Remembering 2008

What was our 2008 filled with:

1. In February I found out I was pregnant.
2. May I had surgery to have a cyst removed.
3. Spent June at home recovering.
4. Flew to Kansas for a Baby Shower.
5. August thru October was filled with football
6. November was blessed with a beautiful baby girl, Gracie Lynn Schenk.
7. Spent Thanksgiving in Cincinnati and was able to see lots of family & friends.
8. Flying to Kansas for Christmas.

We have had a busy last year. 2009 will bring us lots of new and exciting moments as first time parents and watching Gracie Grow. It has been such a blessing and I am excited to see how she progress each day. And enjoying each day at a time with her. It is amazing!

Gracie Sings

Attached is a little video of Gracie I thought you might enjoy. Not sure what to call it but she makes this noise while sleeping and sometimes when she is awake. It is hard to always capture her on video. Enjoy!




This was at 2 1/2 weeks

Gracie is 1 Month

Surprised? Me too! Gracie is a month old today and an updated post is way past due. We are all doing great. The first month has been busy. I had my family in town helping me the first week, Troy's family the second and my mom came back while Troy went out of town for the Victory Bowl. We then traveled to Cincinnati for Thanksgiving and Gracie did great. Gracie got to meet her Uncle Steve and Aunt Kassi for the first time. It was nice to spend time with them we so rarely get to see in person instead of online. She was passed around a lot this holiday and she seemed to love every minute of it. Troy and I were able to catch up with friends while in Cincinnati and to show off our little pride and joy. It was so nice to be able to see everyone.

Gracie did not seem to be fazed by the trip or the slight change in routine. She seems to adjust to everything wonderfully. Right now she is sleeping 4 and 5 hours at a time at night so I am able to catch up on some sleep. One of our nights in Cincinnati Gracie slept 7 hours straight, which was great but I on the other hand woke up anyway to check on her, and trying to make sure nothing was wrong. Needless to say I did not enjoy the 7 hours of sleep. I am praying that she is up for it again soon so I can take in the zzz's that are well needed.

PS-there were some people we did not get to see we are sorry and wished we did. Thanks to all for your love and support it means so much to me and troy. Also we have all these wonderful friends who keep telling us about amazing songs. So I added another which I also love.

Anyway, here are pictures which is what you really want to see. Enjoy!

Quick Update

Gracie Lynn Schenk
November 5, 2008
8 pounds, 1 ounce
19 1/2 inches

Here is Gracie info and I will post more pictures soon!

Gracie Lynn Schenk is here!

I will just share pictures for now I am sure you are ready to see them!

Just Some Thoughts!

Just some thoughts for the end of pregnancy on this day of November 3rd, 2008 when this child of mine should be making her debut but instead is warmly nuzzled in for a long winters nap.

1) Trying to distinguish what is normal
2) Not wanting to call the doctor to ask yet another question to make sure what is happening is normal.
3) Hoping not to be the girl at the hospital crying "wolf" or "baby on the way" and then finding out nothing is even happening yet.
4) Getting excited for something that turns out to be nothing

These are my end of pregnancy thoughts that seem to grow all the time.

A Little Help Needed!

Ok, so Troy and I have had a name picked out but have decided tonight to go back thru our list of both Girl and Boy names to make sure. If you have any thoughts on horrible names we should not use or on names you think would be great we would love all the feed back. It may help us eliminate one from the list or add one. Thanks

38 Weeks

No, Baby yet! I am 38 weeks and I am now counting down, 14 days till my due date. I have been fine with being pregnant but my stomach is sore and ready to feel some relief. Reminder I am due November 3rd, which is a Monday and Troy has an away game that next weekend. I am starting to worry about going over and him not being here. Now I am praying like crazy that the baby comes before that so I can stop worrying. I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow, so we will see what they say. Mostly it is just listening, measuring and off I go. I am trying to take pictures of the last days. Not that I want to share my final large stomach pictures but I will. Enjoy, I will try to keep you all up dated!!

36 Weeks & Counting

I am now 36 weeks and Baby Schenk can come any day, when ever she is ready. At this point I am more ready to be done with work then the pregnancy. Honestly, minus the surgery I have loved every minute. I have loved being pregnant, the excitement and amazement that come with it makes it so great every day. All the times she kicks and jabs me with her elbow I am just in amazement that she is just in there, it is just so crazy!!

It has been crazy the last couple of weeks. I have just been doing the finishing touches on the baby's room. Making sure I have all the basics for when she gets here, since I will not be venturing out for a while after she arrives. I will post pictures of the room once it is complete. Right now, I tend to make sure the house is picked up every night before bed, just in case I go into labor. I have this thing about wanting to come home from the hospital to a clean house, so when I walk in the door I won't be thinking what a mess it is and how I should straighten up. I have a cleaning problem, it has always been like that. I have also been annoyed trying to purchase a couple of big items still needed for Baby Schenk and of course I research way to much wanting to know what is the best product, the cost at each store and where to buy it.

I also attended my first football game this past weekend. Being pregnant and not allowed to travel I have not been able to see any games. So, for me football has just started, and it will be a quick season.

