Tidbits from our Life Currently....and various pictures from the last month or so!

(A Beeman/Gallagher family out-to-eat time in August.)

Yesterday was another baby appointment. I really like my midwife. I love talking with her, and her positive attitude on everything. It is so encouraging for me to have someone like that over my pregnancy. I worry a lot about stuff, and my weight etc. - and she has so many things to say to help me with that. It is refreshing to be in her care, and have her perspective as my "goal."
I really, really hope that things go smoother than they did last time around, as far as the events leading up to Patrick's birth/time afterwards.
Yet at the same time, there are mixed emotions about that, because then if things go "better" with this birth, I will feel extra sad for Patrick, because he didn't have that - and sad that I didn't have that with him. I'm such a complicated creature!

(Daddy and his son at the park, trying out the new wagon from Mimi and Poppie)

Baby Boy is doing well! His heartbeat was good, and he kicks lots! He was laying transverse I guess yesterday - he was like that at the ultrasound, too. Guess that's most comfortable for him lately :)
I love to feel his kicks. Just this morning I believe he had the hiccups for the first time! It was soon after I woke up, and was still laying in bed. James was about to leave for work, but I had him try to feel baby - and he did! His first time! Such a happy thing.
We aren't totally set on a name for the little guy, although we pretty much call him one in particular - which is one of our two one's on "the list."
The two we like the most so far are Nicolas and William. We can't figure out a middle name yet for Nicolas. If we decide on William, it would probably be William Alec.

(The saturday before Labor Day, with my parents out-to-eat and to the Children's museum)

We have decided not to move. Our reasons for moving were: Being closer to James' work for gas/time with each other.
We were looking around in the Sachse/Wylie area (kind of middle ground as far as family/church/work) and most things we saw were out of our price range. So, the money we could have saved on gas would have been used for housing.

As far as being able to spend more time together, that wouldn't have really changed, because, although his work is located in Frisco (53 min. from here) he spends a lot of time at various clients, all around the metroplex. So on any given day (most days) he might be in Irving or Dallas or even Greenville - so moving wouldn't have changed the time he got home anyways.
It appears that for the time being, and perhaps for the duration of his time at Axxys, he will work 8:30 to 5 or 5:30. The time he will most likely get home is 6:30. That's about an hour later than he used to get home, because at Weir's he was able to go in early and get off earlier.

I must admit that even though it is just one measly little hour, it is a big adjustment for me, and a has been a source of great emotional turmoil.

Added to my reasons for such sadness over one hour :) is the fact that Patrick's usual bedtime was approx. 7:30.
So, we have switched his schedule around, in order to accommodate more time with his Daddy. His new bedtime is supposed to be somewhere around 8:15 to 8:30. We are also trying to get him to sleep in later. We bought a black, block-out-the-light curtain to hang over his blinds at night (for the morning, obviously) and it has helped, I think. Either that or he just naturally sleeps in later, due to the later bedtime.

The switch has been a little difficult, especially on my emotions. I'm sure it doesn't help that I'm pregnant. I really hope I don't do any damage to him by forcing him to go to bed later...yet I want him to be able to spend more than one little hour with his Daddy in the evenings. I know two hours isn't even that much - but it is what he was used to, with the old job.

(Dreaming of Days to come....)

Sort of in "honor" of not moving, we re-arranged quite a bit :) We now have a new set up for the living room, our bedroom, and the office - which is now Baby's room! (or mostly his - there is still a filing cabinet in there, which we hope to move after we sort through some of the stuff that got moved to the laundry/storage room)
I have the crib set up, and even put his clothes out on the shelf of the changing table. I washed them, because in sorting through them I discovered CAT HAIRS. GROSS. not to mention I didn't want Patrick to come in contact with them, since he is allergic to cats.
I may need to wash them again before baby arrives, but at least they are ready and waiting for the time being. :)
I am anxious to have things painted, and buy the crib set for baby's room. I greatly dislike painting, although I greatly enjoy having things painted. My mom says she is going to help me paint. I'm glad. I really can't stand the thought of trying to do it myself, especially with the dear help my little precious Patrick would provide!



