~*Strawberry Fields Forever*~

Where in the world has the first half of the year gone?  What a blur!  So we moved back to Riverside and love having our own space once again.  Autumn is 9 months old now and has two teeth and is starting to figure out the whole crawling thing.  She's not TOTALLY mobile yet (thankfully) but she's figuring it all out.  She's an absolute love.  I had no idea how much I would love being a mother.  She laughs and my heart soars.  It's indescribable to someone who is not a parent.  It's amazing.  I never believed my heart could hold so much love.  My husband continues to be fabulous.  He is a wonderful father and a very supportive husband.  We've started going to a new church which we like very much and life is pretty much perfect.  I'm going to start planning Autumn's 1st birthday party here in the near future.  I'm looking forward to that, except that it means Autumn is ALREADY a year old then!  ACK!  Too true that time flies all too quickly.  This year marks my 30th birthday in July.  WOW.  On top of feeling exceedingly old, I've become very introspective.  I've grown so much over the past 5 years that I don't even recognize my former self.  I wouldn't trade any of my experiences though because they've molded me into who I am today.  And today I'm solid, secure, happy, and totally in awe of my life as it stands. 

Hey everyone!  How's everyone's Christmas season going?  I can't even begin to tell you how fun this year has been so far.  We are totally broke, can't buy anyone anything, and yet, it's been the been the best one yet.  We got to see Autumn with Santa (SO cute) and took pictures of her.  She's such a cute baby (of course I think that, I'm her mother!) that I just love taking her picture.  Ken laughs because I'm not in any of the pictures because I've always got the camera.  Probably a good thing for now.  Although at my first Weight Watchers weigh-in last week, I dropped 10.2 lbs in the first week (mostly water weight I'm guessing though).  We'll see how I do this week on Saturday.  There are 2 holiday parties this week.  I've been strong though.  I count the points.  Even if I'm back up a bit, I won't beat myself up too bad, considering it IS Christmastime.  I shouldn't be though because I'm still staying under my points allowance.  Anyhow, Autumn is 3 1/2 months now and is growing so fast.  It's funny because once you have a kid, you don't get Christmas presents anymore.  People hand you gifts and say, "This is for the baby."  It's awesome though because I get so many clothes that I don't have to buy her any.  She grows so quickly it's not like she even gets to wear all her clothes anyway before she's on to the next size.  It's insane.  We're in process of saving up to move into an apartment.  One that takes dogs.  We thought we'd be saving tons of money by staying at my best friend's mom's house but as it turns out, we're spending about the same.  I can't wait to get the heck outta there.  No offense to Charlie, it's just so much nicer being out on your own.  It'd feel more like a family unit.  If you guys know of any good places locally that are renting or one that you know to stay away from, be sure to pass the info on.  Hope everyone is doing well.  Merry Christmas to all.   

OK, so for anyone planning on having sex September through December, I strongly advise EXTRA protection.  You really don't wanna be preggers in the middle of Summer, let me tell you!  Not only are my ankles non-existent because my calves bleed into my feet, which resemble loaves of bread with toes poking out the end, but I am constantly hot, even in the A/C and feel so warm I'm nauseas most of the time.  I keep telling myself it will all be worth it because I'm sure it will be, but for now I'm whiny and driving my poor hubby crazy.  I hit 30 weeks tomorrow so I'm like, "OK only 10 more TOPS to go!"  Everyone here (I'm surrounded by nurses at work) tells me I'll probably be induced prior to that though because of my BP being elevated.  As long as Autumn is healthy, that would be fine with me.  If she came now, she'd survive but she'd have a rough start in life and I don't want that.  Just a couple weeks early I'd be ok with though.  We'll just have to wait and see.  

In addition to my pregger woes I am currently in process of moving.  I say in process because we're packing and moving concurrently.  We lucked out into being able to move in with my best friend's mom whom I've known since I was 3 and we're going to live there for two years so we can get out of debt and save for a house.  We're excited for the opportunity to be sure being California is so expensive to get started in.  We feel truly blessed.

Well, that's all that's going on for now.  Everything else is same ol', same ol'. 

I am a bit disjointed today.  I tried to schedule my monthly OB appt. and when I called they said they'd already made an appointment for the 10th, which is too soon.  I asked what the appointment was for and they said it was for an ultrasound.  I explained I already had one on the 19th of April and they said they need to get some more shots.  When I had the ultrasound, the technician mentioned I may need to come back because how Autumn was laying, she was blocking the best view to her spine.  So I am hoping that's all it is.  My follow-up appointment for May is the 23rd so I'll get all the details then.  I am thinking if there WAS something wrong, they'd get me in a lot sooner, but they don't seem worried.  I don't want to borrow trouble, ya know?  So I'm just going with it and praying for the best outcome regardless.  

Work is going well...I have a couple projects I should be working on so I am going to go finish those right now.  Hope everyone is having a great week and HAPPY HUMP DAY!

For all those who would like to know we are having a little GIRL!  We captured some AWESOME ultrasound shots and it is MOST DEFINITELY a girl!  She's precious!  I am so happy!  She's healthy and very active.  She was in there playing and moving around.  It was the most awesome experience!  So, little Autumn Marlene Speier will be joining us somewhere around the ballpark of September 18th.  I feel so blessed!  This is a little miracle!!  So cool...I'm stoked!

Have an awesome weekend!

Lots of love!!!!

After a 3 year sojourn, I have returned to my LJ.  Haven't typed anything in here in ages.  So I guess this first post will be an update to my life since I last spoke to most of you, those that even still read/post to accounts linked to my friend list.  Well in July '05, I met my now husband Ken, who was living in San Diego at the time.  On our one year anniversary (also my birthday) he asked me to marry him and we were married in Vegas October '06.  Then in January '07 we found out we were pregnant and now I'm currently 18 weeks pregnant.  I have an ultrasound appt today actually to check that there are 10 fingers, 10 toes and a spine that closes all the way!  We are also hoping to determine gender!  I can't wait.  I always thought I didn't want kids until I met my husband.  He and I are awesome together and I truly believe we'll be awesome parents.  I've grown and changed soo much in just the last few years.  From abandoning a not-well-suited-but-too-comfortable-to-leave relationship, to redefining who I truly am, not just who I thought people wanted me to be.  For the first time in my life, I had taken the time to say, "What is it that I like?  Do I even like all the things I thought I did, or was I easily influenced by those around me?"  Most of the time I found myself answering, "I like it sorta, but there's so much more I like better."  I had spent my life living in everyone else's shadow and hadn't really ever figured out who I was.  So I'm much more comfortable in my skin these days.  My roomate at the time I met my husband (Princess Bob for those who knew/know him) met a wonderful woman who looks EXACTLY like Marilyn Monroe and moved to Wisconsin to live on a ranch and raise horses, which to this day, cracks me up.  Ken and I moved to our own little place in Riverside in January of '06 and have been there ever since.  It's small, but it's home for now and has just enough space for the two of us and a baby.  I am working at Vitas Hospice in San Bernardino and have been since January '05 and I love it.  I truly feel like I'm helping make a difference in people's life at the end of their days here on earth.  It's an awesome experience.  Other than that, just been hanging around, working in the yard, going here, going there, just normal stuff.  Please let me know how you all have been!  I've missed everyone so much!  I was glad I remembered I had an LJ being I hadn't used it in so long!!  I hope everyone is doing well!!!!!

Love,
Sarah