Results

The test results came back negative! Big relief! I still have to stay on the new diet until I see the Dr. again in two weeks, but other than that, it's only good news!

Glucose Test

I had the glucose tolerance test this morning. It was long, and I had no idea it involved so many needles. I won't get any results until tomorrow morning. I'll let you know tomorrow what we find out. For now, I'm going to take it easy, eat my healthy snacks, and watch all the bruises appear.

Baby Update: 29 Weeks

Yesterday we went for our checkup. We're now at the point where I'm going every two weeks. I can't believe I only have, at most, 10 weeks left. I'm still not ready. I feel like I'm just as big now as I was the day Emma was born. Channing seems to agree.  I'm just uncomfortable at this point. The other news, and unexpected, is that my glucose screening test came back one point from being positive for gestational diabetes. I will be retested tomorrow with the longer version, the glucose tolerance test. If this one comes back positive, they will send me to Columbus to Riverside Hospital, to meet with a specialist. Regardless of a positive or negative result, my doctor has put me on a strict diet. I will be eating from here on out as if I were diabetic. I don't think it will be difficult, it's just going to take discipline and alot of getting used to. I have never in my life been told to watch what I eat. Channing has decided to take this challenge on with me, and he's going to give this new diet a couple of weeks. Hopefully, we'll develop some really good eating habits that we can continue after this baby is born. I don't know a whole lot more about this except the diet change. As far as I know, I won't need to do blood sugar monitoring or insulin injections. Most cases of g.d. are handled with a modified diet. I think I can handle that alot better than having to prick my finger ten times a day. Otherwise, everything still looks great. The baby is growing and very strong. So, hopefully I'll have the results of this test tomorrow, and will be able to update you tomorrow night. 

25 Things...

So this list of random things keeps making its rounds on Facebook. I have yet to make one, even though I've been tagged to do so many times. I figured I might as well, since I'm out of things to talk about at the moment. I'm supposed to tell you 25 random things about myself. I honestly don't know if this is possible, but I will try...

1. Michelle is no longer my legal name. My SS card says Ellen Montgomery Hodges. When I changed my name, I didn't know I needed a court order to remove my first name and use my middle name instead. So, that's on my life's to do list. Not that I dislike Ellen, it's just that no one knows that name, and I couldn't stand to let the Montgomery go. 

2. I really really really don't like to be cold. Ironic huh, since I now live in a land of snow. My mama makes me travel with a jacket or blanket at all times of the year, because she has this slight tendency to freeze me with air conditioners in her house and car.

3. I hate the cold, but I love winter clothes... I still haven't figured this one out yet... I guess because I do not tan well, and winter clothes only show your face. I love jackets, sweaters, scarves, knee boots, and of course, my jeans. I could, and sometimes do, wear jeans every day. I even like turtlenecks. I have a long, thin neck, and I feel like turtlenecks don't draw attention to it. I'm weird, I know.

4. I got married barefoot. I was so paranoid about being taller than Channing in the pictures of the ceremony, I refused to wear shoes. Why no one suggested slippers, I'm not sure. Maybe they did, I don't remember. What I do remember, is my great grandmother, sitting next to my Mama, saying loudly, "Mikki! She doesn't have her shoes on!" Priceless...

5. Speaking of being married... Channing and I have been married 3 1/2 years, and I already have a new wedding ring. My wonderful, adorable, precious child flushed my first set DOWN THE TOILET two days before we made the trip home for Christmas. She told her Daddy she did it because Mommy put her in timeout.  My three year old understands revenge...

6. I got to sing for my best friend Emily and her husband Matt's first dance. "At Last", Etta James. What Emily doesn't know, is that in the car, on the way to the reception, I had a major panic attack and forgot the words. I don't get much stage fright, but I did that night, because I knew everyone there, and this was kind of a big deal for her. Luckily, it went off without a hitch, and it is now one of my favorite memories!

7. My job in college was hosting karaoke at a bar in Starkville. Fun job, but lots of trouble...

8. I got my belly button pierced when I was 18. It was the most rebellious thing I could come up with at the time. I think it worked; Daddy wanted to strangle me...

9. I took that same piercing out two years later. I'm so glad I didn't go the tattoo route...

10. I love big dogs. When I say big, I mean the ones that weigh more than me. Little ones just ask to get stepped on...

11.  I'm a ridiculously fast reader. It's too bad I can't apply that talent to anything practical...

12. I have the taste buds of a 3 year old when it comes to cereal. I still love my Captain Crunch! I'm trying to be more sensible though, for the sake of my unborn child; I've graduated to Honey Nut Cheerios now.

13. I crave sweet tea everyday. I took it for granted before. In Mississippi, everyone has it. In Ohio, only McDonald's has it... sad...

14.  I love the show Kitchen Nightmares. I have no idea why, because it would make any other person sick to see what this guy finds, and then make you terrified to eat out again. I can't help it though, I've even got Channing hooked now.

15. One of my favorite pleasures is a pedicure. I could go for one weekly. But, I hate manicures. One bad experience several years ago, and I'll never let someone do my fingernails again.

16. I'm not a baker, but I do like to make cupcakes from a box, and then make fun colored icing. My child, and my husband enjoy them, so why not?

