Toddle Along Tuesday: Words of Wisdom for new mommies

This is an interesting choice of topic. I like it!

When I found out I was going to have a baby (the first time) I was ravenous for information on pregnancy and birth, as well as taking care of said child after delivery (because as much as we hate it, they DON'T come with instruction manuals).

After spending much time on various message boards, I found these to be the hottest topics: spotting-what's normal and what isn't, cramping, caffeine, and what foods are safe to eat. So here we go.

Spotting:
While I, personally, have no experience with this, friends assure me that this is totally normal and can happen for various reasons. DO NOT automatically freak out. Sometimes you can spot from implantation, or if you have an irritable cervix. If the bleeding is RED and heavy, this is a time when you should consider calling your doctor, especially if it is accompanied by cramping. If the blood is brown, it's considered "old" and not really anything to worry about.

Cramping:
Cramping, especially very early, is very normal...especially if you've never had children. I remember feeling like I was going to get my period, yet it never showed up-thus the positive test I got a couple days later. The cramping really didn't stop for quite a while...and when it did, the round ligament pain (RLP) started. It's just your baby making it's home a little bigger. And if you've never had children before, your uterus has never done this before, thus making it more likely that you'll have some cramps. With my second pregnancy, the cramps didn't seem as bad and didn't seem to last as long.

Caffeine:
Of course, you should always follow your doctors instructions, but it is generally believed that up to 300mg of caffeine per day while pregnant is acceptable. To give you an idea, a 20-oz bottle of Mountain Dew has 91mg of caffeine in it. The first trimester can be draining...the fatigue is really hard to get over some days. If you need that cup of coffee (or 3) in the morning, go for it. During my first pregnancy I cut caffeine out in the first trimester, but by the 3rd I was too big to get any sleep and if I wanted to stay awake at work, I needed something. I opted for a Pepsi most days because its slightly lower in caffeine, but on the days I needed a little more Mountain Dew was my friend. Having a toddler at home while being pregnant is EXHAUSTING to say the least and the caffeine was definitely necessary.

Foods:
This is ALWAYS an amusing topic...the dreaded "lunch meat debate". This is the reason I never went back to the 1st Tri board on TheBump when I got pregnanct again; I couldn't take the 1 million "Can I eat unheated lunch meat" posts.  So here's a couple of the more popular ones:

Lunch meat-Yes you can eat it...unheated, even. The major concern is Listeria, which can cause miscarriage. However, if you trust the place where you get it from then its safe to eat it cold. Places like Subway and other such sandwich shops are likely safe because their meat doesn't sit out all day and gets cycled through fairly quickly. If you have doubts and you still want to eat that lunch meat, you can heat it up to kill any bacteria that may be living on it.

Sushi-Yes you can eat it...even the raw stuff. The things to avoid are the fish that are considered to be high in mercury, such as Tile Fish, and of course, anything out of Lake Michigan. Once again, reputation is everything. I wouldn't go eating raw sushi from the gas station or something. I have had sashimi from our favorite sushi bar several times during both pregnancies. Also, some amount of fish is good for you and the baby due to the Omega-3's found in it. However, if you still have doubts but still want to eat sushi, go for something like a California roll or something with tempura in it. And as always, follow your doctor's instructions. Mine said sushi was just fine.


Then there's the things that those TV shows like A Baby Story never tell you about pregnancy and birth: the gas, the hemmorhoids, the discharge, and all the bleeding, hormones, and night sweats you have once the baby is born! As my doctor would say, it's bad for repeat business. :)

Seriously, though, making a baby is a truly amazing process, as is watching them grow up into little people. One big thing I learned from my first one is to document EVERYTHING. I very sporadically kept track of anything during my last pregnancy and I regret it. I've done a weekly survey every week since I was 4 weeks pregnant this time and I love looking back and reading about what went on that week. I've also been doing a survey every month of my first child's growth. I like to see how much she has learned from month to month and it's a good way to look back after #2 is here to see how they compare as they're growing up.

