Sadie Elaine Danklefs and the Danklefs family

How horribly sad... it's been how long?

2010-03-11T16:12:00.000-08:00

I haven't posted a single thing since I got my Iphone. It's just WAY too easy to take pics and post onto FB! I promise, pics to come soon.
Sadie's now 15 months old. These past couple of weeks, she's suffered from a croupy cough, double ear infection (with fever for 3 days), and now the snottiest nose ever. She now have 12 teeth. Front 4 on top and bottom, and now 4 more molars. Whew...it's no wonder she's been sick.
She weighs a little over 24 lbs, and is 32 inches long. She's now officially HALF my size. She's gonna be a tall girl for sure. She's still in the 90th percentile.
As for me, since August I've lost almost 40 lbs. Yep! It's true! I've been a part of two weight loss contests, the first in the fall up to Thanksgiving, and now up through April 9th. It's helped me SOO much. Me and my "prettiest losers" are having a great time. They're my strength! I'm so thankful for my Praise Team girls. Their prayers, encouragement, and constant support are getting me through this weight loss! I've also been attending Jay's Boot Camp for the past 2 1/2 months...and THAT has helped a TON! I love it!
Daddy's doing great! He's super busy, I'm super busy, and baby longs for nights when we're both home at the same time. She looooves when mommy and daddy are together with her!
That's it for now. I have to figure out how to upload my Iphone pics so I can show you how big she is. And of course, I may have to have Craig take a pic of me... :)

It's Official: WE'RE CRAWLING!!!

2009-08-03T10:52:00.000-07:00

And we are INTO EVERYTHING!!! Wow! In one week's time, we have gone from two little crawling steps to all the way down the hall, with a few trips along the way...silly clothes get caught on her knees. It's time for a play pen...if anyone has one that they aren't using right now...we'd love to borrow it!!! I can NOT keep her in one spot!!! She wants to eat the cat food, play with the cat's toys, CHASE THE CAT!! He's a bit freaked out by her mobility...as he should be. She wants so badly to pull that long tail of his! She's no longer interested in her toys...she wants whatever's in the drawers, cabinets, doors, etc!!! It's fun to watch, but boy am I already tired!!! She's REALLY fast!!!
She's clapping now, too. After her 2nd cousin Rhealyn's 1st birthday party, she decided she needed to learn how to clap like everyone else. She thought maybe she'd get some presents, too... Rhealyn claps, she got a present... Sadie claps, nothing, but awwwww... Funny!

Into mommy's purse!! Whoo hoo, lip gloss and jewelry!
Trying out my new ride... Eeeerrrkkk...slow down!!

Being a cautious driver

La la la la!!! Singing to the radio!!

Look Left!

Honk honk...

Checking out all the stuff on the dash board.

Sadie's first swim lessons...

2009-07-11T10:45:00.000-07:00

Sadie started her first swim lessons on Thursday. Jacie is taking them with her, so they can help each other out. Meanwhile, Kristi and I are telling each other to be strong! It was kind of hard to watch my little girl go under water for the first time... the fact that she had her mouth wide open didn't help either. She swallowed a LOT of water...kind of freaked her out, but she got really good at it after a few times.

Later, she got to show off those skills on Friday evening, when Bob and Bee invited us over, which is where she's taking her lessons. So it was familiar to her, and I think she did better and was much more accustomed to the water. Mommy and Daddy are very proud of our munchkin!

My silly little girl showing off her swimsuit.

Miss Paloma, after pulling Sadie off of the side for a "jump".

Miss Paloma telling Sadie to "kick, kick, kick, kick!" to go get the toy.

Ireland Pics - towards the end of the trip...patience please. :)

2009-07-09T14:48:00.000-07:00

More to come.... it takes Blogger so long to upload 5 pics at a time, then you have to sit and delete all the space between them... grrr...so here are a few! This is toward the END of the trip... b/c I was trying to outsmart Blogger by putting them in backwards... you can see, I lose again.

Belfast

Belfast

About to eat some grub!!!

Beautiful countryside.

Sadie and her boyfriend, Jake, born on the same day.

Jessica, Sadie's new friend...awesome little girl. So helpful! Yes, my husband is in jail...LOL... visited the jail with a couple of friends.

Visiting with Stacy at Jack and Rosemary's for lunch

Sadie just received a new gift, one of many we came home with! Us with one of our girls we hosted last summer, NikiUs with Rosemary and Jack Audley - choir leader for GMYC

Bill,(our host), with Pastor Kilpatrick and his wife. Mimi Wilma (our host) trying to take Sadie away to keep.We WISH Sadie had her own seat... only just while waiting for our new stranger friend to come sit by us... the one we apologized profusely to before he even sat down.

Sadie after being home an hour... knocked herself out!

We're BAAACK!!! Home Sweet Home!

2009-07-07T09:16:00.000-07:00

Well, we are back home safely from our Ireland trip! It was absolutely AMAZING! God had a HUGE part! We were in awe of the beauty of their land, He was very much there at every concert we did, and He made sure we got everywhere we needed to go safely! This was HIS trip! Without Him, it would have been oh so bland.
The food was amazing - the only place I've ever been where they serve two, sometimes three types of potatoes at every meal. I was in LOVE! Can you believe we didn't gain ANY weight...WE WALKED SEVERAL MILES per day!!! Otherwise, I'm not sure I'd fit in my clothes to get home. Sadie LOOOOVED the food. She ate off of our plates most meals, especially our desserts. She also had THEIR baby food... in which she gobbled up every time! Her diapers were unbelievable!!! Yesterday, she had FOUR dirty diapers...she's just trying to get it all out of her system! She's probably the one who gained weight! She left a baby, and came back a little girl. She's pulling up on us now and standing!!! She's crawling backwards!! She's sitting longer than ever! We saw her develop more in Ireland than here at home. Her hair even looks like it grew an inch!
She was the STAR of the show EVERYWHERE we went. Even strangers commented that she was "GORGE"...short for Gorgeous. Literally, everywhere! Waitresses, people in the elevator, people in the airport, people on the plane... EVERYWHERE. We know we have a pretty little girl, but boy was she popular. She is SPOILED now! She was held by EVERYONE on our trip. We will have pics soon...we have A BAZILLION to download... be looking out for it!

Be sure to follow our Ireland Blog!!!

2009-06-20T08:28:00.000-07:00

http://irelandmissiontrip-praise.blogspot.com/

We will make sure it's updated daily while we're away. Our friend Kate will be doing all of the updating. So if you see a bunch of faces you don't know, just be watching for our's ... I'm sure Sadie will make the cut most days... she has a big following! ;)

It's already up and running - we are leaving this next Thursday, June 25th at 3:25. Pray for safe travels, and many blessings. We hope to come back truly changed by God's amazing works!

Here's a farewell for now from Sadie. She says, "Gimme a great big hug!!!!"

Here's another couple I just love...this is her new sleep position...

Sadie and her new past time...

2009-06-15T15:43:00.000-07:00

Sadie loves banging things together as of lately...so I figured, why not? Who needs a quiet household anyway? I gave her a metal bowl, two metal measuring cups, and a wooden spoon...and watched her go to town! She loved it! She was so good at putting in the measuring cup, then taking it out, then eating, then doing it all over again! She's our funny little girl.

She now has TWO teeth, still working on the top ones. These have been tougher on her than the first two... I was hoping they'd come in before we left for Ireland... We still have 10 days as of today... So we'll see.

She had her first ear infection last week... It was caused by her allergies, which were caused by her teething. The fun thing with this one... boogers literally coming out of her eyes. We thought maybe she had pink eye... No. The doctor said her sinuses were SO backed up, that boogers were coming out of her eyes, b/c they had nowhere else to go... YYUUUUMMMYYYY!!! One dose of Amoxicillin, the gunk was gone. I'm a believer!

She's really trying to scooch her way around right now. She definitely finds her way around her crib. One minute she's got her tooshy sticking in the air in the upper right hand corner of the crib, the next minute, she's on her back in the lower left hand corner... kicking the monitor. Lovely sound at 2 AM.

Last night she went down at 9, mommy tried to wear her out...she's been going to bed around 11 or midnight for about a week or so. She was exhausted. However, she slept until 1...and wanted to play. She would not go back down. Really cute sounds coming from the monitor, but not at 1:15, 1:30, puking at 1:45, crying at 2, playing at 2:15... I was utterly exhausted this morning. And b/c Craig goes to work so early, I got her and me ready by myself this morning... My hat goes off to single moms... you guys rock. B/c there are days, I'm not sure I'd know what to do without Craig's help! It was by the GRACE OF GOD that I got up by 6:45, got myself ready by 7:15, woke her up at 7:20, bathed her by 7:30, fed her at 7:40, burped her 3 times (wow for her), and was out the door by 7:57 to go to Daycare. That's all while running my clothes in the dryer to UNwrinkle, making sure the humidifier was emptied. I never got to undo her sheets with puke on them... but hey...I was doing good to do the humidifier.

B/c I'm working Mother's Day Out Summer Camp Mondays and Wednesdays, it's really hard for me to get her to daycare by 8:15, and back up to the church by 8:30. I'm telling you, God's hand guided me all morning. All while feeling as though I needed to puke, as I had caught Craig's bug from last week. I would say I was proud of myself...but it was truly God's hand in it!!!

Pics...most recent

2009-06-02T15:31:00.001-07:00

Sadie Loooooooves her bath time!!!

Snoozin' during our busy errand running... wearing her new pink camo tennis shoes...

At my sister Vaughna's house after Sadie's cousin Glen got "Bap -UH- tized".

Sadie's 6 months old now AND cut her first tooth!!!

2009-06-01T16:18:00.000-07:00

My big girl is growing up so fast! I couldn't believe it! While we were in the dr.'s office, I was asking him about her cutting teeth, how long it could take, etc. Just then, I felt in her mouth, and sure enough, there it was, as sharp as ever. She weighed 19 lbs 2.5 oz and was 26 1/2 in. long. He said she's about in the 90th percentile for her age. She's gonna be a big'n!! She handled her shots like a champ!
NOW - I think she's cutting another one. She didn't sleep too well last night. She woke up around 11:30 and cried for a good long while and couldn't get settled down. Her nose was really stopped up. I gave her decongestent drops (hated it!), put Orajel on her little gumes, checked her temp (nothing, 97.9), and gave her Tylenol. I rocked her to sleep in her carseat, and she slept the rest of the night like that. Nothing new there... she's only slept on her tummy in her crib for about a week. When she can't breathe, though, she doesn't sleep well. Who does? Can't blame her. Bless her little heart.
Today, as I walked into her daycare Nana's house, I could hear her screaming from the back patio... she was just kickin' and screamin'... Nana was changing her diaper, and couldn't get her pants back on... I picked her up, and she was better for about 2 seconds, but right back at it she went. She hadn't taken a nap since this morning...so she was EXHAUSTED and hurting, I'm sure.
She fell asleep in the car on the way home, thank goodness, but who knows how long she'll be out! I guess until she's hungry! She's been asleep for almost 45 minutes now... in her carseat. I can't wait to see what tonight shall bring....

It's been a while... nothing huge to report...

2009-05-22T15:39:00.001-07:00

watching Mickey Mouse Funhouse
Bath time - Loves the water!
trying her hardest to crawl!

ELMO!!! I missed you so much!!
After eating prunes... amazingly, she loved them... you'd never know it, b/c she wears most of it...

Just some cute pics... Sadie is trying her darndest to crawl... She looks like a little froggy. She's drooling like mad right now... Her bottom teeth are bound to come in any day now... her gums are really sore.
She got a new bath tub the other night. It quacks. When I push the beak, she gets this really surprised look on her face like "Mommy! Do you hear that??" So fun and cute. Man, she really likes her bath...she's fearless. I'm really glad! We want her to get really used to being in water.
She's now officially had ALL of Gerber 1 foods... we started over this week on squash and again on peaches. She is getting used to the peaches... She didn't like them at first.
She's sitting up a lot better and stays up a lot longer now. She's bound to start crawling soon...
I'm really trying to get Craig to upload some video for me that I can start putting on here... hopefully soon.

We're sitting by ourself...sort of...

2009-05-05T19:59:00.000-07:00

I'll add more later...but I wanted to share our newest accomplishment!!
Yea!!!! I'm sitting up like a big girl! She's getting so very strong. She's really learned to lift herself up from lying down in her bouncy and her car seat. She's 5 months - 2 weeks now. My big girl!

Sadie LOVES those green beans...

