Kindergarten

Well, for those of you who didn't know, I've been doing a little substitute teaching here and there when I have a chance. A good change of pace every once in a while, and it's only at St. Philip's so it's very relaxed there. Today I had my first go at the kindergarten - very interesting. My feet hurt so bad right now. I was on them all day going between desks - cutting, pasting, coloring. Wow - what a day! I watched one girl pick her boogers and eat them (right before lunch). I thought I would puke right there. Yet the most hilarious thing that happened today was this morning while the kids were doing their morning prayers. If the kids want to pray for anything in particular, they raise their hand and say their petition and we all pray. One little girl had her tonsils taken out a few weeks ago, but she's back at school now. One of her friends raised her hand and said, "I want to pray for Delilah because she had her tonsils taken out and I just really hope she gets them back." Hahahaha!!!! It was too cute- probably cuter to be there. But, I couldn't resist. Kids really do say the darnest things. Although it was fun to be in Bryn's class room all day, I think I'll stick to 4th and 5th grade - much more my speed.

Oh - and I had a lot of my dancers, so when the other teacher introduced me as Mrs. Zabodyn - all of the girls are like, "Who? What? That's Mrs. Jenna, not Mrs. Zabodyn". So I went by my first name all day - nice... One of them even asked me at the end of the day - "Mrs. Jenna, is "Zabodyn" a bad word?" No - It's my last name for cripes sake - come on now, who could mistake a name like that for a bad word...

Dayton Steals Some Onion Rings...

This one is also from the other night while we were eating out. He was stealing the onion rings right off my plate - little piggy!!! You should've seen his hands - they were so greasy. He never really liked to put it in his mouth, just squeeze on them w/ his fingers...

Another Video...

Okay, I'm really into these videos now. They just take forever to download, but I know they're much more fun to look at than my boring blogs...

Enjoy!

This is the other night while we were eating out at Saltgrass Steakhouse in Sugar Land.

Test...

Testing out the video aspect of this whole blogging thing...

Dayton opening his St. Nick gift at DeDe and Papa's house.

December is Here~

Well, it's officially December now - how exciting!!! Santa Claus is just around the corner! Brandon and I shopped on Saturday in the Woodlands. I love that mall - everyone should go there atleast once a year just for fun.

I remember shopping last year - big, fat and pregnant. I was so miserable and unlike me. This year it's back to fun times - I was loving the hustle and bustle and all the lights and Christmas music at the mall! We knocked out quite a few gifts so I'm feeling pretty good about where we stand right now.

I'm afraid to wrap anything and put it under the tree. I don't know what Dayton will do, but I do believe it will involve atleast some ripping of the papers and/or bows. St. Nick comes Thursday night, so I can't wait to see what Dayton gets!?!?! I'm so like a little kid - hahaha! I'll send pictures - you know me! It's gonna be a good warm up for Christmas.

The Christmas parade is Thursday night and we'll be watching it from the studio again. Anyone who wants to come by for some chili - feel free!!! I hope Dayton enjoys his first parade. Only thing I'm worried about is the loud sirens. I hope he does okay w/ that. Again - I'll send out pictures.

I've gotta figure out the whole camera/video thing. I'd love to post some on here sometime. We are asking Santa for a new video camera for Christmas so hopefully we've been nice enough to get one that hooks up to the computer and is easily downloaded on to this website :)

Not much new w/ Baby Date - still cutting those teeth. His Christmas pics are going to be crazy looking this year - he's got his two front bottom middle teeth and then he's got his left top side tooth (one off from the middle) and the next one following is the right middle tooth - oh my goodness, what a little redneck!

We put up Christmas lights today so Dayton loved being outside watching. He loves the cold weather for some reason. I didn't get any pics, but Dayton and Lucy were both in the play pen at one time - hilarious. Dayton thought it was the greatest thing. He could actually pull and bite (yes, I said bite) on her and she had no where to run or hide. Poor Lucy... Dayton's definently giving her gray hair!

Not any big plans coming up this week. I've gotta get dance costumes ordered real soon and this week is parent watch week at dancing, so I've survived one day, one more to go! I think I may be going to the Nutcracker on Sunday w/ Amy and Bryn. Amy called and asked, and I could never pass up a chance to go to the Nutcracker! I can't wait to see Bryn's face - she is going to love it. I told Brandon that when Dayton is old enough, we are going to take him. Imagine Brandon's reaction to that, but I explained that since I am employed in the "arts", Dayton needs to learn to appreciate it. Don't get me wrong, I never want to see my kid in tights and ballet shoes, I just want him to realize that is his mom's passion and he can respect the talent of it all.

We had an awesome time at the bank Christmas party (thanks for those of you who asked). It was so much fun! The SugarLand Marriott is very nice, I recommend it to anyone. It would be a great place for a girl's night out/bachelorette type party. On Saturday, we went out w/ some of Brandon's work people and had such a great time. We went to Amici's for appetizers and pre-dinner drinks, then Perry's for dinner, then PF Chang's for after-dinner drinks - yummy!!! And the greatest thing was that we were in walking distance of it all. We just walked (or should I say staggered) back to the room when we were done. Fun times!

Okay, I'm soooo rambling, but I'm enjoying having a little free time on the computer. Usually I'm being burdened w/ a time restraint called Dayton's nap time. But, he is sound asleep on this Daddy's chest, so I'm getting some free time! (I should be cleaning the house or working on dance costumes, but what's the fun in that?)

Peace out - JZ

3 Years of Maritial Bliss...

Well, today marks 3 years of marriage for Brandon and myself. So hard to believe - so much has happened over the last three years of our lives. I would have never seen myself where I am today three years ago - only teaching dancing, with a 8 1/2 month old, 30 lbs heavier - oh boy...

Thanksgiving was so great - Dayton had a wonderful day. We started w/ breakfast at home, then lunch at my parents, then afternoon at Brandon's grandparents in Danevang, then evening w/ Brandon's grandparents in EC, then night at Coby and Sandie's w/ Will and Luke. What a full day - Fun, fun, fun! I been trying to think of a clever list of what I'm the most thankful for but haven't come up w/ anything too exciting, but I've listed a few things that I truly am lucky and blessed to experience on a daily basis:

-Laughing out loud. I realized this yesterday morning as Dayton and I were playing in his room. Never in my adult-life have I laughed out loud so many times on a daily basis. The little things that Dayton does just melts my heart everyday and brings out the kid in me. It feels so good to laugh.

-A loving pet. Our little Lucy has been around for 3 1/2 years now and she just gets sweeter everyday. She is so wonderful with Dayton and the older he gets, the rougher he gets and she just puts up w/ it.

-Christmas time. You all know it's my most favorite time of the year. Our Christmas tree is out along w/ all our decorations. There is nothing better than sitting under a blanket on the couch at night as all of the lights from the tree, mantle, and fireplace glow. I love it!

-The two men in my life. It'll be 10 years in Feb. that Brandon and I have been together. So hard to believe, but he has given me some of the greatest joys in my life and he has given me a wonderful son. (mushy, I know) The love that we share as a family is the greatest gift that God has given me. I can't wait to watch our family grow in love and numbers (well maybe I can wait a little while....)

