Day 91 [Week 8] {New Years Eve 2011}

Let us recap our chaotic year of 2011...

January 2011, we had a few *deaths* in our neighborhood and thought it best if we moved to keep Dylan and I out of that situation.  We started searching for a new home. My job at Bay West was making me crazy with an unruly office manager and ungrateful coworkers so I quit my job to save my sanity.  We started being beach bums early this year, and were spending every weekend and days off at the beach enjoying the sun and the sand a few drinks too!
February 2011, we were able to look at a few properties that we liked and hoped that by talking to our current landlord we would be able to get out of our lease.  Once off the lease we had to start cleaning and preparing the home for new tenants.  By the end of the month we had signed a lease on a property owned by an asshole of a polish man named RICHARD SIKORSKI.  I also started a new job at another crummy chiropractic office, turns out they are all ungrateful to their massage therapists.
March 2011, Dylan turned 3!!! We made amazing friends in our new next door neighbors and Rafal was working full time on a home renovation.  We bought baby chicks and a 4-Wheeler.
April 2011, Rafal celebrated his birthday and the very next day our home we were renting flooded with sewage and we were then homeless for a week and a half..
May 2011, An angel by the name of Michelle allowed our family to rent her empty one bedroom beach condo from them for as long as we needed and we moved to Indian Rocks Beach and enjoyed the "good life" for as long as we could.
June 2011, Rafal was offered a job he couldn't refuse which meant we needed to move closer to Clearwater, a 1.5hr commute was just too much!  We signed a lease at an apartment complex in Palm Harbor.
July 2011, I started discussing my school options and wanting to go back to college and Rafal was working 50+ hour weeks!
August 2011, I celebrated my golden birthday, with what still to this day I am calling my best birthday ever!  We spent a week on Anna Maria Island with my sister and her two boys and it was magical!
September 2011, we added a new member to our family, a four legged furry friend we call Marley.
October 2011, Dylan dressed up like spiderman for Halloween and mommy and daddy got to go out and dress up in our costumes as our FIRST Halloween spent together in 3 years!
November 2011, Uncle Ski & Momo had birthdays this month as well as a wonderful Thanksgiving too! Thanksgiving was spent with our dearest friends and family, Veronica and Darryl and their family at their beautiful home! 
December 2011, we visited Chattanooga, TN for a wonderful long weekend with Dominique and her boys at the Choo Choo Train Hotel!  And we found out we are expecting a NEW member of our family in August of 2012!!!

What a wonderfully CRAZY year we have had!! We moved not once, not twice, but THREE times!  We had to find new homes for our pets that we love so much, but gained another 6-7months later.  We have grown in our relationships and love like we never thought possible.  AND we are growing our family by one more.

Rafal & I both believe 2012 will be our best year yet....

Thank you God for your daily blessings in our lives, we are ever so thankful for your wisdom, and guidance!

Day 88 [Week 7 Day 4]

As I sit here and sip on my steaming hot cup of raspberry DECAF tea and honey, I can't help but think of how amazing the life I lead really truly is.  Ahhh... finally, the heat clicked on, I can feel it on my face, what a wonderful surprise, thank you God!  Its like 60 in the house tonight due to no AC or heat being left on while we were gone all day today.

My throat is sore from the cold air today out on the pontoon boat, but it is totally worth it, what a wonderful day with the Szmyglewsczy family!  We rented a pontoon boat and enjoyed a little fishing, it was delightful.

Now our beautiful little boy is off with Ms Crystal as we so dearly call her.... She sure has been a blessing, and is becoming a close family friend, I love it!  She has taken him off of my hands for the evening, while Kamil has taken Rafal off my hands as well.  I have a night free of distractions, just me tonight!! Woohoo!!

Had apple cider with my mommy at Starbucks until 11pm when they kicked us out, thats right, we closed Bux down tonight!  [haha]

Now I am home in my pregnancy pj's... you know the super NOT sexy ones, the ones I will never wear around Rafal but are RIDICULOUSLY comfy!!  Yep, those are what I am wearing tonight, along with those hideous panties that I would never normally be caught dead in, but they're comfy and i'm alone! SO BAM!

