Bring it on 2011!

First, I want to finish up my top ten...
8. Know-it-Alls. These are people who think they know everything. You cannot reason with them or try to tell them anything. Their minds are closed and aren't receptive to new ideas or thoughts.

9. Downers. You know these people. I say the sky is blue, but they remind me it is going to rain later. You tell them you like a shirt and they tell you it looks stupid. Often their comments are more than just depressing; they are spiteful.

10. Obnoxious people. Many of the people above are obnoxious, but many other people fall into this category. Some of those people are those that constantly do things for attention. Some invade your personal space. I bet you can come up with your own definition!

Not much new is happening on the baby front. A couple of weeks ago I started getting a weekly shot that is designed to prevent preterm labor. We certainly don't want Jameson to go through what Justin did! I am also SO itchy! I've mentioned it to two nurses and they both assure me it is just dry skin. If you see me with big welts and scratch marks on my skin it is because I cannot refrain from scratching anymore!

It is time to look toward the future! Happy New Year! I'm looking forward to all that 2011 will bring to our lives, including Jameson. I look at Jackson and Justin and try to imagine what he will be like. Will he be athletic and concerned about his grades like Jackson? Will he be quirky, but quite possibly a genius, like Justin? I can't wait to find out!

Top Ten

First, let me just say how proud I am of my boys! They can be so sweet sometimes. Watching them over the different Christmas celebrations, I have seen how grateful they are for every little item given to them. They are so sweet and I couldn't wish for any better kids. I know one of these days that the teenager will emerge its ugly head (I've seen peeks of it), but for now they seem to be contented so easily. They aren't into name brands, fads, and prices; it makes my heart swell with pride.

Almost everyone makes at least one New Year's resolution, right? I've been thinking about that, but I've decided that I would do something different. Instead of writing about the ten resolutions that I have, I decided to reflect on the past year and write about the ten things that irk me the most. I guess this is sort of a way to vent, but these are actions I will avoid at all costs this year. So, this is a way of preparing for my resolutions and 2011.

1) Materialism. I am not one who cares too much about prices, brands, etc. It bothers me when people do care about these things, especially those people who can't really afford to want name brands. Do you know that many brands are made in the same factories, but with different labels? Kids follow a parents lead too. Don't be materialistic and your kids have much less chance of being materialistic.

2) Favoritism. So many people play favorites. It happens in sports, school, and even in families. Occasionally it happens subconsciously, but trust me when I say it isn't subconscious to those around you! Children have such fragile little egos that it is difficult for them to forget feeling inferior. Do what you can to be fair and ignore those urges to play favorites and look deep inside yourself to determine if you are playing favorites.

3) Self-pity. Don't feel sorry for yourself; it is not very becoming. The "woe as me" and "no one loves me" attitude makes people not want to be around you. Life is what you make it, so do your best to make it great! Other people have their own lives and probably don't owe you anything. Just because I am your (aunt, uncle, cousin, daughter, son, boss, etc.), doesn't mean I have to jump when you ask or coddle you. The most important thing in my life is God, my boys, and my husband. Everything else comes second.

4) Fake people. Spotting a fake personality is sometimes tricky. Sometimes it is very easy. No matter if your true self is revealed in time or if it is revealed in two seconds, it takes away all credibility. No one likes fake people and I think it must come from a feeling of inferiority somewhere deep inside you. Be yourself.

5) Laziness. This is one that I just cannot deal with. It is more than just taking it easy from time to time. It is genuine lack of ambition and drive. It is saying that you will do something and not following through. It is complaining that you have no money, but you do nothing to alter your situation, change your living habits, or scrimp and save. America is the greatest nation on Earth and people have enormous opportunity if they will WORK HARD.

6) Being late. I realize that things happen and sometimes you just cannot help it. Life happens. On the other hand, I know entirely too many people that are always late. Always. After twenty or thirty times you should not expect people to wait on you. It is a sign that you don't respect the other people in your life when you cannot ever be on time, so why should they continue to be put out by your actions?