Well, that's it. Just a few things I'm very grateful for - Oh! and one more, friendship. Thanks to all of you for being there in the good times and bad. We have sooooo many memories!!!

Someone is waking up so I better run. He's got a snotty nose and a very drooly mouth - cutting four top teeth at one time- fun, let me tell you. And, you should see my crusty clothes, I have to change like 3 times a day - snot and drool everywhere. I'm thankful for that too..........................

A Nice Bubble Bath...

So yesterday morning, I woke up not feeling too well and knowing that I had a big day ahead of me (shopping and EC football game), I thought it might feel great to take a nice bubble bath. With Daddy and Dayton still in bed, I entered the restroom to begin my great adventure.

It didn't take me long to realize that bubble baths just ain't what they used to be...

First, I had to rummage through hundreds of bottles of "No Tears" shampoos and "Giggles and Grins" body washes to finally come across anything that remotely resembled adult bubble bath. I poured it and prepared my bath, then as I was getting in, I realized I'd adjusted the water to Dayton's likings, not mine - pretty cold for me, so I had to re-do some water heat.

Then, when I finally got in I decided I'd lay back and enjoy some peace and quiet. Not a good idea - As I began to recline, I found myself resting on a mesh bag full of spongy alphabet letters and other tub toys - Okay, I thought, just use them as a pillow. So I got myself comfy and as I begin to "relax", out floats a nice little rubber ducky from under my arm smiling up at me as if he knew this bath was getting the best of me. I closed my eyes to avoid the duck - ahhhh...

Then, what do I hear - Dragon Tales coming from the bedroom. Oh my goodness, I've lost all elegance and bliss. I can't even enjoy a darn bubble bath. By this time, the water's getting cold, my back has imprints of letters on it and the bubbles are flat.

I sit up, grab the bag behind me, fill up Dayton's airplane squirter and proceed to squirt it at the wall. Pretty amusing, do it again. Next thing I know, I'm spelling bad words on the bathroom walls with Dayton's sponge letters, the rubber ducky's are having a war and I turn the water back on to add Dayton's bubbles - besides they last longer.

I tell you all, I'm off my rocker for sure. Two morals to this story: 1. Enjoy your nice bubble baths BEFORE you have children, they'll never be the same. & 2. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. There's nothing like a good ole' fashion kid-styled bubble bath :)

One More Try...

Okay, I'm giving this blog thing another try. Lately, Dayton has been doing really random things that I think are hilarious, so I'd like to try this again, so I can capture some of these funny moves in writing. I know I didn't do well the last time I tried to start up again, but this time, I'm going to do my best to do better!

Things have been crazy since the twins came a week ago - hard to believe the little guys are already a week old!!!! We have spent the last week traveling to and from Houston, trying to carry on around here as usual, and helping keep Anna as happy as possible. It's all been physically and emotionally exhausting, but all is well. The boys continue to get stronger and I am happy to report, they are now in beds next to each other so we are all happy about that.

Dayton is a crawling machine - in to EVERYTHING!!! I dread putting up the Christmas decorations and tree. He is going to destroy it, I just know it. He is lightning, I swear. I can't leave him alone for one minute. It's also very amusing to leave him alone in his room (it's the most babyproof place we have) and go into my room to change clothes quickly, then all of a sudden you here a clapping noise on the tile and the next thing you know, the little guy has his head peeking around the corner watching me get ready!

He has toys thrown all over the living room, but he'd rather play with my new magazines, Daddy's car magazines, computer cords, Lucy's matted up toys, dog bones, our tennis shoes, etc. I swear - such a nasty little boy. But I have to admit - I love it! I think it's great that he's so adventurous. I stay very busy all day watching his every move. He also likes to pass the time crawling under the chairs at the dining room table and pulling up on the coffee table to get coasters, the remote, Dr. Pepper cans. Oh yes, fun times.

We video tape him all the time, but I don't know how to get it up on here yet?!!!??! I got the most hilarious video the other day of him and Lucy fighting over one of Dayton's socks. Oh my gosh, you should've seen them go back and forth over that darn sock. It was like a game of tug of war and everytime Dayton would win and get the sock, he would start cracking up. Lucy didn't find it quite so funny...

Well, that's all for now. I'm substitute teaching tomorrow at St. Philip's so that should be exciting. Dayton will be staying with my dad and Anna :) We're going to the play off game on Saturday in Rosenberg and we'll also get to do a little shopping that morning and pick up our pics that we had made - can't wait to see them!!! I will try to do better for you guys. I miss giving my reports, so let's see how this goes...

Full week

Dayton had a full week this week. After letting him swim in his pool on Tuesday morning, I got the urge to take him to DeDe's pool on Tuesday night. We hadn't taken him swimming since July 4th weekend, so I was wondering how he'd do. I took all of his little bath toys with us and he loved it - he even learned how to splash his little hands. We had water everywhere. Due to Dad's new "tat", he wasn't able to get in with us, so he got some good pics - I'll email soon. We had so much fun Tuesday, we swam again Wednesday night. This time we took MeMe, Brock and Bryn. We had such a great time. I'm so proud of my little water baby! The last time we had taken him swimming, he was kinda like 'Okay, whatever.' Now he shows true excitement - such fun!

Last time I posted, he wasn't sleeping well at night. Cross your fingers - we've had two consecutive nights of him in his crib - not his pack n' play - his actual crib in his room - yippee!!! We're making progress. It was hard to put him in there for the first time at night - I just feel so attached and close when he's in the portable crib. Now he's in a whole 'nother room! I wouldn't put him in there until I'd removed all bumpers, changed out the sheet making sure it was stretched securely, removed all mobiles, crib toys from the slats, and put all bumpers back in. I check on him often until I go to sleep at night and still wake up occassionally to go sneek a peek. He's doing well. Tonight he went down around 8:35, let's see if we can do three nights in a row!!!! Mommy and Daddy are enjoying some much needed sleep :)

Back to Reality...

Well, Vegas was a GREAT time, but now it's back to the grind. We got in Saturday night and were very happy to see our little baby Date! He had grown while we were gone - I swear. It's amazing. Thank goodness he still recognized us - I would've died if he wouldn't have. His hair on his head had grown out while we were gone - it's really flat-top looking now. Too funny! My parents and Brandon's mom had gone out to eat on Saturday night and then they met up with us when we got into town at the Zabodyn's. Dayton was sitting on the floor and I was holding my hand on his back and they're all like 'He can sit up by himself.' I was shocked - my little baby was sitting up by himself while I was gone!

We stayed low on Sunday at rested. Yesterday we grocery shopped and went out to eat last night. Dayton is not sleeping well at night lately so it's been hard on Mommy and Daddy, but he thinks it's hilarious. And, when you wake up in the middle of the night, you can't help but smile at that beautiful face!

This morning we went for a short jog - very short. Mommy is still trying to get back in shape. Then, we came home and I filled up his pool on the back porch and let him take a short swim. Now that he's sitting up, I had to keep an extra close eye on him. He'd throw himself forward towards his toys forgetting he was sitting in water. I was sure he was going to take a dunk, but Mommy did good and kept his little face out of the water.

