Better Late Than Never...

I know I have been a complete slacker when it comes to blogging, but thankfully through the power of technology, most people are up to date! As of July 15, 2013, Stuart and I are PARENTS!! That's right, Kathryn Yates Brown made her early appearance (6 weeks to be exact). After a some what laboring labor (no pun), she arrived at 10:28 pm, weighing in at 6 lbs and 13 oz and measuring 18 inches long. Due to her eagerness to enter the world, she was taken to the NICU in Montgomery, where she spent 23 days.  On August 8, we finally got to bring our precious baby home and we haven't stopped since!! I am working to compile the full birth story for my records, but that will be posted later! Until then, here are a few pictures from our journey thus far...

Still kickin'...

So we are still here, still kickin'.... literally.  A lot has happened in Brown world since the last post (I will blame the lack of Internet at our house)!!  Baby Brown has now grown into Kathryn "Yates" Brown.  That's right... IT'S A GIRL!!  She is growing by leaps and bounds, kicking and squirming and making us very anxious for her arrival!  She is currently on track for a mid-August birth.  We have slowly started to put together her room, still need to order furniture, but that should taken care of this week.  So things are coming along nicely.  I continue to have good reports on her and me, from the endocrinologist, which is always a good thing.  I am going monthly for endo appointments and bi-weekly for baby appointments.  I am sure that she will be here before we know it!!

Other happenings in Brown world:

• The wretched murals are still on the wall:( 
• Stuart has 10 days left of school, so the above, said murals should be going in a matter of weeks.
• Memorial Day beach trip is quickly approaching, so that definitely provides something for us to look forward to!
• June 20 is my next favorite day of the whole year.... since we will be going to the NKOTB/Boys II Men/98 degrees concert!!  I feel certain that I will be as big as a house and may not be very comfortable, but it is all about making memories and exposing Yates to NKOTB early on in life.
• Baby showers have put us on the road, but it is kind of nice catching up with family and celebrating our newest blessing:)

So as you can see, we have not been total slackers, just busy.  It truly does put a damper on my blogging abilities not having the Internet at home, but one day....

So until next time (I promise it will be prior to Yates birth)... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!

The New House

First off, I must admit that it is kind of nice being "exempt" from certain household tasks like moving heavy boxes/furniture, painting, etc.  This past weekend Stuart has facilitated the job of painting almost every room in the house (after you see the pictures below, you will see why) and I got to escape to my parents to be away from paint fumes.  It is also helpful to escape to Internet, since we don't have Internet service in our area (I promise we are not in the country).

I snapped a few "before" pictures on my way out the door on Friday, to make sure we can look back and see how far we have come. 

Yes, this is apple WALL PAPER.  That is now in the trash...

Crooked plate rack is gone...

All of the trim in the kitchen is this color, which doesn't even match the wallpaper.  It is now gone.



Our most prized possession in the house.  (NOT).  Yes, this is actually painted in the foyer and will soon be painted over.  Don't worry, we won't have a dog painted on the new wall.



 

Mural #2.  This is in the guest bathroom.  It will be going as well.





 



So as you can see, we SJB has his work cut out for him.  We are waiting to paint the two upstairs bedrooms after we find out what Baby B will be, so at least we have another month or so to choose colors.  Hopefully, Toby (the dog in the foyer mural) will not come back to haunt us:)

**New Post Below**

Our Favorite Room...

So a lot has happened since our last post (in 2012:)), but most importantly, WE MOVED!!  I think SJB and I both thought the day would never get here, but it has come and gone and we are slowly getting settled in our new abode.  Make sure you stay tuned for updates as we paint, do minor renovations and make our house a home.  So far, we love being homeowners (probably since our first mortgage payment isn't due until March), love being closer to work and LOVE having more space.  Right now, there are still boxes EVERYWHERE, but I am sure that one day everything will find it's place. 

As of right now, here is our most favorite room in the house!!

 

 

Yes, that's right!!  We will have an addition to the Brown family in August(ish) 2013!!  We are very excited about this beautiful blessing and can't wait for he/she to make their arrival!  So far things have gone relatively smooth, with the exception of have NO energy, but I am sure before we know it we will be enduring sleepless nights, long days and NO energy, so I am resting as often as possible.  Stay tuned for more Baby B news!!

 



Last 2012 Update...

Believe it or not, we are still here.  I know so many no one has been concerned, but seeing that the simple contact of Christmas cards didn't even occur, some might be wondering.  See.... here's what's up.   We had that little thing called a move taking place, right before Christmas.  We were super excited to celebrate Christmas 2012 in our new home.  Little did we know, it wasn't in the cards.  We found out the Thursday before Christmas that we would not be in the house until after New Years.  While we were both disappointed, I know that if probably worked out for the better, seeing that we would have had to move, unpack and set up Christmas in 2 days.  With that being said, our Christmas card was also our "We Have Moved" card, so we couldn't send them out until we closed.  So no worries, friends.  I will be "that girl" this year who sends her Christmas cards out in January.  No shame in my game, it's just the gift that keeps on giving!

