Saturday, October 29, 2011

The dreaded news...

Dr. L came in today. There are 4 different doctors with in the same practice that make rounds at the hospital. I have now officially met all of them. He came in and told me the lovely news that I won't be leaving the hospital for the next 7 weeks, ( I'll be 34 weeks then) and that is when they would take out the Cerclage. And depending what happens after that I may not go home until I deliver. He said 3 strikes and I'm in and that he didn't want me going home because when I do shit hits the fan. His words exactly. I knew it was coming I guess and all I hear is, "That's what's best!" Yes, I know. But have you ever had to stay in a hospital for 3 months. Not being able to even leave your room and staring at the same 4 walls. Only get out of bed to use the restroom or shower. And the only signs of life outside is through a window 6 floors up. It's not easy and I think I may possibly lose my mind by the end of all this.

 I randomly cry for no reason and Blake always asks me what's wrong. I no longer cry because of the thought of losing Levi. Which I know is still a chance. I cry at the thought of losing myself. I know it will all be worth it in the end but getting to that point is a daily struggle. I feel like I am in prison. Trapped in a body laying in a hospital bed. Fall is my favorite time of year and to think of spending the holidays in here makes me depressed. I've barely got to see the leaves changing colors or the Halloween decorations. I hear about Halloween parties and how much everyone is having fun. I feel like I'm missing life to bring a new life into this world. It should be a no brainer and not be so difficult but for some reason it is. I have my family and a few select people that come and visit me and for that I am thankful. My mom comes everyday and Blake stays here 24/7 other than when he goes to work. Yet I still feel alone. I feel like no one cares or understands how hard all of this has been for me. Every time I talk about it all I can do is cry. Sometimes I just want to shut down and be alone.

Pregnancy should not be this difficult. And for anyone that has never been in my shoes or knows what it is like
to worry every single day about losing your first child, stressing over paying bills because you can't work, or just doing daily things you take for granted....I wouldn't wish it upon anyone.

If by chance I do get discharged at 34 weeks it would be December 16th. That seems so far away. Spending Christmas in here would probably make me even more depressed. I absolutely love Christmas. This year I won't be able to decorate a tree, go Christmas shopping, cook Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas dinner , and bake all of this Christmas cookies I love making.

There's so many things I stress over that have happened with in the last year that I keep all bottled up inside of me and I really don't know how much more I can take. I'm only one person and why should I have to deal with all of this. What did I ever do??

Levi is one lucky little boy and praying we make it through all of this I know it will be worth it. I just have to keep telling myself that.

Christine

Ultrasound Update 10/28/11

We made it to 27 weeks! We would have ever thunk it! Going from being told our baby won't make it to he's still in there baking away. He truly is a miracle baby and stubborn as his dad! Blake said he's grounded until he's 18 already! LOL

We had our ultrasound check up yesterday at 11:30. I got up and got ready, even put some makeup on for a change. We get in the room and she checks Levi and said how cute he is. She then does the vaginal one to check my cervix and instantly says, "Well guess where your going!". That's all she said the entire time. Not sure if you've ever seen a cervix on an ultrasound but it's hard to tell what it what. All I could tell was that there was a lot of black which meant it was open more than normal. And I could see the 2 white dots which are my Cerclage. And the black was opening up to that stitch. So not being told anything she makes me lay down and wait so she can talk to the nurse. She comes back in and hands me 'the envelope' and tells me to head to the hospital. NO!!! I think I jinxed myself by saying I wanted to be home for Halloween. Well not now!

So we get to the hospital still not knowing anything. My favorite nurse is there and she helps me to my room. The same one I originally started in. I ask her if she knew what was going on and she said she hasn't got report yet. So by this point I'm a little nervous.

She finally got report and said that my cervix is funneling down to where the Cerclage is and that my cervix is measuring 10mm. Which I know isn't good. They were concerned whether or not I was having contractions. Told her I didn't feel good the last 2 days and was cramping but I wasn't sure if it was contractions or not. So she hooks me up to the monitors. No contractions. And Levi is kicking away as usual. He hates that thing! I asked her if she knew if I would deliver soon or if I should be concerned. She said no, that I was worse off the first time I ever came in. Now the Cerclage is at least holding me shut and I'm not contracting which is good. They took me off the Indocin last go around because it made the fluid in the sac low. So they put me on Procardia which is the same just doesn't effect the fluid. But now they have me on both of them. Not really sure why?! I know the Indocin effects his kidneys but they said they don't give it past 32 weeks so if he does come early his kidneys will be producing urine, which is what they want.

