Giving Thanks

I really did have every intention of writing in my blog more often, but wow...my life is so busy! Reflecting back a year ago today, I was around nine weeks pregnant and Cory and I were going to the doctor for our second ultrasound. I am going to share what I wrote in my pregnancy diary to Savannah...

"We are now nine weeks pregnant and wow have you grown!!! Mommy started her new job today at the elementary school (Nov. 24). Everyone at work is excited to meet you because I can’t stop talking about you! I’m still going to bed early every night, which daddy is really enjoying! I told him we better enjoy all the sleep we can before you get here because I have a feeling that everything will change soon after your arrival!

We had our second sonogram today (Nov. 27th) and you have gotten so much bigger. We could actually see your body this time. We saw your head and arms and legs! The doctor told us you were very active. You were moving around side to side. You stretched out and curled back into a ball, which made all of us smile (even the doctor). Daddy teared up when he saw you, but didn’t tell me about that until later in the day. I don’t know how to put into words how awesome it is to you see you and see you moving around. It is hard to explain how you can love someone you have never even meet so much! Daddy & I couldn’t stop smiling after the sonogram. We talked about you and your arrival a lot today. We are wondering who you are and what characteristics of ours you will have. I will have to say that this was the best Thanksgiving ever! After our appointment we stopped by Aunt Kasey and Uncle Brady’s to show them your picture. They were really excited for us and amazed at how much you had grown. After stopping over there, mommy & daddy went home to start cooking Thanksgiving dinner. We are having a bunch of people over today for a late lunch/dinner. Mommy cooked green bean casserole, homemade stuffing, mashed potatoes, and rolls. Daddy fried the turkey and it was so delicious. He was so excited to use his new turkey fryer that mommy bought him. Aunt Kasey and Uncle Brady made homemade mac’ n cheese, sweet potato casserole, a ham, and lots of yummy desserts. We had a great time and enjoyed everyone’s company. We e-mailed everyone your newest pictures and they were also amazed at how much you had grown. Grandy (OMA) told me that I hadn’t seen anything yet…there was a lot of growing to come!"

Looking back...it's crazy how much has changed over the past year. Savannah has entered our lives and we couldn't be happier. Being her mom and dad has been the best blessing Cory and I have ever received. She brings so much joy and happiness into our lives every day with her beautiful smile and cute little giggle. She really makes every day worth living. If there is anyone in this world I want to really make proud it is my daughter. She LOVES to talk and share her ideas with mom and dad...and well, anyone that will listen for that matter. She is eating more and growing every day! We are going to start her on baby food in the coming weeks. We are having about fifteen to twenty people over for Thanksgiving this year and are so excited that Savannah and her best friend/boyfriend Owen get to join in the fun! They have matching outfits and we can't wait to take pictures and post them for everyone to see! We are wondering if Savannah is going to crawl or just bi-pass it completely like I did...she is rolling EVERYWHERE. It's getting to the point where I really have to keep my eye on her. Today she was on her play-mat one second and the next second she had rolled all the way across the rug...mind you, it's not a small rug! LOL It was too cute and she was so proud of herself...she was just talking and smiling and laughing when I caught her. She is definitely going to keep us on our toes in the months and years to come.

We will be traveling in two weeks back to the states and we are SO excited...we will get 20 days at home with family and friends. Our friend Ashley will be taking our pictures on December 12th and we are so excited! We had family pictures done when Savannah was six weeks old and the photographer just fell of the face of the earth and decided she wasn't going to respond to my messages or send us our pictures. I was very disappointed because that is a time we will never be able to re-capture. We are so thankful to Ashley for doing our pictures & we can't wait to see her, her little girls, and the results of the pics! Thanks girl :)

If anyone has any advice on traveling with an infant, it is definitely welcomed! We have a ten to eleven hour flight on the way home and to be honest I'm VERY nervous. I'm still breastfeeding but I mostly pump and give bottles so I'm hoping Savannah just breastfeeds on the plane to make things easier...not to mention, I have an industrial pump so it only plugs in, meaning I won't be able to use it on the plane. Again...I'm very nervous! lol Luckily we bought her a ticket so she would have her own seat and space, making it a little easier on ourselves (I HOPE) I really hope she adjusts okay to the time change...especially when we make our trip back to Germany! I've heard many horror stories!

