The First Trimester Summary

Yesterday, was my first official day in my second trimester (14 weeks).  It feels like such a milestone, not only to be out of the greatest danger of miscarriage, but also to be moving on from the nausea and general feelings of grossness that plague that awful first three months.  It feels like this pregnancy has already been much different than my first one.  The morning sickness (which lasts all day) has been much worse, and I've already been having heartburn issues...which didn't surface until third trimester last time.  I suppose it might just be my circumstances that have actually been the difference: no work to take my mind off the nausea and chasing a toddler around all day instead.  However, I'm so happy to report that this past week has been much much better and I'm only nauseous at random times now.  I hope that clears up for good very soon and I can move on to that beautiful honeymoon phase in the pregnancy where my energy returns and I feel semi-normal.

Cravings: chips & salsa, pickles, vinegar, milk, honey bunches of oats cereal

Exercise: none.  I feel guilty for not even being able to get outside and walk every day, but I just haven't felt like it.  I haven't done anything since September, and I'm pretty sure it has contributed to my dark mood.  Yesterday, I exercised for the first time in months and it felt great!

Showing: yep.  already.  I guess things are just already stretched out?  ewww...

It is hard for us to get motivated in the nursery and names department until we find out the gender of the baby.  So those things won't come until later.  Uh, same with preggo pics...nobody needs to see this until we've got a visible bump going on.  In the meantime, just imagine me fat and happy.  ;)

A couple of weeks ago, we had a special ultrasound called a nuchal translucency to help determine if the baby has any of the 3 main chromosomal abnormalities: down syndrome, trisomy 13, and trisomy 18.  The ultrasound went very well, and we are happy to report that it looks like baby #2 has none of these abnormalities.  They can't be 100% positive, but they do give you odds...ours were 1 in 7,721 that the baby would have down syndrome and 1 in >10,000 that the baby would have one of the trisomy abnormalities.  I know that's way too specific, but I don't know how else to explain it.  They look for certain markers and do a calculation.  The ultrasound experience for that test is a bit nerve-wracking because of what it means, but otherwise, it's great because it is such a long ultrasound so we get a good long look at baby #2 moving all around and looking super cute.  We are extremely thankful that this test turned out so well.   This whole pregnancy process really makes you respect how much has to go right in the development of this tiny person.

14 weeks down, 26 weeks to go...

Thanksgiving

Oh my, I'm so full of pie!  And it feels good...

Wednesday, JKK took the day off, which was super duper nice.  Too bad I had to spend most of the day cooking and baking...however, we did manage to get outside and enjoy the weather at the playground.  We've been spoiled with this 70 degree weather; no complaints here!

 

Thursday we went to my dad & Tricia's house to celebrate the holiday.  We ate quite a feast (it was so delicious, I had seconds), and all of us girls participated in a game of charades afterwards to keep from falling asleep on the couch.  It was a great way to spend the day.

Friday & Saturday, Colleen, Tony, Dan, & Luc came out to visit.  We needed to get out of the house on Saturday, so we went out for bowling and pizza.  We always have a good time with them, and we are thankful they make the trip out here so often to see us!  Millie cracked us up by showing off for them all weekend.  I believe she may just love the spotlight.

 she loved that fan at the end of the ball catch

 

Another successful turkey day under our (much tighter) belts.  Success!

Only Child Expiring...May 2013

Guess who's pregnant?!  This gal (I'm pointing at myself)...13.5 weeks and finally feeling better after a vicious first trimester.  Well, maybe not vicious but certainly not pleasant.  So far, baby #2 looks perfectly healthy!  Due May 26, 2013...

Here Millie is pointing to where babies come from.  Just kidding!  We haven't gone down that road yet, but she still really loves to show us her bellybutton. ;)

So this Thanksgiving, we are thankful to be in the process of expanding our family...and thankful that everything is going well thus far.  Millie and new baby will be 22 months apart!  I've been getting nervous about chasing two of these little beasts around, but I'm so happy that everything is working out as planned.  Happy Thanksgiving!!

Currently

Here is the promised Halloween pic of Mills & Cayden in their skeleton pjs...jeez, they're cute!