I may do a follow-up post later on about packing for the hospital, since I'll be doing that myself soon. Stay tuned!

30 weeks down-10 to go!

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 30 weeks-10 weeks (70 days) to go!

Total weight gain: +19lbs (147.0lbs)-No gain again this week.

How big is baby?: The size of a large cabbage (around 3lbs and 15.75” from head to heel).

Sleep?: A bit better. I don’t seem to be nearly as uncomfortable.

How are you feeling physically? That’s a loaded question! I was sick all week last week with a cold. On Friday I felt really good…until sometime in the late afternoon when my stomach and intestines decided to stage a revolt. I was up all night in the bathroom and ended up not eating or drinking anything until Sunday. I feel much better, but I’m still not quite 100%. I’m hoping to feel better by this weekend for my brother’s birthday dinner. I’m also getting tired of Clara using my belly to push off of or climb on. I know she doesn’t know any better, but it really hurts.

How are you feeling emotionally?: I’m feel good emotionally. I’m settling into the waiting phase of this pregnancy. I’m nesting some, but I’m sort of at a standstill because I’m waiting on the funds to be able to finish up a few things.

Best moment this week?: Not really sure that I have a best moment this week. I have a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday that I’m hoping I don’t get yelled at for not gaining weight for a month.

Movement?: While I was down and out on the couch all weekend, I think my son was having a dance marathon. He’s very busy and active these days, but I wish he’d put on some fat! He’s really pointy!

What is baby up to this week?: A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after he's born, he'll keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

Food cravings?: NO. I haven’t even had much of an appetite.

Labor signs?: No, thankfully. I didn’t even have many Braxton Hicks contractions when I wasn’t drinking over the weekend.

What I miss: Nothing at the moment, other than feeling halfway human!

What I'm looking forward to: Hearing how Adam’s doctor’s appointment goes today and going to our next prenatal appointment on Wednesday. Also having a 3-day weekend. :)

Random Thoughts: Not too many random thoughts this week. I do need to start thinking about packing my hospital bags, though. I rearranged the kids’ dresser…much to Adam’s confusion I think. :) But there’s still a few more things I need to do to get things ready.

30 week  bump pic...no making fun of my pants!

14-month survey

Monthly Survey

1. How old is baby? 14 months

2. Stats:

• a. Weight: about 26lbs
• b. Height: about 32”
• c. Clothes size: 18 months – 2T (larger sizes mostly for pants and pjs); also, some 12-month shirts/onesies still fit, but probably not for much longer. She’s also in size 5 shoes but may be going up a size soon.
• d. Diaper size: Transitioning between 4’s and 5’s in Huggies
• e. Hair color: Still about the same…maybe more blonde and getting really long!
• f. Anything else? 

3. Milestones:

• a. Teething: She now has 13 teeth. 4 top and 4 bottom in the front, 4 molars (the last one FINALLY broke the skin!) and one canine (lower left). I think the lower right canine is on the move.
• b. Talking: Still mostly babbling, but making lots of new sounds, too. She can do a “moo” sound for a cow, a “sss” sound for a snake, and a growling sound for a lion. She also likes to say “Ooooh!” Oh, and I think her first official word is “No”.
• c. Rolling: Only while wrestling with the dog.
• d. Walking: Walking and running. She doesn’t even use her arms for balance anymore.
• e. Crawling: A little, but only from toy to toy in the living room.
• f. Anything else? We’re in the midst of her 2nd-ever cold. I’m taking her to the pediatrician today to get her checked out. She’s very snotty, has a fever, and has a bad cough that sounds very phlegmy (she ended up with a double ear infection). She’s starting to follow simple commands pretty well (Bring it to Mommy/Daddy, go put it away, following someone, etc.) and she’s picking up more and more words. She has also started climbing. She can get into both the recliners and up onto the couch. She also knows how to get down appropriately, too.

