Zoey @ 11 months

Zoey's 11 month began with her hanging out with Uncle Billy during some really crazy storms.  Mommy and mamaw had scheduled a hair appointment for after school on that Thursday and Billy had kept Zoey.  Of course the bad storms would come while we were gone.  However, Uncle Billy took awesome care of her, as he always does.  He'll be such a good daddy someday!

On Friday, Zoey, mamaw, & I went to town to find some party things for her upcoming 1st birthday party.  We found a ton of stuff at the dollar tree.  The next night, Zoey went trick or treating in the town square and in our subdivison.  Zoey was shy and sleepy while trick or treating but was wide awake and ready to play in her candy when we got home.  She cried for a sucker that I had let her lick on.  She wanted the whole dum, dum in her mout and I wouldn't let her for fear that it would break off and she would choke.  She got the cutest blue toboggan from the local college and we began to rely on that for help on the following cold mornings.

On the 31st, Zoey and I met mamaw and papaw at church.  We were by ourselves and running late.  I had to stop at the store to buy a new paci since I had forgotten the others at home.  I refuse to go to church without her paci!  haha  I would be asking for it!  Then we had a poopy diaper as we pulled in.  Needless to say, we were pretty late.

We headed home afterwards and I held the ladder while daddy applied stain/sealer to the house.  Then we had drama trying to match everyone to get ready for church directory pictures.  After a fight with the car seat base, we were on our way and I was exhausted.  We were late for church because the pictures weren't over until 6:30 and then we headed to Wal-Mart, my hubby's bright idea because he never seems to run out of energy unlike me!

The next day was November 1st, Danielle's (Zoey's namesake and my bff) 30th birthday.  I was amazed that it had been 5 whole years since I had sent her flowers for her last birthday here on earth.  I put on my commemorative pin that I attempt to wear daily during November each year and headed to work knowing that this year, my daughter would notice that pin and would already question what it was and why mommy was wearing it.  More questions will come as she gets older and I'll be glad to share the story of Danielle's life with her. 

The next day there was no school and I headed to the doctor, 2 hours away.  After being in the doctor's office for ever (waiting 40 minutes for blood work), I picked up stuff for my dearest friend Tina to make Zoey a tutu, ate Japanese, picked up 2 Halloween costumes on clearance and got home around 6ish. 

The next few days were just work and then that weekend, Zoey and I went to town with mamaw.  I got Zoey her first birthday gift... a small chatterbox Elmo that she enjoyed playing with in the store and the rest of the supplies for her tutu.  I also found her baby brother's Halloween costume even cheaper so I ended up saving more money by purchasing it at the lower price.

We were home from church the next day due to mommy overdoing it herself that week and needing some rest.  I did manage to straighten up Zoey's room just a bit and her clothes before making myself lay around the rest of the day.  Monday, I gave Zoey's tutu stuff to Tina and boom... Tuesday morning she had it ready.  Zoey was amazed by it and was kinda intimidated by it haha  That day was Celebrate America at work for me and then home to prepare for Zoey's 11 month pictures (which would include those for her 1st bday) the next day.

The pictures were so much fun and my lil girl was hilarious!  She first took her Thanksgiving pictures with the fall background and the little turkey and then she took her 1st birthday pictures.  Zoey hated the feeling of the cake icing on her and actually cried when she got it on her!  It was hilarious.  She also didn't like that the icing was strawberry... what can I say... she's my girl... she loves chocolate!

I picked up her pictures the next day and they were adorable to say the least.  I ended up making a last minute decision to change her birthday party to the following weekend and stayed up until 3am getting invitations ready for it.  The next day, I mailed the invitations, worked, and then headed to a meeting during the 2nd half of the day.  The meeting ended early and I headed out to take Zoey to get her 1st flu shot.  She did great with it.

ZOEY MEASUREMENTS:
AS OF 11-12-10
HT. 28.5 INCHES
WT 18.15 LBS
HEAD 45 cm
Temp. 97.8

That night ended with me in the process of changing Zoey and her managing to pee on the changing table and get it all in her hair and all over her.  LOL  So the night technically ended with another bath and bedtime.

