22 Weeks

I swear, over the past 5 days BB has grown leaps and bounds. Pretty sure 3 months have gone by in these 5 days. At least that how I am feeling.... very, very, VERY pregnant! On a walk the other day I was feeling, slow, tired and just about started to waddle (just for sheer sympathy)! Pathetic, I know.

Little BB is around 11 inches and still about a pound. It has hair on it's head, eyebrows and even eyelashes. It's little nerve endings are still in the process of fully developing... but he/she is starting to develop its tactile response...which is fun to think of it reaching out and exploring itself and its warm little surroundings. Its getting tooth buds beneath it's gums and his/her eyes are now fully formed (though there is still no pigment to its irises)... which will probably turn out to be beautifully brown like it's big sister.

I'm Going To Be a Aunt!

I don't remember if this is widespread public knowledge... but it is now! :) My oldest brother and his wife are expecting their first baby!!!!!!! Lindsay is due March 1st (yeah, 2 days before me) and they are having a perfect little boy! They are both so excited and so are we! I am going to have a nephew! Heck, I am going to be an aunt! I'm supper pumped. Since Jeff and Lindsay live in Oregon we sadly don't get to see them nearly enough, but Lindsay just happened to be in town this past weekend so we got to get together and rub baby-pumps! The hard part is realizing that when they have their sweet little man I wont be able to go and meet him for a little while (since I'll either have just had BB or be WAY preggers). We'll have to plan a trip for the summer time (while both Mallory and BB still fly free). :) Next time I get to see Jeff and Lindsay will be in January, so each of us will be like 8 months along! Oy!

Karate Chop!

Last night, while relaxing on the sofa little B.B felt like he/she was practising karate inside me! This little sucker is strong already! Matthew was able to feel BB moving and kicking around, so that was really fun. He never was really sure what he was 'supposed' to be feeling with Mallory, so it's fun this time around to watch him know whats going on and even comment on some things even before I do! We had another o.b appointment yesterday which went great. She (our WONDERFUL midwife) went over the ultrasound results (which were great), measured my uterus (which is spot on in size) and listened to BBs heart and heart rate (which was also perfect... it was 135... for those of you who what to continue to speculate) :)

Vermont #3 (the last)

In order to help with the whole 'relax' thing that I'm working on, my parents offered to treat me to a message! I found a place in Stowe with great reviews and they miraculously could see me that day! So I got my first prenatal massage! I was a little worried that I might not like it as much as a typical/deep tissue one, because I like my massages to actually hurt a little... none of this light rubbing junk... get in there and work out those knots (just ignore the screams). :) But I have to tell you my masseuse was sent from God. She was wonderful. It was like being in heaven for 60 minutes. My only complaint would be that it was too short... heck I think 2 hours would have still not been long enough. I was loving it. I have only had a handful on massages, but during all of them at one point I have fallen asleep, not this time. I didn't want to miss one second of it! So thank you so much mom and dad, it was much needed and much appreciated!

Our last 2 days in Vermont poured and poured! What better way to celebrate the rain then some freshly pressed hot apple cider! Yum! We also went to the Cabot Cheese plant and that was yummy too (not as good as the Ben and Jerry's, but still good). Just a quick note about Mallory... See that picture of her drawing while sitting with Matthew... Well, Matthew was being very good and trying to get in as much study time as possible. But Mallory was not helping the cause very much. She climbed up onto his lap, stole his pencil and started scribbling all over his notes. After a few minutes of very focused drawing, she looked up, pat Matthews face, pointed at her 'art' and said 'Dis es Daddy!' and went back to drawing. I can't say that I saw the resemblance... but maybe she'll be an abstract artist.... who knows.

