Thursday, July 30, 2009

23 weeks



How far along? 23 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +7 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes, but no new ones this week

Stretch marks? no new ones

Sleep: Pretty good

Best moment this week: Sitting in the rocking chair in the nursery in the mornings

Movement: Oh yes, there's movement!

Food cravings: Sweet stuff. My cravings change on a weekly basis.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs
: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: Running - never thought I'd hear myself say that.

What I am looking forward to: VBS tonight

Weekly Wisdom:



Baby's Development:


"Baby's little face is fully formed...minus the baby fat, of course. The next task at hand for baby: sprouting two teeny-tiny nipples!" - thebump.com


"Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb." - babycenter.com

Tuesday, July 28, 2009

They had no idea.



When my parents met my husband nearly 6 years ago, in the fall of 2003, they had no idea that he would one day be their son-in-law. I'm fairly certain they thought, 'It's just a phase.' They were probably sure that he wouldn't last any longer than any of my previous boyfriends. I'd say that's a normal reaction for parents whose honor roll child just introduced them to a guy obviously older than her with multiple piercings. C'mon, how long could that really last?

A few months later, when my dad discovered that his sweet little 16 year old baby girl would soon be dating a 20 year-old man, I'm not sure exactly what he was thinking, but the look on his face sure said a lot. By that point, he'd already decided he liked Steven, so there wasn't much he could say I guess. For the record, I never lied about his age. I said he was 19 - the truth. I simply left out the fact that he had a birthday coming up in a few months.

Then in December, he moved from Batesville to Jonesboro to be closer to me. Now if that didn't make a parent nervous, I don't know what would.

By February, I think they could see a hint of where our relationship was going. My dad, never one to miss an opportunity for a bit of humor, found this card for me for Valentine's Day 2004.





I found this card a few weeks ago while sorting through some boxes of old mementos.
It made me remember.
It made me smile.
It made me laugh.

They had no idea God had picked us for each other long ago.
They had no idea we would be married less than 4 years later.
They had no idea we had already been struck by that arrow.

Sunday, July 26, 2009

John Deere Toy Giveaway

I don't enter a lot of blog giveaways, but I couldn't pass this one up!
I'm not sure who would love these more, Steven or Lincoln. :-)
So, go check out the blog of John Deere Mom and enter for your own chance to win!

Tuesday, July 21, 2009

22 weeks




How far along
? 22 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +5 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes, but no new ones this week

Stretch marks? unfortunately a few really small ones, thankfully in places that are hidden

Sleep: Great. The covers were barely disturbed this morning.

Best moment this week: Seeing Steven so excited to pick out clothes for Lincoln.

Movement: Oh yes, there's movement! Usually around 9 each night, but last night he was really active from about 6:30 to 9:30.

Food cravings: Coffee! Thank goodness for decaf.

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs
: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: Running - never thought I'd hear myself say that.

What I am looking forward to: hanging out with my aunt tonight

Weekly Wisdom: You don't have to spend a ton on a really cute maternity wardrobe. Be creative.



Baby's Development:


"At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily." -babycenter.com



Wednesday, July 15, 2009

21 weeks

.

How far along? 21 weeks

Total weight gain/loss: +4 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes, and I'm in love with my new Gap jeans

Stretch marks? no new ones, but the old ones are showing up a bit better

Sleep: Good, just more weird dreams

Best moment this week: Getting Lincoln's crib put together.

Movement: More noticeable now. I no longer have to be paying attention to notice his kicks.

Food cravings: toasted turkey, egg, and cheese english muffin

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs
: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: Nothing at the moment. I'm feeling really great.

What I am looking forward to: Steven coming home tomorrow

Weekly Wisdom: If you wake up and think you dreamed there was a spider on you but it was really just a cat hair or something, you're not completely awake. It wasn't a weird pregnancy dream. That spider is still in your bed - and you probably just threw it on your spouse.



Baby's Development:



"
Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well." -babycenter.com


"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." -thebump.com

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Weekend checklist

Flooring in nursery - check
Crib assembled - check
Hang photos in kitchen - check (pictures of this to come)
Sorting/purging of kitchen cabinets - check
Sorting/purging of dresser in craft room - in progress
Hang shelves in craft room - postponed (We didn't have the correct type of screws)

Friday, July 10, 2009

Today's accomplishments

We've had a busy day today.
We started our day with a trip to Lowe's. We needed some more underlayment for the flooring in Lincoln's room and another organizer basket for my closet. We spent most of the afternoon working on the flooring in Lincoln's room.

Here's Steven, sprawled out in the floor, working on the closet flooring.

Throughout the afternoon, all of the animals had to check out what we were doing. Actually, it was hard to keep the girls out of our way. Minnie and Emerald have separation anxiety issues. Roush was pretty good about staying out of the way though. He just checked in occasionally to fulfill his supervisor duties.





