Toddle Along Tuesday....

...is on hiatus at the moment as Mama G and her family make their way back to the east coast so her hubby (the new and improved DR G) can start his new job.

Good luck on the move! I hope everything goes smoothly and you all get settled soon! Wisconsin will miss you for sure, but we always need to go where life will be better for us. We wish you well and hope you can return to your regularly scheduled blog posts soon!!

12-month survey!

Monthly Survey

1. How old is baby? 12 months!!

2. Stats:

• a. Weight: 24lbs 6oz 
• b. Height: 29.75 inches 
• c. Clothes size: Some 12 month onesies, but all 18-month + for pants and pajamas. 
• d. Diaper size: Size 4 in Huggies 
• e. Hair color: Blonde/strawberry blonde 
• f. Anything else? We have her official 12 month appointment on 11/9. Check-up went well. She’s doing everything she’s supposed to. She also got 3 shots which weren’t fun. We also found out she’ll be the big sister to a little brother! Her head measured 44.5cm and her chest is 48cm.

3. Milestones:

• a. Teething: She now has 9 teeth. Four in front on top and bottom and one molar-lower left. The upper-left is almost through the skin and the bottom right is almost through, too. 
• b. Talking: Still constantly babbling, though I thought I heard her attempt a couple words. 
• c. Rolling: More for playing than transport. 
• d. Walking: And running! All over the place. She really loves to walk and run. 
• e. Crawling: Hardly ever anymore. 
• f. Anything else?  

4. Things she likes:

• a. Toys: She got a bunch of new ones for her birthday. They all look like fun. She hasn’t gotten much of a chance to play with them yet. 
• b. Books: She LOVES to read books! We need to start rotating them through. 
• c. Songs: She likes to dance to songs she hears on TV, but no song in particular. 
• d. TV Shows: Sunny Side Up on Sprout. She LOVES Chicka. She still likes all her other shows, too. 
• e. Other activities: We’re hoping to return to the Y this week. We won’t do a structured swimming class, but we’ll go and spend time in the pool. Otherwise she just loves to spend time with Mimi and Papa as well as Gramma and Grampa A. She loves to play with Scooter, and she likes to go places (to the store, mall, etc.).

5. Things she dislikes: Having her nose wiped. She’s on her 2nd cold and it’s been a real pain.

6. Sleeping: GREAT! She usually sleeps 11-12 hours per night and takes one good nap (anywhere from 45 mins-2 hours) during the day. It’s not surprising, though, considering how active she is now! We have been having a little trouble at night lately. She’ll usually wake up once during the night and someone will have to get up with her. Mostly she’s doing well, though.

7. Eating: She’s been in a pattern of eating really well at breakfast, not so great at lunch, and then eating a really good supper. I’m not sure if this will change or not, but we just need to make sure we give good snacks during the day if that’s the case.

• a. Favorite foods: Eggs with ham, oatmeal, pancakes, fruits, veggies, brats. She’s really been a good eater lately! 
• b. Not so favorite foods: Regular potatoes. Still doesn’t like them. I have a feeling she might like mashed potatoes more.

 8. Nicknames:

9. Things we’re looking forward to next month: Her 2nd Christmas! There will probably be several different Christmases spread out over the entire month, but I know she’ll have fun. Maybe she’ll even get to see a performance of the Nutcracker!

10. How I like motherhood: Still loving it. It gets crazy sometimes and I know it’ll only get crazier, but I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

• a. Likes: Lots of things. :) I love Clara’s little squeals and how she loves to chase us and be chased. I love to watch her explore new things. I love watching her interact with different people. She’s really becoming her own person and it’s really neat to see. 
• b. Dislikes: Being so busy that sometimes I forget to enjoy the small things. I’m too wrapped up in what’s going on in our everyday lives to notice the world around me.

Pictures from her 1-year photo shoot!

 

21 week survey-19 weeks to go!

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 21 weeks

Total weight gain: +11 lbs (139lbs) I blame Thanksgiving!

How big is baby?: The size of a banana.

Sleep?: Bad. I don’t know if it’s because we rearranged the bedroom or if we changed the kind of sheets on the bed or what, but I’ve not had a good night’s sleep since Thursday!

How are you feeling physically? Achy. I made the mistake of moving furniture by myself on Friday night and ended up in bed all night because my back hurt so badly. It’s better now, but I’m really looking forward to my chiropractor appointment tomorrow! Other than that, I’m good. Just a few small Braxton Hicks contractions the last couple days but nothing else major.

How are you feeling emotionally?: Still really good. I’m just really excited to meet my little man…and really excited to find a name for this guy! We still haven’t been able to decide on anything concrete yet.