Yesterday, my parents bought him a little "Herbie" car. It's a little plastic car w/ a handle on it so you can push him around. My mom had one w/ Bryn and she's bought each of the kids one ever since. They all love them! We thought he'd be too small, but we tried at MeMe's on Sunday and we couldn't get him out of it - he cried when we'd pick him up. I took him strolling in his new ride yesterday and it was so funny - he'd grab the steering wheel and literally pull himself up into the standing position with the seatbelt intact - all boy I tell you. In fact, at Wal-Mart, he ate my shopping list, then as I was paying, he took out a wad of cash from my purse and had it in his mouth by the time I turned back around - 100% boy I tell you - gross!!!!

5 months old!!!

Well, we have ourselves a 5 month old - so hard to believe! I say it sooo often, but he is just growing soooo fast. And with the five month birthday yesterday, came yet another milestone - the sippy cup! It's so cute - he figured it out right away and he loves it. It's the funniest thing I've ever seen. He gets to drink his (very diluted) apple juice out of it and he just thinks it's the coolest thing! I'll have pics of it real soon.

This morning we took our first "road trip" by ourselves - just Mommy and Date. We went to Kohl's in Rosenberg to check out the good sales. I needed some last minute clothes before Vegas on Wednesday so I decided to take a chance. I have to say he was quite the shopping partner. He whined a little when we got in the car as if to say, 'Where to now, Mommy?' then he went to sleep until we got there. He was well behaved while we shopped, minus somehow unscrewing the lid to his new sippy cup and spilling it all over himself. I was carrying him around for a while to give him a break from the stroller and he had a huge wet spot on his hiney - I'm sure everyone was thinking that he pee'd himself, but oh well. When you become a mother, there's just things that aren't important anymore - like snot on your shirt and sticky apple juice all over your hands, and dried boogers in your kids nose - hahaha! What a mess! Anywho, we survived the shopping and managed to get Mommy, Daddy and Date each some surprises. I made a quick trip through Starbucks and we were on our way home - he slept the whole ride. It was great! I don't know how long it's been since I've been "by myself" in the car, listening to any music my heart desired and singing out loud - fun times! Oh, the simple joys of life.

Daddy came home to eat lunch and then Dayton had some more sweet potatoes and bananas and now he's down for his afternoon nap. No big plans for the weekend, just get in as much Dayton time as we possibly can before we leave on Wednesday...

Have a great weekend!

Sweet Potatoes

Today we tried something new - Sweet Potatoes! Dayton loved them. He ate half a serving of them along with half a serving of bananas. Mommy is being very bad by not starting with the yucky veggies like peas and green beans and all that nasty green stuff, but I just don't want to go there. I know he's going to be spoiled by the sweet tastes of everything I'm giving him, but we'll get there eventually. We are sticking to one new item at a time for atleast three days to make sure we have no food allergies, so after he is finished with three days of sweet potatoes, we'll try something green. He is such an eating pro these days. I think he's going to be one of those babies who will eat anything, so we shall see. We're still doing cereal most every day, but I skipped today se we could do his first veggie (sweet potatoes, kind of a veggie), and I felt like I need to reward him, hence the bananas. Wow - I'm bad at this. He's really going to be a porker as if he isn't already!!!!

Good day today - lots of laughing and a lot less coughing. Better night last night - slept till about 5:00 in his bed, then came to our bed till 8:00 - I can deal with that. Only thing was he's figured out how to roll over in his sleep, so he's waking himself up because he's not used to sleeping on his tummy, so we've gotta go flip him over and pat him back to sleep only to have him do again 10 minutes later - fun times!

Peace out.

Sick Little Man = Spoiled Little Man

Well, the little guy is still a little stopped up and congested, but no more fever, so that is good. Now we have ourselves a new problem - since he hasn't been feeling well, he's been taking naps on Mommy and Daddy and not in his crib. We even bent the rules the other night and let him sleep w/ us. Bad idea! Ever since then, he will not sleep in his crib or pack 'n play. He will be dead asleep and as soon as we lay him in it, he is up and screaming his little head off. We worked so hard to get him to where he only slept in there, now we have ourselves a problem. He's been in our bed the last three nights and we have gotten NO sleep. I'm so paranoid that Brandon is going to smush him or he is some how going to fall off the bed - ahhhhhh! It's amazing how when he is screaming his little head off in his crib and we go get him and lay him on our bed - silence, happy, peaceful bliss, sound asleep. Spoiled little brat! I don't know what we're going to do with him. But, he looks so adorable in between Mommy and Daddy and I have to admit, minus the lack of sleep, it's so nice to open my eyes and see him there - so cute! Daddy says he's trying to prevent us from having anymore children, sleeping between us, but we're not ready for that anyways! Hahaha! Hope everyone had a good weekend - Alicia, your eye problems are contagious. I have an eye infection in my left eye and it's all matted and gross so I'm stuck in my ugly ole' glasses! JZ

Sick Boy

Well, we have ourselves a semi-sick little boy. Dayton has come down with a small summer cold. Mainly just a really bad sore throat and cough. It is the saddest thing I've ever seen. Hardly will even take a paci because his throat is so sore. I'm gonna keep an eye on him over night and decide tomorrow if we need to do the whole doctor thing or not. First signs of it today and I was calling Brian's nurse like a crazy lady. I calmed myself down and told myself to chill out, give him some Tylenol and see if that helped before I had him in the doctor's office. Medicine has helped and he's a very happy baby as long as he doesn't have to cough or swallow hard. He just spits all his little drool out not wanting to make himself swallow and his throat hurt - oh, my heart aches for him. But, I know this is just part of it. We got him some baby Vicks vapor rub and a humidifier for his room, so hopefully it'll help. Say a prayer for the little guy and me - we need it.

Good night!

Another Day...

It's Thursday morning, 9:45 and Dayton's down for a small nap so I thought I'd try to get a post in. Not much has changed over the past week. I seem to have found the secret w/ his rice cereal - he wants in the afternoon when he's wide awake and not at night when he's tired. That and Mommy mixes in a tiny taste of bananas and it's a sure winner. Probably not supposed to be doing that, but what the hay - they're only this size once right?

Well, one minute into this thing and someone's already up - wow, the joys of motherhood. I've gotta go for now - have a good weekend if I don't make it back before then... JZ

Thursday night...

Well, it's Thursday night already - the weekend is almost here. It's amazing how fast the weeks fly by! We tried rice cereal on Monday night and he did pretty good. Tuesday night he wasn't having it. Wednesday night he almost ate it all. Thursday night he wasn't having it. So, we shall see how this whole eating thing goes. Being that he's not even five months yet, I'm not too worried. If he's not ready to eat, he's not ready - no big deal. We'll give it some more time and just keep trying. I'm surely not going to force him into it if he isn't ready. I really wasn't ready to start anyways, but since the doctor recommended it, we are trying.