So I have no IV's or anything this time. Yay! Just laying here and being monitored. They kept asking me are you sure your on bed rest when your at home. Uhh Duh! No I go run around the block a few times. The only difference at home is I walk further to the bathroom. I'm sure they'll probably end up keeping me since every time I go home my cervix gets worse.

I believe the doctor is suppose to come around today so I guess I'll find out more then. Until then I guess I'll lay here and be bored to death. Bed rest is killing me! And I can't wait for this to be over. I will never complain about pain or being bored ever again, I swear!


Blake and I at least got to carve a pumpkin during the little time I was home. We were going to paint my belly like a pumpkin, which we never got around to doing. We may still do it but who knows!
                                                                                 
Have a Happy Halloween Weekend and have some fun for me!
~Christine

P.S. My little brother is getting married Monday and I can't go :(

Thursday, October 27, 2011

Christmas?!

I haven't blogged in a few days. Not really any new updates since I don't go to the doctor until tomorrow morning. So I thought I would do a Christmas post. Yes, I know it isn't even Halloween yet! I personally love Christmas tho and wish it could be everyday of the year! Living in Tennessee we get a little snow but no where near like when I grew up in Ohio. I miss building snowman's and going sledding. The snow doesn't stick long enough to really do much of either here :( And unlike Ohio, here if they even say there's a chance of snow, whether it comes or not, they call out school! It's crazy! Then the kids end up having to make up days at the end of the year because they missed so much. Which I do have to say the roads here are awful and they aren't 'prepared' as much as up north. I personally think it's fun. Snow means you get to stay home and no one is out on the roads! Who doesn't like that?! Last year I had to borrow my dads van when it was icy out. Not a good idea! I slid when I hit the breaks and almost went in the ditch when I turned the corner. And wouldn't you know the idiot behind me didn't even stop and went around me! Must have been a northerner (or at least that's what Blake says!) Ha!

Anyway...I love reading books. I could sit and finish a book in a day if it's interesting. Since I'm on bed rest and have been bored out of my mind and have done every craft I can think of. My mom went to the library the other day and brought me back some books she thought I would like. Only I couldn't get past the first chapter of any of them. But she did get one for herself! And it happened to be a Christmas book, which I love reading! This is the book....
After she finished it she gave it to me to read. I've only gotten half way through it so far but it's really good. A Christmas story and murder mystery all in one! I love this author and she also has other books I plan on reading. She co-writes with Joanne Fluke who also writes Christmas books and murder mysteries. So if you're in the mood to read you should pick this up!

Happy Thursday!
Christine

Monday, October 24, 2011

Home Sweet Home

Yesterday I was scheduled to get an ultrasound. It's normally between 9-10am. She didn't end up coming until around 1pm. I was a little annoyed since I was waiting on the verdict of whether I could go home or not. I wanted to just pack my stuff and leave! So the lady comes in and I really don't even remember her, unless her hair was different, but she asked if I had lost weight. Umm no! I'm not exactly getting any exercise ya know! She tells me that the fluid is normal and that my Cerclage still looks good. And that my cervix is between 23-25mm. I knew that was pretty much normal so as soon as she left we started packing! LOL! Well we thought we would leave soon but ended up waiting 2 more hours! The doctor had came in that morning and told me she already had everything written up and ready to go. So I'm not sure if it really takes that long or if the nurse was just slacking. My doctor also informed me that if I were to get pregnant again that she would suggest I get a Cerclage placed in my abdomen since my cervix is so small. Told her I highly doubt after all of this that I will have another one. But who knows! I'll have to look into that. So I'm finally home!

