Four Months Old

Wow, we have a four month old!! Seems so little, yet so big at the same time. I think about it and say he's only four months, what a little baby. But then I think about when Brayden was first born and am like wow, he's four months, what a big boy! Seriously, where have the past four months gone??!!!

Brayden is doing great! He so far has been blessed with great health and is such a happy baby that is just full of life!! The three to four month period has been so fun as we watch Brayden become more and more interested in his surroundings. Brayden did roll over once about a month ago, but we think that was by accident. However, he is now starting to arch his back and move around when he is laying on the floor, so we think he is really learning to roll over this time. Brayden also loves grabbing onto anything he can find...a burp cloth, his bib, our shirts, his blankets, his toys, etc. Oh and his feet are the new one. It seems like he always has to have something in his hands and his mouth all day long!! Lately everything goes straight to the mouth...hands, bibs, blankets, toys, you name it. However, we try to give him a pacifier instead because he is also a drooling machine now too, haha. Brayden is really discovering his voice and facial expressions now too and we can't get enough of his smiles and laughs!!

Some of Brayden's favorite things now include, being held under the arms to stand up, his jumperoo, and bath time with daddy!! Ahh and he is starting to learn to splash! The other night when I went in the bathroom to clean up after Dan gave Brayden a bath and was putting him to bed, about half of his bath water was on the floor, haha. I think it might be time to put his newborn tub in the actually bath tub and not on the floor in the bathroom anymore. Oh and another one of his favorite things is being shy when he looks at himself in the mirror. This is a very new thing Now when we look and play standing in front of the mirror, Brayden smiles and then gets shy and turns his head into your chest....its really too cute!!

We had our four month doctor's appointment today and Brayden appears to be doing very well. The doctor talked to us about starting him on some rice cereal and food too, so that will be the next big step!! We can't wait to see how he likes eating and reacts to the new foods! I am sure I will have lots to blog about next month!

Brayden's four month stats:

Head: 44.25 (90th percentile)
Length: 25.5 (75th percentile)
Weight: 17lbs 4.2oz (90th percentile)

Four month picture to come .... probably tomorrow (Friday). Brayden is too worn out from his shots this morning for any pictures today. Poor guy! We love you Brayden and can't wait to see what this next month brings!!

not a fan of sitting up yet, can you tell??!!

tummy time

so neat to watch him learn to play and grab toys

loves baths!

my favorite pic - loves his bath time with daddy!!

Three Months Old

So here we are again...another month has past and I have no idea where the time is going!! The months are passing by way too quickly as I find myself holding onto and cherishing each and every moment with our not so "little" baby boy! Last night he woke up for his nightly feeding around 3am and I found myself not wanting to put him back down after he fell asleep in my arms while we were rocking. I kept thinking pretty soon he won't wake up at all to feed at night, or pretty soon he won't want me to rock him to sleep. There is nothing more precious and special than holding and rocking your sleeping child...I love those moments we share together (even if he is sleeping, haha)!

Lots of changes have occurred this month. The biggest change has been me starting back to work, ugh! However, I am very blessed that my boss has been so understanding and is letting me work from home part-time for now. Dan and I were just not ready to send Brayden to daycare, so we are so grateful that I am able to stay home with him everyday. The first week back was very tough and an emotional roller coaster as I figured out how I was going to balance it all, but each week gets a little better. I have found that I can get the most work done if I stay up after Brayden's early morning feeding, which usually falls somewhere between 3am and 5am. It is pretty tough and I struggle some days, but we are making it work. Brayden has also started taking some longer naps (on occasion), instead of his 30 to 40 minute catnaps which he is famous for, so that is helping as well.

Changes with Brayden....I believe that he is probably pushing close to 15 lbs now and has definitely gotten a lot longer as I just packed up his 3 month pants and onesies yesterday (tear. our little boy is getting so big)! Brayden is now wearing 6 to 9 month clothing! He also rolled over for the first time last week. I think it was by accident, because it has not happened again yet. Now he just rolls up onto his side and then gets frustrated. It's kinda cute though, but I am probably partial. Brayden is also doing really well with tummy time and has starting to push himself up with his arms! And boy oh boy does he love to show off his gums with his heart melting smiles and giggles.

