getting settled and holiday fun...

So, Gwennie and I have been back in the states for a month now! I honestly can't believe it's been that long. I still don't feel quite settled... but it probably has more to do with the fact that Wade's not around than anything else. I had my first OB apt within a week of landing. And I have got to say, it was wonderful because it just affirmed my decision to come back here. Dr. Andy hasn't seen me since my ectopic, but he recognized me right away and was just so kind. It was so nice to go in and just feel complete trust in your doctor. I am so glad that he's going to be the one working with me through this pregnancy and delivery. Unfortunately, it's going to be hard to tell if I have any bleeding issues. I guess the tests for it are not accurate if you're pregnant. So it remains to be seen what's going to happen on that front- but he did say that if I do have bleeding issues, a C Section is not going to be the way I want to go. So, that does have me a bit nervous. He did refer me to the cardiologist. I definitely have an arrhythmia. I got to wear an awesome halter monitor for a day and get to go in for an ultrasound of my heart. The cardiologist said it's not a dangerous arrhythmia, and it really just could be a side effect of my pregnancy- so that it may remedy itself after I give birth. So that's all good news. Gwen has rejoined 2nd grade at Sorensen seamlessly. Her first day back was hilarious. All the kids were asking her if she remembered them- that they were in her 1st grade class and were just stunned and impressed when she said that yes, in fact, she did remember all of them. She is loving her teacher, Mr Ducoeur. He seems like just a big kid himself, so Gwen is getting along with him fabulously. All of her besties are actually in the other class, but she's making some new friends just fine. She has one buddy in her new class that is just as crazy about Monster High as she is- they are actually locker buddies. So that's been a lot of fun for her. All the kids in Thailand thought she was a bit weird for having monster themed dolls. Christmas was very nice. Gwen had a great day- and that's really what it's all about, right? Wade and I kept going back and forth about buying gifts this year- and I just decided last minute that I was going to do it. So I was able to get her a couple of Monster High dolls and a Kindle Fire. I wrapped up the Fire from her Daddy, so that he could still be a part of the day all the way from Thailand. I got a tiny box (when she saw the tiny box and that it from Dad, her response was "this is going to be good!")and wrapped up a post it note and she had to go all over the house on a scavenger hunt looking for it. It was so fun. She had to look in the washing machine and the oven, and was running up and down the stairs, and the whole time she just saying over and over "My dad ROCKS!" She finally found the wrapped box in the microwave and opened it up to see the box for the Kindle- she was just stunned! Then she goes, "There's no way my dad got me a Fire! Mom, help me open this, there's no way that my dad got me a Fire!!!" When she beheld the actual device, she just melted and said that she had the best dad in the universe and that there was maybe only one other dad in the whole world that loved his daughter as much as her dad loved her. It was awesome. And seriously, every time she looks at the thing she says it all over again "I can't believe my dad got me a Kindle Fire. I'm the luckiest girl in the world." I wanted to give ol'Dad some points, but even I was surprised by how many points he ended up getting from it! I hope all of you had a wonderful Christmas and will have a fantastic New Years! and if any of you end up with some time on your hands and a serious case of the travel bug, remember that Wade is all alone over there in Thailand with two spare rooms aching to be used.

...and the best part of the OB appointment- I got my first visual of the little peanut! Isn't it the cutest! I may be biased, but I honestly think that that is the cutest ultrasound profile ever to be captured on film.