4. Things she likes:

•  a. Toys: She likes her Elefun Ball Popper…though mostly she likes to stick her face over the blower and giggle. She also has a wooden puzzle with shapes that she’s really getting good at!
• b. Books: Any kind of peek-a-boo books are her favorite. Otherwise books in general are very entertaining for her.
• c. Songs: Itsy Bitsy Spider is a big hit right now. She even does the hand motions. :)
• d. TV Shows: Anything on Sprout.
• e. Other activities: She loves to be outside. When the weather’s nice she’s outside playing or in the woods with Mimi and Papa. I can’t wait til it gets nicer here. I wish there was more to do with her indoors.

5. Things she dislikes: Taking breaks from playing to get her diaper changed.

6. Sleeping: We have started watering her bottles down (she gets a bottle before naps and bed) in the attempt to get her off of the bottle completely. She has been going to bed fairly easily most nights and sleeps 12 or more hours every night. Naps, on the other hand…she had been taking a consistent nap after lunch every day and would sleep anywhere from 1-2 hours. But since she got her cold it hasn’t been so good. She went 2 days without any nap at all and her sleep at night has been broken at best. She wakes often due to her cough.

7. Eating:

• a. Favorite foods: I would say yogurt is on the top of the list. She also likes PB&J sandwiches, grilled cheese, waffles, and French toast. Eggs & Ham are still a favorite stand-by, too.
• b. Not so favorite foods: She’s been turning her nose up at chicken lately. I’m not sure if it’s due to her cold or if she’s had too much of it lately. We’ll keep trying.

8. Nicknames: As far as I can recall, there’s been no new additions, though I’ve been hearing Magwai recently and I smile when I do. :)

9. Things we’re looking forward to next month: Auntie Jessica’s baby shower, possibly going to the Musky show with Daddy, celebrating Uncle Kenny’s, Grandpa A’s, and Great-Uncle Carl’s birthdays. Also, she has her 15-month check-up and we’re hoping Daddy is off his crutches by then!

10. How I like motherhood: I’m still loving it. I’ve had to spend extra time taking care of her because of Adam being on crutches and returning to school, but I’ve really enjoyed the time (for the most part). Since she has been sick she’s been really snuggly and I’m not complaining at all. I love the extra snuggles and I like that she’s getting the comfort she needs from me.

• a. Likes: I love watching her tear willy-nilly through the house while I’m puttering in the kitchen. It’s really funny to watch. She’s such a silly munchkin and I just adore watching her be silly and not care. I also love watching her and the dog play together. It’s hysterical.
• b. Dislikes: Well, I’m getting bigger and it’s getting harder for me to do stuff with her, especially if it requires being on the floor. Thankfully my back pain has gotten better, but the lovely 3rd tri fatigue is starting to kick in and I don’t have as much energy as I did. BUT there’s only 11 weeks or so left until she officially becomes a big sister!

Pictures!!

Grandpa giving a horsey ride

Helping Mommy with the dusting

Chilling on the couch with grandma

Looking to add to our library

I've been wanting to get some more books for the kids' library and finally had time to do some searching. Here's a list of some books I'm looking for. If you have some you're looking to get rid of or see some at a rummage sale, please email me and let me know!

The Very Lonely Firefly


The Very Quiet Cricket

The Mixed Up Chameleon

Polar Bear, Polar Bear What Do You Hear?

Panda Bear, Panda Bear What Do You See?

Baby Bear, Baby Bear What Do You See?

The Very Busy Spider

The Very Clumsy Chick Beetle

Spot Goes to School

Spot Loves His Mommy

Spot Goes to the Farm

Goodnight Spot

Who's There, Spot?

Spot Loves His Daddy

Spot goes to the Beach

If You Take a Mouse to the Movies
 
If You Give a Dog a Donut
 
If You Give a Bear a Brownie

What's on Your Mind today?

It's Friday, and I'm at work, so it looks like another edition of What's On Your Mind?

