Generosity

I am still taken back by the overflowing generosity my mother in laws friends have bestowed onto this pregnancy. Yesterday one of her stamping buddies had us over to her home to go through baby clothes. She had two large tubs, one newborn to 3 months, then other 3 to 6 months that she gave freely for us to use. But among the stacks of baby clothes she also had this sleeping bag. It is so funny because someone had bought it at a garage sale and given it to her to use for her daycare but when she heard that we had chosen Harrison if we have a boy she set it aside just for us. Check out how cute this sleeping bag is:

Baby Quilt FINISHED

This has been a long process but I am so pleased to announce that the baby's bedding is finally finished! I couldn't be happier with how it turned out and cannot wait to wrap our baby up in it for the first time. Here are some pictures of it all finished!

Maternity Update: Week 20

How far along: 20 weeks

Total weight gain: -34

Maternity clothes: Shirts and some pants now

Sleep: Getting better! I have finally mastered sleeping through the tossing and turning at night. I have found if I place a pillow on each side no matter which way I turn I get support.

Best moment of the week: Sleeping in until 9 am this morning!

Movement: Still none since the fall

Gender: Unknown

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Feeling movement

What I'm looking forward to: Feeling movements again

Weekly wisdom: Eat something as soon as you get up in the morning! This actually does help with morning sickness

Milestones: Half-way point!!!

What's happening with the baby: Baby weighs about 10.5 ounces and is around 6.5 inches long from head to bottom or about 10 inches from head to heel (size of a banana). For the first 20 weeks, when baby's legs are curled up against its torso, measurements are taken from the top of its head to its bottom (crown to rump). But after 20 weeks baby is measured from head to toe.

20 Week Appointment

Today we had our 20 week anatomy ultrasound and praise God our prayers were answered. Baby is so incredibly healthy! He or she is measuring a few weeks ahead but they kept my due date the same. The little one also weighs a pound already!! Obviously this little one is taking after mama at this point because he/she was barely moving at all, not much of a morning person. We got a few close ups where we could actually see the baby yawning, rooting, and making sucking faces. The ultrasound tech had to poke the baby a few times to try and get him/her to move. Even if we wanted to know the sex there was no way we would have been able to find out because baby was so stubborn. We did find out that the babys' head is down and he/she is kicking backwards so that would explain why I haven't been able to feel any of those flutters of jabs. So without further delay here are some pictures from the appointment:

Embrace the Camera Thursdays

Its that time of the week again! Step out from behind your camera and share a moment of yourself with a loved one!

Today Nick and I went in for our 20 week anatomy ultrasound. We were so excited to see our little one but even more thrilled afterwards that there were no slip ups and the babies gender still remains a mystery. Its so amazing to see our little monkey up on the screen getting bigger and stronger as the weeks go by. I know I have said this before but I cannot wait to meet this little guy or gal!

So are you up for the challenge? Link your post/blog down in the comments section and share your pictures. Go through and leave comments for other bloggers because I know for many of us our comfort zone is actually behind the camera!

Tomorrow is the day ...

... we get to see our little monkey again. We are having our anatomy scan tomorrow which consists of a series of anatomical measurements to see how the baby is growing. A detailed exam of the brain, all four chambers of the heart, as well as kidneys, bladder, stomach, and spine will confirm our quad screen results that there is no visible defects (insert petition for prayers here!) We also have the option to find out the sex of the baby which Nick and I are declining. This "procedure" can take up to 30 to 45 minutes and fortunately we will get to leave with a whole slew of pictures of our little one. Afterwards we will be meeting with our midwife to discuss the "results" of the ultrasound and talk about any issues that have occurred these last few weeks. I cannot wait to see where this little one is hiding, I have been missing his/her little pokes and prods like crazy!

Sunday Crafting

Joanne Fabrics was having a huge pattern sale again so I picked up an adorable diaper cover pattern. Cheryl and I had a little too much fun putting these together today take a look

While we were figuring this out Cheryl pulled out an old pattern she used to make bibs for Nick and you'll never believe what we found on the back!

I have another three diaper covers started that I need to put the binding on but I was so excited how these turned out. This week I think I am going to attempt to make a pair of corduroy bibs! This little one is already spoiled rotten.

Maternity Update: Week 19

How far along: 19 weeks

Total weight gain: -34

Maternity clothes: Shirts and some pants now

Sleep: Elusive

Best moment of the week: Hearing the little one's heartbeat

Movement: None since the fall over two weeks ago ...

Gender: Unknown

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Feeling movement

What I'm looking forward to: Only 4 more days till our anatomy ultrasound! I cannot wait to see our little one again

Weekly wisdom: Even if your feeling sick try and eat something! Dry heaving is actually worse then getting sick

Milestones: Second trimester

What's happening with the baby: Six inches long this week and about eight ounces in weight, your baby is the size of a large mango. Arms and legs are finally in proportion, neurons are now connected between the brain and muscles, and cartilage throughout the body is turning to bone. All these upgrades combine to give your baby more control over limb movements.

Thankful Thursday

Things for the most part have been crazy and lets face it a little emotional so like every Thursday I want to take a moment to share what I am thankful for!

I am thankful for:

• A caring Lord and Savior who reminds me daily what it means to live life to the fullest!
• My wonderful husband who I miss when he is at work but and thankful for those times away...now I can actually miss him when he is gone! (We haven't really been apart from each other since we got married!)
• A HEALTHY little one growing inside of me. After my fall I was surrounded by doubts and fears for its safety but I know that he/she is healthy and strong and I cannot wait to start feeling those little kicks again.

So let me ask you ... What are you thankful for?

Embrace the Camera Thursdays

A wonderful blogger down in Florida reminded me recently how short life really is and challenged me to not let those little moments go by. Embrace the Camera is an opportunity to get out from behind the camera and jump in front of it with your friends, your family, and most importantly your little ones!