I sprayed the pillows with... mmmm... Rafal's nautica cologne, and now... mmmm... it smells like my sexy man in here [hehe]  I will have sweet dreams tonight in my big bed all alone!  Can't wait to hop in and watch a quick show before a full nights sleep!

Speaking of which, I am off you all.  Happy dreams tonight!

Day 86 [Week 7 Day 2]

So here we are, Monday after Christmas.  Remember as a child getting two weeks off of school and how magical those two weeks always turned out to be?  Maybe you were stuck with family and pretending to hate every minute of it, but deep down you knew you were thankful that people cared.  That your family loved you and cherished you.  So many don't get that comfort.  So many don't get kisses and hugs, let alone presents at the holidays.  So when you are feeling let down as an adult and remembering what Christmas used to be, know that you are still loved, no matter where you are and who you are with.  I love you!  God loves you!

My Christmas wasn't like years before, this year it honestly didn't feel like Christmas at all, but more or less a large intimate gathering of family and friends. Thirteen of us total on Christmas Eve enjoyed delicious food prepared by both a Polish family and a Brazilian family.  Not to mention the few American dishes thrown in there too, can't forget the potato salad!! It was an amazing sensation for your tongue, all of the different flavors combined wonderfully.  My favorite though, was the Beet Soup [barszcz czerwony], and floating in the soup were some handmade pierogi's, made by yours truly and Babcia.  They were spectacular!  Filled with wild mushrooms and cabbage, hands down the tastiest delight ever!  Lots of pie's and cake's were soon to follow, not to mention the overflowing of the vino!  I drank delicious SPARKLING White Grape Juice while everyone else indulged in the holiday booze!  Watching everyone loosen up and get sillier as the night wore on was so much fun!

As week 7 is well underway I have not too much new information to report other than our baby is now the size of a lentil!  Tiny little arms and legs are forming and by the end of this week there will be a baby heart beat in my belly!  Daddy is so excited it amazes me everyday.  Last night he got teary eyed talking about it to me, how amazing it is and how lucky he is that I am the mother of two children for him!  I feel blessed to know he feels so strongly about this, that he feels so much joy.

2012

Will be a year full of amazing things, and here is my main list of things to do... in a kind of spastic order!

Completing 50 Credit Hours towards my BS Degree!!

Purchasing our FIRST home!!

Having a HEALTHY and HAPPY baby girl... or boy!

Moving into a HOME!

Getting our urban farm started with chicks and goats!!

Getting an online job to supplement our income!!

Spending more time with immediate family, at least twice a month!!

Learning more patience and acceptance.

Learning a NEW Polish tradition every month!

I can't believe how wonderfully that all sounds as I type it out.  We are going to be having a baby soon and that still just blows my mind!  I can already see, even though no one else really can, a tiny teeny little pooch that will soon be a baby bump.  Its like the very beginning of telling my self to STOP sucking in.  SO now that I am finally coming to terms with it, there is a tiny little spot under my belly button that sticks out a little farther than the rest.  I am so excited!

So Far For Week 7::

Symptoms:

Lots of mood swings, and exhaustion.  I am always tired and get really cranky by about 10pm.

Cravings:

Nothing exactly specific as of yet, although I do love me some soup, and that's a new one! So I will say soup and jalapeno grilled cheese sammichs!

Fun Notes:

It is no longer a secret! Everyone knows about the future baby Ski <3

Everyone is VERY supportive and even excited about our next journey in life!

Rafal is more happy and excited than I ever anticipated and it just makes ME even more excited! 

Not So Fun Notes:

I wouldn't say its morning sickness exactly but I do tend to have some unpleasent stomach upsets through out my days.

I can't eat very much at any given time without feeling like I am making myself sick.  As in, two pieces of bread is about my limit before I feel too full.  BUT at the same time I eat more frequently, I would say its an every 2 hour kind of thing.  I need a small bowl of oatmeal or a granola bar throughout the day.   

Day 84 [Week 6 Day 4]

Today was, well... difficult to say the least.

