Bella is 1-month-old TODAY!

Today marks Bella's 1-month "birthday"! We can't believe she's already a month old and growing up before our eyes! Here are some 1-month stats:

Height: 22.25 inches (87 percentile)

Weight: 10 pounds 9 ounces (85 percentile)

Sleeping Pattern: Bella still isn't sleeping through the night, but averages about 3-4 hours.

Eating Pattern: Bella eats 4 ounces of formula every 3-4 hours.

Friends: She has mostly adult friends, but has two friends in Utah (Claire) and Tennessee (Sarah Grace).

Current Events: Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Cinco de Mayo!

Happy 1-Month Birthday, Isabella Eve!

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

4 Weeks Old

Today marks four weeks since Isabella was born... Wow! The past four weeks have flown by and she is growing like a weed! Her birth weight was 8 pounds 3 ounces and 20.5 inches and at her two week wellness check, she was up to 8 pounds 7 ounces and is 21.5 inches. During her stay in the NICU, Bella dropped down to 7 pounds 11 ounces, which is normal, but it certainly is reassuring to know that she is growing. Her four week wellness appointment is this Friday and I'm curious to see how much she's grown in the past two weeks.

Sleep... what's that?!? We are adjusting to life with a newborn and are coping well with our new sleep schedule. Bella averages 3-4 hours of sleep during the night and naps for about 2-3 hours during each nap. I'm by no means complaining, because things could be a lot worse, but I can't wait for her to start sleeping through the night. Sleeping through the night to me means 6-8 hours of sleep, but this could be wishful thinking. I've consulted several baby books, including "On Becoming Baby Wise", "The Happiest Baby on the Block" and "Healthy Sleep, Happy Child" and I'm still stumped on how to approach sleep training. Some books suggest rigid sleep, wake and feeding schedules, while others suggest a more flexible schedule. At this point, we're not ready to begin sleep training, so I still have some time to figure things out. Any suggestions?

A friend stopped by today and visited with us for a few hours. She's a new friend, whom we met through child birth classes, and she is expecting any day now. It's nice to have a friend who is at a similar point in life. She and her husband live close by, so hopefully once their little guy arrives, we'll have baby play dates and fun family events. I love my single friends and my friends without kids, but it really is nice to make new friends who have babies close to Bella's age. I also joined a group for moms with young babies. I met up with a few of the ladies on Sunday and we walked along Bayshore Boulevard for about an hour. The ladies were very friendly, the conversation was great and the exercise felt good. It's nice to get out of the house for a few hours and once Bella is a little older I know she'll enjoy playing with the other babies. I look forward to attending more events with this group and hopefully I'll meet some life-long friends.

My dad is coming to Tampa tomorrow for a week-long visit! We're really looking forward to his visit and I know my dad is looking forward to meeting Bella. It will be nice to have some company at home and to have a little extra help around the house. I haven't seen my dad since February, so it's been a little over two months since we've seen each other. Bella and I will be picking him up from the airport around noon and then we're going to stop by Ian's office to meet his co-workers. Ian is taking Friday and Monday off and so we'll have a lot of family time. Did I mention that I'm really looking forward to this week?!?

Our little family is doing quite well and we're enjoying life... just the three of us (or five of us, if you include Kaiser & Riley)! Life is hectic, a little chaotic, but most of all, fun.

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Bella

Welcome Isabella Eve Lasher!

We are happy to announce that Isabella Eve Lasher graced us with her presence on April 5, 2010 at 11:30am at Brandon Regional Hospital! She weighed 8 pounds 3 ounces and measured 20 inches long... a very healthy little bundle of joy!

My last day of work was April 2nd and my first (and only day off) was April 3rd. We spent the entire weekend "nesting" and finished every project we set out to complete by Sunday afternoon. The morning of Easter Sunday was uneventful and we finished installing the car seats in both our cars and went to Easter brunch in Safety Harbor at the Safety Harbor Spa & Resort with Ian's family. The brunch was amazing and I indulged in everything from fruits & vegetables to desserts... and let me just tell you, the desserts were delicious! Ian's family decided to take a walk around the resort, but I was feeling tired and swollen, so we decided to return home. We worked around the house and finished the nursery by early afternoon (thank goodness) and relaxed during the early evening. Little did we know that I was in early labor the whole time!

