Dreaming Skies Giveaway

This awesome blogger is having a pretty sweet giveaway...so go check it out my friends :) she's quite stylish and has a great eye for fashion...good luck!!

wow my kid is almost a year old!

Do you see what the ticker says at the top of my blog? 2 DAYS UNTIL KAMRYN'S FIRST BIRTHDAY. oh my god, where did the time go? I seriously cannot believe that she is almost a year old. It really is bittersweet...on one hand, I'm so excited for her because we have so much to look forward to but on the other hand, I'm a little sad! She's not a little baby anymore. She's always been independent, but she's taken the meaning of that word to a whole new level (in her terms).

So I'll take these last few days as an 11 month old and cherish them because I'll blink and she'll be asking for the keys to my car.

Day Five: Courtney's 10 Day Weight Loss Challenge

I did well all day.... and then we went out to eat at my husband's favorite mexican restaurant. I wasn't that bad, to be honest but I always know that whenever you go out to eat, there is always more fat and bad crap than you would normally cook for yourself.

That being said, I had my usual breakfast of yogurt, cereal, and coffee. Lots of water all day and then for lunch I made that delicious bean burrito/wrap thingy I made yesterday. And then for dinner I got one bean enchilada and one chicken enchilada. No cheese. And ate some Mexican rice. It was delicious.

So on average, I was about 300 calories over my usual intake but that's okay. I'll just have to work a little harder at the gym tomorrow. OH!!! And I lost .5 pounds woot woot :) Its not much but I was freakin' excited!! Hope everyone else is having success...see ya tomorrow.

Day Four: Courtney's 10 Day Weight Loss Challenge

Today was alright for me...I didn't get to the gym and I didn't have dinner but oh well. I went out with a friend for a glass of wine, which was sooooo nice & refreshing, so that was good. I also started using fitday.com to track my calories, carbs, fat intake etc. Got the idea from Courtney so thank you Courtney!! I really like the website & how it calculates everything for you. So here is what I ate today:

breakfast: 1 cup coffee with splash creamer, low fat yogurt & 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch
lunch: ok, i made this awesome bean enchilada for lunch it was sooooo good and had very few carbs, fat, and calories. i may just eat this for lunch or dinner, like, every day its so good. i topped it with salsa & it was just tasty :)
dinner: 1 glass of red wine oops I drank my dinner tonight. I know, NOT healthy at all. But by the time I got home from having a drink with my friend it was 8:00 and I didn't want to eat so late.

I drank lots of water today too so that was good. I just wish I could lose a pound...hell i'd be happy to lose half a pound. The scale has not budged though. I'll keep at it...we'll see!!

Day Three: Courtney's 10 Day Weigh Loss Challenge

Just some thoughts...

I wish I could figure out why I am so addicted to sweets...chocolate being the usual suspect, here. Like, right now, I JUST finished having lunch (2 veggie burgers with 1 tablespoon of salsa) and 2 glasses of water, both 16 oz each. And as I sit here, all I can think about is how badly I want to march my butt over to the Halloween candy sitting on the dining room table and hastily grab a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup or a Kit Kat.

But no, I'm not going to do that. If I really want to loose the weight, I can't eat that stuff. I wish I was one of those people who could eat whatever they wanted and still look awesome and thin. And whenever I say that, the response I always get, which is supposed to make me feel better, is, "well, if you were one of those people, on the inside you would still be unhealthy!" Yeah. But since I've never had the experience of being able to eat what I want and look awesome, I think I could deal with a few days of looking thin on the outside but inside being unhealthy. I'm not saying I would want my insides to be unhealthy forever, but I think it would be nice to know how what would feel just for a day or two.

For real though, what IS it that signals my brain, YOU NEED CHOCOLATE TO LIIIIVE....because I want to know how to stop it. Maybe I could get hypnotized to hate sweets, like my husband. He HATES sweets, he won't touch them. Weird huh? Who is this kid?

