Cousins 2007

32 Weeks or 8/10 Months

I had my 32 week appointment last week. Same routine exam as always. I am starting to go every 2 weeks until mid January and then it's every week until the bebe is born. My iron levels are still too low so the doctor upped my iron supplement to 2-a-days instead of one. I am feeling no better and no worse taking it, but we'll see on the 27th if the levels have changed. I had my second ultrasound done also. Bebe looks good and most importantly the placenta has moved out of the way, just as predicted by me, and I am in the clear to deliver this bebe "normally". Same thing that happened with Parker.

I have Bear take this belly evolution picture each month of the pregnancy to lay them all out together to see the changes. As you may have noticed I have been wearing the same outfit for these pictures. Parker has realized when we are doing this and says his famous line "i do" or "i doed (dude)" and wants to get in the shot with me. He naturally sees me touch the belly (or should I say baby Ella, which is what Parker has decided to name the baby and insists it's a girl) and follows right along.

Here are the 2 pictures from the ultrasound. One is of the bebe with it's mouth open and hand/thumb inserted. The dark spot by the fingers is the actual open mouth. The other is a side profile of chest, chin, lips, nose and head.

Ginkle Balls

This year's Christmas picture~and yes, the bubbles are real. We love to make beards in the tub!

Hey Santa-I like your "ginkle balls" but I am NOT going to sit on your lap! Oh and I'll take whatever candy you give me!

So we made the trip out to the mall and attempted to take those famous Santa pictures with Parker. Last year he sat on his lap but wasn't too sure what to think. This year-noooo waaay! We saw Santa walking up the mall corridor to his big chair and Parker ran to him. Santa got down to Parker's level and let him take candy canes out of his bag. Parker would shake his head yes and no when asked questions but mostly just stared at Santa. Then he watched a few other kids sit on Santa's lap, most screaming their heads off while their parents did stupid things to get them to stop screaming and look and the camera and what, smile? Not me. I let Parker walk up to Santa and touch his furry coat sleeves, steal his candy and attempt to rip the ginkle balls off his bag! No harm done, Santa was much happier with that, then me forcing my kid to sit with a total stranger.

Here is last year's picture with Jillian-both not quite sure who this big guy is. Plus last year Santa had white scary face paint on!

Did you lick the beaters as a kid?

I am realizing this holiday season that I am more and more like my wonderful mother! As Parker gets older I find myself recreating the holiday traditions that my mom did for me and my sisters. Something as simple as letting me lick the beaters after some holiday treat she was making. This has become a favorite of Parker's. He wants to redip his beater for more though. We also made sugar cookie cutouts from my Grandmother's recipe. This year they actually turned out perfectly. Decorating was a blast, he again wanted to lick the frosting off the decorating knife and then continue decorating. Other than more than a few sprinkles on the floor, it was pretty easy. He catches on to everything we show him. Other things I find myself doing this time of year is sitting in the dark with the Christmas tree plugged in, all by myself, smiling at the lights! That is totally my mother!

Dancing

Here is a little taste of what our life was like a year ago. And he is still dancing!

Update on Lead levels

for those of you wondering, we got Parker's lead level update. Last year @ 12 months it was 7, the norm is 5. This year @ 24 months it was 3.3! Yeah it went way down. But, why was it so high last year? We have gone through a lot of his toys for the Made in China warning...but my mom came up with a theory, he was still teething last year and would "eat" the wooden built in bookcase in our house which I had painted. Of course there is paint underneath-lots of layers of paint underneath, and we live in an old house. So most likely his lead levels were up from that, of course he doesn't eat bookcases anymore so it explains why it is down. We still have a zillion toys to go through but we'll get them all out of the house. Check your labels when buying your Christmas gifts for young children for the Made in China warning and good luck-it's pretty hard to find something not made there!

Destiny?