Today we had a pretty full day. This morning I was dying for a coffee from J Brew, so I went and picked up Mom and Anna and we sat and had coffee and watched the nasty weather outside. Sandie and Coby had an appointment today and all looks well - each boy weighs over a pound already - I can't even begin to imagine having two babies in your stomach!?!!?? Anna was hilarious this morning. We were asking her what she thought the babies names should be and she replied, "Bert and Ernie." Serious as could be. We couldn't stop laughing. So for the rest of the day we referred to the twins as Bert and Ernie - poor things, I think that's what they'll be known as until they arrive!

Dayton and I went out to eat at Los Cucos (so not on Weight Watchers) for lunch with Pierrette and Shelley - It was such a pleasant time. Pierrette - we need to stop missing so many Thursdays!!!!!! It was great to catch up. After lunch we stopped back by my parents because they had Brock, Bryn, and Anna by then so I took Dayton to see all of his cousins. They are so funny - they all hover over him like he's some sort of amazing thing (which of course I think he is, but to see a five year old and 2 two year olds pay so much attention to him, it's quite special). He is very lucky to be so loved by those little guys. They all like to hold him - Brock is my favorite to watch - his idea of holding him looks somewhat like the chokehold. Last night, at their house, we put Dayton's carrier down in the living room and Amy came up to say hi to Date and Brock proceeded to try to drag that heavy carrier w/ Dayton in it away from her. He said, "My Baby Date." Anyways, I'm really rambling today - the kids saw Dayton for a few minutes and then it was time for naps - including myself ;) so we came home and a took a short nap before Daddy got home.

Dayton fell asleep super early tonight (8:00) so I'm sure I'll be up at the crack of dawn, but he seemed to be pooped from his adventurous day and who could be so cruel to keep a tired little baby awake!

That is all for now - is anyone reading this these days???????? Just curious.....

Doing a Bad Job at this...

Well, I think I'm off to a pretty bad start on the whole blogging thing. It's just so hard to find time to do this these days. Plus, our wireless router hasn't been working at the house, so to use the computer now you have to be in the office - it's amazing how spoiled I've become. I'm way too used to sitting in front of the tv at night after Dayton is asleep and surfing the net.

Never the less, we had our 4 month check up this morning. He is a very healthy boy! He weighs a whopping 20.8 lbs and is 26 3/4 inches long. He's in the 95th percentile all around - just a big boy. Brian said not near "overweight" or "obese", just a "BIG BOY". We asked about cereals and real food and Brian said we could start him on it whenever we felt ready. I'm not ready for this - my baby is growing too fast! He said it's good to get him started on it so he can get used to the idea of eating. Not much nutritional value comes from the cereal right now, it's all about learning how to eat. I think we're gonna give it a try tonight - should be fun! I'll let you know how he does!

He got three shots in his chubby little thighs - poor guy! He's been pretty lazy all day, but I'm switching between Tylenol and Motrin to keep the fever away. We don't want to end up like we did on the last round of shots - temp. of 101.5! So far, so good! Just being his fussy little teething self!

No other big news lately. Lots of shopping because there's been nothing else to do in this horrible weather. Brandon and I are going to float the river this weekend w/ his work place. Just what I need - Brandon's entire work place to see my sexy post-pregnancy body - yeehaw! I've gotten desperate, so seeing that I have no leisure time to lay out these days, I'm gonna bake in a tanning bed this week - It's no myth that tanned fat looks better than white fat - I thoroughly believe that theory!

Anyways, I've got to run for today, but I will try to do better. JZ

Official Soccer Mom...

Well you guys, I've done it - crossed over to the dark side. I'm an official soccer mom now. I am now the proud owner of a Yukon. Brandon talked me into it. We've been looking for a 7/8 passenger vehicle for quite some time now and have had no luck. We looked at the GMC Acadias when they came out a while back but decided against it. I wanted something roomy. I waited around to see if the 2008 FX's (my old car) would have three rows of seats and of course, no luck. After a few margaritas the other night, on our way home from Cucos, I told Brandon to drive through Don Davis and see what they had. And, there she was! A Black Yukon Denali w/ rear entertainment package (a must for little Dayton). Of course there was no sticker on it, so Brandon called the next day and arranged a meeting. After a few days of negotiating, we had a deal - and a great one at that! I was very skeptical of it at first, but it is growing on me every day. So spacious - I'm not used to that - it makes a great shopping-mobile! Dayton tells me he likes his new car very much ;) It is so freakin' amazing how fast you grow out of everything when a kid comes along - house, car, clothes (hahaha!), etc. Anyways, I've got me a "big honkin' SUV" as some would call it, but I think I'm a pretty hip soccer mom!

Dayton has decided now would be a good time to start cutting teeth - it's been real fun... Fever, fussy, and yucky diapers - poor little boy! He's doing good though. He's got one front upper tooth coming in and one lower tooth that's one off from the middle tooth - he's really gonna look like a little redneck when they come in - mullet and all!!!!

We're still not rolling from tummy to back, but he thinks it's soooo hilarious to roll from back to tummy over and over and over again. Then he realizes he's stuck and gets extremely pissed off, so we flip him back over and he proceeds to roll again - I swear, hard-headed like his Daddy!

We're off to visit Aunt Traci today. Dayton is such the shopping buddy - hope he can behave today!

JZ

Dayton's 4 Month Birthday

Well, with Dayton's four month birthday came another milestone - we've got ourselves a lil' roller!!! We were playing on a pallet in the living room after lunch and he just did it - no nudging, no help, no nothing. I was so amazed. I was thinking, 'Did I just see what I thought I saw?" He rolled from his back to his stomach which is the harder of the two - according to my books, not supposed to happen until five months or so. However, we do have one small problem - he can't roll from his chubby tummy to his back yet, so when he accomplishes the great tasks of rolling he gets himself so p.o.'d that he doesn't know what to do because he's stuck on his stomach. We'll get it all together soon enough!

Grandpa and MeMe were back from the big cruise today so we hurried over to greet them when they got home. They were happy to see the lil' tike and I was happy to brag on his new trick! They brought him a lot of little souveniers - maracas, a t-shirt, and a mini cruise ship toy that lights up and makes a horn sound.

We celebrated Dayton's birthday tonight with some .99 Los Cucos margaritas and some bowling. Dayton's first trip to the ole' bowling alley. He did really well.

Yeah for rolling over. I know I say it all the time, but he is just growing waaayyyy too fast!!!!

Sunday

Sunday we FINALLY had a day without rain - yeah! We took full advantage of it. We went to church and rested up in the morning and then around lunch time, we headed over to Palacios. We took Dayton and Uncle Clint with us to see the new public skate park there. I pushed Dayton around in his stroller while Clint and Brandon rode their bikes/skateboards - pretty funny! It's been a while since I've seen Daddy ride and it didn't take him long to get worn out! We were going to walk down by the water but Dayton was tuckered out from the skate park, so we just headed back to EC.

We spent the afternoon swimming at the Zabodyns, then Brandon cooked us some vegetable pasta and we ate and went home. We were all so worn out from the sun since we're not used to it lately.

It was a lot of fun! Still no rolling over, but we're getting so close!

Today Dayton is officially 4 months old - so hard to believe. He is growing SO fast!