So, I'll be here...Kammy's napping and I'm doing all I can to fight that urge to eat those damn sweets.

daily grind today:
9:00- woke up, wow i got to sleep in :)
9:30 breakfast: 1 cup of coffee with splash creamer and 1 cup Kashi Go Lean Crunch with 4 oz Lowfat Raspberry Pomegranate yogurt, 1 16 oz water
1:20 Lunch: 2 Veggie Burgers with 1 tablespoon salsa and 2 16oz glasses of water
1:45 REALLY WANTING SOME DAMN CHOCOLATEEEEE rrrrr....not gonna do it tho.
5:20 had some fat free banana frozen yogurt
9:00- ate a laaaate dinner because my husband and I were at a childcare seminar had tuna on a 100 calorie flat bread with 1 slice of cheddar cheese and 1 glass of water.


Recap- Hell yes to not giving in and eating a piece of chocolate. Proud of my will power :) Not so good about eating late tho...although the childcare seminar was actually worthwhile and helpful. And I didn't get to workout today, but I'm doing this hardcore cardio class tomorrow. So, that's a plus.

Good night all...

Day Two: Courtney's 10 Day Weight Loss Challenge

run down of the day...7:45 wake up

8:30: 1 bowl of 100 calorie grits (again...I love me some grits lol) & 1 16 oz glass of water
10:00 gym: elliptical for 30 min & 20 min of weights & drank lots of water
11:30 ate 15 animal crackers
12:15 ate lunch...1 slice meatloaf with steamed broccoli, carrots & cauliflower and 1 16 oz glass of water
1:00 one small fun size kit kat and a cup of coffee with splash of creamer
7:15 dinner 3 pieces of cheese, spinach, mushroom, and garlic pizza and 1 cup of salad with half of tablespoon of vinaigrette dressing. 16 oz glass water.


Here are some pics of what I'd like to get back to..."ideal" weight if you will-



I was 17 years old in this pic...I'm the second one in from the right. I probably weighed about 130ish.





23 years old...Vegas :) weighed prob around 145





24 years old in Italy...about 145 here



24 yrs old on same trip in Italy



And here are some recent pics of me now...



yikes...obviously heavier here and i hateeee it





look at that pooch ewwww




compare this pic to the other pic of my husband and i (the one where i am wearing a white dress & have blond hair) crazy how much weight i put on. ew.




Recap: I need to eat more for breakfast, I need to eat more fruit...I am proud of myself for not eating after 8 and also for eating one miniature kit kat and not killing myself over it!

Tomorrow is Day 3. Bring it.

Day One: Courtney's 10 Day Challenge

So I follow kyleandcourt both on youtube and her blog and she has come up with this 10 day weight loss challenge. It sounds pretty good for two reasons, 1) I am much more likely to stick to my goals when I'm being held accountable to others and 2) 10 days seems like a good goal for me. Honestly, I have never tried group weight loss but I'm hopeful :) All I know is that I am about 40-45 pounds away from my ideal/goal weight and whatever I have been doing really ain't workin'. I'm desperate to try something new.

So, here was my day today, what I ate, what kind of exercise i did...etc.


7:45 wake up
8:30 drank 1 and a half of a cup of coffee with splash of flavored creamer, ate 100 calorie bowl of grits, 1 and a half scrambled eggs, and drank 2 16 oz. glasses of water.
9:30 went for a 45 min walk with Kamryn and my neighbor Lisa and her two babies.
1:00 ate 6 tortilla chips and 1 16 oz. glass of water
2:00 ate 1 cup of whole grain rice with homemade jambalaya
4:00 ate 1 apple with 2 tbsps of all natural peanut butter
4:45 1 hour hip hop dance class & drank lots of water!
8:15 dinner: 2 slices of meatloaf, baked apples with cinnamon, 8 oz glass of water


GOALS: drink more water, do something active once a day, be mindful of what I am eating and how much I am eating, no eating after 8:00 pm.

I am pretty much happy with how today went...the only thing I would change would be not eating so late.

And gold star for me for not eating one piece of candy today...even though my daughter's Halloween candy sat there looking all delicious on the dining room table. I did not give in! Not gonna lie though, I think I wished for a piece at least 3 times today, but I stayed strong :) I hope I can stay strong for 9 more days (maybe more!) Bring on Day 2!!!!!