My back was killing me and despite my efforts to combat my back ache with Tylenol, a warm bath and massage, the back ache wouldn't go away. I started having cramps around 6:00pm and thought I had simply overdone it. I even took two baths that evening because I was feeling so uncomfortable. My frequent trips to the bathrooms increased and seemed different than before. At about 10:00pm my trip to the bathroom yielded blood in the toilet (sorry, TMI) and it was at that moment I decided we needed to call the OBGYN. I called Dr. Champion, told her my symptoms and she instructed us to go to the hospital. I wasn't certain that I was truly in labor, but I knew that something wasn't right.

We checked into to Labor & Delivery around 11:00pm and I was promptly checked by a nurse. I was hooked up to monitors and my cervix was checked and sure enough... I was in labor! I was approximately 3-4 cm dialated and having contractions approximately every 10 minutes. Not too long after I was checked, I was offered an epidural, which I gladly took. The epidural insertion wasn't painful at all and despite an unsuccessful first attempt to insert the epidural, within minutes of the successful second attempt, I was feeling relief from the contractions. I attempted to sleep that night, but I was obviously very excited and found it difficult to stay asleep. I watched TV, used Facebook to pass the time and maybe even slept for an hour or two.

By morning, my contractions had slowed down due to the epidural and the Pitocin was started. I was nervous about receiving Pitocin because I was afraid it wouldn't work OR that it would work too well. My body reacted well to the Pitocin and my contractions became stronger and more frequent. It was at this point that I began feeling the contractions again and so I asked for more pain medication. I was given additional pain medication and continued to progress as expected. By 9:30am, Dr. Vanegas came to check my cervix and promptly told me that it was time to start pushing.

With the assistance of the nurse, I began pushing around 10:00am but honestly wasn't giving it my all. My mom was en route to Tampa from Baltimore and I had expectations that she would be in the delivery room. I was really numb from the epidural and had a difficult time controlling my legs. The nurse decided that I should take a break and allow the epidural to wear off a little. She returned around 10:45am and I began pushing again. Dr. Vanegas returned and began getting ready for delivery. It was at this point that I became very nervous... I was afraid that I was too out of shape or incapable of pushing the baby out. My fears were quickly calmed as I was told that I was making progress with my pushing. My mom arrived at 11:15am, straight from the airport! I pushed for another 15 minutes and was beginning to feel tired. I wanted her out so very much, that I gave 4 good pushes and at 11:30am, Isabella Eve Lasher was born!

I heard her cry, which was a huge relief and I held her on my chest for about 15 seconds before she was whisked away by nurses. It was at this point that all hell started to break loose... luckily it was regarding me and not Isabella. After I passed the placenta, Dr. Vanegas began stitching me up and that seemed normal to me. She began massaging my uterus from the outside because I couldn't stop bleeding. The "massage" hurt worse than the contractions and giving birth and I wanted it to stop. Apparently this was the least of my problems, as I continued to bleed. The mood in the room quickly turned from warm and fuzzy to hectic and concerned. I remember looking down and seeing nothing but red. Red gloves, red gauze... red, red, red. Dr. Vanegas stated that she needed to locate the source of the bleeding and if she could not, she would need to perform a D&C. I remember hearing the words "D&C", "OR" and transfusion. It was at this point that I became very upset and Dr. Vanegas increased my pain medications and injected Staydol into my IV. The Staydol made me feel very loopy, but I was aware of everything that was going on. The pain subsided for the most part but the bleeding wouldn't stop. The room was filled with people and I had no idea who these people were or what purpose they served. I held onto the nurse's hand the entire time because I was beginning to get scared. I looked over several times at Ian, who was holding Isabella and I longed to hold her again. After all, newborns are supposed to be curled up on their mothers' chests after they're born, aren't they? I never considered the fact that something would prevent me from holding my baby and I was faced with this ugly truth. After about an hour and a half of poking, prodding and two injections of clotting medications, the source of the blood was located. Within minutes, Dr. Vanegas was finished and the mood in the room returned to calm.

Ian handed me Isabella, who was swaddled in her blankets and looking absolutely beautiful. She was perfect and she was mine. I wish I could relive this exact feeling I felt that morning each and every day. We were a family; I was a mom, Ian was a dad and Isabella was our daughter. The feeling was surreal and almost dream-like. Sometimes I relive this feeling when I look at her, when I hold her and when I see Ian hold her.

So... welcome to the world, Isabella Eve! We're so glad to have you here, we love you so very much and we can't imagine life without you! We can't wait for everyone to meet her because she is absolutely wonderful!

