IT'S A......

Meet our beautiful little baby BOY!!  I was so shocked yesterday!!  But he's beautiful and wonderful and amazing and so adorable already that I just can't wait to hold my little prince charming!  = )  My husband is so excited that he can add another boy to the household --- leaving me the only girl!  hehe    I like boys.  It doesn't matter so much if they get a little dirt on 'em.  From what we could see he looks like a big boy already, just like his brother!  I'm measuring at 22 / nearly 23 weeks.  He is so sweet already.  He was playing with his umbilical cord and he's flexing for you in this picture!  

Sidenote:  Got checked out in Labor & Delivery and they said that while the bleeding isn't normal, it's ok because it stopped and I'm not having any contractions.  My cervix just got agitated!  Yay for good news and a healthy baby! 

Heading to L & D

After waking up this morning to discover that I'm still bleeding / spotting --- I decided it was probably a good idea to call the OB nurse.  She thinks everything will be just fine and that the bleeding was just caused by overactivity or an inflamed cervix...but she wants me to make sure and be better safe than sorry.  It's a good thing I already have an ultrasound appointment today!  I'm not going to lie...I'm a little nervous.  It makes me think of the miscarriage ---which I know was earlier in my other pregnancy and I'm 21 weeks now and that's a big difference.  I know they're always over-cautious and everything and that I just have to trust that it's ok.  But I'm still kind of freaking out and trying not to think about it.  Ok. WHEW!  Feels better to get it all out.  Well I'm off to go get ready and pack a diaper bag for my little man.  On a positive note --- I get to find out if it's a boy or girl later today!!! And I couldn't be more happy about that.  It better be a girl...I may or may not have done a little shopping  ... hehe

Spotting

I'm bleeding / spotting a bit.  I've been having some light cramping the past couple of days; but nothing that rest and a heating pad won't cure.  I'm not too concerned because I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow and it's not a heavy flow.  Probably just caused by activity.  Keeping my feet up for the rest of the night!  Maybe do a little bit of wrapping presents.  (Went shopping today!!!)  I love Christmas! 

Ups ...and Downs

I can hardly believe how quickly the last week went.  I look at my 14 week baby bump picture and feel like I just took it a few days ago.  Hard to believe it was already 7 weeks....7 weeks from now I will be 28 weeks pregnant!  I started looking at all of my baby pictures of Christopher.  It's making me appreciate everything so much more.  Time is precious.  I never understood that until now; and I'm sure the understanding I have of it now, will be just a scrape compared with the knowledge I will have in 10 years...or 20. 

Christopher --- 6 weeks

I was feeling rather blah the last week with all of the stress: worrying about deployment, financially having another little one to feed, college funds, toddler beds, pottytraining and hormones.  It added up.  I've been handling the hormones pretty well this pregnancy (which is why I think it's a girl!!); but I had a slight breakdown.  I cried.  Then I laughed that I was crying.  It was probably a comical sight!  FYI: My nose swells up to a completely unattractive size when I cry.  Oh it's all part of pregnancy and life = )  There are ups and inevitable downs.  (Although more often than not, my ups outweigh the downs!)  It helps me to remember that other moms and people have been through what I'm going through: my child refusing to wear a diaper / pants or escaping out the porch and running outside...sometimes both at the same time.  Flexibility and a good sense of humor go a long way when you're a mom!



from http://www.babycenter.com/


The past week completely escaped me!  But here are some of my pregnancy joys at 21 weeks pregnant
: I can see the baby moving!  :)  Kicks my belly out on places
: Leg cramps / round ligament stretching
: Hot flashes
: Moooodiness and just a general feeling of "blah" for a couple days.  No fun! 

This week baby is 10 1/2 inches and weighs approximately 3/4 of a a pound to 1 lb!

Reminiscing!

Depend-able

hahahaha...Wow.  Um...I just sneezed.  And I peed.  A bit more than usual...!!!!  OMG!

I can't stop laughing.  I know it's so disgusting.. but I'm friggin cracking up!!  I cannot believe I just peed my pajama pants! I need Depends!  hahaha  I'm definitely upping the Kegels tomorrow....

Pain in the...Rib?

Well it's back.  My rib pain in the right side is an all-too-familiar symptom of pregnancy for me.  Sadly one that's not as welcomed as the little kicks and ultrasound pictures! 