It's Been A While

so i haven't blogged since july...and to be honest, i haven't known what to write. while we're on the topic of honesty, i do want to say our little family isn't doing so hot. Kamryn is wonderful and she's getting so big...we love her just so much and are so proud of her. But the issue is that it has almost been a year and both Jeff and I have been out of work. Jeff was laid off a week after Kamryn was born. He's been applying to jobs like crazy and has been on a few interviews but with no luck. I feel like its the story of our life...no luck. Its been really hard on us and we are both feeling pretty let down and lately, hopeless. Its sad and I hate it. I really want something to come through for one of us. I don't know how much longer I can try to be strong for all of us when I really just feel defeated...like its not going to get any better. I just wish we could have a normal life instead of stressing over what we are going to do for careers, money, if and when we will be able to buy a house, what we did wrong to be in this situation in the first place, how to fix it, etc. At the same time, trying to not show our worry and stress to Kamryn is hard. I feel awful. She deserves parents who can provide her with security and right now, we are failing at that.

Thankfully, both our families have been extremely helpful to us. But I wish we could just get on our own two feet already. I'm ready for something to go right for us. I just hope it happens. Maybe that's the problem...I'm "hoping" and not "doing." What else can I do besides apply and apply and apply and ask everyone if they know of anyone is hiring? I feel like I'm one desperate step away from going door to door of businesses begging them to hire me and my husband. Pathetic, right?

On top of that, I'm fighting a sore throat and have no energy and I'm pretty sure Kamryn is feeling a little under the weather too because she is cranky. Oh and my body is all confused because its like 90 degrees outside and I'm sweating. Guess I'm just used to fall weather being cool...not here though.

We need help. we need JOBSSSSS.

Picky Picky

I know have a picky eater on my hands it seems. Those days of Kammy liking almost everything are a distant memory. Its a bit of a challenge to get her to eat these days. She will even shake her head "no" when I try to put food into her mouth! Where the heck did she learn that?! I have tried pureed foods, finger foods, letting her feed me...nothing seems to help. And to top it off, I'm all paranoid now because some old bat at the grocery store told me I need to "feed my emaciated child." What the eff lady?! Who do you think you are? She was really old & obviously demented because Kamryn is a perfectly healthy weight. I know what she said is crazy, but still.

7 Random Facts

Got this idea from I ROCK SO WHAT (btw you should check out her blog) and liked it so here it goes :)

7 random facts...

1. I love cereal. Its almost an obsession. Its not just a breakfast food for me, I eat it at all times of the day. My absolute favs are Kashi Go Lean Crunch Honey Almond Flax, Golden Grahams, Cinnamon Toast Crunch, Reese's Peanut Butter Puffs, Lucky Charms, Honey O's, (I can only find this kind at Wegmans though) Honey Nut Cheerios, and this cereal called Waffle Crisp that I'm pretty sure they don't make anymore.



2. I have this weird habit of not finishing products...I always leave just a little bit of whatever it is. Say for example, lotion. I'll use the entire thing except for a last little bit and throw it away. Weird huh?

3. I think I am the only person who actually liked and sometimes misses high school. I miss singing & acting in musicals &I miss playing basketball especially.

4. I really want to swim with some dolphins at some point in my life..hopefully sooner than later.

5. End of the world type of movies really freak me out & give me horrible nightmares. I hate them.






6. I used to really hate being by myself, it scared me...but now I love it & really look forward to times when I can be alone.

7. I HATE snoring. OMG most annoying sound in the world. And what's worse, my husband told me that I snored the whole time I was pregnant :(

a few questions...

Why does my daughter like to play with everything BUT her toys?! I swear, this girl will play with anything, except her own toys. She likes to play with paper bags, her swim diapers (clean ones lol), my flip flops, her clothing, Jeff's keys, a hanger...a freakin' hanger! Yesterday, I watched her crawl over to her hamper, try to pull up on it, only to have a few hangers fall out of it...which she immediately went for and tried to stuff a small pink hanger into her mouth. Yeah.


So do I correct strangers when they tell me how cute my little boy is? This drives me nuts, especially when I clearly dress her in pink from head to toe or put her in a girly dress. The only time this doesn't happen is when I put a bow in her hair. Whatever. I'm just tired of being like, actually she's a girl.


Lastly....my hair is out of control. It needs some serious help. My roots are like an inch and a half and I'm seriously considering just shaving it all off. Just kidding...but sometimes I feel that way. I do kind of want to go a little darker...maybe a light brown instead of my beachy blonde look...which right now its not so beachy :( Should I bite the bullet and go brown? I'm scared Kammy won't recognize me!!