Whats to come...we are looking forward to Thanksgiving next week and making the trip down to MomMom and PopPops (Dan's parents) for Thanksgiving dinner! Then Christmas will be here before you know it (wow we need to start Christmas shopping) and my parents (Nana and Grandpa) are driving east to stay with us for a little while and celebrate Brayden's first Christmas! We CAN'T wait to see them and spend some time together!!! My dad has not been able to get back here since right after Brayden was born. Thankfully we have been able to Skype and send lots of pictures, but it still is not the same!

So next month Brayden has his four month doctor's appointment...boo for shots, but we will find out for sure how much he has grown! I can't wait to see what changes this month will bring! The past three months have been full of ups and downs and lots of changes, but we have cherished every moment with Brayden and look forward to what the next three months will bring!!! We love you Brayden!

Two Months Old

So clearly the months and days are still flying by!!! Brayden is such a joy, but keeping us very busy as well!! I hope to start blogging more and more as he gets a little older, but for right now once a month will have to do!

This month we have noticed a lot of changes with Brayden! It seems like he grows and changes over night! He is smiling more and more each day in response to the goofy things that we do, and more recently he has started making lots of noises!! It is so amazing to watch and see him "finding" his voice! He is also liking tummy time a little more each day and does amazing lifting his neck up to see what is going on. Brayden proves to be a very active baby and loves to be right in the middle of the action...which we think is why he used to (and still does sometimes) refuse to nap on his own during the day.

However, within the past two weeks, Brayden has started taking naps during the day in his crib (he has always been in the crib at night). So we are making some progress!! Although yesterday (Saturday) Brayden refused to nap more than 30 minutes total during the day. I think it was because his daddy was home and he thought it was "play time" all day. Plus Brayden started making a lot of new sounds yesterday, so I think he was too excited to sleep...he just wanted to "talk" all day instead. But, I can't complain because he was still in a good mood all day!!!

Another amazing milestone that we accomplished this past month is Brayden not waking up every hour during the night! Even though he would only feed every three hours, he used to wake up every hour and need "help" getting back to sleep. However, recently he has started giving us some four (and if we are lucky five) hour stretches and for the most part sleeps straight through from one feeding to the next!! Although we still have our "rough" nights, the good ones seem to out weigh the bad... at least for now.

So my mom (Nana or GiGi...I still don't think she has decided) also came for a second visit this month. It was so nice to have her here! We only wish that she and my dad (Grandpa) lived closer!!! We haven't seen Grandpa since Brayden was born, so we are hoping that they decide to come back east for the holidays! If not, then Dan and I have some decisions to make! MumMum and PopPop (Dan's parents) also came for a visit this month to see us and more importantly Brayden. So it was great to visit with them and for them to see how much Brayden has changed!

At his two month doctor's appointment, Brayden weighed 13.5 ounces (80th percentile) and was 23.5 inches long (50th percentile). I guess the boy loves to eat! Brayden also had his first shots at this past visit (well he had one shot in the hospital)....and did amazingly well. He cried during the shots because he had to be pinned down and I am sure they hurt as well, but he calmed down instantly when Dan picked him up! Thank God...Dan and I both were really dreading the shots!! For the post part after the shots Brayden really did not fuss too much, which we were expecting...instead he really just wanted to sleep!

Well here are a few pictures and a video of Brayden "talking". I am sure the next blog we will have many more updates on how Brayden has changed! I love that he is starting to interact more, but I also don't want him to grow up and change too fast! I already look at pictures when he was first born and wish that we could go back to those days! I can't imagine how I am going to feel when he is three years old...which I am sure will quickly sneak up on us! Okay, enough sadness, enjoy the video and pictures! We love you very much Brayden... you are our pride and joy!!!

One Month Old

As of yesterday, Brayden was officially one month old...can you believe that?! I certainly can not! This month has been filled with lots of visitor's, lack of sleep, many life changes, but most importantly LOTS of love!! Dan and I continue to adjust and learn Brayden's needs and desires every day and are just loving each and every moment of parenthood. Well most of them, haha. Being a parent is absolutely the toughest job I have ever had, but also the most rewarding too! We are still amazed my our little man and can't believe how much love he has brought into our lives. What a blessing!

