Good Morning....

Well it goes without saying that the precious times with my little one can be found in the wee morning hours. However, sometimes it's hard to get back to sleep. Ugh, what will I do when I have to go back to work?? These are the moments when it would be nice to be a stay at home Mom and catch up on my zzzz's during the day. HA!

It's been a rollercoaster over the past few weeks. Maternity leave has come with challenges, mostly my back. Since I have maxed out my insurance deductible, there is no time like the present to have a little work done on my back to relieve the pain. During labor I seemed to intensify my slipped disks which caused numbess and tingling in my left leg along with major nerve pain in my left butt cheek. Needless to say it hasn't been much fun. So here I am lying in the recliner while my Mom and Mother-in-law are taking care of Katie. It's been hard but I'm very thankful for all their help. And I'm thankful to have relief from the pain....

Some other changes include a new car...AGAIN! We decided that two dogs, a child, and all the stuff that is associated with a child is just not conducive to a car. So we traded in the Jetta (which was a lemon) for a 2003 Honda Odessy! We love it!! We have room for baby stuff and dogs!! I swore I would never have a minivan and boy how having Katie changes that mentality. LOL

Reality has sunk in that our lives have changed. We missed the opening game today for the MSU Bulldogs, but are certainly happy they won!! Katie watched the game from the comfort of Grandpa McDonald's arms, while her Papa yelled at the officials. Katie will make her debut at the Georgia Tech game next month!! We are looking foward to that. It's now 3:37 am and I hope to fall back asleep sometime today. I'm sure Katie will be up very soon to eat again. It's amazing at how little sleep a Mother needs after the arrival of her newborn.

Our little surprise...

Meet our new little bundle of joy, Katie Frances McDonald!! She came five weeks early and weighed 5lbs 11oz and was 19in long. She arrived with a head full of hair perfect enough for bows!! Needless to say, our life has changed...and all for the better. With major sleep deprivation, losing our minds, and walking around in almost a drunken state, we are managing to get adjusted to this new little booger. She has brought so much love to our lives and I can't imagine life without her now. Did I mention that we aren't getting much sleep!! haha Now I begin the process of getting this blog caught up since we had her...there's a lot of items that have fallen through the cracks over the past month. There is nothing that can prepare one for parenthood, but again, it's all worth it!!

High School Reunion - 10 yrs!

I survived my 10 year high school reunion! I must say, not too much has changed. By day three, I was done. It was great to see old friends and I hope to continue to stay in touch with them. On Friday, it was off to the Brahaus for a gathering. We had a great time, good food and many laughs were exchanged. On Saturday, there was a family picnic held (on the lake at a classmates' home - see pics). We weren't there too long as it was hot!! Yes, that is a pool that is supplied by a creek that runs through the house. Needless to say, you didn't feel like you were in Hot Springs, AR. You felt more like you were on an episode of "The Hills" in California. Saturday night was another gathering at the Porter House Lounge for dinner. It was obvious at how quickly the qlicks formed again. Rather entertaining I must say. Jeff was running for "Reunion King" and apparently word got out because some of the girls started coming up to him. Jeff was certainly entertainment for us all (and as usual). He was more popular than I was at my reunion!! Ha - go figure! By ten o'clock, I was exhausted, hot and ready to go to bed. I was the only one pregnant at the reunion, which is fine with me as I didn't have to explain my weight gain. I'm glad it's done and I'm glad I've moved on with my life.

Diabetes is no fun....

Well, little B. Mac is still cooking away. Jeff has had the opportunity of visually seeing the little critter move as my stomach is doing acrobatic moves these days. It's so cool!! Weird, but cool!

Went back to the Dr. today and my blood sugar is still not under control to where he would like it. While it's easy to control with exercise, the diabetic diet is still proving to be a bit of a challenge for me. And I did splurge over the weekend, but hey, what can you say. I've had to give up so much already, and then to tell me that I can't enjoy desserts anymore - just wrong! Ohhhh, it's not that bad - I just haven't found a happy balance with the foods that are nice to me. I'm guessing by the time this kid arrives, I'll probably be close to figuring it out.

