We’ve Moved!

I’ve decided to move the blog to blogspot. Check it out at michellehodges.blogspot.com …  See you there!

Add a comment October 1, 2008

Almost Home…

Just wanted to give everyone a quick update before we head home!!!!! I’m so so so so so very excited! Daddy will be here sometime tomorrow, and I think we’re gonna leave early Saturday morning. I’m so ready to be there and see everyone! I haven’t even thought about packing though. Something about packing for three weeks has me a little scared. I’m really bad about taking everything “just in case”. I don’t know where that line is for this trip.

In other news, I had my first sonogram today! I have a great picture, but I have no idea how to scan things, so it will be coming home with me instead.  I got to see a tiny little one with a big heartbeat. Emma liked the picture, but her response was “Mommy, he’s scared.” I’m not sure what of, but she seems to think this is the case…  Oh, and she did say “he”… Not sure how she came to that conclusion either….

That’s about all now. It may be a while before I post again, since I’ll be home for.  Feel free to get in touch with me while we’re home, we have lots of free time!

Add a comment September 19, 2008

Pancakes!

Have I told y’all how wonderful my husband is?  NO, Well Shame on Me!!!!  Let me tell you what Channing has had to deal with for the last few weeks…

As I write, I’m enjoying the smells breakfast, particularly pancakes, coming from my kitchen. Now, this is our usual weekend routine. Channing likes to cook breakfast on his days off. But this morning, Emma and I told him we didn’t want any. She wanted cereal. But about an hour later, amidst the nausea, I decided pancakes were just the thing to get me feeling better. My sweet husband didn’t hesitate. But, he didn’t stop with pancakes. There were eggs, grits, hashbrowns, all for us. He and Emma ate those, I just wanted the pancakes.

Anyway, back to the past few weeks… Since before we found out about the new baby, I’ve been dealing with a pretty nasty sinus infection. Once we found out I was pregnant, all normal medications were taken off the table. At one point, it got so bad, he was up with me at 4am calling pharmacists to see if there was anything that I could take.  The next day, he went bought me soup.  It’s been like that off and on for the last couple of weeks. When I’m feeling really sick,  he’s there to pick up the slack with Emma.  And let me tell you, with this potty training, there has been alot to do.  He even spent the majority of the 2 1/2 hour doctor visit wrangling Emma.  She wasn’t very cooperative that day.  

It’s been an interesting couple of weeks. Emma and I are both still fighting these infections. I think we keep passing it back and forth to each other. Channing, so far, has not gotten sick.  I hope it stays that way, especially with his Mexico trip in a few days.  That reminds me… 5 days until we head home!!!!!! I am so excited! I can not wait to be there and see everybody!

1 comment September 14, 2008

Dr. Visit #1

Today was our first official visit to the baby doctor!  It took forever, and when it was finally over, we were all starving and exhausted. Emma and I got there at 10:15, and Channing wasn’t long behind us. I’m so thankful that he has a job, and boss, that is so flexible about his hours. I wouldn’t have made it through today if he hadn’t been there. Let’s just say that Emma wasn’t very fond of the idea of a two hour visit. It really ended up being more like three. We didn’t walk out of the place until 1 pm.  Honestly, I’m not sure why it took so long. 

I actually have not seen an M.D. yet, though I will soon. The doctor I will be seeing is new, and they are waiting on her credentials to get approved by our insurance company. For now, I’m seeing a Certified Nurse Midwife. She can do all the same things a doctor can do, just doesn’t have the M.D. by her name. Just from the few people I’ve talked to, and the research I’ve done, it’s very common for healthy women with low-risk pregnancies to see CNMs here.  It’s also good to know that she is in a clinic with four other M.D.’s in case there were a need. So far, I like her alot.  

Today was mainly all the preliminary stuff. Tons of questions about medical history, and the first pregnancy. Followed by a general exam. According to her, everything suggests a due date of April 22, 2009. That means today, I’m eight weeks and one day pregnant.  However, she scheduled me for an ultrasound next week to be sure. Channing is a little upset about that, because he won’t be able to go. We thought they would do that today. I haven’t gained any weight, but I haven’t lost any either. That in itself is good for me, because with Emma, I had already lost several pounds by this time. I can tell you that my appetite is in overdrive right now, and I don’t see the weight thing being an issue this time like it was before.  At the end, they took a large amount of blood for all the test they have to run. Emma enjoys that part the most because she likes to watch. I don’t really understand why. 

Overall, I feel fine, just worn out. Nausea has been bothersome the last couple of days, but nothing I can’t manage. I’m still trying to get rid of this sinus infection, though, which is driving me crazy.  Things around here are going well. Channing is working hard. He likes the job alot. Emma is still doing pretty good with the potty training. She’s also warming up to the idea about babies. We’ve been looking at alot of magazines, and now when she sees pictures, she talks about how the babies are sleeping.  I think she’s going to be a great big sister.  And finally, we are ready to come home! Channing will be flying out next Friday afternoon at five, and Emma and I will be leaving Saturday morning. We are so ready to be home and see everyone!

1 comment September 11, 2008

11 Days and Counting…

My official countdown has begun….  11 Days until Emma and I get to come home! I’m so ready! I really can’t wait to see everyone, and be able to spend some time at home not worrying about a time line.  I think alot of it has do with having been sick for two weeks now, and not being able to get out much.  On top of that, morning sickness decided to make it’s first appearance today. Overall, I’ve felt really good, pregnancy, until today. It was bound to happen.  Honestly, I’m too exhausted right now to write much more; just wanted to give you a quick update!

Add a comment September 9, 2008

Floods…

Floods have been on my mind today.  Strange, I know, but whoever said I was normal?

