Fun Firsts...

PLAYGROUP:
Our first official playgroup was at the Wilson's house down the street. As you can see, Patriot and Tristan dressed up for the occasion! Who doesn's love jammies?
Eventhough our babies are young, playgroup offers some much needed mommy interaction. The tips, advice, and support I've gotten from the other gals has been wonderful.






HIGHCHAIR:
On Labor Day we had a little cookout (even in the rain:) with the Wheeler kids. Patriot joined us at the table for the feast in his brand-new high chair that adapts for infants (thanks Lita and Pop:) We feasted on some YUM italian style pesto burgers, grilled corn on the cobb and josh's famous guacamole. Pate was asleep before the meal ended, but Uncle Sam on his onesie said it all "I want YOU to change my diaper!"



NIGHT IN HIS CRIB:
Many of you know Patriot has been sleeping on my nightstand in his Moses basket for the past 3 months. I started letting him nap in his crib last Wednesday (inside of his moses:) Last Thursday we put him down for his evening "nap" after his 9:00 feeding and he slept til the morning! I was SURE he would wake up in the middle of the night and need me, so I slept on a mattress in the middle of his bedroom floor. Boy was I surprised when the boy woke me at 8:15 am the next day! He hearts his new room. Now, if I can just be brave enough to take him out of Moses!

our little tiger

Here is a sweet pix of Patriot in Josh's "coming home" outfit. The Tetens got a kick out of seeing their grandson in this very special outfit.
One day i will upload the pic of Josh in it 28 years ago:) If anyone has ideas on restoring a faded photo, let me know!

Elvis and giggles!

Hilarious!

A couple of weeks ago my brother Clay donned some Elvis gear for a little gig at the Elite Cafe. I finally snagged the pix from my mom's cam when she was in town this week. Pate liked the King's sparkly apparel and wasn't fooled by his uncle's disguise!

Bumbo Bumbo!

We LOVE our Bumbo Seat! This was Patriot's first day to try out his new perch and Noni captured this cutie pose:) Mom (aka Noni) has been such a help these past few months. Pate loves to cuddle and sleep on his Noni so I can get some things done around the house and run some much needed errands. Hurray for grand- moms!

This pic is becoming a favorite on computer wallpapers across the state:) We've finally started capturing the dimple--isn't he handsome?

my two month old!

Patriot officially became 2 months old on Tuesday July 31st, however life has been a little crazy lately so this post is a bit of a catch up!

Road Trip

Patriot and I took our first solo (duo?) road trip to Plano on the 24th to see some MK and college friends. It was quite an adventure as we attended an fun fiesta dinner at MaryKay corporate, lunched with my college roomie Haley, attended a bit of MK seminar in downtown, and hung out with the fam.

Everything takes longer and seems to pose new challanges with a baby. Whether that is getting ready for an event or trying to stay sane at one! By the time P and I arrived for the tour of MK corporate offices, he decided he was starving again. The sweet mk staff showed us a private tour of the offices as they led us to the specially designed "Mother's Room" for nursing. I was able to snap a pic of the happy camper before we attended the dinner. My sweet dad occupied him while I enjoyed fellowshipping with my sister consultants at the yummy fiesta dinner.

The Blow-out--The next day we met Hales for lunch at the fabulous lucheon spot Breadwinners. Pate woke up fussy right after our lunch arrived, so we decided to take turns holding him. Unfortunately, my adorable son decided to have a HUGE diaper blow-out in Haley's arms :( I mean a costume change worthy event with screams to boot! She was definately a good sport, but Pate and I had to make a quick exit to the bathroom. I walk in the ladies room and it doesn't take long to figure out there is no where to change my child, not even a countertop or chair! By the time i finish my 360, a mom and her two daughters enter the bathroon, blocking my exit. She instantly sizes up the situation and says, "Here's what we are going to do: I will hold him in my arms while you clean him up and change him. Does he take a pacifier?" (Oh yeah, did i forget to mention that i cannot find either of the two pacifiers i know we left plano with? I've already been out to the car and torn apart my diaper bag--more on that later...) I sheepishly admit that I don't have one with me, as my child's screams get louder. She says, "Well, that would have been helpful about now, but let's get started!" So, picture me, changing my child in mid-air on a stranger while her two adorable children pepper us with questions and Pate loudly protests. I'm tired remembering it all! Since I don't have paci, she suggests that I nurse him when i return to the table, well really it was more expectation than a suggestion! I hadn't planned on nursing him, since it's still quite a 30 minute an ordeal, but I decide to do an abrivated version instead. Our table was somewhat secluded, but it was still bit odd to be breastfeeding in public among the business men and women having lunch meetings! Funny, if I had whipped out a bottle to feed him no one would have batted an eyelash. Why is breastfeeding so strange in our culture these days?

Two Month Check Up:

Monday the 30th was shot day and new reflux meds day. He weighted in at almost 9 lbs and 21 inches, so thankfully he is growing, slowly but surely. We asked Dr. B about switching to Previcid he agreed that we should try it for the next month to see if we notice a difference. So far I've noticed a lot less choking and gagging, but some of the tummy troubles are still evident.