Well, that's what we've been up to...

Love always,

Ian, Kim & Isabella

We Just Can't Win...

I feel like the subject of the majority of recent posts pertain to me not feeling well or me being sick. The truth is that I've been sick more often than not recently and it's been really difficult for me.

It all began with bronchitis about a month and a half ago. I was able to battle that pretty quick with the assistance of antibiotics. Then about two weeks ago, I unknowingly had a UTI and I'm fairly certain that it hasn't completely cleared up. I was on antibiotics for a week and I honestly don't think that particular antibiotic did the trick. I discussed the UTI with my OBGYN at my last appointment and he sent my specimen to the lab for more in depth testing. Now, I had to go to the urgent care center this morning because of an infected abscess. The doctor was able to drain the abscess and insert a packing to wick the remaining infection out. It was pretty darn painful, before and during the procedure, especially because the injection of lidocaine didn't numb the area very well. I'm on antibiotics again, so hopefully this will treat the abscess and prevent further infection. With both the UTI and the abscess, I ran a slight fever, but a fever nonetheless.

It's just concerning to me that I've been ill recently because I want to be as healthy as possible for when I go into labor. I'm also concerned at the use of antibiotics this late in my pregnancy. I know the doctors wouldn't prescribe anything that could cause significant damage and these infections could harm the baby if left untreated, but I still worry. I hope I'm not creating any type of immunity to antibiotics for the baby because that could affect her for life. It's especially difficult for the doctors to prescribe the proper antibiotic for the particular infection because I'm allergic to sulfa-based antibiotics and the use of any "cycline" antibiotics this late in pregnancy is not permitted. I've been prescribed a Z-pack, Macrobid and Keflex. I'm hoping the Keflex works and clears up the UTI and the abscess. Here's to hoping...

I've also had issues with swelling of my ankles and feet and slightly elevated blood pressure. My BP typically runs 115/75, but recently it's been 130/90. It's not in the preeclampsia range yet, but the increasing rate is something the doctor wants to monitor. Today at the urgent care center, it was 141/90, but the nurse seemed to think it was due to the extra pain I was experiencing. I'm going to bring today's BP reading to my OBGYN's attention at my next appointment, just so it can be addressed. Anyway... to combat the swelling and BP, I've been on modified bed rest. Over the past 2 days, I think I've spent a total of 5 hours not on the couch or in bed and it's driving me crazy! My patience has paid off because my swelling has been minimal and I'm feeling more rested. It's boring, but I'm trying to enjoy this "me time" as much as possible.

I've also moved up the begin date of my maternity leave to April 2nd. I was going to begin my leave a week before my due date, however with the medical issues I've been experiencing recently, I decided to begin my leave 2 weeks before my due date. My decision has been supported by my family, friends and my supervisor. I needed the reassurance of my supervisor because in my mind, that's who monitors my progress and achievements. She let me know last week that she truly appreciates the hard work I've been putting in and that meant a lot to me. I have been busting my butt to ensure my caseload is in good order before I leave. With the reassurance of my supervisor and coworkers, I now believe that my hard work has been noticed and will be appreciated. Now... only 4 more days of work!

Sadly, this is all that has been going on with us. I've been kind of a bum recently because I haven't been feeling well. But I'd rather be a bum than push myself too far now and pay for it later. Keep us in your thoughts and prayers over the next few weeks... as we approach the home stretch of pregnancy. All my medical issues appear to be pretty minor in the scheme of things, but still a major concern, as I am 37 weeks pregnant. Three more weeks, three more weeks, three more weeks!

Love always,

Ian & Kim

It's AWESOME baby!

It's that time of year again... MARCH MADNESS! College basketball is so much fun to watch and I never grow tired of watching game after game. The games this year have been quite exciting to say the least; a few upsets and a few OT wins. Close games are far more exciting to watch than blow outs, that's for sure.

Ian's favorite team, the Florida Gators, played yesterday but lost in double overtime. The Gators played BYU and by the end of the second OT, BYU maintained a lead and managed to hold onto the lead until the bitter end. My favorite team, the Maryland Terrapins, play tonight against Houston. I honestly don't know much about Houston, but I'm hoping the Terps continue to play well and win tonight. Another Maryland school made it into the tournament this year; Morgan State University. It's a small historically black university in Baltimore and unfortunately their first game was against WVU... and they lost. Oh well, on to the next game!

