My next purchase...

Annabelle needs a pair or two or three of these!!! How adorable! I can just see her cute little bum fitting in these! So cute! They can be found at Rufflebutts!

Sorry for the previous post...maybe depression was not the correct word to use, but I seriously wanted to cry and go home after I got to work from my appointment. I think what annoyed me most was that she automatically assumed that I was eating "empty calories," and I pigged out over Christmas on sweets. First of all, I would say that I eat pretty healthy. I'm all about fruits and veggies, and I've been craving them more since I have been pregnant. I brought in a bag of fruit to eat while at work the other day and my boss asked me if I robbed a fruit stand. And I told my mother-in-law what the doctor said, and she told me that I was one of the healthiest eaters she knows. So, take that lady Dr.!!! Secondly, I got sick over Christmas because of a stomach bug (Ben's whole family got it) and hardly ate any desserts! For two or three days I ate saltines because I thought I would barf if I ate anything else. Anyways, I'm over it now...kind of! ha! If I gain weight, I gain weight. I'm staying active and eating healthy. I just hope this means my little baby isn't going to be 10 lbs or more like I was when I was born. I don't think I can handle that for my first baby!

Depression

Yes, that's right...depression. I went to the Dr. this morning for a little check up and it turns out I have gained too much weight! It really was a great start to my day. I love being told I am fat. Right now, I'm between 20 and 21 weeks...I can't wait to see how much extra weight the next 19-20 weeks brings. Joy!

In other news, I went for another ultrasound on Wednesday because they weren't able to get every angle they wanted at the first one. At least there is a good, cute reason for my fatness. Although, she looks a little squished in there. Hopefully she is ok!

Connell Christmas 2009

We spent most of the time in SC with Ben's family. Kerry always has a fully decorate Christmas tree with lots of presents under it. It's fun! Here are a few pictures from Christmas morning at the Connells!

Ben was my present this year, even though I get him everyday of the year! We decided not to buy anything for each other because neither one of us really needed or wanted anything. Sure there are always diamond studs that I want or a new coat, but I guess I don't really need those right now (eventually, I will have a need for diamond studs...that's for sure!). There is only so much you can put in a small apartment, and we also wanted to wait and spend money on something we really want later down the road...like a house! Or stuff for the baby! Sometimes I hate being a practical person. My father should be so proud!

We did get Ben's family gifts. Taylor got a shot put and discus for him to start practicing for track season, and we also gave him a bow tie. We gave each of Ben's brothers a bow tie. They all wore a bow tie to church on Sunday...it was cute!

Foe Joe and Kerry, we gave them a picture of us (there are tons of pictures in the house of all the other children and grandchildren, and only like two of me and Ben. I'm going to fix that!) and robes with their initials embriodered on them. Hopefully they like them!

Naomi got some UNC sweatpants. She was really excited because they have her initials...NC. She's a nut!

This is a shot gun Will got from Santa. He was pretty proud of it!

The girls scored the most out of everyone! There were seriously enough toys purchased for ten kids, and there are only two of them! They really liked a kitchen set they got since they always like to help cook in the kitchen. Such cute girls!

This isn't from Christmas morning, but I thought it was so cute! Zach sleeping with the girls! They love their uncles sooo much. I think they are a little scared of me, but that's ok!

And this is a rose outside of their back door. It poured down rain Christmas day and the day after. I can't remember what kind of roses Kerry has, but even in December they are beautiful!

We were able to talk to Ben's brother, Campbell, who is in London on his mission. He sounds great!!! He is picking up some of the English phrases like rubbish and Mum...it's cute. He is really enjoying his time over there. Right now, he is about an hour outside of London. I told him we should get tickets for the 2012 Olympics in London, and he can be our tour guide. It sounds like a great idea to me! It's always fun being with our families, but I love coming back to our little space in NC.

Long Christmas 2009

Even though the majority of our time in SC for Christmas was with Ben's family, we were able to go over and have a nice dinner with my Dad and some of my siblings. That's one of the nice things about our families only living an hour away from each other. My little sister was in charge of picking out and decorating the tree, and she did such a fabulous job. Our Mother would be so proud! Christmas was my Mom's favorite!!!!! We used to have like 4 or 5 Christmas trees in our house at Christmas time. It was fun!

Sisters! I think my little sister likes this pose a little too much! ha!
The family that was there that night! We're just missing three brothers, three sisters-in-law and 9 nieces and nephews! At least one grandchild was able to make it in the picture! :)

Daddy and his girls! We LOVE our Daddy!

Me and my husBen! Our 7th Christmas together!

And since we had a girls only picture, the boys decided they wanted a real manly picture...and this is what you get! haha! Two of the scrawniest men next to Big Ben! I love this picture...it cracks me up every single time I look at it!

Aside from taking pictures, we cooked and ate our traditional Christmas dinner of Chicken Breast Supreme! It's soooo yummy, but it takes FOREVER to make! It's worth it though! We also had rice mixed with sauteed ham and onions, fried okra, sauteed veggie medley, and lots of Christmas treats that my Dad's patients brought him! I'm so glad I was able to spend time with some of my family over Christmas, and I'm really looking forward to next Christmas when there will be at least 22 people in the family picture! Yay!

Our Southern Belle!!!