7) Disrespect. It is unbelievable how disrespectful people are nowadays. I see it getting worse and worse in the classroom and in other aspects of life. All of those things above show disrespect, lying show disrespect, and being rude shows disrespect. Teach your kids to say yes ma'am and yes sir. Teach them to respect their elders. Teach them not to have an attitude of entitlement.

Okay, so right now I can't come up with ten. I'm sure things will come to me later and I can write about it then. For now, I will think about these things and let them guide my resolutions. If I follow each one of them I can achieve my biggest resolution. My biggest resolution from year to year never changes: I want to be the best mother and wife that I can be. With Jameson on the way, I look forward to working even harder on these things!

Merry Christmas!

It is Christmas Eve and I am enjoying just sitting around and being lazy. Joey is next to me, Justin is sitting in the floor playing with Legos and Jackson is upstairs playing the Wii. Later we are going to watch some Christmas movies.

The last couple of weeks have been crazy! We decided on a name for our little fish. His name will be Jameson Carter South. The name Jameson comes from my Daddy - James. We decided "James South" is a little hard to say and since both the boys' names end with end, we would modify it a little. Carter is named for Joey's grandfather. Daddy has taught me so many things over the years - "work hard and save your money", "you can do anything you set your mind to" and drink plenty of water! I asked Joey a few things he has learned from Pa. He said Pa helped teach him to work hard and to go to church. There are certain people in your life who you are thrilled to have known and who have made a difference in our lives. These two men are those type of people and our baby will have big shoes to fill. I can't wait to see how he changes the world!

We have already had one Christmas celebration with Annette, Ronnie, Megan, and Josh at our house. It is great to be able to spread out the celebrations so the kids have time to enjoy their gifts. I know holidays are meant to be spent with family, but to me there is nothing like just sitting at home with Joey and the boys and watching them play together and open gifts. To me, this is the best part of Christmas. Let us not forget, however, the real meaning of Christmas - the birth of Jesus. Thank you God for sending your Son and for blessing me with three of them!

It has been nice to have a week off of school and I am looking forward to another week. Time seems to be passing by so quickly these days that I wish I could press the pause button. Merry Christmas!

A boy! With no name!

I have finally started feeling better - thank goodness! This past week was the first one in which I did not have to take off a day. I have more energy and can actually eat a little.

We surprised everyone by finding out that the baby is a boy! We didn't tell anyone we were finding out and it has been fun to tell people! We told the boys by showing them the ultrasound pictures and let them see where the sonographer wrote "boy". Justin was a little upset at first because he wanted a girl. His disappointment didn't last long when we told him he could decide how and when we told everyone else. He decided he wanted to tell them on Christmas, but the next morning he changed his mind. Jackson and he both said they couldn't wait any longer. I told them to go ahead and call everyone. It was fun to hear how surprised everyone was!

We have known from the beginning that we wanted the middle name to be Carter. It has been difficult to decide on a first name, though. We have narrowed it down to a few options: Jameson, James, Jesse, Jonah, Jett, and Judd. Feel free to let me know which you like the best!

Honestly, little JC already looks like Joey based on the ultrasound pictures. Joey said he looks like Justin! Justin has been very sweet lately. He will get an umbrella for me if it is raining and will sometimes kiss my belly. I can't wait to see Jackson and Justin with the baby! We have about 24 more weeks to wait!

Boy, Girl, or Dog?

It has been a while since I have blogged, but honestly, nothing that exciting has been going on! I'm still feeling pretty sick, but it is definitely getting better. I have been super tired all the time. I don't remember this when I was pregnant with the boys. Joey says it is because I am old.

Thanksgiving was fun and it is a relief to have most of my Christmas shopping done (via the Internet). I want to relax and enjoy the holidays. I knew I would be too tired to shop normally.

The boys went to my last doctor's appointment and heard the heartbeat. They were not all that impressed and said it sounded like a dog barking! They also think it sounded like a boy. The rate was between 145-150 bpm. Some say that means a girl. Who knows? I go to the doctor again this Tuesday and it is a wonderful thing to just hear her say all is okay.

