This is our life!

4 Months and Growing

2009-05-31T00:54:00.004-05:00

Rhett is the most amazing little boy! I know, I know! Every parent feels that way about their child. But I'm not kidding you, he rocks! He had his 4 month check-up. Dude likes to eat! He weighed in at 15 pounds 13 ounces (up 3 pounds exactly in two months)!!! He was 24 inches long. He seems to be on schedule developmentally. He learned how to roll from his tummy to his back. Which is great, except when it's time for him to go to sleep and he's a bit fussy and he rolls himself onto his back...then he doesn't want to go to sleep cause he's on his back. We have to go flip him back over. Speaking of sleep, he's super good at it! He sleeps about 12 hours a night. Sometimes it's a little less, but for the most part that's about what he gets. I'm afraid to even think about having another child. We're completely spoiled with Rhett.

His latest thing is his oral development. He loves his tongue. He is a drool factory. We are constantly wiping his mouth. He loves to blow spit bubbles. It is so much fun watching him grow. He loves to smile and coo and giggle. We discovered that when the dog barks, he thinks it's absolutely hilarious! I'm hoping to get a video of that. It's really funny. He can sit for about a half second before he topples over, but he's working on it. He pushes up on his elbows when he's on his tummy. Just this last week he starting rolling onto his side from his back. So I'm sure that the rolling over and over is not far away. It's just about time to do some baby proofing. I think our neighbor is going to help us build some sort of cabinet for our tv. Right now all of the wires and Brandon's games are exposed and ready for baby to put them in his mouth!

Things are going well at work. It re-certification time so it's a little extra busy. But that should be over this week. Thankfully! Brandon is LOVING being a stay-at-home dad. He's starting to get his routine. He takes Rhett for walks to the park every night. I have to be honest and say that I'm completely jealous. But I know that one day things will be different. I'm just Brandon's sugar mamma right now! LOL But things are good. We are definitely a very happy family.

We have a few trips planned for this summer that we are looking forward to. The first is at the end of July. It's Brandon's family reunion that we go to every year. It's in North Texas this year, just before the Oklahoma border. That should be fun. We'll get to show off Rhett to all of that family and his Nana and Grandpa (Dedecek and Babička if I have my way, Czech for Grandpa and Grandma). Then in August we are going home to WA!!! I am so extremely excited for this. Rhett will get to meet his great-grandparents and the rest of my siblings, not to mention see his Grandma and Grandpa Burton! I can't wait. Then in October we are going to NY for our friends wedding. Should be a very exciting summer! I'm a little nervous to fly with Rhett but I think he'll do great. Well that's about it for us for now!

The Joy of Motherhood

2009-03-06T13:19:00.005-06:00

I have been meaning to post another blog for quite some time now. I guess I have just been busy with other things. Like my 7 week old baby boy! So now that I have a few moments, I thought I'd give you a little bit about how motherhood has been for me.

To be honest, it has been a bit surreal...especially at first. Its strange how one moment you're pregnant and the next you have this little person that depends on you for everything. I love being a mom and wouldn't change it for the world. I try to remember what life was like before "mom" became a part of my vocabulary and honestly, it's a bit difficult. As you all probably know, pregnancy was a bit difficult for me. While I was pregnant, becoming pregnant again was the farthest thing from my mind. But now that I have Rhett, I think I could suffer through another pregnancy if my next baby is to be anything like him. He's wonderful.

The first few weeks were rough. I was extremely sore from breastfeeding and up a lot during the night. Brandon was working and going to school. During the week it was only me up with him at night. Needless to say, I was sleep deprived. But we made it through. Rhett sleeps pretty well these days. There have been a few occasions where he has slept 7 hours. Granted, those nights are sparse. But on average he sleeps a good 4 hours, wakes up to eat and goes back to sleep for another 4 hours. He is so precious. I just can't get over the feeling of how blessed we are.

Things are about to change in the Simek household. Today was Brandon's last day at work. He is now officially a stay-at-home dad! I'm very proud of him for this. He will still be going to school. Right now, he only has school 2 days a week. This is good because it makes working for me much easier. I start back to work on Tuesday March 10th. I'm pretty nervous about the transition. Part of me worries that I've forgotten how to be a nurse. I know that I'll be fine but will most likely ask a lot of dumb questions. I'm also nervous about having to pump at work. How will I have time? Will my milk supply decrease? I bought a pump when Rhett was about 3 weeks old and have been pumping and freezing milk. I am also able to have enough to feed him a bottle every night. So right now, we're okay. I'm just paranoid. I never thought I was a worry-wart...then I became a mom! Going back to work is going to be tough and I will cry...shoot I already have! However, I'm very thankful that I have a job to go back to and that we are able to keep Rhett out of daycare! I'm just going to miss him so much!

