Don't breathe on me!!!

The flu, the stomach bug, an the upper respiratory infection has been running wild in the Ft Wood area! It seems everyone has it. Rick has the stomach bug. Mira started running a fever Saturday night and by Sunday morning it was 104.4 . I took her to the doctor Monday and he said she had a "bacterial sinus infection." Her gave her antibiotics and Claritin. Today is Thursday and she's still running a fever of 103. Guess we'll be calling the doctor this morning again. Joey also woke up this morning with a fever of 102. When will it end?!?! I'm hoping that it's my prenatal vitamins that are keeping me from catching it. Trust me, the flu bug is the LAST thing I need right now. Calgon.... take me away!

18 weeks!!!!!

Here we are... almost half way there!!!

(This picture was taken after Operation Thank You... so that's why I look so wiped out!)

It's a ...

baby!

Baby's gender is still unknown... but he/she is absolutely beautiful and absolutely perfect. We're proud to show you the newest member of our family.

Pictures, as promised

Here are some pics taken the week I found out I was pregnant (at around 4 weeks) and from today (at around 12 weeks). I lost 3 lbs from morning sickness early on and I've only gained back 2 of the 3 lbs so far!!!! I have an appt next Thursday and *hopefully* we'll find out if our little June-bug is a boy or girl! Right now we *think* we've settled on the names Madigan Isabella Ruth Arnold or Samuel Garrison Arnold. Time will tell!!!

Bye-Bye July! Hello June-bug!!

Wednesday I had my first OB appointment and we discovered that I was a week off! So my due date is no longer in July... it's June 25! Miracle's birthday!!! Rick and I got to see our little June-bug on ultrasound (tho the doc didn't print us a pic) and she looks great! Her little heart-rate was 174 bpm. (Yes, we're hoping for a girl!) This doctor is a perinatologist in Rolla. Rick really likes him.... he's very knowledgeable in so many areas, he's very matter-of-fact, and he was a Navy Corpman for 6 years. So Rick REALLY respects him. I can DEFINITELY see the military medical training in this guy. He could really care less how this pregnancy affects me emotionally. He didn't once ask me how I was feeling or what hopes I had throughout this pregnancy. It's his job to keep me alive and he made it clear that that's all that is important to him. To me, he kinda sucked the fun out of going in for those prenatal visits. After taking my history, he tried to scare me half to death. He ordered blood work (which ended up being 14 VILES worth!!!) to test for everything under the sun. Then he expalined to me all the various ways this pregnancy could be "potentailly" dangerous. I guess he doesn't realize who he's talking to. He'll soon learn. :>) But, I will say, he IS thorough. He's testing me for things I've never even heard of. So, I at least am confident that he takes my lupus seriously and I'm sure if I ever sneeze, he'll run a test for everything from the common cold to the bird flu! lol

Oh that's another thing! He wanted me to take the flu shot. He said that being pregnant and having lupus are BOTH reasons that I should take it. He didn't ask me if I wanted it... he just ordered it. When the nurse brought it, I asked her if I could decline it. The doctor popped in and looked at me like I was nuts. He kept trying to tell me that it won't hurt that bad, yada yada. I finally explained that I'm not afraid of the pain... I'm just picky about immunizations. I feel that doctors these days want to inject us with everything under the sun. You should have heard the fight that he put up... but in the end, I won. He made me sign something saying that I declined it... and apparently, I'm the first patient of his to ever decline it. He said, "Just sign this saying that you're declining the flu shot even tho it could potentially kill you." Good grief. He may turn out to be more of a drama queen than I am! It'll be a fun 30 more weeks! I go back Dec 20 and we'll have another ultrasound then. YAY!!!

I'll post pictures as soon as I can!

We're having a BABY!

Baby #4 is due July 2, 2008! We just found out on Friday and we're so excited! Shocked.... but excited!!! Please keep our growing family in your prayers!

Yes... HE GOT A JOB!!!!

RICK IS WORKING AGAIN!!!!!!

I was so tired of saying "Rick got a job"... "No he didn't".... "He got a job"... "No he didn't" that I just quit. I decided I'd announce he got a job when he got his first paycheck. And today, HE GOT HIS FIRST PAYCHECK!!!!!! Rick is working for the Pulaski County Ambulance District (or P-CAD) as an EMT. He's also doing his Reserve Drill in the ER on Post and he's been filling in shifts for firefighters at St. Robert. He's staying busy!! AND getting paid! PRAISE GOD!!!!! I'm so proud of Rick! He's great at what he does!