We have made it thought the holiday(s), still living amongst the boxes and 95% packed up house, but can't help and reflect on the year that 2012 brought us.  2012 shared blessings, memories, tons of fun, life lessons, new friends and so much more that it truly keeps me on the edge of my seat for what 2013 holds for the Browns.  Hopefully, the next time I blog, it will be from the new house, and the magical moving fairies will have unpacked and settled all of our belongings.... but until then....

Blessings and Joy as we enter a new year!!

It's Beginning to Look A Lot Like...

MOVING!!  Yahoo!!  Finally... we can say that we are progressing in the move to our very first home.  We are very excited that in just a couple of weeks, we will be starting the tedious task of moving all of our belongings, finally getting them all under one roof.  This whole house hunting process has been far from fun for me, seeing that I feel we have looked at more houses than one should ever have to see.  But finally, we see the light at the end of the tunnel.  We hope to close the week before Christmas, just in time to host our families for a holiday feast.  I am sure that we will be far from settled in our new abode, but it will be nice to have everyone together, in OUR house. 

With the move taking place, we have not done much in the area of holiday decorating and probably look like the biggest Scrooge on the block.  But have no fear.... our Christmas tree might be the first thing that goes up in our new house.  I am so excited to decorate it for Christmas, that I might even leave my decorations up through January and become "those" neighbors.  But until the big day, our lives will include boxes, tape, more boxes, empty walls and lots of cleaning!! 

Our box collection

Empty walls!!

Keep your fingers crossed that everything goes smoothly and quickly!!

Awareness

November is Diabetes Awareness Month.  I find it a bit ironic that  we become aware of diabetes, directly following the sweetest, candy-filled holiday of the year, but it is awareness, none the less.  I have definitely noticed more attention to diabetes this month than I have in Awareness months past, but I am sure it is due to the alarming number of diagnosis' these days.  Over the course of the rest of the month, I am going to highlight facts, lessons and the flat out truths of living with diabetes, in hopes that it will make someone more aware.

Today I will begin with facts, myths and common misconceptions of Type 1 diabetes, a chronic disease that my brother and I both live with.

• Type 1 diabetes is NOT caused by too much candy, unhealthy diets and laziness.  Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder, which results in the body attacking the pancreas.  This attack leaves the pancreas unable to produce insulin, a hormone that the body uses to regulate the amount of sugar in the blood.  Type 1 leaves a person insulin dependent, which requires someone to either take multiple daily injections or use a sub-q insulin infusion pump.  For many decades, Type 1 was commonly referred to as "Juvenile" diabetes, but is now occurring throughout the lifespan.  It is unknown what causes the body to attack itself, but it can be due to a viral infection, illness or genetics. 
• Type 2 diabetes has more links to genetics than type 1, because often times it can be caused by lifestyle choices.  Many times, type 2 diabetes can be controlled by simple changes in diet and exercise, but can often require oral medication which aids the body in the absorption of insulin.  It is not uncommon for a person with type 2 to require insulin administration if their body does not make enough for itself.  Type 2 diabetes can be described as an insulin resistance, which simply leaves a person unable to absorb the insulin that their body naturally makes.
• Just because someone is an adult or overweight, do NOT assume that they are type 2.  I am an adult and my weight has fluctuated, but I have also lived with Type 1 diabetes for almost 18 years.  I will take offense if you tell me I have type 2... so watch yourself.
• Do not assume that if someone is on an insulin infusion pump, that they have the "bad" diabetes.  An insulin pump was designed to mock the actions of a pancreas, which allows someone to dramatically reduce the adverse affects of having diabetes and tailor their care just for them.  I have controlled my diabetes using multiple daily injections and an insulin pump.  At this point in my life, an insulin pump allows me to have tighter control and gives me the freedom and luxury to make changes in my insulin regimen, minute to minute.
• Insulin is NOT a cure for diabetes.  It is the only thing that will keep someone with diabetes alive. 

I will not preach anymore on my soap box, but I do encourage you to educate yourself.  Very few of us can say that we don't know someone who lives with diabetes.  I can't even begin to tell you how ignorant the medical community is when it comes to living with diabetes-- which might be the most frustrating thing in the world.  The fact of the matter is, diabetes is manageable.  It is not always easy, not always fun, but I take one day at time, one blood sugar check at a time (out of up to 20 a day sometimes!!) and deal with it.  Life could be worse and I am thankful for the lessons that diabetes and the people that came with it have taught me. 

Stay tuned for more info on diabetes and become aware and educated on the disease that affects over 366 million people in the world.