Anyways...to my family and friends Have a Happy Thanksgiving!!!! :)

Whirlwind

Wow...this week has flown by so quickly and I haven't had a second to spare to sit down and blog. Now that it's Sunday and I've picked up a little and Savannah is napping, I can finally take a breathe and relax for a few! Life is going great! I spent the last week working on stuff for Cory's company halloween party. I made center pieces and all the stuff to run the costume contest. It was fun, but it took a while! Thank goodness Kasey helped me or I wouldn't have gotten it all done in time! I have only three weeks left of school and I'll be finished (except for the seminar classes during my student teaching)! I can't believe it...and I'm SO SO excited! I'm not going to lie...I'm extremely proud of myself for almost being done with my master's...it's such an accomplishment.
Friday we had the halloween party I mentioned and it was a blast. We went as the Flinstones and Savannah was SO cute. We had our picture taken and I can't wait to get it back...it was SO cute! :) We should hopefully get it this week, but I don't know when I'll see it because Cory won't be at work here in Heidelberg until next week...he's out in the field until Sunday some time. Anyways...the party was a blast and we won best group with the Cramer's in the costume contest. We were going to dress up and take the kids out on Saturday for Halloween but I was SO sick. I ran myself too ragged all week and got a sinus and upper respiratory infection...YUCK! So I spent the day Saturday in bed and am feeling better today, but still not 100%
Savannah will be four months old tomorrow...FOUR months! Wow...time is flying! She is getting so big and growing into such a cute little girl...her personality is just awesome...she is such a good mix of Cory and I. Once she starts talking though we really are screwed bc she already doesn't stop! She has SO much to stay and she wants to be heard. If you don't listen to her or pay attention to her she fake cries or screams so you'll look at her. She is such a mess. She has been such a blessing in our lives and I love being a mommy. It's so amazing...no matter how bad or stressful of a day I've had...the second I see her it all fades away and everything gets better...as soon as I see her I light up with a smile. She is such an angel and I love her SO incredibly much. Since she is turning four months tomorrow, I took off work to take her to her four month check up. I can't wait to see how much she weighs, but Im not looking forward to her getting shots. NO fun! I took off the whole day with her because I know it will be rough on her and she'll be cranky after. Anyways gotta run for now...Savannah is up and hungry! :)

Finally...a blog!

I have been wanting to start a blog for some time now so everyone back home can keep up with us. Being in Germany away from family is a hard thing, especially now that Savannah has been born. We are coming home in December and can't wait! We are sooo excited!

Updates on us...

I am almost finished with my last class towards my master's in secondary ed. and I will be student teaching in January 2010. I can't wait...I should get word on if I was placed at the high school here in Heidelberg in the next month or two. I'll keep everyone posted. I am resigning from my job at the elementary school in December to work on finishing my degree. I could take leave without pay and go back when I finish student teaching, but I am just not happy there anymore. I've decided that I will stay home with Savannah after I finish student teaching and watch a couple kids as an FCC provider. I am working on getting all my paperwork done to become a provider and can't wait to be home with Savannah during the days, even if it means watching a couple kids to make some extra cash! It will be WELL worth it!

Cory is doing good and working hard. He starts another class towards his bachelor's this month...I think he's taking Government, but I can't remember for sure. We are still waiting on his information to be processed so he can reclass and go to school for a new MOS. The waiting and waiting is starting to get a little old and we're hoping something happens soon!

Savannah...well she is amazing. She is such a sweet little girl. We have been incredibly blessed from the start with her! She has such a vibrant little personality and she is always so happy! She is talkative too and I can tell she is going to be incredibly opinionated, just like her mommy! She will be four months old on November 2nd and it just blows my mind how quickly she's growing. It was just a year ago last week that I found out I was pregnant with her. Wow...it was such an incredible and scary feeling. Now here we are with the most precious little girl we could have ever asked for. She is a total daddy's girl....as soon as she sees Cory she starts cheesin...it's a little ridiculous! She has her days though when she just wants mommy and I enjoy them when they come! She just had rice cereal for the first time last night and her reaction to it was so cute! She liked it and we'll try again tonight and see how it goes! She is teething and is a little bit more fussy than usual. If you rub her gums with your fingers she just sits there with her mouth open and enjoys it. Poor baby...I know it's gotta be irritating and painful for her! She has also learned a new octave to her voice and it's like a little screech/squeal that keeps getting higher and higher pitches. She's a mess but she's our everything.

Well...that is all for now!! Mommy duty calls!!!