Between these ridiculous pounding headaches and nausea, I just can't stand up for very long today.  Not a fun thing having to hold on to something when I get up, I feel super old all of a sudden!  Ahhh the joys of producing a baby.

Can't believe its almost the end of week 6, can't believe there is a baby growing in my belly, can't believe Rafal and I are about to celebrate our 5th Anniversary, 5 years completed, and on to the sixth!! WOW!

Day 83 [Week 6 Day 3]

Can't believe Christmas is only a few more days away... It got here so fast this year.  I am still in denial!

Here I am, well underway into my second month of pregnancy.  Cravings are at an all time HIGH but appetite is an all time low.  When I do eat, I maybe ingest 7 bites before I feel entirely too full to even think of consuming another.  In fact, I have lost a pound since my Friday doctors visit in week 5.  Which isn't uncommon, I remember I lost almost 10 pounds in my first 5 months with Dylan.  Although a plus side is my stomach isn't as upset as it was through Dylan's pregnancy.  I get dizzy, and light headed a lot.  I also am achey, I told Rafal last night they feel like 14 year old growing pains, I am just achey all over.  Even my fingers!!  I pee every 15 minutes which was fun on our 12 hour long road trip last weekend!! haha  NOT!

I am going to be painting my chalk board today and I couldn't be more excited to finally be getting it done.  I am going to splurge and get the chalk markers at Micheal's and not let Dylan use them, they are for me only!!

I wanted to sit down and blog about how we told my parents last weekend, but I am not feeling so up to par right now, I want to go lay down... So maybe next time.  Let's just say, it went wonderfully!  Everyone is very excited for our little girl to come in to this big world!

Day 76 [Week 5 Day 3]

Really? Has it only been 4 days?

A lot has happened in 4 days.. my body is changing so much, and I feel so weird all of the time, almost like I am drunk, my hormones are going so crazy I just feel loopy twenty four seven.

Worst part of growing a baby?  You can not take any medication when you are sick, and guess what?  I am getting sick.  Dylan has been sick all through last weekend, and I was up all night with him every night, so I guess it would seem pretty obvious that I would get sick. I feel like poop today, my nose is so stuffed AND running at the same time.  My throat is so sore it hurts to just swallow.  I am still cramping today, and was off and on all night.  The cramps kept waking me up. I just wish I could take some Nyquil and go back to bed!!

Rafal will hopefully have a shorter day at work today and we are supposed to go see Monique and Kamil tonight and enjoy some Christmas festivities, but I am not sure thats going to work out at this point.  I hurt just sitting here at the computer and I have to finish my Power Point presentation for my critical thinking class.... 

*sigh*

I am just sick and I am tired and I just want to lay in bed and drink hot tea and be snuggled.  I guess I am a big baby!

Two more days until I tell my family!! Speaking of which, Dylan's book should be getting delivered today!! Woohoo!!

"I'm a BIG brother!"

Day 74 [Week 5 Day 1]

Can't believe there is a baby in my belly.... Well at this point still a little ball of cells that are quickly forming IN TO said baby... Wow.  SO glad I took all those medical science classes in Massage School, I feel so smart about what is happening with and to my body!  Amazing miracles are happening as I type!

So we have decided to tell everyone on Thursday night in Tennessee, I bought Dylan a book called "I am a BIG Brother!" And I am going to wrap it up and have him "open" it with the family when every one is opening presents!  Then because my sister will be there, I am for certain he will take it either straight to her OR my mom to read it to him... and then let the excitement begin!!  I am so excited and nervous and happy and and and... wow, flood of emotions, I will probably cry!

I would like to take a trip down memory lane, and my pregnancy with Dylan... I had a pregnancy journal that I wrote in for him throughout the whole 9 months, but somewhere in the past 5years I lost it... Right after I gave birth I wasn't ever able to find it again.  SO I will try to remember a little bit about it.

I remember the day I found out I was pregnant, August 15th 2007.

