30 week appointment and Justin's Birthday

On January 21st, we went for our 30 week appointment. Everything with Connor is wonderful, and we had another 4-D ultrasound! The ultrasound tech said that Connor's awareness is right where it needs to be for a healthy baby. That was nice to hear :) It was nice to have my dad along for the experience too. He really enjoyed it. Below are a couple of sweet pictures of our baby boy. Notice how he is already LOVES having his picture made. :)

January 22nd was Justin's 32nd Birthday! We started the week off by going to Jim's Razorback Pizza with Terry and Karen. It was really good! I placed it as my 3rd choice for favorite pizza. My first two are Papa's and Geno's. All of my top 3 choices are local pizzerias! Isn't that nice? :) Justin spent the week looking for a surround sound system. That was his big gift from his parents and me. He was really excited because it's something he has wanted for a while. I tried to pick one out on my own, but surround sound is really "man stuff," and the one that I would have picked out would have been the wrong one. Good thing I left it in the hands of the Birthday Boy....um, I mean, Birthday Man. :)

On Thursday, Justin's actual Birthday, I picked up a little cake from Rick's Bakery in Fayetteville and made him some homemade chicken wings (one of his fav's!!). We spent the evening at home eating "man food" and jokingly smearing icing on eachother's faces...lol. See picture below. :) Justin hasn't really "seen" Connor kick me from the outside. While we were laying in bed, I told him to be patient and watch really closely. All of the sudden, my belly started moving in all KINDS of crazy ways! Justin was in awe. He thought that was the coolest thing EVER, and was happy that Connor decided to show off on his Birthday.

Sam's Club had a Bose surround sound system that Justin really wanted, but it was a little more than I had budgeted for. So on Thursday afternoon, I called up my parents, explained the situation, and asked how much they planned to give Justin for his birthday (I swear it wasn't as tacky as it sounds...LOL!). Anyway, they planned on giving him the difference in what I planned on spending, and what the Bose system at Sam's cost. Final outcome: Justin got the surround sound system that he wanted. He was SO thrilled, like a little kid in a candy store! Everything about it was fun for him....picking it up, getting all the pieces out of the box, putting it alllllllllllllllllllllllll together, and then cranking up the TV to see how it sounds. I just love to see him so happy :)

Saturday night, we finished off Justin's birthday week with dinner at Doe's. The Freeman's, The Jansen's, and Stacey joined us for a final celebration of Justin's Birthday. After stuffing our faces, everyone came over for a little Guitar Hero action! It was a great end to a fun filled week! Justin is looking forward to another great year of life, and the gift of a son.

29 Week Pictures

Holy Cow! Look at that belly!! LOL! Justin took these last week, and I think he did a great job. Looks like little Connor is really growing! We have another 4-D ultrasound tomorrow, and we are looking forward to seeing our little guy again! Thanks for all of your prayers, love, and support. They are all very much needed and VERY much appreciated. :)

Granddad's Birthday

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday to You,

Happy Birthday Dear Granddad,

Happy Birthday to You!

Every year on any family member's birthday, my Granddad would call 'em up and sing Happy Birthday! He never missed a beat (or a year for that matter!). Today would have been my Granddad's 84th Birthday, and I know there is a big party going on up there in Heaven! It has been almost a year since his passing, but I just wanted to take some time to honor his memory today. HAPPY BIRTHDAY GRANDDAD! WE LOVE YOU!

4-D Ultrasound!

Yesterday, we went for our 4-D ultrasound! It was VERY cool! Justin, I, and my mom went. Unfortunately, G'ma Karen had to work, but we got LOTS of pictures to share! However, we did not make off with a video this time....why, you ask? Well, as our luck with ultrasounds would have it, the ultrasound tech popped in the VHS, we had about 15 minutes of "recording", and when it was all said and done, she says, "Hmmmmmm, that didn't record.....". Justin and I just looked at each other like, "Is this really happening?!" What a BUMMER! Connor had stuck his tongue out, smiled, yawned, and showed us his toes, and we didn't get a damn bit of it on tape!!! We were very disappointed. She tried to do it all again, but Connor was sleepy and had turned around. He was no longer giving us a good show. The tech asked us when we would be in for our next appointment, and I told her that it's January 21st. She checked her schedule and put us down for ANOTHER 4-D ultrasound on that day! So 2 for the price of one? We'll take it! And hopefully G'ma Karen will be able to make it to our next appointment! Here are some pictures of our sweet baby boy.....we can't wait to meet him! (Isn't technology AMAZING?!)