2009-04-23T06:53:00.000-07:00

Sadie ate an entire 2.5 oz container of green beans the other night, and we're supposed to keep her on the same food for 3 to 5 days... I had to pair them with rice cereal last night just to have more for tonight. She didn't like peaches by themselves, but LOVED them with rice cereal. She really is taking to solids GREAT!! I will have to add pics later....I don't have any on this computer.
She is just a rollypolly now. I will lay her on the floor on her back, walk away, and come back and she will be completely rolled over and hanging out on her tummy. She hasn't quite figured out how to turn over from her tummy yet...those arms keep getting in the way.
She's definitely teething now...slobber is EVERYWHERE. She sucks on her fingers, her feet, her clothes, her socks, any toy she's given... I can't feel anything yet, but I can tell by where she puts her fingers they will be on the top leftish...
She's going to bed on her back and has started waking up every night anywhere from 12:30 to 1:45... She won't go back down on her back...so I have to put her in her carseat to finish the night out. Her breathing at night is not that great either, so she's probably just waking herself up b/c she can't breathe through her nose.
She's really so much fun right now. We are loving all the sounds she's making... high pitched little squeaks and squeals. She's just so darn cute it's hard not to kiss her every time we see her or keep our hands off of her.
5 months is next week...I can hardly believe it! It's going by SO FAST!!!

Easter and other amazing things!!

2009-04-16T16:03:00.001-07:00

We had a GREAT Easter!!! We absolutely love when we get to go to Craig's Mimi's (Sadie's GREAT Mimi) house in South Texas. We went to a Fish Fry Friday night - YUMMY!!!!! Saw all the family and some friends. Of course, everyone doated over Sadie... She had a blast being the center of attention! She made herself a couple of boyfriends, too. Craig's cousin Kristin's boyfriend, Scott (that was a mouthfull) held her and loved on her, everytime he'd walk up, her attention went straight to him...hilarious.

The next day, we went to see an old friend of the family's, then got ready to go to Craig's aunt's side of her family (so his cousin's cousins house...). We had crawfish and shrimp galore, potatoes, onions, garlic, corn...gracious... a lot!!! We chased each other for an hour with confetti eggs...that was the craziest thing I've ever been a part of (I must not get out much...). It really was hilarious...everyone went crazy chasing everyone else with eggs in hand and silly string. Just nutty.

Sunday morning, we all got ready for church (we missed their 100th celebration by 1 more weekend...wish we could go). Again, everyone at church just went ga ga over Sadie...she just looked absolutely adorable. After church, I had her down in the living room floor - I had a feeling she may turn over - AND SHE DID!!! For the first time...it was awesome!!! I was way more excited than anyone else... oh well... she's been trying for a month now...it's about time!!
We left mid-afternoon to come home and got home around 7 ish. I fed her squash for the first time - SHE LOVES IT!!!! She's really getting good at opening her mouth and swallowing it. She used to just spit it out, but now she's really trying to get every last bit of it off of the spoon. She's such a big girl!

Yesterday, Sadie ran fever due to her teething. She couldn't stay at daycare, so she spent the day at Meme and Papah's... They're convinced she just wanted to see them, since her fever went away after I got her there. :)

Her teeth are not quite cutting through yet, but she tries to eat EVERYTHING! Especially her thumb, upside down...kind of funny to watch.

She also has started to mock me or "ape" me, as my mom calls it. I will slap my hands down on my lap, and then she will...it's a fun game we play! And so so so cute!

I think that's just about it... I'm sure I'll remember something later...

Here are some pics of this weekend!

holding her own bottle!!!

New Adventures...

2009-04-07T15:35:00.000-07:00

Last week on Sunday, Sadie started eating rice cereal at her last meal of the day. It's taken until LAST NIGHT for her to get used to it, but I think she's finally getting used to the spoon, and knowing when to open her mouth when it's time for a new mouthful. However, she's truly earned her nickname of "monk" or "munk"... We've always called her Monkey, but now, Chipmunk is in order... she has been storing up cereal in her cheeks, so much later she spits it out... It's hilarious! Of course, we have pictures of our GIANT baby eating like a big girl.

We've also started letting her play in a new toy (passed down to her by her cousin Ethan). The Jumperoo is her new favorite toy - and she's so much fun to watch!!!

Unfortunately, she's been sick again this last week with snotty nose, and now it has gotten into her chest again, so we've started her breathing treatments again. This time, though, she's getting diarhea - and it's all of her phlegm that she's swallowed! YUCK!!!!! Hope you didn't just picture that... believe it or not, it stinks way more than you think it would... So THAT'S all been REALLY fun!!!!

It seems now that every time mommy puts on a new outfit, she must christen it with spit up! So anytime we want a new outfit on her...we have another outfit READY TO GO! :)

She is now starting to LOVE her own voice, and just talks and laughs and makes the most fun sounds... especially when mommy and daddy are watching tv! :)

We're having SO MUCH FUN with her right now, but are so sad that she's growing SO FAST!!!!!

4 Month Check Up

2009-03-29T16:24:00.000-07:00

Well, Miss Sadie went to the doctor on Friday for her 4 month check up... She weighed in at a whopping 16.12 lbs and was 25 1/2 inches long. I believe he said she's in the 95th percentile for weight and 97th for height, but it could very well be mixed up...as I was just blown away at what he had just said...

The shot part wasn't as bad as last time. I don't know if she was trying to be strong for us, but she only cried for about 20 seconds... that was it. She was fine...until the Tylenol wore off that evening... YIKES!!!! No bueno..... she was screaming like I haven't heard her scream before... you know they get LOUDER as they get BIGGER??!!!! So, we fed her as she cried, gave her more Tylenol, and just tried to massage her little legs and blow on them, for some reason she would have some sense of comfort, but there is so much air you can blow AS you're rocking, massaging, and feeding...

She awoke at 4:15 the next morning... ate, and went back to sleep in her swing, mommy slept on the couch.

She slept until about 9, and was a happy little thing...

I had to leave by 2 for the theatre for the concert I was singing in last night...she was doing great when I left. During the concert, she slept mostly... So when she got home she was raring to go... ready to play. She ate, didn't finish her whole bottle though, and went down at about 11:20ish... She slept until 12:15...Ugh... she cried for a little...then put herself back to sleep... Woke up AGAIN at 1:20... we fed her again, and rocked her in her carseat until about 2:00. We put her in her crib IN her carseat and she slept until this morning at 9ish... Not sure what all the crying was about, EXCEPT that I think she just was so stopped up, that she couldn't breathe through her nose and couldn't sleep... So while she was so sad, mommy sprayed Saline drops in her nose...that made things pretty bad...but she started breathing better after that...thus sleeping until this morning. YEA.

Mommy TOTALLY forgot to set her alarm clock for Praise Team this morning, and woke up at 8:11, I was supposed to be at church at 8. Thanks to DeDe who let me skip today b/c there was another soprano...THANKFULLY!!!

She's a pretty happy baby today, but still really SNOTTY (in her nose...ha!).

Here are pics from LAST WEEKEND when we went to my brother's house in Little Elm...she got to ride on her first swing outside.

Love getting to see Sadie's firsts....

2009-03-20T21:46:00.000-07:00

So, this week has been a blast for me!!! I've gotten to witness a couple of firsts for Sadie, and that is so exciting! At the beginning of the week, I had her sitting in her Bumbo, she reached down, grabbed her feet, wiggled her toes, and pulled her socks off... I thought, okay, that's just coincidence, since her feet were so close to her eyes...and hands. THEN later on that day, she was laying on her play mat, and I saw her lift her feet up to her head, and hold onto her feet, and pull her socks off! It was adorable... all the while, I was thinking, "She's gonna turn over...", but she didn't.

THEN, yesterday, again, she was laying on her play mat, playing with all her hanging toys. I walked over, b/c she was grabbing her feet again... I pulled her little feet up to her cheeks and squeezed her cheeks with her feet and made some funny noises, she just laughed and giggled and chuckled... I'd never heard her do that...so I tried again... she thought it was so funny... Then when I started laughing, she laughed some more, and I would laugh, then she would laugh... I was having a hay day... called my mom, let her listen in on it... it was just so darn cute!!!!
This is one where she's laughing... not that you can hear it, but you can definitely tell... too cute!

Today, I kept thinking she would roll over, I kept videoing, and videoing, and videoing... nope, still not ready...but she's REAAAAALLLLY close!!!!

More firsts to come...I am so glad I got to witness it over my Spring Break!!! It made my week!!

Happy St. Patrick's Day Everybody!!

2009-03-17T16:39:00.000-07:00

My St. Patrick's Day outfit I received as a gift from an Irish friend when I was just a wee 'n - as the Irish would say.

She was such a happy baby today!!! I haven't heard her cough ALL day... just sneeze... what's new there? I think we'll try letting her sleep in her crib tonight... pray she sleeps!!! Mommy is tired of the couch and recliner... I miss my bed.

A little scare last week...

2009-03-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

So, last week can be chalked up to be one of those scary mommy moments... Sadie has had a cough for a couple of weeks now, and by last Monday, she had been coughing about 3 days... Not a good and clear cough, but an icky, wet, loose, get stuck in her throat cough. So Monday morning was Staff Development for us, but I decided it would be a good day to take her to the doctor... So, I called and assumed they'd just tell me to ride it out... she had been running a low fever off and on for a couple of days, but nothing major. When I called them the nurse said to go ahead and bring her in... We got there, the doctor saw her, listened to her, said it sounded like she had some sort of fluid in her lungs. He said they were going to give her 2 breathing treatments and to pay attention, b/c I would be giving her breathing treatments when I took her home. I helped give her the breathing treatments, and she seemed to enjoy them...thought it was a new toy! THEN he said I needed to take her to the Radiology Associates office to take a chest Xray... THAT scared me. I wasn't for sure what they were going to be looking for...

I took her home after that, let her have lunch, then took her back up to get her Xray... she was so tuckered out from the doctor, she slept through the whole thing... which was great!! I got a phone call about 2 hours later saying that it was NOT pneumonia (WHICH HAD NOT EVEN CROSSED MY MIND!!!!). I thought they may say something about asthma... nothing. I asked her if it could be, she said they will not know until she's old enough to talk and tell us what she's feeling. But, if she has several flair ups in a 3 month period, that they may go ahead and diagnose it as asthma...but for now, they were calling it seasonal allergies...

TODAY - she's not coughing half as much, but we're still giving her breathing treatments every 4 hours. Her cough is getting to be a lot more dry sounding...and she seems to be getting back on schedule. I've been sleeping on the couch for a week, b/c she's been sleeping in her swing... she doesn't lay on her back well when she's got this crud...

She's been SUCH a trooper!!! We're super proud of her and how she's handling the breathing treatments...now I think she thinks it's a microphone and likes to talk into it and lick on it!!!

My happy little girl, being a trooper about her breathing treatment!!!

She's getting MUCH better...and once she stops coughing and it doesn't have ANY junk in it, we can stop the treatments. The machine is OUR'S...so if we feel as though she's getting it again, we can just pop out the machine... and away we go.

3 month pictures tonight...

2009-03-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

Sadie gets her picture made tonight... This is the first professional pics we've had done... BAD PARENTS!!! We just haven't had time or money... but thanks to our tax refund, we can go now! :) She will be taking her picture in her Baptism dress and one cutesy outfit that we're going shopping for today. Nothing like LAST MINUTE!!! :)
I will share with you when we get them.

Random pics of Miss Sadie on a normal weekday evening...

2009-03-07T08:54:00.000-08:00

Sadie LOVES to watch TV... So I turned her around, and look what she did... :)

I just ate - I've just started having my bottle with cereal at night time... I LIKE IT!!!!

I'm 3 months old now... I'm a great big girl, and mommy has been trying to transition me back onto powdered formula... IT GIVES ME REALLY BAD GAS...and NOTHING helps it. So, mommy and daddy gave in and put me back on liquid formula again... I always get my way.

Ash Wednesday Pics...

2009-02-26T18:17:00.001-08:00

Nothing major to share... well, yes there is. Sadie has discovered her HANDS!!! She looks at her left one like there's a big diamond ring on it, then she looks at her right hand, looks at both of them and connects them...then sticks them in her mouth! :) Very cute...haven't been able to catch a pic of it YET!

She got her first Ash Wednesday ashes on her forehead last night... she's giving up pooping out of her diaper, peeing while mommy changed her, waking up before 5 am and spitting up all over her clean clothes. :)

Sadie's Beautiful Baptism

2009-02-22T12:57:00.000-08:00

Yesterday was Sadie's Baptism. It was absolutely beautiful! Everyone involved made it so sweet and wonderful! DeDe was amazing (as usual) and pastor's and Jeff's prayers were perfect! Sadie looked absolutely adorable in her gorgeous white dress...like a little angel. Family and friends were there, and some even brought gifts! Just an outpouring of love... total St. Andrew's style! Thanks to all that were there and that have vowed to help Sadie's walk with Christ! We love you all! Thanks to Nonna and Mom and Dana and Vaughna for helping with the reception. It was all perfect!!!

Oh my goodness, it's been forever!!! Thanks for the reminder, Melissa!!!! :)

2009-02-17T16:26:00.000-08:00

Hangin' with my daddy!

Read this!! So funny!

Outfit that Cheryl (Aunt Dana's friend) got her for Valentine's Day and her sunglasses! She looks like she's riding a Harley! :)
Our little chubby Valentine!!!
Uncle Andrew (Craig's best buddy from college) and his wife Sarah... And then Suzanne!!! She was such a good girl for all of them!!