• First and foremost, TGIF!!
• The cold that I've had since Monday seems to FINALLY be getting better. I've been taking 1000mg of Vitamin C everyday and in the last 2 days have consumed almost a gallon of orange juice....that besides the cold medicine must be working.
• Clara's double ear infection seems to be getting better. We visited with her last night at Mimi's house and you can definitely tell she's feeling better. I miss her so much!
• Samuel must be feeling happy that it's Friday. It seems like he hasn't quit moving since I sat down at work today!
• Other than going out for dinner tonight, we have nothing planned for this weekend. I'm really excited about that. :)
• The sun is shining right now and it looks like it should be warmer than it is. Oh well, at least the sun is shining. I can't wait til Spring!
• Monday I will be 30 weeks pregnant. Holy crap, where did the time go? I think maybe I should start thinking about getting some things together to throw in the hospital bag. I know 10 weeks is a good chunk of time, but with as fast as the last 30 weeks have gone, I better not procrastinate too much!

I hope everyone has a great Friday!

3-hour Glucose test results...They're in!

Even though I had an appointment with Dr. V and plus also they had called to tell me that I passed my 3-hour test, I didn't have my actual results until today. So without further delay, here they are!

Fasting:
Needed to be between 65-99
Result: 72

1-hour draw:
Needed to be under 140
Result: 127

2-hour draw:
Needed to be under 150
Result: 121

3-hour draw:
Needed to be under 180
Result: 140

Looks to me like everything was perfect! I did also tell Dr. V that if I have any more kids, I'm skipping the 1-hour test and just doing the 3-hour since I haven't passed the 1-hour test with EITHER of my kids! lol

Next test should be the Group B strep test at around 36 weeks (I believe). I'm glad to have all the biggies behind me and am looking forward to getting everything together so that we're all ready when wee man makes his arrival (hopefully not for 10 or so weeks!).

On that note, Adam told me that he had a dream this morning that Sam was coming in 2 weeks. Let's hope it was just a dream!

Toddle Along Tuesday: Must-haves!

This Tuesday's topic is your "must-have" items...either for you, for baby, for toddler, etc.
My "must have" item right now is my cell phone, a Motorola Photon 4G. I spend a ton of time on it, between being busy at home and on the go-it's nice to not be tied to the computer. The only thing I wish it had? The Pinterest App. Apparently Apple has cornered the market, but I'm hoping that soon someone will release it for Android. It's great because along with being able to access the Web and email, I can also get things like Netflix and my Kindle so I've always got something to entertain. And being able to link the calender to my Google calendar is really handy, too, because Adam can also access my Google Calendar which makes scheduling of ANYTHING much easier on our family!

The "must have" for Clara is our new Braun Thermoscan IRT4520. She came down with a cold on Thursday and by Saturday she was miserable and a trip to the doctor yesterday revealed our first ever double ear infection. I ended up buying a new thermometer. We have an Exergen temporal thermometer, but there are inconsistencies when it comes to different people taking her temp. So I did a little hunting around and found this one. It can be found on Amazon and Walmart and probably numerous outher drug/department stores. For around $38, I couldn't really think of a reason not to get this. It's quick and easy...and pretty accurate from what I can tell.

I have a whole list of stuff for "what I want" but none of them are really "must have". Isn't that always the way? :)

29 weeks down, 11 to go!

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 29 weeks (77 days to go).

Total weight gain: +19.2lbs (147.2lbs)…a loss from last week.

How big is baby?: The size of a butternut squash (about 2.5lbs and around 15” head to heel).

Sleep?: Well, sleep has been pure crap lately. Clara has cold #2 and hasn’t slept well in 2 days. Because of her cold I have the monitor up louder so I can hear her better and she wakes often during the night due to coughing so I wake up a lot, too. I also think I’m coming down with the same cold. I can only hope I get over it quickly with enough rest.

How are you feeling physically? I’m feeling pretty good, considering. The cramps and discomfort I had last week (as well as the contractions) have seemed to stop. I made a concerted effort to drink as much liquid as I possibly could. I also got checked at my last appointment and I’m still closed up tight and there’s no concern from my Doctor of pre-term labor, at least at this point. Fingers crossed nothing changes.