Moved

So, we have officially moved out of crazy northern Virginia! We said goodbye to our little apartment and moved all of our stuff down to Jeff's mom's in Norfolk. I was definitely ready to say goodbye to the horrible traffic up there, that's for sure.

Kammy has just been such a delight. We are so lucky to have such an adaptable, easy-going, loving little baby. Moving is hard and it sucks even when you don't have a baby, but she just handled the move with ease :) She is crawling now which means she is getting into everything. Its hard because I don't want to be the mom who hovers over her so she can't explore and learn but at the same time I don't want to just let her roam around and get into stuff she shouldn't. Gotta find a balance.

Nothing else really to report, just settling in down here. Oh! Kammy and I joined a mom and baby group here in Norfolk and it is awesome!! Its really great because its all first time moms and the babies are around Kammy's age. Plus, the group does a lot of fun activities and get-togethers which will hopefully socialize both me and Kamryn. We went to a Naval Museum the other day and it was great...Kammy was so happy to see other babies and I met some really sweet women. I def. recommend joining a mom/baby group and am pretty psyched to have joined one myself!

My Baby, the singer

Kamryn can sing. No, really...she hits notes octaves higher than Mariah Carey ever could. Be jealous, MC. But seriously, Kamryn does this shrilling, and I mean shrilling, high-pitched shriek and my first thought was, wow, how on earth can she do that? and now my second thought it how in God's name do I make it stop?! Its really painful to the ear haha. And I feel bad because what if I am encouraging her to stop doing this noise and here the poor child is just trying to form the early sounds of speech. Or worse, what if she's trying to mimic me and the way I sing to her. Yikes, I hope not...plus, I can't even come close to hitting those notes. So, what is this sound? Will it stop? How can I teach her that shrieking Mariah-style is not so good when we are at the grocery store?

Shopping with a Celebrity

I think most can agree that having a baby changes you. C'mon, everyone says that. And I'm pretty sure that I expected that all aspects of my former life, my pre-pregnancy & pre-baby life, would be completely different once Kammy was here, but it still amazes/baffles me how much has changed. For example, shopping. Today Kammy and I went shopping at Tyson's Corner, which is a huge mall nearby, on a mission to get some shoes for me to wear to my graduation ceremony. Let me tell you...trying to find the nearest elevator was super annoying. Whoever designed this particular mall must have designed the whole thing and then realized they forgot to install elevators so they just randomly put them in weird, hard to find places. I felt like I was going down corridor after corridor hoping I wouldn't end up in some stock room. And to top it off, of course the department store I decide to park near, the elevator was actually broken so I had to take the escalator to the second level to where I was parked. This was quite interesting with a large stroller and I definitely got some glares. The woman behind behind me was like, "Ugh, SO dangerous," in a I-can't -believe-this-mom-is-doing-this-what-a-horrible-mother kind of way. When we got off the escalator, I turned to her and politely said, "I didn't have a choice, the elevator in this department is broken," smiled and walked towards my car. Geez, lady what did you want me to do? If she was so nosy and opinionated she could have at least offered to help me hold the stroller but whatever.

So Kammy is quite the little ham when we go out places. She LOVES the attention she gets from everyone. Seriously, like everyone. I think she has met more people than I have in my 25 years...and she's 5 months old. I feel like she's a celebrity that everyone wants to see and talk to. And she loves it! She smiles and squeals at anyone who looks at her and if someone is not looking at her, she will make her presence known! She will screech at the top of her lungs in this high pitched little voice and demand that she be paid attention to...I'm telling you this screech would make a dog's ears burn. She's such a little character. She makes me so proud of her, I'm so happy that she has such a fun personality and loves people. I mean, who wouldn't want to meet Kammy? She's such a little love and is just a delight to be around :)

Glee time Me time

So...I really love Glee. I don't care if its a dorky show, it makes me happy and I look forward to watching it on Tuesday night when I get home from class :) Love the songs, love the characters, love the show. Oh and the guy who plays Mr. Schuester...delicious :) There is something about guys who are attractive who can sing and dance...I don't know haha. Anyway, I love my Glee time me time...I think that show keeps me sane lol.