The 13th brought about a trip to Corbin with mamaw to the Dollar Tree for some things, Wal-Mart, Sonic, and a few shoe stores with Zoey's great grandmother Rose.  The next day we headed to church and Zoey wore her frilly dress that her Aunt Carrie had gotten her a few months back.  We through a sweater on with it so that she wouldn't get too cold and it was adorable.  She was complimented a lot but she always is haha

That Monday was work.  I was exhausted and feeling a lot of pressure down low so I took a nap with Zoey at mamaw's house and fed her mashed potatoes and bananas before heading home at 7:30pm.  I fell asleep again getting her to sleep and woke up at 2am to take my meds.  That night we also got our church pictures back and they turned out really well... well Zoey's did haha

The rest of the week was work, work, work as usual.  The 19th was a busy day being so because it was a work day and our 5 year wedding anniversary.  We celebrated by going out to eat at Golden Corral and doing a bit of last minute birthday shopping at Wal-Mart with Zoey.  That night began the period of over a month of sickness beginning with Zoey's 1st round of diarrhea.  She screamed all the way home after daddy dropped us off at my car so we could follow him home.  When we got home and I got her out, she had went big time.  I assumed it was something in the potatoes we had ate so I let it go.  That night she went again and so my mom brought her some pedialyte just in case.  She did great the whole day and so I didn't cancel her birthday party.  We had a great time after we finally got moving.  I couldn't seem to get motivated to finish decorating and daddy was trying to help me and clean.  Finally we were finishing dishes as our 1st guest, great mamaw Brock showed up.  Next was Tina and Lauren, then Jessica and Gavin.... etc.  Zoey had a great time though she was a bit whiny.  She licked a ton of chocolate icing off her cake and did a much better job with it this time than she did at her photo session.  She had a ton of icing in her nose and so after her bath I had to clean it all out of her nose haha  She got lots of cool toys and had a great time seeing everyone.  Her birthday cake was to die for and was created by my dearest Tina.  She is so good!

Just when we thought she was feeling better... the diarrhea started again.  And it lasted through the next day and actually for the next week and half.  We were home with Zoey that next day only running out to Kmart for more pedialyte and stopping at Mr. Gatti's for daddy some dinner.  On the 23rd, Zoey and I spent the night with mamaw and papaw because mommy had a doctor's appointment at 7:30am the next day which meant I had to leave at around 5:15 to get there.  I was leaving her there so I figured I'd spend the night there so she could just sleep through me leaving and not have to get up and then try to go back to sleep when I dropped her off.  I headed out by myself so that my mom could cook our Thanksgiving dinner for that day while I was gone.  The appointment went well and I was out before 10am. I stopped at a Wal-Mart in Lafollette, Tn and picked up a few things for Zoey and her brother along with some bananas and flowers and then was on my way.  I then stopped by the cemetery to visit Danielle's grave and I placed the flowers there.  I had cried my eyes out that morning as I had passed by driving down the road we traveled so much together and now I was just numb standing there.  So surreal that she's really gone... even 5 years later.  So amazing that I have a little girl that she would have spoiled rotten that shares her name and even reminds me of her in some ways.

I then headed home to eat some Thanksgiving dinner via my momma's kitchen.  It was wonderful!  It always is!  Next, I took a nap... ate some more and then sat around until my hubby and dad arrived to eat.  It's always a little off kilter when we celebrate ahead of time because they aren't always off work and so we eat again with them.  My mom does everything early and this is no exception.  Zoey enjoyed to potato salad and dressing.  I knew she would... it's a tradition in our family and no one makes it like my mom and my grandmother do (did).  We left for Louisville at around 7pm and headed to Indiana first.  We spent about an hour and half there taking my sister-in-law our old couches for her basement.  Zoey was amazed watching her animals while sitting on my hip.  Carrie fed her some egg nog shake and then Uncle Keith tried to give her chocolate milk.  Then we headed to Aunt Fefe's to drop off the trailor until we were ready to head back home.  Finally, we made it to granny's house and to bed after a White Castle snack at 3:30am.  I noticed that zoey had a slight cough that night but I dismissed it.