In other news, Rhett is 7 weeks old today! He has reached a few milestones already in his short little life. He began smiling a ton. I love making him smile. He likes it when you clap his hands. He is also much more aware of his hands and feet. He waves them all around. He has his 2 month well-baby visit scheduled for the 20th. I know he has to get shots. I just feel so bad for him, but it has to be done. He's a strong boy, he'll survive! (But will I?)

I think that's about it for now. We're just enjoying the time that we have together as a new little family. We've enjoyed having the multiple visitors that we've had. Rhett is a much loved little man. My parents and sister Emily were here when he was born. Then Brandon's mother was here for a weekend and then his father the next. Rhett met his Uncle Russell and (someday officially) Aunt Lindsey. Just last week his Uncle Jeremiah and Aunt Madi were here from Washington for a visit! That was extremely special for me. I am trying to convince them to move to Texas. Jeremiah was down with the idea but Madi was a bit skeptical. My family in Washington wasn't too thrilled with the idea either! Rhett made his first road trip while they were here. We went to San Antonio! He is officially a Texan now...he saw the Alamo!

He did really well but ended up with a nasty diaper rash (his first!) It was so sad. We hated changing his diaper because he would just scream. It was even so raw at one point that he was bleeding...talk about a heart breaker! Thank goodness for Butt Paste! That stuff is a miracle worker! His rash is all healed up now and he is a much happier boy!

Okay, that's really all for now. Until next time! Check out his videos on YouTube...

http://www.youtube.com/user/jennaloree

Rhett James Simek

2009-01-23T16:18:00.004-06:00

On January 16 2009 at 9:58 am, Brandon and I were blessed with a precious baby boy. It was an uncomplicated, very fast delivery. I went in Thursday evening for an elective induction that would take place Friday morning. However, my body had different plans in mind. I had been contracting all day Thursday but they weren't consistent and not very painful. By 3am the contractions were really starting to hurt and by 7 I was asking for an epidural. I spontaneously broke my bag of water shortly after 7. That is when the real pain started. The contractions before this hurt, but these were really intense and coming one right on top of the other. The anesthesiologist finally showed up to start my epidural. Waiting for him felt like forever. I was also shaking really bad. My mind was telling me that I was cold. By the time the doctor got there it was probably 80 degrees in the delivery room. Sorry Dr. Monteiro! :) After all the education and warnings about the epidural were read, it was finally placed shortly after 8. I received about 30 minutes of relief before the contractions really started hurting again. At one point my nurse was asking me if my nose ring could come out and if I had any other jewelery on in case they needed to do a c-section. She wasn't sure because I was having so much pain despite the epidural. Also Rhett's heart rate kept dropping. Some time around 915, my doctor showed up to say hello. He had a few comical remarks about how he thought he would be delivering me later on that afternoon. Nobody thought I would go so fast, especially since it was my first time. It was then that the nurse checked me . She soon realized why I was having so much discomfort. From the time just before my epidural was placed, probably around 730, to now, I had gone from 3cm to 9 1/2 (about an hour and a half). She said I just had a little bit of cervix left and then it would be time to push. I did a few practices pushes with the nurse when she told me to stop pushing. Rhett was about to enter this world and I guess she wanted the doctor there to deliver him. :) My doctor showed up just in time. I pushed through one more contraction and then Rhett was here! I pushed for a total of 8 minutes! When he came out, he had the cord wrapped around his neck twice. Thus the reason that his heart rate had dropped the whole time I was trying to get him out. It's a miracle that my labor went as quickly as it did. Otherwise I'm sure he would have been delivered in a crash c-section because of his heart rate. As the doctor and nurses were trying to get the cord cut or flipped over his head, he decided to propel the rest of the way out of the birthing canal. He somersaulted out and the doctor nearly dropped him!!! NO JOKE!!! I couldn't really see, but I remember hearing my doctor say, "I got him, I got him! I haven't dropped one yet!" Rhett was pretty slippery. His name does mean "fiery". What were we thinking naming him that? There was some laughter over all of this. Once the cord was taken off of his neck, his color improved tremendously. He was just a little gray at first. He is absolutely amazing! We are in love and feel truly blessed!

Per hospital policy we had to stay two nights. I was pretty bummed about this. I was just anxious to get my little guy home. My blood pressure had crept up slightly on my last few prenatal visits. It remained slightly elevated during the delivery and after. It was still higher than my norm when I was discharged. I guess it's not too high because nobody was too alarmed by it. Being a cardiac nurse, see a systolic blood pressure in the 130's isn't bad! I see much higher! Other than that, I really have had no complications. Rhett took to breast feeding like a champ! It's been a little painful for me, but it's slowly getting better. Our first night home was really rough. Rhett was awake and wanting to nurse every hour. But after that he must have set his schedule because he's been sleeping great at night. He nurses frequently throughout the day and then sleeps for a good 3-4 hour block at night. I am so thankful! Shoot, who knows, he could be sleeping through the night by 6 weeks.