On the bright side, I finally got to get my hair highlighted! It was long overdue. It isn't a dramatic difference, but it makes me feel better.

It is going to be a hectic couple of weeks at school, but then I will get to relax for a while. Maybe before January we will find out if it is a boy or girl!!

Big Daddy Papa Bear!

The last few days I have felt pretty good. It is a vast improvement over the past couple of weeks. The wonderful doctor called me on Friday afternoon and said my thyroid is off. She thinks that is what is causing me to be so sick, but we aren't going to do anything as long as I can stand it.

I am so excited about the holidays and most of our Christmas shopping is done! Joey really isn't a fan of buying presents, so I've tried to do all of it online. It is fun to come home every couple of days and find a new present.

I go back to the doctor again on Tuesday and hope to get to hear the little heartbeat again. I am ready for the break, too! I love the new Gobble Palooza Old Navy commercials!

Jackson did a great job in his play! He was such a cute little Papa Bear! At one point they call him, "Big Daddy Papa Bear"! It was his stage debut and he was fantastic!

Sick days, sky rockets, and special heartbeats!

Every week brings something new with Lil' South (this is the name some of my students came up with...I like it)! I was feeling okay for several days and then BAM! Last Wednesday I became so sick that Joey had to come get me from work! I was afraid to drive because I was so dizzy. My wonderful co-workers did a great job taking care of me. Mrs. Ashley, our Cosmetology teacher, set up her manicure bed in my office and I slept until Joey got there. I went back to school on Thursday, but it was just miserable. I decided to take off on Friday and try to feel better.

Saturday was ROCKET RAMA! Justin, Joey, and I built Justin's two rockets for this scouting event. We sat in the freezing cold on Saturday to watch them launch. It was really fun to watch, but would have been more fun had the weather been better.

On Monday I went back to work. It was a terrible day. I hate to constantly walk out of the room, "I'll be right back guys....Sorry guys....I'll be back in a second..." I finally called the doctor and told them that I tried everything under the sun, but nothing was working. Mary, Dr. Davis' nurse, was super nice and called me in a prescription of Phenergan. She said if it didn't work to call her back the next day. If you've ever taken Phenergan, you know the major side effect is drowsiness. I decided to stay home on Tuesday again and I had already planned to take off Wednesday for my doctor's appointment.

The medicine did make me very sleepy, but kind of loopy too! I've ran into walls and felt the room spinning more than once! I did manage to keep a baked potato down and some Popsicles on Tuesday. The dehydration is part of what is making me feel so tired, so I am working desperately to keep some fluids down.

Today was the doctor's appointment! She explained that the reason I am probably so sick is the progesterone supplement I am on. My body didn't want to make enough of this hormone, so they put me on supplements as soon as we found out we were expecting. Dr. Davis thinks my body is making enough of this now so I am getting too much of it. She said it is a major cause of nausea. If the blood work comes back confirming her theory, she is going to lessen my dosage and the sickness should subside a little. Thank goodness! She offered to write me a note for all the days I missed, but so far Dr. McClain has been very understanding. Dr. Davis also said not to worry about losing weight right now. I will make up for it later!

On the bright side, we got to hear the heartbeat! The heart rate was in the mid to high 170s and she said everything looked good. My favorite comment from her was that my uterus felt nice and pregnant! She also gave us information on genetic testing. Since I will be 35 at the time of delivery I fall into the "risk" category. Oh, so I'm old? Is that what you are politely saying? Yes, I know! My body keeps reminding me!

It is so amazing to think about this precious little life growing inside of me. Thank you God for this new miracle and blessing in our lives.

God Bless America!

What a week this has been! After my terrible day last Thursday, things have been better. Friday was Senior Night at school and I was in charge. It always makes me nervous and things did not go as planned. Then I got to take up tickets until well into the third quarter. It was chilly and I woke up Saturday with some serious congestion. Did I say things got better? Hmmm.......