How are you feeling emotionally?: I had a bad day the other day, but I’m doing better and I’m back to work today.

Best moment this week?: Ugh…I don’t really have a best moment this week. I’m just trying to keep my sanity with all that we have going on!

Movement?: Oh yes, and I think the wee man has moved from transverse to vertical, but he moves back and forth yet. I’m ok with that because the movements when he’s up and down are painful!

What is baby up to this week?: His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Food cravings?: Nope. I haven’t really been hungry for much of anything lately, though Subway has been pretty tasty.

Labor signs?: No labor signs since last week. I still have the occasional BH contraction, but they’re few and far between now and mostly at night.

What I miss: Sleeping!

What I'm looking forward to: The weekend (yes, I know it’s only Monday)!

Random Thoughts: Not too many this week. I’m just trying to focus on staying healthy.

29 week bump pic...woah mama!

28 weeks down, 12 to go! Getting so close now!

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 28 weeks 1 day. 11 weeks 6 days to go (83 days).


Total weight gain: +19.4lbs (147.4lbs) No gain from last week.

How big is baby?: The size of an eggplant...still.

Sleep?: The last couple nights my sleep has been terrible. I’ve been dealing with restless leg syndrome and I just can’t get settled enough to sleep. Then Clara got up in the middle of the night and I couldn’t get her back down. I’ve also been having a LOT of Braxton Hicks at night, too.

How are you feeling physically? Pretty terrible, actually. I’ve been having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions. At least I have a doctor’s appointment tomorrow so I can find out if everything is still ok. I took today and tomorrow off for sure, possibly even Thursday as well, depending on what the doctor says. Until then, I plan on taking it easy and putting my feet up.

How are you feeling emotionally?: Emotionally, I’m feeling good. I’m getting really excited to meet Samuel and start this new chapter in our lives!

Best moment this week?: The best moment this week was finding out I PASSED my 3-hour glucose test! I told Adam that if we have anymore kids I’m just going to decline the 1-hour test and ask to take the 3-hour one right off the bat. I’ve failed my 1-hour test with both pregnancies so far. It makes sense to me, anyway.


Movement?: Still lots! He seems to move a ton especially right after I lay down at night and right when I wake up in the morning.

What is baby up to this week?: Much the same as last week. Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

Food cravings?: I haven’t really been craving anything lately.

Labor signs?: Sort of. I’ve been having a lot of Braxton Hicks contractions as well as some pain and pressure. It feels different from the types of pressure I’ve had in the past. I’ll know more tomorrow.

What I miss: Right now I’m not really missing anything…just counting the days until I get to meet my wee man!

What I'm looking forward to: I’m looking forward to my doctor’s appointment tomorrow-just to see what’s been going on.

Random Thoughts: I’ve been going gang-busters on Samuel’s scrapbook lately. I’ve also been going crazy with cleaning and organizing. I feel like I’m nesting constantly. I even found a neat website to put my bump pictures together. Now I just have to dig out the closet where I keep my Cricut so I can start cutting some letters. I’ve also been keeping a DIY journal of projects I’m working on and projects that I want to do. It seems to be helping me actually accomplish some things!

28 week bump pic

27 weeks! Yay 3rd Trimester!

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 27 weeks 1 day-3rd trimester!! 12 weeks and 6 days to go (or 90 days if you're counting).


Total weight gain: +19.4 (147.4lbs)

How big is baby?: Still the size of an eggplant.

Sleep?: Well, pretty good for the most part. Clara gave us some trouble the other night, but I think I've caught up.

How are you feeling physically? I'm feeling better this week. My sciatica isn't very bad at all, which figures considering Dr V. now wants me to go to physical therapy for it.

How are you feeling emotionally?: I'm feeling pretty good emotionally, too, though I've started nesting really bad! I got the nursery organized (with a few minor exceptions) and want to start working on washing Samuel's clothes and getting our room ready.