I love this one.....it looks like he is thinking about all the things he will do once he gets here!

Here's his little leg and foot

Clinching his little fists

28 weeks down, only 12 to go!

Can you believe how the time just FLIES!! Wow, only 12 more weeks to go before Connor makes his appearance! Yesterday, we went for our 28 week check-up. I had to do my blood-glucose test, which consisted of drinking this funky orange substance that tasted like flat Sunkist, sitting in the waiting room for an hour, and then having my blood drawn. I am assuming that the results do not show any sign of gestational diabetes because I did not receive a phone call from the doctor's office today. YAY! So all is well with me, and with Baby Connor. We are now to the point where we will start seeing Dr. McClannahan every 2 weeks, so our next appointment is January 21st.

We THOUGHT we were getting our 4-D ultrasound yesterday, but as our luck with ultrasounds goes, we were wrong. When I scheduled our last appointment, I didn't tell the receptionist it was my 28 week appointment, and that we wanted to do the 4-D ultrasound. (That dawned on me around 8:00pm the night before our appointment.....go figure. But WHY should I have to tell her....shouldn't there be something that pops up in the computer telling her "HEY, IT'S THEIR 28 WEEK APPOINTMENT!!! SCHEDULE BLOOD-GLUCOSE TEST AND 4-D ULTRASOUND!!" Guess not....). Both of our mom's wanted to come see Connor, so Justin met my mom in the parking lot, and got ahold of his mom on the phone to let them know of our ultrasound confusion. I was really bummed out and almost started crying in the waiting room (hormones, I'm sure). We have rescheduled for Monday at 2:00pm. We can't wait to see what he looks like!! I just think the 4-D ultrasound is so amazing! I mean, knowing what our baby will look like BEFORE he enters the world? Technology is so incredible!

After being at the doctor's office for 2 hours, G'ma Karen took us to lunch at Olive Garden! Mmmmm! There's nothing like their soup and salad! All in all, it was a good day. I'll post Connor's pictures next week, so stay tuned! :)

~*Cheers to the New Year*~ and Goodbye to 2008.....

Over the last few days, I have been reflecting on some of my most memorable (both good AND bad) moments of 2008. Here they are, in no particular order:

MY BIG WIN AT THE HORSE RACES!!!

I put my money on the underdog that day; Hey Skootch was his name. I bet on him, and 2 other horses to Win, Place, or Show. Hey Skootch had 30-1 odds, but there was something about him...I just kept looking down at his name in my book. The races were packed that day, and I was sitting in the stands surrounded by several people. When I looked up, there he was.....#8. He was "dressed" in pink, and as he walked between the 2 people's heads in front of me, I knew it was a sign. I put $2 on each horse to Win, Place, or Show and headed out to watch the race. As the horses pounded the dirt on the last leg, I saw Hey Skootch getting closer to the finish line! I also saw the other two horses I had bet on getting close as well. When the final results of the race were posted, it was the most surreal feeling! "I never win ANYTHING," I thought to myself. I gave my ticket to my friend, Michael, and asked him if I had won. I saw his eyes get big, and I knew......I WON!!!!! The winnings were shown on the big screen outside. They were somewhere around $500!! Well, then I realized that I had bet DOUBLE! I won almost $1000!!! WOOOO HOOOOO! I was so shaken up when I went to the window to collect my winnings! There was a bit of confusion at first because I didn't have my social security card on me (ummmm...it specifically says NOT to carry it with you) but we got it straightened out, I filled out some papers, and I walked away with the biggest win I had ever had on ANYTHING! It was a great day, and one I will never forget.

DILLIGAF.....if you want to know what it means, look it up :)

In March, Justin and I made the decision to buy a boat, and we named her "DILLIGAF." We both LOVE the lake, and I spent a lot of time on the lake growing up, so we felt it was a great fit for our family. After trying to conceive a child for 3 months, we gave up for a little while and decided to buy a boat (from baby to boat.....I know, I know...you're probably thinking "hmmmmmm....ok"). I didn't really want to be pregnant during the miserable heat of the summer, and I was frustrated with trying. I realize that we didn't give it much time, but it was a very emotional 3 months for me (more on that later....). Anyway, we shopped used boats for a while, and after that proved to be a disaster, we just decided to buy new. We had the most fun summer we've ever in the 6 summers we have been together. We went to the lake several times with friends, had a BLAST in June when we went with my family, and still laugh about the trip we took to lake Ouachita where it was just the 2 of us. There is absolutely nothing more beautiful and breathtaking than a Ouachita sunset. All of those times fall in my most memorable moments of 2008 catalogue. :)