Last year I was not working, so I was able to watch the majority of the tournament. This year I'm working, but I'm able to follow scores on my iPhone. One of my coworkers is a huge Duke fan, so I'm sure as Duke progresses, I'll be keeping her updated on the score of the Duke games. I didn't join a pool this year because I simply didn't have the time. I'm actually pretty good at picking who will win and won a pool a few years ago. Ian is in several pools this year, so hopefully he'll win some money.

This weekend, we'll be around the house... watching basketball. Doesn't sound like such a bad weekend to me. The weather is supposed to be gorgeous, so hopefully we'll be able to do something outside, too. I'd love to take the dogs to Fort DeSoto, which is a state park with a dog beach. The boys love running around in the sand and even enjoy getting into the water. I have a feeling the water may be a little chilly, so there won't be much swimming. The boys could use the exercise and fresh air, so I'm hoping we can take them on Sunday.

Well, that's what's going on in the Lasher household... basketball, basketball and more basketball! GO TERPS!!!

Love always,

Ian & Kim

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Being of Irish heritage, St. Patrick's Day is typically a big holiday for us. This year we will not be celebrating with green beer or Irish car bombs, but that's okay. Our little leprechaun is well worth the sacrifice of not imbibing on St. Patrick's Day. I also think the corned beef and cabbage would have given me major heart burn, so I opted to not pig out on the yummy delicacies. The City of Tampa has begun the tradition of dying the Hillsborough River green. I think that's kind of neat, even if the city ripped the idea from Chicago.

St. Patrick's Day reminds me of my grandparents... whom I miss dearly. I remember going to Mom-Mom and BeBop's house on St. Patrick's Day and eating corned beef and cabbage with the entire family. I can remember the smell... I can remember the taste... and I can remember how I felt... blissfully happy to be with my family and celebrating our heritage. My Aunt Kathy hosted a St. Patrick's Day dinner at her house last Sunday for the McGrains; unfortunately we live 1,000 miles away and could not join the family. Perhaps Ian and I can start our own tradition of a St. Patrick's Day dinner with our family and friends in Tampa.

Until my next post...

May the road rise up to meet you.
May the wind always be at your back.
May the sun shine warm upon your face,
and rains fall soft upon your fields.
And until we meet again,

May God hold you in the palm of His hand.

- Irish Blessing

Love always,

Ian & Kim

Our First Trip to Labor & Delivery

Well folks, I did something I never thought I would do last night; went to the hospital 4.5 weeks before my due date. Obviously everything is fine and we were sent home about 2 hours after we arrived, but sometimes it's better to be safe than sorry.

We had new carpet laid throughout the house Saturday and Sunday, which was a quite a stressful process with a house full of furniture and "things". We stayed up late and woke up early throughout the weekend, in order to ensure our house was well prepared. Our hard work paid off and the carpet was laid by early Sunday afternoon. We have now begun the process of reorganizing the house. The carpet looks great, feels great and is more kid and pet friendly. I only wish we had more time to enjoy it, but we're too tired and too busy.

Apparently all the activity triggered some health issues for me. I've been more tired than usual, feeling uncomfortable and using the bathroom more often, but I chalked it up to being pregnant. The weekend was very short and busy, so I didn't have much time to relax. I have a difficult time sitting around, doing nothing, so I kept going. I wish I would have listened to my body because my body was trying to tell me to stop and rest. By Sunday evening, I had some cramping and spotting, so I called my OBGYN. She told me to rest, drink a big glass of water and go to L&D if I don't begin to feel better or if I begin to feel worse. I drank a huge glass of water, ate some crackers, laid down and even took a warm bath. Unfortunately, I did not begin to feel better and so we made a trip to L&D. The nurses hooked me up to a fetal monitor and I gave a urine sample. I had a few contractions during the 2 hours, but nothing strong and nothing frequent. It was great to listen to the baby's heartbeat for 2 hours, although she wasn't very cooperative. Her heartbeat could be easily heard, only when I was in an uncomfortable position. When I was in a comfortable position, her heartbeat was faint or the monitor wasn't even picking up her heartbeat. I didn't even realize I was having contractions while I was being monitored, so I asked a ton of questions. The contractions were nothing to be concerned with because the baby was responding well and I wasn't dialated. I was also running a low grade fever of 100.0, which is actually not considered a fever because it wasn't 100.4. My urine specimen on the other hand... well that presented some major issues. I had protein, bacteria, ketones and blood in my urine, which meant that I was dehydrated and my body was trying to fight an infection. The nurse consulted my OBGYN, diagnosed me with a urinary tract infection and prescribed an antibiotic. We spent about 2.5 hours in L&D and I'm so glad we went because I never would have known I had a UTI. All things considered, a UTI is nothing and both the baby and I are doing just fine.