Friday (our last day.... sigh) was just pouring cats and dogs, but we didn't want to waste our last day sitting around the lodge, so we drove to Montpelier to see Vermont's Capital AND to find some beautiful covered bridges that mom had been dieing to get a few pictures of. It was a nice little drive and our tour of the states capital was nice and warm... because we didn't get out of the van! We drove all around the beautiful city, snapping pictures out the window of this or that. It was actually pretty fun!
So there you go, that was a gimps into our trip... it was wonderful! The location, The season! The leaves! And the company! Thanks again mom and dad for the memorable trip! Love you guys.

Vermont #2

On Tuesday morning we gathered together all of our passports and took a 2 hours drive to visit Montreal Canada. The drive was beautiful! (who am I kidding, the only one who saw the entire drive was dad, since he was driving, all the rest of us slept). :) But when we woke up that morning Mallory had a little goopy eyes that I just washed off. We thought maybe she had a little allergy or something. Literally as the hours if not minutes went by the goopiness turned into a yellow/green stickiness practically 'pouring' out of her left eye. Then her eye started to get swollen and little red fingers started to work themselves down her left cheek. It was so hard for me to look at her, because it felt like my heart would break each time I would see that happy smiley girl with the nasty looking eye. So despite the fact we had driven to Canada to site see, it became more of a 'Oh my goodness what do we do for Mallory' sort of a day. We still managed to tool around Montreal a little, FINALLY (no thanks to the locals) finding Old Montreal (which really feels like you are in France), getting to have some really yummy sweet and savory Crepes, seeing Canada's Notre Dame and a few other building, all the while I was trying to figure out if I should call Kaiser now, wait until we get back to the US, or take her to a hospital in Canada. I had finally said 'Man if she was a dog I would just treat her Conjunctivitis with some BNP drops...I wish I just had some'. That's when Mom brought up the brilliant point that we ARE in Canada... home of free health care and MAYBE we could just buy something. Thus began the quest to find a local pharmacy. SUCCESS! 30 minuets later I had a beautiful bottle of antibacterial eye drops in hand and could treat that sad looking eye! Within 30 hours you couldn't even tell there was ever an issue! THANK YOU Canada! That night Mallory had a rough night... though she didn't seem to care. She clonked her head, giving herself a nasty goose-egg in the center of her forehead, then fell face-first while pulling a blanket and gave herself her first bloody nose. Poor girl, conjunctivitis, giant goose-egg and a bloody nose.... but STILL smiling! That girl is one tough cookie!
Our adventures continued the next day as we found a local Stowe Vermont Maple syrup company. We got a great lesson on how its made (new and old ways), got to try the different types (who knew there were different types...light, medium and dark), and then of course bought a GALLON to split between our 2 families. Mmmmmmmmmm. We then drove a short distance to the official Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream plant! We took the tour, ate the sample and then ate even more! :) Such a great place... and so environmentally friendly. Very cool. I do have to say that THE best part of the ice cream trip was what happened after the tour. Dad had taken Mallory down to a giant ice cream carton top prop so that Mallory could stick her face in 'Jerry's' cut out face. There was a group of 3 Asian tourists who noticed and thought it was cute, so they started to take a few pictures. At first we were like... 'move out of our way so WE can take a picture', but soon realized that the REAL picture was how much they were all loving Mallory! The Crowd grew and grew, until there were probably 10-15 Asian tourists swarming Mallory all shouting 'BeeBee, BeeBee, BeeBee!!!!' Offering her candy to look at them and all the while their cameras clicking away. They were like paparazzi! Then one by one the tourists would get in the 'Ben' face so that they could have their picture taken with 'BeeBee'! Poor Dad was back there trying to hold up Mallory while laughing hysterically. Mallory couldn't quite figure out what was going on, she kept looking over at the new tourist like they were nuts, but at the same time was loving the attention. Go figure. It actually is one of my favorite memories of the entire trip.

