Tuesday, May 31, 2011

29 Weeks


How Far Along: 29 Weeks

Size of Baby: Baby #3 weighs about 2 1/2 pounds and measures about 15 inches long (size of a butternut squash). Baby #3 continues to mature in the lung and muscle departments and its head is getting larger in order to hold its growing brain.

Total Weight Gain: +21

Maternity Clothes: Nothing new, just sticking to me comfy pants, maternity bathing suit and tank tops. I am starting to think about what I want to wear for our Maternity session though! I can't imagine how much more I am going to grow in the 4 weeks before it!

Gender: Still a secret after our scan on Saturday....although I swear I saw something in the video when we watched it back after the scan. So...I will not be watching the video again and no one else will either...pictures only!

Movement: Movement is slowing down....less rolling, wave like feelings...more intense jabs. On Friday, Baby #3 changed positions from where it was at our doctor's appointment. By Saturday, the baby was in a ball completely on my left side....OUCH! I just wanted to tell the Baby..."You have a whole right side to be in...use your space wisely!" Lots of pressure and cramps. You can tell though that the Baby is outgrowing its space.

Sleep: Let's say it was bad. I tossed and turned a lot this week and that is getting really hard to do. I had more interrupted sleep for potty runs and had a hard time getting comfortable.

Symptoms: It is amazing how in a pregnancy, a week can change everything! I went from very few mild symptoms to so many I can barely remember them all...I started having more reflux and now have heartburn as well. The gasiness is back...not a fan! I have had a couple leg cramps because I think I need to drink more water. The Baby has moved on up in my torso...so breathing has become a task. Getting a full breathe takes skill at times. Swelling has also started to make its presence known more. And I got backed up again...Yay...but even with all these things that remind me my body is not my own...not in the slightest...I would change nothing to have this little one in my arms! *Just remembered...I started to lactate too...changes are happening.

Best Moment of the Week: This is easy! Our scan!





Seeing the Baby in 3D is a piece of cake, 4D was much harder, but once you get used to it you can pick things out faster. Like I said, the Baby was all on my left side in a ball. My placenta was towards the front of my stomach, in front of the Baby, so the technician had try to work around it to get a good shot. It was so amazing though! Baby #3 had its hand in front of its face majority of the session. You could see the movement of the baby's mouth in both 3D and 4D and we got some great smiles :) In some of the pictures you can see a mass in front of the face, that is the baby's knee and leg. It was so wonderful getting to see this little one...count its fingers and toes...see that everything looks great and we have a beautiful baby making it's arrival very soon! We still are thinking boy after the session and I think I lost on the Baby looking like me...but I don't think Baby #3 looks like Zoe from these pictures compared to her newborn pics. We will see though!!!!

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Sweet Summer Time

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

What I am Loving!


Click over to This Kind of Love to tell us what you are loving!

~Book Club~

I am LOVING this Book!!! One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp is a must read...only on Chapter 5 but every word she writes is beautiful and runs straight to the heart! I am LOVING her style of writing...and I have a feeling all of you would too...it is very BLOGish...if that makes sense. The way she writes is in the moment! I have LOVED so many of her words and I want to share some with you!

"That that which tears open our souls, those holes that splatter our sight, may actually become the thin, open places to see through the mess of this place to the heart-aching beauty beyond. To Him. To the God whom we endlessly crave."

"Eucharist is the state of the perfect man. Eucharist is the life of paradise. Eucharist is the only full and real response of man to God's creation, redemption, and gift of heaven." ~Alexander Schmemann

"Joy is the realist reality, the fullest life and joy is always given, never grasped. God gives gifts and I give thanks and I unwrap the gift given, joy."

"The Brave who focus on all good things and all things beautiful and all things true, even in the small, who give thanks for it and discover joy even in the here and now, they are the change agents who bring fullest Light to all the World!"

"When we lay the soil of our hard lives open to the rain of grace and let joy penetrate our cracked and dry places, let joy soak into our broken skin and deep crevices, life grows!"

~Preggo~

I had a wonderful visit with my midwife yesterday. I had my glucose test and passed! Yay...I celebrated before finding out last night with a turtle cheesecake...it was divine! The tummy is measuring perfectly for the week I am in. Baby #3's heart rate was in the high 140s and is positioned exactly as I thought; head is beginning to move down, but baby is still sideways. I am LOVING how wonderfully this pregnancy is going! We are to the point that we see the midwife every 2 weeks! I LOVE this point! But I think what I loved the most about my visit was them informing me that I have only gained 16 pounds in their records...music to my ears!