Millie follows instructions...sometimes.  She won't stop doing anything when I tell her "no", but she'll walk backwards or turn circles on demand.  Video: Millie can walk backwards!

 

Chillin'...just the four of us: Brobee, Daddy, Millie, and Momma

Millie does this 20 times a day when it is nearing naptime or bedtime.  Downward-facing Millie = tired Millie

We've had quite a few lunchtime car picnics lately...Mills & I pickup lunch, and then we sit in JKK's work parking lot and the 3 of us have a little car picnic.  It works out well on the days when he's super busy and can't really take a full lunch hour.  Plus, it gets us girls outta the house!

 oh, hai!  Millie can say "Beansie" quite well these days...

 Upward-facing Millie is not a tired pose...just a silly one.

She's been giving lots of hugs to her baby and feeding her too.  I think this is the age where they start pretending and mimicking what we do.  Let's hope she doesn't start yelling at the dog next. ;)

I've been doing some research to find more activities we can do at home during the cold weather months.  I've recently introduced crayons (washable), which she is really enjoying.  We just have to keep a close watch or she puts them in her mouth.

And I've also found that she really enjoys playing with flash cards.  She's not okay with me holding them up out of her reach and saying each word, but I'm sure we'll get there.  In the meantime, she enjoys sorting them and putting them back in the box.

Online research has also suggested play-doh for this age group.  Um...I'm not sure I'm ready to go there yet.  Maybe in a couple of months.  Any suggestions for 16 month old activities would be greatly appreciated!

Fall Back...Blerg

Ugh...daylight savings makes me want to go to bed at 7pm.  I hate how early it gets dark...and how it messes with the kid's sleep habits.  Little miss morning sunshine has been getting up an hour earlier than usual this week. 

Check out this sweet time-out chair I found at a local boutique show...I'm sure Mills will love it!

I've been feeling like things are cluttered and just toooo chaotic around our house.  There isn't one inch of counter or table space not taken up by stuff that I don't know what else to do with it.  I need an organization specialist to come to my house.  Baby steps.  This morning, I started with the pantry.  I bought some risers for our canned goods and a super handy door organizer to put things like granola bars and individually wrapped items in.  It's actually a clear shoe tree, but I saw it in a magazine and thought it seemed like a great way to get rid of a million boxes in the pantry.  It doesn't look that much better, but I feel better about it. ;)

Millie & I have found a couple of new playgrounds to throw into the rotation.  She likes these counting balls...future accountant maybe?! 

 new boots for this winter!  a little sparkle, a little fur...

 Yesterday, we drove to Tulsa so that JKK could run in the Pub Run with his sister, Colleen.

They participated in the Guiness Challenge, where after each 1.5 miles, you had to down a pint of Guiness.  puke-o-rama

While they were running & drinking, Mills & I went to visit Papa and Grandma Tricia.

 It was lovely to just hang out on the patio with them...

A quick note for history sake: last Tuesday, President Barack Obama was re-elected to serve another 4 years as President.  Happy Veterans Day, and thank you to all of those who have served!  We are crazy lucky to live in this country and enjoy our freedom.  USA, USA, USA...

16 Months Old

16 months old and every bit a temperamental toddler these days...

Millie likes: terrorizing Buddy, grapes, singing Where is Thumbkin?, toast with dairy-free butter, goldfish crackers, Elmo, running the sidewalks, singing Itsy Bitsy Spider, baby dolls, giving her gym teacher high five, being outside, Yo Gabba Gabba, playing at the playground, watching the ducks in the pond, letting Beansie outside, fiddlesticks, her bink, reading books, shoes, Little Gym on Wednesdays, playdates with Cayden, Mother's Day Out!, spontaneous dinner peek-a-boo, sharing an apple with mom in the afternoons. 

Millie dislikes: having her face & hands wiped after meals, jelly on her toast or donuts, being steered in a certain direction, riding in the car, meat (she hasn't been eating meat very well lately), being restrained in any sort of way, having her teeth brushed, being picked up when she wants to run.