We had a little drama with the medication I'm suppose to be on and Walgreen's refusing to fill it. Last time I was put on Indocin which is a blood pressure medicine but they've also found it stops contractions. They didn't want to fill it because they determined I shouldn't be on it. They ended up giving it to us. Well this time since the Indocin made my fluid low they switched me to Procardia which is the same thing just a different medication. I couldn't go in to get it obviously. So Blake dropped it off and went back later to get it. He was told that they weren't giving it to me again because it isn't used for preterm labor or to stop contractions. Ok, it is 2011. There are all kinds of new medications. You would think Pharmacists would be updated on all of this. NO! I was also prescribed Progesterone that I was to do vaginally. They gave me a pill that is suppose to be taken orally. Yes, I know it can probably just be inserted vaginally but I'm new to all of this and it wasn't what I was use to using in the hospital. And to me it was just kind of unsanitary to not have the proper applicator when I've had an infection before and that's what I'm trying to avoid. Blake was highly frustrated! So I call the hospital and talk to my nurse. She changes it to the Procardia Extended Release which is once a day. The pharmacist (or who we thought was the pharmacist) wouldn't even call my doctor to verify. She just refused to give it to me. So I get all that figured out. Blake had to go to work by this time. So I try calling Walgreen's to make sure they got the phone call from the nurse. No one answers after being on hold for 20 mins. (Blake's cousin in Florida was also highly mad and called and complained too!)My mom goes up there and is gone for an hour! She comes back and tells me that the person refusing to give me the medication was an Intern! Who clearly didn't know what she was doing because she kept messing up other orders. The pharmacist didn't even know what was going on. My mom talked to the store manager and told him that she should not be working back there if she doesn't know what she's doing! So after all that I finally got the medicine I need. Had they refused to give it to me and I had contractions they would be in a huge mess of trouble! Needless to say I will never go back to Walgreen's ever!

I have to call today (which I just reminded myself..thanks!) to get an appointment for Friday to get my cervix rechecked. Can I just say I am so annoyed with all of this! Yes I know it is for my baby and I shouldn't complain but unless you have been through it I don't think you realize just how frustrating all of this can be! I mean I can't even walk in the kitchen and get a glass of water. I've laid in a bed going on a month. Lord, is it December yet?! I never thought I would cry because I missed working but on the way home I did. I hate just laying here knowing Blake and my mom have to do everything for me. I almost feel like I'm in prison or something. I just have to keep telling myself that come December it will all be worth it. Right now it doesn't feel that way.

Time to catch up on some tv and watch Hocus Pocus!

Happy Monday!
Christine

Friday, October 21, 2011

26 weeks and some good news!

Today I am 26 weeks! Yay! Never thought I would make it this far! This next picture isn't very flattering but being on bed rest it's not going to be cute no matter what since all I wear is pajamas. And I'm not suppose to get up anyway! So here it goes...



No stretch marks yet!

 I had an ultrasound this morning. He weighs 1 pound and 13 ounces. I swear he feels bigger for how strong he is! My cervix is now measuring 21mm. Which isn't super good but almost there. The fluid and everything is normal. No more steroid shots thank god! Dr. M said she could have let me go home today but she would feel more comfortable if I stayed until Sunday. They'll do an ultrasound that morning and if all is good I guess I can go home! I have the stupidest cervix in the world! And all I want to do is to be able to go outside or for a walk. I'm use to standing pretty much all day at work so now that I haven't been the blood in my legs doesn't know what to do!

They woke me up at 5am and I didn't fall asleep til almost 1am. I see a nap in the near future. My 2 nephews and my brother along with my mom came today. I'm wore out!

(Bed rest = not so hot looking! My 3 year old nephew loves to get in the bed and change the channels non stop when he visits!)
 
 My 4 month old nephew. So cute!


Never thought I'd say this but I really miss working! I thought I would take some time off after he comes but soon as I can I'm going back! Might not say that when he's here but there's only so much you can do stuck at home or in the hospital.

That's all for now!

