Happy Easter...

Another busy weekend for this Smith Family. After both of us were done working Friday and Friday night, we headed down south to Moline and Cedar Rapids. We left home about noon on Saturday and arrived in Moline IL around 330pm and met Blayne, Molly, Kieran, and Dusty at Papa and Gma Jan's house. We had dinner plans for 24+ people, all Smith family at Montana Jack's in town at 5pm. So we all met there and had a wonderful dinner, of course I ate too much. But I love the excuse that I am eating for two, it works well. After dinner most of us went back to Papa and Gma Jan's and hung out with the babies played. Some of the kids went to a movie, the men went to the Boats and then the bar, and the rest of us had some Whitey's and relaxed, and attempted to get to bed early.

Sunday morning we were lucky enough to have our favorite breakfast, bisquits and gravy, courtesy of Papa and Gma Jan. It was wonderful. Then it was time to hit the road and head to Cedar Rapids to celebrate Gma Carol's 80th Birthday. We met everyone at a nice little Amish resaturant (The Brick Haus) for lunch and cake. Visited awhile, and then were on the road again home. It is nice to see the grandparents all in one weekend, but it is a lot of driving in less than 2 days. And being pregnant, your bladder doesn't hold quite as long, but Ed hasn't realized that yet. But we survived and are now safely home.

Gizmo got to stay home and my sister Amanda came over and stayed with him Saturday night. This was a first time for us, but Gizmo was good for Amanda and it was easier to not have to take him and all his things somewhere else. Amanda said she would do it again, so it went well. It is nice to have options. Thank you again Amanda for helping us out, we really appreciate it!

And to our surprise, Baby Smith received their first Easter basket today too. And it wasn't even from us! This baby isn't going to be spoiled at all! Grandma and Grandpa Knutson-to-be had a few goodies for the baby and of course a few things for us as well. So fun.

Back to school for Ed this week, Spring Break is over. Not too often you get 15 inches of snow over Spring Break! And same old work week for me, yipee!

Thank You Mrs. Speck...

We feel as though we have just won the furniture lottery! Dusty's girlfriend Julie's Mom (Mrs. Speck) recently purchased some new furniture and had a set of furniture she wanted to get rid of and was willing to pay us to get out of our house. Now, normally you would expect something not so nice, like our previous Aztec couch or perhaps worse. But no, we just got a living room set of furniture that I would actually pick out and purchase if we had the money. We got a couch, a loveseat, and an oversized chair with an ottoman. The only downfall was that she wanted it out by this weekend, so good thing Ed was on Spring Break this week and had the time to drive down to Darien and pick it up. We were also lucky to have wonderful family to borrow a nice trailer from to get it all home. (Thanks Aaron!!) So last night while I was entertaining my lovely work friends, Ed made the trip down to Darien to pick up the furniture set. He met Dusty at Mrs. Speck's house and loaded the trailer, stopped for some dinner and then headed back home. Good thing he was able to go last night before the lovely snow we are so lucky to be getting today.

So here is the furniture! We decided to put it in the family room as that is the space we use the most. We haven't decided what we are going to do in the living room yet. Probably move the flowered sectional into the basement and set up the white couches in the living room. We aren't ready to part with the flowered sectional, we might need it in the near future if or when we ever move.

We also acquired a very nice baby swing while he was in Darien.

And this is what it looked like out our front door this morning, isn't it March?

The Little One...(23 5/7 weeks)

On Tuesday, Ed felt the baby move for the first time!

I have been feeling it for awhile but you have to be at the right place at the right time to feel it on the outside, and finally Ed was there. Not sure if I would call it kicking quite yet, it is more like summersaults!

Another little one, remember when Gizmo was this little, and now he is 3! Molly was going through pictures and found these of Giz, not so little anymore is he?

Happy 3rd Birthday Gizmo!!!

Yes today is Gizmo's 3rd Birthday. Here is a picture from yesterday, he got groomed which explains the cute little bandana (again, Ed's favorite). We won't be doing much celebrating today as I am heading back to work tonight. But Gizmo is spoiled enough every day that he doesn't need anything more today. I think he would agree as he is currently napping in our bed, naughty!

We are alive...(22 4/7 weeks)

Guess I didn't realize how long it has been since I have updated you all. Well we will back up to the weekend a few days ago. Nothing overly exciting since we both worked, so standard around here. But we did acquire a few "new to us" items. Or hand me downs you could call them too. Ed and Sue took a trip to MI to visit Blayne, Molly and Kieran and brought us back the couch we have been awaiting and the Smith cradle/bassinet for the newest addition coming soon. I guess Kieran has outgrown it!

We now have a matching set of furniture in our family room. We have had the smaller couch for several months when we made a trade between the Smith brothers with chairs and recliners and we just got half the deal as Blayne and Molly were awaiting selling their house. Then it ended up in storage while they looked for a new home, which they found, and looks beautiful, so now we got the final piece to complete our family room. It was rather sad seeing our aztec couch sitting in the driveway on garbage day, but it was bittersweet!
Keep the furniture hand me downs coming family, we like to rotate furniture since we can't afford to buy ourselves new stuff!

