Thanksgiving Wrap Up

Thanksgiving Day, Kevin and I headed to Greer; we drove separately because Kevin was coming home Friday afternoon and I was staying to Saturday afternoon. We ate lunch with my family, which was very good. However, I was getting sick and things didn't taste the same. We spent all afternoon with my family. They surprised me with some gifts for Madalyn.

Friday, we went shopping, my mom wanted to shop for Kevin and so he went with us for a little bit. Then we continued to do a little more shopping. Friday night, we met my dad's side of the family, Susan, Dan, Tim and Amanda in Anderson to eat. Saturday, my mom and I went to do a little shopping for me some maternity clothes. I did find some jeans, black pants, khaki pants, and a black dress that I could wear to church or a few up coming weddings we have after the first of the year. I got to feeling so bad after that we headed home so I could get pack and drive home. I felt so bad, was coughing and everything. It was a long drive home. I called my doctor Saturday and Kevin went Sunday to Wal-Mart to pick up some medicine. My throat hurt so bad Sunday morning, that I just wrote notes to Kevin and didn't say anything until lunch time. I called in sick yesterday and Kevin's mom rode with me to the doctor. I got some more medicine and was going to go to school today. I had a bad night with coughing and at 4:30 this morning I couldn't control my coughing and ended up making myself sick. So, Kevin said I didn't need to go to school today, so I called in sick again. It has been 3 years since I have called in sick for work and I have never missed 2 days in a row. However, I was reminded that I have never been sick and pregnant before and my body needed more time to heal. I hate having to take all this medic ine because it worries me with Madalyn, but I can not, not take something that would be worse for us I think. And I just have to trust my doctor that he would give me something safe and pray that God helps my body to heal soon and take care of Madalyn's little body and protect her from all this medicine and my sickness. She has been moving a lot more lately. I go back to the doctor for another ultrasound next Tuesday. I'm excited to see her again. I did get to hear her heartbeat yesterday, such a wonderful sound to hear. 157 beats a minute. I am planning on going back to school tomorrow. Not that it's my favorite thing in the world to do, but being home sick like this, school is a little more fun. Not looking at the sickness, we had a nice time with my family.

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know it's not Thursday yet, but since I will be traveling Thursday, I decided to post early. I hope that all of you have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday! I hope that you are able to spend your time with those you hold dear to your heart, whether it is family, friends, or both. Kevin and I are lucky to spend it with our family and each other. We have been so blessed this year of 2010 with the farm and in our personal lives, as well as our growing family. We are beyond blessed and in awe of this little person that is growing inside me. It's so amazing how creative God is and that each baby really is a miracle of love. We are thankful and blessed to have had a good pregnancy so far and a healthy baby growing like it should so far. We are also thankful for our family and friends that have supported us and share in our joys. I am very thankful for my sweet husband. He is the best! I just hate that he has to spend his Thanksgiving holiday cleaning out chicken houses, but last year it was Christmas. It's the one time a year that he really, really doesn't like his job. He will have many late (9:00pm) nights this week and up at work at 5:30 am. He works so hard and has been so good to me. He's going to be an awesome dad; he's a super uncle, and a wonderful husband. Again, we wish you a Thanksgiving of being truely thankful for the blessings you have received. I think we all know even in our bad times, it could be worse and there is someone out there that has it worse than you. We are blessed to have a nice warm house, enough money that we don't have to worry if we will have money for food, nice clothes, etc.

"Enter his gates with thanksgiving and his courts with praise; give thanks to him and praise his name." Pslam 100:4

21 Weeks Update

There have been four changes that have happened over the last week or so.
1. I have been feeling Madalyn moving around. It feels like a gas bubble, but I have never had this feeling before and it's been a consist since we found out she was a girl. It also comes around the same time each day.

2. I noticed Friday night; I was standing straight and looked down at my feet and I couldn't see my feet anymore. Well, Kevin thought that was so funny. He came up behind me and looked over my shoulder and looked down and was like "I can't see your feet either". Then he stood and looked at his feet and was like "I can see my feet". But he thinks its very funny.