Happy Friday!
~Christine

P.S. I have an old high school friend that I lost touch with after I moved from my home town. She's had to deal with infertility but was able to have her miracle son to look at every day. Just wanted to say if I could take away all her pain I would because I know how difficult it is and every time I see her sad it makes me want to cry. So if you're reading this just keep your head held high and thank god every day for the miracle that you do have and just pray you will be blessed with another one <3

Thursday, October 20, 2011

Progesterone and Steroids

My last go around in the hospital I never received the 2 steroid shots that helps improve babies lungs in case they are preterm babies. My doctor swore she thought I got them so.....last night I got my first one in my hip. Fun stuff! The nurse kept telling me it would hurt. Which it did burn and was sore for about 5 minutes. But to me the Mag going through my hand hurt way worse! It actually made me cry.

Tonight I get my second steroid shot. And Dr. M also came in earlier and said that starting tonight I would be getting Progesterone given vaginally. (That sounds like a load of fun!) She didn't really say why. Not sure if I'm not producing enough. All she said was it helps the cervix. Okay?!

And of course in the morning I will get another ultrasound which I'm sure I can already tell you the outcome. Stupid cervix!

Hopefully tonight I will finish Levi's baby blanket that I'm crocheting and I also found the cutest little crocheted outfit via pinterest that I just started. My mom taught me how to crochet years ago and I only knew how to do a granny square. Well playing around I came up with some other pattern which is close to a granny square but the holes are smaller. So that's the pattern I'm doing the blanket in. And today I was wanting to figure out an even tighter pattern, and I figured it out! It doesn't have any holes at all. It's pretty much just a repetitive chain stitch. Hopefully I can get that all figured out and done soon! But here is what I'm attempting to make. (Minus the pink bow of course!) I'm doing the tan one :)

I'll update again tomorrow after I hear the news about the ultrasound.

Happy Thursday!
~Christine

Wednesday, October 19, 2011

10/19/11 Ultrasound

It's official!....My cervix hates me! On Monday it was measuring at 19-20mm and today it is now 16mm. What the heck?! The good news is that my fluid level was at 5 (whatever that means) and it is now at 12 which I was told is normal. I can't win for losing I swear! My cervix is also funneling right down to where the Cerclage is. I asked her if it could come out, she said only if I start having contractions. And then they would do everything they could to stop them. Either restart me on the Indocin or start me on the Mag again. :( So they're going to repeat the ultrasound on Friday and go from there. Sounds like I'm more than likely going to be here until I deliver because my cervix has yet to cooperate. I'm just glad I'll be 26 weeks on Friday which I know is still early but he at least has a better chance then when I had originally found out all of this.

Oh and this bed is killing me! It's one of those delivery beds again. Ouch! I think might have broke a hip.

And Levi definitely already has his own personality. He hates the doppler or being poked. So when they put it on my belly he moves to the other side and kicks it really hard. Ha! I wish I was further along so he can come out and play already! And as of last night I can officially see him kicking from the outside. So weird!

Keep your fingers crossed!


~Christine

Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Mini update

I get an ultrasound in the morning to check the fluid around Levi. Keep your fingers crossed! Hospitals can be soooo frustrating! And I miss my little baby Maggie :(

~Christine

Monday, October 17, 2011

Update: Doctors Appointment

Today didn't go as planned. I kind of expected it but only for the same reasons I've been having and not new ones. Ughh! So I'm back at the hospital for god knows how long. They said it could be a few days or it could be until he comes. But the good news is he's still in there baking away. Even tho I was on complete bed rest since my last doctor's appointment. Minus going to the bathroom and one shower. ( I did lay on the couch for a few hours one day but I was still laying down). When I say bed rest I mean full out laying down. No sitting up what so ever. Hence the reason I get acid reflux really bad! But anyway....They did the normal ultrasound routine. They do the internal to check my cervix. Which it was still measuring at 20mm. It's not super short but it isn't considered a normal length. So they were still concerned about that...AND....they also measure the fluid around the baby and it is measuring low. Which they obviously need that fluid to survive. The reason my fluid is low is because of the medication I have been on since being in the hospital, which is Indocin. It helps stop pre-term labor and helps close the patent ductus arteriosus. Not a doctor but it has to do with the lungs so he is able to breath outside of the womb. The side effect of it causes the baby's kidneys to not produce as much urine. Which is the fluid around him. So they were concerned that it would hurt him. They stopped giving me that medicine and started me on another similar one, with different side effects, called Procardia. The Indocin also helped stop any contractions. I've only had them once this entire time and that was after surgery.