I'll be emailing pics soon - I've got some good ones!

Have a good week! JZ

I'm Back...

Well, it only took me four months to get this thing back up and running, but I've decided to begin blogging again. While I'll probably just continue to send pictures via email because that's the easiest, I think I'll post journal entries over here. The older Dayton gets, the more I have to talk about and writing it all on here helps me remember things better. Looking back on all my pregnancy blogs makes me laugh. I know one day I'll look back at all my "Baby Dayton" blogs and laugh, too.

It's Saturday morning and Mommy and Daddy are recovering from last night. Uncle Clint and Megan are in town from Oregon so we went out to eat with the family and then shipped Dayton off to Uncle Scott's and Aunt Amy's while we went bowling. Needless to say, we had a little too much fun but it was well worth it. We've got quite the household right now - Me, Brandon, Dayton, Lucy and Baxter (Mom and Dad's newest addition), and this afternoon we'll have Bryn and Brock over too - Talk about a circus. It should be fun. I'm gonna be the "cool" aunt and buy the kids some roller skates from Wal-Mart and take them skating this afternoon at Northside. Uncle Brandon will be the kid he is and ride his bike over there, too. Dayton's gonna chill in the stroller. While it sounds so much fun to buy them skates and let them have fun, I have a feeling in a couple of years when it's Dayton's turn to do the same, I'll probably be the crazy mom who has him dressed in pads and a helmet from head to toe and nervous as heck that he might "fall down and scrape his knee." Crazy how that works!

Brandon and Baby Date (as he is now known as) are chilling on the living room floor watching some HDTV. Daddy's trying to make him roll over because he would die if he did it for the first time while he was at work. A weekend of rolling lessons - this should be good...

I will update soon!

Hey everyone - lots has happened in a weeks time and it's so hard to believe our little darling Dayton is already one week old - sniffle, sniffle. When I do write I'd like to have time, so I don't forget anything and I can add some new pics of the little one, but right now, spare time is something I don't have. I'll try to get back on here next week when Brandon returns to work - sniffle, sniffle again. Don't worry I'll keep you posted. This little guy is something else. I don't think Brandon and I have come down from the high we've been on. It is wonderful - we are having so much fun as a family! Take care - JZ

Tomorrow is the BIG day!!!

Well, back from my doctor's appointment and looks like everything's a go for tomorrow. Brandon and I have to be at the hospital at 6:00 in the morning and we'll go from there. I am still only dilated to a one, so tomorrow the fun will begin. He did "strip my membranes" (yummy, huh?) today, so there is a very slight chance I could go into labor on my own later today, but the way this stubborn little boy is acting, I'm certain we'll have to force him out tomorrow. We will call and let everyone know as soon as we have a new little addition to the family. Please keep us in your prayers tonight and tomorrow - we are going to need it. Thanks for traveling on this journey with me - it's been a fun one. Tomorrow begins a new journey that we can't wait to begin. We'll keep you posted

- Mommy to Be...

Update...

Sunday night - 9:15 p.m. - I am STILL very pregnant :) Have a good week...

4 more short days (at the most - yeehaw!)

Don't worry, I will keep you all updated!!!!

Another Appointment...

Well, this morning I went in for my 39 week appointment and I am dilated to a one - barely... Dr. Sangalli went ahead and scheduled us in to be induced next Thursday, March 8th. Now there is an end in site! So be it if I go into labor between now and then, I'm just glad to know that will be the longest I have to hold out. Baby looked good and healthy on the sonogram, no problems. He's just being a little lazy about making his way out of there. I swore I would never go past my due date, but I guess one day isn't that bad. He said the sooner he tried to induce, the more likely I am to have to have a c-section and we're trying to avoid that. Saturday is the full moon so there is still hope from that stand point but we shall see. Anyways, all is well and Baby Dayton will be here before we know it - it's definently count down!!!

Walking and Waiting...

Okay, so beginning on Friday, I have been taking walks every day with Lucy. We are trying to make this baby drop. Saturday and Sunday Brandon joined us on our walks. On Sunday, we even walked all the way to my parents for lunch and then walked home after we ate. It has been good for me to get out of the house. Not much else is new. I go back to the doctor on Wednesday for a sonogram and check up - let's hope we can get this show on the road! Until then, I'll be walking and waiting and teaching dancing! Have a good week!

My Appointment

This morning my appointment went very well, just one problem - no progress yet again! He said everything looks good, I'm just not dilating yet. He found out this morning that his mother is sick so he'll be out of town all weekend (7 hours away). That makes me kind of happy that I'm not dilated because I would hate for him to not be here. We have yet another sonogram on Wednesday, so we'll see how that goes. Dayton is being very stubborn. I was more disappointed last week because I really had my hopes up. I took the news pretty good this week because I've decided I've just got to learn to be a little more patient. I just need to set my mind to think that I still have 2 more weeks, and it's gonna take that whole two weeks. I feel pretty good, so I should just be thankful. The longer he stays in there, the stronger he will grow, and the healthier he will get. If nothing else changes, I will be attending the couple's shower this weekend, so those of you who will be there, try not to laugh too much. With my wonderful "curves" nothing looks too great on me and I'm looking pretty swollen all over these days, so try not to be too humored by it. Anyways, hope all is well - it's Thursday, so almost a whole 'nother week has come and gone.

38 weeks and counting!

Well, today marks yet another milestone - 38 weeks pregnant - wow! That's a long time; but, a small price to pay for such a wonderful gift! I am more anxious than ever. Every day gets a little more difficult. Brandon and I are going to church today at noon for Ash Wednesday and I've spent the last hour trying on just about every shirt in my closet trying to find one that fits. How depressing! I've ended up in one of Brandon's Lacoste polo shirts - talk about desperate.

With each "growing" day (and I do mean growing), I am more and more ready to welcome little Dayton. I know you've all heard the stories about what you should do to go into labor and I'm beginning to consider trying a few. Yesterday at dancing, I did some deep lunges w/ the girls and I even conquered the bunny hop - what a sight! I also ate Mexican food last night; however, no labor pains so far, darn! Any suggestions??????????????????

Tomorrow morning I have another doctor's appointment so we shall see if I've made ANY progress. Please keep your fingers crossed. Brandon informed me this morning that he won't be able to go w/ me, he has a business meeting, so I'm a little upset about that, but I'm hoping my mom will come w/ me again.

The weather is beautiful, but I'm missing the cold we had last week. I couldn't imagine being this pregnant during the summer time. I break a sweat when I go out now and it's barely 60 degrees! I'll post tomorrow after the appointment (unless they keep me there!) ...

Good Weekend.

Well, regardless of my doctor's instructions of not going anywhere, I decided to venture out. Saturday morning I woke up ready to shop, and I couldn't resist. I called my mom and she was game, so we headed over to Sugar Land. The highway was closed down at Grand Parkway, so we had to sit in some traffic, but it wasn't too bad. Once we got past the traffic, I was thinking, "God, please don't let me go into labor now. I could just see my mom racing to Wharton, having to fight some traffic - she doesn't even drive outside of El Campo." We went to Babies R Us where I picked up a few last minute things, then to Carter's where I got Dayton a few more onesies, then to the mall. The mall was the death of me. Wow - I was dying by the time we left. That was a lot of fast walking for me. Then, we went to Academy to get Daddy some waders for his big fishing trip on Sunday.