20 Week Ultra Sound

Today Matthew, Mallory and I had the 20 week ultrasound appointment. It went great (in terms of how our little one looks), not so great with the u/s tech. She was... 'special' (to put it nicely). But that said we did get some great shots of B.B. The little one was being good and NOT showing any genital anatomy to anyone, so even at the end of the visit the tech didn't know.... so it'll be a surprise for everyone! Here are a few of the images (baby face down profile, baby face up with hand to mouth, the 'skeleton-looking' head shot, and perfect long legs and part of its foot). Then, as promised here's the 20 week belly shot. I swear I am way bigger then it looks in that picture (though we did take it today)... maybe I just feel bigger. Huge in fact... but in a good 'I'm growing a baby inside me sort of way'. :)

Vermont 1

Vermont! OK... where to start? I feel like we did so much and saw so much that it would take another week to truly re-create it all... so I'll go with the Cliff-Notes approach. Matthew, Mallory and I flew red-eye to Vermont on Saturday night/Sunday morning to meet up with Mom and Dad and my dads sister Aunt Dottie. The three of them had spent the previous week in Philly and Dottie was leaving the very next day (sad). The first grouping of pictures were taken on or around where we were staying (which was the Trap Family Lodge). Yes it was/is created and owned by the original Von Trap family (yes, like the singing family from the Sound Of Music). It was BEAUTIFUL there. As my dad kept putting it, 'it is like the trees are on fire'! The tree colors were amazing! The lodge is in Stowe Vermont, which is a cute, artsy little town. We walked around there Sunday afternoon. At the lodge there is a herd of Swedish Highland Cattle... all of which Mallory very quickly feel in love with! She would constantly point to the hill-side and say "boooooooo" (moooooo). So we spent a good deal of time walking to and looking at the cattle.

Monday, Aunt Dottie had to leave, so we all drove back into the town of Burlington (which is were the airport is) to get some supplies (diapers, another suitcase and a cheep-o stroller). We then found a really cute area of town that was free of cars and just had shops/restaurants/people and random musicians. Being the avid dancer that she is, Mallory boogied down to one band in particular. She even gave them some money (and then a few minutes later tried to take it back.... she must not have like the song they were playing at the time). That night at 'home' Mallory showed off her latest 'trick', which is putting her blanket on her head and running around like a naked ghost. She squeals and giggles the entire time (and surprisingly doesn't run into much).
Ok, I'll blog more about our trip tomorrow... sorry about all the Mallory pictures... but honestly between the adoring grandparents and us there are more pictures of things SHE did in Vermont then Vermont itself. :)

Yap, Yap, Yap

I know, I know, all parents think that their child is a brilliant genius, but I am pretty sure mine actually IS! :) A few days ago, while we were driving in the car and Mallory was looking at the bottom of her shoe (which had a black/brown dirt clod on it) and out of nowhere said "Momma, dis es dirty." ('Momma, this is dirty', for those of you who need a little help on translating baby talk). I was dumbfounded. I wasn't the only one who herd it either... Mom, dad, and Matthew were all there too! We all just sort of looked around at each other in disbelief. Did Mallory just say an entire sentience??? Yep. It's crazy, she just turned 15 months and is stringing appropriate words together to create a truly understandable sentience. WOW. As a parent I feel like I am constantly being blown away!

Half Way There!

Sorry that I have been MIA for the past week or so. But in the true spirit of trying to relax, Mallory, Matthew and I met my parents in Vermont for a week long trip. I'll talk more about that soon, but first let me update the ever growing baby/belly (I'll add a belly shot soon, I promise).

At 19 weeks our little baby was about 9 inches long (now measuring from head to toe)... so about the size of a tube of High Performance Stretch Wrap (used for packing/wrapping things).



