Bring it on Home to Me

A message from Jay:

I reckon it's about time I said something to the cheering masses..."I'm coming home...made up my mind, that's what I'm gonna do...can'tlove nobody on the telephone...I'm coming home to you!" Ok maybe thatwasn't for the masses but my large-and-in-charge wife (read: big girl).Thanks to everyone who helped out Lauren Lea, AJ and the Killer Dogwhile I was busy playing soldier. I'm much obliged for all the love andsupport everyone gave to my ladies. My unit should be leaving soon tomake the long voyage home. I hope you all will pray for us because I amterrified of flying. Or maybe just not being in control of the hugechunk of metal being hurled through the atmosphere...

Lauren Lea is definitely the more gifted blogger so I will let her takethe reins back, but I wanted to thank everyone again for taking greatcare of my lovely ladies. See you all soon!

Jay

2 Weeks and Counting!

Oh my goodness can you believe that it's almost June. Crazy! My giddiness is getting a little out of control, hehe :) Less than two weeks and Jay is back in the states. It looks like it will be a very close call come early June...the combat boots are running head to head with Abigail Jane's little tootsies. It might come down to a photo finish. Oh lets be honest, there will definitely be photos.

My doctor's appointment yesterday was very exciting! I really didn't think anything was going to happen since it was so close to my last appointment, but as he was doing an ultrasound, I was apparently having contractions, haha. I didn't even know it. He told me and I said, "What seriously?". I couldn't feel anything. The only way he could show me was to have me feel my belly. The uterus was like a rock near the top, I just thought that meant she was sticking her butt in the air, haha. I had a couple of them during the ultrasound, so he decided he would check my cervix and apparently it is ripening quite nicely. It has thinned out a lot but hasn't dilated any. I asked what that meant and he said well he couldn't say anything for certain, but that I was probably not going to make it to full term (40 weeks). So that being said, it looks like we are only a few weeks away. Today, I am 36 weeks! That means she may be coming in 2 to 3 weeks, CRAZY!!!

I was so anxious to talk to Jay and tell him this astounding news that our little girl seems to be in a rush to meet us. I bet she's trying to get in on the baseball action too. My guess is she is shooting to make it before the College World Series or the Astros-Yankees series. Wouldn't that be nice! Let's hope those Aggies don't continue to choke at the end of their season.

Anyway back to telling Jay...after he caught his breath and finally finished a complete phrase which ended up being "Oh boy"...he said that I needed to do everything I could to keep her cookin' for a little longer. He reminded me that he can't obviously drive from Afghanistan. I just told him to make sure there are no delays in his return and I'll do my best to not pass out from this exhausting Texas heat and that was all I could promise. Needless to say, I think I shocked him a little with that news. I love that!

I guess we are as ready as we are going to be...I hope you all are as well. I know its going to be a shock seeing Jay and I holding our little angel, so just make sure you're all prepared. I don't go back to the Dr. again for two weeks. Crazy, I know! The doctor even said, well I hope you still have a baby in there when I see you again. haha...I guess we'll see!

In the Home Stretch Now!

So the mountain man finally came down from his lonely look out. His call was the best birthday present ever! He was a little out of it at 3 am his time, but I'll take whatever I can get. He's so sweet when he is delirious. After 24 days of solitude, no hygiene what so ever and sleeping on rocks, Jay and his fellow un-bathed com padres finally heard the beautiful bird arriving to take them back to the oh so civilized Bagram. That's gotta be an oxymoron. And on top of that, it does sound like he's pretty much done with his duty and waiting around for his trip home. What a way to end a 6 month long deployment. He has about 2 weeks left at Bagram filled with out processing and a few more meetings before returning to good old Georgia. His estimation of return to the states is around the first of June. And as we have all learned with Army intelligence, this means nothing, no definites and can change at any time. But Guys...We Are In The Home Stretch Now!