Saturday night we took the kids to Lawrenceburg to trick-or-treat. They were adorable (as always) and had fun. We first went to my mother's house. She is so funny because she keeps telling me how I need to take care of myself since I am old this time around. "It is harder when you are older. You need to sit down. I worry because you are older." I know she is just concerned, though. Next we went to Daddy's and I got to see the video of Taylor's Halloween recital. It was so awesome and she made a very scary Carrie.

Sunday we went to church and then to Legend's for lunch. After lunch we did a little shoe shopping for Joey. Justin and I also scored a new pair of shoes. That evening we went to see Pa at the nursing home. He was dressed as Shrek and was so adorable! Later we headed to the church Fall Festival. The kids got plenty of candy and we all had a great time.

Yesterday was election day. Joey and I try to always take the kids with us when we vote so they will see the importance of it. I guess I am very patriotic because I always get a little emotional when I think about how lucky we are to live in the United States. So many men and women have given their lives to protect the freedoms of our nation. We must fulfill our responsibility and be productive, voting citizens!

My Hero!

Today has honestly been terrible from start to finish. I woke up sick, had to go do bus duty, caught flack for trying to come up with a logo for a t-shirt, had parent teacher conferences, and came home sick. I have many days that seem to go like this lately!

I absolutely could not do any of this without my wonderful husband. Joey runs to get whatever I ask for, puts up with my severe mood swings, and does anything he can to make me happy. My hero! I hope he knows how much I appreciate him even though I don't always show it. I love you Joe!

Another Week Down - 31 To Go!

I'm almost 9 weeks, and everything seems great. I did have a really rough week last week with sickness. Wednesday was actually so bad that I went home after about an hour at school. On the bright side, it means everything is developing like it should be developing!

I broke down and bought some maternity clothes yesterday. My pants are getting a little snug and it makes my sickness worse. I tried to buy some staple items that I can wear often, but they are EXPENSIVE! Joey was sweet, though, and didn't blink an eye at the register.

Bus duty is almost over and I will be glad to get a little more sleep in the mornings. I am so exhausted all the time (another sign everything is growing well). Jackson and Justin probably think I have turned into a bed bug, but my eyes just won't stay open in the afternoons! I know it will pass once I get into the second trimester. Until then, I am grateful each day that I am tired and nauseous!

Are you sure you're only 8 weeks???

I have been super sick lately and I HATE crackers. I hate them now anyway. Cheerios seem to be doing the trick. If I have another day like yesterday, though, I may have to take a sick day. I've had to tell my students to please just be good if I run from the room!

It amazes me to hear what people will say to a pregnant woman. "I was in labor for 20 hours and the baby weighed 30 pounds." "I almost died and the doctor didn't show up." You can just hear the craziest stories from people! I am probably guilty of doing this too, although I try not to be one of those people.

Today I was the victim. Someone said to me they couldn't believe that I was only eight weeks pregnant. This person then proceeded to ask me if I was sure of my due date and was I sure I wasn't having twins. I wanted to scream, "I'M BLOATED!" I just laughed and smiled. It must be the Southern lady inside of me. The moral of the story is - think before you stay something to mortally wound my ego!

If You Play With Fire...

Yesterday was a full day. First, we had my aunt's funeral. She was so beautiful and I loved watching the video with pictures of her from her life. I know her brothers and sisters were upset, but that grief is for us, not for her. She is in heaven now looking more beautiful than ever!

As we were leaving the graveyard I had Joey helping me tiptoe around the graves. I had on heels and it was difficult to navigate. I told him I didn't want to step on the graves because I've heard how things like that can affect the baby. I said, "My Aunt Margie got bit by a dog when she was pregnant with Wade and he used to bit dogs when he was little!" Wade was nearby and said, "I wish y'all would quit telling that story!" We all laughed that he heard me, but he will never live that down.

