Bumpdate-11 weeks!

Weight Gain/Loss: -3 lbs (darn Thanksgiving!)

Baby Size: A lime (1.6 in, .25 oz)

You can't see it, but she's moving fluidly and gracefully in there. Her skin is see-through, but she's on her way to looking more like a baby. Her fingers and toes aren't webbed anymore. Tooth buds, hair follicles and nail beds are forming.

Symptoms: This week I have felt almost like I did pre-pregnancy! A little tired, but nothing too big. Eating more normally, but still having the heartburn. Weird taste is still going on in my mouth, but I've been chewing peppermint gum and it helps with that as well as the heartburn.

Movement: The midwife thinks I probably did feel the baby. My uterus is really tight and I've felt it a few times now!

Gender: Any guesses?

Maternity Clothes: My sister gave her load of maternity clothes and I picked out a huge laundry basket full that will work for me! I wore a pear of maternity pants this week and they were so comfortable!

Cravings: Tuna and Starbuck's Passion Fruit Lemonade...yum!

Sleep: Still going good. I think I am tossing and turning more, but still feeling like I am sleeping well.

Best Moment This Week: Hearing the baby's heartbeat! The midwife appointment went great and the heartbeat was 165. She said everything looked and sounded great.

Taelyn: After she heard the heartbeat, she said "it sounds like a barking dog!" Then she continued to say that when she was a baby in my tummy, her heart sounded like a meowing cat. She is so silly!

Bumpdate- 10 weeks!

10 weeks!

 

 

Weight Gain/Loss: -7 lbs

Baby Size: A Prune (1.2 in, .14 oz)

Baby has working arm joints, and her cartilage and bones are forming. Her vital organs are fully developed and they're starting to function. Her fingernails and hair are starting to appear, too. Baby also is starting to swallow and kick!

Symptoms: Feeling pretty good. I think I may be getting some energy back (woo-hoo!). I'm still having the uterus growing pains. For those that don't know the feeling, think of getting a charlie horse in your pelvic region. Yikes! I bought some papaya enzymes this week and I think they are helping with the heart burn/fullness I get after eating.

Movement: I thought I might have felt something this week...too early? Not sure, but I didn't feel Taelyn until about 21 weeks!

Gender: Any guesses?

Maternity Clothes: As you can see from the picture above, there is definitely a baby growing in there! I've been wearing my bella band with my jeans...but it just seems weird to have your pants unbuttoned!

Cravings: Cheese! Grilled cheese, chunks of cheese, anything with cheese! Eggs too! I think protein is key and I'm trying to get plenty throughout the day.

Sleep: Pretty good. I'm a stomach sleeper and it is already uncomfortable to sleep on my tummy.

Best Moment This Week: Only having to work two days this week, which means I have five days off to relax, enjoy Thanksgiving, and go Christmas shopping!

Taelyn: Whenever I say that I'm tired or something is uncomfortable she always asks if it's because of the baby. We also put a bassinet in our bedroom and the next morning she ran over to the bassinet, looked in, and asked if the baby was ready yet! My sister gave me a good idea to help her understand the time it takes to grow a baby, so I will be updating with that soon!

 

 

 





Bumpdate- 9 weeks!

Weight Gain/Loss: -5 lbs

Baby Size: A green olive (.9 in, .07 oz)

This is a milestone. She's no longer an embryo -- now she's a fetus! She's developing more distinct facial features.

Symptoms: Still tired, but hoping I get my energy back soon. I've been having a few headaches, but I'm not sure if they are related to pregnancy or something else. I've noticed I've been needing to go to the bathroom more often.

Movement: Still haven't felt it, but maybe in a few more weeks!

Gender: Any guesses?

Maternity Clothes: I feel I have been wearing the same things over and over because some of my pants are getting snug or are uncomfortable on my tummy. My sister offered her two huge tubs of maternity clothes to borrow....may be handy sooner rather than later!

Cravings: It seems to change daily. Seafood this week. We went to Kaiser's today and I got their salmon burger which is amazing.

Sleep: Can't get enough! Surprisingly, it is still fairly easy to wake up in the morning.

Best Moment This Week: Getting past the two month mark....I feel things are heading back to the "normal" side of things.

Taelyn: She is still asking me a lot if the baby is ready yet. It is so hard to explain the time thing to a four year old. She got to meet her new cousin who was born today. She looked really scared and nervous and didn't really want to look at the baby. Hopefully this wont be the reaction to her baby brother or sister!

Taelyn is 4!

Four years ago today, after 12 hours of labor (including 2 hours of pushing), I gave birth to this little girl. It was rough being first time parents. She cried a lot and our new sleep schedule was crazy! I remember many of nights driving around in the car for hours at a time just so she would get some sleep. As the months went on, things got a little easier, and soon she was rapidly growing before our eyes.