Rhett was 6 pounds 9 ounces at birth. At discharge, he had dropped 9% of his birth weight and was only 6 pounds. The pediatrician that discharged him was a little concerned about this and told us to follow-up with his pediatrician the next day. We did and he maintained his weight. He was still 6 pounds, in grams he had actually gone up slightly. We had another weight check when he was 6 days old. His weight had gone up 4 ounces in 3 days and the doctor was very pleased. He last weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces. His 2 week well-baby check is today (1/29). Hopefully he's back up to his birth weight or more.

We are so blessed by this little boy. I can't believe how much your life changes in just an instant. It's no longer about me, but about this perfect little person. I can't stop starring at him. I kiss him all the time. He is just too precious for words. Thank you Lord for giving us this beautiful, precious boy. He truly is a miracle.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Holy Smokes I'm 28!

2008-08-23T12:06:00.003-05:00

Yes another year has come and gone. This birthday was a little different from the last. I guess for the obvious reason that I'm knocked up! I was just a whole lot more mellow. I think it's exhausting growing a baby! Brandon had a party for me and all my friends came over. It was a lot of fun and so great to know that I'm so loved. Thanks guys! It's just weird how much things change as you get older. I'm feeling pretty old! :) It's okay though because the majority of my friends will always be older. ha ha love you guys! You're amazing. Thanks for a wonderful birthday!

IT'S A BOY!!!

2008-08-23T11:47:00.005-05:00

I figured it was high time I got on here and posted about the news we received this week. Brandon and I are going to have a son. I have to be honest is saying that I've been in somewhat of a state of shock these past couple days. I swore and totally had myself convinced that it was a girl...even to the extent that I was really calling him a her in my head whenever I thought about the baby. When the sonographer said it was a boy, I could not believe it. But the shock has begun to set in and I'm looking forward to having a little boy in the house. I know Brandon is going to LOVE being a daddy to a little boy. We have surprisingly already settled on a name. This too was surprising for me. But we've had this name picked out for quite some time, even before talking about having kids. Our son will be named Rhett James Simek. Once we found out it was a boy and it all became real, I kinda didn't like the name anymore. But now I'm using it a lot and talking to him using his name (my book says he can already recognize my voice). And well, it's all setting in. I have a son named Rhett James Simek. How crazy is that!

As far as my appointment went, all looks grand. I'm still having nausea and my doctor is now saying that some women suffer the entire time...lucky me! I guess he's giving up on giving me false hope that this will dissipate. Because of all the nausea and zero, actually I gained 8/10 of a pound, weight gain I was concerned about Rhett. I hoped he was growing and getting all he needed but was so unsure. He is. All of his measurements came back great. He's exactly where he should be. He weighs 10 ounces already!!! I couldn't believe it. Last Sunday I began feeling him move. At first I thought I was feeling him move to which my husband plainly told me was gas! It kept happening and I now know it's him moving. Now that I know what I'm feeling it's so amazing to have that reassurance of him moving around in my belly. He was very active for the ultrasound too.

So all is well with our baby. Just growing right along. My belly is getting a little bigger too. :)
Have a great weekend. We're off to register for baby stuff! I'm so excited!

Ahhh Life

2008-08-13T12:40:00.005-05:00

Wow, where do I begin? It seems like so much has happened since my last blog. For starters, I am 18 weeks today. I guess I should take a picture of my rapidly growing tummy and put it on here for ya. I may just do that. It's odd, I feel like my tummy is getting bigger but I haven't gained a pound. I'm still about (it fluctuates) 6-8 pounds under my starting weight. This makes me a little nervous. But I swear to you, I eat. I think I just have a massively fast metabolism these days. Next week at my 19th week appointment we will have an ultrasound to check the baby out. They do a full exam of the baby and take measurements and all that. Hopefully we'll be able to see if it's a boy or a girl. I can hardly wait. So that's my baby update. Still about the same there. Not sick as much but still sick. Last week I had the worst day of my entire pregnancy...it was miserable. I pray that it was the last. I do pretty well now as long as I eat and pretty much keep food in my belly 24/7.

This picture was taken last week (17 weeks). I'm about the same.

