Happiness is...

Feeling a little life inside of you and knowing how precious of a life it truly is. I feel myself smiling a lot lately, not just smiling but full of joy it may be oozing from me (I think I may actually be more nauseatingly [pretty sure thats not a word, but you get my point] happy than that mushy newly in love couple.) Just wanted to make sure ya'll know it incase you cant see it on my face :) On that note my heart is also broken for a friend of my moms & their family the daughter just lost her baby (she was due just a few weeks after me), but Praise the Lord we all know right where baby is now :) Please pray for this family as they are dealing with the loss of this precious baby girl.

Random Update

So many things to update everyone on, and I am not sure where to start... so here we go!

- Sometime in the next 8 weeks (9 if I have my way 11/11/11) I will finally be able to hold my baby boy :)I can hardly wait but I will. For the first time in my life I want to wait longer than I really have too. I asked the Dr. last week if he will let me go over (originally he told me I was having a scheduled c-section, which I have informed him that only if it is neccessary for safety of myself or Baby, but otherwise we will be seeing him when I go into labor.) This is my first baby and I want to WHOLE experience :)

- I believe we may have settled on Bentley (Charlotte called baby benley the other night and My papa Cates called him bentley) I just don't seem to like any other names... Not sure why, but I know I love that name and after seeing his sweet face so clearly on friday I know he quite possibly looks like a Bentley.

- As most of you know Papa Cates passed away Monday morning (Sunday night), it was an emotionally draining weekend. Mike and I drove up Friday night @ 10:30pm to take a picture of Baby to Papa (the previous sunday he promised to wait for a picture of Baby) So we felt like we needed to do our part and make the effort to get there no matter how tired we were. Within Minutes of getting there he woke up, sat up in bed and Aunt Molly and Mom rushed to get the pictures so he could see them. He held them in his hand and said how cute his face is and he loved him. Long story short he held up his end of the deal and baby did an amazing job of cooperating to get some good pics. Several late nights and very little sleep equals one tired momma, but I don't regret spending time with him or missing some sleep to be there.

- I have procrastinated and not even finished my baby registries (Target & Babies R Us). But I have decided that baby's room them will be something that seems fitting for us... Racing! Not just any racing theme we are going to have pictures of My Dad's Cars, Mikes Dad's cars, My Grandpa Allard's Car Etc. We will also have pictures of all the Grandpa's. I decided that although it's not your normal nursery theme, it is very important to me for Baby to know all of the Men whom he won't get to meet and even the ones he will meet. Maybe it's the emotions, but I feel like it will be a cute theme for baby and a great way to surround him by all the Men that Loved before they even knew him.

- My appartment is basically organized (Mike & I did it before my surgery) Now hopefully before baby gets here I will be able to Sanatize Walls, Steam clean floors, Sanatize (detail) interior of my car and Mikes Truck, Get my pantry stocked up again (we used most of it this summer when I didn't want to go to the store... Next time I won't be so lazy:) and last but not least get some meals prepared and in the freezer so I don't have to worry about meals after baby (I know I am far to paranoid).

- Some stats on Baby from Ultrasound on 9/2/11 (31 weeks)- Estimated Weight 4 lbs. 5oz and on target to be 10lbs by delivery, his feet are roughly 2.5 inches long (hopefully its a WRONG estimate, other wise the shoes we have won't even fit when he is a newborn. But I do understand he will have big feet I wear 10.5 or 11 and Mike wears 15's!!! Yeah for genetics :), We got to see his hair (on the back of his head), He loves his feet (they have been at his face for the last 2 ultrasounds)and he is definatly a boy (I know you all need to know that but he is very proud to show his parts off :) oh and He has the most adorable face ever :) My heart may burst with joy at the thought of his adorable face (so far everyone says he looks like Mike, we will see for sure in a few short weeks.)