The next day was Thanksgiving with the Lville clan.  We ate and then they threw Zoey a birthday party because they hadn't gotten to come to hers.  She had a blast with her cake there.  She ate a lot of it and then rolled it around on the table.  I then played rummy with my Carrie, Pa, and Jesse while Zoey took a nap on the bed with Granny.  I won and I wasn't even paying attention... I was sifting through sale ads.  At 12:30am, we headed out (Zoey, too) to Wal-Mart where it was hilariously packed.  My hubby was the ring leader and quickly changed his mind after he saw the crowds. I picked up a few movies and then headed to Toys R Us for a couch for Zoey for Christmas.  They were sold out :(

The next day (a year from the day that I had went into labor with Zoey), Zoey met her great-aunt Darlene and uncle Bob.  We hung out with Aunt Fefe that day, had some Roadhouse for dinner, then headed home with the whole back end of our Navigator filled with clothes and toys Aunt Fefe was sending home with us.

The next day, Zoey and I headed out Christmas shopping in Kville with my family.  We were exhausted from being on the go so much that week.  I could barely move.  To make matters worse, Zoey's cough got worse. Still, it was great to go shopping with my parents...my dad enjoys it so much! By the next morning, Zoey sounded awful and we decided to keep her in.  I hated missing church 2 Sundays in a row but I didn't want her to get worse and hated that she had been out the day before without me knowing that she was getting sick.  It was sad to see my lil girl sick on her very first BIRTHDAY.  But I better leave that to the next post : )

Zoey @ 8 Months

(This was the month I had camera issues... not many pictures :( )

Zoey turned 8 months old on Wednesday July 28th and we spent the morning being evaluated by a lady from the First Steps program so that we could possibly get Zoey involved and get at home physical therapy. Afterards we headed to Corbin to get some stuff for the landscape and to look at the couch again. We headed home, ate and then attempted to swim with mamaw. After cleaning out frog eggs from my floats and getting the pool netted out … we got in and it began to rain. So we got out and got cleaned up only to see the sun pop back out about a half hour later. After resting that day, we headed to London that night to Wal-Mart so daddy could find some things that Corbin was out of. We dropped Zoey’s favorite toy, her bumble at Mr. Gatti’s and we had to stop to get it on our way back late that night.

I headed to an appointment at the health department with Zoey the next morning before going to have my hair done and then heading to work to set up my new classroom. I was exhausted after finishing. I went to mom’s to shower and relax on the couch before heading home. I had received a call that morning from my boss telling me that I would have to attend another training the next day. I was exhuated and the training was a physical activity training so I knew I’d be worn out after 6 hours of it as well. After attending the training, I came back to mom’s and fell asleep with Zoey on the couch. When I woke up, I was still not feeling well. I had went to the doctor after having my bloodwork a few days before and my ARNP said my thyroid was really out of whack and had sent me for an ultrasound. I knew that the results had shown that but I had realized that I was late as well. So after encouragement from a friend and my mother, I took a cheap pregnancy test that my mom had had left from when she checked for signs of ovarian cancer. I started to get up to wash my hands and noticed that it was positive! I found out that I am pregnant with a brother or sister for Zoey! I was happy but shocked. And Zoey was the first person that went through my mind. I began to worry about her. We headed back to Lowe’s that evening and to KFC ( I couldn’t eat… I was so in shock!)

I went for bloodwork the next day and my levels came back at 2,164. So I was definitely pregnant. After going through all that I went through to conceive Zoey, I began to worry that maybe it was just showing up as pregnant because maybe, like my aunt, I had ovarian cancer, too. I know that’s not positive thinking but it did enter my mind. We spent Sunday at church and Sears… well actually daddy and papaw were in Sears while mamaw, Zoey and I waited in the car. After going back to church that evening, we headed home to rest. Monday August 2nd, we headed to Knoxville for more bloodwork for me. Afterwards we went to Target and Sam’s Club before heading home. On Tuesday I worked at school for Opening Day in our district. My HCG levels came back at 5,000+ and my progesterone levels were at 9.5 which was low so I had to begin 2 pills of progesterone a day. I was nervous because last time I did shots but my ARNP said that since this was a natural pregnancy, my body should help out a little more this time and that we would try the pills first.

The next few days were a blur…. Work and naps with Zoey on the couch. By Saturday I was feeling a bit more rested and so I went shopping in Morristown with mamaw and papaw and Zoey. We went to the mall, TJ Maxx, Lowes, and ate at the Sage Brush Steakhouse. We stopped by Sav-a-Lot on the way home for some frozen dinners and breakfasts for work the following week. After resting for a few, Zoey and I headed home around 8pm. The next day was Mike’s 32nd birthday. Zoey and I took him his 2nd present (the first being a game he picked out) which was his Clinique Happy cologne. This is my husband’s smell and I can’t buy him anything else. I’ve tried. It just doesn’t smell like him. We attended church and then went to pick up some movies from a friend in Tenneessee. This was Zoey’s first time meeting our friend David. Then daddy ran into Wal-Mart while Zoey and I waited in the car and shared a Pina Colada slushie. Finally we made it home with barely enough time to rest before heading back to church. We were both completely worn out!