Thanks to all of our friends and family who have checked in on us, provided meals, and cuddled with our son for the first 2 crazy months of his life:)

7 weeks old & happy birthday asa!

This week we celebrated the new life of Asa Owen Sutton! Meredith, Seth and proud big brothers, Isaac and Noah, were very ready to meet little Asa who was 2 days overdue and born Wednesday 7/18 at 4:42am. Everyone is doing well and enjoying family time at their home just 2 blocks away from our new home:)

Mere is amazed that our babies are nearly the same size and mine is 7 wks old!

Asa and Patriot's first playdate

Patriot is gaining weight (now just over 8 lbs:) and battling reflux. Our poor guy is hungry and eating to keep up with his growth spurt, but then chokes and gags before and after meals. This makes for some interesting nights at the Tetens' house. We have had our moms over the past two weeks help us out so we could get a little shut eye and a few more boxes unpacked. Thanks Noni and Lita!!! (and of course we have to shout out to our local baby-sitters, Aunt Erin and Uncle Clay;)

Friday night we had some excitement and almost an emotional breakdown from me as Pate took his first bottle. I prepared Josh by letting him know that Patriot might be confused and not take to the bottle. WRONG...my child latched on to that thing and sucked it dry in about 5 minutes flat! I was devestated for a few minutes until I assured myself that the only reason he liked the bottle was because it was my milk (and was quickly awarded my place back as his fav spot for a drink just 2 hours later:) Ahhh, the joys of motherhood---hormones and milk can throw you into a tizzy!!!

daddy and patriot's 1st bottle experience

we were both shocked and pate was exhausted!

6 wks old already!

Can it be? My little boy was born 6 weeks ago today. I know many of y'all have heard the story, but for fun, let's tell it again:

May 31st, 2007

8:00am- show up for work at Care Net on what will be my LAST day of work (unbeknownst to me) to attend staff devotional

9:00-meet josh and the morrison's at the title company to close on our first house.

9:40-the paperwork is DONE the house is OURS aaaaannd

9:45-my water breaks in the foyer of the title company on our way out the door! i run to the bathroom thinking, no this really isn't happening today, is it?

9:50-josh is on the phone with the doc's office and we are racing toward the hospital.

10:00-check in at our doc's office (attached to the hospital) and my sweet dr. micus checks me and says "congrats--you are going to have a baby today" i'm already at 3cm and 75% effaced. still hasn't hit me.

10:15- i'm wheeled up to the L&D floor where i spend the next 4 hours waiting for contractions to start, calling friends and relatives, have a visit from nickster and tristan.

2:15pm-because my water has broken, but my contractions have not, i'm started on a petocin drip to hurry things along so infection will not be a problem for me or the babe.

3:30-i begin to feel some pretty intense contractions in my BACK but they do not show up on the monitor!

5:00- i'm now at 5cm and the pain in my back was so crazy, i began researching some pain management and the process for the epidural began.

5:45-the epi takes effect, everywhere except my back, which ended up a blessing in disguse b/c contractions are still not showing up on the monitors.

6:00ish-the doc on call (chancellor) checks me to find that i'm at a 9 and just have a little to go before he will let me start pushing.

???-the next bit of the time line is fuzy as the pushing begins, people are in and out to the room, and a shift change takes place. in the pushing stage(which lasted about 1 hour & 45 minutes) of labor i told the nurse, josh and my mom when i was ready to push based on what i felt in my back. at various times during pushing my mom, larka (josh's mom) my sister erin and josh were my pushing and breathing coaches.

7:45pm-in the end, mom and josh were there by my side as gave the final push and patriot emerged. josh cut the cord, and snapped 2 pix before the nurses began to sense a problem. my feelings of relief and joy were quickly replaced with tense and anxious air about the room as they monitored his breathing and realized he needed help. i was able to quickly kiss my son as he was wisked away to the nursery.

it took over 5 hours before josh and i were finally able to see our son. i cried as i held his tiny hand. all of the monitors and machines were overwhelming to us new parents.

four days later we were able to hold our son for the first time. the next day patriot and i attempted the dance of breastfeeding and i've been feeding him 8-10 times a day ever since!

there are other crazy details of our story, but i will add in our adventures one-by-one as to not overwhelm my faithful readers OR myself:)

here is a recent pic for your viewing pleasure:

Patriot has ARRIVED!

Thanks to all my sweet friends who posted our news! I will add more details later but here are a few pix:

6 months: the moment you have all been waiting for...

_____________________________________
pa·tri·ot
n.
One who loves, supports, and defends one's country.

[French patriote, from Old French, compatriot, from Late Latin patriôta, from Greek patriôtçs, from patrios, of one's fathers, from patçr, patr-, father.]
_____________________________________
1 Peter 2:9
But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light.

Psalm 33:12-22:12
Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD; and the people whom he hath chosen for his own inheritance.

We could have you start guessing his middle name, but we've put you through enough torture for one pregnancy. His middle name will be Shane, same as his daddy's middle name.

Not only do we want Patriot to adore this beloved USof A, we want him to help this nation rise up to honor our Lord. May he be a strong leader, grounded in his faith.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby patriot shane


Patriot's World: (i've waited months to write that, nic!)