Daddy and baby goofing off on a Saturday morning while mommy is at church making cookies and candy bouquets for our fundraiser.

I was reminded this morning that my blog updating is SLACKING... I'm still trying to get used to juggling school, baby, husband, church... ugh!!
So what have we been through? Hmmm... We're up to 6 oz of formula every 3 hours now. She's sleeping through MOST nights... anywhere from 10 or 11 to 4 or 5. I don't prefer the 11 to 4, but we do that one often. She's trying her darndest to roll over!!!! My favorite thing in the WHOLE world right now is seeing her beautiful bright smile in the mornings when she just wakes up! Just LOVE it!!! I would love to say her hair is settling down. It has its moments! She weighs a little over 14 lbs now. She's getting SO BIG and HEAVY!!

We had a cute Valentine's Day... Sadie was the only one celebrating it around here... COMMERCIAL holidays drive us crazy! But she sure was CUTE in her Valentine's outfits! I felt like such a bad mommy for not buying her daycare friends Valentine's ... I'm just still trying to get used to this new world of mommy!

We've gotten to show her off to lots of friends and family lately.

Sadie's passport came in last week!! She looks great! I don't know if I posted this, but we went to CVS to take her picture, and they had to lay her on a piece of white poster board on the counter to get her pic. And THEN, she wouldn't look at the camera... quite a feat!!! Funny! All these adults gathered around, making funny sounds, clapping, snapping, making faces... too great!

Her baptism is this weekend!!! If you're reading this, and you haven't received an invite, here you go (and I'm sorry!!)

This Saturday, at 2 pm, at our church, St. Andrew's United Methodist in Arlington (on SE Green Oaks off of S. Hwy 360.

Call us or e-mail us if you'd like to come. We'd love to have you! I will be sure to post pics!!!!

Okay, I THINK that's about it!!! Thanks again, Melissa, for reminding me...I really had forgotten all about it!!

Sadie's 2 month check up and First Week Back to Work

2009-01-30T20:54:00.000-08:00

2 Month Check up
Sadie weighed 12.5 lbs and was 22 1/2 in. long. I personally think she was measured wrong, but oh well. For weight she was in the 75th percentile, and 50th percentile for her height. Her SHOTS!!!! Oh my gosh... She cried like crazy and so did I. The nurse offered me a tissue on the way out, and said, "It's way harder on mommies, isn't it?". I literally bawled. She took that deep breath, didn't breath for like 3 seconds and then let out the most horrible blood-curdling shaking and purple faced scream... It killed me, ripped my heart out!!! I put her in her seat, she quieted down pretty quickly... She fell asleep on the way home. That evening, she was so docile. She just stared at the wall. Didn't play, didn't kick, didn't wiggle... just stared at the same picture on the wall. Later on, after she ate, she got really wiggly and playful. She ended up sleeping from about 10 to 5:15 am. WOW! Good sleep!!!

First week - Sadie did great. Mommy - not so much. That's all I have to say!

SNOW DAY!!! Mommy gets to stay home and play with Sadie... and mess up her new schedule!

2009-01-28T10:03:00.000-08:00

Just a few of the most recent pics of my baby daughter... She's a whole 2 months old now. TIME TRULY FLIES!!!!!

So today school was cancelled! Ice, Ice Baby....dum dum dum dududumdum.... I know, a bit quirky... So anyway... We played a lot this morning after her 5:45 am feeding... I was hoping she'd sleep until 7, b/c we were still thinking I had to be at work at 10. So about 6:30, it was decided (only b/c Dallas ISD was out, too) that we were out today. She woke up again around 9:45 to eat... I'm trying to get her on a 1, 4, 7, 10 feeding schedule...so close. She's completely fussy today b/c I don't have any kids running around here to entertain her. I think she thinks Mommy is boring now. :(

Doesn't matter, she tuckered herself out crying, so now she's down, and I HOPE she doesn't wake up before 1. We'll see how that works out.

Last night, she slept from 8:15 ish to 2:45... a WHOLE HOUR longer than the night before... So...I'm trying to get her to eat her last meal at 7 in the evening...play until 9ish and sleep sleep sleep until hopefully 4 or 5. This was her Daycare "Nana's" idea... I like it! Hope it doesn't take long to get her on that schedule... No better day to try than today, though... Just me and her... Daddy had to be at work by 10 (thanks Jon!).

Speaking of Craig driving to work and on ANOTHER note... Picture this... (this is the ONLY thing that got me through my first day of work). Craig is driving a rental car right now (he got rearended last week...nobody hurt, another story). The ONLY car they had for him.... Wait for it... A BLUE VOLKSWAGON BUG!!!!! hahahahahahahaha..... is that not the funniest picture in your brain? Every time I thought of him on Monday in that little bitty car, I thought of how funny he must look driving it, getting in it, getting OUT of it... I pictured one of those really tall clowns with stilts on getting out of it... It truly is the ONLY thing that helped me get through that day... I laughed out loud every time I thought of it!

So this morning, it took him 20 minutes to get that sucker thawed out enough to drive to work... AND it's standard. I wasn't crazy about him driving it... WHY he took it and not mine, I'll never know... hmmm... just thought of that! Crazy.

Victory!!!

2009-01-27T15:01:00.000-08:00

I was so concerned yesterday when I got Sadie home from daycare...she slept and slept and slept...all the way to her 6 pm feeding. She slept about another 45 minutes after that... I thought, "Oh Lord, we're NEVER gonna go to bed tonight!"... HOWEVER... she woke up and we played and played until she tuckered her little self out. I've never seen her just doze off like that while we were playing... So, I thought, "I guess if she's that tired, I'll just put her down and see how long she stays out." I put her down about 8:15... I, myself, decided to just fall asleep in the recliner. I just knew she'd wake up soon... I fell asleep around 9, and I did not hear her until 1:30. I was BLOWN AWAY! I had slept for almost 4 1/2 hours, she had skipped her 9 pm feeding... I got up, fed her, went to my REAL bed and put on pajamas (I was still in my work clothes)... and heard her again at 4:40... I let Craig get her... I got up at 5, took a shower, got myself ready by 6... I actually had some sit and drink coffee while on Facebook time. She stayed awake from 4:40 to 6: 15. So I layed her in her swing until it was time to take her to daycare...
Thankfully, she's doing the EXACT same thing she did yesterday... sleep! So with any luck, she'll do the exact same thing tonight... I'm not holding my breath, though!!! Just thought I'd share my small victory! SLEEP!!!

First Day Back - Sadie's First Day of Daycare (School...)

2009-01-26T15:20:00.000-08:00

Okay, so I lost it last night while I was feeding Sadie...just looking at her and thinking I'm not going to get to just stare at her all day and play with her... Craig walked over and made me feel semi-better... He made it a point to say, "There are going to be a lot of firsts that are going to be hard. First day to kindergarten, graduation, going off to college, etc...". Thanks hon...it really just made me more sad that I have to watch her grow up.
Sadie would NOT go down last night. I put her down at 10:40, she woke up at 11:30. We stayed up until 12:30, so I fed her. I thought for sure she'd take the bottle and go right down. She fell asleep on my shoulder, snoring and all... I put her down, eyes wide open!! We did this 7 times...not a fun game when mommy is exhausted! And stressed about going to work... I really think she sensed my stress and frustration, and so she decided to carry it on out for me. I tried letting her lay on my chest to go to sleep, no way! So...I took her into the living room and put her in her swing, I fell asleep in the recliner, and for a while she just made her little grunting noises and finally went to sleep. My alarm went off at 5:30, Craig came in to ask if I needed to get up... uh YEAH! Unfortunately, I did... So, I quickly got myself ready. I was ready by 6, and fed Sadie. We left the house at 6:35, and got there at 6:50. I teared up just a little on the way, and prayed for strength to get me through the dropping off process and my day. I took her in, got her situated, went back out and got all of her stuff (diapers, wipes, formula...) taken in. Thankfully, she stayed asleep, b/c I absolutely love watching her and playing with her when she's awake, and I think it would've ripped my heart out if she'd been awake. I kissed her, and walked out as fast as I possibly could. I did not cry...I called everyone I could think of that would be awake to keep my mind off of it or just to talk. I got to school, and everyone was so sweet and seemed truly happy that I was back (especially my kids...they did not have a good sub experience...). I didn't really have time to think about how much I missed her... I felt like a fish out of water... So lost, no plans, just clueless. I muttled my way through the day... and my sweet team let me leave at 3:15...and I finally got to pick her up at 4 ish. She's been asleep since... good gracious. "Nana" said she was the "perfect baby" all day. She watched the other kids play and really got excited to watch them run all around her. She ate well, she even took a poopy! She felt right at home I'm sure. I'm also sure she's exhausted from our late night last night. Lord, help me through another night... I don't believe I will be able to get out of bed tomorrow if we have the same night. Poor Craig has a sinus infection, so he was feeling like poopoo.
I'm convinced it WILL be better!!!
I got home and had a bunch of sweet notes on my Facebook telling me good luck and that they were thinking and/or praying for me. Thanks guys... good friends are what gets me through!!!! And a good husband too...

It's been a while...

2009-01-23T13:41:00.000-08:00

SADIE's first cold...

Sadie came home with us on Sunday from Houston and was exhausted and slept pretty well that night. The next morning, she sneezed (nothing abnormal), but then coughed a few times after that... That was different. She sneezed again about 5 minutes later, 4 times in a row, then had a major coughing attack...she couldn't catch her breath it seemed...and then she gasped for air. Scared me to death. I felt her little head, she was warm. So I took her temperature using the pacifier from American Red Cross, it came out as 99.8. I called her doctor, she said to just watch her and make sure she sleeps with a humidifier. If her temp gets above 100.4, to call her back. It never did. In fact, it went right back down to normal. Soo..... she still has a snotty nose, and coughs. And when she cries, you can hear her little raspy voice... so she's basically given herself a sore throat from coughing and crying. It's not been a fun week...

With THAT said, she hasn't really SHOWN that she's sick except for her sneezing and coughing. The crying only comes when she's sleepy... and doesn't want to take a nap. Here are a few pics of her at Meme's house this week (mommy was at a band rehearsal with her Godmommy for our concert coming up in March). She's sitting on my lap before we go home to daddy.

And this is with a cold!!!

Feelings about going back to work:

I can hardly write this without getting a lump in my throat... I am beside myself. I know she's in good hands. Her daycare "Nana" will take very good care of her... I'm not sure which feeling is worse: having to go back to work? or having to leave her to go back to work?

I know that my class won't give me much time to think about how much I miss her during the day... I called up to the school on Wednesday, 3 of my kids were in the office. I have a feeling they're thinking that I'm going to be the same ol' teacher I was when I was pregnant...HA! They have NO IDEA what they are in for... A sleep deprived mommy with less patience than I did before... but with no high blood pressure to worry about. They're going to hope and pray my sub comes back... from what I've heard, they've eaten her alive. Poor little things, they're gonna give me a hug, and I'll hug them back, but when it's time to learn...they're in for a ride!

Feelings about getting to get back up on stage and sing:

YEA!!!! February 1st is my first day back...I'm so excited to get back up there...it's been REALLY hard to sit in the congregation and sing. I have truly missed it, and the praise team, and the band... Can't wait.

On that note, OneWill is getting back into the swing of things as well... We have a concert coming up in March in honor of Melanie Goodwin. It's going to be amazing!

I will let you all know how things go next week... but don't expect it on Monday, I'll be too busy lovin' on my sweet baby!!!

Sorry it's been so long! I'm going to post some pics from the last couple of weeks. :)

First time in the bumbo...doing pretty well all by herself!

I got about 15 happy pics in a row this day, but this one was my favorite!

We read Curious George Makes Pancakes, she loves her Curious George!!

Mommy put gel in Sadie's hair... it held for a little, then became one huge bouffant after a while... oh well.

Another happy baby pic... I had to put this one on, too!!

News Flash...this just in...

2009-01-13T08:08:00.000-08:00

Sadie has gone to bed at a "normal" time 3 nights in a row, and has slept anywhere from 4 to 6 hours at a time... It's happening... (drumroll please.....)... SHE'S GETTING ON A SET SCHEDULE!!!!! Now...if we could just KEEP this going... We're driving to Houston this Friday for her DEBUT to all of Craig's Houston family and friends (and my dear friend Lacy who I'm DYING to see and her adorable little boy Julian!!!)... However, WE WILL stop when it's time for her to eat!!! If leave in the morning, and she sleeps most of the way (which she will, we can't even get to church 3 minutes away without her falling asleep), she will hopefully be really playful when we get there.
We're really excited to see how she does on her first road trip!!!
I tried posting some video of her yesterday...to big of a file... grrr... So now I know to keep video to less than 30 seconds... Hopefully I can get some good video this week.
Just wanted to let you in on my fun news!!! I actually feel rested today...WOW!!!