Next? Brandon is all registered for school. He'll be taking classes this fall on Tuesdays and Thursdays. He's taking 13 credits, which counts as full time, so he'll be a busy boy. He's taking Physics II plus the lab, English Comp II, Intro to Psych, and US Government. BLAH!!! That's my opinion of those classes, but he's so stinking smart it won't even phase him. We've been talking a lot about our plans for after the baby is born. I really want him to finish school. It's imperative that he does, at least in my opinion. So (yes this was his idea) we have decided that he's going to be a stay-at-home-daddy! I'm a little bummed about the prospect because it was always something that I had wanted for myself. In all honesty it's the best idea we've had. If he was working, the money he would be making would just be going to pay for childcare anyway. I would much rather my child be with their daddy than some stranger. So that is our plan. I'll just make my schedule so that I'm home the days he has school. I'm hopeful that it will work out well.

MY BABY BROTHER IS GETTING MARRIED!!!

That's right! Jeremiah! I could not be more excited for him. It's all happening fast and not for any other reason than they want to be together and live together. He just moved into a duplex that they're going to rent in the Tumwater area (of WA). The wedding is set for September 27, I believe at 3 pm. I am so excited for him and his fiancee. Madi has been a part of Jeremiah's life for the past year. She has made him such a better person and we all just love her! I'm so excited to have another sister-in-law! So now I get the joy of buying plane tickets. Yay! The last time we flew was not so much fun, I was so sick. I'm praying for a better experience this time. Plus I'll have a cute little belly to show off to friends and family at home that would otherwise not be able to experience this part of my pregnancy. That's fun for me. I may even get a baby shower while I'm there...talk about a busy weekend.

Well I think that's all on the updates for now. I hope you all have a wonderful rest of your week.

15 weeks almost over!

2008-07-28T12:51:00.003-05:00

Yep, only two more days of week 15! I can't believe how fast time is going when I look back. I will be the first one to admit that the last 3 months have been trying and a bit miserable. I really am hopeful that the sickness is in it's last days. Shoot, it's been like 4 days since I've thrown up. (Knock on wood)! I still feel queasy at times but I hope it's tapering off.

We had our 15 week appointment last Friday. It went great. Everything is in order and just where it needs to be. The baby is growing. I'm even starting to show a bit! We were able to hear the heartbeat with the Doppler device this time. I have a voice recorder on my nifty new phone. I was able to record the heartbeat, play it for friends and also send it via text message to my parents and grandparents. That was exciting for them since they're not close by and can't really be a part of the process much.

Things are good. I'm still exhausted from working and being pregnant, but they're good. Brandon is going to register for school next week. Summer is seriously winding down. I can't believe it's my birthday in just over two weeks. Well that's the update for this week. Preggo pics coming soon!

Family Fun

2008-07-24T16:07:00.005-05:00

So my dad and my sister were here this week. It started out a little hairy. Andie (my sis) was coming home from a mission's trip to Italy. Her group missed their flight from France so they ended up getting into Dallas a day later than planned. My dad was in Dallas waiting for her and dropping off my other siblings who were just leaving on a mission's trip. Instead of waiting around Dallas, he contacted the travel agency and arranged for Andie to take a short flight from Dallas to Austin and we would pick her up the next afternoon. Assuming all was well he got on the road and headed for Austin.

We went to dinner at one of mine and Brandon's favorite restaurants. It was tasty. Then we hung out at our house. My family has never seen our house and it's a bit of a pride statement for me. Having my dad think my house was great meant the world to me. I guess I'm just weird like that. Unfortunately, arrangements were not made for Andie to take a flight to Austin. She called my dad at 6 a.m. the next morning from NYC worried and not knowing what was going on. Rather than wait and see what the travel agency would say, dad just got in the car and headed back up to Dallas. Needless to say, Andie was thrilled to see him at baggage claim. No arrangements had been made. She would have been stranded with no money and no cell phone in the Dallas/Fort Worth airport (not a small place).

They both headed down to Austin. Andie, being very jet-lagged, went to bed early and my dad, Brandon and I went to dinner. We did a lot of eating while he was here. Good thing too. I need to gain some weight! :)

The next day (the 23rd) we got up and headed south, in spite of the pending hurricane. :) Dad would have driven all the way to Brownsville (where the hurricane hit hardest) if it was up to him! Instead, we went to Aquarena Springs in San Marcos, TX. Next we went to Natural Bridge Caverns just north of San Antonio. My dad and sister had never seen anything like this and we had never been to these particular caverns. It was really fun and super neat! Then we drove to San Antonio, just another 20 minutes down the road, and walked along the riverwalk. We were able to see The Alamo. Then we had dinner as Casa Rio, the oldest restaurant on the riverwalk. While waiting for our table, it POURED rain! It was pretty hilarious how fast people just left their food for shelter. We had to wait a little longer because of the rain but ended up having a yummy dinner, in dry seats, without getting rained on.

