Birthday...Late

Okay it is only 3 months late, but who's counting?
Rome had such a fun Birthday Party! I can't say that I planned very well or even at all, but it turned out all right and we survived the laid back, relaxed and intimate party. Alexa was gracious enough to let us have the party at her gorgeous house. The problem was that I didn't invite enough people for her huge house and I bought tons of food. It became a very small party, but oh well. I am not very good at big parties anyway. Oh and the time mix up. I wrote on the invites that it started at 12 and I thought it started at 1. So, I was surprised when people showed up so early, I mean "on time." I told Alexa 1 also, so she wasn't even home or ready. Oops! Sorry! Nothing was really ready and I didn't know where to put anything. I just kind of answered the door and ushered people downstairs. It was great when we got in the pool. Their pool is so much fun! It has a wading area that was perfect to just hang out and sit or put your feet in. So nice! We had cake and ice cream and Rome loved it! He dug right in and ate the whole thing. Good job Buddy! We got a great video of it and Cousin E sticking her finger in the cake 3 times. Stinker. Then, we opened presents and Rome could not have cared less. What can you expect from a one year old. He wanted to play with the rocks. Clothes are no fun, but bubble makers are.
Here are some pics of the whole event:

My Cute Outfit

Most of the Partiers

Swimming fun

My Cool Lion Cupcake Cake

Um, what do I do with this?

Mmmm, good!

Field Trip

This morning I decided to take a little field trip... to the hospital. Sounds fun right? Yea...
I had a bit of a sore back last night when I went to bed, but I thought nothing of it. I could have stood too long making dinner or leaning over to clean up toys, any number of things could make my back hurt. No big deal. Until it woke me up at 5:30 am. Ugh, what is this? I could not sleep anymore. It was very sharp and strong pain. I could not get comfortable and changing positions didn't make it go away. I got up and walked around the bathroom and took some Tylenol. It felt a little better so I went back to bed. It lasted only 10 minutes and then the pain was back. By 6 I was getting concerned. It was coming in waves and kind of surprising me by how much it hurt. I started thinking of calling my doctor or my mom or somebody. I am glad that I am not feeling sick anymore, but I was worried that the pain might be some other problem with the baby. I waited until 6:30 and then woke up Josh. I hate to say it, but I was amazed that he was so supportive, even being half asleep. He was so great! Just making me feel not crazy and that it was okay to maybe call my doctor just to make sure and make me feel better. Thanks Honey! I finally got up at 7 and took a shower. I was hoping that the hot water would help call down the pain in my back and walking around before made it feel better. No luck this time. It actually got worse and started to move to the front and feel like cramping. Dang. I got dressed and called my doctors office and had them page the doctor. He called me back really fast and told me that it might be nothing, but I should go to the hospital just in case. Well, okay. I changed and dressed Rome and then left him with Josh to go to the hospital. I skipped the ER and went straight to the Labor and Delivery floor. On the way I was kind of freaking out and it was only then that I realized I could not call my Mom. She was backpacking this weekend. I guess its lucky I didn't go. I get there and they check me out. Nothing is happening. I still hurt, but nothing is wrong. After sitting there waiting for them to do stuff and call people, I start to finally feel better. They decide to do an ultrasound to be safe. I get a ride down to the ultrasound lab and it takes forever! I swear she looked and took pictures of my entire insides and laying on the bed for so long my back pain comes back. Great! They don't even know what it is. It is really bad again and so she looks at my kidneys too just to be safe. I am glad I took a shower because I got to take a gel bath too. They take me back upstairs and then tell me to go home. Nothing is wrong, no infection or fever. Nothing. Just take it easy and try Tylenol again. Hmmm, thanks for the advice. At least they were really nice about it and didn't think I was crazy. I have no idea what it was, but it was so bad that I am still sore. The baby is fine and all that pain had nothing to do with it. So, that is good. Now, I just hope it doesn't come back because they don't know how to get rid of it either! Needless to say, it was not exactly the Sunday morning I was expecting.

Feelin' Better....Finally!

Ahhhh! That is all I want to say.
But I will say more. I was so SO worried that I would feel like THAT for the whole time. SCARY! I was so miserable! I couldn't eat or rest or do anything without feeling yucky and if it was after 4 pm I couldn't do anything. Dinner was torture. After dinner snack was worse. A half a cup of milk before bed was pushing it, but helped get me through the night to the wonderful morning. I tried to do things a couple of times after dinner and it made me feel even worse. I didn't know that was possible. I even started counting days: 50 down only 198 to go.... Ugh. That did not help. Anyway, last week I kinda started feeling better. Not 100% but I had one or two nights when I didn't feel like dying. Weird, but I wasn't going to hold my breath. Then, we left for Yellowstone and PC. I didn't feel very good but I am sure it was the different food and off schedule and tons of driving. I can't say that I am on friendly terms with food, but we aren't in an all out war anymore. I still have to watch what I eat AND eat on a very regular basis, but I almost feel like a normal person again. Ahhhh! I might just enjoy being pregnant yet.