Interesting week with Miss Sadie...

2009-01-09T20:28:00.000-08:00

So, just when we felt like Sadie was getting into the groove of things, she turned for the worst on Wednesday...I already wrote about that... But Thursday, the little girl was ADORABLE and SMILING and PLAYING like crazy all day... She went down at 11:30 ish... slept until 4:30... pretty good, I think. But stayed up for a while with gas, we finally went back to sleep at about 6:45...I decided to let her sleep as long as she wanted to... we got up at 8:45. So she still ate at 9 like normal...yea! But she was WIDE awake until 1 pm - FOUR HOURS... fussy, fussy, fussy... she did NOT want to play. She wanted to fuss...that was it. Finally, she went to sleep...and I woke her up at 3 to feed, went right back to sleep until 5ish. She ate at 6, and pretty much stayed awake until about 8:30... ate at 9:30 - just a little while ago - and we put her down at 10. She's still in there... not a peep from her... well maybe a squeak here and there...but no crying. I thought tonight would be HORRIBLE...b/c she slept so much today... I dunno... Maybe she truly is coming into a schedule... I pray that's what she's doing!!!

Here are some pics from yesterday and today. Yesterday was a BLAST! Today, not so much... :)

Sadie's 6 weeks old today...

2009-01-07T20:58:00.000-08:00

Mommy and me - my first time to wear a barrett... Have to control the hair somehow! :)

Yesterday morning... happy little baby at 6 AM. We ate at 5, played from 5:45 to about 7 ish... She loved her little bug...her little eyes just followed it everywhere.

The struggle and the blessing:

I thought that listening to my child crying at night would get easier...it's not. I'm trying a whole new strategy with Sadie this week. The "Baby Wise" book is GREAT!!! But just when I feel so proud of Sadie and myself for making through a couple of great nights... she pulls another all nighter. We are on such a crazy rigid schedule...I'm trying to get her on it before I go back to school and before she goes to daycare... She's eating every 3 hours. She wakes at exactly the same time every morning...whether she's sound asleep or not, I wake her.

Just when I think she's quieted down, I lay down, and 3 minutes later... the screaming starts back up. As I write at this very moment, she's next door, just screaming her little lungs out... b/c she can't pooh, or she has gas and can't get it out. She ate at 9, here we are at 11... We will have to feed again at 12 b/c she's still up.

2 nights ago, we had a perfect night. Her first crib experience was just perfect. She went down when she was supposed to go down, she woke up when she was supposed to wake up... We had one feeding at 3 AM and back to sleep she went.

Last night...we fed her at 9, she cried literally to 12. I fed her again, she kept crying. I finally got her out of her crib at 12:30, brought her into the guest bedroom with me, layed her on her tummy...and off she went to sleep...she hates sleeping on her back.

Tonight, I'm fighting that urge with all of the power I have in me... It's killing me to not go in there right now. I know, victory doesn't come without a price or a fight... but come on. I've just learned not to go to bed so soon after she goes to bed... I get so disappointed that I have to get back up like 5 times or more. So now, I just stay up and endure it. And tomorrow, I won't get a nap, like any other day, b/c I'm too concerned with making sure she stays awake as much as possible in between feedings. She's getting an adequate amount of rest during the day, but she stays awake for over an hour and moves and wiggles and shakes all over the place, then takes a short 30 minutes to an hour of a nap... while mommy picks up things, gets on the computer, does whatever to keep sane... talk to as many adults as possible.

I love this child with every fiber of my being...and I'm so blessed to have a healthy and beautiful little girl...and I'm very aware that I'm not the only mom that's fighting this fight. It just feels good to vent sometimes. Again, I'm blessed just to have her...so I'll turn this from a WHINE session to a THANKFUL session... She's breathing. She's beautiful. She's amazing. God gave her to me and Craig with such a confidence...why can't I find that confidence in myself as a mom, though... Prayer is the only thing getting me through the sad times of having a baby.

Wet Hair Pics - Saturday, January 3

2009-01-05T15:36:00.000-08:00

These were just too cute not to post... Craig wanted to take pics of her curly hair...and of course, she's all mellowed out from her Lavender bath... I let her hair dry just like it was, no combing at all... It went straight with just a small curve at the ends... She looked like the boy off of the Calvin and Hobbs comic strip... BUT WAY CUTER!!! Daddy was pretending to be a High Fashion Model Photographer... telling her she was "gorgeous", "don't move", "look adorable", "keep that profile"... He was being silly... She loves her silly Daddy!!!

2009-01-05T15:35:00.000-08:00

Sadie's 1 month check up and Christmas Pics.

2008-12-29T20:14:00.000-08:00

Sadie went to the doctor today. She gained almost 2 lbs and grew 2 1/2 inches. So, now she's 21 1/2 in. long and weighs 9.2 lbs.

Dr. said she's growing like a champ! He said she's doing great!!!

We spent Christmas with Craig's mom, Mary and sister, Dana. We had a great time!!! Here are some pics we took while they were here!

Daddy and daughter hangin' out

With Aunt Dana

Aunt Dana spoiling our little girl

Just chillin'

Nonna and Sadie and Lily or Leap...

Dana feeding the munchkin

Sadie's Christmas Eve debut...PERFECT!!!

2008-12-25T05:24:00.000-08:00

Sadie made her debut into the musical world last night, Christmas Eve 2008. Mom played Mary, Dad played Joseph, and Sadie played the most wonderful little Jesus ever. She slept all the way through the 1st and 2nd services. Last service, she got the hiccups and then got a little irritated that they wouldn't go away. But she did pretty well. Pastor just kept on going and wove in her little sounds and fusses into his sermon. Mom and Dad did not have lines (thank goodness), but I felt as though I should have a microphone in my hand...it felt very odd not to sing while I was up there. We walked around the perimeter of the sanctuary first pregnant (a scarf wadded up under my dress). Then as a couple with a new baby and up onto the stage. We sat and just looked at our Baby Jesus lovingly. Everyone just raved about what a good baby Sadie was, and we were even jokingly accused of giving her Nyquil. haha. nope...just a sleeper. And of course, as soon as we thought we were home free with her not being fussy, she started up minutes after we layed her down sleeping. We were up until 1:30. We slept until about 6:15 am this Christmas morning.
Merry Christmas everyone. Pics to follow of our day with Nonna and Aunt Dana and Meme and Papah.

Sadie's Musical Debut... Christmas Eve 2008

2008-12-24T06:39:00.000-08:00

Tonight, Sadie gets to play Baby Jesus in our Christmas Musical at church. Of course, mommy and daddy are playing a silent Mary and Joseph. It feels REALLY weird to not be singing this year. Do you know how hard it is for me to sit on stage and NOT SING??? So strange! But, we just have to look lovingly at our 'Baby Jesus'. I think we can probably do that!!! :) Pictures to come of our little actress!! And mommy and daddy dressed up, too, of course!!

MERRY CHRISTMAS EVERYONE!!!!!

Sadie's First Family Christmas (Anderson)

2008-12-22T19:20:00.000-08:00

What once was a family of 6, is now a family of 18!!!

Sadie's all bundled up and ready to go to Meme and Papah's...

Meme and Papah with all the grandbabies...

Sadie, her Meme, and cousin Alex

We had a GREAT Anderson family Christmas!!! Sadie got to hang out with her Meme and Papah, her Aunts and Uncles, and all of her cousins!!! She pretty much slept through the whole crazy ordeal. She awoke long enough for her Aunt Vaughna to see that she's probably going to have blue eyes. And, HALLELUJAH!!! She pooped for the first time in 2 days. Aunt Vaughna actually VOLUNTEERED to change her... she's a professional mommy! Everyone got to hold her and love on her. All heck broke loose as everyone was leaving, though... She had HAD ENOUGH!! I didn't want to drive home while she was wailing, so we put her on a heating pad long enough to calm her down. We drove home, she was silent, and I just knew she was asleep. Nope, her beautiful eyes wide awake when we pulled into the driveway. We walked in, changed her diaper, fussed a little longer, and finally fell asleep around 12:45, maybe 1. After a while, you stop looking at the clock and just close your eyes and pray she falls asleep soon. I actually had fallen asleep patting her on the back, and woke up to a silent, sleeping baby. We slept until about 4:30 ish. We got up and ate and changed her diaper again. Went back to bed around 5:45. We slept until 9:45 ish...not too bad.

She slept a lot today... She fussed a littler earlier than normal tonight. Fine by us, the earlier and more she fusses, the more tired she'll be for bed time.

Tomorrow, mommy goes in for her 1 month checkup with HER doctor. I'm excited to take her and show her to all the staff. They're all anxious to see her, since I didn't take her in when I went to get my blood work done. WHICH, by the way, came back negative for Hep B, but it showed I have an immunity to the antibody for the Hep B shot... could mean my body will neglect the series. We'll see.

Daddy gets off of work at 12 on Christmas Eve, we're so excited to hang out with him in the middle of the week. Nonna and Aunt Dana will be here on Christmas day. Aunt Dana is SO READY to meet and hold her first niece!!! We're ready to see them, too.

Here are some random pics I took a couple of days ago. I needed to see if the outfit would still fit her... she was wide awake and alert for her modeling job. Her shirt says "I love grandma". Nonna bought it for her.

"Santa Baby...leave a present under the tree, for me, been an awful good girl..."

2008-12-20T21:15:00.000-08:00

I had to post these pics of Sadie in her Christmas outfit (She spewed formula just moments later...guess she didn't like this outfit!) and the other of her with Santa. Santa (my teacher friend, Melissa's, dad) dressed up as Santa at school today, had to get her with him! He was a GREAT looking Santa!!! Thanks Mr. Wilson, I mean, Santa Claus!!

My students got to stand in the foyer of the school and look in the window of the office at Sadie. They just went crazy over her... We talked about inherited traits and learned characteristics in Science before I left. They mentioned that she didn't receive many inherited traits from me!! HA! At least they remembered!!

Then we went to her Daycare Christmas party at Marie White's house (Nana). She met all of the daycare kids and their mommies. Craig came with me to check it all out. We're sold! Not looking forward to her first day of daycare, but we know she'll be in GREAT hands.

Then, we took Sadie to meet our pastor's wife, Jeri. She's been out sick for a while and can't go out into public. She was so excited to meet Sadie, and so glad we thought to bring her over. She slept A LOT yesterday.

Then... all heck broke loose last night. We went to bed about 11:30, and stayed up until 2:30 - crying! Not just a whiny cry. The cry that makes your heart wrench...mommy cried too... Just couldn't do anything to make her feel better. We finally got her asleep by laying her on the heating pad on my chest... finally we got her to lay by herself. Got up again at 6 am. Went back to sleep about 7:45 to 9:45. Mommy and Daddy are very tired today!!! Hopefully we'll get some good sleep tonight. We have my family Christmas tomorrow at Mom and Dad's house, but church first. I told Craig we may skip church if we have another night like last night. Wish us luck... good night!!

An Elfyourself video of SADIE!!!

2008-12-16T13:38:00.000-08:00

http://elfyourself.jibjab.com/view/RM7ebl1imBzmvODIWdKC

Click on the link above to watch Sadie dance DISCO!!

First Christmas Pictures

2008-12-15T18:17:00.000-08:00

Okay, so she wasn't so crazy about the hat...but she's so darn cute!!! Took about an hour to find some cute faces, not agitated ones. :)

MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!!

Spewing milk from nostrils!!!

2008-12-12T05:12:00.000-08:00

Wow!!! I have a newfound definition of "Projectile". This girl can blow 2 or more ounces of milk straight out of her nose, both nostrils, and her mouth in no time! Even better, mommy gets to wear most of it, and in her hair!! Lovely smell after a few hours of not getting to shower... Craig must think I'm so hot. From giant pregnant lady, to old formula smelling lady... I have a whole new respect for the shower now...

Here are a couple of pics AFTER the volcano erupted - She cleans up good...but mommy does not get to... :)

And of course, I'm sporting my Aunt Dana shirt and my I love Daddy bib...

Mom's first driving experience with the Doodle Bug

2008-12-09T14:43:00.000-08:00

Today was kind of stressful, because I had to get Sadie and I ready to get HER screening done at Arlington Memorial and MY lab work done at my Dr. office. During my stay at the hospital, my blood work came back with a showing of Hep B. Didn't have it before the baby came, but then all of the sudden, it was there. They kept saying I was a "Non-confirmed Positive". Non-confirmed b/c all of my other lab work previously came back negative. Positive b/c it was in my blood stream. Of course, they gave her all she needed to vaccinate her against it.

Before we left, I had to get her Car seat Base in my car...that went well, thank goodness. She also ate 4 OZ. of milk!!! Good golly, she was hungry. She's only been eating 2 oz. every 2 hours. Now she's sleeping longer at night and eating more...yea!

Driving with her was a little easier than I had imagined. It helped that my mom sat in the back seat, prepared to give her whatever she may need. She did great!! We went to the hospital first, got her blood work done...she's not a fan of the heel pricking, and squeezing of her heel to get a whole lot of blood out...but she did really good. This was her 5th time to get her heel pricked for blood work.

