Monday, June 14, 2010

Sweet Home Alabama

After fourteen long days, we finally moved into our new house. Many thanks to our amazing family for making our homelessness transition a little easier. 

As with most things with us, things didn’t go exactly as planned: First we had the delayed move in, next there were problems with the AC unit and for the first 3 days the only air in the house was from a small window unit we’ve had in storage for the past few years, and not to forget some unexpected closing costs that our realtor “forgot” to tell us about. Through it all, we tried to keep a positive attitude. After all, we were simply happy to be out of Jackson and we LOVE our new house.

If you have been around John David anytime in the past few months, you have heard about “THE ATTIC” da da da dum. Our house in Jackson had very limited closet and storage space, but an attic that stretched across the entire house. Anytime we had something that needed to go into storage, it would just get thrown up in the attic. When it came time to put the house on the market, I went through and boxed up all the “clutter” we had collected over the years. Of course, those boxes also went to the attic. Moving day finally rolls around and it took over two days and help from friends to get down the countless number of boxes, some of which had sat in that attic for over three years. At that point, John David SWORE that our next attic would NEVER get to that point again, and I finally accepted the truth of “Hi, my name is Heather Tullos, and I am a hoarder.” Life changing moments!

Needless to say, the first two weeks of moving in were spent opening and sorting through millions of boxes. I began planning “the world’s largest yard sale” and promised JD that I would donate almost everything that didn’t sell. The sale was a huge success. We made over $250.00 and donated everything that didn’t sell to the local goodwill. Surprisingly, I felt a huge sense of relief as I watched the boxes carted into the store. My new motto “Less IS more.”

With my new motto in mind, I began to unpack the baby room. I’m so thankful to have people in my life that love me. My amazing friends/ family hosted baby showers in Jackson & Memphis for me. WHO knew such a tiny human being requires SO much stuff?! Diapers, wipes, bottles, baby food, lotions, creams, blankets, etc. etc. I quickly realized my new concept of “less is more” was NOT going to work with this baby. It’s actually quite opposite. We made a rule that anytime one of us goes to Walmart, you buy a pack of diapers. Less is NOT more. And don’t even think about cloth diapers. NOT happening.

June 24, 2010
I was really nervous about switching doctors mid pregnancy. After talking to a few of the resident’s wives here in Mobile, I made an appointment at a doctor who they all recommended. As it turned out, I ended up loving her. We did an ultra sound and everything looked great. The ultra sound tech told us she weighed a little over a pound and looked like she was going to have some pretty long legs. : )

July 1, 2010
Jd started his first day as an intern at USA (University South Alabama). He set his schedule up to start work at the Veteran’s Hospital because Mobile doesn’t have a VA, meaning the residents have to travel back and forth to Biloxi, MS (about an hour fifteen minutes travel time one-way) to work for that month. The month was full of early mornings and late evenings, leaving little time family time, but we wanted to get that rotation out of the way before the baby arrives.

The month of July was a mixture of good and bad for me. The “morning sickness’ or what I like to call “ALL day EVERY day sickness” seemed to just intensify. Any “old wives tales” or “tips” you have heard about how to avoid the sickness, I tried. Winterfresh gum, eating a few saltines before getting out of bed, warm apple juice, peppermints, eating 6 smalls meals a day; you name it, I tried it. My doctor finally told me “Heather, I’ve prescribed every type of nausea medicine you can take while pregnant.” Towards the end of the month, the morning sickness eased but in its absence came severe migraine headaches. I’m hoping that I have maybe moved on from the horrible nausea and vomiting, but my doctor doesn’t give me a lot of hope that the headaches will get any better within the next three months. All I know is that little Miss Khloe better be a good baby once she gets here!! Mommy has suffered enough! : )

July 28, 2010
I had my 6 month checkup. I was really nervous about this appointment because we had to do the routine gestational diabetes test (and of course, this was the first appointment John David wasn’t able to come with me.) I have not had any complications to date but failing this test means you are put on a restricted diet. If you know me, you understand that this was just not possible. I don’t do healthy food. Baby likes fries.. and chicken nuggets.. LOL. Thankfully, I passed and headed straight to Wendy’s. Ha ha. The baby’s heart beat sounded perfect, I gained a pound and a half – which was the first time I hadn’t LOST weight since I became pregnant, so my doctor was happy. That night I over heard Jd tell a friend on the phone that it looked like I had two watermelons in my belly. Umm.. two? Really? Dang.
We have about 3 months to go until Bella is no longer an only child. : ) I’m at 28 weeks with only 12 to go. I realized Saturday that I’m 6 months pregnant and have not bought any maternity clothes. I still fit into everything I have but the belly is starting to protrude. Pics to come soon! : )

I know everyone is dying to see pictures of the new house. I clearly have control issues. And I like things to be perfect.  We are just no where near perfect.. yet. There are no pictures hung, none of the rooms have been painted and there are still rooms with boxes in it. Just as soon as things start to come together, I WILL take pictures – I promise.  
To all my stalkers, I apologize it took me over a month to update you on everything. It’s been a busy month and I’ve been sick for most of it. Hopefully I’m over the worst part and can start actually enjoying being pregnant and can keep you better informed of what’s going on! : )

Love to you all. Thanks for reading!!

P.S. My birthday is in TEN days. : ) -

Tuesday, June 1, 2010

Khloe's Moving!!!!