So the reason for being in the hospital is to monitor the baby and to make sure I'm not having contractions. I could have gone home but if something bad were to happen I wouldn't really know it. So we thought this would be the best thing. Thank god I'm not hooked to any IV's...yet! They did come in and draw blood. That's another story in itself. These people aren't the greatest at finding veins! I also have the contraction belt on and I did have the belt on to hear his heart beat but since he moves around so much anyway they took it off because it was pointless.


On a good note. During the external ultrasound we got to see him again. He had his hands laying over his chest. And when she got a shot of his face you could see that his eyes are open now! Yay! He still kind of looks like a skeleton on the screen but to hear his eyes are now open is a big relief because it means he's growing! We can at least get that part right! So far I haven't had any steroid shots to help him mature faster but the nurse did mention it tonight that she was going to bring it up to the doctor. Since more than likely I will have a pre-term baby. They want to make sure he's healthy and can survive.


So....that's all I got for now. I would much rather be at home but bed rest isn't fun period so I guess I might as well be somewhere where he can be taken care of if needed. I'll update again when I hear more.


Christine

Doctors Appointment...and Maggie!

I have to wake up at 6am every morning to take Indocin (for pre-term labor). I fell back asleep and got woke up again to Blake coming home from work and taking a picture of me and Maggie sleeping...
Is she not hilarious?!?! Love my dog!

On another note, I have my doctors appointment in 2 hours. I'm so nervous! Say a prayer for me!

Happy Monday,
Christine

Sunday, October 16, 2011

My Other Child...

I have a Maltipoo named Maggie. She just turned 3 this month. She's one of those little yapper dogs who bark at the slightest noise. Yea fun times! Ha! Anyway, I swear she thinks she's a human! She would probably sleep in Levi's crib under a blanket if I let her. She is the sweetest, most cuddley( is this a word?!)  dog I have ever met! When she comes in from outside and you give her a treat, you can hold it in the air and tell her to dance and she spins in circles. She's funny like that. She also refuses to drink out of her water bowl and will jump at the sink to let you know she's thirsty. Then you have to fill it up and put her up there so she can get some water. Can you say spoiled?! She's also a bed hog. When we let her sleep in our bed she always has to be touching me! Oh and if you say the words...Do you wanna...she cocks her head to the side! Ha! She knows what's coming next. We either say do you wanna go outside? Then she flips out and runs around or Do you wanna bath?...I don't think she understands that one because she gets excited yet hates baths!

She hasn't left me alone since I got home from the hospital. She either lays on the couch with me or lays in my bed. And for some reason it's always right against my belly. Wonder if she knows she has a little brother in there. She likes to pounce on my belly too. Pretty sure Levi doesn't like that! Even tho she drives me nuts sometimes, I would probably be bored with out her. If only she could talk back then I probably wouldn't be so bored laying here. Haha! Here she is with all of her cuteness!...
She's in Levi's swing. Like I said...she thinks she's human! :)

 Blurry but this was when she was probably 1. We got her when she was about 6 months.

She loves candy and people food. Yea, I know. It isn't good for her! This was her first long car ride to Ohio!


The next 3 pictures I actually just took today. 
 This is how she lays. Always touching me. And right up against her little brother!

 Being nosy and taking a nap.

And this cracked me up. I was watching TV and crocheting Levi's baby blanket and I noticed I couldn't pull the yarn anymore. Because...she decided to use it as a pillow! Hahaha!

That's my other baby tho. Just thought I would share since she's a big part of our lives. And I hope when Levi comes that she get's along with him. She hates hearing babies cry and has only been around my nephew who just turned 4 months. He grew on her but I guess we will have to wait and see how it goes!

Also, my doctors appointment is tomorrow. Super nervous because I do NOT want to go back to the hospital. Pray I get good news!

