Friday, March 30, 2012

Instafriday

Busy week filled with baby love, sleepless nights, easter parties, and more baby love!

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

2 weeks old...sleepless nights and kisses

Hudson is 2 weeks old and we are settling in to the big adjustment. This mama is extremely sleep deprived as he has his days and night mixed up. I adore him and can't kiss him enough, but even as I wrote this, my eyes are burning with exhaustion as Hudson snoozes...if I didn't have the older boys, I'd be sleeping too!! But there is piano, t-ball, soccer, dinner...life goes on when you bring another brother home!!

Friday, March 23, 2012

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

Life is good

Today Hudson is one week old! He is doing great! He sleeps a lot and I've learned the hard way that I need to sleep when I can while he does!! We've had a few rough nights of him being up wanted to nurse every 2 hours or with a tummy ache. This mama is now totally caffeine free! The one day I drank a diet coke was the worst with Hudson crying with what seemed to be a bad tummy ache. It just isn't worth it...so no more diet coke for me!!

My mom has been a huge help and picked us up for Hudson's check up. Everything looked great and he is already back up past his birth weight. He was 7 pounds 13.4 ounces and 20 1/4 inches long today. The pediatrician said they now recommend vitamin D supplements for nursing babies. Has anyone heard of this?

Anyway, I'm so in love I can't stand it! Life is good!!!

Monday, March 19, 2012

Happy Monday!

Really rough night...I think I got 2 hours of sleep....totally worth it though.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

He is here!!!!

Hudson Taylor Marble
7 pounds 12 ounces
20 inches long

God is so good!!!!

Monday, March 12, 2012

1 more sleep!

Tomorrow is the big day! We will meet baby #3! I can't believe it! This pregnancy has been long and short, awesome and terrible, and wonderfully bittersweet. This will be our last baby to complete our family. I'm ready for it to be over but know I will miss this chapter in my life of carrying a child. There is nothing more miraculous than feeling a baby grow inside you!!!

The big boys are ready, I think...although my oldest is showing some signs of not wanting change. Logan is so excited about being a big brother for the first time!!

I'm working on some hospital goody bags for the boys that have treats, books, games, and snacks for the day at the hospital with us tomorrow!!!!

I'll keep you all posted and prayers are appreciated for a safe and easy delivery!

Sunday, March 11, 2012

a few pictures before he comes...


My twin sister came over this afternoon and snapped a few pictures of me and the boys.  I've all but avoided the camera this pregnancy, other than some iphone pics to document the belly.  I know with this being out last pregnancy that I would regret not having a few on a real camera to look back at, no matter how huge and terrible I feel right now.  I am eagerly and anxiously awaiting Tuesday and can't believe he's almost here!!!








Thursday, March 8, 2012

countdown!!!

I had my 38 week check up today.  My blood pressure was 156/88.  Have a headache that woke me up at 3 am it was so bad...so I'm being induced on Tuesday!!! The countdown has started to meet Hudson! So exciting and nerve racking all at the same time. We'll see if I make it through the weekend.  I already 3cm and having sporatic contractions so it may be sooner, but definately good to know that the end is near and Tuesday is the last possible day I will be pregnant!!!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

10 Reasons it's time to have a baby!

1. Getting dressed this morning, I heard a rip...a really LOUD RIP!! yep, my favorite maternity jeans that I've worn every day for the last 4 month, finally gave way. :(


2. I've seriously considered consulting a tent maker for a new outfit.


3. My stretch marks have stretch marks.


4. I spend actual time contemplating how to make a rope and pulley system for helping me get in and out of the bath tub.


5. I can't see or reach my legs, much less shave them for my upcoming debut in stirrups. 


6. I neurotically obsess over Hudson's kick counts and movements (or lack thereof) as he is officially out of room and doesn't move as much.  I just want to hold him in my arms and know he's safe!


7. My shoulders and knees are now fat...it's time.


8. Eating and breathing have become nearly impossible to accomplish at the same time and I really would like to do both.


9. 39 weeks seems like an entire year...and almost is! I was pregnant last year all through baseball season, and now it's time for the new season, and I'm still pregnant!!!!


10. My body has just said, I'M DONE!!!!!

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Sneak Peek into the Nursery

The nursery is coming together...not done yet though. I thought I'd post a few bad iPhone pics cause that's what I have the energy for. I still need more frames for the gallery wall that I have planned in my head. My dresser is on back order, and I have to hang things on the wall. But it is all working out nicely so far!
I'll try to post later the links to where I found stuff!!