This is an older picture but it is one of my favorite moments with my little family. (Yes Nick and I are totally rocking our footed PJ's!) We took this picture on Christmas Day as our first whole family picture with our puppies. Little did we know I am 2-3 weeks pregnant in this picture! So this really is our FIRST whole family picture.
So are you up for the challenge? Link your post/blog down in the comments section and share your pictures. Go through and leave comments for other bloggers because I know for many of us our comfort zone is actually behind the camera!

Confession ...

Alright I do not want to be a debbie downer but I have to get this out. Every time I see twins I feel as though my heart is breaking. I cannot help think about the what ifs and I find myself missing the little one I'll never meet. I sometimes wonder if I will ever be able to get over loosing him/her ....

Maternity Update: Week 18

How far along: 18 weeks

Total weight gain: -34

Maternity clothes: Shirts and some pants now

Sleep: Non-existent

Best moment of the week: Finishing the front of the babys quilt

Movement: None since the fall over a week ago ...

Gender: Unknown

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Feeling the LO move

What I'm looking forward to: Anatomy ultrasound next week!

Weekly wisdom: Enjoy each little movement because at any point they could stop

Milestones: Second trimester

What's happening with the baby: Baby is now 51/2 inches long (crown to rump!) or about the size of a mango. Along with mastering the art of yawning, baby will also start developing hiccups this week.

What's happening with you: Currently my uterus is the size of a cantaloupe and can easily be felt 1/2 an inch from my belly button. The growing size of my uterus shifts the center of gravity and my lower back will begin to be pulled forward and my abdomen is thrust out. So back pain at this point may become more common.

I cannot believe its almost done

I know you guys are probably getting sick of hearing about this quilt but I am so tickled with how it is turning out. After a near disaster where I messed up my pattern I finally have everything in its place and all put together.

Now the real fun begins! I should have the battening by tonight so this week I can hopefully get this quilted, attach the incredibly soft backing, and sew on the finishing touch .... the binding I made from hand! I really hope our little ones love this quilt as much as I have loved making it.

13 Days...

Until I see my little monkey again

Dance again

Teach Again

Grocery Shop

Pick up Natalie or Brookelynn

...basically anything I want to do!

I am not a fan of "bed-rest" though I am getting quite a lot accomplished. Why couldnt this have happened before Nick went back to work!

Look who has been helping me sew the baby's quilt...

She's my sweet girl (when she wants to be)

New Projects

As always while browsing around my all time favorite website I stumbled upon a few more things I want to attempt before our little one gets here. The first is an adorable car seat cover and ironically enough I already have a pattern and fabric for it!



I went to JoAnn's last week during their $1 simplicity pattern sale and had picked up a few patterns. One in particular I bought for the sling pattern but now I am even more excited I picked it up because it has the car seat cover pattern too.



Now this next project is going to be tricky because the bottom line is I do not know how to knit. But I cannot get over how adorable this security blanket is!



Such a happy baby with her blanket. So now I just need to figure out how to knit! I have also almost finished my wall art for the nursery. I used the left fabric from the quilt and old embroidery hoops and re-created this nursery piece I found online.



Once I get them all arranged I'll be sure to post pictures! I cannot believe how much I have gotten accomplished in the last 18 weeks.

Maternity Update: Week 17

How far along: 17 weeks

Total weight gain: -34

Maternity clothes: Shirts and some pants now

Sleep: Non-existent

Best moment of the week: Finding out the baby is ok after falling down a flight of stairs

Movement: None since the fall but my Midwife believes my uterus tilted and now the baby is kicking back

Gender: Unknown

Labor signs: None

Belly button in or out: In

What I miss: Zumba

What I'm looking forward to: Anatomy ultrasound in two weeks

Weekly wisdom: Don't google anything it will only get you more concerned

Milestones: Second trimester

What's happening with the baby: Babies body fat is beginning to form and will continue to accumlate through the end of the pregnancy. By the time baby is born 2/3 of his or her weight will be made up of babys body fat (yay chubby legs).

Loud noises such as dogs barking, doorbells ringing will actually startle the baby but if its a common disturbance (cough, cough, Kal'li barking cough, cough) the baby will become so accustomed to it that they may sleep through it after he or she is born.

What's happening with you: Second trimester is typically an easier time — the first trimester worries are waning and morning sickness is finally letting up. My uterus is expanding and I have even start showing! One side effect of your uterine expansion could be achy or sharp pregnancy cramps on one or both sides of your abdomen — known as "round ligament pain".

How we all tumble ...

So like I said in my previous post I had a pretty nasty fall down my basement steps which landed me in urgent care. I had my follow up appointment on Tuesday with my midwife and thankfully everything look fine. She said my body took the biggest blow and that baby is ok. During my fall she suspects my uterus must have tilted explaining why I haven't been able to feel the baby. Heartbeat was a strong 135 which is lower than its ever been but thankfully the baby was moving a lot while she tried to get the heartbeat. I go back in 2 weeks for another follow up and an ultrasound but until then I am put on limited physical activity. I cannot teach Zumba, I cannot life over 25 pounds, and I need to be resting whenever I can. Its been a full 24 hours and I am already bored! This is going to be a long 2 weeks....

Quick Update...

Well I scoffed at the baby books when they said that your balance could become troublesome during the 2nd trimester and boy was I wrong...

Yesterday after Zumba I was working on some laundry and while trying to carry a basket downstairs I lost my balance and down I fell! I fell all the way down on my stomach but thankfully I landed on top of the laundry basket at the bottom of the stairs instead of on the concrete. I ended up going to urgent car but thankfully the baby is fine. I am pretty beat up and will be taking it easy the next couple days. I'll update again after I see our midwife.