Best moment this week?: We have our anatomy scan on Wednesday that I’m really looking forward to. I’m also looking forward to finding out if I’ll have my very first niece or nephew on Tuesday!

Movement?: Pretty much all the time now. He’s really active right when I lay down to go to sleep. It takes me a little while to fall asleep because he’s so crazy in there!

What is baby up to this week?: Baby gulps down several ounces of amniotic fluid every day, both for hydration and nutrition and to practice swallowing and digesting. And, these days, those taste buds actually work! Studies show that after birth, babies are most interested in tastes they've already experienced through amniotic fluid. Meaning, think about what you want your future child to eat as you prepare your own lunch.

Food cravings?: Oranges and celery with peanut butter. It’s nice to have healthy cravings for a change! I did have some cookies last night (and have some in my lunch today) but I only make a couple at a time. That’s the nice thing about having dough frozen in the freezer!

Labor signs?: Just some Braxton Hicks contractions, but they’re nowhere near as frequent or uncomfortable as they were last time.

What I miss: Being able to drink wine during the holidays. I still plan to have a glass or 2 between now and Christmas, but other than that, I’m not drinking.

What I'm looking forward to: Our anatomy scan on Wednesday. I always look forward to seeing my little man and making sure he’s still healthy and growing in there.

Random Thoughts: None this week really. I’ve been too busy with the holidays and a cranky, sick toddler to have much time to think. I did get a lot accomplished over the last 4 days off of work, but I still have a lot left to do! Which reminds me, I need to work on my to-do list.

21 Weeks!

Toddle Along Tuesday-Thankfulness

First off, I want to say that I’m really happy Mama G is back with Toddle Along Tuesdays! I always enjoy reading all the posts that link up with her and seeing the diversity of the other mama bloggers out there!

 

 

 

The topic of this week’s post is “Things You’re Thankful For,” rather fitting since this week brings us to Thanksgiving (one of my favorite holidays :)).

 

In years past I never really took time out to think about all the things I’m thankful for. We just plunked ourselves down at the dining table and proceeded to shovel food. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still plenty of that. Actually, there’s even more since I now have in-laws and get to have TWO Thanksgiving feasts! So this year, thanks to the prodding of Toddle Along Tuesdays (Thanks again Mama G!!), I’m going to make a list of all the things (or at least as many as them as I can think of) that I’m thankful for.

 

• My health (even though I’ve got a nasty cold!!) and this healthy pregnancy. 

• The love and support of my awesome rock star husband who is working his butt off and then some in order to give us the best life he can. 
• My beautiful and funny little girl, Clara, who always has me in stitches. She’s the light of my life and I’m so thankful that she’s mine!! 

• My family who is always there to bail me out. Clara says she’s thankful, too, because she can spend the day with Grandma rather than go to daycare! 
• The November mommies on Facebook! They’re seriously some of my best friends. I haven’t met any of these ladies in person (at least not yet!) but they’ve got some of the biggest hearts around. Not to mention, it’s very handy to have kids the same age so that we can compare notes and strategize against the kiddos (especially when we think they sometimes Skype with each other and plot ways to drive us insane!). 
• The very few friends that I have in real life. You guys are amazing and I’m glad to have each one of you. 
• And last, but certainly not least, the men and women who serve and have served our country to protect the awesome land that we live in. Without their sacrifice we would not be able to even have the ability to post blogs like this, let alone much else! Our freedoms and our way of life would not be possible without these brave men and women and for that I am truly thankful.

 

I hope that during the upcoming holiday season, with its hustle and bustle and general busy-ness, that everyone can take a few minutes to remember what this time of year is all about: spending time with friends and family. It’s not about giving gifts or eating delicious food. It’s about appreciating what we do have.

 

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! Be safe!

 

 

 

Half baked!! 20 week survey

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 20 weeks! Half-baked!

Total weight gain: +9.8 lbs (137.8lbs)

How big is baby?: The size of a cantaloupe.

Sleep?: Except for this nasty cold that I have, it hasn’t been too bad lately. The body pillow is a must these days, but other than that it hasn’t been too bad.

How are you feeling physically? I’m feeling pretty well, actually. I had some major pelvic pain late last week that I thought I might have to get checked out, but all seems well now except for this darn cold!

How are you feeling emotionally?: Really great! It must be a good hormones week or something. Adam started randomly ripping down wallpaper in the bathroom and kitchen and the mess sort of made me freak out, but once I got everything cleaned up again I felt better. Now I’m just excited to start picking stuff out for our baby boy as well as getting ready for the upcoming holidays!