I am now a titch over 20 weeks! Wow, it's going so fast! At 20 weeks our little B.B. is about 10 inches (H to T) roughly the size of a 13/16 Craftsman wrench and weighs up to one pound! It should be totally covered with white vernix and it's toes and fingers completely formed. It is starting to make meconium as it's little digestive tract learns to work, all organs are where they should be and now our little babe is just working on plumping up. My belly is getting BIG! If I lay down there is a big indentation from my diaphragm until my belly button, then BAM my uterus gets out of control! I have given up on sucking in my tummy... it's impossible, and have finally busted out the matternity clothes (though most are still to big, all my regular jeans/clothes are just TOO tight). From this point on I get to look forward to my uterus growing upward about 1 centimeter every week and gaining about 1 pound each week. This Wednesday we get to go and have the big 1/2 way there ultrasound done, so that should be fun! I love seeing our growing baby and seeing that all parts are forming as they should... but don't get too excited, we still haven't budged on not wanting to find out the sex, sorry.

Just Relax

I have a lot on my plate right now... and apparently B.B is reaping the repercussions of it. Last night I started having some pretty good little contractions. I drank some water and kept my feet up and they eventually stopped. But its sort of frightening. I know that Braxton Hicks contractions are 'normal' right about this stage, but I also know that stress can bring on early labor.... so I'm trying to be good about sitting when I can and drinking more water and trying not to get too stressed out. Did you guys know that veterinarians have the highest rate of preterm labor (followed by lawyers). So my 'new' way of thinking/acting will hopefully prevent me from having to go on bed rest or from pushing this little B.B out too early!

18 Weeks

Another Week has passed and now, at 18 weeks old little B.B is about 6 inches long! Wow, half a foot... OR about the size of a box cutter (gee don't all parents want to think of their little babies as potentially lethal weapon???) Any way, its about 7 oz in weight and is working on a plethora of new things. It's building up a nice layer of white vernix and can hear so well that it can be startled by loud sounds. It's vocal cords are formed and it will go through the motions for crying, yawning and making different faces. The alveoli in its lungs are formed (but not functional) and the 2 main stem lung bronchi have branched. The other cool thing, is that this week the myelin (which is the covering over the nerves) has started to form!

Oh and my uterus is about the size of a cantaloupe!

Comparing

Its funny, I know that there are some things that I would LIKE to do as a parent, but I’m not really sure how to make sure that those happen. For instance; I think Mallory is uber smart/bright/talented/ (should I dare, brilliant)… but I might be just a SMIDGE bias. But I know that it’s really going to be important, as a parent, that I DO NOT compare everything that this new little one does/will do/looks like… to all that Mallory does/has done/will do. But it’s going to be hard! Because I’m already thinking things like, ‘gee I felt Mallory move at 16 weeks,’ or ‘I hope that BB will sleep through the night at 5 weeks like Mallory’, or ‘not be colicky like Mallory’…. See I’m already doing what I DON’T want to do. So for all of you with multiple kiddos, how in the world do you avoid the whole comparing of children thing (especially when one kid is so obviously perfect)? Tee heee heee

Flutter

This morning I was woken up at 6 am by the most wonderful feeling... the little butterfly-like fluttering movement of my little B.B! I have been waiting and wanting to feel this little one move! I LOVE that feeling, B>b Keep it up!

17 Weeks

17 weeks! Our little B.B. is a tich over 5 inches from head to bum (so just about the same size as a can of Ginger Ale). Yes, that’s a can that’s left over from my first trimester illness. I’m so glad I’m not going through that anymore, but the energy that I’m ‘supposed’ to regain during the second trimester has yet to make an appearance. I still feel like I could sleep any time (if only I could either have the chance to nap OR it seems like if I’m given the chance, despite how heavy my eyes are, I can’t seem to shut my brain off… I’m worrying about this or that). Sigh.
Any way… B.B. is developing sweat glands this week. I have to say, that picking Mallory up after a nap and she’s all sweaty and her hair is damp and all over the place is just about one of my favorite thing about being a parent. She smells so sweet and damp. B.B’s heart rate is also now regulated by its brain (it’s no longer just a random flutter of contractions and relaxations…. SOOOOOO cool)! Its eyes have now made their full migration to the front of its little face and are in their permanent position, though it’ll be quite some time before they are functional.