Obviously I stayed home from work on Monday so that I could rest. It's the first sick day that I've taken that I didn't think about work or actually do work. Before I fell asleep last night, I thought about firing up my lap top and working from home, but I quickly decided that I needed a day of doing absolutely nothing. I didn't do any house work, not even a load of laundry. I laid in bed, watched TV and napped on and off. It's been suggested that I stay home again tomorrow to rest some more, but I don't think I could take another day of rest and relaxation. I'm afraid if I stayed home tomorrow, I couldn't relax and I'd be doing house work. I haven't decided what I'm going to do, but I'm definitely going to listen to my body.

That's about all that has been going on in the Lasher household. We're such exciting people these days. The excitement will surely increase in the upcoming weeks, as the arrival of our little one approaches.

Love always,

Ian & Kim

Spring Fever!

As many of you know, it's been unseasonably cold in Florida this entire winter. Now, I know that a Florida winter is nothing compared to a north east winter, however it's been pretty darn cold here! According to the weather forecasters, the cold weather should be gone for good! Bye bye winter... hello spring!

Things around the Lasher household have been busy to say the least. We've been busy with work, preparing for the baby, things around the house and other typical tasks of life.

Ian is working 6 days a week and I've been working 5 days a week. Tax season is in full swing and I'm looking forward to the end of March and the end of tax season. Ian doesn't handle personal taxes, so the April 15th deadline doesn't matter to him. The bulk of his work is due by March 15th, which is only a week away. It will be nice to have my husband back and I can't wait! Work has been busy for me because I'm trying to tie up loose ends before I go out on maternity leave. Case management is probably the worst job to leave because you're not dealing with companies or things; you're dealing with people and peoples' lives. I have to ensure my cases are in order because my co-workers will be the ones managing my cases while I'm gone. The next few weeks will be very busy at work, but I'm prepared for the task at hand.

I had a total of 3 baby showers... can you believe it? First, my friends Lisa and Jenn hosted a baby shower for me in late January, which was amazing! They did such a great job and I couldn't have chosen a better group of people to celebrate with. My friends Dawn and Stephanie actually flew to Tampa to spend the week with me and to celebrate! Then, my aunts hosted a baby shower for me in Baltimore and I flew up to Baltimore for the weekend to celebrate with friends and family. It was such a great baby shower and I was able to see everyone without traveling all over the city. I even managed to get all of the gifts on the plane and back to Tampa. Don't ask me how, but I was able to do it! Lastly, my co-workers were able to host a surprise baby at work. I work with an incredible group of people and they did an incredible job of surprising me. Needless to say, we practically have everything we need for the baby and I have our friends and family to thank. We do have a few odds and ends to pick up, but we have some time to finish up our shopping. My goal is to have the nursery organized by the end of March.

We're having new carpet installed in the carpeted areas this Saturday and Sunday. I'm looking forward to have new carpet, but I'm dreading the preparation and aftermath. We have to put everything away, with the exception of the furniture, which will be moved by the installers. I feel like we have so much to do and not a lot of time to do it all. I know it will all be worth it in the end, I just wish I had a magic wand to wave to take care of everything that needs to be done. I'm looking forward to having the house finished, organized and clean. Knowing that my house is in order would relieve so much stress for me. I'm very thankful that we have a few more weeks to get everything in order before the baby arrives.

The baby will be here before we know it! As of this Friday, we will have 5 weeks until my due date. I'm eager for her to arrive and I can't wait to meet her! I must admit that I'm over being pregnant and I can't wait to have my body back. My back hurts, my ankles are swollen, I have a lot of pressure and the Braxton Hicks contractions are uncomfortable. I know each pain and uncomfortable moment will be worth it in the end and that's what keeps me going. It's crazy to think that in a few weeks, it will no longer be just the two of us; it will be the three of us! My pregnancy has been great and I really can't complain. I've experienced the typical aches and pains of pregnancy without any complications and for that I am grateful. I hope the next 5 weeks go just as smoothly as the past 35 weeks. We started a prenatal class through the OBGYN's office and it consists of a 4-week crash course in labor and delivery. We will learn the stages of labor and what to expect during delivery. It will be nice to have a general idea of what to expect and how to handle various situations that may arise. I've already made the decision to have an epidural, but it will be beneficial knowing how to relax prior to having the epidural.

