Good Times with The Gray's

The net is going to be a toy bag..pirate style of course ;)

Even the duck is a pirate in this room!

I am so glad that this week is finally coming to a close! What a rough one it has been! My friend and co-worker Paula was assigned to give the TAKS test to a 5th grader this week, so instead of getting a sub for her they gave me her class, and all of our 26 little darlings were in my room!! Here is the problem with that...it was not one day or two, but THREE days and we have a student that needs a teacher or aids SOLE attention all day. He is one defiant little boy. I know your thinking so big deal your a teacher-handle it. YOU HAVE NO IDEA what I am talking about until you witness his behavior. He is a major distraction to the class, very defiant, does NOT listen, argumentative...I could go on and on. Do not think he is getting away with this behavior, but it is an exhausting task to deal with him! Let's just say this arrangement was not a good idea for this 8 months pregnant teacher (with no patience) who is MORE than ready for the last day of school.

But Friday is upon us and we made it through the week alive!

We have a SUPER busy weekend ahead: Saturday-Maternity pics, baby shower, Paisley's first birthday party (hoping we make it in time), and Regan's graduation party. Sunday-More maternity pics with Kasey Mathieu, church, and hopefully getting some sun!!

Followed by Jury duty on Monday-I am not in the least bit sad about this...for now anyway. Is it sad that I am looking forward to jury duty so that I can have a day off from school and my trouble maker??! However I do not want to be chosen, so that I can finish the end of the year tasks that await me!

8 1/2 more days left until summer!!

My little guy has been getting bigger right before my eyes for weeks now. It is so precious to feel his tiny body moving around inside of me. I am just about 30 weeks now and I am beginning to feel winded when I get in and out of bed. It is definitely getting more difficult to get comfortable and I have added another pillow to my nightly collection!

Our dog Ellie sleeps at the foot of our bed and has been getting up around 2 am for a late night run around the backyard and/or a snack for sometime now. Josh and I have been rotating nights to take care of our Ellie girl until..............NOW. I think Josh is going to have to pick up my shifts because I simply cannot do it anymore.

Last night was my night to let her out, so I do. It wasn't that simple of course, I had to roll out of bed and stumble through the living room. While she is outside strutting around the backyard, I head right back to bed. It could be minutes or hours before she decides she (Miss Priss) is ready to come back in. I should have known better because as soon as I get situated in my cozy bed, I hear her paws at the back door. So, I sigh VERY LOUDLY, hoping Josh will hear me, but of course he doesn't. Her crying doesn't phase him...I am the light sleeper that will be bothered all night if I don't let her back in. So here I go again back through the living room this time a little irritated. I bend down to open the door, wipe off her wet feet and just before I get her little body completely through the door, I slam it along with her tail! OH CRAP!! She yelped SO loud and I immediately began to cry. I think it was a combination of exhaustion and yes again- pregnancy hormones. I have not had a breakdown since the frozen pizza incident, just FYI :)

After the loud cry Josh came into the living room curious as to what was going on. (I am still sobbing) He tells me to go back to bed and he checks on Ellie and her tail. We all crawl back in bed and he holds me while I continue to weep! Thank you babe...but your on dog duty until Cooper gets here!!

Today Josh and I went to the doctor for our 28 week appointment! Here is the update: I passed my glucose test!! I am so stoked that I do not have to take time off of work to take the 3 hour test! It would have been misery to sit at Quest Diagnostics,drink the sugary-flat triaminic tasting juice (again)and to be poked once every hour for 3 hours.

We also found out that my iron was low and I am a tad bit anemic. Dr. Alexis gave me some iron supplements to take once a day. No biggie she said.

I gained 3 1/2 more pounds for a total of 12 1/2 pounds so far.

She measured my belly and it was 30 cm. I will be 29 weeks on friday, she said it is completely normal to be off between 1-2 cm. Due date is still the same as of now.

We heard his strong heartbeat...LOVE IT! He kicked it when she placed the doppler on my stomach. We all began laughing and then his heartbeat sped up. He heard us talking about him :)

Our doctor's visits will now be every two weeks until we reach 36 weeks. At that point we will be weekly visitors!

That's all for now! Hope everyone is having a great week!

Bron

Hello friends!

Josh and I have been super busy getting ready for Cooper's arrival. Here is what we have been up to... working on the pirate themed nursery (I will share photos with you upon completion), scheduling a 4d sonogram (May 15)-we cannot wait to see how much he has changed since we last saw him (March 3) :), finding a photographer, filling out paperwork...lots of paperwork (cord blood, hospital registration, insurance info and maternity leave forms), trying to coordinate the 3 showers we will be having not including one at school...yes 4 a tad ridiculous I know, we have lots of family and friends! We feel VERY blessed!

I am also enjoying every single moment of this pregnancy! I have been feeling wonderful and I am still going full speed ahead. Cooper is definitely getting bigger, when I get out of bed or bend over I feel like I am carrying a ton of bricks, he will only get heavier I know! Last week I was on my way home from work when I felt a baby body part shove itself into my ribs. It did not hurt, it was just a different feeling than what I have been used to thus far. Also I was able to experience a butt or head (something smooth and round) roll and push out my stomach. SO COOL! I have been wondering for some time what it feels like to be pregnant...well I can tell you I LOVE this feeling, it is like none other. A few other joys about being pregnant: I can no longer see my feet unless I lean over, the bath towel is getting close to not being able to fit around my body, and my bladder is full ALL the time, or atleast it feels that way. When I feel like I cannot wait any longer I will rush to the bathroom only to realize I didn't really need to go at all. Cooper is constantly pushing down on my bladder! Take it easy dude!

Oh and Josh is in love with my growing belly...he thinks it's adorable and I love him for that! He talks to Cooper and we are enjoying feeling him move. Although when I tell Josh to put his hand on my stomach to feel him move, it's too late, Cooper is a tad bit shy!

I have to take the glucose tolerance test this Friday...crossing my fingers I pass, so that I do not have to take the 3 hour test! We go for my 28 week appointment next Wednesday and after that my visits will be every 2 weeks! Holy Cow! Where has the time gone?!

Amidst all of this I am counting down the days until summer break!! 6 more weeks is all that is left! Woo Hoo! However the calendar is FULL! Less time more things to do, of course that's how it goes! Oh well, I will gladly do whatever it takes :)

Will update when I have more news!
Much Love,

Bron

That is the name of the company that is going to bank Cooper's cord blood! We are thrilled that the precious life growing inside me will be ready to make his debut in just a few short months. During the last 27 weeks we have begun to think about things that we never have before ie. childcare, the latest baby trends, recalls on baby products, baby products (in general), breastfeeding vs. bottle feeding,cord blood banking, etc.

We have heard about cord blood banking and knew that it was pretty costly, but we looked into it and asked around and decided we couldn't not do it! We had a family friend pass away of Leukemia on March 31, 2006. Kourtney was 16and was unable to beat such a viscious disease. It is our hope that if Cooper were to be diagnosed with something like that that the cord blood that we saved would help to save his life.

If you want to know more about Viacord visit www.viacord.com, if you would like to donate to Cooper's cord blood registry visit www.viacord.com/giftregistry.