Baby Girl Rudd

Here are a few pictures of our little girl! Isn't she beautiful! :) Only a mom could look at these and think they are cute, but it is fun to see if you can get an idea of what she might look like. I think I can already see her daddy's chin and upper lip. Sorry about the last one. Just had to show the proof - I still can't believe we are having a girl! :)

The Big Announcement...

Apparently I have the worst maternal instincts ever...

IT'S A GIRL!!!

I am thrilled, grinning from ear-to-ear, and completely shocked!! I had to ask the ultrasound tech more than once, "Are you sure?" and "Really, it's a girl?" I still can't hardly believe it! This poor baby girl has been called "he" for 5 months now. :) I can't believe it and I am so EXCITED! Everything went so well at my appointment this morning and I couldn't be happier. The doctor was wonderful and has a great staff, the baby is very healthy and growing right on schedule, and we will have our first little girl!

The ultrasound tech was cute, she asked me right away what I wanted, and I told her I didn't care either way, but that I was sure it was a boy. She waited until the very end to tell me the gender and said, "I have checked this 5 times now, because I hate to go against a mother's intuition, but this is definitely a girl." And what a cute little girl she is. She was holding tight to the placenta, wiggling all over the place, and yawning like crazy - I guess we interrupted her nap!:)

I am such a girly-girl, all I can do is day-dream about bows and dresses and pink frilly things! I'm sure she will have Adam's mellow personality just like Cameron and not be the emotional whirl-wind that I am, right? :) A girl can dream!

Now all we need to do is find this baby girl a name - we had a boy name all ready to go so I guess that will have to wait. I have dreamed about another baby boy so many times during this pregnancy that I know he is up there waiting. We do have a few girl names on a list, but nothing decided. We will let you know when she has a name - Cameron was three days old before he had a name so I hope we do better this time.

So anyway, 72% of you were wrong!! Including my grandma - sorry grandma, I still love you! :) Sorry this post is such a rambling, I am just so excited I can't think straight! Cameron is going to have a healthy baby sister! Life is so great!

One more thing...

Wow, looks like the boys are taking this one. My sister just reminded me of one more thing I had forgotten. My grandma's ring "voodo" predicted two boys first. Now everyone who guessed girl wants to change their answer, right? Really, why bother even getting the ultrasound? Just kidding, but I guess we will see if she was right. :)

Official Vote...

Okay everyone, I figured out how to have an official vote on the gender of this baby (See right side of page). Here are a few things to help you decide...

Signs Pointing to Boy:

• I feel like it is a boy & Adam wants a boy - Remember though, I thought Cameron was a girl

• Chinese Calendar - This was correct with Cameron

• Pregnancy feels the same as last time

• My family has a pattern of starting with two boys
  

Signs Pointing to Girl:

• Craving Fruit - With Cameron it was steak

• My mom seems to think it is a girl

• The hair on my legs is growing slower than before the pregnancy

• Adam's family has a pattern of starting with a boy and a girl
  

Okay, that is all I've got and they are mostly old-wive's tales I found on the internet. Guess they won't be much help with the guessing.

Anyway, I thought it would be fun to see what the official total would look like, so cast your vote before it is too late...Hopefully Thursday we will know for real! :)

Inactive...Just For One Day

Adam and I were tempted to be inactive members just for day yesterday! Okay, not really, but we had to speak in Sacrament meeting, and then I had to teach a lesson to the Beehives on Chastity! Seriously, are 12 year olds even old enough for that? I'm pretty sure I was too innocent to need that lesson until I was 21 :) For part of the lesson we had the bishop come in and read a talk to them. It worked out well, but I did feel bad for the girls. They were all bright red! I then got to answer fun questions like, "What does procreation mean?" Anyway, we survived, but I think we have done our service to the ward for a while, right?

Another Update...

I'm sure you are all getting tired of the boring update posts, but too bad! :) Anyway, just wanted to thank everyone for the prayers in our behalf. My insurance change officially came through on Friday (3 weeks faster than they said it would) and I will have my first appointment this coming Thursday. They wouldn't make any promises as the doctor has to see me first, but the nurse thought I would probably have an ultrasound that same day. That would mean we will finally get to find out what we are having! Any other guesses? Anyway, thank you again. I know the Lord would have looked out for us even if I was having this baby in downtown Memphis, but I am just so much happier with it working out this way. Sometimes he doesn't just look out for us - he spoils us! :)

First Test Update!

