Big Headed Baby...

It's a BABY! Two arms, two legs, strong heartbeat, and really likes to put its hand in or around its mouth! At my next appointment on November 30th, we find out the sex of this little one! I'm thinking boy, Matt's thinking girl (but, that's because he secretly wants a boy and he doesn't think he's lucky enough to get one!). I got to hear the heartbeat today. Its a really moving experience. Much more so than I originally thought. That "whoosh-whoosh-whoosh" is a comforting sound! Especially when it took the nurse a good 5 minutes to find it!
So far, all prenatal tests are good. All measurements are on track. Seeing the perinatalogist definitely eased some of my fears of being a pregnant Type 1 diabetic! She said almost all complications are in women that have a A1C above 8 (mine was 6.5) and very poorly controlled blood sugars. She also eased my worries about the occasional high blood sugar. While, not a good thing, it would not effect the baby as long as they weren't elevated for an extended period of time.
Probably the freakiest recent development is the fact that I can feel my uterus just below my belly button! But...there is a baby in there! Everyday I feel just a little bit bigger. Hopefully, soon I will start to look pregnant to everyone else instead of just feeling fat!
Next post to come on November 30th!!! With any luck, an annoucement of boy or girl!!!!

Baby Hastings, 8 weeks

Baby Hastings, 8 weeks. Taken September 28th. It looks like a little peanut! We are so excited and terrified at the same time. It's true that after the elation of finding out you are pregnant, all the reality fears set in. For instance, am I gonna be a good parent? Can we afford for me not to work? Can we afford daycare if I do go back to work? How are we gonna do this? What name are we gonna pick? Is everything gonna be okay? Is the baby healthy? Have I eaten anything that will hurt it? When I dyed my hair a few months ago, was I pregnant then, and did I hurt the baby? Its amazing the questions that pop into your head!
Since I am Type 1 diabetic, ironically, some of those fears are eased each month when I get to see my child grow and develop. High risk pregnancies get monthly ultrasounds, and more testing that almost eases the fears that are truly beyond my control. I have learned that as long as I do what I am supposed to, eat right, exercise, and control my blood sugars, I have almost nothing to worry about. At least not anymore than any other mom-to-be. The monthly ultrasounds help too, since I can see monthly that my child is okay. The other worries will eventually fade, I hope!

Fox Attacks!

I came across this interesting website...check it out and decide for yourself what you think. www.foxattacks.com. It is thought invoking, provoking and inciting to say the least. It really makes you wonder how reliable our "trusted" news sources are. We expect US Weekly, People, and the like to skew the truth...but our main news channels? It's slightly disturbing...but, you decide for yourself.

The Greatest Event EVER!

John Ascuaga's Nugget holds the single greatest event in Nevada...the Rib Cookoff. It occupied so much of my time this week. I ended up going Wednesday night, Thursday night, and Saturday afternoon. However, I was given ribs at work on Thursday afternoon and Friday afternoon. So I added it up, I have eaten 4 racks of ribs, 1 chocolate dipped frozen banana on a stick, 1 chocolate dipped frozen strawberries and bananas on a stick, an ear of corn (fabulous), a huge onion ring, a strawberry-banana-mango smoothie, 2 large fresh squeezed lemonades, and
a frozen soco and lime. Not to mention the hamburger Jose (above) made me today that was smothered in some B-B-Q sauce he purchased at the rib cookoff. I think I might have met my rib quota for the year...but I can't wait for next year. (Aussom Aussies are the best and always will be in my book.)

Is That Mark Summers?

We almost didn't go to the Kiluea Fish Market for lunch today. But, Matt decided he really wanted some poke (pronounced "pokey") which is raw ago marinated in soy sauce. So, we went. As Matt ate his poke salad and I my teriyaki barbeque chicken, I hear this annoying man talking to another, quieter man. No big deal right? Well, probably because this man was pretty annoying, I began paying closer and closer attention to them. Glancing at the quieter man, I say to Matt, "he looks alot like Mark Summers from the food network last night". Now, the quiet man speaks and holy crap...Its Mark Summers!!! That was the last thing we expected to find at the fish market!!!! Another thing we found was some AMAZING ahi. Matt says it's the best he's EVER had. That was our exciting thing for today. Tomorrow is our 3rd anniversary and we celebrate with a helicopter tour of the island. Pictures to come!

Kalalau Valley

We drove to the end of Waimea Canyon Rd. and this is what we found, Kalaulau Valley. According to our snorkeling captain, this was the location of the largest native Kauaiian colony. This was years ago though, long before the island was discovered by foriegners. We took a mile hike (oneway) to the far side of the top of the mountain. It wasn't too bad until it started getting really muddy and almost vertical ascent. We made it though! We came back and promptly ate 2 PB&Js each. It's been a great vacation so far...and the best part is it's only half over!!! Yay for another week on Kauai!

Winner Winner Chicken Dinner

I present to you the wild rooster/chicken. You read correct, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of wild chickens on the island of Kauai. It is actually a fineable offense to hit one with your car!

Hula!!!

The girl who looks topless is me, and no I am not really topless, I am wearing a bikini top. I assure you all modesty has not gone out the Hawaiian grass window. We were driving through a town called Kapa'a on our way back from Ke'e beach and Hanalei, when we saw what looked like a farmers market. We decided to check it out and it turned out to be a hula competition. And with usual Hastings style, we walked in on the "visitors" hula competition which both Matt and I were promptly chosen to participate in. I think Matt faired pretty well, but I did not. Needless to say, we both lost, but it did prepare us for the luau later that night. (Where I was chosen yet again to dance, luckily not on stage. Matt was not as lucky and had to dance a Tahitian hula for men up on stage during the show...laughing may be inserted here. But seriously, he did very well and I have video as evidence!!)

Wailua Falls

Today we drove up to these beautiful falls. We also found a hidden, overgrown path that takes you to the edge of the falls. Of course we took a picture of each of us by the edge, just not with the iPhone. We also went to Lydgate State Park and did some free snorkeling. We saw some beautiful fish. I think I saw Dori from Finding Nemo. After that we both got a tasty beverage from the hotel poolside bar and soaked up some rays while napping at the pool. Vacations rock!!!! As usual, the really fantastic pictures are coming later when we can download the camera!

Snorkeling Hastings'!

To explain why these pictures aren't fantabulous...we didn't bring a computer, so all postings are done via email while in Hawaii, and the only way for us to do so is on the iPhone. This requires the picture to be taken with the iPhone. So the great pictures that we took while snorkeling this morning cannot be posted to my dismay, but they are coming, rest assured! However unfortunate, we had an amazing time snorkeling and sight seeing. We saw sea turtles, spinner dolphins, and flying fish. We also saw the phenomenal Napali Coast that is only accessable by boat or helicopter. No worries folks, we have plenty of pictures and even some short dolphin videos to come when we get back stateside. We miss everyone, but this vacation has been outstanding this far! More to come, so stay tuned!