Best moment this week?: Last Thursday we had our monthly appointment. Everything looked great, except I failed my 1-hour glucose test again. I have to take the 3-hour test on Friday, which I'm not looking forward to. And we found out that Sam is transverse. Hopefully he flips soon!

Movement?: Oh yes!!

What is baby up to this week?: Much the same as last week. Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

Food cravings?: I'm only craving food...nothing in particular and I can't usually figure out what I'm hungry for, either.

Labor signs?: No, just some Braxton Hicks.

What I miss: Being small!

What I'm looking forward to: Having some time to myself this week with Clara being at Mimi's. I still miss her, but I'm starting to slow down and need the extra rest.

Random Thoughts: I'm not having a baby shower this time around (since I just had one for Clara) and I'm kind of sad that I'm not having one. I don't really want the gift part of it, just to be able to celebrate Sam with my family and friends. Oh well. At least I get to go to one in a few weeks!

27 week bump pic

Cute little pictures of his face from our u/s on Thursday. :)

Toddle Along Tuesday-Play spaces

Today's topic on Toddle Along Tuesdays is play spaces/nursery organization.

With another baby on the way and only 3 bedrooms in the house (our room, an office, and the nursery) we are kind of limited as to where we're going to put this new bundle of joy. Ultimately, he'll be spending most of his time in our room in the Pack 'N Play, but eventually he and Clara will be sharing a room. I had to figure out what would be the best way to accomplish this, since we'll need to put 2 cribs in one room because Clara won't be in a toddler bed before Samuel comes.

One big plus is that the room is already painted a nice neutral green color so it won't need to be repainted. Secondly, there's no girly artwork on the walls so we won't have to change that, either. The only thing we'll need to change is the curtains and all I need to do is get together with my mother-in-law to pick out some fabric.

So, for organization, I bought a stackable Cubicle shelf system from ClosetMaid and then bought some cloth bins for storage. The pink are for Clara's stuff and the green are for Sam's. The rod in the closet is also divided in half-half for each child. Even the hooks on the wall are divided for each child.

 

Their dresser doubles as our changing table. I ususally keep a stack of each kind of diaper in the top drawer, along with her onesies (a separate stack for long-sleeved and short-sleeved). However, with the addition of Samuel, I think I'll be rearranging her clothes a bit. I might have to keep only diapers (since there will be 3 stacks) in the top drawer and rearrange everything else.

While Samuel is in our room, he'll be sleeping in the Pack 'N Play. In order to not have to go into the nursery in the middle of the night for diaper changes (and risk waking up Clara), I'm going to buy a shelf and install it on the wall above the Pack N Play. I'll put some more cloth bins on the shelf and use them to store things like diapers and wipes and probably a couple sets of clothes, yet still have it look nice. I'll also be doing a little DIY letter project. I'm going to get an unfinished letter 'S' and decoupage some cute monkey paper onto it. I also want to get a picture frame to put a picture of him in.

This will be where the Pack N Play will go, with a shelf above it. For now, excuse the basket of unfolded clean laundry. :)

As for play space at our house, it's also very limited...and with the addition of little Samuel it's only going to be less. Right now Clara always plays with her toys in the living room. Its what's easiest since Adam and I spend all of our time in either the kitchen or living room. It offers the greatest chance for supervision. But once Sam gets here, his swing and some of his stuff will be taking up room in the living room as well. Here's the corner of the living room where we have all of Clara's toys.



It's Friday! What's on Your Mind today?

I have SO much on my mind since yesterday...most of it good, though!

