S is for star

Christian brought home his 1st piece of art work from school today.  I have never been so proud and I have waited on this day for a while! haha!  It's silly amazing the little things that you look forward to being a mom.  I'm thinking he must have had help, or maybe he is just that talented to make an "S" AND stay in the lines... I'll go with the second one.. ;) hehe

We pulled C out of daycare for a few weeks and today was his first day back.  We just felt this was the right decision for him at the time.  He was seriously bored to death at home..  He has a very outgoing personality and LOVES being around all the kids!!  He really enjoyed it and I could tell he was really happy when I picked him up - that is all that matters to me!  Money does not make a difference if my little boy is happy... but man day cares make a fortune!  We could be paying on a vacation home when this next one comes with all the money we will be spending at day care!  Oh well, at least I know he loves it there and he is loved. :)  The next one may have a totally different personality and want to stay home with Nana though.. we will play it by ear! ;)  

Christian's Talking Away...

This weekend was relaxing and wonderful.  Corey went to take his physical agility test Saturday morning for the Van Buren Fire Department - he passed!  So proud of him!!  While he was doing that, Christian and I just relaxed around the house.  He had to go mow for a few hours after he was done there so my dad came and picked up Christian so I could go run some errands.  I went to get a baby shower gift and did a little shopping for C!  I am obsessed with Carters and now have to go in there like every 6 weeks because he has everything in there that I think is cute! lol  So I've timed it about every six weeks where I can go in and get a few of the new outfits! ;)  If we have a boy, we are set!!!  If we have a girl, we are in a lot of trouble... and daddy is FULLY aware!! haha!  Saturday night we all went to the baby shower at church.  It's always a good time with our church friends!  I can not believe how many of us are pregnant!!!  I think it's around 5 or 6 JUST in our Sunday School class.... how much fun are all of our babies going to have together?! :)  When we got home and got C to bed, we watched Contraband.  It was a great movie!!  We ended up having a sleep over in the living room all night - we like to do that! ha!

*

Sunday we went to Sunday School and then had nursery during church.  It was fun watching all of those sweet toddlers!  I asked Corey what he would do if we had that many (6)... His response, "it would be fine if they were boys."  Now let me note that the best behaved one at his time of response was the only little girl in there!!!  He's ridiculous and way too partial!!  I have a pretty strong feeling that if we found out we were having a girl though, it would completely melt his heart!!!  We had a meeting about VBS after church and stayed around a while and visited.  We ended up getting home around 1:45 and Christian was pooped!!  He took a 3 hour nap so me and the hubby watched a movie and napped, too!  I thought I would try out a new pinterest recipe last night - The Best Pork Chops Ever - fried okra, squash, and baked potatoes.  It was pretty good but my taste buds have been so off lately.  As soon as I bit into my pork chop, I cried, because it tasted weird to me!!  Crazy hormones?? YES!!!  Christian ate almost every bite.. he loves food!  You would think he would be huge - but nope, petite as ever!  Corey swears he has defined pecks and calves..... Seriously??? He's 1!! haha!!  However, if you know my husband, this does not surprise you!!  

*

So, Christian has been saying words out of the blue here and there, but this weekend was like a light bulb went off!!  He said: coo-tip as he put the Q-tip in his ear, love you, thank you, ello and red as he was putting his blocks away, bath, go, he's trying to say his name, Vickie (his aunt), blocks, and of course his favorites momma, daddy, doggie, drink, ball, bye bye, hi, and nana.  He's talking away, constantly... those are the words I've been able to make out so far... but if you TRY to get him to say anything, good luck!  He's a little stubborn dude!  He can pretty much respond to anything I tell him to do now... go get his ball, blocks, dinosaur, paci, diaper, drink, blankie, pretty much whatever... I love being able to communicate with him.. He is so much fun!!  If I say where is the doggie, he will run to the window and point, he says light and points up, and he is constantly dancing!  Anytime he hears music, he starts bouncing up and down and he stomps his feet - It is the cutest thing ever!!!

 *

That pretty much wraps up our weekend!!  Hope your had a wonderful one!  We have our FIRST doctors appointment TOMORROW and we are ecstatic!!! :)  I will be posting about that soon! 

