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Saturday, June 30, 2012

Fun in the Sun!

This summer, we have been spending most days of the week at the pool.  We have several friends with pools, plus a neighborhood pool of our own that we "borrow" often.  But there are definitely times in the past few summers, it's been fun having water toys in our own backyard.  It's easy, you don't have to go anywhere, don't have to pack a bag, etc.  But since Caeden has kind of outgrown his "baby" splash pools we bought him a few years ago, we had been looking for a bigger backyard pool.

Well, we found one!  Target for $20 and he LOVES it!!  It was probably one of the greatest investments we've made!  These pictures are from the first day we set it up - excited for all the memories we'll make this summer...and the next...and the next!  :)

Filling up the pool...

"Throwing" the torpedo to Daddy!



THEN Daddy had the brilliant idea
of bringing his basketball goal to the pool! 
Caeden LOVED this!






Sunday, June 17, 2012

Pregnancy Update: Month 5

I'm 23 weeks as I write this, and looking back on my 5th month of pregnancy....it was an exciting one!

I started off the month with having Braxton-Hicks contractions at 17 weeks - and some were pretty hard ones.  I was having several (10-15) a day.  I had these A LOT with Caeden, but not this early.  However, my doctor said not to be concerned unless I have more than 4-5/hr.  I still have them, but not as often.  For some reason - I just had many on that particular week.

I continued to feel lots of movements this month - she's an active one!  Her movements started to feel more like kicks and punches at this point - much more defined.  And I started feeling her on the outside too. :)  Reid has felt her a few times - but most of the time, when he tries to feel her, she stops moving...of course.  I also felt her have the hiccups for the first time!  When we were camping over Memorial Day weekend, I woke up to her having them - so fun!  Feeling her move is probably what I like best about being pregnant right now!

We started getting the baby's room cleaned out since it has been our "catch-all" room for the last 3.5 years.  That was a big job!  But we're almost done and ready to start painting!

I did have a couple of weird pregnancy dreams on this month!  One was of me having an African-American baby in a Sci-Fi-type hospital - the next day she was walking around!  Another one was that I had the baby early at 21 weeks, and they didn't even make her stay in the NICU - they actually sent her home with my dad!  Ha!  I had one more where an ultrasound tech came to our house in the middle of the night to do the ultrasound - and then she left without ever telling us the gender!  Where does my brain get these things??

The big news during this month was that we found out we were having a GIRL!!  To read about how we found out, you can read this post.  As usual, it was so fun seeing our baby girl during the ultrasound!  I just felt love and excitement!  I already think she's cute...and loved seeing her move around! :)  Reid said it just made it set in for him that this baby is really coming soon! Glad it set in now and not in October!

Just for fun, Reid & I talked about which of our physical features we hope she has.  We decided that we want her to have my nose & hair color :)....and Reid's skin complexion and "body type." 

I was very tired and had very low energy this month - just always feeling sluggish.  I'm wondering if I'm becoming anemic like I did during my pregnancy with Caeden...  I feel like it's just so hard to get around already, and I still have 4 months to go!  I also cried a lot this month - very hormonal & emotional month for me!  Other than being tired and teary-eyed, I've felt great! By the end of Month 5, I've gained 2.5 lbs. 

Here's an update on BABY at this point...
During this past month, she:
  • started out at 5.5 inches long (crown-to-rump) and ended the month at 8 inches long (about 11 inches total!)
  • started out weighing 5 oz, and ended the month weighing a whopping 1 pound!!
  • has very controlled movements - lots of twists, rolls, kicks, and punches. This is due to the fact that her cartilage began turning to bone this month.
  • is yawning & hiccuping
  • became completely covered with vernix (you mothers out there know what that is)
  • has a fully-formed uterus and has about 7 million eggs (but will only have 2 million at birth) - her vaginal canal is starting to develop (Sorry if you're a guy reading this!)
  • can swallow & has the sense of taste. Depending on what I've eaten - affects how the amniotic fluid tastes to her. 
  • has eyelids that are fused shut, but can still perceive bright light from dark. 
  • developed very good hearing.  She can pretty much hear everything that I hear - it's just more muffled-sounding.
  • And as I'm writing this post, she is supposedly packing on the fat!  This will fill out her currently red, wrinkled skin - and will turn her skin to be less transparent!

And here's a quick picture of me during Month 5 with both babies. Obviously a little bigger with this baby at this point.

Baby #2 


Caeden


I think that's it on the update!  We are just so excited to meet our baby girl - and praying she's a happy one!  (I probably won't believe she's a girl until she gets here!)  But we already love her so much!!!


Tuesday, June 5, 2012

Summer Lovin!


We are already having a blast and summer has only been in session for two weeks!  Here's a sneak peek at some things we've done:


Got to take part in making Ariel's wedding day special!



Played in the sprinkler with friends!



Learned that we were having a baby girl!




Went camping at Mt. Magazine State Park!  LOVED. IT.



Baked some various sweets 
(Caeden always helps by cleaning the beater)



Ate ice cream sandwiches....We have a freezer full that were given to us, so we eat one almost daily. :)



Went swimming with Ella



Had lots of picnics outside!






Went to Jump Zone with some friends!