• First and foremost-I'm really excited that Adam gets to start therapy soon! It's just one more step forward in recovery and hopefully getting things back to somewhat normal around here!
• I'm really pleased with how all of my appointments went yesterday-even though Samuel wanted to be stubborn again, we got some really cool pictures of his face, which I'll probably post in my next weekly update.
• I'm waiting on the phone to ring: I'm expecting the results from my GTT that I took yesterday...and I'm confident that I passed this time! I'm also waiting on Physical Therapy to call me-Dr. V wants me to go for my back. I'm not surprised.
• I just finished the pre-admission form for the hospital and we're now down to every 2-week appointments. Yikes-it's getting real! Time to step up the prep!
• I ALMOST missed the Kathleen Madigan show! Time to buy tickets! It'll be nice to have a date with the hubs!
• I can't wait to pick Clara up from Mimi's house this afternoon. :) I missed her so much all week! Of course, we'll be going right back tomorrow for Papa's birthday, but that's ok.
• I'm excited that I might FINALLY be getting to meet one of my November Mommies!
• I'm also really looking forward to my lunch! lol

Overall, it's a pretty good day today. I can't complain: it's 40+ degrees in January and there's no snow! I'm loving it!

What's on your mind on this lovely Friday?

26 weeks down, 14 to go!

Weekly Survey:

How far along? 26 weeks 1 day. 13 weeks 6 days to go!

Total weight gain: +18lbs (146lbs)

How big is baby?: The size of an eggplant.

Sleep?: All things considered, it’s been pretty good lately.

How are you feeling physically? One word…BIG. My shirts are starting to get a little short in the front and I’m sort of between sizes in my jeans. I’ve also noticed my rib cage is starting to spread a bit. I see new bras in my future!

How are you feeling emotionally?: I’ve been feeling stressed, but there’s not a whole lot I can do to change it except to try to take advantage of Clara’s new nap schedule to try to relax. It’s easier now that the holidays are over, but a lot of other things consume my off hours these days, too.

Best moment this week?: On Thursday we get to see Samuel again!

Movement?: A lot of movement and very often…except for sometimes when Mommy has a freak out and NEEDS to feel him moving. Then he’s sound asleep and doesn’t want to wake up.

What is baby up to this week?: Much the same as last week. Let your spouse put an ear to your belly -- he might be able to pick up baby's heartbeat (no stethoscope required). Inside the womb, the formation of tiny capillaries is giving baby a healthy pink glow. Baby's also soaking up your antibodies, getting the immune system ready for life outside the womb. Eyes are forming, and baby will soon perfect the blink -- perfect for batting those freshly grown lashes.

Food cravings?: Chocolate!

Labor signs?: No, and the Braxton Hicks contractions have let up some, too.


What I miss: Not being in pain…stupid back.

What I'm looking forward to: Seeing my little man on Thursday…and going to Adam’s next follow-up appointment, also on Thursday.

Random Thoughts: For the moment, my mind is pretty quiet, but then again I just started a new work week and haven’t really gotten moving yet. Maybe once I have my quota of caffeine I’ll be better.

<----25 weeks

--------> 26 weeks

Growth spurt much?

13 month survey-better late than never!

Better late than never, since she's 14 months old now, but here it is!

Monthly Survey

1. How old is baby? 13 months.

2. Stats:

• a. Weight:  I think around 25lbs still.
• b. Height:  30-31 inches
• c. Clothes size: Exclusively 18 months or larger. I’ve packed away pretty much everything else. Shoe size is now a 5. 
• d. Diaper size: Still 4’s in both regular and Overnight diapers. 
• e. Hair color: Less strawberry and more just blonde. And boy is it getting long! 
• f. Anything else? 