We went to see a podiatrist for Patrick last week. There were some things the doctor thought might be an issue, and referred him to scottish rite.
It appears that my dad had some condition when he was a child, and was in a cast for months.
I guess the doctor thinks Patrick could possibly have this condition, too, and wants it checked out (along with one or two other things)
I don't believe P would have to be in a cast though, even if he did have the conditio
The doctor showed me some thing he might need to have in his shoe, depending on what the doctor's at SR say. I'm still waiting to hear from the hospital. The podiatrist was supposed to call them, but I'm not sure he has yet. I called the other day and mentioned it, and the receptionist said she'd check with the doctor.


I also called ECI to see about speech therapy for Patrick.
Hopefully they will be coming out soon to have a consultation, and see if he needs it. They only go until age three, but our new insurance starts up about the time he is three so we would have other options then - plus they said they help you find new possibilities when they are no longer able to provide them.


Actually, Patrick has really started talking more, which is fun! He picks up new words, and says stuff! It's really fun for us.
We just love him so much. He makes us laugh a lot, and we think he is terribly cute :)
He is also quite naughty. He has very definite opinions on how everything should go. He is very passionate about things. He is very silly, and has an amazing sense of humor. We love watching him learn and grow and discover. Being a parent is such an amazing journey. The depths of feelings that it takes your heart/mind/body through each and every day are so wonderful and exhausting, all at the same time! What a gift God has given us, in our two precious boys!

We are finding out more every day how much we need to seek God's wisdom in raising him. Sometimes something happens, and I just don't know what to do!
Patrick does seem to have a sensitive heart though, and seems responsive to training. (some of the time, anyways! :) ) I am so glad.
I want him to know and love God, and to desire to please Him, and do what is right.

I feel like I am understanding Patrick's allergies a bit more. I used to think every time he got a rash, he had eaten something that bothered him. Well, now I understand how sensitive his skin is, and how allergic he is to eggs. And also seasonal allergies seem to bother him a lot.
I believe some of his rashes (if not a lot) are related to things like that....someone eats a sandwich with mayo on it and touches him - then he breaks out from the egg......seasonal allergies are bad, so he breaks out, or has itchy eyes etc. etc. Also, he gets nasty heat rashes, so those have confused me in the past, too. I'm embarrassed to say that even mosquito bites have confused me before, I think!
His diet is still limited, although it has and is growing. It hurts my heart though to see him not able to partake of things. So many things. When we go out to eat and he eats his packed lunch - when we sit at the dining room table eating something different than him.....He will sometimes look at what we are eating and say "Ow" meaning that, if he ate it, he would get an owie.
I hope I'm not being too hyper. in some ways I am the more hyper of us two. James would probably try more things, except that he doesn't want to stress me out.
I am afraid to try more things. Also, Patrick is very sensitive, and if he ate more than one new thing in a day and broke out, it would be hard to determine what did it.
Also, I get scared about him having a bad reaction. With his most severe, he didn't reach the point of having breathing difficulties before they treated him, (he may never have reached that point either) but it was so traumatic for him and for us, just as it was. Watching the hives pop out all over his forehead, then seeing him so sick and so very red......It has left an impression on me. But I must be careful not to be ruled by fear.


This month (the 8th or 9th) marks my due date for our little Jaide. I can hardly believe that. So much has happened since then - and now I have our little "Nicolas" growing and kicking inside me. I'm amazed that had things gone differently, I would be just about done with my precious pregnancy - about to have a newborn. I remember how much I wanted a baby when I was pregnant with Jaide. Then the Lord took her home to be with Him. He had plans that I don't always understand, and knew things that I know not of.
The Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord.
He is so good to have given our little boy inside me health. Yesterday at the midwife's, we reviewed the notes from the ultrasound. Alongside each body part that was measured and checked was the word: NORMAL. Praise God!


~Much love to everyone. Can you believe it's FRIDAY?! I'm so glad. Have a happy weekend!!!