15 month and 15 week well babies

Coincidentally, I scheduled Evan's 15 month well baby and my 15 week baby checkup on the same day. Of course, Evan is closer to 16 months now, but with both being appointments in Raleigh it made sense to knock them out on the same day. I'm pleased to say our mini marathon of office visits went well this morning, and Evan was a trooper even though it meant skipping his morning nap. With Thomas the train and plenty of snacks on hand, he hardly noticed. Both visits were great and, praise the Lord, showed healthy growing babies!

Evan's stats:
Weight: Almost 22 pounds and finally breaking the 10th percentile!
Height: 31 inches in the 25th-50th percentiles
Overall our Dr. Pepper was very happy with his growth and impressed by his developmental and verbal skills-A+!

Baby #2:
This appointment was mostly about mommy's stats, but we did get to hear the baby's tiny heartbeat and it was good and healthy in the 150's. Thankfully, I'm feeling much better this week and starting to see some relief from my pesky headaches. I'm hoping this is a good thing coming into the 2nd trimester!
Weight gain: 2 pounds and now 109
BP-88/63
Iron stick-boo! Not surprisingly starting to dip, iron foods here we come!

We got to see Dr. Anderson today, who we love and above all is the doctor who delivered Evan! Chris and I are collecting many a story from this guy, and would be so excited if he was the one to walk through the door on delivery day. Since our practice has many doctors who rotate, I was never able to get a proper picture of our honorary stork, so here it is!

Confession

It's been an off week. No doubt the sudden onset of nausea, major fatigue and almost constant headaches has had something to do with it. I've officially entered "that" stage of pregnancy. You know, the one where you begin to feel fat and not pregnant, where Gatorade becomes your closest companion and energy a long lost friend. The motivation to get up and go is at an all time low, and summer could not scatter sooner.

Thankfully, the coin shines much brighter on the other side. The side where indeed there is a tiny baby growing in my belly, slowly but surely stretching those jeans up a size. Precious few things in life are as special as this blessing of a baby, and the labor is not in vain. If only I could carry such a reminder around with me all the time! Please Lord, let this kindness write itself on the tablet of my heart. I confess, I've had a few "off" days lately, but hope to persevere in a happy attitude and thankful spirit in spite of my small and present inconveniences.

Counting my blessings...Thank God for my healthy, active, almost 16 month old, who has enough energy for the both of us yet is content to rest and watch cartoons when mommy needs it! And, for a husband who doesn't mind flopping dinners based on my appetite or having chicken noodle soup for supper(okay, it is homemade and the best soup in the world!). And above all, in the midst of this week, I am forever grateful to be reminded that His mercies are new every morning.

A guessing game

What do the following have in common?

1. Thomas the train
2. A Chick Fillet kids meal toy
3. Half eaten lollipop, still goodness questionable
4. One Tyrannosaurus Rex
5. Lipstick, loose cap
6. A purple crayon

Did the T-Rex give it away? Yes, it's true. On a Saturday afternoon, I opened my purse to find all of the above, and was happily struck with just how much being a mom can change your life, and your purse.

13 weeks, for the record

As I look back and compare this pregnancy so far with Evan's, I am endlessly thankful for the scrapbook and record keeper that is my blog.

To start, I was curious about a few things and beyond grateful to find the answers to my curiosity safely kept in this faithful online journal. For one thing, I wanted to know at what point I'd loose my belly button again. Happily, I found that it didn't disappear with Evan until exactly 6 and a half months. Thanks for the peace of mind blog! On the other hand, I was surprised to learn that I had only gained a mere 1.5 pounds while SIX months along with Evan. I'm 12 weeks now and I do believe we've surpassed that benchmark already...ahem. Thanks for the reminder blog. ;-)

So in keeping with blogger tradition and preserving these precious memories for years to come, here is my very first "belly" shot. Me and mine just shy of 13 weeks.

15 months and 12 weeks

As August sets into gear, my hands are full with a very active 15 month old on the outside and a tiny, growing little one the inside. I'm 12 weeks along this week and officially through the first trimester-hello goodbye, I barely knew you! Since finding out about this pregnancy a bit later than last time, this first milestone has passed us by in lightening speed. I remember counting the days at a tortoise's pace last time around; this time, I'm thankful for a busy season to keep us on our toes.

At 15 months, Evan is slowly making his way from babyhood to toddler times. I've noticed a big improvement in both verbal and physical coordination recently, which is to say we've got a lot of babble and running around going on-not to mention climbing! He is less and less content to sit still(and quietly) in carts and carseats, and wants to run and wiggle about wherever we go. And all I have to say to that is-snacks are a mom's best friend!

When did this guy get so handsome?

His favorite show is still Backyardigains, but we've also branched out to Thomas the train and Curious George(for mommy's sake, a girl can only take so much Nick Jr.!). He LOVES cars and trains right now, and in fact says "tain" just about a hundred times a day. And of course, everything is a "ball." Footballs, soccer balls, baseballs-he can't get enough of them. As a growing boy, his appetite is nothing short of grizzly, and I do believe the kitchen is his favorite room in the house. In other news, he is really into the classic "vacuum ball popper" toy and loves to push things around, especially the swiffer sweeper. We're currently working on two monster teethe right now, which brings the total to 11 I think....who knows what more could be hiding in there! Also, I've noticed that he's really picked up on the whole "clean up" idea lately and is a very happy helper in putting things away. Thank goodness!

Now to our next little guy or girl...At 12 weeks this baby is currently the size of a lime(2 inches or so in length) and weighs about 1/2 ounce. Reflexes are the big thing this week as baby begins to open and close eyes, curl toes and begin sucking motions with its mouth. Tiny toothebuds have formed underneath the gums while fingers and toes now have nails and are no longer webbed. All of the vital organs are in place now and starting to function, and will continue to develop throughout the rest of the pregnancy. And, while I can't feel it just yet, baby can bend and is actively kicking already. Oh babies!