Good things are happening, which is nice. On Sunday, I get to celebrate my first Mother's Day, which I am really excited for :) I have had some confidence restored in the past few weeks & am feeling much better about being a mom. I think taking a little time for myself has helped (enter Glee time me time) and also having support from family & friends. Also, in exactly one week from tonight I will be finished with my last college exam EVER!!! Woo hoo!!! My college graduation is on Friday the 14th & I am so so soooooo excited & proud of myself. It has taken me a long time but finally its here :) Its weird, it doesn't seem real yet. I just can't wait to get that beautiful diploma so I can frame it and display that baby haha...then maybe it will be real.

Little Kammy is getting so big, its wild. Sometimes I look at her and I'm like, wow she's like a big girl now, she's not a tiny baby anymore!! Today, I was folding her laundry and decided that maybe some of her pj's & onesies that were 0-3 month size need to be packed away because they are way too small for her and I was probably unintentionally stuffing her into them because I was in denial about her getting so big. So, I was a little sad packing away her tiny clothes :( She really is a happy little baby, she plays with her toys and squeals and drools all day long. She eats her baby food like a champ, our little Baby Zilla (like Godzilla...she grabs the spoon so ferociously and shoves it in her mouth like she is demolishing it)...that's a new nickname for her, we have a million nicknames lol poor baby might get confused about her name!

K, well its late & Kam likes to get up around 7:30 these days so good night :) Sorry this post was kinda random and all over the place!!!

Leave it to Joycee

After a few days of feeling blah about my mothering skills, I opened an email tonight from my mother (joyce...aka joycee) that not only made me feel better, but I cried reading the entire thing...I thought it was so enlightening and cute. She sent me this:

BEING A MOTHER...

After 17 years of marriage, my wife wanted me to
take another woman out to dinner and a movie. She
said, 'I love you, but I know this other woman loves
you and would love to spend some time with you.'
* * *
The other woman that my wife wanted me to visit
was my MOTHER, who has been alone for 20 years,
but the demands of my work and my two boys had
made it possible to visit her only occasionally.
* * *
That night I called to invite her to go out for
dinner and a movie.
* * *
'What's wrong, aren't you well,' she asked?
* * *
My mother is the type of woman who suspects that a
late night call or a surprise invitation is a sign
of bad news.
* * *
'I thought it would be pleasant to spend some
time with you,' I responded. 'Just the two of us.'
She thought about it for a moment, and then said,
'I would like that very much.'
* * *
That Friday after work, as I drove over to pick
her up I was a bit nervous. When I arrived at her
house, I noticed that she, too, seemed to be nervous
about our date. She waited in the door. She had curled her hair and was wearing the
dress that she had worn to celebrate her last
birthday on November 19th.
* * *
She smiled from a face that was as radiant as an
angel's. 'I told my friends that I was going to go
out with my son, and they were impressed,' she said,
as she got into that new white van. 'They can't wait to hear about our date'.
* * *
We went to a restaurant that, although not
elegant, was very nice and cozy. My mother took my
arm as if she were the First Lady. After we sat
down, I had to read the menu. Her eyes could only
read large print. Half way through the entries, I
lifted my eyes and saw Mom sitting there staring at
me. A nostalgic smile was on her lips. 'It was I
who used to have to read the menu when you were
small,' she said. 'Then it's time that you relax and
let me return the favor,' I responded.
* * *
During the dinner, we had an agreeable
conversation- -nothing extraordinary but catching up
on recent events of each other's life. We talked so
much that we missed the movie.
* * *
As we arrived at her house later, she said,
'I'll go out with you again, but only if you let me
invite you.' I agreed.
* * *
'How was your dinner date ?'
asked my wife when I got home.
'Very nice. Much more so than I could have imagined,'
I answered.
* * *
A few days later, my mother died of a massive
heart attack. It happened so suddenly that I didn't
have a chance to do anything for her.
* * *
Some time later, I received an envelope with a
copy of a restaurant receipt from the same place
mother and I had dined. An attached note said: 'I
paid this bill in advance. I wasn't sure that I
could be there; but nevertheless, I paid for two
plates - one for you and the other for your wife.
You will never know what that night meant for me.
I love you, son.'
* * *
At that moment, I understood the importance of
saying in time: 'I LOVE YOU' and to give our loved
ones the time that they deserve. Nothing in life is
more important than your family. Give them the time
they deserve, because these things cannot be put off
till 'some other time.'
* * *
Somebody said it takes about six weeks to get back
to normal after you've had a baby..... somebody
doesn't know that once you're a mother,
'normal' is history.
* * *
Somebody said you learn how to be a mother by
instinct ... somebody never took a three-year-old shopping.
* * *
Somebody said being a mother is boring ....
somebody never rode in a car driven by a teenager with a driver's permit.
Somebody said if you're a'good' mother,
your child will 'turn out good'....
somebody thinks a child comes with
directions and a guarantee.
* * *
Somebody said you don't need an education to be a
mother.... somebody never helped a fourth grader
with his math.
* * *
Somebody said you can't love the second child as
much as you love the first .... somebody doesn't
have two children.
* * *
Somebody said the hardest part of being a mother
is labor and delivery....
somebody never watched her 'baby' get on the bus
for the first day of kindergarten ...
or on a plane headed for military 'boot camp.'
* * *
Somebody said a mother can stop worrying after her
child gets married....somebody doesn't know that
marriage adds a new son or daughter-in-law to a
mother's heartstrings.
* * *
Somebody said a mother's job is done when
her last child leaves home....somebody never had grandchildren.
* * *
Somebody said your mother knows you love her, so you don't need to tell her...
somebody isn't a mother.

