Today I've been outside on the porch painting a sign to put up at the barracks when Homer returns.  It's such an exciting time b/c everyone has signs hanging from the rails of the barracks.  They're 3 stories and banners are covering the front of the barracks so it's all the guys see when their buses pull up to everyone.  Last year there were all kinds of signs.  I remember one that said, "It's nice to meet you, Daddy!"  I remember this one b/c it made me cry last year just thinking about the dad not being able to be here when his baby was born and the poor wife that had to do it all alone.  Of course I would have liked Homer to be here through the pregnancy and be able to go to the dr w/ me and see all of the ultrasounds live and feel the kicks, but I know I'm so fortunate that he'll be here for the birth and the first few weeks.  I wanted to make a fun sign instead of one like last years "welcome back, Homer."  So a couple of mornings ago, I couldn't sleep and just started brainstorming ideas... and this is what I came up with, "Welcome home, SGT Walker. I'm so excited I could pop." and drew a stick figure of a pregnant woman.  I didn't feel like I could make a sign without something about me being pregnant, especially since he hasn't seen how big I am! 

They updated the family readiness hotline with information yesterday.  They said that their window for return is still April 28 through May 1, but b/c of some airline bankruptcy they could get delayed up to a week.  They hope to know something within a few days, so pray that they can catch an early flight so I can make it up there!  Homer had heard that it could be as late as the 4th of May.  I told him this would probably still be OK, but we would have to leave either that day or the next to bring me back. 

While I've been on the computer this morning, I plugged the DVD Homer sent of him reading books into the computer, grabbed some headphones, and have them up to my belly. Kaylee Beth is really squirming around, so I'm pretty sure she can hear him.  I've read that babies can recognize music they heard in the womb, and so I'm hoping she'll recognize her daddy, too.  When that ended, I started playing a baby einstein classical music cd for her so maybe it'll comfort her once she's out of my belly... We'll see.

During the deployment, Homer has kept his wedding band tied to his backpack to keep it with him instead of wearing it b/c he could get it caught on some of their equipment and rip his finger off.  Well, when they turned in their gear last week, he decided to start wearing his ring again.  He said the first 2 days it felt really funny and he kept playing with it.  The 3rd day he went to play softball and took it off and left it in the room. The next day he put it on and went to the gym.  He said it "hurts" him when he tries to do stuff with it, so he took it off and put it in the window seal.  Once he left and came back 5 minutes later, it was gone.  He said he put up a sign saying he lost it and that the wife will be mad if he comes home without it. He asked me if I was mad, and I told him no b/c I was waiting for him to lose it, like he loses everything.  I told him that I was just going to keep buying him more rings when he loses them and after a while, he will learn to keep up with it so he doesn't have to waste another one to two hundred dollars everytime.  So, yesterday I found a jewelry store that was going out of business and bought him another one.  I couldn't remember his size exactly, but I am pretty sure it is a 10. The cheapest one they had was a 10, so I hope it fits (especially since they said it was final sale!!)  haha. 

Last night my mom and I went to a breastfeeding class.  It was very good! I learned a lot about breastfeeding--why it's good, how to do it, and so on.  I had said from the beginning that I would do it for the first 2 months, but would stop when med school started in Aug.  However, I talked with the teacher last night and she said basically that being in med school should be the last thing to stop me b/c peditricians are the very ones that recommend doing it for the first year.  I had never thought about that part. I just figured that I wouldn't have time and it would be hard to do with classes and all. But as I recall, I know you get a lunch break everyday if I have afternoon labs, but I think some days I even get done around 12.  But with Homer keeping Kaylee Beth during the day, they could meet me during my lunch break and I could feed her then.  (Which we should probably try to spend a little extra time together with our crazy schedules anyway!).  The teacher also said that a good pump will make it a lot easier... a) it will only take about 15 minutes to pump both cuz I can do them both at the same time and b) its not supposed to hurt.  Haha she demonstrated this part by putting the pumps on her cheeks!  I was worried that Homer wouldn't want to pay $200-250 for a nice breast pump, but I also learned that formula costs $2000 a year (and that's just buying the bulk powdered formula, not any convient liquid stuff!).  So learning that, he's on board! 

During the class, she talked about how they start the skin to skin contact immediately and how the baby always looks for the mom and you have eye contact with them almost immediately.  And the whole time I was just smiling and wishing I could hold her already (but still wanting her to stay in and get all plump and healthy before she comes out).  I thought it was interesting to learn that the reason the baby comes out and is ready to eat within the first hour and half of being born is because the act of breastfeeding releases hormones that cause the uterus to contract and stop the blood flow to the now exposed uterus.  So the reason the babies come out wide eyed and looking for mama and smacking their lips is because they want to start sucking away to keep mama from bleeding to death.  It's so amazing how nature works!! 