38 weeks

I'm tired. I have bronchitis. My house is a mess. Ready to meet Hudson but not like this. I'm exhausted and know I can't catch up but at least would like to be healthy. I'm feeling very anxious today. The sunshine helps! Spring has arrived in Louisiana and its great...minus the bronchitis part. Doctor appointment is Thursday. I can't believe we are so close to holding miracle #3!

Sunday, March 4, 2012

a story written by my hubby!

In the latter part of 2008 a recession occurred that put the global economy on notice. The subsequent fallout of this economic downturn is still apparent today, as evidenced by high unemployment, low consumer confidence, a decline in home values, and rising food and gas prices, just to name a few things. Additionally, retirement nest eggs on average have yet to approach their pre-collapse balance and [even responsible] elderly individuals who would otherwise be comfortably retired at the present time are now working well-into their latter years out of sheer necessity. On top of all of this, we as United States’ citizens continue to tread anxiously forward in life while watching irresponsible congressional spending send us further and further into a federal debt crisis, leaving the rational ones among us to ask the inevitable question: What’s possibly around the next corner? The whole thing is unsustainable as it currently stands. It’s a ticking time bomb. Your financial standing and ability to endure what’s to come when it predictably occurs is quite literally up to you as an individual.
On a personal note [by the Grace of God] I’m currently doing fine financially, but know in my heart of hearts that I am not immune to the consequences of what’s described above, as I’m already beginning to see benefits of the above-average salary I once enjoyed being taken away one by one. It seems as if every week that I go in to work there’s another cutback here, there, or somewhere.
All of this leads me to the conclusion that if I’m presently as uncomfortable with my job security as an otherwise in-demand healthcare worker with a Master’s degree and an income that currently falls somewhere within the top 5% of incomes nationally, then I’m quite sure the anxiety induced and sustained by this slump is nondiscriminatory with regards to other defining qualities of individuals, be it income, education, degree, title, trade, religious background, race, gender, and/or sexual orientation. What I mean is that I’m sure we are all feeling it in one way or another. Every month that passes a friend and/or neighbor is losing his/her job and/or having to sell his/her house through no fault of their own really, just a casualty of ever-present economic stagnation in the aftermath of an economic crisis that happens to be well-into its fourth year.
I would otherwise be stricken with worry about the above if not for the income that my wife’s presently bringing-in as a STAY-AT-HOME-MOM. Yes, you read that correctly. About a year and a half ago she began earning money in increasing amounts to the point that this year in taxes, instead of getting a rather large refund like in the past, for the first time we’ll probably actually owe Uncle Sam (trust me when I say that this is a nice problem to have). In fact, her current income will soon rival and eventually surpass mine (probably within the year), one that you’ll remember from above falls within the top 5% of wage earners in the country.
But… We have a dirty little secret: Psst... It’s multi-level-marketing [wink]. Some call it “pyramid”… Others call it network marketing; but, in an economy that’s essentially circling the drain, I call it “cha-ching!”
Now, being totally transparent and honest, a year and a half ago I was completely against this venture she’d undertaken and even mocked her for having done so. I shared with her how in the past I was subjected to Amway with offers from “friends” to “Come over to the house for ‘drinks’ while we discuss an ‘offer you can’t refuse’” only to show up and find the host dressed in a suit and tie holding a briefcase, eventually giving me and any other dupes that were present the awkward presentation of the “business”. It’d be an understatement to say it put a bad taste in my mouth.
The company she began multi-level-marketing with a year and a half ago is called Plexus Worldwide. They make a weight loss supplement called Plexus Slim, an all-natural weight-loss product that she’d been taking for a couple of months with great results. At first she was just a customer, but around November of 2010 so many people were interested in what she was doing to lose weight that she figured out she could sign-up with the company and essentially make “a few extra dollars” for the referrals – an idea that I initially scoffed at. However, in January of 2011 I, myself, had gotten up to 228#’s and was desperate to lose some weight. At exactly six feet tall and active, I’d always enjoyed the luxury of eating anything and everything that I wanted well-up into my mid-30’s. For anyone that might think I’m exaggerating, let me explain that at one point during this time I was actually asked by “management” to leave a buffet. Well, after the age of 35 these eating habits began to catch-up with me and I started slowly putting on the pounds... From about 190#’s to 228#’s, a net gain of about 38#’s over approximately three years. On January 1st of 2011, at the suggestion of my wife, I reluctantly started taking the Plexus Worldwide product Plexus-Slim with the goal that I’d be able to fit comfortably into my sport-coat/slacks that I’d worn ten years prior and to essentially wear one of those suits to my 20-year high school reunion. Over the course of the seven months leading up to the reunion I really didn’t consciously change any of my eating habits and actually exercised less than I had before. Very-much like my wife before me, people began noticing me losing the weight and wanted to know what exactly I was doing, so in April of 2011 I jump on board the bandwagon with selling the product under my wife to make “a few extra dollars” of my own. Eventually on August 1st, 2011 I was 193#’s, 35#’s less than what I was on New Year’s Day, and able to comfortably fit into one of my suits for my 20-year reunion later in the week.