~Memorial Day Weekend~

We have a fun-filled weekend ahead. Zach has off this weekend and this makes me so very happy. To start the weekend, we get to go see Baby #3 in a 3D/4D scan! I am SO excited!!!! Zach swears he is going to be able to tell if Baby #3 is a boy or girl from seeing it's face...I find this hard to believe...but I am oh so excited to see it's face and it's perfect hands, perfect little lips and all it's movements! Such a blessing! And we get a DVD...so if you see me this this weekend...you better believe you will be watching this :) After this we get to spend the afternoon with some friends from Church and then off to The Koerner's for a cookout and more fun!

Tuesday, May 24, 2011

28 Weeks



How Far Along: 28 Weeks....3rd Trimester!

Size of Baby: Baby #3 weighs about 2 and a quarter pounds and measures 14.8 inches long. Lots of brain development is going on and gaining of weight to prepare for birth!

Weight Gain: +21

Maternity Clothes: Sticking to my dresses and comfy tank tops.

Gender: Come on August!!!! Can't wait to meet this little one and see who it is!

Movement: Same old squirmy wormy this week. You can feel a foot though or a larger area...probably a bottom, when the baby is moving. Stronger jabs are in the top left of my tummy and under my belly button area (very painful) and smaller jabs at the bottom right. So I am thinking the feet are in the top left and arms are bottom right. We will see.

Sleep: Better week of sleep. I am trying to only take naps on the days I work. Otherwise, I can't sleep that night at a reasonable time. I have started to toss and turn some to get comfortable. And the dreams have picked back up!

Symptoms: I have been having a ton of Braxton Hicks at all different times of the day. Sometimes they are really tight and painful, but most of the time, I just notice it and go on my way. Lots of ligament pains on my right side and I believe swelling has started (minimally). At this point, I feel like I am carrying around two cantaloupes and a big watermelon...everything is SO BIG! My girls are getting a lot harder, which leads me to believe the ducts are working their magic. Still have been very emotional, but I am more aware and am trying to control it a little bit better. And I am still having pain in my left legs when I stand on hard surfaces too long. I am going to have to say goodbye to my loved PB&Js....too much reflux after peanut butter :(

Best Moment of the Week: The last part of the week, I got to spend with my nieces. It was so nice getting to see them since it has been since Christmas. Zoe did great playing with them and loved having big girls all over the place! It was definitely an eye opener taking care of FIVE....while being pregnant...not something I foresee in the future for our little family!

Feeling the Baby so much is definitely something that makes my days! I just hold my tummy and talk to him/her and can't wait to actually hold him/her in my arms!

Sunday, May 22, 2011

Girls, Girls, Girls

Love my girls!

Wednesday, May 18, 2011

What I am Loving

Link over at This Kind of Love to tell us all what you are loving today!

~Loser~

I am LOVING Biggest Loser! Since we have not had television, I missed, I think, 2 seasons....including majority of this current one. But, last night, I watched...don't know why Hubby gave me control of the Remote....something having to do with being obsessed with Prison Break on Netflix...whatever...and I got to pick what I wanted to watch. BIGGEST LOSER! They are down to the finally 4 and all are home now. Three are women and I must say ...they are so encouraging!

I am also LOVING my own Biggest Loser's in my life!

I watched this show with my dad for years...either together or talked about it the next day. I am SO proud of HIM! It finally clicked that even though he was not 400 lbs...that he was not living a healthy lifestyle and he would be on his way out soon if he didn't do something about it. My Dad is down at least 60 lbs...if not more...I am sure it is more...and now going to a personal trainer! The man is exercising and I can't believe it! I know in order for people to really loss weight and succeed, they have to do it for themselves and want it for themselves, but I can't help think that he is doing this for me, too. My Dad loosing weight and getting healthy means I get more of my life with him....He will get to be active with my kids....He will hopefully get to see his great grandchildren and maybe even his great-great grandchildren. I am so proud of you, Dad!

