The last day of 2008....

I can't believe we're about to leave 2008 behind us.
This has been a crazy year for me... filled with many highs and a few lows. We found out our family would be expanding by one just weeks after I lost my beloved Daddy. We bought our first home just months after moving to Virginia from Arkansas. I started freelancing and have built myself a nice little business.
My Mama, who has worked non-stop since she was a teenager, finally had to give up working last month because she's no longer able to stand on her two legs for long periods of time. I know it was the hardest decisions she's ever had to make, but one I hope will save her from becoming totally disabled.
We've watched our little girl grow into her own person... and although she's been sick this last week she's still feisty! She has finally started calling me "MOMMA"... not Mama, but Momma... exactly like I've been teaching her after hearing "Daddy" over and over again!
Savannah is one of the two best things I've accomplished in my 36 years on earth... her brother, Julius, is the other. I don't think anyone can understand that fact until they have a child... children are miracles all in themselves.
Our country has seen a lot of changes this year... some things that scare me to death as I think about the fact of having two children in this world in just a few months. The economy has tanked and everybody is trying to live with less money while having the same needs.
I'm hoping 2009 will be a great year... despite some sadness, this year has been good to Pat and I and we're hopeful the next year will be as well.

Merry Christmas

We have had a wonderful Christmas Day at the Fitzgerald house... despite the fact that Savannah has been a little under the weather due to a few new teeth. Everyone else is taking a nap so I thought it would be a good time to post a few pictures.
We actually opened gifts last night after going out to see a few Christmas lights... we found a house nearby where you can actually see thousands of lights and decorations. The family spends several months getting things ready and gives any donations from the public to the sheriff's department.
We got back with a sleeping toddler, but she quickly woke up once she realized Santa stopped by and left a few gifts under the tree for her. I say a few because I didn't realize until she opened everything up that she actually got quite a lot... I'm glad we weeded out some of the toys she no longer played with (and ones Julius wouldn't be interested in) last week so we would have room for the new stuff.
Here is a quick list of what Santa brought Savannah... forgive me if I forget a few things: a baby doll complete with accessories, five little Wiggles dolls, a Wiggles guitar, Mr. and Mrs. Potato Head, four puzzles, a child's laptop computer, a set of building squares, a Tupperware toy that allows her to learn her shapes and a See and Say.
She also got clothes and toys from family and friends and should be getting a package with a few gifts from her Grandma Brenda, Aunt Lynn, Uncle Gene and Aunt Cynthia.
The child has a lot of people out there who love her and we're very blessed and grateful for that.
Here are just a few pictures of our gift unwrapping... no video this year though as I sound like a hick!

The Fitzgerald holiday gathering...

Sorry it has taken me so long to post a few pictures from our Christmas gathering on Sunday... Pat and I have been enjoying our toddler-free time with shopping and gluttony (and not exactly in that order)! 

We had a wonderful time visiting with everyone Sunday and Savannah was the belle of the ball... she got lots of new clothes and a big bag of blocks.

I'm not sure what she's going to do next year when she has two other babies to share the family love with... as the big announcement at dinner was our niece and nephew, Erin and Joe, are expecting a baby in July!

Savannah will soon be the ringleader of a three-child band and Julius will have a second cousin close to his age! We're very happy and excited for the two of them and Sunday gave us all a chance to celebrate with them.

Here are a few pictures from our fun time  together.

Lost and FOUND!!!!

Over  the weekend, I noticed that my wedding ring was missing. Although most women have two rings, I've always had just one (long story that I'll save for another time). 

It's a solitaire and certainly not one with the biggest stone, but it's the one I picked out and has plenty of meaning (and stone) for me.

Anyway, I digress.

I realized several days ago that my ring was no longer in its usual spot on the baby monitor in  the living room... the makeshift ring holder for both of our wedding rings (mine and Pat's). I checked my next favorite spot on the coffee table and it wasn't there either.

Savannah loves to hold my ring and look at it... I've found her with it several times and then had to chase her down as she ran from. My ring, which I usually take off when I'm at home, can be dangerous and has scratched her from time to time.

I conducted a cursory search on Saturday, but still had no worries... we had the family Christmas gathering to go to and I had other things to do. Besides, Savannah would be at her Aunt Kathy's house for a few days so I knew there would be plenty of time to see where her small hands had taken my ring. 

Yesterday, I walked around the house checking the carpet, cleaned out the toy box and moved furniture in an effort to find my ring. I also tried to remember when I last wore my ring out of the house.

I finally decided to check our trash can in the kitchen before Pat  took the trash down for collection. Savannah loves to throw her dirty diapers (and apparently other things) in the trash can and usually gives herself a round of applause for achieving her effort.

Pat pulled the trash bag out and was about to close it when I told him to let me look inside for my ring... and he hesitated because the smell was horrible. I pulled out another trash bag and started transferring trash from one bag to the other.

First, I found smelly used diapers, empty cans of cat food and other household trash. Pat left the room and came in to tell me I was crazy to be going through the mess for my ring.

I continued until I got to the end... where I found my wedding ring among the crumbs of food! 

It finally dawned on me that I had taken my ring off the other day after scratching Savannah's arm after we got home from running errands.

I guess she wanted to get  rid of the cause of her boo boo once and for all!

Good news to report...

I got really good news from the doctor's office today... the three-hour glucose test shows I don't have gestational diabetes... thank goodness! It was worth the four sticks to ensure there is nothing abnormal about my blood sugar... that is one huge relief.

I also have a birthdate for Julius... he's expected to make his arrival at 9:10 a.m. on Feb. 24...  which is a Tuesday. It looks like hospital policy will force me to stay in the hospital for four days ... so we're going to be there all  week.

Just wanted to share our good news!

New pictures of Savannah...

I wanted to post some recent pictures of Savannah... sorry it has taken me so long, but things around here have gotten crazy in the last few weeks with the holidays looming and trying to finish up freelance projects.

Savannah has taken to putting her meals in her hair... so there will be a few of those pictures mixes in with some other of my favorites.

Enjoy!

Made it through the test...

A quick note to say I made it through the glucose test... after convincing the nurse that I didn't want all four pokes to come from the same hole in my arm. So now I just have two slightly sore arms instead of one severely sore arm.

Hopefully I'll get good results back later in the week... I'm going to call the doctor's office every day until they tell me my results because I thought I passed the first test only to find out I had failed a week and a half later.

While I was being poked and prodded, Pat and Savannah made a trip to the Toyota dealership nearby  and looked at a new van... all to see just how desperate they are to sell vehicles.

Apparently, they're not desperate enough as the trade-in deal they offered for my car wasn't very high and (most importantly) the monthly payment was much more than we could pay right now with a second baby on the way, one steady income and this crazy economy.

I've tried to convince Pat that when we really go to look at trading in my car we need to look at good used vehicles... because we cannot afford a new car that decreases greatly in value once you drive it off the lot.

I have lots of great Savannah pictures to download and post later tonight... after we take a little trip to shop with nieces Erin and Samantha. Then we return home to bake cookies for a cookie exchange tomorrow... that should also be fun.