Since that time her income (and mine to a slightly lesser degree) with this company from this product has skyrocketed to a level that, quite frankly, if you had even suggested it were possible a year and a half ago when all of this started I’d have spit-out my drink all over you while laughing uncontrollably in your face.
Unfortunately for me, this has all personally come at a price: I’m the butt of many good-natured jokes at work from some of my friends/coworkers who know we’re a part of this “pyramid scheme”… And trust me when I say that I’m laughing all the way to the bank.
Many of them have actually purchased and taken the product and done (or are doing) quite well. A few have even signed-up under me and are supplementing their incomes with “a few extra dollars” of their own; but still others just don’t get it and are content with what they make at their regular job, whether doing fine financially or struggling to make ends meet. To be honest, I don’t even mention the opportunity to people anymore because it invariably leads to the “pyramid” reference, and they’d evidently rather work a “real job” in order to make any money that they have because there’s apparently more “honor” in that whole process. I’ve literally had people look me in the eye and ask me to pray about the financial situation they are in, yet in nearly the same breath sneer or show agitated indifference to any suggestion I offer related to the multi-level-marketing opportunity that my wife and I are involved in.
As for the “pyramid” reference, let’s briefly take a closer look at a “real job” in order to clear things up a bit:
CEO
PRESIDENT
VICE PRESIDENT
MIDDLE MANAGEMENT
HARD WORKING EMPLOYEES
No Thanks – Looks Like a Pyramid Scheme
For anyone that is skeptical, that’s fine. So was I in the beginning, but here’s what I’d like you to know now about truly attaining wealth: Without question, network marketing gives individuals opportunities where maybe there hadn’t been any before, and all with little to no start-up costs. Anything else that you try or do for a living is going to have quite a bit of start-up cost combined with required effort of varying degrees. A trade? You generally have to pay for the education to learn it. Real estate? You have to purchase it first and possibly pay to renovate it in order to eventually make a profit. A franchise? Depending on which one, you’re probably looking at upwards of $100,000. A restaurant? A lot of money, very hard work, and risk; but good luck.
Any business endeavor undertaken by an individual or the decision to go to school to learn a trade is going to have an inherent risk of failure, whether it’s a “real world / real job”, real estate, opening a restaurant, or perhaps even network marketing. Across the board, those committed to finding ways around or through the inevitable obstacles that get in the way will generally succeed where others might’ve failed. It’s called the game of life in that whatever you choose to do you will either make an excuse or make money in order to be profitable. Also, performing hard work now and perhaps slowing down in the future to take advantage of any distribution set-up through a network marketing business isn’t much different than entrepreneurs early in life that sit back and live off residual income in the form of franchise fees, rent payments, and royalties. What I’m saying is, despite what you may hear, there isn’t any shame in doing so.
To recap everything: My wife and I are apparently chumps. We both got duped into this Plexus Worldwide network marketing thing to earn “a few extra dollars” while getting healthier. In the process this whole thing has taken on a life of its own and now we are looking at the potential of making more money than I do currently while utilizing my graduate degree in the operating room. Did we work our tails off to get to this point? Well, not really. We drank a drink that tastes like Crystal Light once a day and lost weight while telling others that asked us “how so?” about the product. To my wife’s credit, she has taken it upon herself to help “educate” everyone that she signs up to sell the product… Maybe that’s why she’s doing so well? Who knows? What I do know is that if you want to lose weight, this may be the product for you. If it works for you, like my wife and I, without a doubt you will have people ask “how and where?” they can get the same product. When this happens, if you’d like, you can simply refer them to me… That would be outstanding. What would be better, however, is if you could supplement your-own income by your referrals. That would be cool.
A recent national survey I encountered showed that if households that filed for bankruptcy had only brought-in an extra $200 per month, the majority of them over time would have made ends meet and avoided impoverishment. $200 extra a month? For many people an opportunity like this could be life-changing.
If you have any specific questions about the product and/or the company, we can be reached at 985.290.3009 or you can check out the website at www.plexusslim.com/95526
Thanks for your time in reading this…





I have 3 day trials available for purchase of our amazing weight loss combo, Plexus Slim and Accelerator.  Just comment or message me for details and inquiries!!

Saturday, March 3, 2012

eventful week

I've had an eventful week that involved falling on a wet tile floor, hurting my back, and going to the hospital for monitoring. I'm fine and baby is good too.  I'm almost 38 weeks and so ready to have this little guy!! Will post more later!
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