MONTHLY DOCTOR'S APPOINTMENT

Well today I started the great walk of monthly doctor appointments with baby number two. I was assigned to a wonderful nurse practitioner, Ms. O'Quinn and her asstitant Mr. Watzson. Very personal people. They were both here at Ft. Campbell during the first baby boom. I had a normal appointment. I talked about my delivery and pregnancy with Riley. We pulled my record and went through what I should be thinking about for the next appointment. I need to think about weather I want to have a repeat C-section or try for a viganal delivery. Ms. O'Quinn could not go through this with me since she does not deliver babies. She did explain to me that I will see a DOCTOR next month to have my insides checked and to go over the pros and cons of a repeat C-section and a viganal delivery. Lots to think about between now and then. I guess I have seven months to fully decide. I realize that with a repeat C-section I can plan to have family here before the baby is here and hopefully Ben will still be here too. The only thing that I don't like is picking my baby's birthday. I would like to have the baby choose for him/herself.

Well here is what I learned at this appointment. I gained NO weight, my blood pressure was great, Fundal height (uterus) measures 10-12 cm which is right on track for a August 16 due date and the Fetal heart rate was 158. Which going by the old wise tail (heart over 140 would be a girl) this baby should be a girl but Riley's heart rate was in the 140 rage and she was a girl so she did not follow the wise tail. We will have to wait until the end of March to find out. Riley and Ben are pushing for a boy and I am just wanting another healthy beautiful baby. More about the baby in a month.

WAITING FOR DADDY TO COME HOME!!!!!

Riley and I have been on our own for the last three weeks while Daddy (Ben) is at school. He will be home late tomorrow night. Then he will be home for the weekend and then he will be off to the field for a couple of weeks. From what the guys are saying Riley, the baby and I are going to be on our own a lot until the guys deploy again. Yep that's right redeployment will be taking place in early August. Hopefully the baby will be early and the deployment date will change between now and then. I don't want Ben to miss the birth of this child. But with the army and a new baby anything is possible. They both have a mind of their own and will do what they want too.

Riley and I have been busy working and spending lots of time together. She is battling the day care cold right now. Which means we are up at least three times a night coughing and crying for mommy and daddy. Hopefully it will pass soon and she will be healthy again.

Working on a puzzle. Mommy was helping but she was doing a good job picking out the next piece.

Riley is sharing her Binky and her cup of chocolate milk with her new puppy.

Riley has stated that she wants a baby brother and that is will share her toys with him. She has been taking good care of her babies here at the house and making sure they are not crying. Riley also rocks them in her rocking chair and covers them up with her blankets. We are looking forward to seeing her around a new little person that lives at the house with us. She loves the babies at day care and greets them every morning and afternoon when we leave. I guess only time will tell how things will work out.

OUR FIRST DR. APPOINTMENT!!!!

Well I had my first doctor's appointment today (if that is what you want to call it). I filled out all my medical history and had blood work done, along with a sugar test. I learned all about CF and what I might or might not feel with my body changing over the next 30 weeks. Yes, that's right I am 10 weeks pregnant today and have a long way to go. They have estimated my due date to be 16 August 2007. If this little person is anything like his sister he too will be early and we will have a baby closer to Daddy's and Grandpa Ringman's birthday. Life will be full of surprises as our lives are going to change with this new little one.

We were also informed today that Ft. Campbell is yet another baby boom, thanks to deployments and our soldiers return. So again doctors appointments on post are going to be close and on top of each other. We will not want to miss one because we wont be able to get back in on time. I have many friends going through this process with me this time. It will be fun to compare notes and see how life is going for them too. I look forward to growing and learning more about this little person. Ben is hoping once again for a BOY. I on the other hand just want another health happy little baby. Yes a boy would be nice but I think a girl would be just as nice too. Only 10 more weeks and we will find that out.

I will have my first real doctor's appointment next week Friday, 26 Jan. This will be the time I will meet my mid-wife. I hope my experience this time will be as nice as it was with Riley. We will keep you posted.

BACK TO SCHOOL, BACK TO DAY CARE!!!!

Well today Riley and I are back on our routine. Getting up to go to work and school. She could not wait to get back to school after being home with family for the past three weeks. She walked into school like she knew what to do. Things around the house have changed. Daddy left yesterday (Sunday) to go to school for two weeks down in Georgia. Riley is already missing him and looking for him. She ask, "Where is daddy? Where did he go?" I have to remind her that he is at school.

We are going back to the ear doctor today. We are looking to see how her ears are doing. They have been filled with fluid since August. The last appointment her ears were not infected but there was lots of fluid behind her eardrums. We have been on all types of meds to help but I don't think it's helping like they want them too. Today will tell us what are next step will be with her and her ears. We will keep you posted with all the doctor appointments that will be coming up with both Riley and I. We will learn of a due on the 18 January 2007 for new little one. I am still saying around the first week of August. Time will tell. Enjoy your week.

A VISIT TO THE ER!!!!

Well we made it home. Just after one day of returning home from our visit to Michigan, Riley and I made an unexpected visit to the ER. Yesterday morning (4 Jan. 07) Riley fell while running and playing. When she got up she was crying and holding her right arm. This was not normal for her. She usually gets up and continues to play but today was different. She would not use her arm and she continued to hold and protect it. We set off for the ER at 1030 am and got right in and had x-rays taken. While we were waiting for the results Riley tried to use her hand but just couldn't. The x-rays showed that her hand was not broken but they splinted it any ways. The doctor said that this would help her heal and if she took it off that that means she is ready to use it. Well I laughed because two mintues after the nurse left Riley wanted the splint off and tried to take it off herself. We did manage to leave it on for the night. While playing she had a hard time not using her right hand. We had learned that Riley is right handed and she kept forgetting that her right hand was out of use for the time. Today however we woke up and she took off the splint and started to use her hand again. This was a great move. She is back to her normally two year old self and loves to get into everything.

A VISIT TO MICHIGAN!!!

Our trip home to Michigan was full of many events that were full of love and family. Riley was able to spend time with all her cousins on my side of the family. There is a total of 6 grandkids for my parents and we were able to have everyone together for our Christmas this year. This has been a task that we have found very difficult to complete. Here is Riley with her cousins. August, Savannah, Brock, Jackson, and Gabby.

What a cute bunch of kids!!!

OUR NEW BIGGEST TOY!!!!

Riley enjoyed her new jeep truck. We were able to get it put together and the battery in for Riley to begin to ride. She does not do too bad but it does go a little fast for her but she likes to pretend with her baby. She puts her baby in the seat and buckles her in and then she plays that they are going to school and work just like mommy and her do. She will have lots of fun this summer when she can ride outside. I will be looking forward to this too because it will help me loose that baby weight. Here is Riley and her BIG girl Jeep (truck).