Just some pictures.

Ben & the boys.
Luke & Kurt...best buddies
Pretending to be like Daddy.
Luke & Kurt's snowman

Luke James born 11/22/02

My blog today is going to be about my first born...Luke James. I'll start at the beginning.

Once Ben & I got married we started to try to get preggo. I thought it was going to be a very easy process. HA, was I ever wrong. We tried, unsuccessful, for 6 months. It was the hardest time of my life. Everyone around me was having babies & everyone was telling me how easy it was for them to get preggo. I felt like I wasn't doing what I was put on this planet to do...have babies. So I went into my regular dr & asked what I needed to do. She referred me to Dr. Minke at the Buffalo clinic. We went into see Dr. Minke & he checked me out to make sure there wasn't anything blocked that was preventing us to conceive. Ben was checked at that time also...must to his protests! hehe. Since there wasn't much that Dr. Minke could do for us, he referred us to a reproductive specialist. There they did a lot more tests & more test after that. They found that I wasn't ovulating at all! Well, that's a big problem! So they gave me a pill called Clomid. It didn't work the first month & boy was I disappointed. I thought it was going to work right away...I was SO heartbroken. At this time I also found out a friend of mine just found out that she was preggo...knowing that they weren't even trying. The next month we tried again....that time it took! WOOHOO we were having a BABY! YES! What a wonderful blessing!

I was feeling like there was something different about my body so I picked up a test on my way home from work. I think the pharmacist knew me by name since I had bought so many tests! So, I did the test & there was ever so slightly 2 lines. I freaked out! I called my sister-in-law, Dawn, to see if I could bring the test to her to check out for me. She was a pro at having kids by the time this was happening! lol Anyway, I brought it over to her work & she said "Yep, your preggo!" YEEHAW! I had to tell Ben asap but he was over at the farm milking for his Dad that night. I couldn't wait so I took the test & drove over to the farm. I walked into the barn to find him & found him feeding hay to the cows. He was wondering what the heck I was doing there...I normally didn't help when he helped his Dad out. I told him I had something in my pocket that he needed to see. He went into my pocket & pulled out the test. He couldn't believe it! He picked me up & hug me. It was wonderful. He was SO excited.

The 9 months went by pretty uneventful. I gained A LOT of weight...40 something lbs. I ate like there was no tomorrow. We went to all of our checkups & everything was alway going the way it was supposed to. I started getting VERY uncomfortable the last month or so...I ended up sleeping on the couch most nights because that was the only place I could get any sleep. I think I was being prepared for the sleepless nights ahead. At our last visit with Dr. Minke we found that I hadn't progressed at all & that we should pick a date to be induced. We went into the hospital on November 21, 2002. They started an IV of pitocian & we waited...& waited...& waited some more. I slept most of the night waiting for something to happen. I never progressed past 3 cm. After 13 hours we decided to have a C-section. I tell you, it was like a movie or something. Once it was decided it only took about 1/2 hour to get everything set up & bring me to the OR. Ben got all dressed up in his scrubs & was brought into the OR after they had me all ready to go. I was able to see but not feel anything. It was a weird thing. Next they cut me open & out came the most beautiful baby boy....Luke James born at 3:00 p.m. on November 22, 2002. I've never seen anything more beautiful then when both of my boys were born. I was in love the moment I saw them.

I'm going to end there for right now. I will have more tomorrow.

In School Again

I feel like I'm too old to go back to school, but I'm doing it anyway. I enrolled in a community college a few months ago & am now a part time student. I am going to get my Associates Degree in Accounting. I don't really need to have the degree since I'm already working as a Staff Accountant but if I ever want to move up, move on, or whatever, I need that piece of paper. The first class I'm taking is only a 1 credit course on the fundamentals of accounting. It is a super easy class but I wanted something simple to get my feet back in the water.

Luke thinks it is really cool that I'm in school. He often asks me to see my homework & asks if I got a sticker on my papers. lol. He also wants to know why I don't get to ride the school bus like he does...he thinks I'm missing out by driving the van to school. :)

Let me tell you, it is hard to get everything done that should be done. But, I have Ben to help & support me. He is great. When I need time to do my homework I tell him I going to hide out in the bedroom. He then takes the kids & occupies there time. I couldn't do it without him. Actually, I don't think I could do anything without him. But that's for another post.

My next post will be about Luke...his likes, dislikes, etc. Then I'll do Kurt...just in time for his 2nd Birthday! I can't believe my "baby" turns 2 on Sunday!

Are we ever going to feel better???

Yes, its that time of year here in Minnesota...cold/flu season. Our whole house is sick! First it started out with Ben. He just had a run of the mill head cold & cough...well, it has been 2 weeks now & he still has it. I ask him every day, "do you want to go to the dr?" His reply everyday is, "no, I'm feeling better today." I'm giving up asking as of today. He's a big boy, he can pick up the phone to call for an appointment!!
Next it was Kurt's turn. He's been fussy, cranky, etc for over 2 weeks. His sleep was horrible & that's saying something, since he is the BEST sleeper ever!! But since he had just been into the dr for something else, we decided not to take him in this time...we thought it was just a cold & the dr would just say it needs to run its course. Well, finally last week we took Kurt in because he started to get pussy stuff coming out of his eyes...you know the booger looking green stuff? lol. GROSS! Guess what he has?!? An ear infection along with a sinus infection!!! WHAT? I swear, we normally would have brought him into the dr & nothing would have been wrong. We don't take him into the dr & this is what we get. Grrrr...I felt like a horrible mommy.
Now it is MY turn!! Over a week ago I could feel a cold coming on. I get bronchitis very easy & just knew it was starting. I went into the dr right away so I could get the z-pack & all would be right in the world again. Well, the z-pack didn't work. By Wednesday the next week I was feeling terrible again. Went back into the dr & now I have pneumonia. UGH! I spent the next 2 days sleeping. Thank goodness for Ben, he was wonderful. He kept the kids out of the bedroom for 2 days. :)
As for Luke...he just has a little cough. Lucky boy!
So, that is what has been going on in our lives the past 2 weeks.