Happy Sunday!
~Christine

Saturday, October 15, 2011

The joys of bed rest

Today makes day number 16 on bed rest. I know it's needed to keep my baby boy growing and healthy inside of me but I feel like I might go insane. If you have never experienced complete bed rest before...OMG! I don't even want to complain because it sounds selfish. If I was able to at least sit up in bed so my head would stop hurting and my acid reflux would stop I think it might help. But when you lay down 24/7 for 16 days it's a little hard! The only reason I am allowed to get up is to use the restroom or brush my teeth or change clothes. They really don't even want me standing long enough to shower because it puts pressure on my cervix. I'm praying Monday they tell me my cervix has grown so I can at least stay home. Being in a hospital is miserable! I always thought I wanted tons of kids but I guess pregnancy isn't cut out for everyone. Praying all goes well with Levi I'm not sure that I could do this again!

Friday, October 14, 2011

25 weeks!!!

I found this on another blog and thought it was a cute idea! (Not a very good belly shot but I'm on bed rest so I had like 2 mins to stand there and try to get a picture!)


How far along? 25 Weeks! Please stay in there a little longer!
Total weight gain/loss: Last time I was weighed I had gained 13 pounds. Not sure at this exact moment.
Maternity clothes? Since I'm stuck in bed just pajamas. (Like you see in the picture!)  When I am able to go out Yes.
Stretch marks? No

Sleep: I sleep from 12-6 and then sometimes go back to sleep. I toss and turn!
Best moment this week: Feeling him kick really hard!
Miss Anything? My freedom. I feel like I'm in prison sometimes.
Movement: Yes. He moves like crazy!
Food cravings: anything and everything. Normally something sweet. This week I wanted white chocolate covered Oreo's but Blake couldn't find them so I got the mint ones!
Anything making you queasy or sick:  When I lay on my back to long like at my ultrasound I almost passed out and got really hot!  When I take my medicine on an empty stomach I get queasy.
Have you started to show yet: Yes
Gender: Boy
Labor Signs: Obviously. Not at the moment but I have had contractions before.
Belly Button in or out? In. Don't think it's ever going to pop out.
Wedding rings on or off? Engagement ring on when I leave the house. Minus at the hospital.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Wouldn't say moody just emotional I guess. Or as happy as I can be.
Looking forward to: The day I get to hold my little boy and bring him home.



I'm starting to crochet Levi a baby blanket :) I'll do a post once I get it done!


Happy Friday!
~Christine

Thursday, October 13, 2011

Doctors Appointment Update

We had to be at the doctors at 2 today. They did an ultrasound to measure the fluid around the baby and check the length of my cervix. I didn't get the news I wanted to hear :(  My cervix is measuring at 20mm now. She said the bare minimum they like to see is 25mm. I have to go back on Monday the 17th to get rechecked. She said she doesn't want me getting up at all unless I need to go to the bathroom. Uhh...I thought I was already doing that! I was going between the bed and the couch but looks like I will be in my bed until Monday. She also said depending on what my cervix measures, I may have to go back in the hospital. She said the Cerclage was still holding. So I was assume I would go back in so they can monitor me and start fluids and probably do a catheter again so I would be on complete bed rest. I would do anything to keep this baby so for now I'm just going to relax and just pray it grows! I don't even want to think about any other possibilities! Here's to trying not to cry a million times until then :( But either way it doesn't look like he's going to make it full term. Please say a prayer for Levi.

~Christine

Thrift Shopping 101

One of the many things my mom and I love to do together is thrift! You wouldn't have caught me dead in a thrift store when I was younger. Now I find it fun. We like going to a certain Goodwill that is huge and has a variety of stuff and also seems like they put out new stuff everyday. So each time you go is like a treasure hunt! I don't buy nasty or trashy stuff by any means. Half of the time you can still find stuff that has the original tags on it. I know Target and a few other stores donate any sales items they don't sell or returns just for example.

If you have never been to a Goodwill I'll explain how it works. Each week they have a 'color' of the week. Like for instance this week it is orange. That means all week anything with an orange tag is half off the price on that tag. At my Goodwill if you go on Sundays or Wednesdays they have 99 cent days which makes the color of the week 99 cents. Imagine finding a high end item and only paying 99 cents for it! It happens! You just have to search and know what you are looking for.

I just wanted to share this because I know there are plenty of people who think thrift stores are nasty. And people who don't always have the money to buy clothes or buy designer things. So this makes it possible. You really can find nice stuff there, I swear!