We are also amazed how quickly the days and weeks have just been flying by since Brayden was born. It is amazing how quickly he has been growing and changing as well. During this past month (mainly the past two weeks), Brayden's neck has gotten a lot stronger and he can now lift and turn it back and forth about 3 to 4 times when on his tummy before he gets frustrated. He is also able to hold his neck up on his own for the most part now, however we still give him some added support. One of our favorite developments is that Brayden is making more and more eye contact with us each day and is learning to hold onto things, such as our shirts and his bibs. It is so cute. We can't wait to see what the next month will bring, as the doctor told us that he will most likely start smiling more in response to things we do, cooing more, maybe laugh once or twice, and continue making more and more eye contact and responding to our voices. Dan is looking forward to the smiles the most...he can't wait. Me on the other hand, I think it is bitter sweet. Yes, I can't wait for these changes and interaction, but at the same time, I want him to stay my "little" baby forever!!

So for the one month stats:

Height - 21 1/4 inches and 50th percentile (was 19 3/4 inches at first doctor's appoint - they measure differently than the hospital which had him at 21 inches).

Weight - 10lbs 8oz and 75th percentile (was 7lbs 1.9oz at birth and 6lbs 10oz when we left the hospital).

One month pictures:

A Few Pictures

Here are two pictures. The first picture is of Brayden and I post-delivery, while the second picture is of Dan, Brayden, and I getting settled in at home.

First Two Weeks

Life with Brayden has been very busy and eventful thus far, but also absolutely amazing!! He is a wonderful blessing and has taught us so much already! All in all, he is a wonderful baby and we all continue to figure each other out a little more every day.

The first two weeks my parents were here visiting/staying with Dan and I so that they could help us out and also get to spend some precious time with their grandson. They were an amazing first two weeks, filled with lots of appointments (doctors, blood work, photographer, etc.) and visitors!! All of our friends and family have been very generous and extremely helpful bringing us dinners to make things a little easier for us during this adjustment period.

This past Sunday we had to say goodbye to my parents. It was a really tough day for me (and Dan and Brayden as well). We miss them so much and can't wait for them to come back for another visit!! Better yet, I wish they would move closer...I would take even a few hours away at this point!! I just can't imagine them living this far away forever while Brayden is so little and growing and changing so quickly! Growing up, my grandparents lived far away...and I don't want that to be the situation for Brayden. So we just keep praying that a job will bring them closer to us!!!

Some milestones, Brayden is growing very quickly and weighed in at 8 lbs 2 ounces (gained almost 1 lb in a week) yesterday when we went to the doctor. We had to go back for a quick visit because his belly button was not healing properly. However, it finally fell off yesterday evening and is doing much better now! We can't wait to give him a "real" bath tonight! Brayden is also very strong and can already pick his neck up when you are burping him. He also picked his head up one time and turned it to the other side yesterday during tummy time! Last week Dan printed out some black and white shapes online, and Brayden loves to just stare at them when he is awake and alert! So far we are all doing well and getting settled in a little more each day. Dan goes back to work next week and it will be my first week alone all day with Brayden, so we will see how that does. Brayden and I are both very sad that Dan is going back to work and think that he should just retire and stay home with us every day!! But reality is that he has to work, and I am sure that we will all settle into a routine at some point...

Birth Day!!

Brayden Dillon Cooper was born August 16, 2010 at 7:47 pm and weighed 7lbs 1.9 ounces and was 21 inches long. We are overjoyed to finally meet our baby boy and begin the amazing journey of parenting!! As you can tell because my post is about two weeks late, he has been keeping us very busy!! These first two weeks have been amazing and definitely a roller coaster ride, but we are enjoying every moment we spend together!!!

Okay, for labor. I started having contractions Sunday night (the 15th) around 7ish. I was not too sure at that point if they were going to stick around or if they were just Braxton hicks contractions, so Dan and I went about our normal business...had dinner, took Bailey for a walk, etc. The contractions were not too bad at that point and around 10 pm when they were still coming consistently, we started timing them...about 7 minutes apart. (On a side note, the contraction app on the iPhone is awesome). So needless to say, I was excited and very anxious and never went to bed that night. So, as the contraction got closer and more intense (4 mins apart), we called the doctor on call (it was now about 3am Monday morning now) and they said to come in. However, when we got to the hospital, I was not dilated at all, so they sent us to walk around for 2 hours. Longest two hours of my life, having to stop every 4 or 5 minutes to breath through the contractions and increasingly intense pain. After 2 hours of walking around (now 6:30 Monday morning), I still was not dilating so they sent us home for a little while.