Too Soon!?!?!?!

I am both shocked and frightened by Mallory's newest 'trick'. Starting yesterday, when she pees or poops she is grabbing at her diaper and whining. When I ask her did you go potty/do we need to change your diaper/do you need to go potty..., instead of leading me down to her changing table (like she had been doing), she is leading me to MY BATHROOM and patting to 'Big Girl Potty'. I thought it was a fluke... but she's still doing it. Yesterday I started placing her on the 'big girl potty' after she leads me to it. She has yet to actually go potty in the potty (since it seems like each time she has just gone in her diaper), but still, I'm kind of freaking out here! I have been going potty in front of her since she was born, and always have 'talked' my way through what I was doing (pulling down pants, going potty, wiping, flushing, washing hands) and she has always listened and watched very intently. But I have no idea how to really potty train a kid, yet alone a 14 month baby! But those (acting uncomfortable after going potty, associating going to the bathroom with the toilet, and waking up dry (sometimes) after a nap) are signs that she's starting to get ready for the actual training, right? So any advice you guys have, tips on type of potty chairs, techniques... especially when dealing with a young-one, would be LOVED!!!!! I kept joking about how it would be great if Mallory was potty trained by the time this next one arrived.... but I NEVER thought that it may actually happen!!!!! Fingers crossed.

16 Weeks

4 Months in! This pregnancy is going really quickly, I’m loving it! I have been feeling great (aside from sleepy)… so great that I’m starting to question my ‘sureness’ that there is a little boy growing inside me. Time will tell.
So this week, week 16, our little one is a little over 4.5 inches long… about the size of a 1 oz spray can of Battery Corrosion Preventative Spray. It is starting to develop fat under its skin and it is hearing external voices very clearly. It now has set sleep/dream/awake cycles. Its little toenails are growing and its heart is pumping around 25 quarts of blood a day!

Now on popular demand, here is a belly shot! It’s defiantly starting to pooch out (and even more so after a meal)! Grow baby grow!

Not Too Perfect

Just the other day, my friend (who has a beautiful 2 month old little boy) asked me 'how I am able to get it all done in a day.' My answer was something like 'keeping to a schedule... blah, blah, blah... eating earlier then we used to... blah, blah, blah.' Well later that evening I started thinking that though I would like to feel like I DO get it all done everyday (and my answer sure made it sound like I do)... I really don't! I'm not perfect! Shocking I know. I realized that I don't know a single person who truly gets it all done every day. It's impossible! On any give night we try and prioritize what's important (eating diner together, reading bedtime books, bath time, relaxing...) and all the other stuff either happens, or is doesn't! I mean, there are nights when the dishes might sit in the sink, we might order burritos instead of a home cooked meal, the hair on the floor gets ignored, the husband isn't always as 'happy' as he could be, the dog might not get out for a walk, and the laundry might get wrinkled as it's waiting to get folded. But the truly important things get taken care of. And at the end of the day we are all (most of the time) still smiling.
With that in mind... I started thinking about being that 'perfect mom' and how I fail sometimes. I mean we all do. And we all beat ourselves up over it... way more then we need to. Because looking back on my childhood, I'm sure that there were times when my mom felt less then perfect... and beat herself up about how she did (or didn't) do something... but I cant think of one time that I remember thinking "wow my mom blew it!' To me, mom was a super mom and was that 'perfect' mom. So I guess that's just something I'll have to remember for the next 18 (plus) years... that even though I think I may be screwing up, Mallory (hopefully) will think that I'm perfect!

Weeks 14 AND 15

Week 14 came and went and now week 15 is almost over! Time is flying by… how is it, that as we get older time goes faster? Beats me. So during week 14 our new little one was about 3 ½ inches long (about the size of the tape measure that I have been using to find all my garage items).