Am I a Bad Mom?

For the last day and a half I have been feeling really stressed/sad. Is it possible to get baby blues when your baby is 4 months old or is that just called depression lol. Anyway, I feel a little like my life is in some sort of horrible disarray and I can't catch up. Our apartment is in serious need of a clean, laundry is piling up around me, I don't even want to talk about how I look...and whoever the hell said the pounds just fall off while you are breastfeeding is a dirty liar. Am I doing something wrong? I mean, I am not the healthiest eater around but I think I am at least somewhat healthy...I eat things like chicken breast, yogurt, nuts, fruit, veggies, and a little cheese. I NEVER eat fast food and extremely rarely do I go out to eat...I usually cook. My downfall = sweets. But here is the thing, I really don't eat THAT many sweets...I have maybe one or two treats a week and its not like I'm eating an entire candy bar or a whole bag of chocolates. I also just got back into working out although, I do admit I'm not being super hardcore about it, it's more like I am easing back into working out. Nevertheless, why isn't the weight just falling off?! I have been exclusively breastfeeding for four and a half months and eating mostly healthy with a moderate workout 3 times a week. Is my occasional treat the culprit? What do I need to do to get this gross weight off?

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a mom. Each night as I go to bed I get excited for the next day because I get to spend it with Kamryn. I just have been feeling a little inadequate lately. Like I feel guilty for wanting to clean the house because I feel like I should be spending the time with Kammy instead. Is that crazy? Do other moms think this too or am I just a nut? Also, does anyone ever feel like they can't entertain their child enough? Lately, Kammy has been doing this loud grunting thing at me whenever she is bored with something. She will do it when I am taking a shower or making dinner or doing laundry and it makes me feel awful! I feel bad that I am boring her and fear that because I am not giving her my full attention, she is going to hate me or something. Am I paranoid or what? Ugh, I hope this feeling goes away because it sucks.

First Blog as a New Mom

Soooo...Miss Kamryn is almost 3 months old!! This has seriously been the fastest three months of my life. Man, I thought the weeks of my pregnancy were going by quick but looking back, those weeks went by like turtle speed compared to now. Let me back up a bit :)

Kamryn Elizabeth Hunter was born on November 25, 2009 at 3:03 pm. She weighed 7lbs 5 oz. and was 20 inches long. Giving birth to this beautiful little angel is by far my greatest accomplishment and the best miracle I have ever encountered. I will never forget the sight of her tiny little body as she made her first appearance into this world and the feeling that this perfect, sweet little baby was ours. Here's how little Kamryn made her grand entrance...