3. I was putting on my socks and tennis shoes yesterday and I had to take a few breaks. If I bent over, it was hard to breathe. Kevin was like, "what are you going to do, once your belly really gets big". I was like "I don't know, I guess take more breaks or you will have to put them on for me."

4. I have had about three nights of my legs aching and tingling, not really cramping, during the night. They have told me to make sure I am drinking enough water and eat bananas to increase my potassium intake.

*I guess the next change to come and will probably be sooner than later; maternity clothes. My regular clothes are just now starting to get a little tight some things are. So I guess for Christmas, maternity clothes will be on my list or gift cards to buy them.


Friday we got out of school early...the football team was playing for the upper state championship in Grenville, SC. So the kids left at 1:00 and we could leave at 1:30. So just as soon as it was 1:30 I pulled out of the parking lot and headed to Aiken. I wanted to finish my Christmas shopping; which I was able to do. I just have a few small things left to buy, but I am basically finished. I was at Target and I had been watching this doll and set of clothes ever since I found out I was pregnant. See, all along I thought the baby would be a girl, so I was excited when I was actually able to buy these. So, I went ahead and bought the doll, bibs and matching oneies. The doll is very soft and I thought the zebra was too cute. The outfit is 0-3 months, which is what she will be this summer.



Then on one of my other stops, I went to Tractor Supply. I found this John Deere jean jumper and just had to get it. This was 6-9 months, it will be fall when she is this age, so I thought the jumper would be cute with some leggings or tights.



Last night, Kevin was hot, so he turned on the fan. This was the first time I guess the ceiling fan has been on since we have had Roxy. She discovered it last night...she was taking her paw and pawing at the fan I guess trying to reach it. Then, I was in the kitchen fixing dinner and I had left a glass of water sitting on the table by the couch. I heard Roxy knock it over. I scolded her and used a towel to mop up the water. Wherever I would press down to get the water up, she would take her paw and do the same. I thought that was very cute. We have a nickname for Roxy...we call her "Foxy Roxy". Kevin started that.

Kevin's New Truck

With all the excitement of finding out the baby was a girl....we also had some other excitement around here. (I was waiting on Kevin to wash it before I took pictures). Kevin finally got a new truck Wednesday night. Kevin has been looking since the start of summer for a truck. He knew what he needed and wanted and the price range he needed the truck to be in, the hard thing has been finding it. He had to have a truck to use on the farm, so many people have trucks like he needs and all they do is use it around town every day. But Kevin's truck has to be a work truck. He has looked on every lot from here to Spartanburg, down to Georgia and online too. I never thought I would see Kevin use a computer as much as he has to find a truck. We have had other people looking as well. Kevin and I both have prayed and prayed for God to lead us in the right direction for a truck. Each time we thought we had found something, it either fell through or something was wrong with it. So Kevin began to change his search. Monday night Kevin was on autotrader and found this truck in Columbia. He called about it Tuesday and Wednesday as soon as I could get home from school, we headed to Columbia. Kevin drove the truck and within about an hour, we were coming home with the truck. I am so happy that he has a dependable truck now. His red Ford has been just used around the farm but for the past year, he has driven a Toyota that his dad had and at the end of the summer a wheel feel off when Kevin was driving. He fixed it, then a little while later the wheel on the other side fell off. Then the heating coil broke and it sprayed water in the floor when Kevin would turn left. Then the wheel fell off again, that was a few weeks ago. When that happened for the third time, Kevin realized the truck was not safe to drive any more. Thankfully, each time the wheel did come off, he was around the farm and on dirt roads. I really like his new truck, it rides good and has plenty of room for our growing family. Kevin is very tickled over it and is loving the truck.

The truck is a Dodge Ram 2006, 4x4, 4 doors, navy blue


As you can see, Abby was ready to go for a ride.