After all the missions and the delectable MRE's (dehydrated meals), Jay's protein bulked body that he left with has depleted to a much leaner muscular version as was expected. I guess he's similar to when he arrived back from Basic Training. You all remember the slim jim at the alter touting a waist size very close to mine. haha just kidding. Although I am very worried that between his loss and my gain we are getting dangerously close to meeting in the middle.

As for me, the baby shower this past weekend was a great family and close friend gathering to end the shower season. My Aunt Dale and Jeanette threw a wonderful brunch for many ooohing and awwing ladies. There was a platter of adorable Abigail cookies and a fabulous cranberry punch. (Isn't it funny how I always must comment on the food and beverages, haha). We received so many great gifts, cute outfits, and very useful supplies of diapers and wipes. My mom and I were successful putting the stroller and carrier together the next day. That was a great reality to see sitting in the living room!

Furthermore, I had a great time celebrating the holiday weekend with Jay's family who were able to come down and stay with us out at the lake house. A little shopping and dining in Gruene and bbqing and lounging out at the lake made for an incredibly relaxing Mother's Day and Birthday! Killer obviously had a exhausting time playing with my cousin Nicole and nephew Nicholas.

Oh and on top of all that I finally had another Drs. Appt with a different doctor this time. The new doctor was really nice. He looked younger but claims to have 7 children ranging from 2 yrs to 15 yrs, wow. Jay don't get any ideas! The ultrasound was very quick and I only managed to get one picture out of them. Its of her face and you can make out the nose, lips and supposedly she is sticking her tongue out a little. Like my dad does when he is concentrating. haha. She is weighing in at 4lbs 14oz right now. I also talked with him about the next few weeks and what they would entail. After not having an appointment for a month, I will now be going every week. goodness. He said that he would start checking my progress around 37 weeks. I am 35 weeks and 2 days now. He is aware of our situation and again said that there won't be a reevaluated due date until probably early June. That is really all I have to report, but as I said I will go again in a week. I doubt I will have anything new then either though because I can't really see what they are going to do. Oh and good news, they didn't weigh me so I am still ignorant to the fact that I quite possibly weigh the same or more than Jay due to his deployment diet. You better start hoovering those power bars babe!

April Showers Bring May Flowers

I am sorry my posts are coming fewer and farther between. There just seems to be so much happening that I can't get a moment to capture it all in a short and sweet blog entry. The last couple of weeks have been a whirlwind of baby celebrations. So many wonderful friends got together to celebrate Abigail Jane's upcoming arrival. April 19th Cathy Beicker and Glenda Moreno (two lovely mothers of friends of mine who I have known forever) hosted a come and go shower which celebrated both a mom-to-be and a grandma-to-be. It was a great laid back chit chat party with ladies' nibblets and some amazing lime sherbet punch. Unfortunately all of the great moments were captured in my memory and not on paper. I had a spurt of mommy-memory-loss and didn't pull my camera out for anything.

The next day my parents and I drove to Houston to say Hello to our good friends, the Astros. I am sure you have heard of them, the madmen of Minute Maid Park. The weather was great so the roof was open and it wasn't too crowded. My mom did, however, have to give up her seat for the handicap section since she was still sporting her immobilizer and couldn't quite make it down the steps to our seats. But Dad and I took turns keeping her company. We are sure our presence at the Sunday game was what sparked a fire in the 'stros' bats and started a nice little winning streak. It was the least we could do after all the joy and frustration they have given us over the years.

The following weekend, April 26th, I had another shower which included the gals from high school and their mothers. I did actually remember to pull my camera out for this get together. Molly Oehlke and Liz Sedlacek did an amazing job with the luncheon at El Ranchito. My face was hurting so much from consistent laughing and smiling caused by reminiscing hilarious moments from our teenage years. It was so nice to see all those girls again. I must say we are all looking quite beautiful in our maturity. Many other friends from Mom and Dad's offices and out of town guests joined in the celebration as well.