After being so excited and pumped last night, I got an email from Homer this morning that said they may be coming a week later than we thought.  He said it's not for sure, but just what's going around over there.  So far, they haven't updated the wives at all. There's a hotline with the "up to date news" that was last updated March 26... so I don't know anything really yet.  But I'm feeling down b/c if it's another week, I won't be able to be there when he gets back--which means no one will be there since I was gonna be the only one :o(    And as much as I want to be there for him, it makes me even more sad to think that he's been gone fighting a war for 7 months and no one's there to welcome him home.  And I know he would understand and had said before that it would be fine if no one was there, but it's not OK with me.  Maybe my dr will say it's OK.  But then again, I don't want to push it and end up having her at another hospital!  Maybe I'll find something out soon. But I'll keep everyone posted...

Sunday I started feeling a little bad, but I had Brittany's baby tea, so I just worked through the feeling.  Come Monday, I started feeling worse, but still not real bad-just a runny nose and a little stuffy.  So yesterday I was feeling a little better and went to yoga with my friend.  This was a mistake!  All of the bending over pushed more fluid into my sinuses.  I was planning on running some errands, but once I finally got ready, I was just too tired and worn out to leave the house.  So I took a nap instead.  Last night was even worse. My head was pounding, I was sneezing like crazy and my body was weak.  And to make it worse, we had ordered a pizza (I wanted chicken and cheese).  But they sent me a faija chicken pizza and I had to pick off the gobs of peppers and onions they put on there!  Well, last night I got out the list of medications I can take and saw Rubitussin was on there.  Well, I just happened to have some, so I took a dose and got in bed.  After about 10 minutes, Kaylee Beth was kicking and moving around so much it felt like she was trying to break through the skin on my belly!  I told my mom and of course when someone else tries to witness it, she stops moving.  But she must have gotten hyped out from the drugs!  I rubbed my belly and talked to her and she finally calmed down. But then I was worried that something happened cuz she stopped moving... She finally moved to let me know she was OK and I was able to fall asleep.

Luckily, today I am feeling better than last night. But after running 2 out of 3 of the errands I had planned, I had to come home for another nap--which turned into a 2 1/2 hour nap!! But I need to try and rest this week since I'll be travelling for the next 2 weeks.  I definately don't want this cold on a 15 hour drive to missouri!!  Since there is the chance of Kaylee Beth coming while I'm gone, I've packed her a hospital bag and I'm sitll in the process of packing mine.  But hopefully everything will be fine and she'll wait another 2 weeks until I'm back in B'ham and her daddy is in the country!  It's finally hit me that Homer will be back in 2 weeks!  I started going through his things so I can bring him some clothes to wear.  The whole time he's been gone, when I thought about him coming home, it was always so far away. So I guess I was still in that mind set.  But it seems so real now that I'm packing him a suitcase!! 

We got back from the beach last night.  The weather wasn't great at first, but we were able to make it outside later in the week.  My mom had a bad virus for the first half of the trip and didn't make it out of the bed/bathroom.  So it was just me and my dad for a few days.  We ate in the condo for breakfast and lunch and went out for dinner.  I got aggrivated with Kaylee Beth because I would be hungry all day and could eat normally, but when it came to dinner, she kept putting her little foot in my stomach and so I could barely eat the good food!  I had put mine in a takeout box and try to eat on it later that night when she moved her foot.  I posted some pictures of me on the beach (Homer wanted me to take some--prob so he could see the pregnant lady in a swimsuit in public!)  I got so many looks out on the beach!  Two ladies were walking by while I was laying in my chair with the big belly exposed.  One lady pointed me out to the other and then she turned and laughed!!  I know it's not that common to see a pregnant lady showing her stomach in public, but seriously,  we're pretty sensitive!!  Even though I re-applied sunscreen throughout the day, my legs and right arm still got burnt and I spent the next day in pain!  I was really walking funny since I already waddle and then add wearing flip flops with burned feet to it! My dad was making fun of me!  Kaylee Beth was very active one night while we were down there and my mom was amazed by how much she was moving and how we could see all of her tricks from the outside!  It is so much fun to see her wiggle around in there!! 

Homer is getting closer and closer to coming home!! The date he gave me is 2 weeks from today!!! I can't believe it!! This week I'll be running errands and getting packed b/c next week my mom and I are going to Missouri to find Homer and I an apartment to live in in Aug. Then we are going to North Carolina to pick up Homer!!  Then I'll stay with him a week up there and then drive back so I can be in B'ham for the last month of pregnancy.  I cannot believe we're already at the end!!