20 Weeks-Half Way

I can't believe that I am 20 weeks already! It has gone by so fast and I'm sure the next 20 weeks will too. I'm feeling good; almost normal. I have just gotten over a sinus infection, but other than that...I still can get tired easily if I do too much. I am still wearing my regular clothes and haven't gain any weight yet. I lost 7 pounds going through the first 3 months, so I have gained that back, but I'm back at the weight I was before I got pregnant. Even though Miss Madalyn was 11 oz. which according to the baby sites and book she is half an oz. over the average (average at this stage being 10.6 oz).

20 weeks 1 day: November 14, 2010

I told everyone at school the news of it was a girl. I finally told my kids Friday afternoon before it was time to go home. I was waiting until we knew what it was before I told. They were excited and all of them when I told them it was a girl said "aw". Then the questions started coming. Who will our sub be? (haha-already planning on acting up more than normal, but I didn't tell them that yet). One girl wanted to know her name. One said, "yeah, she will have to miss school some to have the baby". I told them the baby was to come in April so it would be near the end of the school year. One boy came up to me and asked "Mrs. McCormick, the baby's in your tummy?" They all wanted me to bring the baby to school once she came. So it is officially out over the school now. Then Friday, I was excited to find out that one of my fellow 3rd grade teachers was also pregnant; she was 8 weeks and due in June. So, I'm not the only pregnant one now. She had actually came to me when I first told them I was pregnant and told me that they were starting to try, so I was very happy for them.

Another bit of exciting news, is that my best friend from high school, Lindsey, is also pregnant. Lindsey is actually 12 weeks and due May 21st. I have known for awhile, but I have been waiting to announce that on my blog. When I first started telling people, I called Lindsey and told her that I had something to tell her...that I was going to have a baby. Well, then Lindsey says, well I have something to tell you...I said what....I have to tell you the same thing. I was like what!? So, when we went to Greenville that weekend to tell my family, Lindsey and I met up for lunch to share the excitement of us both going through this together. She is doing very well so far. She is almost to the 2nd trimester, and I told her that she would soon start to feel better and have more energy. She has been very sick with a sinus infection then it went to bronchitis. But its so neat that we are 7 weeks apart. Our prediction is that she will have a girl too.

For all of you moms out there, if any of you have any advice on certain items that you registered for, for you baby and you love or didn't love, please let me know. There is so much to choose out there. I have gotten some input from my sister-in-laws, and some other people that I know have had a baby in the past 2 years. But any advice or help to a first time mom, would be greatly appreciated!

I took some pictures of what we have gotten or bought so far for the baby.

This was the first thing I bought. I actually got this giraffe the end of June or the first part of July, I can't remember. I went to Aiken one day with my sister-in-law, Katelyn. We were in Books-A-Million and found these TY stuffed animals. She picked out a dalmatian for Hunter and I just thought the giraffe was too cute to pass up. So I got 2; one for Hunter and one for our baby. (Which at the time I wasn't pregnant, but we were trying)


When we were at Tybee Island, we went into Savannah one day to shop. I found this cute, black poodle. (I know its kind of hard to see) But this was the cutest black poodle stuffed animal I had seen yet, so I got it so our child could have their own "Abby". (Not knowing then that I was pregnant.)



Then, once we had shared our good news, we went over to visit Kevin's grandma, Ms. Thelma, to show her the pictures. She went ahead and gave me the baby's Christmas present and it was a Winnie the Pooh quilt someone had made.

Kevin's Aunt Wanda gave us the Gamecock rattle.

One of the teachers at school, gave me the Winnie Pooh and books. She taught 3rd grade my first year at Kelly Edwards and has been in 5th grade the past two years. She had a baby last October. And once I shared with her my news, she was very excited for me.

My mom bought Kevin and I this Christmas ornament to remember this special time in our lives.

When Kevin and I went to the mountains, I found this book and just had to get it. It's a sweet story of the birth of our Savior, Jesus Christ.