At home, I tried to rest, but could not even sit down with the pain from the contractions. So I kept walking around, rocking, and breathing through them. Around 10ish we headed back to the hospital because the pain was so intense I could not take it. The nurses kept telling me how low he was and saying that once I dilated he would come quickly, but that didn’t make be feel any better at the time when I was have such strong contractions. Again they sent us home around 12 noon saying I was in early labor and gave me an Ambien to take so I could rest some. Yeah right, not with these contractions. At this point I was becoming a little frustrated because the pain from my contractions was so intense, yet I was not dilating. I will admit that I did tell Dan at one point when they sent us home for the second time to just get a gun. However, I "tried" to just keep focusing on the son that we were about to meet.

We went back to the hospital for the third time around 3pm because again the contraction were so intense and I thought that I was going to delivery this baby at home. This time when the nurse called my doctor she told him that I was shaking from all the pain. However, again I was not dilating very much and was only 2 cm, but fully effaced. Being our third trip back to the hospital and because I was in so much pain, the doctor finally admitted me and gave the nurse the go ahead to get me fluids to prep for the epidural. Ahh what a relief.. but I still had another hour of painful contraction to endure. So again I will admit that I got frustrated one more time and this time with Dan. I said, "hello, help me" because he was watching TV instead of telling me when my contraction was starting to come down. He now says that he didn't know that I was even having a contraction because I was breathing and controlling my pain so well...haha yeah right. Anyway, I got my epidural about an hour later around 6:30pm and my doctor came in to check me. I was 9 cm!! I went from 2 cm to 9 cm in an hour. The doctor was shocked!! They broke my water and I started pushing a half hour later...and our beautiful bundle of joy was born in 30 minutes!!! Honestly the contractions were very intense and the most painful thing I have gone through thus far in my life, but I just kept praying "Dear God be with me" and telling myself that this is a natural process. That's what got me through and I would do it all again in a heartbeat for him!! Maybe I am crazy, but love does great things!!!

Happy Due Date!

So today is officially our due date - full term, 40 week baby!! Here are the last two pictures of my pregnant belly, which I will actually miss! It is bitter sweet because being pregnant is such an amazing experience, but I know that meeting the little one and holding him for the first time will be even more amazing!! So here are the last of the belly pictures from this pregnancy! Well, maybe we will get one more picture on the way to the hospital (if we remember and I am up for it, haha)!

STILL no baby..

We had our 40 week doctor's appointment today! I can't believe that tomorrow is our official due date and yet there are still NO signs of this little guy coming anytime soon! So in the mean time I must sit back, relax (or at least try), and wait for my body and him to decide that they are "ready". Sounds like a great plan, huh?? Easier said that done though. Still working and this heat, mostly still working, are finally starting to get to me! I think that I am just overly excited, anxious, nervous, you name it. But they are all good feelings and we sooo look forward to finally meeting the little one, holding him, and seeing what he looks like!

So here is the plan. The doctor's wanted to induce me on Sunday, yes this Sunday, but as we talked through it, the doctor's agreed to wait. So I go for a BioPhysical Profile ultrasound on Tuesday (17th) and have my regular doctor's appointment on Wednesday (18th). Then they want to induce me on Thursday night (19th), and hopefully delivery on Friday (20th). I am a little nervous about being induced (as most of you know by now), so hopefully my body and the baby decide to make things happen within the next week. Unfortunately, I really can't control it, so we just have to wait and see what happens.

No Baby Yet

So we had another check up today. We are making some slow progress, but no baby yet!! With a little over one week till our due date, we are all getting very excited and anxious! We just can't wait to finally meet him and hold him in our arms! The doctor did say that they think he is going to be a long baby. Maybe tall like his father??!! We will see soon enough!! Too bad with all this technology now the doctors are not able to more accurately predict the exact day that the baby will arrive. That would be nice, huh?! So for now we just continue to wait patiently for the little guy to accept his eviction notice and make his first official appearance! :)

Here is a picture from last weekend / 38 weeks....and still counting.

