Getting in the Spirit

Tis the season to.....
1. Decorate the house
2. Enjoy the time with the puppies
before Reece's arrival
3. Drink extra Starbucks

4. Deal with idiotic people.

Let me start with the latter...

Yesterday we went to have our 3D/4D sonogram at the doctors office. We were so looking forward to seeing little Reece's face and hands and ears and well everything in "real" form. All was fine and dandy until I asked so we are going to get a DVD along with the pictures correct? And the temp sonographer said - oh no, you only get 8 still pictures. We showed her the pamphlet and it clearly stated for the package we were purchasing, we were to receive a DVD. Come to find out... she had never used it in that way - duh. She also didn't know how to work the machine. The office supervisor found the "owner manuals" and they began an all out search on how to do the 3D and save pictures. The doctor thought he knew how but in the end didn't. So the office lady decided to call the previous sonographer on her cell to have her describe how to make it all work. This is after 30 minutes of me lying on the table with goop on my belly. Not to mention, the exam room was literally 90 degrees. The heater in the office was on as was the extreme heat radiating from the machine. I had to take off my sweater and was in my little cami... which prior to prego was cute... not so much anymore. Anyway, finally after an hour of nothing - she was still "on a mission to find out how to... " - Monty rescheduled it for next Friday - for free.. and with someone else. So much for a "specialized sonographer."

This is where the 3D picture would have gone...

Decorating the house seems to be a much bigger chore this year than in previous years. We are doing fewer decorations because we will be in Cali for Christmas - Monty didn't even want to put the tree up this year! Pish-posh...

Here I am in all my glory - 28 weeks a.k.a. 7 months... starting to decorate the tree.

As far as Starbucks, well... my decaf drinks are becoming a great cool/freezing weather treat - one day a decaf nonfat misto, the next a decaf pumpkin spice nonfat latte - and if I am really daring....a half- caff...but watch out.. sometimes this brings on a stare or two from the Barista's. Luckily, our neighborhood ones know us well and they don't care. :)

I have to go to bed now... my sides are so tight I think I may pop! More to come later...including some Thanksgiving info!

Happy and Healthy

Reece's cute face!

I think he has the Parsons' family chin - and such a big eyeball!

Our appointment on Friday with the prenatal specialist doctor was very informative. He is measuring a week and a few days ahead of my due date - which from what I have learned, means that he's a big baby. The nurse even chuckled when she said - "oh he has a big head." Interestingly enough, I did not find that funny at all. The doctor did a thorough examination of all of his 2,000 parts to make sure everything was okay - heart, liver, kidney, limbs, brain, etc. But most importantly he said that Reece's heart was perfect. We were so relieved to hear that he was healthy and a "fine looking baby." We were a little nervous at first because the Dr. wanted to know why we didn't do any further screening after my first trimester screenings - well because your office told us not to! Kinda freaked us out but after his extensive screening, everything was all betta!

Drumroll please!!.......

TBN is no longer....

He now has an "official" name.

Reece Kennedy

actually...

Jackson Reece Kennedy

Like his dad, and almost all the other boys on the Montgomery side, Reece will go by his middle name. Now as I write this, Monty is giving me a little slack because I won't pinkie promise on the name, but I will write it on here. I can always change it if he comes out and is NOT a Reece, but if a pinkie promise is made.. well...

here's mom -

Obviously, I have a child growing in my belly... tomorrow is the beginning of my 24th week. Technically, I have been preg for 6 months- 4 x 6= 24 (basic facts are in the fore front of my mind-- 4th grade is in the middle of a big multiplication unit!)... but actually it's been since June. But in pregnancy terms, I am 6 months pregnant! Yay!