I hope Adam doesn't mind if I do a quick update...he received his first test score and not only did he not get a D or F, he got an A!! I think he said 89%! Way to go Adam! I'm so proud of him. We were just talking the other night about how exciting it is to be at this point. No more undergrad, no more applying. Our future feels so much more set and it feels great! Anyway, congrats again Adam!

My First Test

So I took my first test in Optometry school. It was on the subject of optics, which is the physics behind lenses and how light behaves when it goes through them. I felt pretty ready, but you all know what it is like to take a high-pressure test. You just never know. If you missed 5 questions, you failed. The professor sent an email to us today saying that our scores were done, but could not be posted due to a glitch in the system. He said he would be sending a second email to those who scored a D or F. I, thankfully, did not get a second email!!!! I was so happy! Well there ya go folks. One down and many more to go. This Friday in fact is number two. Here is a picture of Southern College of Optometry. The tower has all of the classes, faculty offices, labs, etc. The eye center is SCO's clinic, and the place I will get my first patient training!

A Fun Week/Weekend

I feel like we have finally settled into a routine again and it feels really good. I may not be saying this in a few months, but since it has been a while since we had a home of our own, I am really enjoying keeping it clean and cooking for my little family. Adam is working hard, but enjoying school so far, so that is good too.

On Wednesday I was able to go with the Young Women and Young Men in the ward to do baptisms at the Memphis Temple and that was a great experience. I am the Beehive Advisor and am really enjoying this calling so far.

On Friday, we put Cameron to bed and went to the Broadway show Lion King - Our first date just the two of us in Memphis! Don't worry, we didn't leave Cameron alone, a friend of ours came over and watched a movie while he slept. Anyway, the show was AMAZING! We loved it! If you ever have the opportunity to go see it - do it!

On Sunday, Cameron went to nursery for the first time. YEA! He did great. He cried for a second when I left (just so I would know he loved me :) and then did great the rest of the time. I'd forgotten what it felt like to be able to listen and learn during Sunday School!

The only bad thing is that Cameron woke up Monday with a pretty bad cold. I have been calling him my little "sicky" and now he tells everyone who will listen that he is "kicky". It is especially cute because he has almost lost his voice, so he kinda just squeaks. He sure knows how to get spoiled!

Anyway, here is a picture of Cameron after church on Sunday - we just loved the name tag they made him in nursery. He obviously thought it was pretty funny too!

Baby Drauma UPDATE!!

Good News! After changing my insurance one more time and spending the morning driving around begging doctors in person...I have a new doctor!! The other day I talked to a girl at the school who was in the same situation their first year and after being turned down on the phone, had success getting a doctor to take her in person. So, I got out my list of doctors that had been recommended to me and Cameron and I drove around visiting each one. One of the doctors, Dr. Byrd, had been recommended to me more than once and I just had a great feeling walking into his office. His staff was wonderful and accommodating and I have an appointment in two weeks. It is still based on my insurance change coming through by then - so everyone pray for that with me, but I have a really great feeling about it! Also, if all works out - I won't be delivering downtown!! He delivers at two beautiful newer hospitals right here in Bartlett! I'm still not sure when I will have an ultrasound, but hopefully before too long. I will let you know. Boy, what an ordeal this has turned out to be. :) It is a good thing these little ones are worth it all!

The Cutest 18 Month Old I Know

I just have to take a minute and brag about Cameron. It is so much fun to be his mom!! He is just the cutest, funnest kid I know. He learns 5 new words a day now and is such a comedian. He is constantly doing and saying things to try and make us laugh. He had his 18 month check-up today and was great! He had blood drawn, cried for a minute, and then just looked at the nurse with the biggest pout and said "ouch, no". He just wanted her to know he didn't want her to do that again. The doctor was very impressed with all of his skills and he even sat still during all the poking and prodding she did. After his appointment we went to a playgroup with some sisters in the ward and he was awesome! He loved following the older boys around the backyard and chasing the chickens. He is such a cute little peacemaker, he immediately went over to give hugs to any little one that cried. One of may favorite things is what a book-worm he is! The first thing he asks for when he wakes up is "book" and I constantly find him sitting and "reading" to himself or a stuffed animal. I am impressed because as he turns the pages he says a few words or sounds that go along with the story. I found a few pictures of my little bookworm I wanted to share. I promise he usually has clothes on! Somehow I just took all of these right out of the tub. He is cute naked though :)