Dear Girl Who Punched Me in the Chest,
Thanks.  I really appreciate it.  Little did you know you caused the cartilage to separate from my ribs.  In big doctor terms "costochondral separation". It healed up at the time. (I was 11 I think. And she was an ogre-ish weirdo who just punched me for no reason...) However it acts up when I'm pregnant.  And of course I can't take the anti-inflammatory meds I need, or get adequate rest when I'm getting up every hour to pee and chasing my toddler around during the day.  So basically I'm screwed and in a ton of pain and can't take anything for it!  I would also like to say that if I ever see you, I would be sorely tempted to whack you a good one back.

Sincerely,

Sara

19 Weeks Pregnant



from http://www.babycenter.com/


Baby's Length: 6 to 6.5 inches
Baby's Weight: approx 8.5 to 10 ounces
The baby's brain is growing like crazy and all of his / her senses are being developed and getting fine-tuned.  The arms and legs are proportionate to the body now.

What's changing with me?  Round ligament pain due to my growing uterus and baby =)  They mention possible skin changes or reddening of hands but I don't have any of that.  Just alot of heartburn!  Thank you God for Tums.

Hi. I'm Pregnant.

I am pregnant.  It's really official.  I have to buy maternity pants.  Now when I go in the store I have people staring at my belly.  I'm feeling whale-ish today and not at all like those cute skinny pregnant chicks who never seem to gain weight anywhere else but their belly and who don't get pregnant arms and who lose the baby weight before they even leave the hospital.  Ugh.  I hate them.  Can we make it socially acceptable to wear pajama pants in public?  That's how I feel today.  Whining?  I think yes.

Christopher's Room Video: Before / After

Re-decorating ... It pays to be creative!

Cost: $5.00  (I already had 3 picture frames...otherwise it would've been $8.00)

-- I bought plain 8x10 picture frames from the DollarTree and painted them in dark brown, blue, and lime green.
-- Put puzzle pieces together from a collage puzzle that Christopher got for his birthday.
-- Attached colored construction paper to the puzzle animals

Framed them and VOILA!  New room decorations!  All of the baby-ish stuff is coming down and we're making room for his toddler bed which we will be getting in the next 2 weeks.  He's growing up too fast...seems like I was just decorating his nursery.

Maybe I will be bald by the end of the day

I love my child dearly...BUT SOME DAYS!!!.... RRRRRR!!!

He decided he was going to take his umbrella and whack our Christmas tree which shattered 2 ornaments.  So while I was cleaning those up I had to abandon the closet (which I'm organizing) and he pulled a bunch of stuff out and then sprayed foot powder all over.  There's another mess.  Somehow he then got into my craft basket that was on the table and dumped a baggie-ful of paper scraps in our back hall....putzy pain in the a$$ to clean up.  Now I'm flustered and he's thirsty / hungry after he just refused breakfast and a snack. So fine. I put him in the booster chair and give him his big boy cup (that's all he'll drink out of now) and some cut up apple bits.  I know it shouldn't bother me too much that he wanted to put his apples in his milk. Fine.  But then he friggin was trying to take a drink and the milk and apples went all over.  Needless to say he's playing in his childproof room where he can destroy away and mommy can have a time-out.  And guess what?  It's only 8:40 a.m.  He's only been awake for a little over an hour..........

Turkey Crafts



We traced our hands, then cut out feathers to glue onto the fingers, and lastly we wrote what we were thankful for on the back!  



Mommy's Turkey



Christopher's Turkey

Sunday Thoughts

I'm going to start making Sunday posts a weekly thing (hopefully as much as possible!)  I enjoy going to church and even if you don't believe there are still morals and lessons to be learned that are good to apply to your life =)  After listening to the sermon here's what I got from it:

* In life all things are transient.  Life has ups and downs.  Just when you think you have everything figured out, it's bound to turn upside down.  (So true...) only things of God are constant and when things get rough we need to lean on Him.

* Often Christians try to live separate lives.  They want to be a Christian and also continue to do things that they know are wrong.  It doesn't work!  You can't be a "cut flower".  A flower that is cut off from it's roots will be beautiful and then eventually die.  Stay true.  Be a flower and keep Jesus and God's Word as the roots.