I posted a couple of pregnancy pictures. I have been told many times at work that some days I look big and other days smaller, it is all in what I wear. And, I just wear whatever is comfortable at this point, while still looking presentable. The three pictures were all taken on the same day just different shirts and you can tell in some I look big and in others more normal.

Note: The Carrie Underwood song you are hearing, is from a friend, she said every time she heard it she thought of Troy and I. And, I just can't get enough of it. I can't wait to see Troy as a Dad my heart melts just thinking about it. I love it!

30 Weeks

Update:
I guess it is time for a new photo. I am now 30 weeks and growing. The worst thing right now are my legs at night, my muscles are crazy and it seems that a warm bath is the only thing that will settle them down so I can sleep. The best part is how much the baby moves. For those who have not been pregnant yet it is strange but so neat. It is weird to watch my stomach move when she kicks or just the strange sensation of her moving around. Often when I am at my desk at work and my stomach presses against it she kicks. Almost as though it is in her way, invading what little space she has. It has been a lot of fun to watch Troy's reactions when he can feel her press very hard against my stomach and then move it up a long my stomach. Obviously it is hard to describe but it is just amazing.



Recent Project:
I decided I would like to make a baby blanket. So, I went to JoAnn Fabric's, picked out what I liked and told the lady what I wanted to do. She helped me figure out how much fabric I needed and the size of the squares. Once I got home and started cutting the squares and laid them out I realized the blanket was going to cover my bed. A lot bigger then I had imagined the size the baby blanket should be. I did not want to waste all the squares I cut so, I made 3 baby blankets, yes not 1 but 3. I am just finishing on the last one, thank the lord. I do not want to think about another blanket for a long time. Hopefully she still comes out as a girl because if not well no blankets for him. They are not at all perfect but I am proud of myself.

Question:
For all you ladies, is a baby bedding set a waste of money? Yes, it is fun but you are not suppose to even use the blanket that comes with it on the baby and I recently was told that once the baby is moving in anyway you are suppose to remove the bumper. So, I would love to hear your thoughts on this or you can just vote. I figured I could get more opinions this way.

Hail Storm

Pictures of the July Hail Storm

July Update

Things here have been extremely busy. For the first part of July my family was in town trying to help us finish some projects around the house. One of which was pulling up the floor in the bathroom, and taking out the toilet & sink, which was green and must have been here since the 50's or 60's. Of course I was not allowed near the bathroom but I checked in on the progress often just to see what was taking place. We also got the baby bed put up and in place. You might think it is early but for those football wives out there I am sure you understand. Once August hits Troy will the MIA and when he is a round his mind will be football filled. So, I wanted to get the big stuff done before he had millions of things to do. I also had the pleasure of staying at my brother-in-law Cliff's apartment. Which, by the way had no air, while our floors were being worked on. If you are regnant do not try this it is horrible, I found myself taking cold showers just to cool down at night before bed. But I was thankful not to have to be paying for a hotel so it worked out. Needless to say we got many things done around the house and it looks great. All ready for Baby Schenk to come in and take over.

Troy and I also made the Trip back to Smith Center, Kansas. Troy got there about 4 days before I did to

spend a little QT with his family and I flew in on Thursday and drove from KC with his Aunt for a baby shower. The week was so busy but so much fun to be able to see so many people. It was nice to be able to connect with friends that I do not always get to see when I go SC. The Gillen side of the family had a little reunion as well, since for some of them it had been a couple of years. As for the shower, it was great. I was so blessed by the gifts and generosity. It was wonderful to see everyone there.

Troy and I also celebrated our 5-year anniversary. It is so fun to look back and think how neat it is where we are, how much we have learned and how much has changed. I always love the reflection time at this time each year.

As for the pregnancy it is going really good. I am now 25 weeks which means I am in the third trimester of the pregnancy. I am almost done. We are

excited and trying to get the big stuff done before football comes. The idea that I will be a mom in just 3 months or less is crazy the feeling is just surreal that in a few second I become a mom, it is just mind boggling. Oh, in case I have not told you I am having a girl! Yes, most of you voted this way so many of you are not surprised. I am planning on a girl now so hopefully when Baby Schenk comes out that is what we get : )

The month of July has been full and it is not even over yet. I plan not to do much more until August. Thank you for all your encouragement.

The Latest News

I am finishing up week 21.  I am now half way in my pregnancy and I am no longer considered high risk, Yeah!  The baby is doing well and the estimated weight of Baby Schenk is 15oz.  Which that said was good.  Baby Schenk did show off a little turning towards us and showing off its feet.  The baby looked good.   I am back to work which I missed and knew I would wonder why when I went back.  But, over all work went pretty well.  After my doctors appointment on Wednesday someone hit our car or I should say ran over the corner of our car.  How this is possible I have no idea.  I was in Walgreen's and Troy was waiting in the car.  In the 5 minutes I was inside the Lady next to us tried to pull out of her parking spot and hit the side of our car.  Instead of stopping she proceeded to back up and hit it the car again.  Yeah, that is what I was thinking when Troy called me in the store and I walked out with my mouth hitting the pavement.  Seriously, how did this happen?  As you can see by the picture it looked pretty bad but it is getting worked on this week.  I also hung out with Kristen one last time before she left for Sterling.  So, this has been a long week as you can see a lot has happened.  I was more then ready for the weekend and to relax a little.

