becoming six: March 2011

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

18.5 weeks

The picture of me carrying Eli was actually the day we found out we were having a son!

Friday is the big day and THANKFULLY our appointment is early in the morning. I have been so busy the past couple of days (and will be tomorrow) that I haven't really had the time to slow down and think about it.

If you haven't voted, you can on the right of the page!

So ready to know pink or blue!!! =)

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Boys boys boys...

I haven't grabbed the camera much lately (maybe because we have been stuck inside due to the freezing temps) but here are a few shots of late I do have.

This is real life sometimes...he doesn't ALWAYS smile for the camera

and no if you were wondering we don't let him run around without a shirt on with the weather like it is. We were heading for bath time.

I do love it when he smiles =)

Friday, March 25, 2011

"Blessings"

We have this great Christian radio station that plays music I love to fill my families ears with. Most the time when we are in the car we have it on. The other day when I was alone in the car driving, this song came on the radio. I had never heard it before, so I turned it up to get a better understanding of the words. I have to say the words struck a cord in me. I wanted to pull the car over right then and there and let the tears flood down and spend time on my knees in prayer to our great God. BUT since I would have been late to work, I opted not to (although looking back I should have). My heart was pierced by these beautiful words. The chorus goes like this...

‘Cause what if your blessings come through raindrops
What if Your healing comes through tears
What if a thousand sleepless nights
Are what it takes to know You’re near
What if trials of this life are Your mercies in disguise

Thank you Lord for the good and the bad and for seeing us through each and every day.

"Oh my God, in You I trust"

psalm 25:2

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

A little advice needed (Part II)...

Who knew there would be a part II because I didn't =) First I want to say THANK YOU to everyone who either posted on the blog, wrote on my fb wall or sent me a fb message. I was overwhelmed with so many encouraging words! Sorry to all those who said they posted a comment but it got deleted. Not sure how that happened!

Anyways, this is Part II of I NEED ADVICE. I posted the question a few posts back, but I kind of threw it in there with everything else to where it could have gotten lost.

I know many of you have more than one child and have the experience of nursing a baby while trying to entertain 1, 2, 3, etc more kids. So my advice needed this time is: How do you nurse one child while trying to entertain another one? Some of you laugh at this question because you are on number 4 or 5 and are old pro's, but for those of us who are "beginners" HELP US OUT =). I have already gotten some great advice from some women, but I am curious what each of YOU reading this do!

Please don't be shy. I was telling Daniel just the other night how inspired I was by all the comments and emails I received on nursing. I can't wait to read about your advice here!

Thanks in advance!

P.S. I have a sick boy who has been running fever for two days. Say a prayer for the little guy if you get a chance. This mommy really wants it to go away!

Monday, March 21, 2011

17 weeks 3 days

Oh the joys of phones =) Sorry the pictures are not the best quality but it is what it is.

Definitely expanding every day!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

Poll

Since we are UNDER 2 weeks till we find out what baby # 2 is, I will start the poll. Notice you can vote to the right! Have at it=)

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Happy St. Patty's Day!

We have this cute little park with a field area attached to it about a mile from our place. We haven't been able to use it at all recently well because..duh! the weather =) BUT on a beautiful day like today (mid 50's) E and I loaded up the jogging stroller and set out. It's a nice 2 mile walk round trip for me so I am always game for going.

There were lots of mom's with their kiddos out there. Apparently we have a "people watcher" on our hands (and I am not referring to me). The boy watched and watched and laughed and watched some more all the kids playing.

And then of course he played some too!

I am so ready for spring!

Cheers!

**thanks for all the comments below...keep 'em coming! I am VERY encouraged!!**

I am one happy pregnant lady after my sweet husband found this for me...

I have been looking for something, ANYTHING that has no calories, sugar or carbonation and that is NOT sweetened with Aspartame. We were cruising the aisles at the grocery store when D found this. Oh it is just what I needed! Drinking water can sometimes get old. I now don't need to turn to a diet drink (which I shouldn't be drinking anyway).

It is so easy to pop it in my purse and carry it around anywhere I go. It has 24 servings and you just squeeze it into your ice water. Pregnant or not I will be using this stuff! =)

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

A little advice needed...

**two posts in one day...wowzers!**

If you are a male you should probably stop reading this post right now. Not because it is inappropriate or anything. I just think you might die of boredom as this has nothing to do with the male species.