It was early Tuesday and the morning was not going well for me. We were rushing to get everything loaded in the moving trucks before it was time to close on the house and I could not shake the morning sickness. By mid morning the house was about empty and I found myself lying on the hallway carpet praying for strength. Then it happened. It wasn’t a flutter, it was a KICK. I was beginning to think maybe I had made it up and then AGAIN. I called Jd over and told I thought she had kicked. His eyes lit up as he put his hand on my belly. We waited for a few seconds and then all of a sudden we both screamed at the same time. Not only did I feel it, but he did too!!! Such a special moment!

Since then I’m pretty sure she’s been doing something more like back-flips because she’s been moving like crazy! It’s the strangest feeling but somehow that one little kick makes all the morning sickness I’ve had seem worth it! So excited the upcoming months!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Goodbye Jackson!

We finally made it through graduation and all the celebrations! Without wasting anytime we threw all our energy and focus on MOVING.  

First things first, Jd bought a new truck. It really couldn’t have come at a better time! He traded in his pride and joy Chevrolet Z71 truck for a much more gas efficient and reliable car right before Medical School. Since then he hasn’t stopped talking about how much he missed “his truck.” When he found this one he knew it was “the one.” We headed to Tupelo, MS to pick it up and he has not stopped smiling since that day!

On our way back we stopped in Batesville to pick up a MASSIVE 16x6 ft trailer Jd’s Dad built for us to move with. I sold our living and dining room furniture so Jd was pretty sure we could get everything into this one trailer. We started loading Sunday afternoon and into Monday. By the end of the day the trailer was loaded from top to bottom without an inch to spare and maybe only a little over HALF our stuff was packed. 
Tuesday we headed to Uhaul to pick up the biggest trailer they had. We had to be at the attorney’s office at 3 to finalize the sell of Whitworth, so it was a mad dash to get everything loaded. 2:45 rolled around and we had everything but Jd’s tools and the clothes from the closet packed. We headed to the attorneys office, signed our names and it was OFFICIAL – we were homeless. We borrowed Jd’s Uncle Ricky’s truck and headed back to get the last of our junk. The sky was darkening and the thunder was rolling in and I was PRAYING for God to hold back the rain until we could get everything loaded. Apparently, I should have been a bit more specific. It’s 7 PM, everything is loaded and it’s now time to hook up to the Uhaul trailer and pull away from that dreaded house for the last time. It’s thundering and lightning and here comes the hurricane force rain and wind and all we need is to get hooked up to the trailer – BUT no, the ball on the hitch is too big for the trailer. At this point, Jd is soaking wet from head to toe as he gets in the truck to deliver the bad news that we have to go BACK to Madison to get his truck and come back, yet again. So not only is he soaking wet, but so is everything that’s in the back of Ricky’s truck and ALL our bedroom furniture in the back of his truck in Madison. Finally, at 11 pm we get in bed with a sigh of relief and know that we will NEVER have to go back to that house again.

The plan all along was to leave the trailer in Madison and wait to take it to Mobile until we could close on the house. Since we had to rent the Uhaul trailer, it had to be unloaded and returned within two days. This meant a spur of the moment trip to Mobile had to be made. Luckily, John David’s amazing Dad came down and followed him in the 2nd truck and they got both the trailers to Mobile and made it back to Jackson Thursday at 4 AM.

Thursday we found out today that we can close on the house in Mobile next Thursday. Until then we are staying with family and enjoying the R&R. We are so thankful to close the “Jackson, MS” chapter of our lives, and begin a new and exciting chapter in a new city with a new job, new house, and a new baby!

Khloe Brooke Tullos


 18 Weeks

It's a GIRL!

I went into the doctor’s office saying “we have to find out the gender TODAY!!” The ultrasound tech got really nervous as soon as she heard me say that.  She says it never fails for the people that HAVE to know – the baby doesn’t cooperate. The sonogram lasted a good 15 minutes while she checked over the baby thoroughly to make sure all was normal. She told me as soon as she saw it, she would stop and tell me. I waited, and waited, and waited and the baby would NOT uncross it’s legs. We came to the end of the ultrasound and she told me to come back after I saw the doctor and we would try ONE more time.
 
This is where things got crazy. I pulled out every yoga move I’ve ever learned: down-ward facing dog, half moon, sun salutation, seated forward bend, you name it! I finished off the Mountain Dew I started drinking before the ultrasound (“they say” it’s supposed to make the baby hyper), anything I could think of to get the baby moving around- I DID it. John David even took a few pictures. HA!

We saw the doctor and she said everything looked great. She prescribed me a few more meds to help with the nausea and vomiting (although, it looks like it just may be here until the baby arrives). The baby’s heart beat was perfect and the baby’s weight was right on track: a whopping seven OUNCES! The doctor wished us well and sent us back to the ultrasound tech. I skipped, bounced, jumped and twisted all the way down that hallway trying to get that baby to DO something!

She started the ultra sound and within a few seconds she said “Oh, no doubt!” “No doubt WHAT?!” and that’s when she said “It’s a GIRL!” John David leaned over, kissed me and said to my belly “Hello Miss Khloe Brooke.”

Monday, May 24, 2010

John David's Graduation Gift from Me



My Daddy, M.D.
 Whenever Daddy signs his name
he always writes M.D.
So people all will know
that he belongs to me.

For M.D. means “My Daddy”
or something just the same.
And that is why he always puts
these letters in his name.

Some letters in his name are small
but these are not, you see.
He always makes them big like that
because he’s so proud of me.
Love, Baby K