We have received so many wonderful gifts from everyone at all the showers. Every one's enormous generosity is so overwhelming. Jay and I are so grateful to have such caring friends and family who continue to keep us in their hearts. We are so blessed to have such a large circle of faith and friendship. Thank you all again for celebrating our little miracle's upcoming debut.

The other reason I was slow to get back to you all, was my lack of contact with Jay and not having anything to update. He left on a 2 week, no contact, mission just before my last entry and said he would not be in touch again for a couple of weeks. It was to be early May before we heard from him again. I have been anxiously awaiting early May to get here, and as of this afternoon I had not heard a peep, not an email, nor a call. But thankfully when I got home today (Saturday), after a fun filled day in San Antonio watching Daniel's 7 on 7 football tournament, I discovered an email from Sgt. Blair, Jay's direct superior and friend:

Lauren Lea,
Hey, I'm writing to let you know that your husband has been extended on his mission by 5 days at his current location. He will be back around the 10th. He just wanted me to let you know. He is doing a great job out there.
Sean Blair

Good to know! And that's all I've got on Jay, haha. At least it's something. We'll take what we can get. He just knew I would be wondering what was going on after not hearing anything by now. I sent on my love and immense gratitude to Sgt. Blair for his update. I am not sure if you are all aware, but Jay was accepted to OCS (Officer Candidate School) recently and will be attending probably early next year. This will mean a new standing as a soldier and a new job. We do not know what his next job will be or where he'll be working after he passes OCS and becomes an officer, but we will most likely be moving again in about a year.

One last note...One of my favorite qualities that I think makes Texas so beautiful is that we have such an amazing array of wildlife and vegetation. May is a gorgeous month for wildflowers as we all have noticed while driving down our Texas highways. But one of my favorite wildflowers is one not seen on the highways, in front of city hall, or by "Welcome to Our Town" signs; it is the one whose blooms soften and brighten up a harsh unpopular plant growing all over south Texas. The cactus blossoms open up in shades of golden yellows, vibrant oranges and fiery reds. I feel so lucky every year because they always bloom right around my birthday. They are such a beautiful surprise amongst the May flowers. I hope you are noticing them as you drive down your neighboring country roads because this is the cactus's one shining moment all year long. I think they deserve our attention for these few weeks of spring. Love you guys, talk to you again soon!

Abigail Update

Here's the latest as of last Monday:

Well the doctor's appointment went really well today! The doctor looked at her brain with the ultrasound and he determined that the "holding tanks" for the fluid passing through the brain which were larger than normal didn't increase in size. They are the same as three weeks ago. Which he said was great news. He still wants to do the MRI because he says it wouldn't hurt anything. The Dr forgot to schedule it so I didn't do one today, but the radiology dept should call soon to set up an MRI some time in the next few weeks. It was so nice to hear that.

I asked about the gestational diabetes results and he at first thought he remembered that my numbers were high on that too, and he said he was waiting to pass along the bad news until later in the appt. He checked again and thank God he was wrong. we all giggled because it just couldn't have been me. not another thing wrong.

We talked a little about pediatricians. I asked what would happen regarding my situation since I would be departing from the hospital soon after the baby was born. He said the baby would definitely be monitored after birth...meaning she would most likely have an ultrasound or MRI done on her head after birth sometime. He also said if there was no cause for immediate concern than we could probably just go back to Augusta ensuring there would be good Dr's there to keep tabs on her.

I also mentioned to him that I was hoping to do a natural birth without meds. He said that the meds might be helpful during labor regarding my Chrone's and minimizing the stress on my body. He said that they would be monitoring the baby so my ability to move around would be some what limited to just the room. Which sounded fine to me. I don't need to be showing off that sexy hospital gown to the entire natal wing.

I reminded him that we are looking to get this baby out before June 19th and he laughed. I mentioned that the situation with Jay was the same (having to make a call that said "ok start driving") I also asked if he would for sure be the one delivering me, and he said that is a good possibility that it won't. He remembered that he had mentioned to me that I would need one of the more experienced doctors to handle the delivery since I have concerns regarding my chrone's. Apparently there are very few inexperienced ob's at Wilford Hall since they deliver about 200 babies a month! wow!

