Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Christmas flew by once again. It was kind of uneventful with my not being able to travel this year. I was kind of bummed, but still hoping that my rest will pay off with the placenta moving. My next ultrasound is scheduled for January 26th which is exactly 24 weeks. I'm having a really hard time with not being able to do things I want to do...really really hard! I'm actually looking forward to going back to school just so I can move around some more!!
Joel had a ton of presents and he loved them all. It took a while for him to open them all because he wanted to stop and play with all of them after opening them!
Today I found a cute sleeper for the next baby boy...Joel only had one newborn outfit...the one he wore home and then he was too big, so I figured with this one probably being earlier that he might need something smaller!
Justin's b-day is on Saturday, so I'm trying to figure out what to do to surprise him for his 28th! We are all getting old!!
Here are some pictures of our festivities:

It's a....

First news first....It's a BOY! Despite the fact that everyone thought that I was having a girl...I knew it was a boy and I was right! Justin is one of 3 boys, so I have always expected boys!
The next news isn't quite as happy. I have Placenta Previa. This means that my placenta is covering the birth canal....completely. Although it is still early and it could possibly move (my ultimate prayer), it will most likely mean some bed rest and a c-section at about 36 weeks. It also means pelvic rest right now which is in a nutshell: no sex, no exercise, and no lifting Joel for the rest of my pregnancy. I will have another sono at 24 weeks to see if the placenta has moved at all or if it is still there and we'll make more plans from there. Mostly, I just don't want to go on bed rest. First of all, it scares me. I have heard too many stories of blood clots and embolisms for people who were on bed rest. But most of all, I can't imagine what that would be like for Joel. I know that once this baby gets here I will love him just as much, but right now, I would give my life and my left tooth for him. And this whole thing is rather scary to me. So please...pray that the placenta will move and that both the baby and I will be healthy.
Finally, here are some long awaited birthday pics. Hard to believe that 2 years ago, God gave me the most amazing gift in a happy, healthy, intelligent boy.
I love you JOEL!

The Countdown Begins

I know I need to post 2nd Birthday pics of Joel...and I will do that soon...Monday is the day we find out what the next little one looks like and will be. I'm just praying for a healthy baby. It really scares me since we had some friends go to this ultrasound and find their baby had died. I know, morbid, but still makes me realize even more what a gift Joel is.
Yesterday, one of our friends got married. It was probably the most awful wedding ever. Why? You ask? Well, because two days before the wedding the mother and sister in law and the groom got the flu....and then came the wedding day and guess who got the flu? The bride. I felt awful for her. They didn't get any pictures and didn't get to cut the cake and she had to leave in the middle of the ceremony to...well, you know. This is one of those times that you do the renewing the vows thing a year later....or at least maybe a few months later...after flu season. I hope they have a great honeymoon. She was feeling better today and so they left on their honeymoon as planned. They deserve the best....and some really nice presents.
I will post soon...with pics and news!!