I decided to take the day off today because I haven't been feeling very well. I've been so tired and uncomfortable, not to mention that I've had a terrible headache on and off for the past couple of days. A day of rest and relaxation is exactly what I needed. My ankles are swollen today, my headache isn't as bad and I haven't had Braxton Hicks contractions today. I'm going to get through the next 4 weeks at work, but I've come to the conclusion that it's okay to take time to rest and relax. Not feeling well is my body's way of telling me that something isn't right and I need to take it easy. It was difficult reaching that conclusion, but I'm glad I've finally come to terms with it; I have to take care of me and the baby before I can take care of anyone else.

Well kids, that about sums up what's been going on around here. Just preparing for the arrival of the baby and trying to get by... day by day.

Love always,

Ian & Kim

Sick as a Dog

My quick trip to Baltimore was WONDERFUL, except for that I caught a cold while I was up there. My guess is that I caught it on my flight to Baltimore and it didn't catch up with me until Sunday night. After Ian picked me up from the airport Sunday evening, I knew darn well that I didn't feel well and that I'd be getting sick soon. I wasn't able to sleep much Sunday night because I was congested and my entire body ached. I actually woke up at 2:30am and couldn't fall back to sleep until almost 4:00am! Like an idiot, I went into work Monday morning despite feeling under the weather because I don't like missing work. By the end of the day, I was exhausted and mad at myself for going to work. Many people told me to take it easy and to stay home Monday to rest, but obviously I was too stubborn to take their advice. I did take their advice on Tuesday because I stayed home today in order to rest and flush this cold out of my system. Today looks like it will be a couch and hot tea day.

I had such a great time in Baltimore, although the flights to and from weren't very enjoyable. It's difficult to get comfortable on a plane, let alone when you're 32 weeks pregnant. It's not as if the flights are very long in duration, I mean, it's only 2.5 hours, but I was uncomfortable for the entire 2.5 hours. I rented a few movies from iTunes before boarding the plane so I was able to occupy myself for the majority of each flight.

While in Baltimore, I was able to spend time with friends and family and eat at all my usual places. My mom and I went to Pizza Johns on Saturday night after the baby shower and I don't think pizza had ever tasted so good! I was able to meet my friend Chelsea for breakfast at the Towson Diner and I forgot how much I miss having a diner nearby. My four aunts on my dad's side of the family hosted a wonderful baby shower for me on Saturday afternoon. My family and friends were all there and it was just a really great time. My grandmother, who had been in the hospital earlier in the week was even able to attend... what a trooper! She will be a great-grandmother before she knows it! My great-aunt Celie was even at the shower and it's so humbling to think that she will be my child's great-great-aunt! My aunts did such a great job hosting the shower and I am so blessed to have such loving friends and family. Pictures have been uploaded to Facebook, as I am too lazy to figure out how to post pictures on this blog.

Ian hasn't been sick as a dog, but he sure has been working like a dog! He worked both Saturday and Sunday and will be out of town most of this week. Luckily his trips are only day trips and he'll be home each night. Thank goodness his company owns a private jet! I can't wait for busy season to be over and I know he can't wait either! Like I've mentioned before, he works hard for his pay check and I'm very thankful for those pay checks!I made him crab cakes and MD crab soup last night for dinner. He seemed to enjoy it and we have left overs for this week.

Well, I suppose I'd better get back to the couch and make myself another cup of tea. I'm going to beat this darn cold one way or another... wish me luck!

Love always,

Ian & Kim

Blog Slacker...

Wow, I have really been slacking with my blog and I have not posted in quite some time. I suppose nothing really exciting has been going on, so I haven't really had much to write about.