Yesterday, we went to church early, went to breakfast then came home and rested for a while. We ate lunch at my mom and dad's w/ the whole family. The weather was beautiful, so the kids (and Lucy) enjoyed playing in the back yard. Brandon left to go fishing early yesterday afternoon, so I spent the afternoon, evening and night w/ my parents. I didn't want to risk going into labor while I was home by myself. My mom and I went and visited my aunt for a couple of hours so that was nice, then we just went back to their house and watched a lot of tv and ate PB and J sandwiches for dinner - yummy! I decided to sleep on their couch since that is one of the easiest ways for me to get comfortable. I was pretty uncomfortable around 3:00 a.m. so I moved to the recliner. I was having some pretty real contractions between 3 and 5 about every 8 - 10 minutes apart. I was getting really nervous, because I was scared to tell my mom and dad - they would've freaked out. At 5:00 a.m. I moved back to the couch and changed positions, and the contractions slowly faded. I've been having a few this morning off and on but not close enough together to worry about yet. I called Brandon and told him to pay attention to his phone for the rest of the morning. He should be back early this afternoon. It's probably just a bunch of false labor, but boy would I love to go into labor at any minute now!

I'll keep you guys updated - my luck, I've still got 2 and 1/2 LONG weeks ahead of me, but I did get my shopping in this weekend :)

No Change :(

Well, I went to the doctor this morning for my weekly check-up knowing that I was for sure going to be dilated to atleast a one or two - BUT, as mother nature would have it, I'm still "closed" as Dr. Sangalli put it. No progress. I am pretty disappointed. I am so ready to get this show on the road. I feel like I just sit around staring at my tummy waiting for something to happen, and to think it could still be another 3 weeks. I also asked him that since I'm not dilated at all, would it be okay for me to go to the Derby Doll competition this Saturday in Katy. He pretty much gave me the big no. He said something could happen at any time and it would be a good idea to not go anywhere. Sounds like a fun weekend for me. Brandon is going fishing on Sunday night til Monday morning, so my luck, I'll go into labor then. I don't think he should be able to go since I can't go anywhere, but that's okay. I haven't been shopping in a couple of weekends and it's killing me! I've been using the credit card on the internet a whole lot lately. I can't stand to not get out. I'm being very negative today, but I'll survive. I'm excited and nervous and ready all at the same time. I know he'll come when he's ready, it's just getting so close that I'm ready to do this thing! Oh, and my carpal tunnel is getting worse. Brandon called Dr. Goerig yesterday and he sent me some physical therapy to do at home and told me to go ahead and buy the splint for the other arm - so look out - I am one sexy momma w/ a splint on each hand. I'm looking good, but they do help. You guys all have a good weekend - if anyone is in EC, please stop by for a visit, I will be home...

Waiting...

Well, no new changes here. Tomorrow marks 37 weeks - that's only 3 weeks til d-day! Harder to believe every day. Dayton is fiesty as could be. I think he's gonna come out running. Sunday I was experiencing some back pains which can be an early sign of labor, then Sunday night I was having some pretty good Braxton-Hicks contractions about every 45 minutes, so I was getting pretty nervous. Yesterday I finished packing my bags for the hospital, put the car seat in the car, and tried to tie up any loose ends that I hadn' t taken care of yet. I think this baby could come any day now, but I don't want to get my hopes up. It's like every time I feel a strange feeling, I think "Oh my goodness - this could be it!" ~ I'll probably be a week late...

I'm still going strong at dancing, not stretching as much as I used to, but still keeping up w/ most of the dances. I'm hoping it will do me some good during the whole labor process, but we shall see.

Below are some pictures that you may want to hide from your significant others or they will never want to have children. On the other hand, you may want to save them and that way when you're all pregnant, you can tell them, "Hey, it could be worse - I could look like Jenna!" Anyways, I'm braving it out one last time to share my pictures of pregnancy. This is me today - 37 weeks pregnant - never thought it was humanly possible for skin to stretch so much. Oh, and the horizontal stripes look great on a 9 month pregnant belly. That is my new favorite shirt over the last few weeks - don't ask me why, but I wear it like 4 times a week :0

Today's Appointment...

Well, this morning we had yet another doctor's appointment. Everything went well. We were able to get some more great sonogram pictures and he is just too cute for words! Can't wait to finally meet the little guy! He weighs well over 6 lbs. right now, but Dr. Sangalli says were not gonna rush anything. We're just gonna let it happen when it happens. I'd like to make it another two weeks until he makes his debute - He'd be 38 weeks then. His head is dropped, so I'm very happy about that. He is not in the breech position or anything. His body has consumed my whole stomach - pretty crazy! Anyways, I had blood work done and had a Strep B test done, so hopefully that will all look okay. Not much else to report. We are still trucking along. Looks like it's still gonna be a few weeks, so that is good. I need all the time I can get to get ready for this life changing experience. In fact, I don't think I'll ever be "ready", but I guess that's just the way it goes. Take care - have a great weekend!!!!

Only 4 1/2 weeks to go!

Well, time is still flying by. It's hard to believe in about a month (or less), we'll have a little bambino! I'm feeling pretty good, just a little miserable at times. It's amazing how heavy my tummy can be to load around during the day and to sleep w/ at night. My mom and Mrs. Zabodyn both think he's dropped a little, but I'm not so sure. He still seems to be pretty high. I can't wait for Thursday so we can see what's going on in there.

This weekend was a nice, relaxing weekend. Friday night we ate some yummy stuffed pork chops at the Zabodyns. On Saturday, Scott and Amy had a garage sale, and since I was already up at 6:00 in the morning, I decided to head on over and help out. I came home around 10:30 and went back to sleep for a little while. Brandon was nice enough to wash his car and my car and they are looking pretty good. We watched the UT basketball game all afternoon then decided we needed to get out of the house. We road into Sugar Land w/ Mr. and Mrs. Zabodyn and ate at Pappasito's (excellent) and then went to Barnes and Noble and Target. I've got a great book that I've been reading my whole pregnancy "My Pregnancy, Week by Week", so I went ahead and invested in "The First Year, Week by Week." Looking at my bookmark in my book, it's amazing that I'm almost to the end of the book and it feels like I just began reading it! Anyways, Sunday was Coby's birthday so we had lunch at my mom and dad's w/ the whole family. It was so much fun. I can't wait for Dayton to be here and get to experience his wonderful cousins. He is so lucky to be blessed with all of them. I know they will take good care of him. For the Super Bowl, we went over to Richie and Tammy DuBroc's w/ quite a few other couples. It was a very good time, just sitting around chatting with the girls, while the guys through a few cold ones back and watched the game. I was pretty warn out when we got home, but it was a very pleasant time.