17. Most strangers think my mama is my sister, and that Emma is her child. I really look forward to the day those genes kick in for me...

18.  My favorite fruit flavor is watermelon, but I can't stand a real watermelon. I think it's the texture.

19. I'm the fourth of five living generations on two different sides. I think that's pretty cool...

20. I adore my brother, even though I have scars that are his fault. He would argue against that though. He's is the funniest person I know; and Emma thinks so too.

21. I've had lots of animals over the course of my life. Not one of them has ever had the same name. I just refuse. Some have argued it didn't matter if the name was used for a different species. It matters to me.

22. I'm really running out of ideas here...

23. I still know all the songs from the old Disney movies. Emma thinks it's hilarious when I sing along with them.

24.  I do not have one favorite color. I go through cycles. Right now, I'm on green. Pink will probably be next when Hannah gets here, and blue always runs a close second.

25. This thing took the better part of the afternoon to do. I kept having to leave and come back to it cuz I kept running out of ideas. I really hope you find some of it slightly amusing, otherwise, this was pointless...

The Cure for Homesickness...

GRANDPARENTS!!!!!

My grandparents, better known as Mawmaw and Pawpaw, came for a visit! They got here last Friday, and left early today. Let me tell you, it was exactly what I needed! I've really been in a funk for a while now, and the Mawmaw can always tell. So, on Wednesday afternoon, they called to say they would be heading my way on Thursday.  I sure hope their long drive was worth it, because it was exactly the pick me up I needed! We didn't make any big plans, or really do anything special. It was just enough to have them here. Emma was so thrilled to see them too. She managed to find a way to their room every night, and of course they wouldn't hear of anything different. She taught them her special way to play hide and seek, and I think they played at least two hours a day. Mawmaw and I cooked a Valentine's dinner for the four of us; then Channing and Pawpaw fried catfish on Sunday night. Sunday afternoon, Pawpaw helped me transplant my near dead herb garden into a nice pretty box. I just hope I can keep it going now that he's got me on the right track. 

It always puts me in a special mood to be able to see Emma with them. These two amazing people have been a major and constant force throughout my entire life. It's always been a prayer and a hope that my children would get to experience them the same way that I have. No matter how old I get, Mawmaw is still going to cut my cinnamon toast into little pieces, and Pawpaw is still going to try to peel my oranges. It was so awesome to see Emma get to be in that spot. She absolutely adores them, and of course they are just as crazy about her! Channing picks on me and tells me how spoiled I am from them, and that's ok, I know. I'll never take it for granted either. I know how lucky I am to have them both still here, and to have so a wonderful, close relationship with them.

So, to Mawmaw and Pawpaw:

Thank you for everything! We had a blast, and it was just the treat that we all needed! We can't wait to see you again, and hopefully there will be another of us for you to meet, and no more cold! We love you both!

Michelle, Channing, and Emma

Birthdays and Babies

I know everyone has wanted pictures from Emma's birthday, and I still have every intention of posting them, but the computer hasn't liked me at all this week! All the pictures are on the desktop, but I'm having trouble getting them out of their files. I'm gonna have to get Channing on this ASAP. 

Emma's birthday party was great. She had a blast and so did her little friends. We had 3 little boys and their parents over for cupcakes and ice cream. They had a great time playing and eating. She was more interested in playing with them than opening her gifts. The Papa (my daddy) made the trip up here for the party too. We were all very happy to have him here, as always! Thank you to everyone who sent cards and gifts! She has had a wonderful time this week rereading all her cards and playing with all her new toys. Her surprise from us was a fish! Channing and I had discussed this and all we were gonna do was get a beta and a bowl. Low maintenance. So, the night before the party, Channing went to get the fish. He came back with a full size aquarium... and the beta. One fish, big tank....  But, it has turned out fine, and this fish, quickly named Nemo, has been hilarious to watch. Emma loves watching and feeding him,  and I even catch myself laughing at him. It was a very successful birthday.

Tuesday was our checkup with another doctor, and I've decided she's my favorite, and I'm gonna stick with her through the end. There's no guarantee that she'll be the one to do the delivery, but I will be hoping. Everything still looks fine, and I'm still gaining weight. I had my glucose test on Thursday, and I assume it was negative, because I didn't hear anything back from it. Dr. Crockett told me they would be taking me off the meds at 34 weeks (last week of March). She said the baby's lungs will be developed enough that should she be born after that, she'll be fine. Channing and I are planning to take a tour of the hospital withing the next week or so to become acquainted with this hospital. I don't want to show up and not know where to go.  I've gotten to the stage where I'm uncomfortable in one position for more than about 15 minutes. Sleep is a little better because our mattress topper finally came in. My feet and legs are starting to swell if I'm out very long, but that hasn't been too bad yet. I'm pretty good at knowing how far to push it. It finally hit us today how much we have to do to get ready, and we haven't even started. I really want to have everything done before they take me off the meds, so I have 7 weeks to get started and done. At this point with Emma, I already had everything done but clothes washed and hung up.  

Other than all that, it's been pretty quiet around here. It was really cold this past week, but we are looking forward to a heat wave this week! All the way up to the 50s! Most of the snow is melted, and has left a muddy mess! I'm gonna keep trying with the pictures, and hopefully I'll get it worked out in the next couple of days! We hope you all have a great, warm week!