Last week, I went for my first ultrasound...it was pretty cool! I've felt her thump me quite a few times but nothing major yet. During the ultrasound, she only stood on her head...might have something to do with the fact that her Dad is a wrestler and her Mom was a wannabe gymnast. Most of the time I had no idea what was showing on the screen (at one point, I thought we were looking at the lungs, but it was actually the brain...yea), but I did know whenever she showed her stuff, or lack thereof. We are excited for baby Annabelle to come, but she obviously has lots and lots of growing to do before she can make her arrival.






It's kind of weird...I always thought that I would have a boy first. I have four older brothers, and it just doesn't make sense to me how a girl can survive without an older brother. I love all of mine so much and am sooo grateful for them. I was trying to explain this to a friend who doesn't have any brothers...she didn't understand! ha! Either way, I'm way excited for her to come. I'm sure it will be quite an adventure once she gets here. Even though I have seen her and felt her, it still doesn't seem real that there is a baby growing inside of me. It's all very weird to me!
At this point, I can still wear all of my clothes...some are definitely tighter than others, but I'm not to the point of using rubberbands or the bella bands yet. And I really don't want to shop for maternity clothes. I was just looking at some online and had to close the browser after about 5 minutes because it was so weird even looking at them. Will I ever get used to the idea of being pregnant? Hopefully! But, it will probably happen right before she comes and then it will take me forever to realize that the baby that came home with me from the hospital is actually mine!

I hate you, cold weather!

Umm, seriously, I hate it! It has been sooooo freaking cold the past few days. I live in the South for a reason...because I do not like being cold! When the high barely gets above 32 degrees, there is something wrong! I have never understood how people can live in the Northern part of the United States. And Canada...oh, my goodness, why do people live up there? And to think that Ben almost applied to law schools in Boston (where he served his mission) and I almost agreed!!! Obviously, I was not thinking clearly at that time! There is a pond behind our apartment building that is completely frozen over..like inches thick! I'm not going to risk trying to walk on it, but the other day, Ben threw a large rock up in the air that landed on the ice and the rock did not go through. It bounced off the ice, making a small dent in it, and then landed on top of the ice. It's crazy! I cannot wait for March when I can walk outside without having to worry about wearing a turtleneck, sweater, fleece jacket, ski jacket, scarf, hat and gloves...it's so annoying! Please hurry, spring and summer! I love y'all!

4 years

This is my Mom at the age of two. I hope I have a little girl that looks just like her!!!

Four years ago today, my Mom passed away. Sometimes it seems like just yesterday, but most of the time it seems like she has been gone forever. I went through a bunch of pictures I have at my house tonight, and scanned some of my favorites. My Mom was so cool. In high school, I never understood all of the girls who hated their Moms because I just loved mine so much! She would do anything for her children, or anyone around her. She was always trying to help people out...give work to those who were struggling, buy food for homeless people at gas stations, make food for people who were sick...anything really! At one point, there were three families (including mine) living in my parents' house because my Mom told these two families who just moved to the area they could live with us while they found housing. And these were not small families...both families had four or five kids...it was a mad house, but that was my Mom! And she would seriously do anything for her children! If that meant driving to Atlanta (a four hour drive) in the middle of the night because my older sister was not feeling well, she would do it. She would bring us lunch to school. She made sure we always had everything we needed. She loved to watch us play basketball...I can't think of a game she missed for any of us...rec-league, middle school, high school, it didn't matter. She was always there and we could always hear her screaming from the stands! haha, it was great! She also LOVED to throw parties! And she loved cooking for people! She could cook some really, really yummy food too! She made the best whole wheat bread, and a lot of other really good stuff! No one can cook like my Mom! She was the best!!! And she always made sure we ate really healthy stuff too! Anyways, I could go on and on about her because she was just a great lady! I miss her so much! I don't know how I am going to raise any kids without her help, but hopefully I'll be inspired.

I asked my Aunt about this one...we think this was at a bridal shower that my Dad's side of the family threw for her and the other lady in the pictures. I don't know who the other lady is.

At my brother's, Russell, birthday in Dec 1975.

My parents took my two oldest brothers to the bicentennial celebration in DC in 1976.

That's ME!!! Just a little baby! Well, not really little...I was 10 lbs 14oz when I was born. Yea, I was a big baby.

This is at my baptism. My brother, Russell, baptized me, and my Dad confirmed me.

The family in 1995. My older sister, Erin, shattered her two front teeth either the day before or two days before this picture...I think that's why she looks so miserable!

Christmas 1999. We always got pjs for Christmas...I love them!

This picture and the one before should probably be switched. This is my Mom and Dad in either 1997 or 1998.

My Mom holding Elizabeth, the first grandbaby in August 2000. She was amazing with babies...she did have 7, so that might explain some of it. You could pretty much call her the baby whisperer!

The family December 2001

This was Senior Night for basketball in Feb 2003

This is April 2003 at my Mom's parents' 60th Wedding Anniversary party.

And this is at my wedding!!! My Mom helped a ton with the planning, and it was a fabulous night! And that cake was soooooo yummy! Mmm, I could go for some right now! :)

She was such an awesome woman. I miss her so much. Life is definitely not the same without her. But she told us that she didn't want us to be sad whenever she was gone...she wanted us to be happy and celebrate her life. That's why we had a party at my parents' house the night of her funeral. She really thought life was a party! Hopefully, I can be an amazing Mommy like she was!