It was a wonderful time with them. It makes me sad that they're now gone. I really love my family and having them visit us meant the world to me. I guess they probably won't come down again until the baby is born. I can't wait for that! Enjoy the pictures!

Tagged!!!

2008-07-03T17:31:00.006-05:00

This was from my super friend Rose...so it's all her fault! ENJOY!!!

What were you doing 10 years ago?

Let's see, I was 17. Geez, that feels like a millions years. I was a senior in high school...getting ready to graduate and head off into the great big world. Actually, in July, I had already graduated. I was probably working at the deli. Oh the good times...

Five items on my to-do list:

1. Clean the toilets (I keep puking in them and they're nasty)
2. finish the laundry

3. plant my flowers
4. send Sara's baby gift
5. work on my scrapbook

Snacks I enjoy:

It depends on the day, because these days...it's changing rapidly. I have consistently enjoyed popcorn, some fruit, I'm into white peaches right now and grapes if they're not too sour. I don't think there is anything that I LOVE right now, sadly enough. I am hoping that this will change soon. Next week, I'm into my second trimester! Thank you Lord!

What would you do if you were a billionaire?

What a loaded question. What wouldn't I do??? For starters, I would pay off my debt and pay my dad back. That's something I really do want to do. I would have the inside of my house painted because I'm really hating my white walls right now! I would love to travel a little, my husband and I never did get our honeymoon. Definately put money into savings and save for our children as well. I would also tithe to my church. And...I'd shop!

Places I would live:

There are a lot of places I would travel but not many I would consider living in. I love Central Texas. I see us living here for quite some time. I think I might live back in Washington, but that one is still up in the air. I might live in New England, like Boston. But I'd have to visit first.

Jobs I have had:

Well, my very first job was picking blueberries at Anderson Blueberry Farm in Mossyrock, WA! How redneck does that sound? LOL! I think I was probably babysitting long before that however. I like to consider myself a lifetime babysitter. :) I've been doing it for as long as I can remember.

The summers of high school I worked in a snack shack at the state park and at a deli in town. I did everything you could do in that deli. I was a waitress, cook, barista, cashier, dishwasher, stock room...I did it all. It was fun. Because I had experience in the food business, my first year of college I got a part time job working at a Pakistani restaurant as a hostess. That was fun too. It was right now the road from school and I worked with some of my classmates. The hours weren't going to work for the next year though, so I got a job in a daycare. I started out working in the kindergarten classroom as their after-school teacher. I eventually worked my way into the infant classroom and became a head teacher. That's where I met my kids. When I went into nursing school, my hours were random and the daycare couldn't offer me the hours I needed. So...I became a nanny! And boy am I glad I did!

I was a nanny for 3 different families all through college. I still keep in touch with 2 of them. And I still call them my kids. I miss them so much since moving to Texas. It's always a big joy when I can see them when I go home.

I eventually worked my way into the hospital setting and worked as a unit clerk until I could pass my stupid nursing exam. I did that until we moved to Texas. Once we got here, I continued to work in medical offices until the day might come that I would pass my test. I put off taking the test again for nearly two years after we moved to Texas. Through a series of events, I ended up back in nannying. This was seriously the greatest thing that could have happened for me. The baby was great and slept a lot. Anytime she was sleeping, I was studying. I studied really hard and scheduled my test.

Finally, in May of 2007 (yes 4 years after graduation, sad I know) I PASSED MY NURSING TEST AND BECAME AN RN!!!! Next to getting married, that very well may have been the best day ever.

Now, I'm a nurse working on the area's top cardiac unit. Cardiology is not necessarily for me, but I feel proud to work here. Soon ( I hope and pray) I will get into labor and delivery. I'll keep you posted.

Bloggers I am tagging who you will enjoy getting to know better:

Rose
The Bricks
The Sangsters
The Scott's
JR

{The rules of the game: Each player answers the questions about themselves. At the end of the post, the player then tags 5 people and posts their names, then go to their blogs and leave them a comment, letting them know they’ve been tagged and asking them to read your blog. Let the person who tagged you know when you’ve posted your answer.}

11 Weeks and All is Well

2008-07-03T15:59:00.005-05:00

We had our 11 week check-up last week. I am now 12 weeks and 1 day along. I've just been super duper sick this past week. That's why this blog is just now coming out!

The appointment couldn't have gone better. I went to a new doctor's office to meet our potential doctor. His name is Dr. Monteiro. Brandon and I both really liked him. I had looked into this new hospital that is just up the road from our house, less than 10 minutes with lights and all. As far as I could tell, it would be covered by our insurance, that's why I went ahead and scheduled the appointment with this doctor. I really liked the office. All of the nurses and staff were so sweet and we didn't have to wait at all for our appointment. Dr. Monteiro also told us some really neat stuff about the labor and delivery unit at the new hospital (Cedar Park Regional Medical Center). It's sounds so nice. I've really gotten my hopes up to deliver there. Long story short, I was talking to some friends at work and they led me to believe that our insurance would not be covered there. Please pray that our insurance will actually work there! It's just too good to be true I guess.