The next day after work, I headed back to Knoxville fore more bloodwork. We then stopped at Kroger to change Zoey’s diaper before heading next door to Sonic for dinner. I was exhausted that night. Tuesday my ARNP called with my numbers. My HCG was 28,000+ and my progesterone was 16. The doctor was pleased that it had increased but wanted to be on the safe side and so she told me to add another pill per day making it three. Wednesday, Zoey and I rushed home for her evaluation from the First Steps physical therapist. It was at 4pm. ZoeyLowes and Wal-Mart. I was reminded of why I never get groceries on a Friday night after work. We didn’t get home until 11:30pm!

I was worn out Saturday morning. My aunt and uncle were on their way to my grandmothers to work on some things for her and so we left to go see them and help out. We spent the entire day there. Zoey was up from 8:30 am til 10pm that night with barely a bit of a nap in between! On Sunday August 15, we went to church. I was so overly tired and not feeling well that day and Zoey wasn’t either. She was teething pretty badly (she still hasn’t cut a tooth!) and was very tired and fighting sleep. So we made it through the morning service and went to eat at Pizza Hut for daddy’s late birthday dinner. I was so exhausted that I really didn’t want to go because of the crowd but that’s where he wanted to go so we did. We went home afterwards and then back to the PM service. I really wanted to hear the final installment sermon of the Battle of Ezekiel 38 and 39. Before Zoey, I was an avid note taker at church. Occasionally, I still do so but not so much because I usually am holding her. During this sermon series, mamaw had gladly held her (which she does a lot to help out anyway) and I was getting notes. I did manage to get most of the notes that night before finally having to head out to the vestibule with Zoey. She didn’t feel well and I was feeling worse. It was unsual because we rarely have to do that thus far.

On Monday the 16th, I went to Kville with mom and Zoey. We went to pick up Zoey’s new splints, which are adorable I might add, and we went to my first OB appointment to see the newest addition. We were relieved to see a baby with a heartbeat of 152bpm. The next few days were spent at work. We headed to have Zoey’s pictures done on Thursday at 4:45. Afterwards, she and I went on home to rest a bit. On Friday, I left work about 30 minutes early and headed to Oak Ridge to have adjustments on Zoey’s splints. Wow! I didn’t think we would ever make it there. We did great and then we called and the folks at the office thought we were coming in on a different road and sent us the wrong way. We were about 15 miles out of the way when we realized it and they apologized. They are so nice there. They stayed to wait on us even though they were getting ready to close. We ate at A&W, went to get my birthday cake afterwards, then to Food City, the $ store, picked up dinner for the fellas at Taco Casa, and got home around 10pm.

August 21, was my first birthday with my baby girl outside of my body. My sweet husband took us to Somerset for some furniture browsing and dinner. I know it sounds insane but I requested Gold Star Chilli for my birthday dinner and that’s where we ate. I love that place and we don’t have one here. We later headed home and Zoey and I went to mom’s for some cake and to watch Eclipse. We had been saving our time watching Eclipse and decided this would be the best time to do so. I had a great birthday!

Michael had to work on some things and wasn’t able to attend church with us the next day so Zoey and I went to church and stayed at mom and dad’s house afterwards. It was much easier than all the running that I would have done had I went all the way home and we would have been by ourselves mainly anyway so it was nice to spend the day there. I was so very ill the next day, not from morning sickness, but from bad heartburn that I had apparently gotten from my egg drop soup the night before. I felt horrible at work that day and spent 2 hours asleep at mom’s that evening. I hated it because Zoey was ready to play and I was in no shape to do so. Afterwards though, I felt some better and spent some good, quality time with her. Tuesday evening I picked up Zoey’s pictures and then went home to overhaul 3 loads of laundry, dishes, and bottles.

The rest of Zoey’s 8th month consisted of staying with mamaw and uncle Billy while mommy worked and hanging out in the evening. I am so blessed to have spent the last 8 months with my precious baby doll!