baby LuLu update

We were lucky enough to head to the doctor yesterday (despite having a nasty stomach bug traveling around our family) and receive an update on little LuLu! Our 3rd u/s showed her/him measuring at 12w5d and as healthy as ever. We went to have our first trimester screen done for some chromosomal abnormalities and everything looked in the normal range...what a relief...of course there are no guarantees. All I know for sure is that everytime I see the little heart beating, and now the arms and feet waving, it makes it a little bit more real and excitinng. I truly feel blessed, despite the sickness and tiredness that come along with it, to have what seems to be a healthy little one wiggling around inside of me!! I know Steve feels the same...and Alix is just excited that I'll finally let her tell all her school mates about her new bro/sis!

If I were Queen of the world...

Christmas cookies would not have calories
No one would start work before 9:00
Dinner would be delivered to your door every night...and it would always be either pizza, a cheese burger, or spaghetti with meatballs!
Backrubs would be part of every day
All clothes would be made of cashmere
10 year olds would pick up there rooms without having to be asked
People would not be allowed to name their kids crazy names like Precious and Mister
Crazy people would all be banished to a little island outside of the kingdom
Dog poop would magically pick itself up...

more to come

Holiday (lack of) Spirit

Me, this holiday season...


I used to be the kind of girl that would look forward to the holiday hustle and bustle--buying gifts, spending time with family and friends, decorating the house...This year though I'm a big ol' grinch and I'm not afraid to admit it. It's hard to feel festive when you have excruciating headaches, are in bed by 8:00-at the latest, and you always feel like you're going to throw up. I thought I was doing so well and I was going to turn the bend by Christmas, but I guess these symptoms come in waves and the tide has come in once again because the last few days have left me less than feeling festive. The worst part is that it's turned me into a whiner and a less than enjoyable person to be around...and I know it. It's one thing when you don't know you're a big pain in the ass, but it's quite another when you know you're being a grump and you just can't help it. I'm sure there are people out there who are able to grit their teeth and put on a happy face through it all, but somehow that gene skipped me. I want to do that...I really really do, but somehow my face refuses to smile...my words fail to come out in any more of a pleasant voice...my body continues to just want to sleep and sleep and sleep despite the fun plans that could be going on around me...what's a girl to do?! I vow right here and right now to give it the ol' college try and I hope if you see me around you'll give me a whack and tell me to snap out of it! Just beware--depending on how I'm feeling I may whack you right back and then use some choice words to tell you where to stick it. Hey, it's not me...it's the hormones ;)

Here's looking forward to a great next trimester--yes, we have entered the last week of the first one (thankfully!), so this come January, it will not only be the beginning of a new year, but the beginning of a new (and what I pray to god is better) trimester. This kid is sure gonna owe me once s/he arrives ;)

11 weeks...Jury Duty...and no family vacation

Happy Holiday wishes from all 6 of us!




Well folks, 11 weeks and counting. Hopefully baby LuLu is still holdin' strong in there. We have another u/s in about a week, so I look forward to seeing her progress! I am feeling slightly better recently...less nauseous! and instead of exhuasted I am merely really tired. Hopefully it's just a week or two before I turn the bend completely and I will have an energy burst right in time for Christmas! In the meantime Steve has really been picking up the slack and taking care of almost everything around the house. He is a godsend and a man of true patience with me these days. I love him so much!

Jury Duty next week for me....good times! At least I'll have a break from crazy kids and all the noise for a while. God bless 'em, for the most part they are sweet little things, but sometimes you just want some grown up time...even if it is spent hearing about crazy criminals.

No family trip out to CO this winter :( With Lulu on the way and me not able to ski/snowboard or sit in the hottub, we decided to cancel. I am very sad...just when I was starting to be able to snowboard some real hills! Hopefully we'll be back on next year! I will sure miss the CO mountains and the family time out there this year. Perhaps a trip in the summertime for some mtn. biking and hiking will be in order instead...

Well, that is all the news for the Bellus-Penz family of late. We are pretty boring as I go to bed around 8...steve amuses himself with TV, and late-night winter night runs... and Alix is just busy being a 10 year old.