 He approved of mommy's dinner! :)

9 Weeks & Growing...

I am 9 weeks today... The nausea has pretty much gone away now.. Thank you, Lord!!  I still get a little nauseous if I need to eat, but that's pretty much the only time.  I'm still super tired all the time and pretty much feel like I'm in a daze most of the time.  I have been moody lately, also!  I think we have a boy name picked out now!!  I always feel better after we figure out the name situation! :)  I love both of our names we have picked out for a boy and a girl.  4 more days until our first doctors appointment - SO excited!!! 

*

The baby is now an inch long - about the size of a grape.

*

This weeks major developments:  The baby is starting to look more like a little human now.  His/her essential body parts are all accounted for now and the tiny teeth are forming.  The organs, nerves, and muscles are kicking into gear.  The eyes are fully formed but will not open until 27 weeks.  Now that the baby's basic physiology is in place, it's time for rapid weight gain.

*

I'm not showing but getting thicker around the waist!!  It's like being constantly bloated! 

8 Weeks & Growing...

I'm a few days late posting this time... So, 8 weeks and 3 days has arrived.  I'm starting to feel better as far as the nausea goes, but sooo extremely tired!  I do not remember being this exhausted when I was pregnant with Christian.  I've been taking my vitamins everyday and drinking plenty of water - maybe it's because I can't eat as much food that gives me energy.  I'm not sure but I will be glad when it goes away!  I've been having some cramping lately, which always freaks me out a little, but I know it's normal.  I am so looking forward to next Tuesday - our first appointment!!! :)  We are starting to think of names and we have a girl name picked out only because it was way easier and we both LOVE it!!  I have no clue on another boy name.  Christian's was so easy because we both knew we wanted that, but this one will be a lot harder.  We were both thinking it was a boy for sure until this week.... we are starting to think maybe a girl now.  We did the needle test and it says girl.  My mom thinks girl for sure and my dad thinks it's a boy.  I'm just thinking healthy!! :)

*

The baby is about the size of a kidney bean.

*

This weeks major developments:  The baby has webbed fingers and toes poking out from his/her hands and feet, eyelids are covering the eyes, and the baby's "tail" is just about gone!

*

I'm still not showing and I'm in my regular clothes.  I can't wait to start taking weekly pics!!

Kenlee Ann Has Arrived!!

I'm excited to announce that Corey and I are now an aunt & uncle!!!! :)  Corey's brother, Chris and his wife, Jessica brought their first precious child, a baby girl, into the world yesterday around 5:00.  Her name is Kenlee Ann Iovinelli.  Isn't that such a sweet name??  She is just beautiful!  We can't wait to go back to the hospital tonight to see her!!  Christian is going to love having a little cousin and we will be adding another one in 7 months!! :)  I love that they will all be so close in age! 

 Proud Uncle

 

 Miss Kenlee :)
7 lb 8 oz, 19 1/2"

Easter Weekend...

This post is just going to be in pictures and captions!! ;) 

 

 When did my baby become such a little boy??

 

 He loves playing outside!!

 Playing with his new water table..

 and his new shakey tree sprinkler!

 How sweet is that??

 Momma's baby boy

 Christian and Daddy at the Easter Egg Hunt at church!

 Scoping out all the eggs!!

 He was a pro!!

 

 

 

 giving daddy a high five!!

 Looking to see what's inside his egg!

 He pulled out the pink one and gave it to one of his little girl friends... So sweet!!

 She was so sweet and gave him one of hers, too!

 "There's nothing in there, momma!"

 Sitting down and looking through his eggs!

 Christian's Easter baskets!

 He was so excited Easter morning!

 He loves his Elmo book!!

  
And that was our Easter weekend in a nutshell!!  It was wonderful! :)  I didn't get an Easter picture Sunday morning of us before church and I'm a little bummed out, so not like me!!  Hope everyone had a great Easter and remembered the real reason - Thank you, Jesus!!!