We were only in there maybe 15 minutes, then off we went to Mommy's dr. She stayed in the car b/c the COOOLD wind was just blowing too hard. I'm so glad Mom was with me... The wind almost knocked me off the sidewalk, I can only imagine carrying her in her car seat...ick.
She was sacked out. I fed her, thinking she'd be starving. She only took an oz. She's still sacked out, but I have a feeling she'll wake up raring to go soon.

Mommy is tired, today, but I'm not sure why...I slept as much as she did last night. 10:30 to 11:50, 12:30 to 4:20, and 5:30 to 9. I don't have ANY trouble getting to sleep these days. If I could just teach her to push through those gas pains without screaming... we'd be GREAT! We're getting there.

Our First Church Experience...

2008-12-09T14:30:00.001-08:00

This is us, getting ready for church for our very first time. Mommy got up at 8 a.m. and Daddy watched the little one while Mom got ready. Once Mom got ready, it was Sadie's turn. Daddy helped give a bath and dress the princess. She was supposed to have pink tights on, but Mommy and Daddy didn't want to totally make her hate us forever. So, socks worked.

Once we got in the doors (maybe 4 feet into the front doors), we were bombarded with hugs, and comments like "Oh my gosh, look at all that hair" and "Wow, she looks just like Craig" and "Oh my goodness, she's just beautiful". All things we have heard and KNEW, of course, but still fun to hear some more.

We finally got into the sanctuary, and she was visited some more by others. Church started and she slept pretty well through the music (all stuff she was used to hearing, of course). Once it quieted down a bit, she started grunting and moaning as if she needed to take a poopy. She got pretty loud, so Mommy took her out for just a few minutes. And of course, we missed Pastor Richard announcing her presence at church, but I didn't feel like we needed to introduce everyone to her set of lungs she obviously inherited from me. :) She slept in Mommy's arms, but stretched a whole lot, too, making funny noises.

Finally, we got to the end of church, we put her in her seat, and EVERYONE came running. We almost had to stay the next service, too...people just kept coming up and adoring her! We didn't mind at all. We stayed out in the link for a long while talking and continuing to show her off, and finally left at about 12.

We got home, took her dress and bloomers off, and fed her and put her in her swing. Mommy and Sadie slept for about 3 hours straight. We were exhausted. Daddy was tired, too.

It was a great day! And we had so much fun introducing her to our church family... Everyone just loved her, and she made Mommy and Daddy so proud.

The night from ....

2008-12-06T15:27:00.000-08:00

This is SO Craig's child!!! Look at their faces... just identical. So sweet!!! Just a few hours before the night from 'you know where'. We were awake for almost 5 hours with a fussy baby who needed so badly to take a poopy. Bless her little heart. She was in so much pain. And by the looks of it, she should have cried. SOLID! I know she felt so absolutely relieved.

Can you believe this is my topic of conversation today?? The little things in baby world that make mommy happy!

The labor and delivery experience.... WOW!

2008-12-05T06:17:00.000-08:00

So, I haven't really had the chance to go into full detail of my birthing experience of the most beautiful little girl in the whole world...bias? No way!! I really am so in love with her. I love staring at her and holding her and feeding her, and yes, even staying up for a full 3 hours b/c of bad gas with her... Or finding every place in the house possible for her to sleep comfortably...um, that would be in mommy and daddy's arms, of course. Cradle? Crib? Yeah right. Someone has got to invent pretend human arms to put around my child so mommy can get some sleep...b/c she has got our number... She knows what she wants, and well, she gets it. We did, however, have her sleep in a wedge last night... 2 hours in it, 1 hour out of it, 1 hour in it, 3 1/2 hours in it...YEP!! She slept from 2:30 to 6 am STRAIGHT this morning... Thanks to my sister who brought the wedge over last night AND to Mylacon...gas reliever!!! A friend of a friend of mine called it "Jesus in a Bottle". It is pretty great stuff. And Miss Tooty over here, is resting much better b/c of it.

Okay, so I digressed a little...back to the beginning.

We went into the hospital Tuesday night, November 25th to check in. They immediately got me started on a little bitty pill that they stuck right up next to my Cervix... Couldn't feel the little tablet, but I sure felt them putting it up there...lovely thought, I know. It was used to soften the cervix and get it ready to dilate more...I was already at a 1 when we checked in. Again at 2:30, they put another tablet in me... That really got me going to start me on Pitosin, to induce labor. I didn't feel any contractions at all until about 10 in the morning... At first, it just felt like I was really working my abs hard, and they were kind of sore. Then about 11, WOW! Up to a 4, and then quickly up to a 5... That was NOT FUN!!! The anesthesioligist had an emergency C Section and emergency delivery, and I was told I wasn't top priority b/c me and Sadie were doing so well...hahha.... They gave me bit of a pain reliever to "take the edge off"... Um...if they took the edge OFF, I'd hate to feel the EDGE!!! B/c good gracious, I thought I was going to absolutely die. No cussing, no yelling, just lots of breathing. Lots of holding onto Craig's hand - he was AMAZING by the way...he just stood there and endured all of my grunting and moaning... helped me breathe and rubbed my back...so sweet. We also had the absolute BEST NURSE EVER, Erin Peterson... absolutely a God-send!!! She was so great, and so nice, and so helpful. Just loved her to death, and hated seeing her leave that night...I wish I could've kept her.

Epidural time!!! That was not fun either. Between the contractions and them sticking the epidural in me...well, lets just say I was in the worst amount of pain I believe I have ever had, ruptured spleen, broken ribs, all ten toes broken...all nothing compared to this!! But once it kicked in, and my other pain meds were making me sleepy, I took about a 2 hour nap, I think...Craig can't remember, and well...I can't either. The nurse woke me up, asked if I could push... I couldn't feel a thing...NOTHING from the waist down. Couldn't move my toes, bend my knees...I pinched myself...nothing. It left a bruise later...but I felt nothing. The strangest feeling.

Pushing!! the nurse had Craig hold one leg and I held the other, felt like a ton... and I pushed like I had never pushed before...and couldn't feel a thing...so it was kind of hard to push... I'm not going to tell you what Erin told me to pretend to be pushing for...but it worked... She started coming and coming and coming. After 4 or 5 big pushes during contractions, Erin could see Sadie's dark hair. Craig, as weak stomached as he is, even grabbed a glimpse accidentally... bless his heart...I didn't want to see it either...God put that area down there for a reason...so my eyes could not see. Dr. Parrill came in, not my dr., but a dr. in the offices I go to, she had me do a few more pushes as well... then all of the sudden...there she was. 40 minutes of pushing, and this gorgeous, chunky, dark haired, healthy lunged baby came out of me... Just the most amazing feeling anyone could ever experience.

Afterwards: I held her immediately...she was GORGEOUS!!!! And chunky! And just amazing! They started cleaning her up and doing what they do over there... and started noticing that she wasn't breathing correctly. She'd take a big breath, then stop, then breathe again, then stop. Her coloring was beginning to turn "dusky" as they put it. So they took her for a little bit, examined her, and brought her back...she just needed a little help.

The rest of the day was great! We held her and loved on her and just adored God's little miracle! They kept her in the nursery most of the night. Every time she started smacking her lips or sucking her thumb, they'd bring her in to feed. Unfortunately, mommy didn't have much to give her and she wouldn't latch on long enough to get much. She lost 1 pound in 2 days, so we started her on formula to get some meat on her little skinny bones. It's amazing what 1 pound will do to a little 8 lb. chunk. She was so skinny...I was so sad, but she gained 4 oz. in one day on the formula. Finally, mommy got her milk in on Sunday, and immediately started pumping, but tried very hard to get her to latch on...not interested. Once she had the bottle, I wasn't satisfying her at all. I don't mind, I thought I would, but as long as she's getting the nutrients that she needs, that's all I care about. I haven't weighed her since Monday at the pediatrician. She was up to 7 lb. 6 1/2 oz. She's growing again.

Home:

She's wonderful!!! Sleeps a lot during the day, but has a lot of gas at night! THANK goodness for Mylacon and all of my girlfriends that told me about it. Her dr. said that it was fine, and she's doing much better and sleeping much better.

She's my doodle bug!!! I love her so very much!!!

2008-12-01T17:48:00.000-08:00

I'm a new mommy!!!

2008-12-01T17:46:00.000-08:00

I can't even explain how wonderful my life is...God really did bless us with the most precious little girl ever!!! The pictures explain it all!!!

2 more days...

2008-11-24T04:48:00.000-08:00

I can't even begin to tell you all of the different feelings I have right now. We're in adrenalin mode cleaning around the house, trying to get it clean for baby and guests and just so we won't have to do anything once she's here. I'm nervous, excited, emotional, jittery, etc... I, above all, am so very thankful to God that He's gotten me through this amazing journey with absolutely no difficulty (no serious difficulty, anyway...just what comes with being pregnant). The first 7 months were such a breeze, my growing tummy is all I had to go on (besides the sonograms and dr. stuff). Then feeling her move inside of me (pretty much every single day) was another showing of proof for me... Then SCHOOL started...and then I really felt pregnant. While the days would drag, it really went by fast for me. God's truly blessed us! I know He'll be holding my hand in the next couple of days, I just hope I don't forget to thank Him and ask for His aid in my delivery. I'll say it again, as I've said before, God has entrusted in us this amazing job of parenthood. He has given US the chance to raise a child in His name, in this uncertain world. I can not express how happy and humbled we are to raise this child in a Christian home. It's been an amazing journey!! I know that the REAL journey is ahead of us... the long and winding road of Parenting! Wow!!!

Just a few more days...

2008-11-22T05:45:00.000-08:00

I went to the doctor yesterday, got a sonogram, she weighs 7 lbs 6 oz already and is 20 1/4 inches long. She's a big girl! Who knows what she'll weigh when we go in to induce?! We go in Tuesday night at 7:30, and they will start me on Cytotec. They will induce Wednesday morning. I'm super excited - if she cooperates on Wednesday, she will be born on her Mommy's birthday!!! YEA!! What a fun birthday present and HUGE gift from God the day before Thanksgiving. We are beside ourselves. We can not wait to see this beautiful little being that God has created and we've been blessed enough to help her grow inside of me.
I think I'll take ONE LAST PICTURE before I go to the hospital or maybe even at the hospital...we'll see.
We won't be delivered by my dr., but it will be a dr. in her office that I was going to go see for my appt. on Tuesday (if I weren't being induced). They're all super neat people, and I'm just glad it's a doctor I know, or that she knows and trusts.
We're going to be kind of busy the next few days getting her bag, and my bag, and Craig's bag packed... cleaning and picking up around the house and getting things in order for her to come home. Our sweet little kitty, Jaspurr, won't know what hit him, so we will be making sure that we introduce a blanket of her's before we introduce him to her. He's known for a while now that his mommy has been going through a lot of changes. Even my nephew, Ethan, was really receptive to me last night, and let me hold him and hug on him when he got hurt...babies just know a mommy when they see them. :)
Keep us in your prayers that everything goes smoothly and that this beautiful baby girl will be born safely.
Thank you to my faithful viewers/readers...you guys have helped me a ton through this process!!! Obviously I will continue with a brand new blog when the baby girl gets home. Yea!! Miss Sadie is on her way!!!

37 weeks...HOME STRETCH!!!!

2008-11-17T14:05:00.000-08:00

So, I'm feeling anxious, antsy, overwhelmed, excited, and any other synonym that goes along with those... We went shopping this weekend with FREE MONEY! It was so much fun to come out with bags of stuff and know that we did not spend a dime of our own. We purchased a lot of things off of the registry that we need now...just to be prepared. We're both in the process of cleaning, organizing, getting ready for baby. We're packing our hospital bags and about to get Miss Sadie's bag packed, too. I have about a thousand thank you cards to write...not complaining...at least we have thank you's to send out. We've been truly blessed on the outpouring of everyone's gifts!!! Giving us things we forgot to register for, or things we just didn't think about, or just adorable outfits that we probably wouldn't have purchased ourselves. The room is really coming together. We got our shelves from the choir last week and our diaper changing table from Craig's aunts...they look great in the room!! He's been BUSTING HIS BEHIND getting things ready for Miss Sadie to come. I don't know how anyone could do this alone...I'm so thankful for him and all he's doing. He's really taking this 'daddy' thing in full stride...I just know he's going to be amazing! While we are so ready for her to be here, we're not quite as READY as we'd like to be (and you all say in one accord "You never will be...". I know that...but we want everything to be just perfect when she gets home.
Fun info below... anxiously awaiting our dr. appt. on Friday!!!!! I'll let you all know how that goes when we go! Love you all!