*Sometimes being a Christian means being a "wimp".  Or what's perceived as a wimp by the rest of the world.  (With the whole 'turn your cheek' thing...)  Other people might ask -- why don't you do something?  Why don't you stand up for yourself?  Worldly weakness is also oftentimes being strong in what you believe.  Jesus turned his cheek to the soldiers and they spit on him and put the crown of thorns on.  He could've said a command and a million angels would've been at his side.  He could've ran away; but, thankfully for us, He didn't.

*Be a light wherever you are.  You don't need to sign up for mission trips (not that they're a bad thing!) or go door to door with Bibles.  Hold the door open for a stranger.  Say a kind word.  We don't even need to leave our town and travel to different countries when there are people right here in the U.S. ... maybe even our families...who don't believe.

* Being a Christian isn't something that comes automatically.  You have to train.  You don't pick up a pair of running shoes and expect to run a 15 mile marathon, do you?  Same principle.  You don't just pick up a Bible and expect that you'll do everything perfectly or that it will mean everything's going to be rainbows and unicorns from there on out.  No way.  But training pays off =)

* Isn't it disturbingly ironic how we have all of this freedom: freedom of speech, worship, to marry whomever we want?  And yet churches in the United States are closing down.  Congregations are losing numbers.  But Africa and China -- where Christians are tortured, oppressed, and killed for their faith -- have the highest conversion rates?  4,000 to 5,000 a day....Wow...

18 Weeks Pregnant



This image is taken from http://www.babycenter.com/

 Baby's Length: 5 1/2 inches
Baby's Weight:  7-8 ounces

Increased appetite and energy are common at this time.  Good to know...now I can have that extra slice of pizza and the extra energy to work it off!  WIN-WIN!  Pizza...mmm...I think that's my pregnancy weakness is homemade pizza.  No matter what it always sounds appetizing.  I've gained weight this week!  Now instead of being stabilized it's a pound heavier.  Oh well!  That'll happen when you're pregnant!  Nothing to worry about because I know I'm being healthy.  I will have plenty of time to exercise after baby gets here with Rob being gone.  I'm feeling the baby move during the night and it woke me up last night!  It's the cutest thing ever.  He/She must be turning over because different parts of my belly stick up when I'm laying on my back.  awwwww....

Shakeology

I'm so proud of myself!  (Almost) 18 weeks pregnant and working out 3-5 times a week!  Woohoo me! 

Monday: Shakeology w/ 5 lb weights
Tuesday: Shakeology w/ no weights
Wednesday: Shakeology w/ 8 lb weights
Thursday: Shakeology w/ no weights
Friday: Shakeology w/ 5 or 8 lb weights (I alternate depending on the exercise)
Saturday & Sunday: OFF!  Cardio by taking Christopher for walks etc.

I workout in the morning after a *light* breakfast to burn more flub.  I'm feeling so healthy.  I love it.

Time is precious

Cherish.  Every.  Moment. 

Sad news.  At the moment -- incomprehensible.  It can't be real.  It feels like my stomach is dropping into a black hole and pulling the back of my throat with it.  Did I swallow a rock?  ...or just terrible news.  I'm going to be alone.  He's going to be leaving.  I'm going to be alone.  I'm moving.  I'm going to be alone.  I will hardly get to talk to him.  He's going to miss so much.  My eyes are steaming.  *Deep breath*  It's going to be ok.

Fall Colors

Christopher and I got a bit of the fresh, Kansas air today!  Grabbed my camera, the stroller, and some blankets and headed over to a Wildlife area by us. 

17 Weeks Pregnant



This picture is from BabyCenter.com



Baby's length: 5 inches

Baby's weight: 5 ounces

Baby's cartilage is turning to bone and he / she is swallowing the amniotic fluid to develop taste buds.

Pregnancy Joys: As belly increases, balance decreases due to a change in the center of gravity.  (Ahhhh....that explains the recent clumsiness!)

Unfortunately at the ultrasound on wednesday we were unable to see whether Baby 2 is a boy or a girl.  He/she is SUPER active and the cord is wrapped around the thigh and between the legs.  Our next ultrasound is dec. 13th so we will hopefully be able to find out then!  The heartbeat was 160 and 152, though :)    Right now I am mostly feeling the baby move at night and in the morning when I first wake up.  I am feeling more and more pregnant every day!