Gage William McGuire

On Monday, February 18th at 8:19 am we welcomed our baby boy, Gage William into the world.

He weighed in at 7 lbs 9 oz and was 21 inches long.

We are so blessed to have a healthy, handsome baby!

Hello world!

Watching my first K-State Game.  Go Cats!

Rodney McGruder for.....3! 

We pretty much love him!

Oh baby, oh baby!

We have announced "publicly" about the impending arrival of baby Mac, so I guess now it's time to do a little blogging as well!

Kyle and I found out at the end of June that baby was on the way, due to arrive on February 25th, the day after Kyle's birthday.  We anxiously awaited the rest of the first trimester to come and go, so we could start telling friends and family about our big news.  Needless to say that both Grandma's are ecstatic (as well as the Grandpas)!  

We have made the decision not to find out what our little bundle will be, so we are excited to be surprised when baby arrives as to if we are having a baby boy or girl.  I tend to go back and forth on what I think we are having.  At first I was thinking boy, then I was leaning towards girl, and now I just don't know :).  I'm hoping to be able to make up my mind soon though!

As of tomorrow we will be 22 weeks along!  I can't believe how fast the first half of the pregnancy has gone!  I have been fortunate that I was never nauseous during the first trimester.  The worst symptoms I had were extreme exhaustion and an increase in headaches.  Luckily those symptoms seemed to fade after about week 12.

We had our second sonogram a week and a half ago.  Baby was very active (though I still can't feel much in the movement department yet) and healthy.  At the 20 week sonogram they measured baby Mac at 12 oz, so within the normal limits!

Here are a few sonogram pictures:

Picture of the baby's face (looks kind of like a creepy Halloween skull)

Baby Mac's Feet!

Baby Mac's profile!

I finally switched to maternity pants about two weeks ago.  I'm glad I didn't put it off any longer, as my normal pants were getting to the point of uncomfortable!  I haven't purchased any maternity tops yet, but after trying on more of my wardrobe, I think I'm going to have to break down and buy a few.  It's not that the shirts I have are not big enough, but I am finding that they are not long enough to cover my expanding belly and also the stretch (unsightly) part of my maternity pants!

I'm looking forward to starting to feel more baby movement, and I also probably need to get started on figuring out the rest of the baby stuff.  As in I haven't bought anything for baby besides a crib and a baby blanket.  I kind of need to get on it!

Looking forward to doing another baby update soon!

Poor Lexie!

Remember when I posted here about getting a new car?  I was pretty excited about getting a new car after 10 years of loyal car ownership of my Ford Focus.

After today, I am thinking maybe I should have gone with a different car!  We have had a lot of issues with my car since purchasing it in April, mostly (in my opinion) related to the service department at the dealership we bought the car from.  Their Certified Pre-Owned Inspection process missed significant issues with the car.  It took three trips to the dealership to "fix" the same issue.  The last time I was there I asked their service manager to give me a call on Monday, which never happened.

And now poor Lexie got into an accident tonight!

Luckily both I and the other driver are okay (thank you God).  Her car took the brunt of the damage (her engine was hissing and red fluid was leaking underneath the engine; with my little car knowledge, I know that means bad things).  We'll see how everything pans out, but Lexie is going to need some repairs.

In other news, it has been raining non-stop around here lately.  The dogs and I are both ready for it to cut it out, it would be nice to be outside enjoying this warmer weather!  Luckily I think it is supposed to be 75 and sunny this weekend.

Now I'm off to dinner with the hubby!  Maybe I can talk him into a massage later to get rid of any oncoming whiplash!

One is the loneliest number

I am going to take a few seconds here to whine, and then I will be done.

I miss my husband (I know, kind of a surprise!).  Between traveling for work, weekend activities and now being gone on a fishing vacation with some friends, I have not exactly gotten a chance to spend any quality time with him in the last few weeks.  The doggers have been good company (though they are not so great at being sleeping buddies right now), but I miss Kyle and I am ready for him to be home for a while.

Ok, I am done with the pity party now.

In other news, I finally went and redeemed my Groupon I purchased a while ago for a two month membership to the local YMCA.  I basically got two months for the price of one, and since I have been feeling better, I definitely have been wanting to get into some sort of a workout routine.  On Tuesday I finally went to the Y close to our house (it is literally two minutes away), and signed up.  I am  pretty excited.  There are not as many machines as there are at like a 24 hour fitness, but so far I have not had an issue with finding a machine, even at 6:30 at night.  And the best part is that each machine has it's own individual TV you can control!!  That means no Sports Center or CNN for this girl.  I'm watching Friends or Seinfeld or Two and a Half Men reruns.

Also, I did my first workout class tonight (I haven't done a class in over a year).  I decided to take a crack at the Zumba class.  I used to participate in Zumba classes at 24 Hour when I was a member there, but I never felt as comfortable there.  The class tonight was awesome!  The other ladies there were all real ladies who were there just to get a good workout and have fun.  And I really enjoyed the instructor.  She definitely kicked my butt.  To top it off, towards the end of the class for one of our "hip-shaking" routines, she even busted out the jingly hip scarves for us to wear.  I felt like a nerd, but I enjoyed every minute!  I will definitely take the class again.  I am trying to convince myself to get up early enough on Saturday for the 8am water aerobics class.  I have a feeling that is something I would enjoy as well.

I am looking forward to the weekend and hopefully some continued relief from the heat!

It's a hot one!

I'm certain this isn't news to anyone.  From what I can tell the entire country is in a heat wave!  Of course, today we got some "relief"....92 instead of 102.  The dogs think it is still too hot....