GRANDDAD

This past February, we lost someone very special to our family; My Granddad. His was the very first family funeral I have ever attended, my 3rd funeral all together. It was a very emotional time for each and every person who was ever a part of his life. He was just a laid back kind of guy who took FOREVER to eat...lol :) During family gatherings, we would all have eaten, cleaned up, and were ready for desert, and he would still be sitting quietly at the table finishing his dinner. He loved having a glass of milk with his meals, enjoyed HUGE breakfasts, and drank a lot of coffee. I was his only granddaughter, so we both knew that we each held a special place in eachother's hearts. During our last Christmas together, he received the hat he is wearing in the picture. I love this picture of him, it is the last one I have.

GETTING OFF BIRTH CONTROL

Now, you might think this is one of my GOOD most memorable moments, but let me assure you....it is definitely not. I stopped taking my birth control in January, and for the next 2-3 months, I was an absolute wreck. I always believed that people suffering from depression just needed to relax and enjoy life. I truly felt that it was just all in their head. But after I stopped taking this pill that regulated every hormone in my body, I began to suffer from depression and massive mood swings. I didn't feel like myself, I was crying alot, and I was getting mad (REALLY mad) over small things that didn't really matter. Justin could be sitting on the couch wrong, and I would just have a fit. I couldn't help it....and it hurt me SO BAD to be hurting him; that's where the depression came in. I was absolutely miserable. I now believe that depression is a very real condition, and I am sorry I was so naive before. I was in the shower one day, leaning my head against the wall, just crying uncontrollably. I had just yelled at Justin for something that was probably nothing at all, and I was to my breaking point. I wondered if I was ever going to snap out of this "funk." Justin came in the shower and just put his arms around me for a very long 5 minutes. He told me that everything was going to be ok. I feel so blessed to have Justin in my life because he is my strength when I am weak, and at that time, I was at my weakest point. I realize that this is a very personal story, but it IS one of my most memorable moments, and I am not afraid to share it with you. We all have our moments of weakness, and I just publicized mine :). I have posted a picture from one of my Girl's Night's Out that depicts what Justin probably thought of me at the time. I figured it would add a little light to the situation.

ABBEY

March was a busy month in the Scarlet house. Not only did we buy a boat and win big at the races, we also brought home a new addition to out family; Miss Abbey (Abbers, Abbey Slabby, Abbels, Princess, Abs-izzle....she has several nick names as you can see). We thought it might be nice to get Rosco a girlfriend. Anytime he goes to either of our parents houses, he has a ball playing with the other dogs. So we began our search for a new pup to add to the family. About the same time, mom was looking for a new dog to add to their family too. We both spent a lot of time looking on petfinder.com. I found Lori, a boxer mix who looked like a great fit for Rosco. Mom thought we might like Lulu. Both Lori and Lulu were at the Poteau Valley Humane Society, so we took an afternoon and drove out there to see them . I had my heart set on Lori. Once we got out there, they showed us where to find Lori; there she was......she was very VERY rowdy and sweetly aggressive for attention. This wasn't going to work. Those of you who know Rosco, know he is EXTREMELY laid back. She was too crazy for him. We asked them to show us Lulu. I wasn't a fan at first. I thought she looked kind of mean on the web site, and I didn't think she was all that cute. But once I saw her in person, I completely fell in love. I carried her around the facility as we looked at other dogs, and when I went to put her down, she held on like a cat, digging her little paws into my shoulder. She was laid back like Rosco, and I knew she would make a great little companion for him. She had these little ears that folded over and she was short and long. After we had her for several weeks, we noticed her ears starting to stand up, and shortly after that, they had grown into these little radars that stood straight up on top of her head. Thankfully she grew into them, but had she not, we'd love her just the same :) Doesn't Rosco just look thrilled to have a new girlfriend? They really do love eachother.....I promise :)

ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING BABY SCARLET

Of course, this tops the charts as the most memorable moment(s) of 2008. From trying to conceive, to finding out we were expecting; from our first ultrasound, to finding out we were having a little boy, and everything between and beyond, this has been the greatest part of 2008. Most of our blog is dedicated to writing about the pregnancy, so I won't recap all these great moments AGAIN (You are probably sighing with relief right about now...). And if you missed any of these monumental events, just go back to our first post in July and catch yourself up :)

