I am officially "disabled"

I talked with the HR Nurse who was much nicer this time. She left me a message the other day that she needed to speak with Bridgette about the form so I called her this afternoon and she said that she had spoken with Bridgette and that Dr. Madonia really wanted me off work. So apparently Bridgett gave her the impression that they weren't going to take any crap from her. So there is a letter that has gone out telling me that my disability was approved, WOOHOO!!

My Baby Girl is Two Years Old!

Where has the time gone? Its amazing that this time 2 years ago she wasn't even an hour old. I had never imagined the love that I would feel for her. I always knew I wanted to be a mom and I knew I would love my child but I had no idea how your heart was completely taken from you and put somewhere else. She is just the absolute love of my life and I feel so incredibly blessed to have had the best two years I could have imagined.

This morning she broke my heart when she said "I not a baby amore" which translates into I am not a baby anymore. It almost made me cry and I told her that was a baby and she would always be my baby.

We went to lunch today at Big Time Diner and they sang to her and then tomorrow is the big birthday party and I know she is going to have a blast. She is telling everyone today is her "birthday cake". Too cute for words!!

Short-Term Disability Issues

When I got home from the doctor visit where he instructed me to take off work I called our HR Nurse who was a total witch, she asked why he took me off work and I told her fatigue. She was kinda like, well it has to qualify as a disability under the company's defintion but she wouldn't give me a straight answer as to what qualifies. So I asked her if my doctor felt that I needed to be off work that they would come back and say that wasn't a good enough reason? She said no that she didn't say that, he just had to complete the paperwork fully or it wouldn't qualify. It was like she was trying to make me uncomfortable about it. So I got a little ugly with her and told her that he would complete the paperwork today if I took it to him, that getting the paperwork completed was not an issue. I told her that he felt that I needed to be off work but I couldn't afford to do that unpaid, I had to have the short-term disability and I didn't want to put this time in and have them come back and say that my doc's reason wasn't good enough. She said that usually everytime a doctor takes you off work its covered that they have your best interest in heart. I felt a little better about it but not good at that point.

I looked up my coverages online and basically it says "pregnancy and pregnancy complications" and that they cannot deny coverage. A girl on Fertility Friend said that her doc put her out for "extreme maternal fatigue" and her disability covered it. I left a message for my nurse to call me back so that they make sure to complete the paperwork completely, which I know he will. Also, I talked with my boss who was fantastic, he is so cool and laidback and was like this is none of my business, you just need to take care of yourself and was totally cool about it. He said that I shouldn't be worried about the coverage that it will take care of itself.

I talked to the HR Nurse again this morning and she was singing a bit of a different tune today. She went over my benefits with me which I already knew. Then we started talking about the form that my doc had to fill out. I told her that after we talked yesterday I was a bit upset and looked the policy up online and couldn't find ANYWHERE that it was at the company's discretion, that pregnancy and pregnancy complications were the only definition on there and that as far as I could tell it was not up to them, it was up to my doctor. I told her that I also talked with my nurse and she assured me she would get the paperwork filled out today and there would be no issues. So she decided to kiss up at that point, she was like well I didn't mean to upset you yesterday, but all you told me was fatigue, I told her that if fatigue was good enough for my doctor, that I couldn't find anywhere in the policy that it could not be good enough for NW, they didn't get to decide what was good enough. She agreed and I guess decided she should back off being a witch. I told her that on top of that the contractions had started again and all this yesterday caused them last night. She said to make sure I mentioned that to my doc, yeh no crap honey, and make sure they put that on the form, again no crap honey. So she was really nice this morning. I guess she figured I wasn't going to take her crap and let her push me around, that I had done my research and knew she couldn't act like she did yesterday. So I feel a lot better about it today.

Once I got the forms Kennedy Jane and I went to the doctor's office and Bridgette, my nurse, completed the forms for me and I have faxed them into the HR Nurse and asked that she let me know when she gets them and once they are approved. I know my doctor, if necessary, will talk to her and will not take anything from her. He feels that I need to be off work and that's the bottom line!

So I am loving this first day off work, it was so nice this morning to wake up and not have the pressures of getting to my desk. After the doctor Carrie called to see if we wanted to meet them at the Watermelon Patch to play and it was so nice to be able to say "sure" without worrying about getting back to work!

30 Week Appointment and Belly Shots

I had my 30 week appointment and ultrasound yesterday and the appointment went great. Kallie weighs 3lbs 12oz and is measuring at 31 weeks while I am at 30 weeks 1 day. That is great news and it is obvious that thus far the 2 Vessel Cord has not affected her growth. Her heartrate was 140 and you could already see her hair. She was quite the busy thing, moving around a lot!