Your baby's growing steadily, gaining about a quarter of a pound since last week, when he was just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long, that makes a pretty lean figure, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon put on more baby fat. Your baby's skin is thin, translucent, and wrinkled, his brain is growing rapidly, and his taste buds are developing. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.
Your baby can hear more and more now, and you may even notice his startle at loud, sudden noises. But he's probably getting used to the regular noises he hears around the house, such as your dog barking or the roar of a vacuum cleaner. Many new parents are surprised by how unfazed their newborns seem by sounds like these, but if you think about it, they've had months to get accustomed to them.

a few more cruise pix...

How we began and ended our trip--with our sweet friends the Watsons.

What 7 days of eating will do to ya.
(j/k--but am i really that preggo?)

four little words made our tummies SO happy:

warm chocolate melting cake (yes, again)

great photo op in Cozumel

a sweet ship!

a cool ship--ice sculptures are amazing!

Ooodles and ooodles of yum!

little us, big boat (ha to the little me anymore!))

margaritaville view from the booze cruise!

Josh enjoying the water activities.

Jimmy Buffet's MARGARITAVILLE

(well, i enjoyed a small virgin strawberry daquri)

We heart our towel animals! (this could be a pig or a pup,

depending upon your interpretation!)

Self portrait over the railing on formal night.

Our fabulous table for 2!

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake and Creme Brulee--YUM!

Bon Voyage!


New PIX above--start from here and work your way up!

josh and i cuddling a sting-ray in Grand Cayman

our new friend smiles for the camera!

week # 23-back to reality

Matthew 11:28:
"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.

And rest we did this week! Seven glorious days of eating, sleeping, snokeling and relaxing! Our cruise was the perfect getaway "Babymoon". Designed especially for preggos, we enjoyed late mornings, delish foods every 3 hours, and had room stewards to take care of the cleaning and straightening-- heavenly=:0) One activity we enjoyed daily was our 2 hour dinner for 2, which ended every night with warm chocolate melting cake & a glass of cold milk--YUM!

(ps--josh added a little flavor to the writing this week so enjoy!)

We had 3 unique ports of call, Jamaica, Grand Cayman & Cozumel. Jamaica had pretty scenery, but the snokeling was lacking. Cozumel's reef was in pretty rough shape post-hurricane, but Grand Cayman made up for it...we loved it! From kissing giant sting-rays to basking next to crystal clear water that looked too good to be true, we hated to leave! I'm thinking a little villa there one day will be nice ;)

Tonight we had our second baby class (aka childbirth classes!)...I have to say my favorite part was when one guy asked the pediatrician, "what do you think about last minute gender changes"? Yeah, that's right, mr. smarty pants didn't trust the two sonograms and didn't want to have to return the girl clothes he already bought...I still don't think he understood the baby's gender was set, i.e. there's no "last minute" gender changes...only in waco ;)

However, on that note, to all those out there already getting our baby enough clothes and toys to last him and his future siblings and their future siblings into the next century...you better save your receipts :)

Still no winners on the guessing game, so keep trying! Did we mention the letters may NOT be in order? (you can think josh for this one ;) hmmm...

Your letter for the week is T.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby boy

Our sweet baby's world:
Your baby is more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound. He may be able to feel your movements now, so put on some fun tunes and dance around the house. No matter what race your baby is, his skin is red and wrinkled at this stage and will likely look pink or reddish at birth. Blood vessels that show through your baby's transparent skin cause this coloration. His true skin tone will develop over the course of his first year.
Blood vessels in your baby's lungs are developing to prepare him for breathing, but complete lung development will take many more months. The lungs are the last organ to fully develop in babies. That's why premature babies (those born before 37 weeks) often have such a hard time breathing. Babies born this week have a chance of surviving with the help of intensive medical care, but their risk of serious complications is very high.

week # 22-ships ahoy!

Psalm 127:3:
3 Sons are a heritage from the LORD, children a reward from him.

After our CrAzY last few weeks of work, Josh and officially settled on our Babymoon plans. We initially had wanted to take a trip to the big apple, however we came across deal we couldn't pass up! We snagged one of the last remaining spots on a Carribean cruise to Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozymel. To top it off we are getting to visit with our friends the Watsons for some fun and food in Houston. We will be sure to snap some pix to upload when we return!

Our sweet baby has been on the move lately. The kicks and little movements have gotten much stronger the last week or so. It's kinda crazy because the baby is moving around deep inside my belle, so no one can feel it but me right now. I'm excited for him to start floating up so he will be kicking out for Josh to feel. It still startles me when he starts moving around, but as soon as I stop what I'm doing to concentrate on him, he stops! He does seem to especially like Whopper's Robins Eggs---he starts moving like crazy when I'm indulging in them! Josh thinks it's just the sugar, but he doesn't start dancing with just any sugary treat! Maybe he will be a malt lover like his mom=:0)

On Thursday we went over to the Wilson's to check on the new mom and baby. Tristan is SO precious and a great sleeper. Nic looks amazing and is loving her new job as Tristan's mommy. It was so fun to watch her in new role, caring for her sweet little boy. Crazy to think that will be her checking on me in a few months! At the request of her mother, I kidnapped Nic and took her on a quick trip to Target. We had fun hanging out for a little and shopping (of course) before I headed back to work. She is great at giving me tips and glimpses into my future!