And things we've accomplished...!!! (Sorry - no pictures)
  • Built a gate for part of our new fence
  • Fixed some rotting wood on our back door (a project we've been putting off for a long time)
  • Reid built an herb box for our garden
  • Ordered Caeden's new "big boy" bedding and new dresser
  • Cleaned out the baby's room (AKA - our catch-all room)
  • Started a list of baby names
  • Narrowed the baby room colors down to 3 options :)
  • Built part of our new nightstands (they will hopefully be done this week)
  • Sprayed for bugs....always a must on my list
Whew!  It makes me tired just typing out the list!  Unforunately, we have lots to do the next few months while Reid is at home!  I take advantage of every minute I have him here....and he loves me for it (wink-wink!)


Monday, June 4, 2012

Caeden: 34 mos



Hard to believe that Caeden will be 3 years old in just a few months!  I feel like we just celebrated his first birthday a few months ago...  Here's what he's been up to lately!!

EATING
Caeden eats at every meal, but often opts out of his fruit or veggie that is offered.  It's obviously hard to force a child to eat this food, but it's also frustrating because we feel like all he's eating are carbs and dairy.  Some days he eats more fruits/veggies than others, but it's still a constant struggle.  His favorite foods are still macaroni & cheese, hot dogs, goldfish, and applesauce.

PLAYING
Half of this month was spent without Ella since our schools got out so early this year. :)  So, he has had to remember how to play independently.  It's been a struggle on some days.  He's just so used to having a constant friend to play with... Of course, mommy & daddy are intentional about sitting and playing with him every day - but we can't just do this all day.  His favorite toys this month have been his tools.  Everyday he uses his tools to pound on something or pretend to build something....Just like his daddy!

SLEEP
He is still taking good naps - they've actually been a tad longer this month (knock on wood).  He's sleeping about 1.5 hours each day (sometimes a little longer).  He still goes to sleep easy, which is great!  And at night, he sleeps from 8pm-7am.

LANGUAGE
Caeden is still learning new phrases and saying new things all the time.  Even though he has a high vocabulary - we're still hearing him say things we didn't know he knew!  The other day, he started to say something, and then said, "Never mind."  That was a new phrase for him.  Tonight he was eating dinner and picking at his chicken and said, "I'm trying to find a piece that is 'perfect.'"  Haven't heard him use the word perfect either.

A few funny things he's said lately:

  • After mommy dropped her second piece of food on the floor and said "Gees,"  Caeden goes "Your not eating cheese mommy!" And then he finished with a loud laugh - like I was crazy for thinking I had cheese on my plate.
  • One day in the car we were explaining that the cars behind us were watching out for other cars, and he said, "Cars don't have faces!"  I guess when we said the 'cars were watching' he thought that meant they had eyes. :)
There have been several others, but I'm so bad at remembering them - I need to do better!

SUMMER
Our summer has begun and it took him a few days to adjust.  He loves that daddy is home, but just struggles with change a little bit. The first few mornings that daddy went to get him out of bed (instead of mommy) he got mad and was upset.  We have also had less structure to our day, which is fun, and he's doing pretty good at handling it.

DOCTOR
We found out that Caeden has to have another surgery this summer - another issue.  I'm glad these are all things that can be fixed - I always thank God that's he's so healthy and doesn't have any serious health problems.  It's just sad that this is 3rd surgery in two years...  We'll keep you posted!

LEARNING
Again, Caeden is constantly learning new things. 
  • He's doing better at going into the bathroom and completely going potty all by himself (just can't wipe by himself yet)
  • Can dress himself if they're easy clothes
  • Can put on his own jacket
  • Can draw the beginnings of a face
  • Has a GREAT imagination and always impresses me with the things he pretends to do without prompting
  • Is learning to rote count (can sometimes do it - just still inconsistent)
  • Can read familiar books to us and has great comprehension
  • Can consistently identify & name the letters C, W, and O
  • Can count to 15....working on all the way to 20
DISCIPLINE
Some days are still really hard with Caeden.  He is just the type of child that knows exactly what he wants, and if it doesn't happen how HE wants, he loses it.  It doesn't even escalate slowly...he goes from 0 to 10 in matter of seconds....and then it can take 20-30 minutes to calm him down.  We are constantly working on not throwing fits, other ways to show our anger, not whining, and asking for things nicely.  I know that raising a child is a marathon, and I know God will empower us to do this job.  We just feel that so many of our days are spent correcting... 

BIG BROTHER
Caeden learned this month he was a having a little sister, after wanting a little brother so badly.  He has adjusted to the idea and I think is happy with it now.  Of course, he won't totally grasp all of it until she's here.  He often talks to the baby, and hugs my belly.  He will hand a toy to my belly and explain that it's for his baby sister.  Today we were reading some books.  He made me hold the books by my belly and said, "My baby sister likes it."  After each book, he would pat my belly and pick another one. :) He asked me today, "What's her name?"  So we had to explain that she doesn't have a name yet, but will soon.  I can only pray that he will accept her just as easily when she's actually here!  

I think that's about it!  Caeden is definitely turning more & more into a little boy, and not even as much a toddler anymore!  We love him so very much and just pray that God will somehow use Caeden to glorify HIM!