24 Weeks!

I am late I know (I was 24 weeks on Christmas). Too much to do. Well, Lily had a good christmas. She got a few presents (that's pretty good for not even being born yet). I realized this weekend that she is different from Nolan (when I was pregnant with him). Because when we were riding in the car Nolan used to be most active and with Lily I barely feel her in the car. I cannot wait to see how different (or alike) they really are.
I blame Lily for all of the weight that I have gained (I haven't dared to step on the scale), she has made me LOVE sweets, especially chocolate. When I say love, I mean I didn't go a moment this weekend without something sweet in my mouth. I know that I am a candy person to begin with but it has been crazy this
holiday season. People need to stop making such tasty treats!
Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

23 Weeks!

I had a Dr. appointment yesterday and everything seems to be going perfect. At the office I schedule my appointments months in advance and I am already scheduled for my weekly appointments. It makes it seem like this pregnancy is flying by. I had to take Nolan to my appointment by myself this time. Let me just tell you he was a different baby from the last time he was with me. He was so good. I barely heard a peep from him. It could be that I was in and out in about 20 minutes opposed to the 45 minutes I spent in the waiting room last time. My next appointment is my 1 hour glucose test. I am a little worried about this test not because I think that I have GD, but because I failed it with Nolan and had to take the 3 hour test. All I can say is YUCK! That was not fun, especially being stuck in the arm four times for the blood draws.


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.

Christmas Traditions

I love traditions. I think that I love them a little too much. I try to make everything a "new" tradition. I just want our kids to have wonderful memories to look back on. Well, most of our traditions involve Christmas. This year Nolan was actually able to be apart of one. Tyler and I have made a gingerbread house every year and it is always so much fun. But, I think Nolan liked it because he got to eat most of the candy.

Let's play paint!

I feel like all Nolan ever gets to do is play with his toys. I have the best intentions to actually do things that are creative and fun, I just never do any of them. Taking care of two toddlers all day and sometimes a baby (Nolan, Kaiya, & Mason) makes it just difficult to deal with anything beyond the usual.

Well, to the story, Nolan had been (thankful he isn't anymore) refusing his morning nap. So this left time with just the two of us. So, I thought that he would love (which I was right) to paint instead of just the typical things we do.

Food pictures are fun

I love taking pictures of Nolan while he is eating. I think his personality really comes out when there is food in front of him. I know that I say this in almost every post, but I love him so so much!

22 Weeks!

Wow the past week flew by. I have a Dr. appointment next week, just the boring stuff. I feel Miss Lily all the time, she is getting big.

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.

21 Weeks!

Nothing new here. The weeks just keep ticking away. I loving this little baby girl more and more everyday. I can say that I am ready for a belly. I have been sick with the stomach flu twice. I feel like when I spend the day throwing up any belly that I did have just goes away. I often ask Tyler is I have gotten smaller. I even think I had a dream about not having a baby belly anymore. That morning I had to run to the mirror to check and make sure it was still there. :) I know I'm being silly.

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.

Oh, what a Cute family!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Sick, again

My poor baby Nolan has been so sick this winter season. He spent the day before Thanksgiving throwing up everything he ate. :( On Thanksgiving he was just plain not feeling well. I feel so sorry for him. And on top of this his molars are not helping him feel any better. I hope by the end of this weekend he is over this.

20 Weeks!

Half way there!! I cannot believe I'll get to meet our sweet Lily in about 20 more weeks. Not much has changed since my last post, except we have been able to see her move on the outside (I cannot remember if I have already posted this or not).

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, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

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New Words

I always get so excited when Nolan learns something new (which means I am normally always excited). Lately he has been learning lots of new words. I am pretty certain that only me and Tyler can recognize them, but it is still awesome. The newest one is "all done". It is more of a yelling alldonealldonealldone. And usually occurs when he is mad, but it is so cute!! I cannot think of any other news words but I am sure that there are some.

He is also learning his different body parts. I try to work on just one a week, and by the end of the week he has it down fairly well. He knows where his belly button and feet are, that's all so far. Next we are going to work on hand. I am also teaching him animal sounds. He knows dog says woof and snake says ssss. But, he only will say what a dog says if ask him before snake. Because once you say snake everything is ssssss.

He is getting to be such a big boy! I love him so so much!

19 Weeks!

I have to say that it has been really hard to get used knowing that we are having a girl. I really have to make myself say she instead of the baby or it. It feels like it is taking longer than it did with Nolan. I love her, but I just cannot get used to it. Lillian is growing strong and usually moves a lot during the day. I try to picture what she will look like. All I can picture is Nolan with longer hair. I am very anxious to meet her (well not that anxious, she can stay in at least another 18 or 19 weeks). The ultrasound tech. at Lillian's scan said that she weighs about 9 ounces and her little foot is 1 inch long. That is crazy to me. She sure is beautiful! And she definitely did not look like the picture down below, that looks pretty uncomfortable.

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

Nolan's going to have a little Sister!!!

Lillian Marie!! Head over to Lillian's blog to read about the ultrasound!
http://springtimebaby.blogspot.com/

It's a ...................