Anyways, more on the appt. My blood pressure was great. The MD gave me some different meds to try for the nausea. He tried to listen for the baby's heartbeat with the Doppler device and couldn't hear it after about 5 minutes. He didn't want me worrying about it. So he just had me get an ultrasound to confirm viability! Oh, our baby is definately viable! It was moving all over the place. The ultrasound tech said that it looked like popcorn. It's head was down and it's feet were up in the air kicking like crazy. It was so amazing to see! Then you could see it's little hand waving! Yeah, I cried. It's just so amazing. You can see the baby's profile in the ultrasound picture I've added at the top, sorta make out a little nose and mouth.

I know I've been miserable and tend to complain a lot about the nausea (well if you were around me you would know that). But at the end of the day, I am so thankful for this gift that God has given us. It has been so much fun telling people that we're having a baby! I can't wait to find out what it is so that I can start decorating. Guess I'm gonna have to find something to do with all the junk that is currently in the baby's closet!

Mother sees the bats

2008-07-01T19:18:00.005-05:00

Brandon's mom was here for father's day. Kind of backwards, I know. But his dad is in Utah right now. So he wasn't able to be here. But we got to spend some time with his mom, which we always love.

Brandon had been talking on the phone to his dad while his mom and I wandered through Babies R Us. I had never been in the store. Apparently, my husband wasn't too keen on it. But anyways, while we meandered through the isles of baby items he talked with his dad. I'm not really sure why but for some reason, they thought it would be a good idea if we went to see the bats. There are a couple places in the area that you can view these marvelous creatures as they come out on a nightly basis throughout the summer to feed. We've been to the Congress Bridge bat colony, the largest of it's kind, in downtown Austin a couple times. This time we decided to go to the Round Rock bridge. We got there just as the sun was going down and the bats were coming out. I am not kidding when I say it reeked! It was the most horrible smell ever. So not a good thing for a pregnant woman. But we survived it and have the pictures to prove it. I'm very proud of my mother-in-law for doing this. She has a massive bat phobia. :)

Baby's First Ultrasound

2008-06-09T20:01:00.001-05:00

Here's the first look at our little one in action. Enjoy!

We're having a baby!!!!

2008-05-29T00:46:00.006-05:00

I am excited to announce that in January of 2009 there will be a new little Simek on this Earth! Brandon and I are pregnant with our first child. My original due date was January 3rd. I had my first ultrasound on May 27th that estimated the baby to be about 7 weeks old, according to his or her size. So my due date according to the ultrasound is January 14th. My brother Zane is overjoyed with that announcement as his birthday is the 15th. I think he'd like a niece or nephew for a birthday present. I will be 9 weeks along on Wednesday!

Things have been okay so far. I felt pretty good the first few weeks that I knew I was pregnant. We found out on May 6th but have been keeping it a secret until we could tell my parents and family in person. Which we did! We went home on June 5th for my sister's Andie's high school graduation. Telling the family was so much fun. We were pretty sneaky about it. I have a DVD of our first ultrasound. I asked my Grandpa David if he would be able to play it and have the family come in and see it without saying anything or giving anything away. It worked perfectly! I pretended like I had no idea what he wanted to show us all. It was my mom, dad, Grandma Janet and Grandpa David and of course, Brandon. He pushes play and it starts going and my family is trying to figure out what it is. My dad says..."well it's a sonogram, but who's?" I remind you, it says my name and where the images were taken at the top of the screen. That's when I point out that the little flicker they were seeing was our baby's heart beating! Of course at that everyone screamed and cheered. Tears were shed and hugs were given. It was really fun. We spent the rest of the weekend telling my brother's and sister's and various friends and family in Mossyrock (my home town.) So so so much fun!

I had my first OB appointment on May 27. They checked my blood and looked me over. Doc said that everything looks really good. I have been having really bad nausea pretty much non-stop for the past few weeks. I think I've tried just about every remedy in the book without any relief. At my doctor appointment she prescribed me some anti-nausea medication and it has been my God-send! I am actually able to function when I take it, which makes working a whole lot easier!

Here are our first pictures of our little one. ENJOY!!! We look forward to sharing milestones with you along the way.