Best moment this week?: We found out this past Friday that we are indeed expecting a little boy! We’re overjoyed to be having one of each and I really look forward to seeing how Clara will react to a little brother. Now we just have to decide on a name for this fella!

Movement?: Yep! A lot and the kicks are getting strong enough for me to see them and for Adam to feel them sometimes. And according to our ultrasound tech on Friday, he’s REALLY active!! I had a hard time keeping up with him on the Doppler last night!

What is baby up to this week?: Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

Food cravings?: I haven’t had much of an appetite this week due to my cold, but I’ve been eating a lot of salads. I’ve also been craving sweets, though I’ve tried not to give into that temptation unless I can have a healthy snack like an orange.

Labor signs?: Thankfully not, just some Braxton Hicks which aren’t painful, but more annoying than anything else.

What I miss: At the moment, I’m not really missing anything. I do miss having wine, but I had a tiny bit at the Muellers Thanksgiving and I may or may not have a little bit at my own Thanksgiving on Thursday.

What I'm looking forward to: Thanksgiving on Thursday, taking Clara to the Christmas parade on Saturday, and our anatomy scan on the following Tuesday!

Random Thoughts: I go back and forth being excited about having a boy and being terrified! I think a lot of it is anxiety about taking care of a newborn baby boy with his poor circumcision and just being able to be a good mom to a boy. I worry that I won’t be as snuggly with him because he’s a boy. But everyone keeps saying that boys are like Mommy’s best friends. I guess we’ll have to see! I can’t believe how fast the first half of this pregnancy has gone! Just 7 more weeks left of this trimester and then we’ll be in the home stretch! I can’t believe it!

20 week bump pic...And not in my pajamas!! :)

Updates

Just to let everyone know, I'm still alive! Mama G was out of town the last week or so therefore we haven't had any Toddle Along Tuesday posts. I'm hoping we can get back to that soon!

I'm in the process of putting together my final Citizen's Academy post but I need to find some time to get the pictures off the disc at home so I can put it all together. I'm hoping I'll have some time Saturday morning.

Other than that, things are going well. We're preparing for the snow! We got what we hope to be the last of the leaves raked out of the front yard and the Halloween decorations put away. We still need to clean out the gutters and put up the Christmas lights. It's been really cold the last couple days. Hopefully this weekend or next we'll be able to get out and do that.

I've also started Christmas shopping! I'm working very hard to compile my lists, both for people to buy for and for my own Christmas lists.

I'm looking forward to next week! I only have 3 days of work and then a 4-day weekend for Thanksgiving. We'll be making the annual trip to Appleton to celebrate with my family. It'll be the first Thanksgiving with Clara actually being able to eat with everyone...which prompted us to realize we need some sort of compact travel-type high chair. We'll be getting a clamp-on one. They're small, fold up easily, and can be used for quite a while. I've also got a handy dandy coupon for 20% an item at Babies R Us so that helps, too. We'll be picking it up on Friday when we go to Green Bay for our elective ultrasound and our big movie date to see Breaking Dawn Part 1!! I'm going to be buying our tickets later today! I can't wait!

The only crappy thing is that I've somehow caught a cold. I'm hoping I caught it soon enough...I took some extra Vitamin C this morning and will be keeping up with the Tylenol Cold in order to not feel so run down and hopefully make a quick recovery. No one wants to have a stuffy nose for Thanksgiving!

Stay tuned for more updates later this week and hopefully my gigantic Citizen's Academy finale post!

P.S.
I want to give a shout out to my friend Eric and wish him a speedy recovery from his 3rd stem cell transplant, which he'll be finishing up today at Froedert Hospital. Here's a link to his latest article in the news. There's also a link to his blog located on the side of my page.

19 week survey

Weekly Survey:



How far along? 19 weeks…almost halfway there!


Total weight gain: +9lbs (137lbs)

How big is baby?: The size of a mango.

Sleep?: Insomnia seems to be creeping up again. It usually hits me around 1am and then I end up staying awake half the night.

How are you feeling physically? Pretty good, considering. I find that if I’m on my feet too long my back is really sore the next day, but otherwise I’m doing pretty well. I think keeping my weight in check really helps, too.

How are you feeling emotionally?: Ok, I guess. I did have a couple nights when something triggered an enormous crying episode that lasted a few hours, but I think there was a lot of pent-up frustration that needed to come out.

Best moment this week?: Finding out what we’re having! And Adam got to feel an outside kick for the first time.

Movement?: Lots! It’s still not consistent like I know it will be in another couple weeks, but I’m still feeling it a lot. It’s wonderful! :)

What is baby up to this week?: Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.