Overall, I left the doctors with a great sense of relief. Although, I hadn't allowed myself to get worked up over the news from the last appointment, it was great to hear that she is doing well. She is weighing in at 3lbs 4oz. now. She is just below avg on her size for this age. But she has stayed consistently just below avg on size over the last 8-12 weeks. She is really starting to look like a human being and less like a bony alien. It was great seeing her round face on the screen. She loves putting her hands in front of her face, so we only really see a little at a time. Either shy or doesn't like pictures. Knowing Jay and I she can't be shy...

Her femur bone is about 5 centimeters long which is about 2-3 inches I think. Her belly is about 7 inches long and her head about 9.5 centimeters...from that the Dr. told me she is about 14 inches long right now. Isn't that neat! Anyway...I think that is all that happened. I go back in exactly one month, so May 14th. I meet with one of Dr. Fausett's partners. That will be helpful to meet him because he could possibly be delivering me too. I can't wait to see what she'll look like then, and how big she'll be then too. oh my!

I hope all of you are well. Talk to you all soon. Lauren Lea

P.S. Sorry no pictures this time, feet and hands were all up in the way.

And The Fun Continues...

So when we last left off, I was recapping my magnificent month of March which ended with a weekend in the DFW area. The weekend was planned, as usual, to include several visits with family and friends over delectable meals. Eat, drink, and be merry seems to be the reoccurring theme of our visits to the metroplex. I love that!

As you read in a previous entry, I enjoyed a indulgent dinner with friends at a Cuban restaurant and an ice cream sandwich shop. Well the next day was a great celebration of family and friends going googoo-gaga over onsies, washcloths, fluffy toys, and tiny shoes while nibbling on lovely finger foods and bite size desserts. My sister-in-law, Vicki, aunt-in-law, Toni, and cousin-in-law, Melissa, threw me a very sweet baby shower at Jay's mom's church. I was definitely the larger-than-life of the party surprising many guests with my large belly. Jay and I received so many nice gifts including some top notch sarcastic baby-ware, a clamp-to-the-table high chair, and Abigail's first piece of jewelry. My very sneaky husband surprised me with a gift at the shower which was snuck in to the party by my even sneakier mother-in-law, Betty. Jay's adorable surprise was an ID bracelet which Betty had engraved with "Abigail" on one side and "Daddy" on the other. You can't surprise a pregnant woman with something like that and not be prepared for the waterworks... Thank you all so much again for celebrating "Peanut's" upcoming arrival.

I then had a lovely brunch with Jay's dad, Mike, at which we caught up on his newly retired life, scouts, and Jay, who amazingly must have realized we were talking about him because he phoned during brunch. He had great timing and was able to visit with his dad over the phone. It was so nice to see Mike and hear all about his retirement adventures. It's great to hear that his time is filled with so many rewarding activities. The brunch was the perfect combination of breakfast, lunch, and family to start the day off right.

Sunday turned out to be a gorgeous day to be outside, and why not while your outside, do some walking to raise some money for a very important cause. Jay's mother, Betty, was diagnosed with MS (Multiple Sclerosis) several years ago and has been walking in the MS walk ever since. This year she invited her family to walk with her, and we were honored to support her and MS research. However, we did a little more than just show up on Sunday with our tennis shoes on...we surprised Betty (a.k.a. BeBe) with t-shirts for everyone advertising "Team BeBe" which she of course welcomed with tears of joy. :) We also managed to raise $800 as a team...oh and this ragtag group of supporters I am referring to included Betty, her husband Howard, her sister Toni and her 7 year old daughter Betsy, her niece Melissa and her 5 month old daughter Sofia, her daughter Vicki and her 5 year old son Nicholas, and finally her daughter-in-law, yours truly, and her fetus "Peanut". When I said ragtag, I meant it...Look at us sportin' those doo-rags.