This gorgeous girl also had her 15 month pediatrician appt last week with Dr. Averitt.  She finally got to move up to the big girl scale that she stands on and we don't have to undress her!  Weight was 21.4 lbs, which is around the 25th percentile.  Her height was (supposedly) 32.5 inches, which would be between the 90th-95th percentile.  However, that wasn't accurate.  She was squirming all around and fussing when they were trying to take her measurements, so I did a bit of my own measuring when we got home.  She's really only about 31 inches (so probably closer to the 75th percentile)...which is still a 2-inch growth spurt since her birthday in July!  This all makes sense when it comes to clothes...her jeans and pants are way too big in the waist and bottom area, but I have to buy that size for the length.  She's currently in size 12-18 mos.  She has 6 teeth on bottom and 4 teeth on top with her top two canines starting to poke through.  She will have all four of her canines before she gets any molars, which isn't how it usually goes.  She must be special. ;)  We crack up all the time seeing her with all of these teeth; it has really changed her appearance.  And finally, Millie has begun to talk!  She can now say Beansie and Buddy's names, and she calls JKK "dada"...and she has repeated random words we've said here and there, but hasn't really used them since then.  There's a whole lot of jabbering going on, as well...she's definitely finding her voice!

Amber Lanning pics came in and were great, as usual.  School pics have been ordered and were hilarious, as I assumed they would be.  I'll be sure to post them when we get them back!

Whew...what a week!

Let me lead with my favorite piece of artwork that Mills has brought home yet.  Last Thursday, I found this at the bottom of her bag...a letter "To: Dad and Mom".  JKK and I opened it together; I shed a few happy tears.  ;)

Friday was The Little Gym's Fall Festival!  Millie was a girl gnome this year.  Isn't she the cutest gnome you've ever seen?!  It sort of fit her personality perfectly.

A ton of kiddos dressed up in costume going crazy in the gym. It was a bit overwhelming for Mills...she did a lot of people-watching. 

 Miss Lyssa in the background dressed up as Alice in Wonderland

 poppa bear, millie bear, momma bear

 Amanda & Cayden were there too!

This is the only pic I have of them together, where Mills is squeezing his guns.  My camera has been a bit fritzy lately, so unfortunately for Amanda, I've been relying on her to get the good pics.

Random weirdness:  Buddy has had quite a bit of food in his fur lately.  I've found crusty cheerios in there, and then this piece of turkey ended up on his back one day after lunch.

 break out the winter gear!  it's hard to tell, but this is a kitty cat hat with ears and all.

 spontaneous peek-a-boo always happens when her hands are the dirtiest

 small peek

 big finish

Saturday, Mills and I started developing a bit of a cold...Sunday and Monday were no fun for our girl; she slept a lot.  She seemed to get over it pretty quickly though. We are definitely blessed with some very healthy immune systems in this house.  So so thankful for that.

Bonk!  Since Mills has been a tiny thing, JKK has always played the bonk game with her.  Basically, it is bumping foreheads and saying Bonk!.  Mills gets quite a kick out of it lately and has enjoyed playing it with the pets, as well.  Thankfully, they let her...

Yesterday was Halloween!  I made my favorite sugar cookies, dressed Mills up in her gnome gear, and we delivered them to JKK's work.

Then, we changed into gym clothes and headed to the Little Gym for a workout.  Millie cannot get enough of checking out her bellybutton these past few weeks.  Sometimes, she'll dig in hers and then head right over to the pets and assume the position of looking at their bottoms.  So...I'm wondering if she thinks their bellybuttons are on their back ends?? 

Yesterday, she could not get enough of sweet little Courtney.  She was all up in her personal space, but Courtney didn't seem to mind.

After dinner, Cayden came over so that we could photograph them in their skeleton jammies together.  As I said, my camera isn't working right, so all I have is my iPhone these days.  I didn't even try, since Amanda was snapping away with the nice camera.  I'll be sure to post a pic later.  I hope we get to do this every year. :)   Later that night, Mills enjoyed the trick-or-treaters.  She even handed out a few pieces herself.  And she learned how to stow some candy in her own bucket too.

So sad that we didn't get to see these guys last weekend due to our colds. :(  I can't help posting this pic though...Lacy and Oliver, aren't they darling?!