Food cravings?: No cravings, but I’m having a hard time with some meats. Pork is almost completely off my menu. I can do a couple strips of bacon, but I keep making ribs in the crock pot only to find I can’t eat them. I think ham might be ok, though. The turkey that we had for Thanksgiving last night also wasn’t a big hit with my stomach.

Labor signs?: I’ve been having some Braxton Hicks contractions; not a lot, but they’re noticeable. Having a full bladder and my being upset usually are a good trigger.

What I miss: Clothes that fit. I’m supplementing my wardrobe as much as I can, but last time I was pregnant it was summer so I have a lot of short-sleeved shirts and tanks that I can’t wear until I buy a couple cardigans to go over! I also bought a winter jacket because I know none of mine will fit in another month.

What I'm looking forward to: We’re having an elective ultrasound on Friday to see if we’re having a boy or a girl. :) There’s some awesome sales at a local consignment shop this weekend and I wanted to take advantage. After that Adam and I are going to see Breaking Dawn!!!!!!! I’m super excited about it!


Random Thoughts: I think this pregnancy is harder on me emotionally because of my body-image issues. I was always really skinny growing up. After I had Clara I gained 60lbs and it took a lot of work to get the weight off, but my body was forever changed. I was just starting to get comfortable with it when I got pregnant again. It’s hard for me to be ok with gaining weight and getting big, even though I know I’m pregnant and it’s going to happen. At least Adam still thinks I’m attractive. :)

19 week pic

18 week survey

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 18 weeks

Total weight gain: +8lbs (136.0lbs)


How big is baby?: The size of a sweet potato.

Sleep?: I busted out the body pillow last night and seemed to sleep better. Otherwise I was getting so sore by 4am that I couldn’t sleep comfortably anymore. Of course, I’ve been so exhausted this week that I hardly think it would matter.


How are you feeling physically? BIG. The doctor assured me at our last appointment that everything is measuring right on track, but it doesn’t make me feel less huge.


How are you feeling emotionally?: Good. We had Clara’s 1st birthday parties over the weekend and I think that was the hardest part. Hopefully I’ll be feeling less stressed now that the parties are over with and my Tuesday night class is also ending so that should free up the calendar some.


Best moment this week?: Welcoming my parents back home from their vacation in Hawaii. Clara was so happy to see Grandma! Also her birthday parties. They were a lot of fun and she got a lot of really nice gifts.

Movement?: More now, but still not consistent. Some kicks/punches are getting way more noticeable!

What is baby up to this week?: Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.

Food cravings?: A lot of things! Lol Pizza, Chinese food, ice cream. Thankfully I’ve been able to hold them at bay so I can keep my weight down. I’m happy to see that I’ve gained less than a half pound over the last week.

Labor signs?: Nope. Not even Braxton Hicks.

What I miss: Having clothes that fit. I’m currently between wardrobes (both size-wise and weather-wise).

What I'm looking forward to: Our anatomy scan is in 3 weeks, but I’m still trying to get Adam to agree to an elective. :)

Random Thoughts: I can’t believe I have a one year old! I also can’t believe I’ll be doing this all over again with 2! I was thinking about the holidays and how this will be our last Thanksgiving and Christmas with one baby. Next year we’ll have 2! And our second won’t be a tiny squishy baby, either! S/He’ll be 8-9 months old! It’s hard to believe!

Excuse my shirt...I was in my jammies for the night and almost forgot to take this!

Houston, we have a ONE YEAR OLD!

My how times flies, huh? It seemed like just yesterday I was giving birth to this little squishy baby, and now she's a whole year old. It's crazy! In just a few short months we'll be starting all over again with number 2!

Congratulations, little girl! You made it! I can't wait to see what the next year brings!

A letter to my baby girl...

My darling Clara,


Today you are one year old! I cannot believe how much time has flown by! It seems like just yesterday that we saw you for the first time! You were such a tiny little thing, except for your eyes, which were wide open with the wonder at the big and bright world around you. I’m sure you found the whole thing quite rude, but we were so happy to meet you!

So many things have happened since that day.

I remember the day you came home. It was cold and rainy. We had you bundled up nice and cozy, though. Mommy cried when we left the hospital. It was sort of scary taking you home, where we wouldn’t have the nurses to help us! But you were a good girl. You didn’t even cry in the car!

Your first couple nights at home were pretty rough. You didn’t like to sleep during the night; you only wanted to be up during the day. One of my favorite nights was when Daddy got up with you in the middle of the night while Mommy slept. I went out to the living room to see how you guys were doing and found you both asleep on the couch-you in the Boppy holding Daddy’s finger and Daddy fast asleep next to you. We both still wish we would have taken a picture.