My other Biggest Loser didn't really start big....she started Post-Preggo....and I hear the second time around, losing the weight is so much harder...blah! But she inspires me! She started running about 1 year ago...maybe a little bit less...and you wouldn't even recognize her today. She is lean and beautiful, motivated and amazing! She is a kick butt runner and I CANNOT wait to run with her...well, lets be real...behind her. She ran her first 1/2 marathon in March and she will be running her 1st MARATHON in November!

~Pancakes~


I heart my Zoe Zoo!I think she got a tart or really cold strawberry...hahah

~Preggo~

I am LOVING that I am almost to the third trimester, less than a week!!!! And everything is downhill and in countdown mode from there!

Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Such a Romantic...

I do wish I was talking about my husband in this post...sadly I am not...today at least. Love this video! It makes me so happy to see a man go all out for the woman he loves!

What's A Girl To Do?

I want this summer before our Baby #3 arrives to be packed with fun for me and Zoe!!! I just love the age she is at because we finally can go do things that require her to pay attention! I feel like any younger, she wouldn't be able to focus or interact enought for it to be worth it....but I believe we have reached that point now.

So....what's a girl to do? Well....let me just tell you!

I absolutely love where we live! Gwinnett County is BOOMING with fun filled things to do...almost every day of the week. And...not to mention....we have Atlanta right down the street...with even more things to add to our week.

Here is what our June is looking like!

*June 3 ~ Brown Bag Concert ~ 11:30-1pm*
Pack a sack lunch and blanket, bring the kids and enjoy the sounds of Havana Son for the first in our concert series. Enjoy fun music, cool crafts, face painting and crazy hair!

*Mondays in June ~ Monkey Joe's ~ $3 admission before 2pm*

*June 7, 11, 29 ~ Stroller Club ~ Atlanta Zoo ~ $24 admission for child and adult*
Bring your little one on an early learning adventure as we stroll through the Zoo. Visit animal exhibits, and meet a friendly animal ambassador up-close during a special introduction to wildlife for our littlest guests. Adults socialize while kids enjoy playtime! Each month features a different area of the Zoo and a different animal ambassador. Don’t forget your stroller!

*Tuesdays ~ Story Time ~ Hamilton Mill Library ~ 11:30am*

*Wednesdays ~ Aurora's Children's Playhouse ~ Aurora Theatre ~ Lawrenceville ~ 10 & 11:30am ~ $7 admission*
June 8 ~ Storybook Alive ~ performed by Wendy Bennett
June 15 ~ Drippy's Daring Adventure ~ performed by Barry Stewart Mann
June 22 ~ Wish Tales ~ performed by Piccadilly Puppets
June 29 ~ Music Around the World ~ performed by Scott Douglas

*June 9 ~ Under the Big Top Circus ~ Imagine It Children's Museum ~ Half Price Admissions ($6.25) from 2-4p/ Children under 2 FREE*
Run away to the Circus with the Imaginators as they perform circus stunts with you in the center ring! Prepare to be awed as you learn how to juggle, be dazzled as you hear the magical tales of the circus, and be amazed as you become a part of Beebo and Ravioli’s Spectacular Circus

*Fridays in June ~ Story Time ~ Hamilton Mill Library ~ 10:15am*

*June 18 ~ Print Making Family Day ~ Hudgens Center for Arts ~ 10a to 5pm ~ FREE*

*June 2 & 23 ~ Growing Guppies ~ The Georgia Aquarium ~ $14 Admission*
Explore the wonders of the ocean with your child at Georgia Aquarium. "Growing Guppies" is filled with fun toddler actvities. Zoe HAS to be 2 :(

And there are so many fun things to do that are open Daily....Here are a couple I know we will be using...

Suwanee Fountains ~ West Gwinnett Park, Aquatic Center & Outdoor Waterpark (Adults $5 and children between $2-4)~ Hundreds of Outdoor Parks and Walking Trails ~ Outdoor Concerts at Town Center Suwanee and Downtown Lawrenceville (Mainly Saturdays!)

Right next door to our house, we have CoolRay Stadium...and Zach gets free tickets from work. I am hoping to go to at least one game before August and cheer on the Gwinnett Braves!

Oh the fun we will have...it is really tough sometimes being a stay-at-home Mommy :)

Monday, May 16, 2011

18 Months Old

Zoe is 18 months old....unbelievable sometimes. Zoe is so full of energy and so fun to play with! Here are some of the things she is up to lately... Zoe is wearing size 18 months clothes and size 4 diapers.