Full Term

Okay, so I am writing this a day early, but tomorrow I will officially be 37 weeks - Full Term!! Dan and I are as ready as we are going to be and really just can't wait to meet and hold our son! Now we just have to wait for the little guy to accept his eviction notice! :) We will see....sometime in the next three weeks. It is amazing to think that in less than a month our lives will completely be changed forever! We know that it won't always be easy, but we look forward to the changes and feel very blessed to be parents soon!

I am a little late on posting this, but here is a picture from 36 weeks.

Slight Progress

Today was our weekly doctor's appointment. The baby's heart beat sounded great and my blood pressure is still looking good. However, I did lose a pound and a half. The doctor did not seem to be too worried about this because my belly did still grew a centimeter and the baby's heart rate sounded good. Yet chances are if I lost more weight next week they would start to think something is up, but I doubt that will happen. Dan and I went to Philly this past weekend for my birthday and did LOTS of walking, so I am thinking that might have been the cause of the weight loss. Although I did eat a lot this weekend and week, including tons of yummy desserts!!! But we will see what next week brings. I can't believe how quickly the weeks are still flying by, yet at the same time thinking about possibly waiting four more weeks to see, hold, and meet our little guys for the first time seems like an eternity!!

Okay, so we also found out that the baby is definitely head down, has dropped some, and is in good position for delivery. Now he just needs to decide when he wants to arrive! As my good friend at work told me, the best advice that her and her husband received before their baby boy was born in Feb, was that you are on a bus and are no longer the bus driver, so sit back and enjoy the ride. The anticipation of the baby's arrival is what I am having a tough time with right now. I feel great and really have enjoyed being pregnant. Feeling the baby move is one of the most amazing experiences ever! But, I just want to know when he is going to arrive, because we can't wait to meet him, hold him, and see what he looks like. As I keep joking with Dan, maybe he will be a red head?! Both my Grandmother and Dan's Grandmother were red heads, and Dan has a good bit of red in his side burns and facial hair, haha...only time will tell I guess. On a side note, we are still working on names, but hope to have one picked out soon!

Here is one picture from my bday weekend in Philly. It rained for a few hours the first day that we were there, but we had such a fun and relaxing (well minus all the walking, but we enjoyed it) time together!!!

Quick Update

Our 35 week check up went well this week. From what the doctor's can tell everything looks great thus far! My blood pressure, weight gain, and measurements were good and the baby's heart beat sounded good as well. So we are now down to weekly appointments....that means we are getting close to meeting out little guy, right??!! With each passing day, we get more and more anxious to meet him and hold him for the first time! However, I have not hit the point where I can't stand being pregnant yet. Of course there are plenty of things that I could complain about, but all in all I am enjoying my pregnancy. One thing that is getting tough though, besides getting worn out very quickly, is my sleep. I have been having a tough time getting comfortable and have also been waking up a lot in the middle of the night with hip pain. The doctor said that it must be how the baby is positioned in there..possibly his head pressing on my hip when I lay on my side. It is worth it though...only a few short weeks left and we will finally have our son here with us to hold!! On a side note, three different doctor's the last three times that I have gone have told me that they "think" the baby is head down. However, "think" isn't good enough for me....I really want to know for sure that we are good to go. I have my first examine next week, so we will find out what position the baby is in and see if he has started to descend or make any progress toward entering this world! :) Alright stayed tuned for that update next week!!

Picture from 34 Weeks

Baby Shower Pictures

Some pictures from the baby shower....

The very delicious cake!

Mom showing Dan the cake before the baby shower starts

Diaper cake centerpeices Mom made!

Getting ready to open gifts

Baby Cooper is going to be a Little Blue Hen

33 Week Update

So as the title indicates, we are now 33 weeks along. Only 7 more weeks to go, or as few as 4 weeks!! According to my doctor, if I go into labor anytime after 37 weeks (full term), they will not attempt to stop your labor! As everyone says it is unusual to go into labor early with your first child, however, I have heard of it happening in several instances! At this point I am not too uncomfortable, feel pretty good for the most part (getting tired though), and I am still enjoying feeling all his movement!. So I can't say that I have had enough (yet). I am definitely still enjoying my pregnancy...although I really do want to meet this little guy soon!!