(Side note: My right hand is tingling and cannot be felt right now, and Dayton has the hiccups - oh, the joys of pregnancy :) )

We have recently decided that Dayton's pediatrician is going to be Dr. Brian Goerig. Many of you probably know him. He was a good friend of Coby and Scott growing up and it's very hard to believe he's a doctor now. He's practicing in El Campo and has decided to get into pediatrics, so we saw him last night and approached him about being there for Dayton's birth. I think he'll be wonderful, and it will feel so reassuring to have someone that I know and feel comfortable talking to as Dayton's doctor. We are very excited to have him around and I know he'll be wonderful!

Well, this week is Parent Watch Week at dancing (the last one of the year) and I know it'll be the most trying for me. If this doesn't put me into labor, I don't know what will! It'll be nice to have this week behind me. No other real plans, just continue to get ready for little Dayton. I've got all his little clothes washed, his diaper bag is packed, all the bottles and paci's are sterilized, and my bag is somewhat ready for the hospital. We are going to be as prepared as possible! Hope everyone has a great week - I'll keep you updated on my progress. Dayton is still hiccuping, so I guess he says hi to all of you!

Baby Showers

Well, sorry I haven't written all week. I've been extremely busy around the house. The big shower on Saturday was wonderful! I got so much stuff that we really needed. I can rest assured that Dayton will have everything he needs when he finally arrives now. I have been washing minature loads of baby clothes all week trying to be prepared. We have it all - clothing, baby blankets, hooded towels, wash cloths, burp cloths, bibs, snookies, socks - all of which have to be washed before using. I could sit in his room for hours and keep myself occupied trying to figure out how to organize everything and how everything works (still haven't figured out how to work our baby monitor, Daddy may have to step in). I don't have any pictures of the shower, but Mrs. Zabodyn took a lot, so if there is a way I can get them up on the computer, I'll try to post a few.

This morning we had a small shower at Brandon's bank. They had a little breakfast for us. It was so thoughtful of them. We got a little jumperoo thing that is too cute and Brandon got his baby carrier he's been wanting - the kind you strap on the front of your chest like a backpack - can't wait to see him use it! We also got some much needed diapers and wipes, you can never have too many of those. It was really nice. I'm trying to keep up w/ Thank you cards so I don't fall too far behind.

Sorry to keep this short today, my carpal tunnel is getting worse and I can't even feel my right hand while I'm typing, so that's it for today. No doctor's appointment this week. We go back next Thursday for an ultrasound and we'll know more then. Take care! JZ

Austin is here and Dayton is on the way!

Well, Austin arrived this morning at 10:08 (while we were on the way to the hospital). We got there just in time for Sergio to bring him into the nursery and for them to weigh him and everything. He is so precious - 8 lbs., 20 inches long, lots of hair. We got to see him for a few minutes, then it was off to our appointment. Dr. Sangalli didn't end up delivering him b/c she was admitted before midnight last night and he "technically" didn't go on duty until today, so Dr. Cumberbatch delivered him, so I was happy to see my doctor when we got over to the clinic. My appointment went very well. I gained 4 lbs. which is way too much, but he didn't get mad at me and said everything looked wonderful. We have to go back in two weeks (Feb. 8th) for an ultrasound and then we'll know where we stand. He'll be able to tell how big Dayton is, which way he is turned, etc. I made a joke that we were having a shower this weekend, so we'd be ready anytime after Saturday. He said let's try to make it atleast another week or two. I was thinking "Two weeks! That's way too soon - I was just joking!" So, looks like my timeline is anywhere from 2 to 6 weeks - yikes. After our appointment, we walked back over to the hospital and they had Austin in Nina's room already so Brandon and I each got to take a turn at holding him. Now I have Baby Fever! Can't wait to hold my own little precious boy!!!! Watch out girls, it's contagious. You might hold Dayton and find yourself in a baby-making mood the next day - hahaha. Consider yourself warned....

Today is a Birthday!

Well, Mrs. Zabodyn called us last night around 11 and said Sergio was taking Nina in because she was starting to have some pretty good contractions. It was so funny because as soon as we got off the phone, Dayton starting squirming around like crazy - to the point I had to stand up and walk around. It was like he was saying "I'm ready to get out of here, too!" I was like not yet kid, please. Anyways, Nina was dilated to a 9 this morning, so she'll be having little Austin any time now. I'm scheduled for a doctor's appointment this morning at 10:30 and her doctor is out of state so my doctor will be delivering her. I told Diane to tell her to get the show on the road so that my doctor could be back over to the clinic by 10:00 so he wouldn't be running late for my appointment. We'll probably be there for a pretty good while, but if she is still delivering, we'll just go over to the hospital and wait there until the baby has arrived. Brandon is coming along today. He hasn't met Dr. Sangalli yet, so he is anxious to finally meet him. I will let you all know how everything goes. I can't wait to meet little Austin - makes me really nervous though, this means Dayton is just around the corner...

Good Night's Rest

Good morning -
Just wanted to let everyone know that my new splint is a miracle worker. I actually got a decent night's rest minus the potty breaks. My hand didn't hurt at all, and w/ the rainy weather this morning, it felt wonderful to sleep in for a little while. I'm feeling a little more refreshed than I usually do in the mornings, so that is great.

Yesterday I got most of my music cut and burned to cd's for Dance Pizzazz, so I'm starting to feel a little more prepared for my leave of absence from the studio. Not much planned for today w/ this yucky weather. I think I'll decorate the house for Valentine's Day. It's probably a little early but I'm ready to enjoy some heart decor.

We got Dayton's moses basket in yesterday and it turned out to be so adorable. I really like it. It's just chambray and white striped w/ some gingham trim, but it has his name monogrammed on the blanket real big so it looks so precious. We left it on the floor in the living room over night to see how Ms. Lucy would respond to it, and so far so good. She just sniffed around it for a few minutes, then decided she wasn't too interested in it. I guess she'd rather sleep in her own bed.

That is all for today - JZ

Carpal Tunnel Syndrome...

Well, as crazy as it sounds, I now have the body of a sixty year old man apparently because I've developed some bad carpal tunnel syndrome. I'm going to talk to Dr. Sangalli about it on Thursday, but I'm pretty sure that's what it is. I mentioned to him at my last appointment that my hands (esp. my right hand) were falling asleep many times a night. He said it could turn into cts but I was sure it wouldn't. Now, I find myself waking up about 6 times a night with a right arm that is asleep and throbbing from the elbow down. Strangest thing. After reading up on the situation, seems that it can be common in pregnant women. The veins in my wrist that run to my fingers and up my arms are swollen, causing my fingers to fall asleep and my arm to throb. It's very annoying at night and it's causing me to lose even more sleep.

Regardless of all the sleep I'm losing, I'm starting to atleast come to grips w/ the fact that I'm not going to get a good night's rest for a very long time. Just telling myself that it is okay to wake up once, twice, six or seven times a night has helped me atleast rest a little better. I have the same routine everytime I'm up: Shake my arm out, go to the restroom, stretch a little, re-fix my pillow situation on the bed, and lay back down. Our tv stays on all night in the bedroom, usually on ESPN. It's pretty funny, they repeat Sportscenter every hour on the hour over night, so by the morning, I can give Brandon all the big statistics from the sport's world the day before. He just laughs! I was really enjoying the Australian Open from 2:30 - 5:00 a.m. the last few mornings.