Zoe eats breakfast, lunch and dinner...not at specific times every day because every day for us is a little bit different.

Zoe loves her milk ("baba") and waffle ("baffle") in a bowl in the morning watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse ("Minnie"). She is moving on up to two waffles lately.

Zoe is quite the snuggler in the morning. We usually wrap up in a blanket and watch her show together until nap time. I treasure this cuddling SO much!Zoe normally wakes up around 8am and takes a morning nap around 10am. I have a feeling this morning nap is on its way out. Until I have Baby #3 though, we will be having quiet time at 10, for my sake.

Zoe has been in her Big Girl toddler bad for a couple weeks now. She does amazing at night..naps are a different story.

Zoe goes down for "night, night" between 7:30 and 8:30pm. She usually cries for a minute or two and then lays down. Naps are a bit harder. Sometimes she naps, sometimes she doesn't, but she is always in her room for at least 1 1/2 hours. She doesn't cry though during this time...I think she plays with her stuffed animals and books and you can hear her humming, too.Zoe loves to be outside now. She is always says "door" and runs over to it and says "play" when she wants to go outside. Playing outside usually consists of her pushing her stroller up and down the drive way or walking around the backyard. Having a fenced in backyard is such a perk! She also loves to swing.

Zoe has gone to time out many times lately; mainly because something she is doing is not safe. She likes to walk to the street and sometimes she gives you a glare and runs into the road...Timeout. Also, she likes to rock on the kitchen chairs or climb on the table...Timeout. Our timeout is putting her in her room and shutting the door. She knows she is in trouble and I think it gets the point across.Zoe can climb on anything now. She loves to climb up on the couch and the kitchen chairs. We keep one chair by the dining room window and she loves to climb up and look out it.

Zoe loves to look in the mirror and it is hilarious watching her talk to herself or pose.

Zoe eats really well. She rarely sits in her highchair anymore. She likes to stand in one of our armed kitchen chairs like Mommy and Daddy. She loves to eat all fruits, string cheese, waffles, and chicken. She says all of these words in her own little way. If you ask her if she wants to eat something, she runs to her chair, climbs up and says what she wants.Zoe is doing well with utensils. She would rather use a big fork then one for her age. She still uses her hands the most though.

Zoe puts lots of words together. She says phrases like "sit down", "more please", "thank you", "get down". She has also started to count...which consists of two and then "GO!"Zoe loves to grab books and sit right in your lap to look at them. She doesn't pay attention to the words, she just likes to turn the pages really fast and start over again.

Zoe is doing really well learning people's names. She repeats almost every name we say to her.

Zoe runs everywhere she goes now!

Zoe still sucks her thumb, mainly when she is tired now. And when she sucks it, she uses her pointer finger to rub her nose.Zoe loves her stuffed animals she sleeps with. Every one of them is "bear" except "baby" and "minnie", which is both mickey and minnie.

Zoe whines, but it is usually only when we are in the middle of something and she wants you to play with her.

Zoe loves to go to the nursery at Church and the ladies say she is their favorite and so easy...I am sure they tells this to all the parents...but it makes me so happy she does so well without us around.Zoe has learned how to scream...or screech...really loud and she giggles like crazy afterwards because she thinks it is so funny.

Zoe is extremely friendly. She says "hi" or "hey" to every body and also loves to say "bye, bye" when she knows we are leaving.

Zoe has learned to work Zach's iphone, the playstation, and many other electronics. The other day she showed Grammy how to turn on Mickey Mouse.Zoe says "peezzz" and "than too" when she wants something or you give her something. If she doesn't, we ask her "what do you say" and she says either right away.

Zoe is not a fan of her carseat, but she is really interested in the buckles now. And she loves to get in Baby carriers when we visit all our new baby friends.

Zoe loves her sippy cups and all of them are "wa, wa". She also drinks really well out of straws.

Zoe loves to play on her bunk beds and I really don't think transition from toddler bed to big bed is going to be hard.Zoe loves to eat meals with Mommy and Daddy. Right when we say "Let's bless the food", she puts her hand to her head to make the sign of the cross. Then she puts both her hands out and waits for us to hold them. We sings a song to bless the food and she dances the whole time and giggles. When we are done, she lets out a big "AMEN". Priceless!