Then the cradle/bassinet (I am not sure what the correct term for it is) is something that all 3 Smith boys used, then Kieran and now it is our turn. Underneath the mattress there is an embroidered piece of fabric that Sue updates when new babies use it. So that was fun to add to the collection of things for the baby that aren't being used. Oh well. Just have to wait for the mattress pad and sheets we registered for!
A Gizmo Update....

I had to get Gizmo in to the vet on Saturday morning last minute as he went to bed whining and wimpering on friday night. Turns out his left ear was bothering him and whenever he would scratch it he would wimper. When we looked inside it, it was fire red and scabby and sort of bloody. Of course we didn't have any ear cleaning solution as I have learned to leave that up to the groomer every month and haven't had any issues. So we just wiped it with a moist cotton ball and gave him some benadryl and to bed we all went. He seemed better in the morning, but we were still concerned. So I called the vet and they said we should probably bring him in to make sure it wasn't something more than irritated.

Turns out he had an abundance of yeast in his left ear only probably due to water sitting in it from grooming or sticking his head in a snowbank? Apparently all dogs have a small amount of yeast in their ears, just not this much to cause irritation. So we got some ear cleaner and a medication to use for 7-10 days, in addition to stocking up on fish oil for his allergies, and frontline refills, needless to say when all was said and done it wasn't a cheap trip. Dogs are expensive just to maintain, and I consider him a healthy dog, imagine if he wasn't? Yikes. Anyways, he is doing much better, minus his ear hair being super greasy because we have to put this ointment in 2x/day, and he hates having his ears touched anytime. So it is quite a challenge when Ed isn't here to help me. No wonder he loves his dad more lately, he doesn't take part in the mean things!
And last but surely not least, the baby update...

Had my monthly appointment this afternoon. Was a standard weight, blood pressure, heart beat, questions/concerns 10 minute appointment after you wait for 40 minutes just to see the MD. Oh and now we are far enough that they measure my fundal height (from pubic bone to top of uterus, should measure close to our weekly gestation) So anyway, was scary to step on the scale (to put it nicely they said the baby and I have had a growth spurt in the last 2 months!)Take that however you would like. Blood pressure is wonderful! Heartbeat was in the 140's again, and the baby was very active, according to the MD. Go back again in 4 weeks (26 weeks), will be a longer appointment as I have the O'Sullivan test (glucose tolerance test) cross my fingers for no gestational diabetes, I think I will die if I have to watch what I eat! I have been suffering from a bit of reflux occassionally when I sleep at night, so far tolerable if I just elevate my head more and eat Tums, hopefully I won't need to medicate for that in the future, we'll see. Was glad to hear that it is common in pregnancy.

I think that is all for now! Makes for a lengthy post when you don't update for over a week, sorry!

A Heat Wave...(21 1/7 weeks)

We had a heat wave of a weekend, for WI lately. The temperature today was in the mid-40's. That is almost shorts weather. Too bad it is supposed to rain, then sleet and then 1-2 inches of snow tomorrow, so winter is far from over. Oh well. That is what we get for living in WI.

Otherwise we had another eventful weekend. Ed worked all weekend, and was actually there most of his scheduled hours. It sounds like they were actually a bit busy with this heat wave. During the day Saturday I helped throw a baby shower for my cousin Andrea. It was a surprise, and she was very surprised. She thought the shower was on March 22, and on Saturday she was under the impression she was going to Aunt Kathy's to help pick out a paint color on her way shopping with her mom. To her surprise she wouldn't be shopping at all, and their errands stopped in Aunt Kathy's basement for a baby shower. Of course she cried, who wouldn't have, especially with hormones raging. But the shower was a hit, she enjoyed it, we had a great turn out, everyone was there before Andrea, and she got lots of wonderful gifts and we ate lots of wonderful food. It is hard to believe it is over, it feels like we were just planning it last week.

Andrea arrives, and cries!

Us ladies!

Here is Andrea getting a little emotional over another gift, she was so cute.

Then we had bowling Saturday night. Ed bowled very well as usual lately, and I did just okay. Remember Ed bowls 6 times a month and I only bowl 1-2 times a month. So he should be better than me by now, right?


Sunday, I went to breakfast with Aunt Karen, Hartbrook Cafe, was delicious. Then when Ed got home from work we got to put in a new kitchen faucet. For the last week we have had issues with a leaky faucet. We tried the cheap fix for 13$ by replacing a smaller part, but that didn't do the job, so the 200$ fix worked of course, a new faucet. Surprisingly Ed and I worked very well together and we got it done rather quickly. It looks rather nice. Who would have thought we would have needed a new faucet within 4 years. We put a new one in when we moved in the house, but I guess that was a faucet about half the price as this one, you get what you pay for I guess.
So anyway, back to work for me tomorrow and back to school for Ed. He is on Spring Break in 2 weeks, so he is looking forward to that. Otherwise, we hit 21 weeks on Saturday! All is well with mom and baby, belly keeps growing, scale numbers keep getting higher for me, and lower for Ed. Our elliptical is the best investment we have made in a long time!!

The latest belly picture. Sorry Ed isn't the best photographer, especially when we are in a hurry.