Afterwards we went to my daddy's house. Joey made his famous chili and we had a weenie roast. The weather was perfect for a fire. Anytime we have a fire it brings up the old saying, "If you play with fire you will pee in the bed." Being the technology savvy people we are, we then began looking up all kinds of old sayings on our phones. Ginger and Nell are convinced now more than ever that the baby is going to be a girl, based on all these old wives tales. I just laughed. Only God knows! My favorite saying was that if a pregnant woman steps over her husband while he is asleep, her symptoms (nausea, craziness, etc.) will be transferred to her husband. I told Joey not to be surprised if he wakes up one night and I am stepping over him!

Some of the pregnancy sayings dealt with cravings and actions. I thought I would record some of my weird cravings and aversions.

• If I see something that I want or if I crave something, I feel like I need it immediately. This happens often when I see something on TV that sounds good. Its like something just snaps inside and I MUST have it.
• Pudding. I have craved chocolate and vanilla pudding. I only want the kind in the cups at the grocery, not homemade. I prefer the kind that is not refrigerated. This has led to the baby's new nickname (courtesy of my boys) "Pudding Cup".
• Certain smells make me sick. I cannot stand the smell of Chinese food. I'm also not fond of the smell of Japanese food either.
• Lemonade. I have had a ton of lemonade, although I don't like the store bought kind as much as the fresh kind.
• I can eat something one minute and the next it makes me sick. This happened with some cookies yesterday. I ate a couple of cookies and about ten minutes later I caught a whiff of them again. Off to the bathroom I went. I ate a hot dog last night and about two minutes later I told Joey to get rid of the one on my plate. He told me to hold it. I told him to get rid of it NOW.
• Clove seems to help with my morning (afternoon and evening) sickness. I bought ten clove candy sticks at Cracker Barrel earlier this week. Just the smell helps.
• I am pretty forgetful. Sometimes I get out of the car and forget to shut the door (much less lock the doors).
• I am already sucking my stomach in. This goes back to my muscles being worn-out and flabby, but oh my goodness! Some clothes make me look really pregnant, especially after I eat. I am only seven weeks! The good news is that I'm not gaining weight yet.

Off to the ballpark I go to watch Jax play baseball. It is a gorgeous day!

Justin's New Look!

We went today to pick out Justin's new glasses and he is ADORABLE! He picked out the glasses all by himself. The poor baby couldn't see very well. I feel bad for him! Hopefully he will enjoy wearing them and it will help him in school.

On a sad note, my Aunt Anna Staggs Lopp died yesterday. I remember her as always being so poised and beautiful. She always had a smile. I know she is happy now and in heaven with Grandma and her husband Travis.

No new news on the baby front! Little Ugly is doing well!

We Saw Baby Ugly!

First, I had a bit of a scare last night. I had a little bit of spotting. My nerves kept me up most of the night. I read quite a bit online that said it is probably normal, but that didn't really help. Like I said the other day, I have had so many pains, pulls, cramps, etc. that it is scary!

Today at one we went for the first ultrasound. I was terrified. As Joey and I sat there, we saw a blob on the screen that was our baby. As we looked in awe at the screen, we saw a flutter. She told us it was the baby's heartbeat! It was wonderful! She assured us that everything looked great and I felt tremendously relieved. She put our due date, based on the baby's size, at June 4. We called Annette to tell her and she was thrilled (for those of you that don't know, that is her birthday).

As we talked to the nurse, she tried to calm my fears about all my aches and pains. She said that because I am older and this is my third baby, that my muscles aren't what they used to be. She said that my muscles were "flabby" and "worn out". That was all the ammunition Joey will need for the rest of my life!

Later we talked with the boys and I asked them what my nickname for the baby should be. I call Jackson Pumpkin Pie and I call Justin Little Precious. Justin immediately said Little Ugly!

Fun Weekend!

What a fun weekend! We went to the Meriwether Lewis Festival. They have TONS of yard sales, and we spent a couple of hours looking around. We actually ran into Joey's parents and Ronnie & Becky Shultz TWICE! How strange is that? The second time we ate with them at the JunkYard Dog. We didn't find any baby furniture at the sales, but we did find some yummy fresh lemonade.