Emotional

I haven't noticed that I have been more emotional than normal lately. Until today...
I have been worried about Rome talking. He doesn't. Not that he doesn't say stuff. He says LOTS of STUFF just no words. Mama, Dada. Of course, but I keep hearing about other kids that are saying tons of WORDS. Ball, bird, dog, shoe, go, outside, door, you name it. Well, Rome just does not do that. I try to talk to him about stuff. I worry that I don't talk enough (me.. quiet.. no) and I don't read to him enough (he won't sit through a story) and maybe he just isn't picking it up. We have been working really hard to get him to sign ANYTHING. Finally he signs (sometimes) all done, more and once or twice, hungry. Even then there is a lot of screaming involved to get him to do it. Which is hard because I KNOW what he wants. Well, most of the time. It is not like he is not communicating or understanding. He pulls you to the door if he want to go outside or to his high chair if he is hungry. He puts his leg up if he wants up (like he is trying to climb you, funny kid). He knows what we are saying too. He will go get the ball if you ask or his shoes or his milk. He will look for Daddy or the dog if you ask. So, I am not worried about his hearing or anything, just his speaking. I feel like he should have said some kind of WORD by now. I just kept hoping that he was saying words and maybe I just couldn't pick them out. But if I am his mother and I can't pick them out then is he really saying them? Worry...
Today, I decided to look it up. I went on Babycenter and looked up milestones and talking. I found out that it is not a problem this early (he is only 14 months) and I should start to look into it if he doesn't have 8-10 words by the time he is 18 months. So, I have a while before he is really behind. However, I didn't realize how worried I was because this information totally had me bawling. BAWLING! Seriously emotional! I am glad Josh was not home. How would I explain that I don't feel bad, I just feel better? Rome is fine. Maybe I am doing the right things. Maybe he is just working on running and not talking. He will get there. Man, I really didn't plan on having such an emotional morning. At least I had a good reason. Not like those stinking Hallmark commercials, they get me every time and I don't even cry at movies!

Slacking

I noticed that I have totally been slacking on pictures. I have 6 posts with not even one pic of Rome. How could I do that? So, here is what he has been up to. Prepare yourself for picture overload. Oh, and I totally missed his Birthday Party. Maybe that will come next.

Water Park Day

4th of July with GG-ma and Cousins

Spaghetti Face, Drinking juice

Walking, Come on Mom...

Outside, Eating popsicles

On the lake, Driving the boat

Boating is tough, Taking a nap

Riding Trains and Planes

Watching Fish, Playing in laundry baskets

Wearing Daddy's hat

Swim Lessons

Playing in Plates, So much fun to be had!

Popped

Overheard (from my weekly e-mail)
"We've told only our immediate family and my best friend. We're waiting a week or two more to go public, which is getting hard because I've already 'popped.'" — Kathryn

You too? Seriously? Already? Well, I am glad it is not only me.
I actually started measuring because I thought I was crazy. I looked up my measurements from the Biggest Loser we did last fall and I was totally right. I started Sept. 08 with my abdomen at 38 inches and by Dec. went down to 35 1/2 inches. Well, at 8 weeks I was 36 1/2 inches and this week I am up to 37 1/2. Almost as much as before! Already?

I know it doesn't look like much, but it is not going anywhere and I totally can't pull it in. I guess there is no hiding it. Ha! Like that would happen! I guess this baby wants to be seen.

Today

Thoughts:

Rome got his first grass stain today. Should I be proud or scared? I really don't know how to get rid of them.

I had a doctors appointment today and she couldn't find the baby's heartbeat. Then she did an ultrasound to make sure. Lucky me! Okay, so it looked mostly like a blob, but still pretty cool. (it was fine btw)

Swim lessons did better today. No screaming and he only cried once. He almost did what the class was doing too. Death-gripped my arm only half of the time. Progress. Ahhh... too bad there is no class tomorrow.

We went to a hot springs in Ouray yesterday and Rome was ready to swim at 8 this morning. He loved it! It probably helped that it was warm and had steps that he could play on. It probably helped swim lessons today too. Hmm...somebody should come visit so we can go back.

Josh and cousin Ray are fishing at Lake Powell today and tomorrow. I hope they have fun and come back early. Two days is a long time alone with a tireless toddler. And I hate having to eat all by myself.

I want to take a nap, but will stay up too late if I do. Pooh. I think I waited too long anyway and Rome will wake up as soon as I try to lay down. How does he do that?