The most exciting thing that has happened recently was my Tampa baby shower!!! My friends Lisa and Jenn hosted a baby shower for me a few weeks ago and it was a blast. My friends Dawn and Stephanie flew to Tampa for the occasion, so I was able to spend some quality time with them. The shower was great and they didn't play any of the typical silly shower games. A few small games were played, but it was all in good taste, which I really appreciated. Lisa and Jenn ordered the cutest cake from Target for the shower! I didn't even know Target made custom cakes, but apparently they do! My friends and a few family members attended the shower and I think everyone had a really great time. I posted pictures from the shower on Facebook... someday I'll figure out how to post pictures on the blog. I am so thankful to have such loving and caring friends, like Lisa and Jenn, who are a couple of the best party planners I know. I am also grateful for my friends and family in Florida who are all very loving and supportive.

The countdown has begun! We have 8 weeks left until our little one arrives! We have completed the nursery (well sort of) and we begin our birthing classes in early March. We assembled the crib this past weekend and it looks fantastic. We also moved the armoire and changing table into the nursery. We're still waiting for the nightstand to arrive because it was a special order item and was scheduled to take longer than the rest of the furniture. We also ordered the toddler bed and full-size bed conversion kits. I have decided to leave the nursery the color I had originally painted it, before it was a nursery. With the crib bedding, the nursery looks really cute and I can't wait for our little bundle of joy to see it.

Now, as for the 3rd trimester... I've started feeling really uncomfortable. My back hurts and I haven't been sleeping well at night. Insomnia and I have been introduced and quite frankly... I do not like it! Every morning around 3:30-4:00am, I wake up and either toss and turn for a good hour or simply cannot fall back to sleep. This past Monday morning, I was awake at 4:00am and watched movies downstairs until it was time to get ready for work. I have always had issues with heartburn, but my heartburn has increased in intensity and frequency. I take Zantac twice a day in hopes of combating the heartburn and it helps... but doesn't eliminate the heartburn completely. My hands and feet have begun to retain water, so swelling has been an issue for me recently. It's not as bad as I thought it would be and I've seen worse, but again, it's quite uncomfortable. I try to keep my feet elevated as much as possible and I wear flip flops to work (a.k.a dress sandals). Other than these issues, I really can't complain. I haven't had any complications and my pregnancy is progressing as expected. My appointments with the OBGYN will begin to increase in frequency beginning this week, so I will be seeing the OBGYN every 2 weeks for the next 4 weeks and then I will begin my weekly appointments.

On the home front... we have ordered new carpet for the carpeted rooms of the house. We have tile in the wet areas and as well in the foyer and in the main hallway. The living room, dining room, family room and bedrooms are all carpeted so we have decided to have new carpet installed. We chose a more pet-friendly carpet and padding, so we're hoping this will last until we're ready to install hard wood floors or move. And to clear up any rumors, we have no intentions of moving any time soon, but we are certain that our long term goal is to move back to South Tampa once the kids are of school age.

As for work... work sucks! Ian has been working long hours and has been working on Saturdays. The Saturday hours are almost finished for the year (March 13th) but it makes for very short weekends and a very long work week. After busy season, Ian's hours will be back to the normal 8:00am-5:00pm. As for my job... well let's just say it's been a real struggle to get up and go to work over the past week. I am no longer working 4-10 hour days and I'm back to working 5-8 hour days. Apparently people in Tallahassee weren't pleased with my schedule and have forced me to return to a standard work schedule. I'm too exhausted to put up a fight, so I submitted a request for a flexible schedule, which has been approved. I will be working 7:15am-3:45pm, 5 days a week. The schedule will allow me to schedule doctor appointments later in the day and therefore I won't be using as much leave. I'm also very busy at work because I want to make sure my cases are in good order before "dumping" them on my co-workers. As much as I enjoy case management, I really hate transferring cases to my co-workers because to me, it's an unfair, but very necessary burden to place on them. I'm trying to be a good co-worker by ensuring my cases are up to date and won't need immediate attention. Let's hope my hard work is appreciated my by co-workers.

I'm leaving for Baltimore this evening for the weekend. I'm making one last trip to Baltimore for a baby shower that is being hosted by my wonderful aunts. My dad's four sisters are hosting the shower and all I have to do is show up. Thankfully the weather forecasters aren't predicting any snow this weekend, so hopefully weather won't be an issue for anyone. I'm very excited to see my family and friends and to show off my baby bump, as it has grown since Christmas. It will also be nice to get away for a few days and visit with family and friends. It will be my last trip to Baltimore before the baby is born... how surreal!

Well that about sums up what has been going on with the Lasher Family. Nothing too exciting, but the upcoming weeks will bring enough excitement to last us awhile. 8 weeks and counting down...

Love always,

Ian & Kim