Parker was given an entire bag of hockey equipment from cousins Emma and Peter. We tried on the entire wardrobe and did he ever have fun. I would hold up the the piece of equipment and ask him where it went-and he would point or tell me the correct spot. He watches his "idol" Bradyn at daycare get dressed daily for hockey. So of course he knew it all. Daddy had to tell me to turn around the shoulder pads though, I had them backwards. Once Parker was all suited up he asked me where his "cuk-cup" aka nutcup was. After we could stop laughing we told him his diaper would work for now. I guess he'll need one eventually but not yet. So the question is...is it natural for Parker to want to play hockey already or do we as two hockey playing parents have a tendency to "push" him in that direction? We'll see once he gets on skates this winter to see if he really likes it. Barrett started out in figure skating (on hockey skates) when he was really little. He learned the basics and then went in to hockey. He is still involved by playing in the men's league and coaching. So we'll see what Parker wants to do with his winters...

28 Weeks and 2 Year Well Child Checkup

Parker and I both had our checkups this week. Mine was for a regular ob checkup, his was the well child check for turning 2. We managed to schedule them together which I thought was a good idea and turned out to be 2 hours at the clinic...overall it went just fine. I had my glucose test and have the results already and everything is just fine. They told me that if you show up with gestational diabetes it is usually with your first baby. I am on the other hand anemic. Which, I have been iron deficient for years and borderline anemic but now I have actually crossed the line. Basically it explains why I am tired a lot...silly me, I thought it was my pace of life! Okay, it may be a combination of both. The solution to the anemia from my husband is to eat more meat, the doctor recommends an iron supplement, which I know has a "crappy" affect if you know what I mean. I have now packed on 17 pounds in 28 weeks. I am feeling pretty good these days, a little uncomfortable sometimes, and the bebe is moving like crazy still.

Parker's checkup went really well. He was a trooper. The waiting room gets old after awhile but I had new Birthday toys with for him to play with. They did my checkup first and he was so focused on what the doctor was doing. He was super quiet and whispered while Dr. Stone listened to the bebe's heartbeat (150 bpm). Then it was his turn. He weighed 26 pounds and is 2'10" tall. He said Ahhh when asked, was still for all the routine exams-heart, lung, ear, nose checkups. Then it was time for the flu shot in the thigh. They conviently came to get me since my one hour wait on my glucose test was up. So I left Parker and Daddy alone so I could get my blood drawn. Daddy and Parker made it through the shot with one little "owa" and a bandaid for him and his puppy's leg. He was more worked up about getting new stickers than the aftermath of getting a shot. Then he got to see mommy get her flu shot in her arm. All done with that for a year! Off to the lab for Parker to have his lead level checked. This is due to all of the "made in China" toys being recalled. Last year his levels were a 7 and they like to see them under or around 5. We are still waiting on those results. This finger prick hurt and another but longer "owwwwwaa" and then I distracted him by counting red blood drops into the vile. He did and walked out with yet another bandaid (on his middle finger) and more stickers. The funny part was he wanted to show just that finger to everyone in the waiting room and tell them he has an "owwe". If I had let him, I am sure he would have made each person kiss it...

Parker turns 2

The Cake
The answer to the question you are asking is...no! I did not make this cake. Patty Cakes did. I ordered the cake over the phone and said, he is 2 and he is really into Lightening McQueen. This is what she came up with. AND it tasted wonderful. It was carrot cake by the way.







Parker had a little cake for himself to dig into. Last year it worked, this year he would rather use a fork and try to eat the plastic balloons. This cake was white cake with white frosting (least messy) and had 2 erasers on it for decoration. He tried to eat those too, realized he couldn't and settled for liking all the frosting off.

Attempting to eat the fake balloons...playing with his new puppies...new Lightening McQueen Car...














2 monkeys-the theme of the party was monkeys and Cars. These two monkeys are named: Kiki and Swinger-no joke! I thought they sounded like pole dancing monkeys but who am I to judge the beanie baby company?