Sunday we went to church. We've not done well going to small group or church in a while. We know we need to raise this baby the way we have raised the boys. "Train a child up in the way he should go and when he is old he will not depart from it." We want to raise this baby up serve God!

Toward the end of our small group I started feeling a little sickly. We went to the worship service, but didn't stay very long. I thought some food might help, but it made it worse! I just keep thinking, "it means everything is going well...it means everything is going well..." I took a nap and woke up feeling much better.

Joey has put his foot in his mouth a couple of times recently! Once when I complained that I look six months pregnant after I eat, Joey said, "Yep. Oh wait...no!" Another time I was complaining about how much I weigh and he said, "Yeah, I was wondering about that. Will you even gain any weight this time?" I looked at him wide-eyed and he said, "I mean, uh..." I told him to keep digging. I'll keep you posted on how he gets his size 14 foot out of his mouth!

Tomorrow we go for our first ultrasound!

My True Feelings

I have to be honest, I am terrified. With PCOS there is so much more risk of problems. Every time I have a twitch, pull, pang, or back pain, I jump out of my skin. Joey does his best to assure me that everything is fine, but it does little to ease my mind. I never had so many cramps and pains with the boys. This could be just because I am TEN YEARS older than I was the last time I was pregnant! I will feel so much better once we go for our first ultrasound on Monday.

Joey had a meeting this morning in Cool Springs and came home to work after that. We went to lunch, which was a nice change. I have had a headache all afternoon and I can't take my migraine medication now that I am pregnant. Ugh!

The boys are on break now and are thrilled! I hope my second week doesn't go by as quickly as my first week! I'd like to do some fun things with the boys. Maybe we can go to the zoo one day!

Exhausting day - AKA- This is my break?

Six weeks today! After a couple of days of doing nothing, I had a busy day. I had to observe a teacher for my online course. Since we are on break, I asked one of Jackson’s teachers if I could go visit her. I got up early and took the boys to school. I came home for a few hours and then went back to visit with the teacher. After I observed her, I ate lunch with Justin. I was so happy to be able to do that since I never get to visit his school! I came home again for a couple of hours and went to my eye doctor’s appointment. After such a long day I was wiped out. I took a nice nap when we got home. Joey and Justin are off to Cub Scouts. He looked absolutely ADORABLE in his uniform! I can’t wait to hear how it went.

Meet the Predators!

Kim called and said Mark scored some tickets to the Predators Meet and Greet. I picked the kids up and we were off to Nashville with the Johnson’s and Newland’s. It was so awesome! I got Joey’s sweater signed and Jackson got his signed. Justin got a lunchbox signed that someone gave us several years ago. The players all had a big kick out of looking at the lunchbox. I wish we had gotten more signatures, but we ran out of time. My back was KILLING me by the time we were done, anyway. We ate at McAllister’s on the way home. It really hit the spot!

Weddings, babies, and ballgames

My wonderful friend Melissa got married this morning. It was a gorgeous outdoor wedding during the morning time. After that, we went home and quickly changed. We went to my school for my DECA serve day. We were planning to go collect cans for Harvest Share. Only one student showed up. ONE! I was so disappointed. I told her she didn’t have to stay and we’d plan something else after the break. Maybe my students don’t care as much as I thought!

We went to the ballpark for Jackson’s baseball game. I told a few people and I’m starting to get a little upset that people are so shocked. Is it because I am too old? Someone at the wedding wanted to know if we did it on purpose. Was I still planning to work? So, I want to say: YES, we did it on purpose. YES, we know how old our boys are. YES, I plan to keep working. YES, I know how old I am!

The secret is out!

Exams! I am officially five weeks today and I am ready for Fall Break. We had exams and first and second block. When the students asked about the flowers, I told them they were to congratulate me. They asked for what and I told them. It was cute to see how excited they are. Perhaps my students do care about me a little after all! I think shocked is the way to describe most people’s reaction.