First, the floods I’ve missed in Mississippi. Is it weird that I was upset that I wasn’t there for Hurricane Gustav’s appearance? The day he hit the coast, it was a beautiful, sunny, 85 degrees here. I spent all day inside watching Fox News and every piece of Hurricane coverage I could find. I really felt like I was in the wrong place. I thought about how me, Channing, Justin, and I think Jim was there too, sat at the porch doors of Lake Caroline and watched Katrina roll in. Something in me just felt like I was supposed be there with everyone I knew; waiting to see how it would play out. Turns out all he did was dump alot of rain everywhere. I still wanted to be there.

This morning, I got my own flood; right here in my basement. It was an interesting event, and nothing was hurt, everything’s fine, but interesting none the less. The patio is being redone right now, and the brick layers needed to use our outside water faucet. I knew something didn’t sound right when I heard it come on. A little bit later, when I was walking to the kitchen, I heard it. A rushing sound in my basement. When I got down there, the water was literally pouring in. Twenty minutes and two phone calls later, I had a plumber here, who had the whole thing fixed within the hour. Apparently, the hose had not been “winterized” properly, and had burst at some point while frozen. The guy tried to explain it to me, but it was obviously lost on ignorant ears.  Anyway, none of our stuff was messed up, and I learned something really cool. Basement floors have a slight slope to them to allow for draining when flooding happens. This allows for the sump pump (I didn’t know what that was either) to get rid of the water.  I find all this very interesting. Don’t know why, but I do. You learn something new every day.

Now let’s talk about the flood in the bathroom. By this, I mean Emma. Now that she’s over her fear of using the potty, that seems to be all she does during the day. I guess she’s figured out the rewards of going really outweigh the consequences of not. Anyway, I know it’s a good thing. Really, I’m so proud and excited. I’ve finally bought my last box of diapers, at least till the new baby gets here. But, new baby diapers are so tiny, they’re cute, and I’m ready to have those again.  Overall, the potty training is going really well. She only gets a diaper at night, and for the last two nights, she’s been dry when she woke up. I know this may be TMI for some of you, but I also the family members who want this kind of update. So there you go. That’s what’s been happening here, How are you?

1 comment September 6, 2008

Update

I promised an update after today’s retest…

HcG levels are way up!

Still no firm due date nailed down yet, but I should be around six or seven weeks. Our first official appointment is next Thursday, September 11. I’m really excited because Channing is gonna be able to go with me! So, I guess we’ll have a new baby towards the end of April!

That’s all for now. I have tons to around because I was sick all weekend. Talk to you soon!

2 comments September 2, 2008

My Girl’s Growing Up!

More Big News!!!!!!

Emma is using the Potty!!!!!

This is huge! And, the timing is perfect! There is no way I was gonna have two in diapers at the same time!

We decided to do this once and for all this week. I started Monday, but I had no idea what I was in for. This girl has a double dose of stubborn in her, and it quickly became a war of wills. We tried everything, but for 5 days, she absolutely refused. Finally, yesterday, I decided to try my last resort…. Cotton training pants. I dreaded this because of the mess, but it worked like a charm! After a couple of accidents, she was so enraged with the way it felt, she started telling me she had to go! Then she did it again when I took her without her asking! I’m so excited! This has been a BIG week for us!

Anyway, just wanted to fill y’all in on that major accomplishment! We’re all getting ready to go do a little bit of shopping together! We love it when we have Channning for several days! Talk to you soon!

3 comments August 30, 2008

****Big News****

In case you haven’t heard, though I know most of you have….

EMMA’S GONNA BE A BIG SISTER!!!!!!!!

It was confirmed today that we will have our second baby in the Spring, late April or early May.  We are super excited! We had been planning this for a while, but the move set us back a little. We’re so thrilled, that we are going against the norm of waiting several weeks and telling y’all now. The way we see it, we would rather y’all know from the beginning, and be praying for us and a healthy baby, instead of waiting to make sure things are fine.  We didn’t expect it this soon, but we are thrilled none the less!

As of now, a due date has not been nailed down because my hormone levels are a little low.  I will be retested next Tuesday, so please pray that things are up to normal.  My own calculations show that I’m six weeks, but I’ll wait and let the doctor tell me for sure.

I plan on keeping y’all updated, because if this goes anything like Emma, I’ll have lots of fun stories about things that make me sick. I really hope that part is not as bad this time!

That’s all for now. Channing was insistent that update you tonight, which I think is hilarious because he never even looks at this thing!  We have a long weekend, with Channing home for four days, so you may not hear anything from me until Tuesday after the test. Talk to you soon!

5 comments August 28, 2008

Just a few photos….

Here are some pictures that I’m ridiculously late posting.  The ones with the MS State flag are like a month old. We have plans to hang it on our patio, but we’re not sure if it will get us kicked out of the neighborhood. It’s hard core Ohio State country up here, and they tolerate nothing else; least of which being an SEC school. We’re a little scared…..

The others are from our weekend with visitors. Daddy, C.J., and Ruthie stayed for a couple of days when they brought Emma back to us. On that Saturday, we decided to go see Lake Eerie. We drove up to a place called Put-In-Bay, and took a ferry out to a small island. Interesting is the only way I know to describe that trip. I’ll let the pictures speak for themselves…

*Just a little note about Emma and the large, stuffed bird…. We stopped at this little restaurant/pub when got to the island. They had this little local band playing that Emma apparently loved. Everyone there thought it was really fun to watch her dance, so they decided to bring her a partner. Their plan backfired and she freaked out, not letting go of her Uncle. It was slightly amusing.

1 comment August 25, 2008