Holy Belly!

I am carrying Hudson in my back and I often barely look pregnant, so when this happened...Max and Mama were a little bit concerned.  

I was having the worst contractions and clearly the baby was not liking what was going on.  They only lasted an hour or so, and then he settled back on my bladder. 

Only 8 more weeks until this fella will be here! 

Pumpkin Party

Drew's grandparents had a little get together with the family.  We had pizza and carved pumpkins.  We were very, very excited to get out of the house and to see the family.

Grandma Denise helping Max carve his pumpkin.  This was after he convinced Grandpa Blake to clean the guts out of it.  He is most definitely my child, because he did NOT want to get his hands sticky and dirty.  

Here is his finished ghost pumpkin

Max, Hunter, Kenna, and Grandma carving away.  

Field Trip

Max is going to Country Loft Preschool again this year.  He is in Miss Tricia's class and goes three days a week.  He is doing so well and seems to really enjoy school.  I love picking him up and seeing what he has learned that day.  Now that I am not working I was able to go on a field trip with him... I am not sure who was more excited, Mommy or Max.  

Here the engineer is giving them a tour of the fire engine. 

Max's best buddy Foster

Watching the fireman get his gear on. 

The entire class at the Lehi Fire Station.  

Letters from Afghanistan:

Salaam Alaykom!! Holy crap it sure has been a minute or two! My dearest wife asked me to write a bit for our blog and it’s about time I sit down and get to it. There is so much to tell, I can’t do it all in one sitting but I’ll get started.  First, I’ll say that I am so grateful to have such a strong, amazing wife. There is no way I could make it this far, as well as I have, without her unconditional love and support. We sure have been through the ringer so far and it has done nothing but strengthen our relationship and bring us closer together, despite the fact that we are on opposite sides of the world.

It’s been pretty crazy, not so much being here, but not being home. One of the hardest things that I had to overcome was the fact that there are things happening at home that I can do nothing about. That is all part of the sacrifice my family and I are making and I know that this is where I need to be. The feelings are indescribable and I am happy say that we have done our part in defending freedom.

I guess you would like to hear a little about a day in the life… over all, it aint too exciting. I work 0600 to 1800 each day and usually get a day off every 7-10 days.  We stay pretty busy in the office so the days are going by quickly. I get a change of scenery every few weeks due to the rotations on guard duties and the occasional tag-a-long flight, if there is an extra seat. I have been able to get off the base a number of times for various missions and have been able to see part of the country. Afghanistan is definitely a place unto its own. It has a great deal of desolate and unforgiving terrain but there are places where it is green and full of life. The interaction I have had with the people has been great. They are very friendly, generous, and humble individuals who welcome a smile and a hand shake; I wish I could say the same for some of the American’s.  I have had some good experiences working with the locals at the Entry Control Point (ECP) and made some interesting friends. The locals love to hear about America, our culture, traditions, and families. They get a huge kick out of seeing pictures and learning about our lives. 

Adjusting to life here was not too bad. I have eight dudes in my tent and we each get a top and bottom bunk. My living space is about 6’x10’… ironically similar to a prison cell, imagine that, ha ha! We have blankets hung up around each of our spaces so there is a little privacy, not that it helps. On more than one occasion I have had the pleasure of having my curtain flung open by a fellow comrade stopping to say hello. And more than once has more than one individual got more than he bargained for and caught me fresh out of the shower and naked as the day I was born. It’s pretty funny sometimes, especially when that person takes no regard to my current state of nudity and carries on with whatever he would like to say as I stand ever so proud in all my glory. Anyways. I look forward to talking to my wife every single day. She is the highlight of my life and helps me stay as sane as possible. Luckily, we have a few phones and computers accessible in the MWR tent so getting a hold of friends and family is not hard. Thank heaven for Skype! Chow is not all it could be, I only eat at the chow hall twice a day. Three times is just too much. Although, the chow isn’t great, it is far better than Ft Hood. You would think it would be the other way around but, nope.

Well, it’s time for bed; I have an early morning at the ECP. I will do my best to write some more here and there. I love and miss you all and thank you for your love and support for me and my family. Talk to you laters! Baamaane Khudaa!

Sgt Leavitt and Sgt Blunt

One of the locals

Preggers Post

Hello 28 weeks, it's so good to see you!

It's been a long time coming, but I finally feel like there is an end in sight.  After finding out I was pregnant 4 days before my missed period, the migraines, the persistent morning sickness, and the complications, it's crazy to think that I am less than 3 months away from holding this little boy.  

I had my OB appointment this morning and had to take my glucose test.  I don't remember it sucking quite so bad the first pregnancy, but then again, I don't remember any of it being this bad the first time! I was SO sick after drinking that garbage drink, that I sat in the parking lot at the doctor's office sweating and shaking and willing the vomit to stay down.  If I threw up I would have to take the 3 hour glucose test, which no one wants to have to do.  As soon as the nurse drew my blood I literally ran to the bathroom and lost it.  

How far along? 28 weeks

Weight gain? 5 pounds. My lack of weight gain does worry the doctor's a bit, but baby is measuring 1.5 to 2 weeks ahead so that satisfied them for this appointment.

Stretch marks? No 

Maternity clothes? No, I have actually gone down a pant size and I'm still able to wear (and button) all of my pants.  My shirts are a different story, I have to stick with long or lose fitting tops.  

Sleep? What is that? I literally pee 8-10 times a night and my sleep has been an issue since Andrew left...not all baby's fault.  

Miss anything? My husband.  I hate that he has to miss all of the milestones, the ups and downs of pregnancy, and mostly his son kicking and moving.

Movement? He moves like crazy! Max loves watching/feeling him move.  He thinks it's hilarious when he puts his head on my belly and Hudson kicks it.  

Food cravings? NO, usually the thought of food makes me ill.

Food aversions? It took me 3 months to figure out I had heartburn.  I thought it was a combination of morning sickness and indigestion.  I'm now taking acid reducers, but I try to avoid spicy foods.

Looking forward to? My next appointment being in 2 weeks instead of 4.  That means we are getting closer.  

I had an ultrasound 4 weeks ago and still hadn't heard back on those results (I wasn't happy about that). The ultrasound showed that my cervix was measuring short, so today the doctor wanted to recheck that and make sure it hadn't gotten worse.  Normal range is 2.5 to 5.0, and mine was measuring 2.7.  If it gets any shorter they will have to take more drastic measures, as of today it remained the same.  When they rechecked the bleed, they showed some improvement and I was more than happy to get a positive review! They also checked the baby's kidneys and I am waiting to hear if the problem has resolved itself.