I had so much fun reading your guesses! So far no one has guessed it, so keep trying! Don't y'all love surprises?
Your letter for the week is A.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby boy


Our sweet baby's world:
Your baby now looks like a miniature newborn, checking in at 10.9 inches and almost 1 pound. His skin will continue to appear wrinkled until he gains enough weight to fill it out, and the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his head and body is now visible. His lips are becoming more distinct, and the first signs of teeth are appearing as buds beneath her gum line. His eyes are developed, though the iris (the colored part of the eye) still lacks pigment. Eyelids and eyebrows are in place, and his pancreas, essential for hormone production, is developing steadily.

week # 21-happy b-day tristan & caden!

1 Corinthians 134-7 Love never gives up. Love cares more for others than for self. Love doesn't want what it doesn't have. Love doesn't strut, Doesn't have a swelled head, Doesn't force itself on others, Isn't always "me first," Doesn't fly off the handle, Doesn't keep score of the sins of others, Doesn't revel when others grovel, Takes pleasure in the flowering of truth, Puts up with anything, Trusts God always, Always looks for the best, Never looks back, But keeps going to the end.

Love was definitely in the air this week and it was SO exciting! Valentine's Day brought many surprises, from Tristan's morning debut, to an evening dining at the zoo, to Melissa & Cary's baby, Caden, beginning his journey into our world late that night. He wanted his own birthday, so he waited until after midnight then after one big push he arrived=:) Check out my blog for more details on our eventful Valentine's Day at www.mylifeisafiesta.blogspot.com . (warning: it's a work in progress!)

I was astonished when Josh gave me tickets to the Mating Game---a special event the Waco Zoo puts on every year for Valentine's. Since I didn't know what to expect (only Josh had seen the itinerary) every aspect of the date was a surprise. Our night began with dinner in the aquarium, then we had a photo op with the baby hedgehogs while we watched a special feeding of the paddlefish. These fish are cool because they unhinge their jaws like sharks then float though a sea of plankton to collect their meal. Next we were led on private 'behind the scenes' tour of the aquarium, the small cat house, and other barns around the zoo property. Since it was like 20 degrees outside, we bundled up on golf carts and headed out to see the giraffes, rhinos and lions. My favorite part of the night was hanging out with the huge giraffes that let us hand feed them! Craziness! This will go down in history as one of Josh's most creative dates as well as baby's first trip to the zoo!

Okay, we have heard all of the fussin' about not knowing baby t's name, so here is the plan: each week y'all will get ONE letter until the name is revealed.

Your letter for the week is P.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby boy



Our sweet baby's world:

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long. His eyebrows and eyelids are fully developed. Your baby is really on the move now. Fetal researchers say babies move about 50 times an hour even while sleeping. All that movement helps stimulate your baby's physical and mental development. You may not notice 50 kicks, punches, and twirls during the day, but as you're settling down at night don't be surprised if your little guy seems ready to dance the night away. Why does he wait for nightfall, just when you're trying to get some rest? It's true that he's oblivious to your schedule, but he's probably not moving any more than he did during the day. You're just more likely to notice his calisthenics when you're quiet and still.

Baby Update!

Sorry Ladies! Here is the baby update:

In Waco:
Tristan was able to cuddle w/ his mom and dad a few hours after birth, but was still having some trouble breathing. He was hooked up to special monitor but that only lasted a day. On Thursday he learning how eat from his mom and began a little fever. He ended up staying in the hospital until Saturday to watch his temp. When I spoke w/ Nic last night she said that she was LOVING being a mom and having so much fun with Tristan. He is eating well and looking cute! I snuck in two visits while they were at the hospital, but he was eating both times. I will plan to see him this week before Josh and I leave on our babymoon, so i will have more pix then.

In Colorado:
Melissa's sweet baby, Caden Gary, was born around 12:30 midnight which was technically 2/15! They braved the Colorado snow to the hospital over an hour away from their house in record time. Melissa quickly progressed and felt ready to push right after the doc did his final check to see she was at a 10. The doctor was sans gown and with only one glove on, but Caden was on his way out into the world. Once the second glove was in place, she finished her push and out he came. Cary called to share the good news and I was able to visit with Melissa for a little. It was hard to know I couldn't be up at the hospital with her to meet her newest little bundle, so I had to live vicariously through the pix Cary sent!

For now check the girls' blogs to see their sweet babies faces!

Valentine's Day--Happy Birthday Tristan!

Craziness! I can't believe the Nicki's big day finally is here! Tristan arrived after a long night at 8:37am (ish--well, that's when the text message went through on Brad's phone!) this morning. He is 7lbs 2 oz and 20 1/2 in long!

