Till Death do you Part!

So my little brother got married this weekend and we gained a wonderful addition to the family! I couldn't have picked a better sister-in-law myself! Anyway while I was up in front of everybody at the wedding being the best man, yes that’s right I AM the best man, with the sun blazing down on my handsome black suit and with beads of sweat rolling down pars of my body you don't want to hear about, I started thinking about the phrase, "till death do us part." I got to thinking that I don't want to be married to Marissa until I die! I want to be married to her forever. Do you think that death can separate a love? I don't think that I would even let death steal my beautiful wife away from me! I would like to think that God is understanding enough to know that I want to praise His name at His feet with my amazing wife by my side, hand in hand. Also I would like to think that my kids will be there at some point to! Anyway just a thought, let me know what you guys think about this!

btw- there hasn't been a lot of comments on here since I got back!! Let us hear from you guys!

28 weeks

How your baby's growing: By this week, your baby weighs a little over 2 pounds and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can open her eyes — which now sport lashes — and she'll turn her head toward a continuous, bright light from the outside. Her fat layers are beginning to form, too, as she gets ready for life outside the womb.

• Note: Experts say every baby develops differently — even in the womb. This developmental information is designed to give you a general idea of how your baby is growing.

How your life's changing:

Do your legs feel creepy-crawly at night? Tingling in your lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them is known as restless legs syndrome (RLS), and it can make it hard to relax when you're settling in. No one knows what causes RLS, but it's common among pregnant women. Try cutting down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse, and massage your calves when they feel tense. Some studies also show that taking iron supplements helps ease your discomfort.

Molly

Well the lost dog finally came home! A lady and her girls that lived up the street had found her following a jogger. They kept her for 3 days and the lady's husband made her take it to the Police Department to find an owner.



Isn't she adoriable !!

BTW- the name Molly means "rebelliousness" in Hebrew!!

Marissa hopes she doesn't live up to her name!

27 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby is really starting to fill up your uterus. This week he weighs almost 2 pounds and is about 14.4 inches long with his legs extended. He can now open and close his eyes, and he sleeps and wakes at regular intervals. He may suck his fingers, and although his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with assistance — if he were to be born prematurely. Chalk up any rhythmic movement you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and isn't bothersome to him, so enjoy the tickle. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. Wonder what he's thinking?

How your life's changing: Your body is gearing up for the final lap, so you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your uterus is putting extra demands on your circulation. (As your uterus expands, it puts pressure on the blood vessels that return blood from your legs to your heart and on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.) Unfortunately, the cramps are likely to get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. Flexing your foot (by pointing your toes forward and then flexing them back toward your shins) stretches the calf and should give you some relief. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.

Quality Time

Well since my little girl is almost 2 going on 13 I have to treasure the moments when she decides to stop for a minute and sit on dads lap! To be honest with you, I had to bribe her with a little Blues Clues!

Where oh where has my little dog gone

I told some of you that I had talked Marissa into letting me get Ryleigh a new puppy. There was one brought down to the PD and I just fell in love with it. I built her a fence in the back yard and brought her home! Ryleigh fell in love instantly! I put the dog in her pin and went back to work. When I got home at 4 the pup was still there, but when Marissa left for work at 7:30 she had disappeared. We looked everywhere for her. I even had Marissa put an ad in the paper. Ryleigh keeps saying, "Puppy where'd she go?" When I tell her that the puppy ran away she gets a sad face and says, "why?" We miss our puppy and hope she comes home!!! :(

26 weeks

How your baby's growing: Your baby now weighs a little under 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches, from head to heel. The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, which means her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid — good practice for when she's born and takes that first breath of air. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

How your life's changing: Around this time, your blood pressure may be increasing slightly as it returns to its normal pre-pregnancy range. (It was at a low from 22 to 24 weeks.) Though preeclampsia most often occurs in the last trimester, this is a good time to be aware of the warning signs of this dangerous condition that occurs in about 3 to 7 percent of all pregnancies. Signs you should be alert for include swelling of the hands and face, sudden weight gain (due to water retention), blurry vision, seeing spots before your eyes, sudden severe or persistent headaches, or upper abdominal pain. By checking for high blood pressure and protein in your urine, your caregiver will monitor you for preeclampsia at your routine prenatal visits, but call her immediately if you have any of these symptoms before your next appointment. Early identification of preeclampsia is essential for the health of you and your baby.

If your back seems a little achy lately, you can thank pregnancy hormones (which are loosening up your joints and ligaments) and your shifting center of gravity. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath — or cool compress — might bring relief. Or you may want to schedule a prenatal massage by a trained therapist. Use a pregnancy wedge when sleeping, to support your back and abdomen. Try to maintain good posture, which will help reduce the strain on your back, and always take care when bending and lifting. If you experience severe pain or numbness in any area of your body, call your practitioner.

Look How Beautiful My Wife is!!!

This is Marissa at 25 weeks! Isn't she just gorgous! When she sees this she is probably going to kill me!

Turn up your SPEAKERS!

This blog now has music!!! The artist is Shawn McDonald! Little shoutout to Jess for bringing him to my attention! When I asked Marissa what song to put on here she suggested that since it was Ryleigh's blog that we put up "Welcome to the Jungle" Tell me what you think about this song and what song you would suggest I put up! Come on people lets get creative here!

I am beginning to love mornings!

Those of you who know me know that I am NOT a morning person, which is one of the reasons I choose law enforcement as a career NO 8-5 desk job! Anyway this morning after Marissa had shaken me, pounced on me, and yelled at me to get out of bed, she went back into the bathroom and I, very quietly, got up and went into Ryleigh's room. At first I was just going to watch my little angle sleep but I couldn't resist! I reached down picked her up and ran back to my bed. I laid down with her right beside me. Ryleigh popped her little head up looked around shrugged her shoulders and said, "momma", closed her beautiful dark eyes and snuggled up against her dad! She threw her arm around my neck and played with my hair until she went back to sleep! Man, I am beginning to LOVE mornings!

I'm Back!!

I am finally back! I loved CLEET (well parts of it anyway) but I am really glad to be home with Marissa and Ryleigh!

25 weeks

How your baby's growing: Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. His weight — a pound and a half — doesn't sound like much, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he'll start to look more and more like a newborn. His hair is probably recognizable now (in color and texture), although both may change after he's born.