Anyways, no other real news lately. Brandon and I went to the Galleria on Saturday and had a semi-successful trip. I was very depressed because I tried on some adorable maternity clothes that did not fit over my belly, so sad. Thank goodness my time is coming to a close, I can't bear for this belly to get much bigger! I feel like a freakin' bus. Brandon was also a little depressed, because we needed to get him some new slacks, and he too had to go up a size in the waist - I'm sure he thinks it's all my fault. I think it's too cute! Gotta love the sympathy weight gain - every good husband should have to do it! One good thing - I picked out and ordered my diaper bag that I can't wait to get in! We went to Coach and I had intended to get the actual Coach "diaper bag", but we decided to go w/ a really ginormous black tote. I think it'll be really good and I'll be able to use it for other uses. We're having it monogrammed w/ a big "Z" so it'll be universal for the family and more babies to come. We had debated very hard on whether or not to get the Coach bag, but you know me, and I couldn't resist the urge. Maybe it'll draw some attention away from big ole' Mama Mia Jenna!

Today, I've got to go Wal-Mart and check out some fashionable wrist splints to help w/ my new problems at night. Then, I'll be working on music for Dance Pizzazz. I'm running short on weeks before I won't be at dancing, so I'm trying to get everything organized. No real plans for this week, just keep busy. Looking forward to the big baby shower this weekend - can't wait to fill up Dayton's room w/ all his stuff! How exciting. This is getting all too real. Have a great week - JZ

Arctic Blast!

Well, w/ all the talk about this freezing cold weather, I felt the need to document it on the blog so that it gets included in my pregnancy journal. The weather here is bitterly cold but as long as the rain and precipitation holds off, we can handle the wind and the chill. It's the ice I don't like. They're starting to say it could hit here tonight, but we thought that would happen last night, too and it didn't so who knows! Mrs. Zabodyn made chilli on Sunday night and I made vegetable stew last night and my mom made rice soup today, so we've been staying warm and eating good. I love soups/stews so I've been in heaven. Brandon and I did nothing all day yesterday. We just bundled up on the couch and slept all day until it was time to make the stew and time for me to go to dance classes. I didn't have much of a turnout between the holiday and the weather. Tonight I'm having dancing again but not sure what kind of turnout I'll have again. Dayton doesn't seemed to be bothered by the cold weather. I'm trying to stay warm and bundled up so I don't get another cold since I'm just getting over the last one. He is still getting the hiccups daily and nightly - sometimes up to 3 or 4 times a day. It's just the cutest little thing. He's getting a little snug in my tummy, kicking me in my rib cage on a daily basis. It's the weirdest thing when he moves around a lot and my stomach takes the shape of his little body parts. I've yet to see an actual hand or foot print, but sometimes my stomach will kind of dome up like he's pushing his little booty or head or side or something against certain parts of my belly. My belly will become all dis-shaped, high on one side and low on the other. I tried to get a picture of it last night on the couch, but by the time Brandon found the camera, he'd already moved. Anyways, it's time for me to bundle up and get ready to go up to the studio. Hope everyone is staying warm and safe during this winter chill. I have added a little bit of caffeine back into my diet over the last trimester, just so when I breastfeed, Dayton will be used to it already. I try to limit myself to one cup of caffeine a day and let me tell you - there is nothing better than a hot cappucino or hot chocolate after a hot shower at night when we go to bed - yummy! Can't wait to have mine tonight!

Oh, and the sleeping situation is getting worse. I probably don't get more than 4 good hours a night, but I guess he's preparing me for what's to come. It's only a matter of time before I begin sleeping in the living room on the recliner. The bed is getting to be a little to hard to get comfortable. Even when I'm on my side, my stomach feels like it's just hanging and so heavy. I toss and turn all night. Brandon says when I start sleeping on the recliner, he'll move to the couch. That is really sweet of him, but I hate for him to continue to lose sleep, too. Atleast I can catch a few naps during the day on a weekly basis. He doesn't have that opportunity. Anyways, sorry to ramble...

Spa Day Pics...

Okay, I'm on a role with all the pictures. Here are some pictures from our spa day - how fun! I was way too wrapped up in the massage and pedicure to take a lot of pictures so I didn't get as many as I would've liked. The Pack 'N Play is fantastic! We already have it up and ready in the living room. Now all we need is a sweet little boy to put it in it! Enjoy~

Nursery Progress...

Here are some more recent pics of our little nursery. We're getting to where we're almost done. It's been such an exciting little task. Brandon has done a great job. I'll post some more of the nursery when it is complete!

Here is the airplane that my Dad made and cut out for the room. It's going above his crib. I did the wonderful paint job - one of the only ways I was able to contribute to the decorating of the room due to the paint fumes and so forth.

Here is a very lovely picture of me one day last week. Brandon came by one morning to check on me and got this great picture of me stenciling the walls in the room. Please take note of the walls and not my terrible presentation. Man, I was looking so good! The stencil turned out too precious!

Here are two pictures of part of the room after I had done all of the stenciling. The molding still wasn't finished at this time. The closet doors have also not been painted yet. As you can see, the bed was in the middle of the room covered in plastic to keep from getting unwanted paint anywhere.

Slacker

Okay, so I've been slacking pretty bad lately. I've been meaning to get some pictures up for everyone to see. I've already got my New Year's pictures loaded on the computer, so I'll start w/ these. We took a limo to Coushatta w/ the Zabodyns and had a really good time. We didn't come back big winners, but it was still a lot of fun. Check these out:

I'm still going to try to get my sonograms pics loaded on here, just haven't found the time. We've been working hard on the nursery this week, so I've got pics to share of that also. And, I need to post some pics of the most wonderful Baby Shower Spa Day ever! Hope everyone is feeling well, I'm suffering from a horrible head cold, but I'll survive. Went to the Doctor this morning for my two week check up and everything still looks to be going well. I gained 1 lb. in two weeks, so that was pretty good. His heart beat is still going strong, and all looks to be okay. I asked Dr. Sangalli about his hiccups and he said it's fairly common. You would think I'm drinking beer the way this kid gets the hiccups - all hours of the day and night - crazy! And, I'm working on little sleep today. I had a hard time going to sleep because of my coughing and congestion. Then, Dayton decided that 5:30 this morning was the perfect time for him to wake up. He would NOT stop moving aorund. I tried everything - changed positions, went to the bathroom to relieve my bladder, hummed a little, etc. Nothing seemed to work. Around 6:20, I gave in and got up and moved to the living room to watch a little t.v. I guess he's starting to prepare me for what's to come.

Happy New Year - 2007 Here We Come!!!

Just wanted to wish everyone a very Happy New Year! Hope everyone had a wonderful time ringing in 2007. We spent the night in Louisiana and it was a great trip. I've got pictures to post from that and from my recent sonogram. Not much time to post too much today, but I promise to get them up this week. I think you'll love the sonogram pics - more details to follow later - sorry to keep it so short!