So here is my version of the story:
This morning (valentine's day) as i'm running out the door for work i see that i've missed not one, but TWO phone calls from nickster. panicked because the calls were at 11pm and 4am---ahhhh, i couldn't dial my voicemail fast enough! The first one 11pm: her water has broken and now they are on their way to hospital b/c she is strep b positive and they need to get her onto antibiotics. Phone call two 4am: she was at 10cm and felt like they were going to let her push soon.
Well, since it was 8:00, i figured the little guy had already been welcomed into the world so i tried the hospital and her phone--no answer. More than a little concerned, i call the gals at work and head over to the hospital (down the road from work). Well, my preggo brain gets a little distracted on my way there and I FORGOT to exit and ended up in like Robinson facing a McDonald's. Now, does anyone remember Nic's big post-delivery request? COFFEE! Real, non-hospital BLACK coffee (well, i did include some sugars and creme just in case!) So I swung the drive-thru and picked up my fav breakfast meal (in case they weren't hungry, the baby and I would be set!)
So I arrive on scene, coffee & breakfast in hand on my way to room 533. I bust pass the waiting room, nurses station, and knock on the door. "Come in" i hear--so I open the door slowly and see a room FULL of nurses, Nic's legs in the air, and both mom's with smiley teary faces. I catch Brent's eye and nervously smile as a nurse walks towards me and says the baby will be out in just a minute if i want to wait at the door. I shrug and say that I just was bringing her breakfast and set it on the counter, sheepishly.
I head back out to the waiting room where i see the rest of the Wilson/Fretty clan I zoomed by on my way in. I hang our with them for about 10 minutes or so before Brad receives a text message "He is born!". But then it's like 10 more minutes until Mimi (Nic's good friend and L&D nurse) stopped in to see us and said that she couldn't give the details, but that Tristan wasn't breathing very well, he was singing ( a sign of distress) instead of crying. We wait AGAIN for Brent to come in and divulge the details. He is very proud of his sweet wife but still seemed worried about his new baby. Since Nic hasn't been able to hold him yet, they are waiting for people to come back to the room. About 9:30 the mom's come back to the waiting room and let us know that they are running tests on Tristan. The are crying as they talk about it, but still have huge smiles that nothing will dim. I have to head back to work, so I give Pam my number and she promises to call with an update.

More later...

week # 20-it's a..

2 Samuel 7:14
I will be his father, and he will be my son.

...BOY!

It appears as though the boy votes came from behind and won the game! Seriously, we are just as shocked as many of you! However, we are THRILLED to be having a baby boy and we will have so much fun showing him off to you in just a few short months. Between LeVec and my mom, he will be the best dressed baby boy this side of New York!

Half-way there and our suspense is finally over, at least as far as the gender department goes! Our little man gave quite a perfomance during the ultrasound which was caught on film by our stellar sonographer. I hope to figure out how to clearly up load some of his fabulous photos, soon.

I don't know how many of you have experienced the crazyiness of having to drink oodles and oodles of water, then have some mash right on your bladder for 40 minutes! It's crazy! This is especially fun if your son decides to play hide and go seek in your hipbone! In an effort to bring the shy guy into a more visable area of my body, the nurse tried everything from inverting the table i was on (those little things are quite skinny and precarious!), to rolling me over on my side and mashing on his little apartment, and finally digging deep under my pancaked bladder to get a good view of him. When he finally shifted from his indian style seating arrangement we were able to see his boy parts quite clearly, much to the nurse's apparent relief!

I think Josh and I appeared a little dazed and confused when we left the clinic with huge smiles on our faces. Since the verdict was boy, it was Josh's job to pick our date night activity and restaurant for dinner. He kinda laughed when we got in the car, saying he hadn't really thought much about it, since he was convinced we were having a girl! He decided a trip to the park with Shiloh would be appropriate, followed by dinner at RoadHouse. Our time together was fun and it was neat marveling together at the fact that we were having a boy. But, y'all know us, we couldn't keep this secret for long=:)

We gathered the Wheeler kiddo's that night for their annoucement, which especially pleased Clay with his very last minute boy vote. The next day we unvailed the surprise to our friends at work with more balloons (pink and red decoys surrounding an "It's a Boy" balloon!) Friday at work the chocolate fountain flowed blue in celebration. Over the weekend we took a trip to the metroplex to announce this crazy news to our parents and grandparents at Joe's Crab Shack. We presented a strong case (lots of good solid evidence) to lead them to the proper conclusion---we're having a BOY! We love a chance to celebrate!

Thanks to y'all for your sweet words of encouragement and love for our unborn son!

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby boy t


Our sweet baby's world:

We've made it to the halfway mark — congratulations! Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. He's around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom, and about 10 inches from head to heel. (For the first 20 weeks, we use measurements taken from the top of the baby's head to his bottom — known as the "crown to rump" measurement. After that, we use measurements from head to toe. This is because a baby's legs are curled up against his torso during the first half of pregnancy and are very hard to measure.)
A greasy white substance called vernix caseosa coats your baby's entire body to protect his skin during its long submersion in amniotic fluid. This slick coating will also ease the journey down the birth canal when the time comes.
Your baby is swallowing more, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky substance that's made up of dead cells, digestive secretions, and swallowed amniotic fluid. This meconium will accumulate in his bowels, and you'll see it in his first messy diaper. Aren't babies great?

week # 19-votes are in!