Our doctor's appointment this week went well. I gained one pound during the past two weeks, my blood pressure looked great, and the baby's heart beat sounded good as well. I am also now measuring 31 cm. So far so good!

33 weeks

Baby Shower!!!

So this weekend was my baby shower! I knew the date of my shower, but the venue and all details were a surprise...and what a surprise it was! The baby shower ended up being at Deerfield (where our wedding reception was) and it was perfect!! I couldn't have asked for a better baby shower. I was surrounded by wonderful friends and family who truly made me feel so blessed and loved. The food was delicious, including the mini desserts and the extremely yummy and adorable cake (pictures to come soon)!! My friends also arranged some fun games for us to play and my mom made really cute diaper cake centerpieces (hopefully pictures of them to come soon as well too). It was an amazing day and we got some awesome baby gifts, including a pack and play, swing, jumperoo, tummy time play mat, bumbo chair, baby monitor, travel system stroller, clothes, receiving blankets, bottles, bath supplies, and much much more! Thank you to my mom and my amazing friends who put my baby shower together and to all of my family and friends who traveled from near and far to be a part of the celebration. You all are amazing and Dan and I feel truly blessed to have to each and every one of you in our life!

Here are some pictures of the fun gifts we received! Sorry I didn't include pictures of the clothes, but they were all too adorable to just pick a few to post. Actual pictures from my baby shower to follow soon, hopefully (I need to get them from my mom and friends)!

So we have another doctor's appointment tomorrow. New update and belly picture to come soon!

30 / 31 weeks

So we had another Dr's appointment today. I feel like I was just there, but I guess two weeks does go by quickly! I can't complain though, I love going to the doctor, hearing the baby's heartbeat, and just being reassured that everything is going well. On Friday we will officially be 31 weeks!

Everything seems to be progressing great as of today. My weight gain was on target, my blood pressure looked great, and the baby's heart rate was in he 140's and they said sounded great. My belly did not grow any from our last visit two weeks ago, so I am still measuring 30 cm. The doctor said that this is no cause for concern though because babies grow is spurts and I am on target with my overall belly measurements to date, so that is good. Oh and I passed my sugar test with flying colors...so no three hour sugar test in the future. Yay!!!

It seems like the past 30 (almost 31) weeks have flown by, yet thinking about potentially another 9 weeks until our little bundle of joy arrives seems like an eternity!! I am feeling great so far and am really enjoying this pregnancy. However we are also very anxious to meet our little one and hold him for the first time!! I am sure the next few weeks will fly by as well though...we have quite a bit going on. Plus my mom comes into town next week, so we are looking forward to her visit and my baby shower! Dan has also been super busy getting things done around the house and ready for the little guys arrival!! I think we are both nesting a little bit and excited to get everything ready to go for the baby! Can you tell that we are excited to meet him??!!

30 Weeks

Big Boy?

So today I had by 28/29 week check up. This Friday I will be 29 weeks. I still can't believe how quick the time is flying by...only 11 more weeks! I also had my sugar test today to check for gestational diabetes. The sugar test took an hour, but all in all was not too bad. In the next few days I will find out the results. Hopefully everything comes back "normal" because I really do not want to have to go back to the doctor for a three hour sugar test!

The baby's heart rate was in the upper 130's / low 140's. We think that he was sleeping, but everything sounded Great! My blood pressure was low and looking good thus far too. Now comes the measurements. So each visit the doctor measures your belly to monitor the baby and your overall growth. Well during my past visits, I have measured about one centimeter under "normal", with normal being about equivalent to how many weeks along you are. So at 29 weeks, my "normal" measurement would be 29 centimeters. Well, now I measure one centimeter above "normal" instead of one centimeter under "normal". So as the doctor put it, the baby really had a growth spurt over the last few weeks. Not funny! I mean, the most important thing is that he is growing and developing into a healthy baby, but if I can put in request, I would rather not have a 9 + pound baby, haha. However, according to the the doctor, babies grow in varying cycles, so in two weeks when I go to my next visit I may not have grown any, bringing my measurements back to one centimeter under "normal". I guess we will have to wait and see what happens in the next two weeks. Overall, my weight gain has been under the doctor's predictions, but still okay, so maybe he is just a long baby??!!! Dan is tall and I guess as a guy the little one would rather take after his father's height (6'1") when he is older than his mother's (being that I am only 5'1" maybe 5'2" on a good day), right??!! We will see.