Camping at Lake Somerville

2008-05-20T10:32:00.010-05:00

This last weekend Brandon and I decided to take a trip to the campground where he spent a large portion of his childhood. Actually, it was about the 4th choice, but we had a great time. We got our stimulus money and decided to buy bicycles with it. We both love our bikes. I got a basket on the front of mine so that Izzy can go on rides with us. SHE LOVES IT!!! It's the cutest thing ever.

We were on Lake Somerville. Beautiful lake, but not really swimmer worthy. So we just hiked and biked a lot and chilled at our campsite.

It's been awhile since Brandon has been fishing, or even me for that matter. We tried for about an hour and a half with no luck. The stupid fish were jumping ten feet from our lines, but wouldn't bite. I guess next time we'll have to have live bait!

Sporting my new bike with Izzy. We got a lot of exercise this weekend!

Looking for birds! And Brandon just being silly as usual!

This cardinal was our friend all weekend long. He must live near our campsite.

We went on a few little hikes. Actually we thought they would be little...they were longer than we expected. But we still had fun. I got to take pictures of all the wildflowers, which I love!

More pictures of the lake as the sun was setting.

Jon and Rose came to visit for the evening on Saturday. We hiked around, ate fajitas and roasted marshmallows....oh and popped jiffy pop! Gotta love Jiffy Pop!

Brandon and Jon (okay all of us) were skipping rocks. The water was a little choppy so it didn't work as well as we would have liked!

On Sunday Brandon's Aunt Katie, Uncle Bennie and Cousin Darby came out for burgers. That was fun as it always is with them!

First Camping Trip of 2008

2008-04-28T11:10:00.011-05:00

At Garner State Park, near Concan, TX. Took us about 4 hours to get there but that was probably due to the fact that we took the scenic back roads.

We got there and then had to wait in line for a camp site. What's the point of having a reservation? So we walked back to the main entrance and took some fun pictures. We're really good at wasting time!

We finally set up camp, got finished just before dark. That's when the thunderstorm rolled in. It didn't hit us horribly bad. But it was thundering and lightening all around us. We survived and have the story to tell.

Saturday, we hiked to the top of one of the many peaks of the hill country where the state park is. It was long but fun and the view from the top was amazing!

He loves me lots!

Our friends Shaun and Vanessa went with us. Pretty much, we had a blast!

There were a few sites to see along the trail, most of which we couldn't find. But we were able to find this one. I'm not sure if that was a good thing or a bad thing. White Rock Cave, or as I like to refer to it, Nasty Spider Cave!

Yes, that is a clump of nasty daddy long legs. I know, I know. They can't bite you. But seriously, this is one of the MANY clumps that we saw. Then, of course, my husband had to stir them all up so that they were running all around the cave. Yeah, it was nasty. I was freaking out!

On to better times of the hike... echoing our voices across the canyon. We're silly and it was fun!

WE MADE IT TO THE TOP!

Some flowers I found along the trail...

Izzy was LOVING the hike!

We were both pretty tuckered out by the time we made it back to the campsite.

But not too tired for kick-ball!

Izzy was pretty jealous that she couldn't play too! Stupid leash laws! :)

Saturday night was time for a little campfire sing-along. Kevin and Shaun blessed us with their musical talents!

The storms of Friday and Saturday brought in a cold front, so Sunday was pretty chilly. Shaun and Vanessa left early to go see family that happened to be near where we were camping. So Brandon, Kevin and I did a little exploring on our own. I had found this really nifty old tree that I wanted to show them. We took advantage of it and have some pretty fun pictures!

That tree was big, and hallow on the inside, but this one was even larger!

That would be Kevin riding a rock, I thought it looked like some pre-historic fossil or something cool!

Um, shouldn't that sign say "Road Closed"?

Brandon, Kevin, Izzy and me in front of the ginormous tree.

We had a wonderful weekend and will probably go back to that park. It was tons of fun and we didn't even do everything. We did float in The Frio, but don't have any pictures. And yes, it was cold! During summer nights, this campground has dances. We thought that would be pretty fun to take part in. There was also mini-golf and paddle boats. We will definitely have to make another trip later on this summer. Well worth the drive!

New Living Room Furniture!!!

2008-04-23T12:33:00.008-05:00

Finally! We've lived with an empty living room since moving into our home last November. After Christmas, we were able to add some bookshelves, but something was still missing...you know, furniture! We filed our taxes and have been anticipating what type of furniture we wanted to choose to help make our house a home. We spent last weekend window shopping and finally found something we both liked. I say we both liked because often times when it comes to big decisions, we tend to differ on opinions. But we found something and we love it! We slept on it and then Sunday we made our big purchase. It was delivered Monday and we got our living room all set up. We can't wait to have friends and family over to enjoy it with us!