I took a pee test at home and when it was positive I sat on our bedroom floor and cried while Rafal held me.  I immediately called and scheduled an appointment that day to go into Planned Parenthood.  Then I called my childhood friend Laura Martis, to confide my secret... I was in denial the whole way to the doctors.  And once I got there it really hit home.  I pee'd on another stick and yep, I was pregnant.  I was told there that I was 5 weeks along.  I called my mom crying and told her, and she too began to cry with me, and told me it was going to be OK and that she loved me so much.  She was going to call and tell my dad quick and then call me back.  That night they both came over with big hugs and lots of love telling me that every thing was going to turn out fine!

Two weeks before....

I was very ill, throwing up daily and just yuckie all around.  So Rafal took me to the Walk-In Clinic and they told me they thought I had strep-throat and that it was going around and they immediately put me on meds.  After I found out I was pregnant I was told we would have to wait until I was 8 weeks before a real OBGYN doctor would see us, so we went back to the same Walk-In Clinic to let them know and see if I really was sick or not.  Sure enough they looked at my paper work and said, "Oh these are all pregnancy symptoms! You probably weren't sick at all!!"

My Pregnancy with Dylan...

...was full of many up's and many down's, but I only want to talk about and remember the good parts today!  I remember KNOWING with out a doubt that my little pea pod was a boy from the moment we saw the two pink lines.  Rafal knew too, we just knew.  We were so excited, and very very nervous too.  I was sick every day, all day long until I was about 6months.  I actually lost about 10pounds in my first 6months due to lack of appetite.  I didn't start craving any thing that I can remember until that 6th month and ALL I wanted was foot long philly cheese steaks, all day, every day!!  As my pregnancy progressed we had about 4 false alarms, and I hear that is normal in a first pregnancy, I had no idea what anything was going to feel like.  BUT I will never forget the night I started to bleed, in January of 2008.  I went to pee and blood was every where! I was sure I had killed my baby, sounds awful I know, but that was the only thought in my head, oh my God, what did I do wrong?? How did I kill my beautiful baby?!  I was MORTIFIED! I called my mother hysterical, and she was in Tampa, about 45minutes away.  Rafal wasn't answering his phone and was no where to be found, so I called my best friend Holly.  Then it was a race against the clock to see who would get to me first Holly or my mom.  I honestly can't remember who picked me up, or even going to the hospital... All I remember next is being in the ER with a GIANT ultrasound wand INSIDE of me and then seeing his little body moving fine, his heart beat was fine, and everything was just perfect!  They told me that bleeding can be common throughout the whole pregnancy and not to worry.  I couldn't believe it, Thank you GOD!!!  Rafal showed up just at the end, and was able to see Dylan on the big screen too, it was amazing.  Then on March 14th he made his way into the world.  I only had to push about 3 times, and has a really easy and simple labor and delivery.  My sister was able to come to town to be in the room with me, and she was so mad that I had such an easy time!  :)  I believe I was just born to make babies! haha

So here I am, blogging about THIS pregnancy.  I am already craving things and thankfully it is all healthy... Strawberries, Grapes, Cantaloupe, Bagels and Yogurt!  Last night I had yummy spinach alfredo pizza, oh man was it good!  Bad news is, I am already suffering from getting sick at thoughts or sight of certain foods... in fact, all meats, ugh, I am gagging just typing that.  Walking through Publix last night, woooo that was interesting.  But, I made it through just fine and dandy, thankfully!

Now I am going to go fix Dylan and I a bagel with strawberry cream cheese and some yummy grapes!

We really believe we are having a girl, just like we knew Dylan was a boy... We both really like the name Sopheya, which means "wisdom".  Perfect!  We both see her being a beautiful blonde baby :)  How exciting!

Sopheya Alicia

Day 72 - Four Weeks

Now, IF you are following my blog and physically know me, you HAVE TO KEEP THIS A SECRET!! No one will be told until Christmas of our exciting new venture, in to mommy-hood, the SECOND time around!!

My parents won't know, facebook won't know, no one will know until Xmas, so please don't ruin the fun family surprise :) Luckily none of my family members are following my blog... SO I can post all I want on here!

So last night, I pee'd on a stick, and sho nuff... two pink lines!! I was so excited I could hardly wait to tell Rafal...