Girl! Looks like we didn't need a boys name anyway. Lillian Marie is growing healthy and strong, right where she needs to be! We are very excited. I am a little shocked though, it will take a while for it to sink in. She was very cute during the ultrasound, she even stuck her tongue out at us.

15 Month Stats

It's official Nolan is just like his Daddy. Tall and skinny. Yesterday Nolan had his 15 month check-up. I wasn't able to go, but Tyler said that Nolan was a very good boy. This post also goes along with the last one.

• Nolan weighs 21 lbs. (I have not checked but I think that is up about 1/2 lb since his 12 month check up). This puts him in the 5th percentile for weight. But, the doctor was not concerned. He is just skinny.
• He is 32 inches long. That is about the 75th percentile.

Developmentally he right on track. Although the doctor said we need to work on teaching him body parts. This what he is doing:

• He knows what a snake says. This was actually very easy to teach him. He picked it up in about 2 days.
• He likes to help clean up after he plays with his toys. But, it is just to tempting for him to get them all back out again after things are clean.
• He imitates just about everything we do. He finds it very entertaining to do the same things as mom and dad.
• We have been working on where his belly button is, but I am not sure he really understands it yet.

This week has been a little rough on him because not only is he pretty sick, his top molars are coming in. I didn't even realize it but I just had the urge to check his teeth earlier this week. They are both popping through. I feel sorry for my sick baby!

Ultrasound on Monday!

Well, it looks like most of you thought this little baby is a girl. I guess we'll have to wait and see. All I can say is that Tyler and I will be ecstatic either way, we just want to know. So, my next post will most likely be the big reveal. Please pray that the baby is growing healthy and strong, that is all that we really care about.

18 Weeks!

I am feeling the baby all of the time now. Tyler even was able to feel him/her (I will be so happy when I don't have to say him/her anymore) the other night. He was so excited. It just makes it feel so real. I cannot imagine what it will be like having another child. Nolan seems so perfect, and really is it possible to have more than one perfect child. He will be such a good big brother! I think we have figured out a boys name that we both agree on, but who knows that may change tomorrow. Oh, how could I forget, my ultrasound is this coming Monday!!!

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

15 Months

Well, I have been slacking on the monthly pictures but I would like to update you all on what Nolan is doing now.

• He likes to color pictures. He will sit at the table for a few moments and color, which is so cute.
• He has learned to tip his sippy cup. This is big, because he had no idea how to do it on his own. But now he is having a hard time with straw cups because he tries to tilt them too.
• This one is exciting!! Last night he stacked three blocks. I am totally impressed, because he just started doing it by himself.
• He loves to give hugs and kisses. When he wakes up in the morning, he will lean from me to Tyler giving us kisses. But usually Tyler gets more than I do.

I am sure there is more, I'll update later!

Happy Birthday Tyler!!

We had a very fun day yesterday and a wonderful date night that evening. I am so happy that Tyler and I found each other at such an early age. I cannot imagine where my life would be without him. Thanks Evelyn and Kirk for raising such a great man.

17 Weeks!

Let's see...what is new? Well, it's not really new but I am feeling the baby all the time now. I started watching a new baby (2 months old). This has gave me a preview of what it will be like. First of all I have to say that Nolan is going to be an awesome big brother. He kisses the new baby about 20 times a day. And when he is not kissing him he is hugging him. It will be so wonderful when it is his sibling that he is giving kisses and hugs.

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Okay, maybe you can help...

So, I really want to have a name picked out for this baby before we find out what we are having. I just want to be able to call the baby by his/her name. Well, we have a girl's name picked out but are having trouble coming up w/ a boys name. So please leave us a comment and tell us what you think we should name the baby if it is a boy. But, do not get offended if we do not choose your name (me and Tyler do not like each others choices).
THANKS!!

Nolan's 2nd Halloween

Nolan was so cute as a pirate. But, we did not have a lot of tricker-treaters, so I am glad I didn't buy very much candy. Overall, Nolan had fun looking at all the new people. Oh, and Kaiya came over to visit. So, we got lots of pictures and they even traded costumes.

Halloween at Nan & Pops

We had a fun hayride and lots of good food. Oh, and Nolan was such a good boy the whole trip. 5 hour car rides are not fun for anyone, but he did so well. On Sunday when we were heading home we stopped at The Magic House in St. Louis (a children's museum). We had fun w/ Nan and Jalynn. Nolan really enjoyed exploring everything.

Exciting!!!

So about a week ago I started feeling the baby. It is so great to be able to feel him/her. I cannot describe how sweet a feeling it is. It feels like it was just yesterday that the movements were Nolan. It is a little surreal, to think that someone could be as perfect and as wonderful as Nolan.

16 Weeks!

Am I really 16 weeks? That's crazy!! I am scheduled for blood work tomorrow. It is genetic testing, so please pray that our results are all positive.

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

15 Weeks!

I'll be 15 weeks tomorrow. I am feeling great lately. I actually feel like I have a little bit of a baby belly, but I cannot decide who it is from. :) I have an appointment tomorrow, and I am excited. I just cannot wait to hear the baby again.

Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")