I love it! It isn't quite finished yet, but after all the work we did, we got worn out and had to take a break from it.


We also assembled the crib!
Steven had to get in the crib box to make sure we had all the small parts out. :)


The proud daddy with his finished project.


And the happy mommy...

Monday, July 6, 2009

Overheard in our home today....

"Hey, the toilet smells good!"

I took this as a compliment/thank you for my excellent toilet scrubbing skills.

20 weeks



How far along? 20 weeks - Halfway there!

Total weight gain/loss: +1 lbs

Maternity clothes? Yes

Stretch marks? nope

Sleep: Good, except for the weird dreams

Best moment this week: Hanging out on the couch, watching CSI with Steven.

Movement: I still have to be paying attention to notice it. However, I can definitely tell when he gets comfy in the wrong spot. He often gets comfy on top of the vein that numbs my left hip and leg.

Food cravings: egg sandwiches with cheese (My husband makes the best egg sandwiches!)

Gender: Boy!

Labor Signs
: nope

Belly Button in or out? still in

What I miss: Nothing at the moment. I'm feeling really great.

What I am looking forward to: the crib coming in this week

Weekly Wisdom:



Baby's Development:



"Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)

He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium..." -babycenter.com

A cantaloupe!


"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! " - thebump.com

I plan to use a lot of cloth.

Cloth diapers that is.
I'm betting you are having one of three reactions now.
1.) "What? Is she nuts? Who would do that to themselves?"
2.) "That's a great idea!"
3.) "Oh." - Surprisingly, this was the reaction of my grandma.

First, cloth diapering is nothing like what it was 20+ years ago. Now, you can certainly still purchase the basic prefolds and plastic covers. However, there are lots more options now available.
Honestly, the options can be quite overwhelming. Actually, I'm a bit overwhelmed with the choices. I have currently purchased some prefolds and am searching for good covers or wraps. I am also trying to decide which of the hundreds of other types of diapers I want to use. Cloth diapering can be as simple and cost effective or plush and extravagant as you choose to make it.

When I mention my cloth-diapering intentions, the most commonly asked questions is....

Why?

Well, many choose to go the cloth diaper route because it is said to be more "green." This isn't my motive though. Sorry, but I'm not the "be green or the earth is going to fall apart" kind of gal. However, have I mentioned how much I detest taking out the garbage?

Reason #1, less taking out the garbage. I truly hate it. I have to wash my hands immediately after touching our outdoor trash can. I'm convinced it is one giant disease sitting in my garage. I would much rather do more laundry than take out more garbage. Also, I have to admit that I am horrible about remembering to set the trashcan out by the road for pick-up. Two-weeks worth of stinky diapers sitting in a trash can in hot garage in July? No thanks.

Reason #2, less Wal-Mart. I hate going to Wal-Mart. I will eat cereal three meals in a row to avoid it. Not tom ention, this would save me money because I tend, like so many others, to buy a lot of unnecessary items with each trip to Wal-Mart, also consider the gas it takes to get there.

Reason #3, disposable diapers are expensive. Too expensive, in my opinion, to let my child poop on them and throw them away.

Reason #4, less diaper rash = happier baby. Most moms I have talked to report less diaper rash after switching to cloth diapers from disposable diapers. Happier baby = happier mommy.

Reason #5, saving money. Not only will cloth diapers cost less than disposables for 2+ years, you'll also save money on trash bags (again, less garbage), gas for last minute trips to Wal-Mart, and lotions and creams (again, less diaper rash).

Reason #6, long-term savings. Cloth diapers are reusable (obviously). This means they can be used with multiple children. Not having anymore kids? Sell them! Ebay has lots of cloth diaper listings. There are also plenty of FSOT (for sale or trade) boards to be found on mommy and parenting forums.

Reason #7, they are so darn cute!



Another question cloth-diapering moms often get...

Isn't it inconvenient?

Well, that depends on your definition of convenient and your situation.

On vacations - probably so, unless you vacation where you have cheap access to a washer and dryer.
Out running errands - not really. Dirty cloth diapers can easily be dropped into a "wet bag" - a special bag inside the diaper bag, lined with water proof material - or even a Ziploc freezer bag until you return home.

At home - not really. The process of removing and changing the diaper is pretty much the same as that with a disposable. The only difference is solid waste is dumped into the toilet and you put the dirty diaper in a pail to be washed later instead of in a trash can or diaper genie.

Another downside, your newborn may not fit into all of those cute newborn size onesies and pants due to the extra "stuffing" in the diaper. However, onesie extenders can also be used to correct this with most onesies.

For Steven and I, the pros outweigh the cons. Cloth diapers it is for our family, with the occasional use of disposables.