It was two days before Thanksgiving and I just had finished my last final that afternoon. Luckily, I had made arrangements with my professors to have all of my finals completed before Thanksgiving just in case I had Kamryn earlier than my expected due date. Well, it's a good thing I did because I started having contractions as I was taking my last final!! Talk about pressure! The contractions were irregular and not the least bit painful compared to the ones I would experience several hours later. So, I finish up my final and decide to head home to lay down in hopes the contractions would cease. I took a rest and afterwords I noticed that I had felt no movement from the baby all day which I thought was odd because she always moved around the same times every day. I then called my OB because I was getting nervous that I hadn't felt her move and they told me to go to the ER because their office was closing due to Thanksgiving. Luckily, Jeff was already on his way home from work when I called him to let him know we needed to go to the hospital. When we got to the hospital, I was hooked up to a fetal monitor and was definitely having contractions about every 2-3 minutes. I was 100 % effaced and 1 cm dilated. Since I had decreased fetal movement, we had to wait until the baby made two big movements (this would be indicated on the monitor) within a period of 20 minutes to make sure everything was okay. They checked Kamryn's heartbeat and thankfully, it was normal. It took a long time for her to finally move...nurses kept bringing me apple juice in hopes that the sugar in the juice would facilitate movement, which after about 4 hours, she moved twice in 20 minutes and we were free to go because everything was fine. The nurse kept saying, "You won't be back for another week or two...this baby's not going to come tonight." Jeff and I were sent on our way with advice to go have a nice big dinner and go home and rest. So that is exactly what we did...but Kammy had other plans for us :)

On the way home from the hospital, Jeff and I decided to go to Outback for some dinner. I was still having contractions every 2-3 min or so, but they weren't painful at all. Dinner was good and I even got some ice cream for dessert. We went to sleep that night, not knowing we'd be back at the hospital early the next morning. I awoke around 2:30 AM with really strong contractions...I got out of bed and started walking around our apartment in hopes the contractions would go away. I started cleaning to keep my mind off the pain. I finished all of our laundry, cleaned the kitchen, both bathrooms, and re-organized Kamryn's changing station. I never in a million years thought I'd be one of the women you hear about going around nesting like crazy while they were preggers, but I was. After I had my little cleaning/nesting tirade, I laid on the couch timing my contractions. A minute and a half apart. Yikes. And dear God, they were painful. I was half crying, half whining on the couch with my watch and piece of paper when Jeff came out to see my laying on our couch with three towels under me because I was paranoid my water would break. He convinced me to call my OB to tell them I was in labor, which I was reluctant to do at first because I couldn't actually believe this was it!

We left for the hospital at 6:00 Wednesday morning (Nov. 25) and got there in record time! To get anywhere in Northern Virginia in 20 minutes is pretty amazing. I was right back where I was just a few hours before, although this time I was crying in pain because the contractions were seriously intense. I whole-heartedly admit that I am a HUGE wuss when it comes to pain and I just can't handle it. I got an epidural and let me tell you, without it I would have gotten up off the table and walked out of there with Kamryn still in my belly because I could NOT have given birth without one. I am not tough enough for that kind of pain and I wanted to hug the man who administered my epidural even though he stuck me 4 times in order to get the needle in because of my stupid compressed spine (aka big ass). Once the epidural kicked in, I was ready to have my little girl. I felt great and felt confident and ready to finally see her, hold her, kiss her and smell her.

I had two really great nurses: Nurse Betty and Jeff. Nurse Betty was fabulous!! She was very grandmotherly (she was a retired nurse who worked when she felt like it to help out the hospital on holidays when the staff is limited) and just an all around sweet woman who had so much experience under her belt that she had seen it all. She was comforting and kind...Jeff and I loved her. She even stayed 2 hours past her shift because she wanted to see Kamryn being born. My other nurse, my husband Jeff, was amazing. He was so helpful and calming...he really came out of the woodwork & surprised me how calm, excited, and attentive he was. He was right there the whole time and even helped deliver Kamryn!

I was finally 10 centimeters dilated and it was time to push. I'll never forget what was going through my head when my doctor told me, "Ok, Katie...you are going to be a mom here in a few short hours!" I was like, oh my god, THIS is IT!!! She's going to be here and it's my time to finally be a mother!! It was exhilarating!! It almost didn't seem real, but it was.

I pushed for two hours and finally at 3:03 PM, little Kammy was born. Seeing her for the first time was seriously incredible. I looked down at her and everything else in the room, my doctor, Nurse Betty, and several other nurses from pediatrics seemed to disappear...even the room I was in was nonexistent. The only people with me were Jeff standing next to me and Kamryn in my arms. That's it. It was such an intense and joyous feeling of love and family :)