SINGING KARAOKE UNTIL 6:00AM WITH CRYSTAL

I know, I know....this is kind of out there as a "top moment of 2008," but I literally fall on the floor laughing everytime I think about this. We had a fun night out with the Freeman's sometime late February. On the way home from the bar (yes....we were at the bar, so we had obviously been drinking), we stopped at Bob and Ellie's to eat breakfast....only Crystal and I didn't eat. We sat outside under the "smokers tent" laughing until we cried about God knows what. We went back in to get some food, and by that time, our husbands were already paying and getting ready to leave.....guess the time got away from us! When we got back to our house, BOTH of our husbands took a little nap in the living room; one on the couch, and the other on the chair. We went outside for a little while (ok, maybe it was a couple hours...who knows...) and talked about anything and everything. She had a couple beers, and I took a bottle of wine out there (the next morning, it looked like a high school party had taken place....lol!). We came in and decided it would be a FANTASTIC idea to sing a little karaoke. Isn't it ALWAYS a fantastic idea after a few adult beverages. We popped in American Idol Karaoke on the Playstation and sang (horribly) at the top of our lungs. The amazing part......our husbands slept through the entire thing!! Gee, they must have been exhausted.....reeeeeeeeeeeal tired. At the end of our "concert," Michael barely opened his eyes and gave us a big ol' THUMBS DOWN! I suppose we deserved it. :)

FRIENDSHIPS

This year, one of my most memorable moments was the evolving of friendships. There were many friendships that I have had for a long time that faded, and there were many new and wonderful friendships formed. Over time, people grow and change, and good friends you had in highschool do not make it to your late 20's. I suppose it's a part of growing older. It's bittersweet, nonetheless. Those friendships that I more or less lost, were replaced with new friendships that are still in the growing stages. People's life goals and preferences change as they age, and it's always a good idea to stick close to those that you have much in common with. Friends who are far different from you can still add a little spice to your life every now and then, but it's often hard to find things to converse about on a daily basis. I am thankful for what I've had in the past, and what I have now. I have learned something from each person who has been or is a part of my life, and that's something that can never be lost.

RINGING IN THE NEW YEAR- PREGNANT STYLE!

Last night, Justin and I rang in the New Year with a "rockin" party! First, we went to Cheddar's to eat. We got there at 4:30 (early, I know) because we knew there would be a wait.....sure enough it was about 30 minutes. We had a fun dinner and then headed to Best Buy where we picked up another guitar and Guitar Hero game for the Wii! Then we came home, drank hot chocolate, and rocked the night away!! We had a ball! At midnight, we counted down with Ryan Seacrest and toasted with some Welch's Sparkling Grape Juice that was given to us as a hostess gift at the Christmas Party. Thanks Luke and Holly, we enjoyed it! We talked about what 2009 is bringing us, and what we enjoyed about 2008. After that....you guessed it....BED TIME! I was EXHAUSTED! Go figure :) We had a great night, and the best part was that neither of us woke up with a hangover.

I hope that 2009 brings all of our family and friends much happiness and many, many blessings!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Connor's Bedding is Here!

Today was like Christmas all over again! UPS knocked on the door around 1:00pm, and when I saw that the big box was from PolkaTot Designs, I was ecstatic!! I felt like Santa came to visit me AGAIN! Boy, I must have really been good this year. (Too bad Santa didn't pay for the bedding...lol). Justin and I went out today to buy a crib mattress so that we could put all the bedding together. The end result just melts my heart. Here is where our precious son will sleep(once we have the heart to get him out of our room and into his own bed.....)

Now, Daddy will have to make something to hang over his bed. Those of you who know Justin well, know that he has an incredible artistic side. He is looking forward to contributing something personal to Connor's room.

Today marks 27 weeks......just 13 more to go! Last night, I said "I can't believe we have just 13 more weeks" to Justin. He said he would rather me say "90 days" or "3 months" because it sounds longer than "13 weeks." No matter what I say, our little guy will be here before we know it! Our next appointment is January 7th. We are going to be having our 4-D ultrasound on that day! We can't wait to see what little Connor looks like! I believe our Mom's are going to go with us to share in the experience. This will also be the appointment where they will test for gestational diabetes. Apparently, I have to drink some yukky sugary drink so they can see how my body reacts to the high levels of glucose. I'll let you know how that goes.....yikes!

Thanks for letting me share my excitement over the bedding! We love you all and appreciate all your prayers and support.