Then I saw Dr. Madonia and he was also pleased with the news. He put me on 2 week appointments so that is exciting, means it getting closer! I talked with him about my work situation, how I was completely exhausted and just could not keep up. I felt like I was never getting any time to rest and it was wearing me down. He said that he felt that fatigue was a good enough reason to take me off work and told me to bring him the paperwork to sign.

So it was a great appointment, I am thrilled that Kallie is doing so well and that I am off work to enjoy Kennedy Jane and take the time to rest and prepare for Kallie without the pressures of work.

Here is an updated 30 week belly shot along with a 28 week shot for comparison. I feel a lot bigger but I am not sure you can tell it from the pictures:

28 Weeks:


30 Weeks:

Playroom Progress

The playroom is awesome and I am so excited we decided to give up the Formal Dining Room and turn it into the playroom. Scot got it painted this weekend and we got the foam mats put down. We still need to move the armoire out of Kennedy Jane's room. We are waiting for the sticker that says "Best Friends are We, My Sister and Me" to hang up and then we will put the paintings with their names on either side. I am really happy with the way its turning out and think we are going to love having that extra space!

Here are a few pictures:

Nursery Progress

Weekend before last Scot spent the weekend painting the nursery, we got the Cornice Board built for the window and got it hung up, hung up the letters and got her changing table put together. It is looking really cute and getting close to complete. We still need to find a new rocking chair b/c I want to keep the one in Kennedy Jane's room and also need to get the sticker hung up her changing table that says:
Guardian Angel, Pure and Bright, Guard me while I sleep tonight

Here are some pictures:

The Cost of Raising a Child

I have repeatedly seen the breakdown of the cost of raising a child, but this is the first time I have seen the rewards listed this way. It is nice. The government recently calculated the cost of raising a child from birth to 18 and came up with $160,140.00 for a middle income family. Talk about price shock! That doesn't even touch college tuition. But $160,140.00 isn't so bad if you break it down.

It translates into:· $8,896.66 a year,· * $741.38 a month, or· * $171.08 a week..· *

That's a mere $24.24 a day!
Just over a dollar an hour.
Still, you might think the best financial advice is don't have children if you want to be 'rich.' Actually, it is just the opposite.

What do you get for your $160,140.00?*
Naming rights. First, middle, and last!*
Glimpses of God every day.*
Giggles under the covers every night.*
More love than your heart can hold.*
Butterfly kisses and Velcro hugs.*
Endless wonder over rocks, ants, clouds, and warm cookies.*
A hand to hold, usually covered with jelly or chocolate.*
A partner for blowing bubbles and flying kites.*
Someone to laugh yourself silly with, no matter what the boss said orhow your stocks performed that day.

For $160,140.00, you never have to grow up.
You get to:*
finger-paint,*
carve pumpkins,*
play hide-and-seek,* c
atch lightning bugs,
and* never stop believing in Santa Claus.

You have an excuse to:*
keep reading the Adventures of Piglet and Pooh,*
watch Saturday morning cartoons,*
go to Disney movies, a
nd* wish on stars.*

You get to frame rainbows, hearts, and flowers under refrigerator magnets
and collect spray painted noodlewreaths for Christmas,
handprints set in clay for Mother's Day,
and cards with backward letters for Father's Day.

For a mere $24.24 a day, there is no greater bang for your buck.
You get to be a hero just for:*
retrieving a Frisbee off the garage roof,*
taking the training wheels off a bike,*
removing a splinter,*
filling a wading pool,*
coaxing a wad of gum out of bangs,
and * coaching a baseball team that never wins but always gets treated to ice cream regardless.

You get a front row seat in history to witness the:
* first step,
* first word,
* first bra,
* first date,
and* first time behind the wheel.

You get to be immortal.
You get another branch added to your family tree,and if you're lucky, a long list of limbs in your obituary called grandchildren and great grandchildren.
You get an education in psychology, nursing, Criminal justice, communications, and humansexuality that no college can match.
In the eyes of a child, you rank right up there under God.
You have all the power to heal a boo-boo, scare away the monsters under the bed, patch a broken heart, police a slumber party, ground them forever, and love them without limits, so one day they will, like you, love without counting the cost.

That is quite a deal for the price!!!!!!!

Love & enjoy your children and grandchildren and great-grandchildren !!!!!!! It's the best investment you'll make!

Cute Pictures of Kennedy Jane

I just have to share these two new pictures! The first one is when we were playing with Playdoh the other night, she was having so much fun that it took me forever to get a good smile for a picture. The 2nd one was at Chili Cook-off and she is just looking too cute!

Third Trimester and 28 Week Belly Shots!

I've made it to the 3rd Trimester, 2/3 of the way there!! I have my next appointment in 2 weeks for another ultrasound and then I think I will go to every 2 week appointments which will hopefully make things go by faster!

Here is an updated belly picture to compare to 25 weeks:

25 Weeks:

28 Weeks: