their highest bill in the winter. They said $290. High, but we could swing that. Well, when we got Dec-Jan bill - lets just say it was more than that. We aren't home 50% of the time, and half of our baseboards arent on (we have baseboard heat). I was appauled. We cant do $350 electric bills all winter long with a new baby. We WONT do that! And, we're sick of renting. So we're gonna throw everything in storage and move on in to Dev's parents' house again! Im 100% ok with that. Ive learned to just accept the help and keep my mouth shut. Alyvia will have her own room, we have the back half (kind of a sun room) for Dev, me and the new baby. There is PLENTY of room. I think their house is like 2500 sq ft! I want to have a goal month to try to be out/find a house we can buy. But I know it's going to take work. And lots of patience! It'll be summer, so his mom will be home and can help with the kids! I know she wont mind. We're still wanting to find a house in TVSD. And with all the foreclosures/HUD homes, Im sure we can find something we can live with! Its going to be a huge test for us, but I know we can do it.

Please keep praying for Dev to find a FT position at a FD. Its a long, tedious process!

March ALREADY?!

This new year has flown by. Its a love/hate relationship. I love that little man will be here in about 20 weeks, but hate that Alyvia continues to grow up so, so fast. I love that warmer weather is well on its way, but hate that it will come and go just a quickly. Again with the warmer weather, which means not so EXPENSIVE electric bills. Its been a rough road with that one. BAH!

I will be the big 2-2 next Sunday, the 13th. Birthdays just aren't fun for me anymore. Plus, I feel like I'm much older. We made it another year though, and that is something to be thankful for.

I've vowed to myself that Im done stressing about bills. There arent many 22 year olds out there that have a house, 2 cars, student loans to pay on, life-health-car and renters insurance, a $300 electric bill, cell phone, paying off the ONE credit card we HAD, and co-pays/medical bills that they have to pay for. We ARE making it, by making SMART decisions - paying bills BEFORE we get "extras". I dont think of clothes for the kids as "extras" though; they need those, but we still dont get them unless we know we can. We dont have cable (I think thats a luxury) and it still doesnt bother us. We havent had it for almost a year and I can only imagine how much money we've saved. My rantin' and ravin' is mostly to remind myself that we are doing ok and will continue too. BUT we still need to keep praying for a full-time FF opportunity in the near future. We need that too.

I'm still planning on putting Alyvia in swim lessons - but Devon and I both agreed that the older she is (closer to 2 1/2-ish), the more she'll enjoy it and the more she'll understand. I DEFINITELY want to put her in gymnastics soon after!

Alyvia's 2nd "Down on the Farm" Birthday Party!

Happy Birthday to you!

Check out her new ride ;)

She loves babies!

Big wheel!

:)

We had a great turn out! Thank you to everyone who helped us celebrate!

"I am TWO!"

Tomorrow, my sweet and sassy baby girl will be TWO!

Alyvia Grace, not a day goes by that I don't think about how blessed I am to have you in my life. You bring so much laughter to your daddy and me - and I am forever grateful for you to call me Mommy.

Happy Birthday Bug! xoxoxo

Progress!

I am (almost) 17 weeks pregnant! And I am ALL belly. All my shirts hug around my little bump and I love it - even though I don't feel 100% attactive all the time - I still love it! We were lucky enough to see the little guy in 3D last Friday and let me tell you, it was awesome. He was on the move the whole time and it completely amazed me that he had so many distinctive features already. Alyvia came along to "meet" her little brother. She stood below the screen where his image was projected and kept saying "Beebeeeee!" Totally made me tear up. She knows that Momma has a baby in her belly. In fact, she'll even give em kisses every now and then. I know she'll be a GREAT big sister. And I can't wait.

Little Miss will be 2 NEXT Thursday. Oh em gee - I told her she wasn't allowed to grow up any more after that. She knows its almost birthday. When I ask her, "Lyvi, is it almost your birthday?!" She'll say "MMHMM! Hatttty Dirrrttay!" Melts my heart. She is so, SO smart. She can count to 3 all by herself. And knows she'll be "TOWOOOWW!" I just love how she says 'two'. She says A LOT of new words and phrases - it would take entirely too long to list them all on here ;)

We are keeping the baby's name a secret, for as long as I can. Sorry :)

Baby news!

IT'S A BOY! :)