Orlando, Florida

My trip to Orlando proved to be a good one after all. I was really debating actually going. I first decided to take a job with Curves Int'l again, after having a year off. Part of the new job included training at our annual convention. The past four years have been in Las Vegas but I was glad to hear the change and to be going to Orlando. 2006 Vegas was the 'first' time I really left Parker. I brought my sister Deb along with me last year and we had a blast! She kept me from being sad about being gone. This year I was really apprehensive about going because I would basically be alone and away from Parker for 6 days. I found out just before going that my good friend Melissa had also taken the job and was going to be in Orlando. YEAH!! I am going to make it after all. It is amazing how much you can miss your child in just a few short days. I am taking the job to better our lives and hopefully create more opportunities to spend time together as a family. Well I did after all make it through the week of training and today I get to finish up and get on my homebound flight. I land at midnight tonight and get to wake up with my baby on his 2nd Birthday! I can't wait to hear him rustle around in his bed in the morning and sneak in there to see his face light up when he realizes I've come home! Precious. We will celebrate his birthday with family, cake, and balloons...

Rosen Shingle Creek Resort. 80 and sunny most of the days, I did manage to lay by the pool for 2 hours during the whole trip!

My windows view of the golf course, one of nine. If I could only have played 18 holes...only a $109 green fee.

25-26 weeks

Here is the latest of the belly evolution...this is last weeks picture at 25 weeks. Today I am 6 1/2 months! Only 98 days to go...or 14 weeks! Not sure which one of those sounds longer.

Feeling good these days. Bebe is moving around like crazy. Bear can feel it and we can see it move from the outside! "it" has been very active between 4-6 AM! Wakes me up when I am sound asleep...I am beginning to wonder if this is going to be it's favorite time?! I hope not.

Parker decorating his pumpkin, no knives or other sharp instruments allowed for him.

Testing out the Monster ears.
In the giant pumpkin that Uncle Blake grew for him out on the farm

3 Little Monkeys

See no, hear no, speak no evil (Parker, Max and Nate)

Determined to get that banana out of his pocket-it was sewn in...

I got it!

Yum!

Week 24

I had a doctor appointment last week. Very routine, everything looks and sounds normal. Currently packing an extra 12 pounds. Uterus measuring 23.5 weeks. Bebe's heartrate at 150bpm. Blood pressure 100/60. Blood test results back-no downs syndrome. Next appointment in a month, I do the glucose test-where you swallow a can of orange syrup, sit around for an hour and see what happens to your blood sugar level. That's always fun.

Decided to play around with my camera and got some self portraits taken. Still learning but better than making my husband try to be creative with me.

A Trip to the Library

Parker and I have been going to the local library for about 4 months now. Pretty uneventful. Mostly trying to convey to him that he needs to be quiet at the library. Just like at church when we go to see Jesus. (But at church, I lie to him and tell him Jesus is sleeping and he gets it) I can't think of anyone who would be sleeping at the library. So he has his little shoulder bag that we keep the "bi-bary" books in along with his own personal library card. The routine is the same, we park, we enter, he pushes the elevator button to go down, we go to the board book section, he picks out which books he wants, puts them on the counter, ever so sweetly hands the librarian his card and we pack the new books into the bag, we push the button to go up in the elevator, we go home and we read and re-read the bi-bary books until mommy and daddy are so sick of them and then we go back. We go to the library at least every other week. Well this past trip to the library went a little differently. Fast forward to him so sweetly handing his card over and mommy packing the books in the bag, 2 to 5 seconds tops, I turn around and he was gone! I could hear him not being quiet and listening to his echo in the hallway but I could not see him. "ah-ha, ah-ha" over and over. I "run" my pregnant butt as quickly as I can to the voice, peak towards the elevator, closed, thank god! I can still hear him "ah-ha", I race past the bathrooms and into a little room at the end of the hallway, no Parker to be seen. Then I hear it-the fire alarm blaring away-waa, waa, waa, waa. I realize there is one place he could be-the elevator! I race back towards the elevator, hit the "up" button and the door opens. My sweet little boy cocks his head to the side and says "hi momma". By this point I have 3 librarians behind me laughing! I am in shock and gritting my teeth saying "get out of the elevator" without every parting my mouth or moving my lips (only mothers can do that you know). So I sheepishly turn around and say-can you shut off the alarm? Are there any forms I need to fill out? Should we call off the fire department? They say not to worry and we get in the elevator and proceed on home.