So we are hanging tight until two weeks roles around. We will have our next ultrasound to let us know "where we stand" with the weight and length. Just taking precautions due to the G. Diabetes. This will be a fun update and I am REALLY looking forward to it!

On the new job front: I will also be moving into my classroom soon! So much is going on - glad I have the time to get it done! I have orientation(s) approaching so that will be nice to meet new people and get familiar with the territory. I'm really looking forward to the next few months. So far I will be teaching Nutrition, Family Dynamics and Resource Management. Should be fun stuff!! Time to fold laundry - I'm scared of how it's going to multiply when there is three of us....

What's the deal with the pantry door?

Ahhh, it's been awhile since I've posted anything. So many great things have happened like life falling into place. What a relief! I truly think God was testing Jeff and I and preparing us for the "good" things to happen....To not take the good things for granted. And during my bible study, I've learned that I rarely thank God for the good things, but I am now. I'm going to enjoy this moment b/c we've made it through - with the love of family and friends, we made it through!! A baby, a new job, a new car, and most importantly a lovely lady to watch Baby Mac., it all came together!

As this journey with Baby Mac is nearing the end, I am SO READY for him/her to be here! It's hot, my back is killing me, and I am just getting to the point where I wish I could fit into my pantry again. That's right, fit into my pantry! See picture - it explains itself. I never took into consideration that a 1'-6" door frame (don't even know if it's that big) would be a problem when pregnant, but it is. I attempted to get food the other day and realized that I am really pregnant now...hehhehehe. If only I could get my hands on this builder. NOTE TO SELF - there should be ADA guildlines for pregnant ladies when designing residential and commercial settings. Pantry doors should be no less than 32" wide!!!

And a special thanks, again, to my Mom & Dad who purchased the new mommy chair. I LOVE IT!!! Still haven't sold the other one, but I'm on a mission to do so. And of course my personal painter (i.e., my mother) helped me finish painting the living room, trim work and our ceiling in the master bedroom - YOU ROCK! The color in the living room isn't too far off from the other one, but it's so nice to have a fresh coat on the walls. I'm thinking resale now. With my to do list still a mile long, this house WILL get done before B. Mac arrives. If only for my mental state of mind.... I'm so excited to have everyone coming down/up/over the end of this month - it's a guarantee that my house will get cleaned and ready for company.

The Ultimate Fan Tailgate Baby Shower

What a fun weekend and a big thanks to the Byrds who threw a shower for Baby Mac!! It was a laid back weekend full of fun with friends. It all started with an Engagement Party in Winona on Friday night. Thank goodness it wasn't too hot...but the mosiquitos are already out in full force. On Saturday, we had our pool party baby shower. This shower rejuvenated me into getting things ready for Baby Mac as I have been dragging my feet lately. I just wanted to share some photos from the weekend (sorry no pool pics - I didn't even attempt to have any pics taken in a maternity swimsuit...yikes!!) and the wonderful gifts that have been so graciously given to Baby Mac!! Also, we got the crib in and we managed to set it up together. Only had one little arguement and I was in the wrong...imagine that! Jeff was a happy camper...hehehe It's real now - the guest room has been taken over. Enjoy the pics! I will upload the final nursery pics once I have it complete. It's almost done!

Here we go...

Well, I thought maybe I could escape the rath of diabetes during pregnancy, but I won't be so lucky. I have joined the group of millions of Americans with gestational diabetes. Hopefully, it will disappear after the baby is born, but this certainly has been an eye opener. With diabetes in the family history, it's something to take very seriously as my chances of having it again later in life or other pregnancies is greatly increased. So, I am putting us on the diabetic diet and starting back to our regular walks again....even though it was 96 degree today, June 1st! Yikes - it's going to be a hot summer. I'm thinking a pool sounds great right now! So here I am with my new diabetic cookbook - I'll share recipes as we try them....