Baby Drauma

Will we ever find out the gender of this baby??? I am now more than half-way through this pregnancy (21 weeks) and still don't know if we are having a boy or girl! Here is the story. I will apologize in advance, this will not be a happy post! When we moved to Tennessee I was a little over 17 weeks along. It is hard enough to uproot in the middle of a pregnancy and change insurance. But, then I discovered after about 20 calls and 3 hours on the phone that doctors here do not take new patients who are past 15 weeks along!!! Has anyone every heard of this before? Despite my begging, pleading, explaining the situation, and of course lots of crying (I am pregnant - we get to cry if we want :) NO doctor in our area would take me!!! I am still totally in shock that anyone would do that. Anyway, I won't go into all of the details, but I did finally find a doctor about 20 min from our home that will see me. It is further than I would like to go for appointments and I am just hoping the doctor is good because I don't have any recommendation, but the biggest downside is the fact that I will deliver at a hospital a few blocks from Adam's school in downtown Memphis. It will be quite a culture shock from delivering at Logan Regional to delivering in Downtown Memphis, but I think we will survive. I have actually felt peace about the whole thing now that I have calmed down, and I know the Lord will watch out for me and this baby. So anyway, my appointment is still 2 1/2 weeks away and at that appointment I will schedule my ultrasound. I think we probably won't get to see this baby and find out the gender until mid to late October. As soon as I know an actual date I will let you know. In the meantime does anyone want to venture a guess? I have probably told you all that I am sure it is a boy, but I was sure Cameron was a girl...so who really knows.

Okay, now onto a happier subject. My parents were here visiting this weekend and we had such a great time! It was wonderful to spend time with them. They helped with a bunch of little projects around the house and Cameron just adores them. He has been wandering around the house calling for Grandma and Grandpa since they left. While they were here we took them into downtown to eat at our favorite place and we took them along to a Southern College of Optometry LDS Student BBQ. All the students were very excited to meet a retired optometrist. It was such a fun weekend and we miss them already!!

Week #1

I made it through my first week of school. I must say...I loved it! I am in class from 8:00 to 4:00 most days. My school only has 2 class rooms, so my entire class of 150 stay in the same seats from 8:00 to 11:30, with five-minute breaks in between. From 12:00-4:00 we are in labs. Needless to say it keeps me out of trouble. I have been surprised at how much info we have learned in only the first week. We got all of our equipment and are already learning techniques that we will be using in our practices! It is all very exciting. I was amazed at the amount of books and equipment we got. I had to take them all out on carts to get them to the car! The xterra could barlely handle the load! ;) Bill and Bev were here this week, and I have posted some pictures of Bill helping me with my retinoscopy. I use the cool retinoscope to look through varying lenses in front of a fake eye. The idea so far is to be able to tell what lenses are there based only on what I see the light doing that reflects off the fake eye. I think it's cool. It has been nice to get help from a true pro like Bill! I posted a picture of a portion of my equipment. A trial lens kit with tons of different powered lenses and a diagnostic kit with an opthalmoscope, retinoscope, and transilluminator. It's all very exciting! I will post more soon. OUT. ADAM

New Home in Bartlett, Tennessee

Here is our new home! We absolutely love it!! The area is beautiful and safe and we fell in love with the house the moment we drove up. Our church and the Memphis Temple share a lot 2-3 blocks away. The only down side is the 1/3 acre lot that Adam gets to mow! :)

Before and After

Here are some pictures of the rooms before and after - I hope you like the results as much as we do!

Master Bedroom


Kitchen (You can't tell from the picture, but Adam put down beautiful new tile!)


Master Bath


Office


Living Room


Obviously there was a lot of wallpaper removal!! What a horrible job! There are still a few rooms we are working on, so I will post those when they are complete!