Proverbs 4:23
Keep vigilant watch over your heart; that's where life starts.

Drum roll please....

After putting it to a readers vote, it appears that as my bro Cam said--the vote leaned toward the trend in our fam of 'ladies first' ! 19 voted for a sweet baby girl and 6 voted for a bouncy baby boy! Wow that's overwhelming odds, but the matter is still undecided for now! We will be having our big ultrasound soon, but we are keeping that date a secret for now=:0)

This past weekend Josh and I took a little trip down to Salado for a marriage retreat called ReUnion . We explored different aspects of communication within the marriage relationship and we learned about how keeping our heart open will foster a deep connection. The above verse is the Message version of "Guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life!" which is one of my ALL time favorite verses in scripture. It was neat to see other ways to apply this verse. When we take care of our heart then we can manage our response to our spouse when our buttons get pushed.
It was fun to hang out with many of our couple friends that we haven't seen since some of their weddings! On Saturday night Josh and I drove into Roundrock to shop a bit and eat a yummy dinner at Chuy's--an amazing tex-mex cantina. The salsa really hit the spot, and in fact we took home a fresh batch for any mexican cravings i might have this week.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:

Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces, and he measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the length of a small zucchini. His arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of his body now. His kidneys continue to make urine, and the hair on his scalp is sprouting. This is a crucial time for sensory development: Your baby's brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. If your baby is a girl, she has an astonishing six million eggs in her ovaries. They'll dwindle to fewer than two million by the time she's born.

week # 18-time to vote!

1 Samuel 1:27
I prayed for this child, and the LORD has granted me what I asked of him.

This weekend we had fun with our friends at our 1st annual, post-holiday, progressive dinner---whew, it was an event as long as it's title. The final house of the evening was complete with a choco fountain and we ended up playing Loaded Questions, until the wee hours of the night. Nic and I were a little tuckered out, but we were proud to say we weren't the first to leave (however, the others did have kids to get back to!) Saturday we had a double date with our friends Seth and Mere, who are expecting their third bundle of joy 2 weeks after us!

Let's jump back to Friday where we had a wonderful doctor's visit (once we finally were able to see the doc!). The OB office was running a little behind due to an ER emergency, so we were actually seen at 11:30 instead of 9:30! Thankfully I have a very patient husband, who ran me back to my office for an appointment I had in the middle of that crazy wait and snagged me a snack.
Once Doc Micus came in to visit, she did a quick tummy check, and then we listened to the baby's heart beat---which is always fun! At a quick 140 beats per minute, I'm sure there will be predictions made about the baby's gender.

Speaking of...lets have vote:

While many of you have made predictions along the way, where do you stand now? Now this isn't complete verification that we will be finding out the gender any time soon, but we thought it would be fun! We will tally up the votes for next weeks e-mail and save any cute comments for the baby book! What's do YOU think our little firecracker will be?

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:
Head to bottom, your baby is approximately 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a large sweet potato) and she weighs almost 7 ounces. She's busy flexing her arms and legs — movements that you'll likely start noticing more and more. Her blood vessels are visible through her thin skin, and her ears are now in position and stand out from her head. Myelin (a protective covering) is beginning to form around her nerves, a process that will continue for a year after she's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and Fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If your baby is a boy, his genitals are noticeable, though he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

week # 17

Ephesians 1:17-19:
I ask—ask the God of our Master, Jesus Christ, the God of glory—to make you intelligent and discerning in knowing him personally, your eyes focused and clear, so that you can see exactly what it is he is calling you to do, grasp the immensity of this glorious way of life he has for his followers, oh, the utter extravagance of his work in us who trust him—endless energy, boundless strength!

Okay, this verse was written just for me this week---endless energy and boundless strength, Lord where has it gone? Will it ever return? I'm definitely feeling exhaustion more these past few days. I used to love a back-to-back schedule, now I crave my bed and my couch! I pray it will return quickly so that I can continue to do what He is calling us to do each moment.

At work things were a little crazy due to the ice storm mixing up our schedule. Stress and tension can really wear on a group, especially when coupled with the many changes that are beginning to take place in our office.

To ease the stress of the week, on Thursday Josh took me out for a "Night on the Town" with a delish steak dinner and shrimpies followed by the Waco Symphony Orchestra. It was fun to think about how differently the baby enjoyed the evening safe inside my womb. Yummy tasting food coupled with elegant music all while swimming must have been quite an adventure.

More wonderful food was involved while celebrating my brothers' birthdays this week. Clay turned the big 21 on Wednesday and our roomie Cam entered his final teen year, turning 19 on Saturday. (Are you sensing a pattern with food and fun here?) Mom and Dad came down for weekend, so we were able to visit a little face to face, which is always nice.

It was a weekend of showers and shower prep, which is fun since I love a challenge! Nicole had a sweet shower filled with helpful advice and precious pink gifts! I began to feel a tiny flutter in my belly while we were praying over Nicole and Savannah. I'm sure I was imagining it, but very soon I should be feeling this kind of 'movement' regularly.