Your pregnancy: 37 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:
Congratulations — your baby is full term! This means that if your baby arrives now, his lungs should be fully mature and ready to adjust to life outside the womb, even though your due date is still three weeks away.Your baby weighs 6 1/3 pounds and measures a bit over 19 inches, head to heel (like a stalk of Swiss chard). Many babies have a full head of hair at birth, with locks from 1/2 inch to 1 1/2 inches long. But don't be surprised if your baby's hair isn't the same color as yours. Dark-haired couples are sometimes thrown for a loop when their children come out as blonds or redheads, and fair-haired couples have been surprised by Elvis look-alikes. And then, of course, some babies sport only peach fuzz.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Braxton Hicks contractions may be coming more frequently now and may last longer and be more uncomfortable. You might also notice an increase in vaginal discharge. If you see some "bloody show" (mucus tinged with a tiny amount of blood) in the toilet or in your undies, labor is probably a few days away — or less. (If you have heavier spotting or bleeding, call your caregiver immediately.) Also be sure to ask your caregiver about the results of your Group B strep culture. That way, if the result isn't yet on your chart when you get to the hospital or birth center, you'll be able to give the staff there a timely heads-up if you need antibiotics.It may be harder than ever to get comfortable enough to sleep well at night. If you can, take it easy through the day — this may be your last chance to do so for quite a while. Keep monitoring your baby's movements, too, and let your caregiver know immediately if you notice a decrease. Though her quarters are getting cozy, she should still be as active as before.While you're sleeping, you're likely to have some intense dreams. Anxiety both about labor and about becoming a parent can fuel a lot of strange flights of unconscious fancy.

Swollen!!!!!!!!

2008-11-14T19:31:00.000-08:00

another view...

My TRANKS (tree trunk ankles)

2008-11-14T19:17:00.000-08:00

Just adorable...

One of my 4th grade girls said, "Oh my gosh! I've never seen legs look like that before! They're so big, they look kind of like my grandma's legs!" One of those kids you really want to be truthful back for a moment, but I just smiled and said "I know, just a part of having a baby..."

Lacy didn't think they were very bad last time I took a picture...this better? :) Love you Lace!

Good Dr. Appt...

2008-11-13T15:53:00.000-08:00

Dr. said that I get a sonogram next week. Originally she said no more unless there are complications. But she's worried that Miss Sadie might be too big before Thanksgiving and doesn't want me to go into labor over Thanksgiving week and have to use whatever on call doctors are just there... So, she said if Baby is 8 lbs. or bigger (good gracious, I hope not), then she'll take her the next Monday. If below 7 1/2 lbs. she'll hold off until after Thanksgiving week.

My blood pressure was a little elevated, nothing huge. But it explains my GIGANTOR ankles and feet. I weighed something I never thought I'd see in my lifetime, but she said I'm carrying like 2 gallons of extra water weight around. So I felt a little better.

I thought I lost my mucus plug yesterday in the shower, she said maybe just a little bit of it, but not all. And no big deal if it does. Some people lose theirs up to 6 weeks ahead of time.

My cervix is really soft, and feels like I'm ready to start dilating. :)

Just thought I'd update you!!!

36 weeks pic

2008-11-12T17:16:00.000-08:00

36 weeks

Miss Sadie...36 weeks...bring on the baby!!!

2008-11-10T16:22:00.000-08:00

No comments today, just read everything below on How Life is Changing...it's right on!! Pictures tomorrow...we'll see. :)

Your pregnancy: 36 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby is still packing on the pounds — at the rate of about an ounce a day. She now weighs almost 6 pounds (like a crenshaw melon) and is more than 18 1/2 inches long. She's shedding most of the downy covering of hair that covered her body as well as the vernix caseosa, the waxy substance that covered and protected her skin during her nine-month amniotic bath. Your baby swallows both of these substances, along with other secretions, resulting in a blackish mixture, called meconium, will form the contents of her first bowel movement.At the end of this week, your baby will be considered full-term. (Full-term is 37 to 42 weeks; babies born before 37 weeks are pre-term and those born after 42 are post-term.) Most likely she's in a head-down position. But if she isn't, your practitioner may suggest scheduling an "external cephalic version," which is a fancy way of saying she'll try to coax your baby into a head-down position by manipulating her from the outside of your belly.See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Now that your baby is taking up so much room, you may have trouble eating a normal-size meal. Smaller, more frequent meals are often easier to handle at this point. On the other hand, you may have less heartburn and have an easier time breathing when your baby starts to "drop" down into your pelvis. This process — called lightening — often happens a few weeks before labor if this is your first baby. (If you've given birth before, it probably won't happen before labor starts.) If your baby drops, you may also feel increased pressure in your lower abdomen, which may make walking increasingly uncomfortable, and you'll probably find that you have to pee even more frequently. If your baby is very low, you may feel lots of vaginal pressure and discomfort as well. Some women say it feels as though they're carrying a bowling ball between their legs!You might also notice that your Braxton Hicks contractions are more frequent now. Be sure to review the signs of labor with your practitioner and find out when she wants to hear from you. As a general rule, if you're full-term, your pregnancy is uncomplicated, and your water hasn't broken, she'll probably have you wait to come in until you've been having contractions that last for about a minute each, coming every five minutes for an hour. Of course, you'll want to call right away if you notice a decrease in your baby's activity or think you're leaking amniotic fluid, or if you have any vaginal bleeding, fever, a severe or persistent headache, constant abdominal pain, or vision changes.Even if you're enjoying an uncomplicated pregnancy, it's best to avoid flying (or any travel far from home) during your final month because you can go into labor at any time. In fact, some airlines won't let women on board who are due to deliver within 30 days of the flight.

Dr. appointment

2008-11-06T17:57:00.000-08:00

Went to the dr. yesterday. Everything looks good. She felt the cervix, said it's really soft and will probably start dilating soon. I asked her about a date, early or on time...she said, "When she feels like coming, she'll come." I'm having a lot of braxton hicks today... My feet were so unbelievably swollen last night, it was disgusting. I asked her abou that...she said my blood pressure is perfect, so I'm just retaining water. (Like a camel evidently). Whatever fungus was mentioned in the BabyCenter blog, I tested negative...yea! All's well... just a matter of time.

35 weeks....just getting by...

2008-11-04T15:55:00.000-08:00

I'm swollen, I'm hurting, and I'm soooooooooo ready to have this sweet little girl in my arms and OUT of my belly!!! I'm going to the dr. once a week now. I have an appt. tomorrow, next Thursday the 13th, and Friday the 21st (my LAST day of work - wahoo!!!). Lots of things are getting harder to do... But I know that I'm going to have a beautiful baby in the next 3 to 5 weeks (I pray it's Thanksgiving week...). We're just getting things organized around here. I'm working in my classroom to get it organized, too and ready for my sub. I can't even walk to the bathroom without another teacher stopping to touch my belly and tell me they don't think I'm going to make it... :) I don't mind them touching my belly...I'm just ready to have a real baby to touch. Singing is getting SO hard...but she just loves it... the drums get her moving and she's gonna be either deaf or really rhythmic when she comes out. :)

Your pregnancy: 35 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby doesn't have much room to maneuver now that he's over 18 inches long and tips the scales at 5 1/4 pounds (pick up a honeydew melon). Because it's so snug in your womb, he isn't likely to be doing somersaults anymore, but the number of times he kicks should remain about the same. His kidneys are fully developed now, and his liver can process some waste products. Most of his basic physical development is now complete — he'll spend the next few weeks putting on weight.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Your uterus — which was entirely tucked away inside your pelvis when you conceived — now reaches up under your rib cage. If you could peek inside your womb, you'd see that there's more baby than amniotic fluid in there now. Your ballooning uterus is crowding your other internal organs, too, which is why you probably have to urinate more often and may be dealing with heartburn and other gastrointestinal distress. If you're not grappling with these annoyances, you're one of the lucky few.From here on out, you'll start seeing your practitioner every week. Sometime between now and 37 weeks, she'll do a vaginal and rectal culture to check for bacteria called Group B streptococci (GBS). (Don't worry — the swab is the size of a regular cotton swab, and it won't hurt at all.) GBS is usually harmless in adults, but if you have it and pass it on to your baby during birth, it can cause serious complications, such as pneumonia, meningitis, or a blood infection. Because 10 to 30 percent of pregnant women have the bacteria and don't know it, it's vital to be screened. (The bacteria come and go on their own — that's why you weren't screened earlier in pregnancy.) If you're a GBS carrier, you'll get IV antibiotics during labor, which will greatly reduce your baby's risk of infection.This is also a good time to create a birth plan. Using our form will help you focus on specifics — like who'll be present, what pain management techniques you want to try, and where you want your baby to stay after you deliver. It will give you a starting point to discuss your preferences with your medical team. Childbirth is unpredictable, and chances are you won't follow your plan to the letter, but thinking about your choices ahead of time — and sharing your preferences with your caregiver — should take some of the anxiety out of the process.

34 weeks...feeling like a very slow, waddling, front-humped whale!!!

2008-10-29T15:16:00.000-07:00

Your pregnancy: 34 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (like your average cantaloupe) and is almost 18 inches long. Her fat layers — which will help regulate her body temperature once she's born — are filling her out, making her rounder. Her skin is also smoother than ever. Her central nervous system is maturing and her lungs are continuing to mature as well. If you've been nervous about preterm labor, you'll be happy to know that babies born between 34 and 37 weeks who have no other health problems generally do fine. They may need a short stay in the neonatal nursery and may have a few short-term health issues, but in the long run, they usually do as well as full-term babies.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

How your life's changing:By this week, fatigue has probably set in again, though maybe not with the same coma-like intensity of your first trimester. Your tiredness is perfectly understandable, given the physical strain you're under and the restless nights of frequent pee breaks and tossing and turning, while trying to get comfortable. Now's the time to slow down and save up your energy for labor day (and beyond). If you've been sitting or lying down for a long time, don't jump up too quickly. Blood can pool in your feet and legs, causing a temporary drop in your blood pressure when you get up that can make you feel dizzy.If you notice itchy red bumps or welts on your belly and possibly your thighs and buttocks as well, you may have a condition called pruritic urticarial papules and plaques of pregnancy (PUPPP for short). Up to one percent of pregnant women develop PUPPP, which is harmless but can be quite uncomfortable. See your practitioner so she can make sure it's not a more serious problem, provide treatment to make you more comfortable, and refer you to a dermatologist if necessary. Also be sure to call her if you feel intense itchiness all over your body, even if you don't have a rash. It could signal a liver problem.

Baby Shower!!

2008-10-26T17:07:00.000-07:00

GREAT shower yesterday!!!!! Loved it, loved it, loved it! Had a blast! DeDe (Sadie's Godmother and Shower-thrower) had everyone decorate burp cloths with puff paint. We played a cute little game...turned out to be hilarious! The food and decaf coffee was fabulous. I had 3 friends from 3 phases of my life there...it was so cool! My high school best friend, Bonnie was there...SO excited to see her! My college roomie, Andria was there...always love seeing her even though we live 25 minutes from each other. All my newest and greatest friends from church were there...
Mother-in-law, Aunt-in-law, Mom, Sister Vaughna, Sister-in-law Tracy, and two sweet nieces Alex and Abby were there.

It was GREAT to see everyone. Sadie got the CUTEST clothes ever...she's going to be very well dressed! Better than mommy.

Got a lot of great stuff...only have to take back a few things...but that's not THEIR fault - Target and Babies 'R' Us are not doing a very good job of taking things off of the registry.

It was such a cool day (besides getting lost on the way...it's okay to be late to your own party, right?)

Thanks to everyone who came and to those who didn't but sent gifts!!! You are all wonderful and sweet people and I'm so blessed to have you in my life.

LAST week's shower was very intimate...my old teaching buddies Dee and Shelle threw it for me in Waxahachie. It was small, but so much fun. Great food (again) and great gifts. We decorated onesies with puff paint. Sadie is going to be puff painted all over the place. Thanks girls for throwing that for me. I loved every minute of it.

33 weeks pic

2008-10-21T19:30:00.000-07:00

So, I'm thinking after we're done taking prego pictures, after the baby is born, we'll take "on our way to skinny" pictures. HA!

Here are my swollen ankles...and my flip flop tan. At least my toes are done... :)

Soooo ready... Miss Sadie at 33 weeks

2008-10-20T15:59:00.000-07:00

It's as if the Baby Center people are writing about ME personally!! I had a really rough night last night trying to get comfortable and get to sleep. I just finally broke down (hormones, I'm sure) from frustration. Sadly, standing the the most comfortable position for me right now. She crushes my organs and moves every time I breathe in or out...obviously b/c my lungs are moving her out of the way.

I saw a side shot of me at church singing yesterday...can we say MOOOOOO.... seriously. Singing is getting difficult, talking for any amount of time (teaching) is getting hard...I can't breathe right now.

Yesterday was the worst I've felt since I first got pregnant. The pain down below is 10 times worse than it was. I realized as I turned over in bed a few nights ago, it's taking all my leg strength to get me turned over at night...so the muscles being used are muscles I've never felt before... therefore, that feeling like I fell on the bar of a boy bike is horrible. I'd feel much better if there were a real explanation for it, like I got kicked in between the legs or actually fell on a boy bike. But the "stretching" and new muscle use thing...just seems unreal.