So today I thought I'd share one of the many things I found. I mainly look for stuff that is like new and make sure there aren't any holes or stains. Or usually check the tag and see what designer it is and what it is made out of. On this particular day I happened to find a sweater that I thought would be cute for the fall/winter since I would need something stretchy and warm while being pregnant. And this is what I found...


Doesn't look that cute in pictures but it is! Or at least I think so. And it is super soft! I had never heard the name of this designer but I did check the tag to see what it was made out of because it was so soft. And guess what?!?!  It was Cashmere!!!! So when I got home I googled Eileen Fisher and sure enough she has her own page. You can check it out here. I was shocked to see the prices of here stuff! Her sweaters start at $198 and up. Are you kidding me?! I would never pay that much for one little sweater! Even if you check out her sale items there isn't anything less than $79. And how much did I pay for this you ask? A whooping 99 cents! Score! So if you aren't to ashamed and like treasure hunting check out your local thrift stores!

Happy Thursday!
~Christine

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Homemade Ice Cream - No Machine!

I have a million things I could blog about because I like to take pictures of everything I do. Why you ask? No idea! I just think it's fun and I guess maybe I always thought I'd blog and now I'm glad I did so I can share it with everyone.

Today I'm sharing how to make homemade ice cream without using a machine. Ice cream can be expensive! Especially if you want the good name brands. So I decided to look on the internet and see if I could find how to make it without a machine since I don't have one and because they look like a pain in the butt to use!

I love reading the blog Kevin & Amanda. She loves to travel and has a cupcake fetish. Who wouldn't love her?! On her blog she posted a Homemade Ice Cream Recipe found here and I thought wow how easy! So this is the guideline I used.

There are only 3 basic ingredients that you need and from there you can make what ever kind of ice cream your little heart desires. The first kind I decided to make was Cookie Dough Ice Cream. It was super easy and of course I didn't take pictures of it. The second kind I made was Banana Pudding Ice Cream. I love me some banana pudding and I love ice cream so mix the two together and you get happiness! I will share that recipe with you!

Let's get started with the 3 basic ingredients you will use in every batch you make....(Name brand ingredients are always better but if you are on a budget you can of course use store brand. I personally can't tell the difference!)

First you will need 2 cups of heavy whipping cream. They come in different sizes but I find it easier to buy the 16oz size because it equals 2 cups and that way you don't have to measure!

Next you will need one 14 oz can of sweetened condensed milk...


And the last main ingredient is 3 tablespoons of melted butter...

-Pour the heavy whipping cream in a mixing bowl and beat with your electric mixer until the liquid peaks and gets fluffy. I had never done this before so I thought it was neat that a liquid could actually do that! Yes, small things amuse me!

-Next whisk in the can of sweetened condensed milk. Trying not to stir it to much. Just enough to blend.

-Then whisk in the 3 tablespoons of melted butter until blended.

Now the fun part! Like I said you can make what ever kind you would like but I'm sharing the Banana Pudding Ice Cream. These are the remaining ingredients you will need....

-1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

-1 cup of crushed vanilla wafers (or you could add as much as you would like. Some people don't like them at all)

-2 thin sliced bananas

Add the 3 remaining ingredients into the mix and stir. I put mine and a tubberware container and freeze at least 6 hours or until it is firm. And this is what you get!
Yummy!

Happy Ice Cream Making!
~ Christine

Tuesday, October 11, 2011

My Story

Today I finally sat down (okay I've been laying down for the last week and a half but who's counting) to write My Story. I wanted to write it as detailed as I could so when I look back I can remember every minute of it. The only good memory I will have out of it is saving my little boy. I also wrote it because it's the reason for even starting my blog and I hope that it will help anyone dealing with an Incompetent Cervix. Click here or the My Story tab and take 10 minutes out of your day to read it :) Only if you are interested otherwise I will continue to blog about my life, give updates on Baby Levi and the things I love to do!

Happy Tuesday!
~ Christine

Monday, October 10, 2011

Recipes: Blake's Way!