 (the lines aren't as visible in the picture as they are in real life.. but they're there!)

If you know us at all, you would know that we have been TRYING since April 2009

Which is a very long, long, long time when you so desperately want to add a new member to your family

Never-the-less, God has blessed us again, and I want to blog it all... so please join the ride!

Week 4:

Our little bundle of happiness is about the size of a poppy seed!!

My progesterone levels are skyrocketing and slowing down how my body breaks down my food, I am officially gaining weight for two and have been for the past 4 weeks, NO WONDER my "big" pants are getting tighter these days.

Tonight or Tomorrow I will be making a cute chalkboard to record my weekly up's and down's...

And this weekend we will HOPEFULLY be taking some "expecting" pictures to send out as our announcements! 

-rafal and i have been trying for so long that all i feel is true excitement. dylan our first little was a blessing in disquise, and i was unable to really let myself enjoy the 9months until he was here. something I regret, but know now and understand the who, what, when, where, and whys of the whole situation. this time around i have my little man dylan here in (almost) four year old form to help me make the best of this pregnancy. i couldn't be happier, and it still doesn't feel real. 3 positive tests later though.... i am heading to a doctor this afternoon to get it confirmed! i have been so tired lately, and already been having to pee every 20minutes (at least it feels like it!)-

I think for telling our family I am going to buy some cute little baby shirts that say "Babys First Christmas 2012" And give them to Nana & Papa, Nini, Bacia i dziadek, and MomoSki <3

Or maybe just our announcement photos??

I only found out last night and I lost sleep thinking about him/her... although we BOTH think SHE will be a beautifully healthy happy smiling baby girl <3

Day 70

...It just hit me that I am a college student, like a REAL college student.  As I sit here and write my final essay on leadership, I can't help but notice the excitement building in me.  I am ready to start an internship and a dinky bartending part time job to get me through the gas prices to and from my internship.  I am excited for Dylan to start big boy school soon.  I will be able to intern and work during the day time while he is at school, and continue my education in the evenings.

God is so good.  I can feel the wheels of change turning and preparing me for my amazing life that is still unraveling.

Notre Dame?  I think so.  One day soon.

Day 66

After finishing up some last minute homework, I started the batch of dough for Dylan's Christmas cookies, they are setting up in the fridge and will be ready about 3pm to roll and cut out!  He is so excited.  I have Christmas music playing on Pandora with my Justin Beiber Holiday station.  I do NOT have Beiber fever, but I DO love this album for Christmas!

We put up our Christmas tree, and she (yes, she) is gorgeous and still standing tall and beautifully.  We added our Angel to the top last night and she is just as fabulous as ever too!  We are so blessed this holiday season.

I still have a big Leadership report due in two weeks that I am going to work on for a little bit this afternoon, but I wanted to mention how proud I am of myself, I am taking 2 classes right now and I am ridding on A's and hopefully will get those to HIGH A's in the next two weeks!! Wish me luck!!

I will be an Architect before we know it!

In other news, about a week ago Rafal brought home a bag of crocheting stuff from a move job he did, it was a hook and 3 big rolls of white yarn.  Heres the thing, I had just been talking to a friend about how I would love to learn how to crochet and make things, well thank you God for helping me to manifest all the things I want.  So last night I finished my first ever scarf.....

How fabulous is that?? Now I am working on a headband with a flower :)  It is so exciting making things that are useable LOL

As well as making your own clothing, making your own money is a plus, and speaking of making money... We bought another storage unit this past Monday afternoon, for $400 and were surprised by ALL the goodies hidden in the way back that we didn't even see when bidding!  So we went to Paul and goto ur own 10x30' Storage Unit to fill with stuff for our store one day :)  I have a workshop now!! To do all my painting and sanding and refinishing!  My first project is a large wooden table, I will be painting in in a pottery barn kind of way, distressed black... It will be amazing!!  I can't wait to start the process, maybe this Tuesday?  Yes!!

Going to go work on my headband and watch Christmas movies with my three and a half year old who will be four years old in only three months and a few days!! HOLY MOLY!!