Week 15 little BB has grown another half inch and is 4 inches long now (head to rump… not counting its little legs)! Roughly the length of this ¼ inch wide drill bit. During this week lanugo (the fine hair that covers our baby) is growing all over, keeping him/her nice and warm. Its head and eyebrow hair is also starting to sprout. Its little legs are now longer then its arms in addition, its body it now more proportional to its head size. A fun little fact is that this week BB is developing taste buds… not that the urine-filled amniotic fluid that its floating in is supper appetizing… but there is some thought that it can start to get a taste of the flavors that I am eating. BB, let me introduce you to chocolate. Chocolate, this is BB. Get to know each other, you will be good, good friends.

Horrible!!!!!

I'm not writing this with the intention of freaking anyone out, I just want to remember that this, and when it happened.

My mom made Mallory this beautiful multi-colored non-traditional knit blanket before Mallory was even born. She has used it almost exclusively since she was about a month old (since 'they' say if you have to use blankets in the crib, they should be knit, since babies are much less likely to suffocate with a knit blanket). So that's what we did. She has LOVED, LOVED, LOVED this blanket, and carries it around in the mornings and snuggles with it at night. Too cute.

Last night after our nightly routine and our night-time prayers we put Mallory to bed a little early (because she was sooooooo sleepy), she didn't fall asleep right away though, and happily talked to herself for about 20 minutes. Then she started crying. Both Matthew and I thought it was strange, but let her cry for a few more seconds before the cry turned into a blood-curdling scream. I grabbed her water (thinking that maybe she was just supper thirsty after all that talking).

I walked into her dark bedroom and could see Mallory standing up in her crib screaming (even when I walked in). I reached down to pick her up and noticed that, like normal she had her blanket with her. While holding her, I tried to move her blanket out of the way (to offer her some water), and realized that the blanket wouldn't move! I immediately flipped on the light and that's when I realized that parts of the blanket had been pulled apart and were wrapped around her neck! Mallory, over the past 20 minuets, had managed to pull and stretch a few of the pieces of yarn out of the blanket and pulled them long enough to wrap around her neck, under her arm-pit and the wrap ONE MORE TIME around her neck! She was pulling at the yarn so hard that she was leaving multiple thin red/purple ligature marks on her neck!!!!!!!

My heart fell into my stomach as I rushed to grab the scissors, my mind racing, and landing on the fact that Mallory could have very easily just strangled herself! I was actually able to just unwind the yarn from around her neck (since she wasn’t blue in the face). It was just heartbreaking seeing the tears stream down her face, the fear in her eyes and the marks on her neck!!!!! I was on such an adrenaline high and couldn't stop hugging and kissing my little girl. Things like that make you remember just how fragile and precious life is and how literally, in an instant it can all change!!!!

Thank goodness God has assigned a few extra angles to watch Mallory (knowing that this little girl is bound to get into all sorts of trouble)!

Mallory was fine for the rest of the night and went right to sleep. I couldn’t help but check in on her multiple times before I went to bed… just to try and ease my mind.

Bing, Bling

For the past 2 years I haven’t been wearing my original engagement ring (sad). The reason being, was that the center diamond fell out once (luckily my dad found it in the carpet… thanks dad!) and came loose 3 other times! I finally got fed up and just stopped wearing it. Now for the past 2 years I have been mistaken countless times for Matthews girlfriend (since I didn’t have a ring on my finger). That was really annoying… especially when I was WAAAAAAAY Prego and felt like people were thinking, ‘hussy.’ Last birthday Matthew told me that he had saved some money so that we could get me a newly designed ring!!!! Woohoo! Then thanks to Lindsay, we found my PERFECT ring!!!! So the original went with Lindsay to Oregon and she set to work, getting the diamonds swapped, gold melted, and the ring made. After a long but well worth it wait, the ring arrived yesterday! I love it! It’s perfect! It’s just what I wanted! Thank you to all that were involved!