I come home overwhelmingly tired and worn out. School, church, the store... it all takes a toll right now.

I know that when this is ALL over, I'm going to look back and wonder where the time went. I think the only reason I'm complaining so much right now is because up until now, it's been so easy. God's just getting me ready for the hardships of parenthood... Baby Bootcamp. I'm already trained on the waking up for 2 - 3 hours in the middle of the night... I have the lack of sleep thing down. The stresses of being a mommy...well, that will come later. I guess being a teacher of 22 little turkeys is pretty good training, but I get to give them back to their parents! :)

Okay, I'm done complaining. Pictures coming soon. Here's what the experts say:

Your pregnancy: 33 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:As your baby fills out even more of your belly, lots of things might start to change: Whereas before you were sashaying, you may find yourself waddling. Finding an easy position to sit in — let alone sleep — is becoming more of a challenge. And bumping into chairs and counters is par for the course.You may be feeling some achiness and even numbness in your fingers, wrists, and hands. Like many other tissues in your body, those in your wrist can retain fluid, which can increase pressure in the carpal tunnel, a bony canal in your wrist. Nerves that run through this "tunnel" may end up pinched, creating numbness; tingling, shooting or burning pain; or a dull ache. Try wearing a splint to stabilize your wrist or propping your arm up with a pillow when you sleep. If your work requires repetitive hand movements (at a keyboard or on an assembly line, for instance), remember to stretch your hands when you take breaks — which should be frequently.Many women are still feeling sexy at this stage — and their partners often agree. You may need to make some adjustments, but for most women, sex during pregnancy is fine right up until their water breaks or their labor starts.

Miss Sadie...making things a bit difficult!!

2008-10-13T08:46:00.000-07:00

Happy things: I know Sadie will be here really soon!! I feel her move a lot and I love watching it. The Lord has blessed us with a large baby, I just know it.
Complaints: This ridiculous rash; This horrible pain down below that feels like I fell on a boy's bike; the leg cramps; the constant feeling that I need to pee and then nothing comes out b/c I just went 5 minutes ago; sleeping/turning over at night is painful.

Comments: While the complaints are outweighing the happy things, we are still so excited about this time. 8 weeks seems like a stretch...only God knows how long it will be. I think I'll have Craig take pics weekly now... if we can remember.

Your pregnancy: 32 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:By now, your baby weighs 3.75 pounds (pick up a large jicama) and is about 16.7 inches long, taking up a lot of space in your uterus. You're gaining about a pound a week and roughly half of that goes right to your baby. In fact, she'll gain a third to half of her birth weight during the next 7 weeks as she fattens up for survival outside the womb. She now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair (or at least respectable peach fuzz). Her skin is becoming soft and smooth as she plumps up in preparation for birth.See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:To accommodate you and your baby's growing needs, your blood volume has increased 40 to 50 percent since you got pregnant. With your uterus pushing up near your diaphragm and crowding your stomach, the consequences may be shortness of breath and heartburn. To help relieve your discomfort, try sleeping propped up with pillows and eating smaller meals more often.You may have lower-back pain as your pregnancy advances. If you do, let your caregiver know right away, particularly if you haven't had back pain before, since it can be a sign of preterm labor.Assuming it's not preterm labor that's ailing you, you can probably blame your growing uterus and hormonal changes for your aching back. Your expanding uterus shifts your center of gravity and stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, changing your posture and putting a strain on your back. Hormonal changes in pregnancy loosen your joints and the ligaments that attach your pelvic bones to your spine. This can make you feel less stable and cause pain when you walk, stand, sit for long periods, roll over in bed, get out of a low chair or the tub, bend, or lift things.

Baby Sadie - HUGE!!!!! and dropping!!!!

2008-10-07T15:51:00.000-07:00

31 weeks!!!!!

Okay, here's the new pic! You can tell I've dropped quite a bit since the last time. There's a joke going on at school AND church - everyone's "Prepared to help me deliver and have brought all the supplies needed to help!" Hahahahaha!!! I have to admit, it's getting MUCH harder to NOT WADDLE!

Did I tell you about the RASH I have? Ugh!! It's red, itchy, and HOT! It burns so bad, but lures me in by itching. Then it starts stinging. Aloe Vera is just not everywhere it needs to be....I'm going to have to carry it around in a cooler. :)

My friend DeDe (our worship arts director at church) said she actually got a couple of e-mails from people after I sang on Sunday telling her they're not sure I should be up there singing... Did they not like our song?? Are you kidding me? I promise I'll let you all know when I CAN'T do it anymore. Gracious. What's funny, is it's the OLDER ladies... Did they not used to "plow the fields in 900 degree weather at 9 months and carried they're other 5 kids on their backs"? I could've sworn those were the stories we heard when we complained about something....and now they don't want me to sing b/c it looks like I'm about to go into labor... I need to show them pictures of my sisters and mom when they were prego. Granted, they have a few inches on me, but we just make big babies in our family!!!

I TOTALLY loved the attention a few months ago, when I was just starting to look pregnant. Now, it's getting old!

Miss Sadie just moves like crazy all the time!

Your pregnancy: 31 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Singing...

2008-10-05T16:13:00.000-07:00

I sang my last special today for a long time. I have one more Sunday of Praise Team. And I'll get to sing with DeDe's band OneWill on Nov. 1 for Fall Festival. Super excited about that. I don't know how I'm going to be when I actually have to sit in the church seats with everyone else and sing from there... I always feel so ... well...like I'm missing out on a huge blessing. I LOVE to sing, and feel weird when I can't lead. I know the Praise Team will get along great without me, but I'll miss the rehearsals and all that stuff. I just love to sing for the Lord, and I'm so blessed to be able to birth His little miracle in 9 weeks. I'm just going to miss it all.

Yesterday morning, Craig and I drove to Waco to meet his dad and stepmom so they could give us our baby gifts that we didn't get to receive in Houston b/c of the hurricane. GREAT stuff!!! They were blown away at how much I had grown since July...big surprise. :)

Last night, we went to dinner with some very dear friends and asked them if they would be Sadie's Godparents. This was a VERY big deal for Craig, b/c of his Catholic/Italian upbringing and I thought it was a great idea. Jeff and DeDe Jones (our worship leader and her husband and two amazing people that we love so very, very much) will be GREAT Godparents and will love Sadie like she's their own.

2 showers coming up:
October 18th in Waxahachie - my old teacher buddies from years past.
October 25th in Trophy Club - DeDe's throwing me a shower for my family, Craig's family and our closest friends from church and around the area.
and in November, my 4th grade team will be throwing my school shower...

SO excited!

That's it for now! I'm off to write thank you notes!!! Picture coming this week!!!

Baby Sadie - Getting BIG!!

2008-09-29T13:34:00.000-07:00

Went to the doctor today for a check up. Her heartbeat was 154 today. Got my Rogam shot today, I'm O- and Craig is B+, so this will make sure that our blood will not make her blood act up. We wanted to know when our next sonogram would be...as of right now, she's very healthy, so Dr. Finke said unless there are complications, we won't have one. And we really can't afford a 3D or 4D sonogram. So I guess we'll just see her when she comes out. I guess we could take a 30 week picture tonight... Some clothes make me look bigger/smaller than others. Who knows how I look today...no comments, maybe everyone is getting bored with it. I'm not bored yet, just ready to see her!!! :)

Your pregnancy: 30 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby's about 15.7 inches long now, and she weighs almost 3 pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds her, but that volume will decrease as she gets bigger and takes up more room in your uterus. Her eyesight continues to develop, though it's not very keen; even after she's born, she'll keep her eyes closed for a good part of the day. When she does open them, she'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision — which means she can only make out objects a few inches from her face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)See what your baby looks like this week.

29 weeks - BIG baby Sadie!!

2008-09-22T15:56:00.000-07:00

Baby Sadie is beginning to resemble an alien daily as she moves across my tummy. She's making it hard to sing and walk and get out of bed and walk and move...and walk... :)
We finally finished the border in the baby room, and Craig and I went to get our S-A-D-I-E letters and I've started painting them. We also found 3 piggy banks that match the room perfectly, 1 cow, 1 sheep, and 1 chicken! Isn't that random? Thought it was too good to be true. Her first banks! Car FUND!!! College FUND!!! and Wedding FUND!!! Oh MY!
I don't feel any bigger than I did last week, but I can tell by the sharp pains in my lower abdomen that I'm definitely stretching. I'm having a hard time thinking that in 11 or (hopefully less) weeks we will have a new baby in this house. So surreal and strange to think about it. We are so excited!!!

Your pregnancy: 29 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain. To meet his increasing nutritional demands, you'll need plenty of protein, vitamins C, folic acid, and iron. And because his bones are soaking up lots of calcium, be sure to drink your milk (or find another good source of calcium, such as cheese, yogurt, or enriched orange juice). This trimester, about 250 milligrams of calcium are deposited in your baby's hardening skeleton each day.

Baby Room...so far...

2008-09-18T17:59:00.000-07:00

So here's a sneak peek of the baby room. We still need the glider rocker and changing table in there, but this is the gist of the theme. Barn animals... we thought it was so cute. Mom bought all of our baby room decor for us... THANKS MOM!!!

28 weeks along Picture

2008-09-16T16:11:00.000-07:00

Okay, okay, so I tried on my coral shirt...no go... I would have to cut it off if I tried to put it on. So...here it is... 28 weeks along. So far I've heard several totally different statements... "Oh my, are you having twins?" or "Has your doctor really looked to see if there's just one baby?" My answer to that one is - no, my doctor doesn't believe in listening for 2 heart beats or looking on the sonogram for 2 bodies. And here's my favorite, "I think your doctor got the date wrong." Yes, she's an idiot. I'm due tomorrow. As for the positive one, "You're not that big, but you do look like you're carrying a boy." Thank you to those, and I think the "looking" like you're carrying a boy or girl is dumb. It looks like I'm carrying a BABY. :) As you can tell, the comments are laughable at most. I'm not letting it get to me... some people are just really dumb sometimes. Gotta love 'em.

BABY SADIE - 12 weeks away!!!!!

2008-09-15T15:27:00.000-07:00

Well, here we are, third trimester. Time is truly flying. Thanks to Hurricane Ike, no Houston shower was had...I'm sad about it. But I'm so glad everyone we know and love is safe and was not hurt. Their physical things may have been, but family wasn't.
I went to the doctor last Thursday for my glucose screening. They didn't tell me how to eat that day, so I went about my business and ate like normal. They called Friday and said my sugar was a little elevated and my iron was low. So, now I'm taking iron supplements, and NOW they are having me come back this Wednesday for the 3 hour glucose test. I have a feeling everything will come back normal, once I fast for 12 hours. I'm thinking positively.
She moves all over the place, more than usual. This morning, I woke up to her rhythmically punching my bladder and both sides of my stomach. She must have had some big time hiccups! As soon as I got up, she quit. Maybe she just didn't like how I was laying. :)
My back is still giving me fits, but once I get up and moving, it seems to get better. Some days are unbearable, some I'm just fine. I can really feel some strange movements, like parts of her moving across my belly and getting to watch them is fascinating!!! This is such a cool time in my pregnancy. I'm savoring every moment of it b/c I know it will go by so fast. Craig will take a picture of me tonight. I'll try on my coral shirt, but I don't know if it will fit. :)

Your pregnancy: 28 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:By this week, your baby weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:You're in the home stretch! The third and final trimester starts this week. If you're like most women, you'll gain about 11 pounds this trimester.At this point, you'll likely visit your doctor or midwife every two weeks. Then, at 36 weeks, you'll switch to weekly visits. Depending on your risk factors, your practitioner may recommend repeating blood tests for HIV and syphilis now, as well as doing cultures for chlamydia and gonorrhea, to be certain of your status before delivery. Also, if your glucose screening test result was high and you haven't yet had follow-up testing, you'll soon be given the 3-hour glucose tolerance test. And if the blood work done at your first prenatal visit showed that you're Rh negative, you'll get an injection of Rh immunoglobulin to prevent your body from developing antibodies that could attack your baby's blood. (If your baby is Rh positive, you'll receive another shot of Rh immunoglobulin after you give birth.)Around this time, some women feel an unpleasant "creepy-crawly" sensation in their lower legs and an irresistible urge to move them while trying to relax or sleep. If this sensation is at least temporarily relieved when you move, you may have what's known as restless legs syndrome (RLS). No one knows for sure what causes RLS, but it's relatively common among expectant mothers. Try stretching or massaging your legs, and cut down on caffeine, which can make the symptoms worse. Ask your caregiver if you should try iron supplements, which can sometimes relieve RLS.

Miss Sadie - 90 days to go!!!!! Home Stretch!