Yesterday was a big day for the baby and I as we helped hostess Nicki and Tristan's work and church shower. SO much fun! Y'all know how much we love to party! Mom and Erin were a huge help in the success of the shower. Many of our fabulous friends pitched in where needed to make the afternoon special for Nic. Our theme was "Tristan is a Treasure", and since his bedroom is done in fly-fishing frogs, we had to work that in too. We had hand-decorated cookies that were almost too pretty to eat, a chocolate fountain flowing with green chocolate (it tasted like white chocolate, much to everyone's surprise), and yummy green punch. It was fun to watch her literally be showered with gifts, love, attention and prayer in preparation for her next job: motherhood. Tristan I can't WAIT to hold you in person!

We finished up the weekend at Life-group which is always an amazing time of fellowship and prayer. This week Steve challenged us to Simplify our lives. As a friend reminded me today, babies have a way of doing this for us as our world shifts to include them in our every decision.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:
Your baby weighs about 5 ounces now, and he's around 5 inches long — about the size of a large onion. The umbilical cord, his lifeline to the placenta, is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby can move his joints, and his skeleton — until now, rubbery cartilage — is starting to harden into bone. Some of it will remain cartilage for years after he's born. A newborn's skeleton has 300 parts (a combination of bone and cartilage). As your child grows, some of these parts harden and fuse together. By the time your baby reaches adulthood, he'll have just 206 bones.

week # 16-month 4!

Proverbs 15:
33 Fear-of- God is a school in skilled living— first you learn humility, then you experience glory.

4 months along already! Many people have mentioned how quickly the time is going by, and it's so true. 3 months ago today I took that crazy pregnacy test, that for the first time in my life showed up positive! 2 months ago we had our first doctor's visit complete with ultrasound and we began spreading the good news. 1 month ago we had just returned from our good friend Lauren's wedding--tossing me back to college days for the weekend. Now we are in 2007 starting preparations for baby t!
Last week on Friday at work, our nurse, Liz, was training a new ultrasound nurse for the Killeen center. Baby t and I were ultrasound models while Astrid practiced on our almost 16 week belly (yes, erin, i did say 'our belly' because i'm counting on baby t (and all the additional baby paraphanelia) accounting for the growing belly). Baby t acted shy and sleepy, waving a couple of times and streching out. I was surprised to see how small the baby still appeared on screen, but the development of the baby was obvious. The ribs were apparent, and the baby's head was more in proportion to it's body. When Astrid tired to wake the baby, he/she flipped over and stuck it's little bottom in the air---as if to say, "Don't bug me I'm sleeping!" I'm hoping this napping trend will continue after birth!
Coming up this week will be our work shower for Nicki and Tristan which will be SO fun if the weather shapes up! More on this next week!

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:
At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. Her lower limbs are much more developed now. Her head is more erect than it has been, and her eyes have moved toward the front of her head. Your baby's ears are close to their final position, too. Some of her more advanced body systems are working, including her circulatory system and urinary tract. The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails. Her finger - and toenails will continue to grow throughout pregnancy, so don't be surprised if she needs them trimmed soon after birth.

Week 15

Proverbs 8: 32-36
"So, my dear friends, listen carefully; those who embrace these my ways are most blessed. Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life. Blessed the man, blessed the woman, who listens to me, awake and ready for me each morning, alert and responsive as I start my day's work. When you find me, you find life, real life, to say nothing of God's good pleasure. But if you wrong me, you damage your very soul; when you reject me, you're flirting with death."

This past week we got back into the post-holiday swing of things at work. Amazingly enough, the youth of Waco did NOT take a break from baby-making activities, therefore leaving our schedule books as full as ever!

Today I was thinking about how my role in the counseling room could change as my expectant belly continues to grow. How will I deal with an abortion-minded client while my own child is kicking, rolling, swimming about safe in my womb? Will the sweet young married clients who are hoping for a child (like my 2 clients today) look at my belly with sadness? Aside from that I'm already beginning to be a little sappy...take the show A Baby Story for example: I teared up 3 times at lunch today while watching an episode with Shiloh! What if I get weepy in the counseling room?

So far, the benefits are out-weighing the 'what ifs'. It was a joy to be able to help a client discover and be assured of her salvation today by confessing with her mouth and believing in her heart. "It's that simple?" she asked. "Sure is!", I said, reminding her that only the Lord can help her break her so called 'bad habits' and help her to be more like Him. She was precious and I hope to see her at her ultrasound next week.

On a lighter note, I was able to attend Nic's first baby shower---SO fun! We are throwing her a work/church shower at the end of the month which I'm totally excited about! It was neat to see many of her good friends gather around her to celebrate this special time in her life. This was our baby's first baby shower to attend, and I think the all the treats and sounds of ladies laughing and telling stories lulled our little one to sleep. We have a few more showers to go before we start that adventure of our own!!!

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:
At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weighs about 2 1/2 ounces. He's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help develop the air sacs in his lungs. His legs are growing longer than his arms now, and he can move all his joints and limbs. That means his hands are more functional, too. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his eyelids are fused shut, he can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, he's likely to move away from the beam.
Your baby's taste buds are beginning to form now, too, and a study at the Monell Chemical Senses Center in Philadelphia suggests he may be able to taste what you've been eating. Researchers found that flavors from the food pregnant women ate ended up in their amniotic fluid. They also found that eating healthy foods during pregnancy may help your baby develop a preference for those foods that could last a lifetime.