I am starting to rethink those leashes parents put on their kids. I used to think they were inhumane but I am starting to realize the practicality of them.

I told this story to my brother-in-law's mother today and she tells me she had to leash him up and attach it to the garage! She also said he was the kid she put a sign on saying "don't feed me". Apparently he would wander the neighborhood asking for food! So I guess it could be a lot worse!

Our Little "Flying" Monkey

Parker has recently discovered that he can jump off of random things in our house. The couch, chairs, pillows, cushions, etc...but it's not actual jumping (I'm still not sure he has conquered that yet) it's "butt drops". Which are, jumping up and kicking your legs in front of you, landing on your butt. We catch him crawling up to the back of the couch and jumping onto his butt on the cushions. He has now figured out that if he stacks a few throw pillows on the cushion he gets a little boost off the couch and onto the floor. The problem is what almost every home in America has in front of their couch-a coffee table! He has bonked his head a few times but nothing major and has come very close on other times. So we scold him to get down, threaten and give timeouts, but he sneaks back up there as soon as we turn our backs.

So the question is: do we continue to reprimand the behavior or ignore it and let him learn on his own?

You should know that I broke my leg when I was 2 and my arm when I was 3. So this kind of behavior may be hereditary.

Ironically enough, we had already purchased this years Halloween costume-what else but a monkey!

Fall Fun in the Leaves

Saturday we went out to the Mannausau's to take our annual Fall pictures. Daddy got Parker to throw leaves at him and smile so big. I had gotten a new lens for my camera and had to try it out. Thanks to my friend and camera expert Gina they turned out just the way I wanted them to. We managed to get a weather break to go outside, it has been raining off and on all day long for a week straight! Needless to say the leaves were wet and so was Parker but I don't think he cared.

20 & 21 Weeks

20 weeks pregnant. As you may see, I am officially sporting the "bump". I went from "I didn't know you were pregnant" to "Oh, look at the belly". And the belly has become public property now with people poking at it and touching it.

I changed my mind, being pregnant means I can do that right? I took baby name Lila off the list and added Neela. Lila was losing by a landslide and after watching ER last night I decided I really like Neela. Plus the girl almost died on the show so that deserves a little recognition!

Not sure if second pregnancies mean you get to register again

for baby gear but I did. The second

time around you learn a lot about what you need and what you don't. I realized we "had to have" 4 things and added them to the target registry! I would have added diapers and Gerber nuks but they aren't available online so I'll do that next time I am near a Target.

First Pictures

Bebe Ole's first photos

Profile Picture-cute little nose, hand up under it's chin.

Alien Face-you are looking from a top angle. Head looks like a cone, eye sockets, nose and pointy chin

Spine from the flip side. And a leg with a foot.

We had our ultrasound today. It was fun to see the little person growing inside me "face to face". The technician got some great pictures for us to take home (and post and scrap). The baby was "very wiggly" she said. It was amazing when she pushed on it that it started moving all over place. Everything with the baby looks good. Measuring small but said it was normal due to all the vomiting. Since I haven't gained much weight yet and that it would catch up. The heartrate was 144 bpm. One minor problem is that the placenta has yet again attached itself really low in my uterus. Which most likely means another ultrasound further down the road to be sure it has moved out of the way so delivery can take place "normally" and that I won't need a c-section. I'll just remind myself that it started this way with Parker and turned out just find.

Parker's Info for Expectnet Game

For those of you wanting to guess on the expectnet game here is Parker's information. No idea if it will help you or not...
Due Date: November 8th
Birth Date: November 11th
Time: 9:26 am
Weight: 7# 11oz
Length: 20.5 inches

19 Weeks and Snow in September!

Woke up this morning to snow falling outside our windows! We could not believe it! Of course it melted right away but still! I did manage to take some adorable Fall pictures of Parker yesterday. So we will continue to believe that Fall is still here and winter won't come for another month or two! Enjoy the pics!