3. Milestones:

• a. Teething: As of right now she has 11 teeth. We’re still waiting on one molar to come through yet. They’re taking their sweet time. She’s also starting to cut her canines. It looks like the lower right will be the first one. 
• b. Talking: She’s still babbling constantly. She still doesn’t say a whole lot, but she knows a lot of words! She also started a new sound-almost sounds like “no”.  
• c. Rolling: No more rolling. She’s way too impatient for that! 
• d. Walking: She now knows how to run and is getting better at it each day. She also walks backwards and can “twirl” (turn in a circle). 
• e. Crawling: Not really crawling anymore, either. It’s too slow for her. :) 
• f. Anything else? She knows a lot of different animals, she can point to the baby, the cat, and the big sister in her Big Sister book, she will wiggle (or wave) her fingers, point to her toes, and her nose and mouth when asked. She even knows which books are which if you tell her to bring a specific one. She can point to Mama and Dada in pictures, as well as Mimi and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa. She knows how her clothes go on and come off (makes getting dressed and undressed a lot easier!). She also knows how to give hugs and kisses if asked (ex: hugging or kissing stuffed animals) but she’ll only give us kisses when she feels like it. :) She also knows lots of different animals (monkey, giraffe, bird, kitty, etc.) She also makes a cow sound, though it's not really the actual "mooo" sound, it's pretty close. :)

4. Things she likes:

• a. Toys: She doesn’t really have a favorite right now. I’m actually going to be packing away some of her more “baby” toys to make room for the bigger ones she got for Christmas. I just need to get some more totes. 
• b. Books: She loves ALL her books! She even quit trying to unwrap presents at Christmas and went looking for books instead. I promise I’ll put that one in here! Lol She even reads books in the car. It’s funny to be driving knowing that she’s looking at a book and to hear her giggling in the back seat.
• c. Songs: I don’t really sing to her much, but Mimi does.
• d. TV Shows: She still loves everything on Sprout-especially Sesame Street. 
• e. Other activities: We had been going back to the Y for swimming, but now with Adam being out of commission we’ve stopped again. It’s just too hard for me to take her by myself. I’m hoping by February that we’ll be back again-and that all 3 of us will benefit from it!

5. Things she dislikes: Taking naps sometimes and being told to sit down in the tub.

6. Sleeping: The sleeping had been difficult at the beginning of the month. She was going down hard and waking up at least once in the middle of the night, but in the last 2 weeks it has gotten a lot better. There’s been more going on and she’s been going down a lot easier as well as sleeping through the night again. Let’s hope that keeps up! Her naps have also regulated as well. Since she’s spending so much time at Mimi’s house, she’s actually gotten Clara on a good nap schedule. She goes down for a nap right after lunch and will usually sleep for 2 hours!

7. Eating:

• a. Favorite foods: She’s loving the peanut butter that we just introduced. She also still loves fruits and most veggies. I just gave her fresh pineapple and she really loved that. She’ll also eat food right off my or Mimi’s fork or spoon. One of her most favorite things for breakfast is ham and eggs. The other day she ate almost 2 whole eggs with ham! One of her favorite things to snack on are the Gerber Fruit & Veggie melts. She seriously would eat the whole bag if we’d let her. I’m not going to lie, I tried one and they’re actually really good. :) She’s also in love with yogurt. 
• b. Not so favorite foods: She still does not like regular potatoes.

8. Nicknames: No new nicknames…at least none that I recall.

9. Things we’re looking forward to next month: Adam and I both have appointments, but other than that, we’re just looking forward to him getting healthy so he can play with Clara like he used to. I think she misses it, too.

10. How I like motherhood: It’s probably one of the hardest things I’ve ever experienced-especially being pregnant while having a child this young. But it is totally worth it. I love to see her grow and learn new things. I wish I knew what went on in her little mind sometimes. :)

• a. Likes: I love having time to myself when she’s at one of the grandparents’ houses… 
• b. Dislikes: …but I hate when she’s gone for more than a day. I miss her terribly.

Pictures!!

Christmas Day at our house

Enjoying the new chair Mimi made for her!

I don't know why she was crawling into the gift bags, but it was hilarious!

She'd rather read than open presents!

The holidays are over.

And Toddle Along Tuesdays is back, along with one of our favorite mamas, Mama G at Growing up Geeky!

Today's topic is really easy (or theoretically so, anyway): Your favorite post from 2011. Mine happens to be the letter I wrote to Clara for her first birthday.

Stay tuned the rest of the week for a lot more posts, including my 26 week update, Clara's 13-month survey, and What's On Your Mind on Friday.