2008-09-08T17:50:00.000-07:00

Sadly, we may not get to go to Houston this weekend for our first Baby Shower. Hurricane Ike could wait a few more days or just stop altogether...which would be great!!! We really don't want to miss our shower, nor can we postpone, b/c after October, I won't be able to travel long distances anymore. :(
As for the information below, I've added a few red comments to AGREE with what it's saying. Glad I'm a textbook pregnancy! :)
90 days to go...holy cow.

Your pregnancy: 27 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups (EVERYDAY!!!), which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back (NO DOUBT!!!), for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then (YES!!!). They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs. Unfortunately, the cramps may get worse as your pregnancy progresses. Leg cramps are more common at night but can also happen during the day. When a cramp strikes, stretching the calf muscle should give you some relief. Straighten your leg and then gently flex your toes back toward your shin. Walking for a few minutes or massaging your calf sometimes helps, too.It may be the furthest thing from your mind right now, but it's not too soon to think about family planning. You'll want to have made some decisions about postpartum birth control before your baby arrives. If you're considering a tubal ligation, be aware that most states require you to sign a consent form at least 30 days beforehand. So if you'd like the option of having the surgery during your postpartum hospital stay, don't wait too much longer to discuss it with your caregiver. (You can still change your mind later.)

Sadie - 26 weeks down, 14 to go...

2008-09-01T07:10:00.000-07:00

Had a good weekend! We got her baby book, so cute. And a new book called "Baby Wise". We got some cute thank you notes, and some scrapbooking stuff for the baby book. She moved all day yesterday. Especially in church. She loves the music. Craig finally got to see her move in my tummy without touching it. It's a weird feeling to watch her move, not just feel her move. But just a really cool way for God to tell me that He's doing great things with her! We'll take another picture soon, it seems like I grow every single day now.

Your pregnancy: 26 weeks
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How your baby's growing:The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.See what your baby looks like this week.

SADIE - My little busy body!

2008-08-27T16:31:00.000-07:00

Started back to school on Monday. I wasn't sure how Miss Sadie would react to my schedule, but she's doing well. I think the sound of all the kids voices makes her happy...I hope. She better get used to it. :) Everything's fine, the kids love asking questions about her and wondering what she's doing. I do have a lot more energy than I thought I would, so that's a God-send.

Your pregnancy: 25 weeks
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How your baby's growingHead to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

New Pic - 24 Weeks

2008-08-20T17:03:00.000-07:00

Here I am...24 weeks. Not sure how much longer I can wear this shirt, but I'll try it again in 6 weeks. :)

Miss Sadie - 24 weeks - and MOVING all the time!!!

2008-08-18T17:54:00.000-07:00

Sadie is a really active baby!! I am starting to feel stronger kicks and punches now... She likes to rest her head right above my belly button, especially when I'm singing! That makes singing a little harder, but I think she really likes the sounds of the band around her!
I'm feeling more and more pregnant everyday! My back makes it harder to get up out of bed and out of my chair. I'm carrying her "like it's a boy" as everyone says. Neh...she's just a little version of Craig! :)

Your pregnancy: 24 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Sadie Elaine - 23 Weeks along

2008-08-12T14:17:00.000-07:00

She's just a mover and a shaker!!! She only moves when I lay down to rest and when I've got my hands on my tummy, she sits real still when Craig puts his hand on my tummy. However, the other night, I could feel her doing a summersalt in my stomach, and he couldn't feel it. It think it's a lot easier for me to feel it on the outside, b/c I feel it on the inside.

Went to the Dr. today. Strong heartbeat: 160 bpm. Told her about my back pain and sleepless nights and HEARTBURN!!! All normal.

Trying to get the curtains for the baby room sewn right now. That's contributing to my back pain, but they're turning out cute.

I have most of what I need to work on the room...we just have some moving furniture to do...this weekend I suspect?

I'll try to have a new pic up this week. xoxoxo

Your pregnancy: 23 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.

Baby Sadie - 22 weeks along!

2008-08-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

Everyday that I wake up now, I've grown more!!! It's getting harder to sleep, turn over, get comfortable, and just get to sleep. The clothes I wore at the beginning of the pregnancy are now getting snug - they were hand-me-downs from my skinny sister and sister-in-law, who were little when they were prego. Someone actually asked me if I'm having twins! Men! If his wife had been there, she would've hit him, I'm sure...I almost did! I pray I have the energy to get my classroom in order before school starts. I'd love to just say, "What doesn't get done, doesn't get done". But those who know me, know better. New pictures of the tummy will come soon, but I'm going to have to wear a different shirt, the coral one is getting snug in the tummy! ;)

Your pregnancy: 22 weeks
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How your baby's growing:At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.See what your baby looks like this week.

Sadie Elaine's Update - our baby Carrot

2008-07-28T14:32:00.000-07:00

I really felt Miss Sadie dancing around a lot this past weekend, especially when I lay down to rest. Her Great-Mimi fed her very well, so she was pretty happy. While singing in a show with OneWill this past Friday, she was rather busy...she may be a little scared of all the noise (I stood next to the drums), or she'll just come out a really rhythmic baby. Hopefully she won't develop her daddy's musical sensibility. :)

Here's the babycenter.com update for the week:

21 weeks
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How your baby's growing:Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a carrot. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now, and if you're having a girl, her vagina has begun to form as well.See what your baby looks like this week.

Sonogram at 19 weeks -

2008-07-21T07:14:00.000-07:00

Miss Sadie - hiding her girl parts! She didn't want to give herself up! We finally poked and prodded her enough, she spread those little legs just long enough for our technician to get a quick picture. All the little pictures are her body parts, including the girl parts. They are probably too small for you to read. One is of her hand, her femur, the top of her skull (cranium), her spine is visible in a couple of them, and one is measuring her heart rate of 150 bpm.

20 weeks - FINALLY! A BANANA!!! :)

2008-07-21T06:55:00.000-07:00

Your pregnancy: 20 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. SHE's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom (She's actually about 8 inches long already - looks like we're going to have a tall one!!!)and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, he's measured from head to toe.)He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Baby Danklefs NEWS!!!

2008-07-16T20:02:00.000-07:00

It's a GIRL!!! Sadie Elaine or Sadie Elizabeth is still on track for December 8! She weighs 9 oz. and is 8 inches long. All of her organs, fingers, toes, bones, etc are just the way they should be!!

My "heirloom tomato" - 19 weeks

2008-07-15T13:59:00.000-07:00

We go tomorrow for our sonogram - we will let everyone know what we will be having. Just know, it will either be a Sadie or a J.T. :)

Your pregnancy: 19 weeks
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How your baby's growing:Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, taking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom —about the size of a large heirloom tomato. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid.

The Baby Bell Pepper - 18 weeks along

2008-07-07T08:35:00.000-07:00

Your pregnancy: 18 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.If you haven't already had a second-trimester ultrasound, you'll probably have one soon. This painless procedure helps your practitioner check how your baby's growing, screen for certain birth defects, check the placenta and umbilical cord, determine whether the due date you're working with is accurate, and see how many babies you're carrying. During the exam, you might see your baby moving around or sucking his thumb. Bring your partner along, and be sure to ask for a printout for your baby's first photo album!

The Baby Turnip - 17 weeks along...

2008-07-01T15:49:00.000-07:00

The sinuses this week are killing me, and the headache, turned migraine is just draining. I'm not eating so great b/c I'm nauseous from the migraine...it's making me lazier than ever. Other than that, I'm just taking it easy, not moving a whole lot, and watching tons of television. I'm counting my blessings, however, b/c this is really the only problems I've had.

Your pregnancy: 17 weeks
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How your baby's growing:Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Starting to feel a bit off balance? As your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, so you may begin to occasionally feel a little unsteady on your feet. Try to avoid situations with a high risk of falling. Wear low-heeled shoes to reduce your risk of taking a tumble; trauma to your abdomen could be dangerous for you and your baby. You'll also want to be sure to buckle up when you're in a car — keep the lap portion of the seat belt under your belly, drawn snugly across your hips, and also use the shoulder harness, which should fit snugly between your breasts.You may also notice your eyes becoming drier. Using over-the-counter lubricating drops may help. If your contact lenses become uncomfortable, try wearing them for shorter stretches of time. If you still have discomfort, switch to glasses until after you give birth.

Thump thump...

2008-06-25T16:10:00.000-07:00

So, I THINK I felt the baby move last week while I was in Arkansas. It stopped before I could really put my hand on it. It felt like it was thumping me or like bubbles popping. It definitely was not gas...I know what that feels like. :) I haven't felt it again since last Wednesday. I've been pretty relaxed since I got back. The night I felt it I was laying in my cot, trying to go to sleep, after the busiest day I had on mission trip, up to that point.
I'm going to think positively and chalk it up to being baby. After describing to almost everyone, they all think that's what it was, too. Cool feeling!!! Waiting for another one!!!

My baby avocado...16 weeks

2008-06-23T15:32:00.000-07:00

Your pregnancy: 16 weeks
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How your baby's growing:Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.See what your baby looks like this week. (Or see what fraternal twins look like in the womb this week.)Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently.

The baby - 15 weeks...

2008-06-13T14:02:00.000-07:00

Hi all! I won't be home all of next week...so I'm posting a little early. I went to the doctor today. Heard the heartbeat again - 148 bpm. Last time is was 168 bpm, and the first time was 182 bpm (which was not heard but charted...). So, the baby's growing fine. You'll see below that I should only have gained about 5 lbs...HA! I've gained 10...expected since I had just recently lost 20 and started eating whatever I wanted. Good news is, she didn't SAY I have gained too much. My blood pressure was really good (122/68). My next appointment is July 16th - which will be THE SONOGRAM - the one where we can see what the sex of the baby is. Hopefully Baby cooperates. I'll be 19 weeks and 2 days. So, we should be able to tell something!! Everyone keeps asking what we want...Craig's main response is "A healthy baby...". That's the way I am, too... I just love the idea of HAVING a baby to call my very own... And I'm so blessed that God has trusted ME, of all people, to aid in and care for this miracle.

So here is the update, as seen on babycenter.com, I've included some of my own comments throughout IN RED:

Your pregnancy: 15 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). (AHHH....FINALLY, THE BABY'S THE SIZE OF AN APPLE).She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now (HOPEFULLY LONGER THAN 'HER' MOTHER'S, BUT SHORTER THAN 'HER' FATHER'S), and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now (a little more or less is fine, too - OH THANK GOODNES!!! I DON'T WANT TO BE A 5'2" WHALE) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up (HOLY COW, THIS IS NO JOKE- I'VE BEEN HAVING ISSUES SINCE THE LAST WEEK OF MAY - YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN ME ON VACATION!!!), for instance, you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.If you're having amniocentesis, it'll most likely happen between now and 18 weeks. This test can identify hundreds of genetic and chromosomal disorders. If you're getting very anxious while waiting for the results, it may help to know that most women who undergo amniocentesis get good news about their babies — bringing welcome relief from their worries.Don't be surprised if you and your partner are feeling a little stressed out these days. Many pregnant couples worry about their baby's health and how they'll handle the changes ahead. But with physical discomforts on the wane and energy on the rise, this is also a wonderful trimester for most women.

Dr. appointment tomorrow

2008-06-12T16:16:00.000-07:00

So, I go into the Dr. tomorrow... I think we're doing heartbeat again, and maybe a tee tee test. Dr's appointments kind of stress me out, I'm always worried they're going to tell me I'm doing something wrong, or that something doesn't seem right. Prayers are always helpful. There's nothing in my pregnancy that would indicate anything is wrong...just my paranoia.

I will let you know how things go tomorrow afternoon.

Much love from the Danklefs family (Craig, Jill, and Baby??)

The Baby - 14 weeks...

2008-06-09T08:08:00.000-07:00

Your pregnancy: 14 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.See what your baby looks like this week.Note: Every baby develops a little differently — even in the womb. Our information is designed to give you a general idea of your baby's development.
How your life's changing:Welcome to your second trimester! Your energy is likely returning, your breasts may be feeling less tender, and your queasiness may have completely abated by now. If not, hang on — chances are good it will soon be behind you (although an unlucky few will still feel nauseated months from now).The top of your uterus is a bit above your pubic bone, which may be enough to push your tummy out a tad. Starting to show can be quite a thrill, giving you and your partner visible evidence of the baby you've been waiting for. Take some time to plan, daydream, and enjoy this amazing time. It's normal to worry a bit now and then, but try to focus on taking care of yourself and your baby, and having faith that you're well equipped for what's ahead.

The baby's developement at 13 weeks :)

2008-06-02T14:55:00.000-07:00

Your pregnancy: 13 weeks
See the big picture
How your baby's growing:Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

Baby Danklefs - so far...

2008-06-01T16:43:00.000-07:00

First of all, thanks for checking out our new blog. I will try my best to update often. :)

So far, I'm 13 weeks along. Yea! First trimester - DONE! We're so excited for this new adventure!

So, this is me...12 weeks along. Baby bump is just beginning to come out! The baby is just about the size of a medium sized shrimp (according to babycenter.com).