Belly Pics at 18 Weeks

For all of you wanting to see pregnancy pictures or really just wanting to watch a woman as she adds on those unwanted pounds, here you go.  Please, if you forget what I looked like before you can look at the picture to the right of Troy and I for a quick reminder, I know I will!

Surgery Outcome

First, Troy and I wanted to thank all of you for your prayers and support this week with my surgery.  We have both appreciated the encouragement and the continued love we have received.

The surgery went well.  Thankfully the cyst ended up outside of my ovary, which is what we were praying for, so they only had to take the cyst.  The cyst did not burst during removal so that is good.  The oncologist did take a look at the cyst and did not seem to think there was any risk that it may be cancer but the true biopsy report will come back sometime next week.  The incision is basically like I had a c-section, just minus the baby coming out.  So, getting out of bed and going to the bathroom have been the biggest and most painful challenges.  I am taking some medicine for the pain but the medication makes me very sleepy and nauseous.  Thankfully, Troy and my mom have been here.  Troy has been helping get off and back on the couch.  It is amazing how much you really use those stomach muscles for everything.  My mom has been babysitting me during the day and cooking meals for us, which has been really nice.  Also, I am not allowed to drive, which is fine since every small bump on the way home felt like someone was tearing my stomach open, painful. 

Unfortunately, right now I am not allowed to return to work until I see the doctor, which will be on Wednesday.  The doctor told us at the hospital to plan on being out of work 4 to 6 weeks which I was surprised by and I think my work is going to want to kill me.   Wednesday, I will have to plead my case and pray that I heal quickly so I will only be out 4 weeks but I will have to be patient and see.

Baby Schenk is doing well.  Directly after surgery I was taken to recovery and the doctors were all attaching me to monitors and the nurse came up to listen for the baby’s heart beat and to check the heart rate.  I was extremely groggy but I was relieved as my doctor told me the outcome of the surgery and hearing the heartbeat was just such a relief.  My doctor and the hospital staff were amazing and so nice.  Really, I could not have asked for more.  I have never been in a hospital where each staff member I came in contact with was more than kind.  Of course I was monitored thru the night while Troy tried to sleep here and there but an interruption every hour cannot mean good sleep.  We were in very good care.  I did get to know a few nurses that I am sure I will get to see later, which will be nice.

Thanks again for all the prayers

Baby Schenk at 16 Weeks

More Pictures of Baby Schenk!

Baby Schenk turned and looked at us.

Baby Schenk was punching around in there.

Exciting News!

Exciting News!

We had the 16 week ultra sound today. The baby was moving all over the place. The nurse was laughing because Baby Schenk would not sit still for her to take pictures and measure. The legs and arms were constantly busy moving around. Baby Schenk was all over the place in some of the most uncomfortable positions I have ever seen and of course would not allow us to get a look to find out if it was a boy or a girl.

Prayerful News!

Troy and I went to the doctors this morning for the 16 Week check up and to see how my cyst was doing which is really the reason for the continuous ultrasounds. Hoping the the cyst is a functional cyst and it will begin to shrink like it is suppose too. Unfortunately, for us this was not the case. We meet with the doctor who gave us our option to have surgery or not. The whole thing gets rather complicated. It turns out that the cyst does not want to go away and in this situation it is best to have the surgery now. It becomes harder if we wait and it could rupture or twist during the third trimester. Which can lead into large amounts of pain that can cause me to go into labor, way to early or even miscarriage. Because the cyst is considered a growth because it does nothing but grow in my ovary they would actually have to take out my right ovary that contains the cyst. They would then test the cyst once it has been removed for any cancer cells.

After meet with my doctors this morning we then were sent to Aultman Hospital to meet with a hi-risk pregnancy doctor that would be doing the surgery to see what he thought and get his full opinion of what we should do. He does not believe we should wait because it would only cause more harm later. One of those things where as a doctors he can not tell me 100% that everything will be fine. We just have to decide what we think is best and pray, pray, pray from there. So, after much consideration and listening to the concerns of the doctor if we do not do this, Troy and I decided to do the surgery. My surgery will be sometime next week. We will keep you posted!

Prayers:

1)That they baby remains safe and unharmed.

2)That we will be able to have kids in the future.

3)That the surgery goes will with no complications.

Already Attached

The weirdest thing about being pregnant is how attached you feel so early.  This weekend we had a little scare and I went to the hospital to make sure everything was alright.  Which it was!  But how quickly that worry and fear took over was amazing!  It took me 2 seconds to completely lose all control and become so scarred.  It took then 2 more seconds for me to get a grip, find my cell phone, put myself in the car and head to the hospital.  Even after everything was fine I was so drained from the emotional roller coaster I had just been on.  How everything took way to long and no one seemed to move fast enough.  The worst thing is I know the worrying will never go away no matter how old they are and that is so scary for me.