the true and natural hCG diet

We're excited to announce that I'm pregnant. We're expecting the new baby Feb 21. The baby looks good. I've had a couple of ultrasounds and everything is measuring well, etc. We're of course, hoping for a boy, but Mark has convinced himself that we'll have all girls. I'm 13 weeks along, and I've been sick for 7 weeks and counting. Who knows how long the nausea will last. I have a whole slew of medications to help, and I still feel sick. Yuck. sorry I haven't been very social lately or done much emailing. I'm jealous of the women who breeze through pregnancy without much illness, and I admire the women who keep having babies although they do get sick!

I've lost about 10 pounds. I call it the true and natural hCG diet. Some people use the hCG drug to lose weight, but for me, it begins with pregnancy, then the natural hCG hormone surge causes nausea, vomiting, and thus weight loss. We're excited about another baby, but hoping that the sickness (and irritability, grumpiness, etc) passes soon.

Makayla is doing well. She has physical therapy every 2 weeks. She hates it. She cries, either because she is encouraged to do things she doesn't want to do, or because it's hard work. She is making slow progress, though. Although she prefers to scoot and to get up on her knees, she's been bearing weight for a couple of weeks now, which is a great accomplishment for her. The little stinker has to be in the right mood or have some motivation to stand up, but then she will. Her neurologist is concerned that she hasn't made more progress, so Makayla is scheduled for an MRI of her brain and spine as well as some muscle testing called EMG on Sept 17. She will be under anesthesia for this. I'm a little nervous. I used work on the other side of this picture, and now I'm the parent.


Makayla gets around, though, still scooting on her behind. She's smart, though, she's learned that it's easier to scoot on something smooth like a book. One day, she was playing in the kitchen cupboards and found a fry pan to be useful. Check out the video :)

Time for a few pictures :)

Here is Makayla a few months ago, when she only has 3 teeth. Cracks me up that she had only one upper tooth.

She fit great into this ottoman storage space.

Always teasing the dog. Offering food, then taking it back.

We celebrated her birthday "belated" when her sisters were here. She is actually 14 months old, but she enjoyed the party just as well.

We went swimming with the cousins for the party. Here she is with her sister Ashlyn.

Presents were fun for everyone. Makayla had lots of help opening the presents.

Here's the cousins, chillin' after swimming. (Kaitlyn, Madeline, Ashlyn, Cale, and Bosco)

Somebody discovered how fun it is to eat watermelon off the rind.

This may not look like much of an accomplishment to you, but we are very pleased and impressed that she is pulling herself up on her knees now. :) What a good job for Pappy.

Here's Makayla with her wonderful Aunt Martha.

We went on a Caribbean cruise with nearly all of my immediate family. We had a great time. I'm third from the left, and Mark is hiding behind me.

This is us at dinner

Our ship is the one on the left. We had fun checking out the one on the right.

This is us with my sister Kammi (she's the young blond on the left). We went on an adventure together on St. Thomas (kayaking, snorkeling,"hiking", hermit crabs). It was fun.