Week 14--Happy New Year!

Matthew 2:1
After Jesus was born in Bethlehem village, Judah territory— this was during Herod's kingship—a band of scholars arrived in Jerusalem from the East. They asked around, "Where can we find and pay homage to the newborn King of the Jews? We observed a star in the eastern sky that signaled his birth. We're on pilgrimage to worship him."

Happy New Year!

Well, 2007 didn't start out with a bang--more like a gentle pop (sparkling cider as opposed to champagne!)! I'll take you back to Friday where we had an excellent visit with Dr. Micus. As soon as she placed the doppler on my belly we were able to hear the quick wooshing of the baby's heart beat. We heard a louder whoosh as the baby moved and then Doc quickly located the heart beat once again. She said everything looked and sounded normal and she would see us back again in 1 month.
I had a bit of a bug this weekend which delayed some plans with friends (and the continuous cleaning of our guest room!) but made for a fairly relaxing 3 day weekend. We had fun at New Year's Eve party last night and had dinner with our friends the Cochrans following a movie with a small group of friends. We made some progress on 'Cam's Room' as we prepare for our new roomie who will be moving in next week.
The verse above caught my eye because of the last sentence. I've read about the wise men each year, but I never thought about how much our pilgrimage mirrors theirs. We seek to worship him with our time and talents as well. This weekend I was reminded again through a sermon on TV that one form of worship is the giving of our tithe, so that God can bless us not only financially but give us wholeness in all aspects of life. This can be a little challenging on a limited buget, when preparing for the expense of a baby, but if I can't trust Him with something like our money, then how can I trust Him when it comes to our precious baby? I'm thankful to be learning these lessons (sometimes repeatedly!) as expectant parents.

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:
Welcome to your second trimester! This is a big milestone in your pregnancy because it marks the end of a critical development period for your baby. All the basic structures of your baby's body — internally and externally — are formed now. Of course, they're still very tiny. Head to bottom, your baby is just 3 1/2 inches long — about the length of a lemon — and weighs about 1 1/2 ounces.
Your baby's body is growing faster than her head, which now sits upon a more well-defined neck. By the end of this week, her arms will have lengthened and will be in proportion to the rest of her body. (Her legs still have some growing to do, though.) She's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair all over her body called lanugo. Her liver starts secreting bile this week, a sign that it's already functioning properly, and her spleen starts contributing to the production of red blood cells.
Your baby's also producing and discharging urine into the amniotic fluid, a normal process that she'll keep up until birth. You still can't feel your baby's movements, but her hands and feet (now half an inch long) are more flexible and active. Thanks to brain impulses, her little facial muscles are getting a workout as she squints, frowns, and grimaces. She can grasp now, too, and she may be able to suck her thumb.

Week 13--Merry Christmas!

Luke 2:10-11The angel said, "Don't be afraid. I'm here to announce a great and joyful event that is meant for everybody, worldwide: A Savior has just been born in David's town, a Savior who is Messiah and Master.

Merry Christmas Y'all!

I hope that your hearts and tummys are full and the time you spent with family was precious. We always love a good excuse to open presents and take pix with the family!

There are definately some benefits to being pregnant at Christmas (however, for the record, it's cuter in pix to be super preggo or barely preggo---mental note for baby #2!). Here are a few I've discovered so far:
*the delish food
*the presents for you & the baby on the way (i heart my new preggo pillow!)
*sitting around and smiling is your form of 'helping out' with Christmas chores
*both of your moms hugging and kissing you ALL weekend=:)
*sleeping in!!!
*cute maternity clothes as gifts
*crying at everything (from sermons to songs and everything inbetween) and blaming hormones.
*showing off your ultrasound pix for the millionth time and loving it!

The second trimester started off with a bang and I'm beginning to officially show. Hmmm...a little worrysome with 6 months left to go! Our next doctor's appointment is this Friday and the doc has promised that we will get to hear the baby's heartbeat. I'm excited that it will be big enough to find with the doppler! We will let you know if anything else exciting happens at the visit. Time is flying by with already a 1/3 of the pregnancy behind us. Well, I'd better catch some sleep on my new preggo pillow before the morning!

blessings,
kelly, josh, & baby t

Our sweet baby's world:
Your belly may soon be big enough to announce to the world that you're expecting, but your baby is still tiny. In fact, he's only about 3 inches long, crown to rump — roughly the size of a jumbo shrimp — and weighs just about an ounce. Despite being so small, there's a fully formed baby inside your womb now who's much more proportional than he was a few weeks ago. In previous weeks, your baby's head dwarfed the rest of him — but now his head is only about a third the size of his body. His tiny, unique fingerprints are already in place. His kidneys and urinary tract are functional, and he's starting to urinate out the amniotic fluid he's been swallowing. As you start your second trimester, most of your baby's critical development will be completed, and your odds of miscarriage drop considerably.