7 Weeks & Growing...

Today is 7 weeks and bring on the morning sickness!!  Holy cow - did it ever show it's face this week!  I don't even know why I refer to it as morning sickness when it starts around 5:00 in the evening.  I have about a 30 minute "not so great feeling" window in the morning and then I'm good to go for the rest of the day....... Until 5:00 hits.  It's like the evil hour.  I have been going to bed no later than 8:00 just to get relief from it!  It's the annoying kind of nausea, too... I don't throw up or anything... just that annoying, constant sick feeling.  I should have known all that feeling better than ever was too good to be true.  I will admit, we were kind of thinking it might be a girl at first because everything was so different from my last pregnancy, but now it's all starting to pan out exactly the same!  Boy?? ;)  Being that it is 14 weeks away, I will stop thinking about it.. (yea right.)  Energy level is kind of going the same way... I have lots of it until about 5:00 and then I'm dead to the world.  I haven't had anymore blood pressure issues so that is good news!  O.M.G Guess what I ate for dinner last night and did NOT have a gallbladder attack??? PIZZA!!!  Yes, it was green olive - light on the cheese... but still, it was pizza!!!  I was so happy!! :)  I had read that pizza was low in fat, besides the cheese, but was terrified to try it... Well, I caved last night and decided to give it a whirl.. so glad I did!!  What a great break from salad and grilled chicken!!  I think I'll have it again for lunch today... I'll probably gain 5 lbs back immediately.. haha!  

*

The baby has doubled in size since last week and measures half an inch long, about the size of a blueberry.

*

This weeks major developments:  Hands and feet are emerging from developing arms and legs.  Both hemispheres of the baby's brain are growing and he/she now has an appendix and a pancreas.

*

Still not showing but I have been extremely bloated this week which has made me feel like I was some days... haha!!  I think that is what I'm looking forward to most right now is that baby bump!! :)

  Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!!

6 Weeks & Growing...

Today is 6 weeks!!  For some reason, I feel like this is the first big accomplishment... maybe because it's halfway to 12?  I really don't know.. but I feel good about it! ha!!  Still no morning sickness or major symptoms... I have had allergy issues the past couple of days which is causing my head to feel like it's exploding! :(  Last night we were laying down watching TV and all of a sudden I started seeing black dots, like my vision was going blurry... This exact same thing happened when I was pregnant with Christian.  I don't know if it's my blood pressure fluctuating or what, but it's a little scary... definitely on my list to ask the doctor at my first appointment.  I'm starting to get really tired in the evenings now... I'm usually in bed and sound asleep around 8 or 9 these days! :)  Thank you, Lord for a healthy pregnancy so far!

*

The baby is a quarter of an inch long, about the size of a lentil. 

*

This weeks major developments:  The nose, mouth, and ears are beginning to take shape.  The baby's eyes and nostrils are starting to form.  The heart is beating about 100-160 beats per minute.  The baby's intestines are developing as well as the brain, muscles, and bones. (This is a major week for baby!!)

*

Still not showing... but I can't wait! (I'm not one of those people that dread showing... I love love love it!! and realize that with a 2 inch long torso, I will be as big as a watermelon - and I'm perfectly happy about that! ;))

Easter Pictures

We decided to skip the creepy Easter bunny pictures this year and take pictures with live animals instead! :)  Little did we know, Christian would want to grab the baby chickens by the wings, the ducks by the neck, and the rabbit by the ears. :/  He just wanted to play with them so bad!!  Shannon Oliver took his pictures and they turned out great, but she had to be very quick before he went to grabbin the live props! ha!!  I kept telling him to be gentle, so he went down and gave them a kiss... it was very sweet and she luckily got a picture of it!! So, here they are.... 

 

 

 

 

5 Weeks & Growing...

Yesterday was 5 weeks!  I am absolutely loving pregnancy so far... I feel great!!  Because of this insane diet I have to be on due to the gallstones, I have lost weight and have a ton of energy!  So far, this pregnancy is completely different than the last one.... No sickness, lots of energy, really no symptoms at all... I kept a pregnancy journal with Christian and I was reading it the other day.  I was sooo sick at 5 weeks with him and had no energy at all... I remember feeling pretty miserable.  Thank the Lord, this one has been different so far - I know that could change any day... 

*

The baby is a size of a sesame seed & looks more like a tiny tadpole than a human. 

*

This week's development:  The heart begins to divide into two chambers and beat and pump blood. 

*

Obviously, I'm not showing yet because I'm only 5 weeks so no belly shots until something is there... but the moment anything at all is, I will be starting the weekly photos! ;)