Zoe gives the best hugs. She just squeezes your neck as tight as she can. She also gives great kiss and blows kisses!

Zoe has become a lot more independent and this leads to more accidents. She fallen of the couch or chairs, bonked her head on everything, pushed doors shut on her fingers...and so much more. When she gets hurt, she runs to you and grabs your neck and then, no matter what got hurt, she wants you to kiss her fingers. So funny.

Zoe's hair is getting SO long but curls right up!Zoe is doing much better about keeping her bows in. If she takes it out, you ask her..."where is your bow" and she looks everywhere for it and says "BOW" once she finds it.

When we get ready to go somewhere, we always ask Zoe to get her shoes. She says "shooos" with puckered lips and looks everywhere them. Her shoes stay on for maybe 5 seconds once we get in the car.

Zoe says "cheese" when she sees the camera, but rarely looks at it anymore. Getting a picture of her smiling is getting harder and harder.

Zoe loves to kiss my tummy and say "baby". She must pull my shirt up though to do this and she kisses right at my belly button.Zoe has the best laugh and it is so infectious!

Zoe has loved being in the pool or playing in the hose. She has accidentally gone under quite a few times, but she does great once I get her back up. It is like nothing happened.

Zoe has her four front teeth, her three front bottom teeth (the 4th is slowly popping through), and molars on the top and bottom on each side.Zoe has blue eyes...not my color though. They look a lot like her Granddaddy's and Aunt Holly's.

Zoe weighs a little over 21 pounds and is very petite. We will see how tall she is and all her percentages at her checkup.

Zoe hasn't really gotten sick...she had one run in with a fever but it ran its course and she was back to normal. With this there was a little runny nose and she learned to wipe her nose.

Zoe can now tell us all the different parts of her face...eyes, ears, nose, mouth..and actually point to the right spot.Zoe loves to blow on anything that is hot....or if it was hot at one point...she will let you know "hot".

Zoe loves to go to the grocery store and she runs straight to where the TV carts are. She even gets to watch "Minnie" while Mommy does her shopping.

Zoe does really well around babies. We say gentle and she strokes their heads. She tries to share things with them and she rocks them if they are in a swing. She has showed a little bit of jealousy.

Zoe is so fun to be around and I love spending all my days with her! She is such a joy and she makes my life so complete!!!

Sunday, May 15, 2011

27 Weeks

How Far Along: 27 Weeks!

Size of Baby: Baby #3 is almost 2 pounds (the size of a head of cauliflower) and about 14 inches long. She or He is sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his/her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now.

Weight Gain: +20

Maternity Clothes: Nothing new here...I do have another Kohl's cash that I am going to get another dress with!

Gender: Still really feeling boy!

Movement: More and more movement as time goes on. Baby #3 is very active...All.the.time....but more at night. I have a hard time wanting to fall asleep because I just lay there and feel our little one. I feel like we are communicating because where ever I put my hand....Baby #3 literally kicks right there....I move...It moves. I love it! This is a picture of me and my hubby relaxing and Baby #3 kicked Zach about 10 times in a row. You could just see my dress flutter and Zach got it right in the face.

Sleep: Really bad week of sleep. I woke up two nights in a row and had to go to the couch to watch TV to put myself back to sleep. I am having a really hard time getting comfortable and when I do...Baby starts kicking and I don't want to go to sleep then. Great napping though!

Symptoms: I had some reflux after pizza one night. I am having to use the bathroom a whole lot more often. I couldn't get my rings off when Mom and I were painting...I don't look forward to swelling...it is coming though! I have also been crazy emotional...I think this is the one part of pregnancy that I could 100% do without....but the one part that is inevitable. My hormones are all over the place and I just can't keep my head together lately.

Best Moment of the Week: I got to see this precious baby again this week. Ms. Gianna is so beautiful and I just love how small newborns are! Zoe definitely was more jealous this time around when I held Gianna...August should be interesting. But this topped my entire week of bests! My brother-in-law, Joe, is home!!!! I cried my eyes out looking at all the pictures of the big surprise to the girls that he was back. I can't even imagine the joy that filled my sister's family on Thursday. We are so proud of you Joe and grateful for your hard work to make us safe! But we are so glad you are right back where you belong! Can't wait to see you all in a couple days!