Anyway, this weekend was great. Monty and the boys went to see the Black Crowes in concert Friday night and had a blast. Brandi and I had girls night out at Campari's in Plano - very good Italian food. Saturday, we spent the afternoon painting pumpkins with some of our friends from the Mosaic House. It's our ABF's (adult bible fellowship) service project. The are 6 men who live in a house together and we hang out and do fun stuff together. They are all probably in their 40's but function on the level of a 5 year old. It was a blast - I don't think that any of the pumpkins had a face on them, but they were sure covered from stem to the bottom in globs of paint. Look for pictures of our Christmas event -- Monty is predicted to be in a Santa outfit! :)

A funny thing happened with Marley on Saturday- he turned into a greased pig... (keep a hillbilly song in your head while reading this).... he had just gotten home from his grooming and decided to be stubborn and not listen to his dad. Instead of going inside, he escaped and ran to the neighbors fence to bark at their Apricot Poodle - Courtney. He was running through our legs and around the trees - all the while, I could not stop laughing. Monty, on the other hand, was not laughing and said in a stern voice that it just wasn't funny. Well, just as soon as Monty caught him, Marley wiggled backwards out of his collar and ran to the front of our house. Even the ever popular "treat treat" didn't coax the poor little chunker back inside. Monty finally got him inside, and I accidentally, didn't close the back door or garage door - and he was out again. Which of course caused Monty to get more frustrated and me to laugh even harder. Our neighbor behind us, and Monty, were hunched over with their hands hanging low and chasing Marley. Monty corned him in their garage and had to carry him home. It was seriously so funny. He's so chunky yet has a great sprint when need be!
:)

This Thursday, we head back to the perinatal testing center for a specialized sonogram on Reece's heart. When I had my early first trimester screening, some of my data - measurements and such - came back as a little high. So they recommend that I go back in my 24th week for a check. I feel totally fine and at peace. The sonographer at my obgyn's office said it's the coolest thing to watch and experience- plus another sonogram is always great.

As always, we love you all and thank you for your thoughts and especially your prayers!

Great Weekend~

This is weekend was the reason why fall is my favorite season. In California, you don't really have a fall season in which the weather starts to change and the air smells better. But when we woke up Saturday - we needed jackets for the walk, a cup of hot chocolate to warm our hands, and a the quintessential driver to manuver through the crazy morning traffic (thanks babe!) The Race for the Cure was awesome - Monty ran the race in 26 minutes and the rest of the Joggin' For Jugs crew walked across the finish line an hour and 35 minutes after the race started. It's kinda hard to move at a quick pace when there are way over 20,000 people squished and corraled onto the street.

The look backdown the road...

Brandi, Jamie, Me, and Amanda- pre-walk!
The boys watching college football after brunch at our house...

This weekend was so full of friends and relaxation. We are beginning to cherish our time together as a couple and prepare for the arrival of TBN.

.. the cutest face ever...

The pitiful me look that gets us everytime!

First Post!

Well, after many directives from friends, I have set up a blog. Not quite sure what to put on here yet since baby TBN has not arrived. So, I guess in the mean time it will be a page all about ME!!! YAY.... j.k. I just have to figure out how to make pictures shrink and stuff like that. Lucky for me, my kiddos are taking benchmark tests so, I have a moment to work on this.

This weekend is our annual participation in the Dallas Race for the Cure. It's always a good time - especially getting up at the b-crack of dawn to walk with 10,000 people through the city of Dallas...thankfully it's in the pretty part of town. Our team is "Joggin' for Jugs" since that is exactly what we are doing. Coincidently, I have celebrated my 3 year diagnosis date over the weekend and will meet with my oncologist tomorrow for my first check-in after 6 months. The best part about it is that she has no idea I am pregnant! After my last visit in April, we were given the go ahead to get pregnant... 8 weeks later I saw the 2 pink lines! So it will be exciting to show her and the staff my budda belly and also to prove that no kind of stinking chemo can kill my eggs! They are survivors too!!

Well best be off to monitor the test taking....

Back now at home to add some pics and stuff to the page....

TBN's little bitty foot.

Betsy, Cheryl, and Me at Kristin's Wedding 9/30/07

The SM crew at Kristin & Chris's Wedding