Before we knew it there were lots of people who came to see you: Great-Grandma Abendroth, your Aunts and Uncles, and even some cousins. Soon it was Thanksgiving and we made the trip to Great-Grandma’s house to see the whole family and to celebrate. We put you in a special outfit and even took a picture. It was very special since it had all 4 generations of our family in it! We did the same with your Great-Grandpa Mueller, as well as Daddy and Grandpa Mark, too.

Weeks went by and you continued to grow right before our eyes! You even started smiling! Pretty soon it was Christmas and we had more special outfits and more celebrations. You got lots of new books and toys-including some special books from Auntie Steff that are written in Spanish! Daddy likes to read you those. Mommy isn’t too good at it. :)

The New Year also brought lots of new things. You got to come along as we celebrated birthdays. You got to see the seasons change from winter to spring. You got to see all the beautiful flowers come up in Grammy’s garden. You started eating finger foods and not just formula! You were really becoming quite the little person! On Mother’s Day, you and Daddy and I all went to the NEW Zoo. It was your first trip to the zoo and it was so beautiful outside! You actually had a pretty good time. Of course, you really like riding in the stroller. You even got to see a giraffe up close!

Before we knew it you were starting to crawl! We had to move some furniture downstairs and put things away so you wouldn’t hurt yourself. You spent most of your days exploring the house. You eventually figured out how to crawl from the living room into your room to find more toys. And it wasn’t long before you were pulling yourself up to standing. We knew it wouldn’t be long before you figured out how to walk!

You also started swimming lessons! Once you got used to the pool you really had a fun time. Mommy really had a good time, too, because it was time that you and I spent together. Mommy promises that we will get back into swimming lessons soon, too!

By 10 ½ months old, you had finally figured out how to walk. You sure surprised Mommy that day! You were by the couch and had Scooter’s bone. He took it away from you and you got mad. I’ll never forget how you just walked right over to Mommy in the recliner like you had been doing it forever! I got so excited I had to call Daddy over so he could see, too. Since then, you’ve been walking everywhere! Now you hardly ever crawl anymore! You even figured out how to stand back up when you fall down, even when there’s nothing nearby to pull up on.

You’re such an amazing little person. You’ve got a huge personality that you let shine through every day. You’re always expressing yourself in the most interesting ways. I’d love to see what’s going on in your mind. :) You eat regular food just like Mommy & Daddy. You love to spend time with your grandparents and sometimes get upset when the leave or when we pick you up from their house. You absolutely LOVE your puppy, Scooter and we hope you’ll feel the same way about your baby brother or sister when s/he comes along! I love to see your happy face in the mornings when I get you out of your crib. You’re truly a ray of sunshine. Your little voice on the monitor in the mornings makes my heart swell. I can’t believe that your Dad and I were blessed with such a wonderful little girl.

We hope you continue to learn about and explore the big world around you. Never be afraid to come to us for help, no matter how old you are. Stand up for what you believe in; don’t let other people push you around. Know that whatever happens and whatever you might get into down the road, that your Daddy and I will always love you-no matter what.

We hope you have lots of fun at your parties this weekend and we can’t wait to see what the next year of your life brings. It’s sure to be as fun as the first!

Love always,

Mommy & Daddy

Toddle Along Tuesday-Hopes & Dreams

This week’s topic is particularly appropriate since its Clara’s first birthday tomorrow and this is the perfect time to express some of the things that I wish for my little girl as she grows up. Hopefully I don’t end up in a puddle of tears by the time I’m done writing!

 

 

 

My darling baby girl,

 

I can’t believe it’s been a whole year since you’ve come into our lives. You’ve changed so much! Here are some things that I wish for you as you continue to grow:

 

• Don’t grow up too fast. Take time to enjoy having someone take care of you! The adult world is no fun and Mommy & Daddy still wish we didn’t have to be grown-ups sometimes!
• Don’t take yourself too seriously. Have fun with life. 
• Always strive to do your best, even if it’s not perfect.  
• Follow your own heart. Don’t let people pressure you into something just because it’s what they want. Stand up for yourself-sooner rather than later, too! 
• Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Mommy & Daddy are here for you no matter if you’re 1 or 51. :) 
• We hope you’ll always have the courage and trust to talk to us about anything. We don’t ever want you to feel ashamed or afraid to talk to us.

 

You continue to amaze us every day. Keep growing and learning and exploring the big world around you. We’re very proud to be your parents and couldn’t have dreamed of having a more amazing child than you are. We love you very much!!