- Already I am thinking about baby number 2... although I have yet to experience the hard part, But I just love the feeling of baby moving around and waking me up with his kicks. Kaylen, Amber, Drew and Charlotte have felt him and love it Charlotte laid down on my belly the other night it was so cute. I have yet to get baby to cooperate so Mikes family can feel him, but my family and friends are touchy anyway so that may be the differance, they feel comfortable just putting their hands on my belly :) Heck I am getting used to strangers making comments and touching my belly. The other night Dana and I went to the Grocery store and I took the kids to get a toy (from the clearance section) and a lady came walking by and said "Gosh I hope your having a boy, maybe even everthing out a little" Of course I replied "I am, but these 4 are neices and nephew" "oh good, I am just glad your actually pregnant" she replied... Which of course makes me just feel fat! Thanks lady, oh well no big deal at least she didn't say "Holy Cow Girl! Your Huge! You haven't had that baby yet?" (Sadly I hadn't seen that customer in just 2 weeks :( and I happen to tell him I had 2 more months and he said "wow are you sure your not having twins" "yep I am sure" "Well than that will be one big baby!" and I replied something to the effect of "here's your money, have a great day"

- So the trend is Most everyone (minus 2 ppl) due before December are having Boys, So far everyone I know due after that are having Girls!!

- I tried my hardest to post a picture of my last ultrasound, it didn't work, so you will all just have to see later :)

Really Late Update

1.Incase you missed it we are having a BOY!!! We are So super excited, honestly more excited than I can even fathom!

2. Still no names :( I want something unique and fitting and something I don't hear every day! Mike like family names and names you hear a lot... So I guess we are taking our sweet time, but we do have middle names picked and are for sure on the last name so that makes it seem a little less of a task :)

3. Fathers day seemed to be way harder this year than than the first year with out dad. I guess for me partly its being pregnant and all the other changes in life. The other part knowing that more than likely it would probably be the last with Papa Cates. So we took a last minute trip to Sandpoint to see Papa and stop by the cemetry to put flowers out.

4. Mom is offically moved (and has been for almost a month :) sorry I have had a lot going on), It was hard on everyone emotionally and physically.

5. Still dealing with workers comp been a long road but I think we are finally getting somewhere with them. Basically after a HUGE miscommunication which has since made my point with the company and is finally proving that I knew what I was entitled to the whole time. My hours will go back to 40 and I will be recieving back pay for the past 7 months, plus paid for milage for every dr.'s appointments over the last 7 months as well.

6. Baby is so active and although it's pretty inconvient in the middle of the night, I still enjoy every time I feel him move :) Mike on the other hand is still a little creeped out by it, but has felt him a few times.

7. I have to have surgery to remove my nerve stimulator (Ob said within the next 4 weeks 3 weeks ago, and we will see tomorrow what Neuro Surgeon says.) Kind of glad in some ways, but in others it freaks me out not to have it (since I was so miserable and hardly able to function before I had it.) I haven't really used it in a year an a half, but I do like to have the option.

8. We are going to look at a Duplex tomorrow evening not much more than we are paying now, but would be nice to get away from so many neighbors and have a yard (and I kinda don't enjoy the 3 flights of stairs, because of my foot of course not the fact that it is hard making it up them without being breatheless :).

9. I have so far cleaned and reorganized the Kitchen (Which Mike pulled everything out of the cabinets and wiped them down in side and out :) the bathroom and our bedroom. I still have the livingroom, storage closet and garage (which I fully expect not to get done till we move :) It feels so good to have that clean and organized feeling.

10. Can't believe Mike & I have been married almost a year. I can't imagine life any other way, When he is gone i don't even like to be home cause all I do is look at the clock, waiting as patiently as I possibly can :)

Bounus- Still doing the coupon clipping/ ad matching and saving lots of money. About a month ago Mike came to have lunch with me and we walked by the electronics department, there was a small table with lots of computers, laptops and screens. We have been wanting a computer for a long time and amazingly enough found one we could afford. It was an AMAZING deal so we could not walk away. It's an HP laptop normally runs about $800 and was the display model. We paid just $175 with tax :) (plus we bought one for Brodey for College as well his was normally $400 and was on sale with warranty never been opened for $150... So Brodey made his first step toward his college education with a slight nudge, but he was glad we bought it (his first paycheck at his new job paid for it :)

Bonus Bonus- Brodey like the coupon clipping / ad matching thing too. I still have a lot to show him, but he is liking the results so far :)