It has been a great 4 years. Taelyn continues to amaze us daily. She loves to play and use her imagination. She talks non-stop and asks a lot of questions. She is very sensitive and likes to be reassured. She is super silly and can have Aaron and I laughing all the time. She is so smart and witty and sometimes this can lead to some major sass.

I'm so excited about the year ahead. She will be a big sister in June and we will officially start homeschooling soon after that.

This little girl has changed our lives and I'm not sure what we would do without her. God surely blessed us by allowing us to be her parents.

We love you Taelyn!

Taelyn's 4th Birthday Party!

My sweet little Taelyn will be 4 years old in just a few days. I can't believe it! Time just flies by and it seems like she was just a baby yesterday.

Today we threw Tae a Strawberry Shortcake party. She has been so excited about her party for months and I don't think she was disappointed. My mom made this awesome cake and it was a big hit. We had lots of yummy food; cheese, crackers, hummus, fruit (chocolate covered strawberries and chocolate filled raspberries), s'mores mix, veggies, pb&j sandwiches, and juice.

Tae's favorite part (besides the presents) was doing the pinata! I filled the pinata with our favorite organic candy (Yummy Earth & UNREAL) and a bunch of party favors. It took the kids a lot of swings to get the thing open and I even helped a little bit!

Tae got loads of great presents. Every time she opened another one she would say "It's a ____ ____ thingy that I always wanted". It was so cute. She was so tired after all was said and done and we were glad to get all the stuff home and put together. I'm so happy that everyone made it out to celebrate with us. Taelyn is one lucky little girl!

Bumpdate: 8 weeks!

Weight Gain/Loss: -5 lbs

Baby Size: A raspberry (0.63 in.)

You can't feel it yet, but she's moving those arms and legs like crazy! Her fingers and toes are now only slightly webbed, and her tail (yes, she had one) is gone.

Symptoms: Almost no nausea at all (praise God!). I have been having some strange dreams. From my husband making us join a cult to being attacked by zombies...I guess anything goes. I'm still tired most of the time, but I am thankful that Tae allows me to rest at least an hour a day (most days).

Gender: We will find out in about 10 more weeks!

Maternity Clothes: I think I will definitely be wearing maternity clothes a lot sooner than 7 months like last time. My tummy already feels so swollen and my pants are getting tighter and uncomfortable.

Cravings: EGGS! I could eat them all the time. Pizza...I was thankful for my free cheese and arugula pizza from Whole Foods this week. Water with lemon too!

Sleep: Sleeping pretty good. Getting up about 5:30-6am every morning to use the restroom.

Best Moment This Week: Taelyn letting me take two naps this week and joining me for one! I know these moments wont last forever....especially with a new baby on the way!

Taelyn: She asks me almost every day if the baby is big enough to come out yet. She also seems to be so concerned with how I am feeling. She is such a sweet girl. I am so blessed!

Bumpdate- 7 Weeks!

Weight Gain/Loss: -2 lbs

Baby Size: A Blueberry (.51 in)

Baby's brain -- both hemispheres! -- are growing fast, generating about 100 new cells every minute. Arms and legs are emerging as joints start to form, and a permanent set of kidneys (baby's third!) is now in place.

Symptoms: Still so tired! My midwife checked my Vitamin D levels and we should find out next week, but it's probably just being pregnant! I'm still having some pains low in my uterus area. This especially happens if I stand up too quickly. I have developed the weirdest taste in my mouth, kind of metallic. It really bothers me! Less nauseousness than last week, so I feel blessed!

Gender: I did the Chinese predictor test and it said BOY! We will see : )

Maternity Clothes: Still none...good thing, because I don't have any! Sold or gave away all mine after Tae was born. Some of my pants are a little snug, but I did go out and buy a Bella Band. I think this may come in handy in the next weeks.

Cravings: Still no big cravings. I seem to have to have water with me at all times, or the taste in my mouth drives me crazy! Pizza has been sounding really good the past week or so : )

Sleep: I can't seem to get enough. Last  night I went to bed at 9pm and slept until almost 8am! I blame it on Halloween : )

Best Moment this Week: We got to meet our Midwife this week. She is great! She stayed in the room for a long time and just talked to us. She wasn't in a hurry and she was really personable. We got to see the little "peanut" on the ultrasound and see the heart just fluttering away!

Taelyn: She was really excited about the Midwife appointment! She thought the baby looked like a donut..haha! I guess it kinda does. She was also really excited that they took my blood. She begged to come back with me and then sat there in amazement. She even told the Midwife that she wants to name the baby "Andra"!