One of the many things I love to do is cook, bake and anything that has to do with being in the kitchen (minus dishes!) Since I'm on bed rest I'm restricted from doing any of those :( And being pregnant I get plenty of cravings and have plenty of time to look up recipes. Lately it's been via Pinterest! Can you say obsessed?! So today I decided to send my handsome man to the store to pick up a few things to make 2 different dips that I thought sounded amazing. The first one is the Cheddar Bacon Dip found here and the second is the Jalapeño Popper Dip found here . Blake doesn't like to be bothered while he's in the kitchen so I handed him the recipes and let him go at it! And this is the result...

Cheddar Bacon Dip
Ingredients:
16 oz sour cream
1 packet Ranch dressing mix
3 oz bacon bits ( The fresh looking kind. Not the hard bits)
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Mix together and refrigerate 24 hours. Serve with what ever you would like. (We used tortilla chips and ate immediately!) Yum!


Jalapeño Popper Dip
 (Not the best quality of pictures but it will have to do)
Ingredients:
16 ounces cream cheese
1 cup mayo
8 pieces of bacon, cooked and chopped up (We didn't add bacon)
6 Jalapeños, chopped (We used can 2 small cans instead of fresh because it's what we had)
2 cloves garlic, minced (We used a tbsp of minced garlic from a jar)
½ teaspoon cumin (We hate cumin so we didn't add this)
1½ cups shredded cheddar cheese
Topping:
1 cup breadcrumbs
1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
4 tablespoons melted butter
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
-Mix the cream cheese, mayo, jalapenos, garlic, and cheddar cheese in a bowl. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish or 9×13 baking dish. ( We used a smaller glass dish)
-Combine breadcrumbs, parmesan cheese and melted butter in a small bowl and stir. Sprinkle over the cream cheese mixture.
-Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and the dip is bubbling. Let cool and serve with what ever your heart desires. (We used tortilla chips)

Happy snacking!
~Christine


DIY Burp Clothes

My mom is the queen of crafts and DIY projects. Growing up I was always interested so through out the years I've picked up a few skills. I love sewing, drawing, painting, crocheting, and anything that has to do with crafts. So I thought it would be fun just to share some things that I have done. And since I am currently on bed rest I hope to get a lot of things done that I have been putting off including a ton of baby projects. So lets get down to business shall we...

I'm a huge fan of finding bargains and doing anything to save a penny. Who wouldn't want to?! My first baby project I started is Burp Clothes. I'm not a fan of just plain white so I thought it would be fun to add some color or pattern to them. Burp Clothes can be expensive so what I did was went and bought Gerber Brand cloth diapers. They came in a package of 6. I figured I would be cutting them in half so that would be 12 burp clothes for just $3.99. Bargain! Then I went to my local craft store and bought a yard each of 5 different fabric for the different projects I plan on making among a few other things...



Since more than likely I will have a small baby I wanted to make smaller burp clothes. The first step I did was use a folder and cut out my own pattern. You can make it what ever since you want but this is what I did...

I laid the cloth diaper flat and took the fabric I wanted and laid it front side facing the cloth diaper. Then I laid the pattern on top and pinned it together so I could cut it out. Once it was cut out I sewed it together leaving a 2 inch gap so I could flip it inside out. You could then iron it so the edges are crisp but all I did was sew the edge so it held together better and made it flatter and sewed the 2 inch gap shut. And this is what I got...

 And I made another with different fabric. Not perfect but hey it was my first attempt. Not too bad!

Sunday, October 09, 2011

Introduction...

For anyone reading this that doesn't know me...I'm Christine. I'm 26 and pregnant for the second time but first success (or at least I'm hoping so!) I will get into more details about that later on the My Story tab.

I am engaged to the best man on earth and father of my child, Blake. We have been together since Feb. 17, 2009. We met through his sister who I worked with at the time. The first day I talked to him was via text message as he had just landed in El Paso, Texas after returning from serving a year in Iraq. He has been in the Army Reserves going on 9 years.

Isn't he handsome!

We've been engaged for almost 2 years simply because every time we've planned on getting married it just hasn't worked out. We aren't fans of big weddings so going to the court house is just fine with us! Ha! But even making it there has been a task. One day soon tho! He is my best friend and literally the best person I have ever met and would do anything for anyone and I am so glad he's mine! Here we are in the Smokey Mountains...
Hope you have a good week!
~Christine