All I need now is some paint on the walls and some curtains on the windows...and probably some art work. Why is it that its never ending when you buy a house? We're really enjoying making our house our home. Slowly but surely it's becoming just that.

Here's a view of all the angles...

Brandon, pretending to be taking a nap. He's just loving the couch!

Looking into the back yard...

We absolutely love our new rug!

Even Spike and Izzy are loving the new things!

There is a coffee table too but it was damaged during delivery and we'll get a replacement next week. Bummer! But we're still incredibly thrilled with our purchase. No buyer's remorse here! :)

Jenna's Trip to Washington

2008-04-22T17:38:00.010-05:00

It was short and sweet and almost bitter-sweet. I went with my old roomie from college. Funny how times have changed. We used to stay up all night screaming out of our dorm window, now we're taking flights across the country with babies! Her babies, just to clarify.

But we had a good time. Unfortunately I wasn't able to see everyone that I wanted to or spend enough time with those that I did see. I guess y'all will just have to come visit me in Texas! It's so beautiful down here. I'm from the Northwest, so that's saying a lot! I just love Austin! We really have made a home here! But anyways, here are some pictures of my journey.

I hung out with my brother Jeremiah and his girlfriend Maddie. I pretty much love her! We went to Tumwater Falls Park to enjoy the one and pretty much only beautiful day that Washington has seen this year!

I love my Pappy! It was so great seeing my grandparents!

There's just something gorgeous about the Great Northwest!!!

I also was able to see one of my very best friends, Mandy, and her newborn son, Jacob. I can't believe how big her first is. Hunter (her first) and I took a ride in my sweet convertible to Starbucks. He was pretty amazed. It was freezing and so much fun!

It was so great seeing friends. I miss you guys and really do hope you're able to visit the south. I know it seems like a million light years away, but I promise you, its not!

To catch up to now...

2008-04-03T00:37:00.001-05:00

Brandon and I met in a slightly peculiar way. That is unless you know us. I met the love of my life at Starbuck's and I am forever grateful! We truly believe that God destined for us to find each other that Thursday night. We have had many ups and downs over the past 6 years but they have made us the strong couple that we are today. Brandon was in the Navy the four years that we dated before getting married. That alone was a test of our love for each other. We have notebooks and boxes full of letters and emails to prove it. We have made so many wonderful memories along the way and can't wait to make a million more.

Brandon and I were married on February 25th, 2006. I seriously can't believe that we just celebrated our two year anniversary. Shortly, like five days, after we got married we got in our car and road-tripped it to Austin, Texas where we would start our life together. We had a wonderful trip down. Minus the fact that our two cats were in the car with us. That sort of put a damper on sight-seeing. But we spent some time at my grandparents in Arizona. Needless to say we were very happy to make it to Austin.

We've lived a total of three places since moving down here. The final move was into our first home. In November of last year, we purchased our first home in the suburbs just north of Austin (about 24 miles). We absolutely love it. It is a perfect home for us to start and raise a family in.

I work as a nurse on a cardiac unit in downtown Austin. I absolutely love being a nurse. However, cardiology is not my calling. I am so thankful for the opportunity I have been given because I know what a strong nurse it has made me. I will hopefully find a position in labor and delivery soon. I HOPE! Brandon is an assembly technician and a full-time student. He is currently attending Austin Community College but plans on transferring to the University of Texas when he can't take anymore classes at ACC. Go Longhorns!

Things are really great for us. We look forward to sharing our life with you. Enjoy reading. Please keep in touch.

Our New Home...

2008-04-02T23:10:00.005-05:00

Yep, we did it. We bought our first house.

We live just north of Austin in Leander, Texas. Doesn't that just sound Texan? It's gigantic and currently quite empty. We're in the works of getting some living room furniture and we're pretty excited about it. Little by little we're making it ours. We painted the office and it's just about to be the first completed room in the house.

I'm not sure what the next endeavor will be. Our bedroom maybe?

Or perhaps the loft?

Last weekend we bought a lawn mower...I know, we're real adults now! We even planted some flowers in our front yard! That was fun! Here's to hoping that they grow! I can't wait to do something fun with my kitchen. I'm open for ideas!

More pictures to come once we get stuff done.

Our Wedding Day

2008-04-02T23:00:00.005-05:00

February 25, 2006 was the most amazing day of my life and Brandon's too. We got married at The Marysville Opera House, an old theater built in 1911, in Marysville, WA. It was an amazing setting for our fabulous day. All of our friends and family were there. I'm pretty sure that there were close to 200 people. The food was so yummy, at least I think it was. I barely had time to eat. Many of the people I saw at our wedding I wouldn't see again for a long time, some I still haven't seen. So it was a wedding and sort of a farewell party as we moved to Texas less than a week later. Here are some our our favorite pictures...