Daisy is being so lazy she won't even sit up to drink out of her water bowl (you would think they were going to die!)

I don't disagree with the dogs though, it is way too hot out there.  I am hoping for some relief in the near future.  The dogs, us (and the grass) would love some relief, and a little moisture.

I just hope everyone else has a good a/c!

Blogging Fail

So you can probably guess that I have failed at my blogging resolution.  I guess that's how it goes!  Here's a quick recap to try and get back into the swing of things:

• I had my second of two surgeries back on May 12th.  It was tough to go through another surgery, though I think my nerves were a little less this time.  I was so excited to get rid of the ostomy bag I had been toting around for 3 months and to get back to a normal life.  The surgery was pretty easy, though I was in the hospital for longer than I would have liked (and had to have a roommate for the last 3 days).  In the end, I recovered pretty quickly and surprisingly was ready to go back to work before work would let me come back (stupid drug tests!).
  
  
  
• Speaking of my surgery, it has now been over a year since this whole ordeal started.  I can't believe it, honestly.  I don't know if it is more stunning that it has already been a year or to think about all of the things that I (and Kyle) have been through in the last year.  I won't say it has been easy, because it hasn't (this isn't what they tell you marriage will be like when you go through all of those classes), but I will tell you that it is absolutely AWESOME to be feeling like myself again.  Really.  I think I truly feel like myself for the first time since this whole thing started.  That in itself is pretty great.
  
  
  
• I have been able to do certain activities that I have not been able to do in a year.  I have played tennis with a friend.  I wore a bathing suit.  I went to the pool.  I have been to the lake.  I have eaten nuts, sushi, and other food I couldn't imagine living without.  I have had fun.  I haven't had to locate the nearest bathroom everywhere I go.  I have been able to actually do my job.  I have gotten a promotion.  I have finally been able to live again.  Fabulous.
  
  
  
• Right before my second surgery, my manager took a position at a different company, which left an opening in our group.  I took a chance and applied for his job.  Honestly did not think I would get it.  I am so grateful that they decided to give me the chance.  I have been working really hard to prove to them that they made the right decision, though I will say I still feel like I am still getting some of the rust off of my previous managerial skills.  I think it will get better with time though.  Of course, there has been that 4-letter word we have been dealing with....XBRL.  Look it up.
  
  
  
• Entourage!  Sunday 10:30 EST.  Final Season.  Can't wait!
  
  Extended Trailer
  
  
• If you didn't think it could snow in July, you would be wrong.  I can bring our white Labrador Duke over to your house and prove it snows in July.  He shakes, white stuff all over the floor! :)
  
  
• Two of my favorite people in the entire world are now engaged!  One got engaged in New Years, the other in May.  I am so excited for both of them to be getting married (and those boys are definitely lucky).
  
  
• I turned 27 a little less than a month ago.  I don't really have a feeling one way or the other about it, but I do dislike being one year closer to 30.  I think 30 will be tough.  I'd really rather not talk about it.
  
  
• Over the 4th of July, Kyle and I did a little extended weekend honeymoon redo.  Needless to say, I did not have the best time on our honeymoon in Mexico.  Kyle surprised me with a trip to Table Rock lake with a two-night stay at the Chateau on the Lake resort.  It was fabulous.  Some of the highlights include a fabulous sunset dinner overlooking the lake with a steak the size of my head, sleeping in (in a fabulous extra big king size bed), fun at the water park, and just relaxing fun with my wonderful husband.  Great way to celebrate surviving our first year of marriage.
  
  

That's a good quick recap of the last few months for us.  Let's hope that things keep going the way that they are, because they are definitely looking up!

Things I'm Loving Lately

So there are a few things lately that have really caught my attention.  In no particular order:

NBC's new show The Voice!  After just two episodes I am officially hooked.  I love, LOVE this show.  I was never the person to get too into shows like American Idol, but I have really gotten hooked watching this show.  One of the things that I have really enjoyed so far is that the contestants don't get judged based on their looks, but just truly on their voices.  It has been fun to watch the variety of talent that you just wouldn't get to see on a show like American Idol where you have to be a certain age, height, weight, etc just to even get on the show.

Speaking of The Voice, a few of the contestants on the last two episodes auditioned singing songs by Adele.  Two of the contestants sang the particular song above.  I remember when I was in the hospital the first time, I heard her sing this song off of her new album on the Today show and I was hooked.  I know her album has been out since November, and I'm seriously considering going out and buying my first CD in a long time.  Her voice is haunting, enchanting and just plain awesome.  It also doesn't hurt that she has a look that is not typical of the "artists" you see in pop music today.  I am definitely a fan.

The new ride

Inside of the new ride

My new car :).  The pics above are actually my our new car.  Not that that Focus wasn't good to me, but it sure has been fun driving around in this bad boy.  It is such a smooth ride and I really enjoy the hands free blue-tooth feature.  The leather seats clean up so easily and there is even a Bridget-cam to prevent any run-ins with mailboxes!

The book Water for Elephants by Sara Gruen.  A close friend's mom sent me this book as a part of a get-well package back in January after my surgery.  It's probably not a book that I would have picked out on my own, but I am so glad that she sent it to me.  The book really captured me and was an easy read to get through.  I really enjoyed the plot and getting lost in the lives the characters were leading, back in the depression and present day.  It's a book I would definitely recommend to anyone to read.

These are just a few of the things that have caught my attention lately.  I'll try to get in another update before I'm out for a while after my surgery next Thursday!