I know that baby # 2 will not be here (Lord willing) till August. So this might seem a little premature, but I wanted to go ahead and seek any advice from those mommies out there…while it’s on my mind. You see I am already thinking about doing a half marathon some time after this baby is born. Not immediately! But within the year.
And well you see I plan to nurse this baby (like Eli) as long as I can. With Eli it was definitely a learning experience. It is no secret I am a health nut. As soon as Eli popped out I was looking to Daniel and the doctor begging them to let me run/lift asap. 3 weeks of NO workout was torture for me. As soon as those 3 weeks were up I was off! I also tried to "diet" aka...not eat like I did while pregnant to get those extra lbs I had left from Eli. To sum it up, I wanted to get in shape and feel good about my body pronto.
Little did I know that this (the eating waaaay less because you burn so much while nursing and over exerting myself) would back fire. By 3 months Eli was screaming at me for more milk...I had dried up. And to say that I was devastated wouldn't even be the right word. I was one of those mom's who was going to nurse for AT LEAST a year. Daniel finally shook some sense into me, and Eli quickly became a formula fed baby by 3.5 months (after he ate up all the frozen milk I had stored).
I also want to say here that I was never one of those "over producers" like my cousin who could feed three more babies a day with (I hope you don't mind me sharing that sweet cuz!). I seemed to make just enough for my growing boy and maybe have an extra bottle a day to store.
So where does the advice come in?? I guess I am seeking advice from those mom's who do manage to nurse for 9+ months and do get back in shape and run! I had a mom at church tell me the other day the weight does come off, it just might take 6 months. I am very impatient but willing to do what it takes to be able to nurse this baby as long as I can not just for health reasons, but for $$ reasons too!!!
So fire at me ladies...how were you able to exercise (especially if there are some hard core runners out there) and keep your milk supply up?? Any advice is welcomed for sure!!
And while we are on the subject...please tell me how you nurse one while chasing around another... :)
I will leave you with three pictures that have NOTHING to do with this post I just wanted to show off my cute kid. These were from our visit down south last week.

Don't be shy, please share your thoughts. I am eager to know!

**new post below**

16 weeks 1 day...

We will be 17 weeks in two days so this is a bit late BUT don't they say...BETTER LATE THAN NEVER!

The picture on the left with Eli I was 16.5 weeks and the one on the right with # 2 I am 16.1 weeks.

2 weeks from Friday we will know boy or girl!! IS IT APRIL 1st YET???

Thursday, March 03, 2011

calling for "UPDATES"

hmmm...bullet point form sounds good to update you so ready, set, go!

we took Eli to the doctor today for his 18 month check up and as always we were welcomed by the nurse saying and I quote "WOW that's a big 18 month old!" His stats prove that true weighing in at 30lbs (90%) and 34 1/2 inches (97%). Honestly this doesn't surprise me as my MIL has told me that Daniel was also always a big boy! I figured Eli would follow right in his footsteps and he has. In fact I think Eli might be a little bit bigger.
we also went to the doctor today for baby # 2 (yea knock out those appointments all in one day!) Baby # 2's heartbeat was 153. Both baby and myself checked out great. We got to set the BIG appointment for when we will find out if baby is a boy or a girl. I have my suspicions (as I did with Eli) of what the sex of this one is but I won't share (some of you already know =)). We will know on April 1st.
I felt the baby move for the first time this week. I thought for sure this was a little too soon, but after doing some research on the trusty ole internet (jokingly said) it seems that with the more you have, the quicker you can feel them move partly because you actually know what it feels like to have a baby squirming around inside of you. And while we are on that note, while we were at the doctor today and the tech was trying to find the baby's heartbeat, she noted that we have a very active baby. She could hear him/her moving all around in my tummy. I think it's because we had just eaten a big lunch and the baby was getting energy from that!
school is going beautifully for Daniel. He said this semester is his favorite one so far. His load is not as heavy this time as last semester, so it seems as if he can enjoy it more. Hard for me to believe he only has 2 semesters left after this semester (and the couple of classes he will take in the summer). Seminary has gone by pretty fast!
for all those who have asked, YES I am still running (when I can drag my lazy booty out of bed and hit the gym). With the below freezing temps everyday here, the gym is the ONLY place I have been running. I run about 4 to 5 times a week. On a good week I do it 6 times. Once spring starts budding (no pun intended) its head, the boys and I will be hitting the pavement! Oh how I look forward to this day.
cravings...not really anything specific just FOOD! I have been having this weird desire for candy. Like jolly ranchers and hot tamales. I don't usually want candy (like Daniel) but for some reason it has been really appealing to me.
we will be seeing family and friends in the South real soon (enough said on that)
madie is doing good. getting lots of hugs and love taps from Eli. =) she also has gotten to cruise in our sweet new ride which she LOVES all the space. we made her her own little pallet in the back which she really seems to enjoy.
and lastly...I am PATIENTLY (or not so patiently) waiting for our girl scout cookies to arrive at our front door. We had a girl come by our condo early January. Daniel is a sucker for kiddos & girl scout cookies so we bought a few, okay I lied FIVE boxes of them. It's March and they STILL aren't here. hmmmm....don't mess with a pregnant woman and her girl scout cookies!

Sorry no pics. I have just been forgetting to pull out the camera as we are always cooped up inside due to the cold temps/snow :( We are hoping for visits to the park and play area at the end of this month or beginning of next. I am sure that will present MANY photo opts!

That's it!