Kevin's mom, Mrs. Katie, bought the baby it's first Halloween outfit. (we didn't know then for sure what the baby will be)

Then, Mrs. Katie was in Tennessee with Mr. Tim at a show for the compost. Once we called her to tell her it was a girl, she went shopping and bought some cute outfits for Madalyn. It's funny that she picked up too lavender outfits, because I am more of a purple person than a pink person, always have been. I like pink, but I like the dark and hot pinks better than the pale and baby pinks.

We are Tickled PINK!

Yes, we are literally tickled PINK here at the McCormick house hold. (My mom made this comment today as they were leaving that they were "tickled pink" so I thought I was use that slogan on my blog).Today, I went to the doctor for my 19 week check up and the big event was finding out if the baby was a girl or a boy and guess what.....Our prediction was correct....

IT'S A GIRL!!!

Yes, that's right, after about 20 minutes of poking her and jiggling my belly, she finally let us see. She was curled up in a very tight ball and hanging out at the very top of the uterus, above my belly button and she had no desire to be active today. The lady who was doing the ultrasound was very good, she was very patient and tried very hard to get this baby to move around. I was thankful that we found out; because the way the baby was acting I didn't know if we would find out or not. My parents came down and met us at the doctor's office. It was special to get to share that moment with them and for them to see their granddaughter. Kevin said she was acting like me because she wanted to still sleep and it was almost lunch time. And the fact that she was being very stubborn about it too. Her name is....

"Madalyn" Rae McCormick

Kevin and I had decided on the first name before we got married. I just heard that name one day for a child at my old school and thought it was different and pretty and it just stuck. I had thought of some other names, but Kevin didn't like them and I didn't like some of the ones he had thought of. Which my mom's name is Lynn, so it has that in it. The "Rae" comes from my Papa whose name is "Ray" and Kevin had decided that if it was a boy it would have "Ray" as a middle name. Well, then I got to thinking, why not make that the middle name if it's a girl too and just spell it with an "e" instead of a "y". My Papa is very special to me and it is only right to have his first great grandchild named after him. So, that's how we came up with the name. She will be called "Madalyn".

Everything looked good, they said I was right on schedule with all of my measurements and her measurements. I go back in four weeks, December 7th and they will do another ultrasound. The doctor said that they wanted to better check out all the vital organs and it was still a little early to do that.

Week 19 and 1 day: November 7th (as you can see a change in my belly from week 15)

After we found out, between my mom and I we were texting everyone. After we left the doctor's office, the phones have rung off and on all day, friends and family sharing in our joy of a little girl and so far, the blessing of a healthy baby and pregnancy. After the doctors' visit, we went to eat lunch at Logans' and then headed off to buybuyBABY. My mom helped me registered, while Kevin and my dad sat in the chair and then left to go to a tool's store. There is so much to think about. I was so tired after registering. I tell you, I think there is so much more to register for a baby than when you get married. I don't remember making this many difficult decisions when I was picking out stuff for wedding showers. But we had a good time. I came home and looked at the register online to remember what I had picked out and made some changes. I still have a lot to pick out, I didn't get any big items, I wanted Kevin's input with those and some items I wanted to read up on before selecting them. But by the time we finished it was 3:30 pm and we had an hour drive home, and my parents had a two and a half hour drive home. I want to go to BabiesRUs to look there and register there too. But one store in a day is all I can handle. Poor Kevin, with me, Abby, Roxy, and now the baby, he is out numbered 4 to 1.

Roxy

Roxy is adjusting and settling into her new home very quickly. Roxy and Abby are getting along very well. They do play together; they will chase each other and wrestle. Sometimes they get a little rough and we have to tell them to stop. With Abby being so much bigger right now, I don't want her to hurt Roxy. She is so funny to watch. She will find anything to amuse herself with. The other day I came home from school and Abby came in and a leaf dropped off Abby. Roxy had the best time playing with the leaf. She also loves to play around my tennis shoes. I bought her a cat toy ball to play with, but Abby keeps taking it from her, so we can't let her play with it. The ball is small and I don't want Abby to get choked on it. Her new favorite spot to nap is on the top of one of our chairs. There is a really soft blanket up there and she feels like she is safe from Abby.