So what's next??!! I am now going to the doctor every two weeks for the next three visits (June 9th, June 23rd, and July 7th). Then we are down to once a week thereafter. Now being at 29 weeks, I am also supposed to be counting kicks/movement everyday during a one hour period. Within the one hour, you are supposed to be able to count 10 movements. A decrease in movement can single the doctor's that something is wrong. I have to say that I really love doing this! It is amazing to just sit and feel the baby move!! Especially now because what once was a little flicker of a kick is now a whole body shift or roll. As the baby has gotten bigger he doesn't have as much room to move around in there anymore! The changes in the baby's movement as well as feeling him move is one of the most amazing experiences of my life thus far! :)

28 weeks

I am a little behind on blogging as we have been super busy. Last weekend Dan replaced the roof on our house with the help of a few great friends!! What a project that was....and according to him, we are never replacing another roof unless we can afford to pay someone to do it. I can't say that I blame him!! That Sunday was also Mother's Day. We had a low key evening and just got Chinese food, yum!! Dan also surprised me with the diaper bag that I really wanted for the baby. I was thrilled..I love it!

This past weekend we went to my cousin's wedding in West Virginia. We had a wonderful time at their wedding and seeing/visiting with all of our family! Plus we got to see my parent's for the first time since Christmas. We miss them soo much!!

I am also officially 28 weeks along...only 12 more weeks to go! However, I have a feeling that these next 12 weeks could feel a little longer than the first 28, as I am getting bigger and it is getting warmer out. But we will see what the next few weeks brings. I go back to the doctor again next week for my sugar testing. Then after that I start going every two weeks as we are now in the third trimester!!

Just Because

Things are going very well as we approach the 28 week mark this Friday!! I am feeling great and starting to get used to slowing down a bit and getting tired and out of breath quicker. However, I do need to stop trying to get so much done in one day. I try to push myself a lot and end up paying for it later. But all in all things are progressing wonderfully and I am really enjoying this stage of my pregnancy.

Again the love and support of our families continues to bless us. My mom made a hat for the little guy and sent it to us recently, and my cousin Lori sent us several outfits!! A few of our favorites were the pajamas that have elastic on the end. I have been told that these will make diaper changes in the middle of the night much easier. I also loved the Speedster onesie and pant set...and of course Dan loved the guitar onesie!

My two favorite boys. I can't wait to add a third to this picture!! I am sure that the little one will be here before we know it. In the mean time I am cherishing every day that I am pregnant and that he is able to grow and develop!

26 Weeks / Doctor Appt Update

So as of this past Friday (April 30th), we have officially made it to 26 weeks! I know that I keep saying this, but I really can't believe how quick the weeks are flying by!!! We can't wait to meet our little guy and just hold him for the first time! I feel good with what we have gotten done thus far, but both Dan and I agree that we have a lot more that we would like to get accomplished before the baby arrives. We will see if that happens. Three and a half months...so exciting!

I also had another doctor's appointment today. According to the doctor, everything looks great thus far....I was also reminded multiple times to make sure that I am drinking tons of water, especially now that it is getting warmer outside! Anyway, the baby's heart beat was in the 140's today, my blood pressure was good, and my baby bump (not so much a bump anymore, haha) measurements were on target as well. I am still measuring a centimeter smaller than "normal" at this stage, but the doctor said that as long as my growth is consistent from week to week, it is not anything to be concerned about...so that's good!! My weight gain has also been pretty even from appointment to appointment lately. However, during the first few months I gained weight quicker than I have been lately as my weight gain and growth is getting a litte more consistent from week to week. However, my quickly growing stomach could have fooled you on that one. What a difference two weeks can make??!!