The walk, also known as "the race" to the kids, was great fun. We all walked the entire 3 miles together and finished victoriously. Nicholas, who was determined to defeat the entire family, decided it was better to win the race hand in hand with our team leader, BeBe. She, of course, crossed the finished line in tears...but let's be honest, preggo here was fightin' the tears back as well. Damn Hormones! haha. We all walked so hard that day...that the old-timers and preggo were all konked out by 8pm, haha. Party On! It looks like we all will be walking again next year. We were pretty good at the fundraising side and are only going to get better, so keep that in mind when your phone rings next spring.

I won't be gone long this time...I have another ultrasound on Monday, so maybe a few more good shots of Baby Warren. I will also be updating the belly shot again soon. It's amazing that this thing can still get bigger. Catch you later dudes!

Ain't Nothin' Gonna Slow Me Down...Oh No...I've Got to Keep on Movin'

I hope some of you sang that entry title with me...and if you didn't, you need to get with it. :)

Well being preggo doesn't seem to slow me down one bit. I had a few fun filled weekends recently that I haven't been able to share with you all yet. I was blessed to spend a weekend in Houston with Renee, a weekend with my sister/family for Easter, and a weekend in DFW for a baby shower. I got into all sorts of shenanigans from staying up to all hours of the nights to wearing myself out enough to pass out at 8pm. That's how we preggos get down.

Houston was great. The Kristyniks and I reminisced about old times and previous visits. Renee (Nea) and I had a lot of catching up to do. We partied hard on movies until 2am one night. Nea couldn't hang with the preggo though. Amateurs...haha. Ronnie (her dad) fired up the boilers the other night and we feasted on crawfish, shrimp, sausage, potatoes, and corn. Abigail did alright with the spicy food especially when I washed it down with few cold O'Douls. Haha. Good times are always had with the Kristyniks in Houston. Looking forward to the next time when Jay and Abigail can join in the fun.

When I made it back to Seguin, I had to drive straight to the hospital to aide my mom, the new patient. She slipped and broke her knee cap the last day I was in Houston. She was out of surgery and recovering by Monday afternoon. She was determined to be back on her feet by the time Angie and Nick arrived, and she did it! Strong woman. We all got our fill of Mexican food, the Lenten meal of choice for our family.

There were several activities that weekend. Between the Leyendecker's Good Friday picnic, Angie and Nick's 10 year high school reunion, and the Zorn Olympics several memories were made. Of those, the most memorable being a pregnant woman suspended in the air at the height of an egg toss match. In short...my foot slipped...I became super-preggo-woman flying through the air...and thankfully hands hit first, then leg, then belly. No damage done. Tears of laughter were shared by all.

For those of you who aren't familiar with the Zorn Olympics, let me just share with you the best idea for family fun on any holiday. A time honored tradition has commenced on Easter Sunday at the Schwarzlose/Magin property for many years known as the Zorn Olympics. The various games have evolved with the times but several classic competitions have always remained in the line up such as the Potatoe Sack Race, Three Legged Race, Egg Toss, and Scavenger Hunt. The 2008 games were altered due to a certain fat lady, whom will remain nameless, who wasn't able to fit into a potatoe sack and who's ankles were too swollen to do the Three Legged Race, to include the modern Wii Bowling, the vintage washers, horseshoes, and dominoes. Couples compete for reign over all the family, and a year's worth of bragging rights. There may also be a prize involved.

Well that is far as I can go tonight...please check back later for the conclusion of this entry which will include my recent awesome adventure to the Arlington area. You got a sneak peek in the last entry with the Cuban food and Pokey-O's. But don't think that was all the excitement...there was much much more! Including a joyful tearful surprise, sarcastic/humerous babyware, and a cracker jack team of supporters that crossed the finish line for a great cause! Be back again soon.