Some Updates

No news on baby names yet...but hopefully we will have one soon. We have made some progress in the baby's room though. All the big room stuff is all set up and ready for his arrival!!! Now we are just working on some little things, including something for the windows and some room decorations. So we recently ordered two wall decals from the Etsy website. They arrived this weekend and Dan was itching to put up! It is kinda difficult to tell from the angle of this picture, but they are right above the dresser/changing table on the wall opposite of his crib. We love how they turned out!!!

There is one more wall decal that we would like to get for above the baby's crib, but that one would also have his name on it, so clearly we have to wait until we decide on a final name!!! As far as the sport theme of that decal....if you know my husband, you can pretty much guess what it is!!! I know, I know, I was resistant at first because I have mixed feelings about our baby boy riding dirt bikes (it terrifies me), but the decal is really cute and I finally had to give in!

The little guy also got a new outfit this weekend!!! Can you tell who got this one??? Team Grandpa! We love both of our grandparents-to-be and could not be more blessed by the support that they have given us thus far!! Thank you!

Oh and the little sunglasses were something that I bought on clearance at Target this weekend! I thought that they were adorable. You can't really tell by the picture, but they have little puppy dogs on them. Plus if the little guy is anything like is Mom, he will be blinded by the sunlight. So I figured that they would come in handy when we go for walks with Bailey boy or when we rides on the back of his Dad's road bike. Just kidding on the second part....he won't be getting on that thing for a LONGGGG time if I have any say in the matter!!!! haha.

24 weeks

So we have officially reached the 24 week mark. I can't believe that we only have four more months to go! The first six months have flown by and I am sure these next few months will go even quicker!! We have a very busy month of May and summer ahead of us! All good stuff and fun events that we are really looking forward to, but very busy!!

Well not too much has changed here. My belly keeps growing every week, and the baby is now very active! I love feeling him move around and kick. It reminds me that everything is okay and that he is doing well in there. :) We can't wait to meet him and hold him in our arms....however, I am grateful for every week that I am able to carry him as he grows and develops.

We have also started discussing names more seriously now, but no real decisions at this point. Our original goal was to hopefully narrow it down to two or three of our favorite names and then wait till he is born to make the final decision. However, Dan recently informed me that he wants us to decide ahead of time so that when the baby is born and he holds him for the first time he can call him by his name. If thats what he really wants, that is fine with me as well. I really dont mind either way. So we will certainly keep you all in loop as we make decisions and narrow down our name choices!

So this weekend I drove to West Virginia for my cousin Sara's wedding shower. It was so nice to see my cousins, Aunt, and some old friends. I had a really great time and am looking forward to the big celebration on May 15th (their wedding). I also will get to see my parents and Grandmother, which is always a plus...it will have been almost six months!!! My Aunt Carol even surprised me with a Jim Shore figurine for the baby and the Chicken Soup for the Expectant Mother's Soul book for me. The baby's gift looks perfect on his dresser!! Our family and friends have been so supportive and excited for Dan and I, which means the world to us and we could not ask for more. We can't wait for them to meet the little guy!!!

So Dan also felt the baby kick and move for the first time this weekend, which was really neat for both of us!! I think from a guy's perspective it makes everything seem a lot more real!! I also catch Dan in the baby's room just looking around sometimes. It is so sweet and I can't wait to see him as a dad...I know he will be amazing!!!

22 weeks

So we are officially 22 weeks, approaching our 23rd week. We had another doctors appointment this week and they said that the ultrasound and blood results looked great! I am also measuring 21cm, which is slightly under what I should have measured at this stage in the process, but the doctors said that it was nothing to be concerned about by any means. Typically they say that you should measure one centimeter for each week you are pregnant. So really I was 1 cm under "typical". My weight gain has also slowed down some, but my overall weight gain for the whole pregnancy is on target, so that's good. Although my weight gain has slowed down some, my stomach has been quickly growing over these past few weeks. We have really noticed a big difference during the last two weeks!

The little guys kicks are also getting much stronger everyday and I can now feel them with my hand. Now we just need to get Dan to be able to feel the baby kick...of course every time Dan tries to feel, the baby stops kicking. haha. So, thus far hings are going very well and we can't wait to met the little guy! Its amazing how much you can love someone that you have never met!