Memorial Weekend

This Memorial weekend we celebrated my brother’s 25^th birthday at Freedman’s BBQ. It was great to be able to sit outside, enjoy the weather, let the dood roam, and chow on some delicious BBQ.

Matt and I always love to try new place and Daniel made a good choice with this one. My favorite was the smoky banana pudding for dessert. I may or may not have finished off two of them. Matt had to fight me for every bite.

On Monday, we went shopping in the morning around the arboretum. We happened to stop by the GAP, and I seriously could have bought that whole store. Everything was so cute. Matt spoiled me with a dress (the one in the 17 week picture). I’m slightly really obsessed. The arboretum also has these big cow statues for kids to play on. We did that for a good hour- getting all the energy out of Noah. (I left the camera in the car- BUMMER).

For the afternoon, we went to the pool. My parents have a great neighborhood pool that I grew up going to. Noah loved it. With four set of helping hands and lots of attention, Noah was eating up all the play time. His Ops and Grandma spoiled him to a smoothie that he found mighty tasty! Some of the pictures make my heart melt every time I look at them! Hope y’all enjoy!

Week 17

Along: 17 weeks

Size of baby: Baby is the size of an onion. Peanut can hear and also sense touch. He/she is practicing breathing movements where the chest wall moves up and the diaphragm contracts. Amazing!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I would guess in the past week I've gained 5-7 pounds. I am still in the chubby stage and can't wait to have the little belly pop.

Maternity Clothes: None yet

Gender: I am going to say GIRL!  

Movement: Yes! I feel the little one when I am waking up in the morning or falling asleep at night. I also will feel the peanut after a big sugar binge. (I may or may not have finished off a whole pan of Rice Krispy treats in 4 days- by myself-judge me- I'm totally ok with it).

Sleep: This area is fine. I have trouble sleeping in right now and have trouble falling asleep sometimes, but I was like that with Noah. I use the earlier mornings to go for a run, have some alone time, or read. I'm trying to enjoy the quiet before the storm hits!

What I miss: I miss having my clothes fit. Tight shirts just aren't cute right now.

Cravings: Cake, cookies, grapes, pears, dark coffee, biscuits and apples.

Symptoms: I have headaches, nausea, and crabby pattie syndrome at lot. I am more emotional and feistier.

Best Moment This Week: We had the opportunity and joy to tell everybody about the baby this past week! It was awesome and the outpouring of love and support was amazing. We also celebrated Memorial weekend with friends and family. It was a lot of fun and the perfect three day weekend! Pictures to come from that! 

I look at this Matt face and wonder if the peanut will look like Noah/Matt or have more of my features- we shall see! EEEEEEEK!

19 months

Noah- you are one big boy and soon to be big brother.

Boy are you sweet this month! You are giving mouth kisses to me and your daddy and they are the cutest. You are also giving mouth kisses to your furry cousins Bartle, Mayberry, and Ely. They love it just as much as you do. It is so cute- you go up to them with your hands wide open and pucker your lips. You do it over and over- never getting enough. Noah, you love animals. On Saturday, all you did was have Ely chase you. I'm so glad we named you Noah- I'm pretty sure you would build an ark and fill it full of birds, cats, and dogs if the Lord called you to it. 

Boy are you opinionated this month. One word we hear often is YUCKY.  You associate yucky with bugs, dirt, and anything stuck to your hands or feet if you've been playing outside. The best is that you think bugs are so yucky that you smash them. You saw your daddy do it a week ago, and now you join in the game with him. Mommy does not mind! You like to do things your way and will quickly show me when you are frustrated. We are working on "using your words." You hear that phrase often just because we are past the point of doing the game of guessing what you want or hearing you whine.

Boy are you active this month. You are climbing things and exploring your boundaries. You are still cautious and not quite a daredevil, but I have seen a riskier side in you these past couple weeks. You are constantly on the go and only sit to eat, sleep, or watch Shaun the Sheep. You love to dance and now have these pharaoh type hand moves. It's cute. You busted them out in Restoration Hardware Monday- I about lost it. You were twirling with your hands waving- swaying your head. You love to play with balls with your dad and the neighbor girl. You love to swim. You would be outside all day long if I let you. You and I have been enjoying some morning time together sitting outside with our coffee and milk. It's pretty precious and I cherish these moments right now.

Noah- you love to sing! Twinkle Twinkle is your favorite this month. You actually say the "up above the world" part- it's a little baby jumbled, but it's distinctive and you love it. As for words, this month you have added up-up-away, down, orange, no, yeahhh--ah, whoaahhh, OK, Bartsy, grape, paci, and bo-bo (bug).

Food wise we have seen MUCH improvement. You are quite the dipper these days. You want everything to have a sauce so you can dip your food in it. I would say your favorite foods right now are BBQ sausage, nutrigain bars, chicken nuggets with ketchup, tortillas, apples, corn, yogurt, sweet potato fries with ketchup, black beans, and watermelon. You will do vegetables like broccoli or green beans but will usually eat the other stuff off your plate first.  

This month we have seen a love for mommy's and daddy's shoes. You wear them around the house all the time. You will talk about "on shooooes". My favorite is when you wear my green flats. You know exactly how to put them on and you just scoot around in them. I haven't taken a picture because I'm pretty sure you might kill me when you are age 10. You also find the need to take your shoes off every time we put you in your car seat. Without fail, you are pulling the shoes and socks off right when daddy backs out of the parking lot- jabbering about your shoes and socks the whole drive. 

I count 11 teeth and I don't know how much you weigh. Daddy's takes you to the doctor at the end of this week, so we will know Thursday! I can't believe how much you have grown. I look at you daily and wonder how you could possibly be the little 6 lb 15 oz 20 inch baby that I met October 27, 2011. You are a miracle and I can't wait to see what God has in store for you little dood. We pray over you often and promise to always love you!

Our Announcement!

These are the four little announcements I created to let the world know our big news! I ended up using #3 and #4. I had a blast creating them and used a fun little website called photobucket to design them. It allows you to do all that crazy fun photo editing.

Here are some questions we have been getting about the peanut (#2). I thought I might answer a couple in this post intermingled with our announcement pictures.

How are you feeling? I'm doing better. I have a normal appetite, but I still deal with nausea throughout the day. It's not strong- just annoying. I see it a lot at night time. I think certain foods trigger it to be bad. I just have to figure out which ones.

Why did you skip Week 15 post? I wrote it, but I didn't get around to taking a picture. #bloggerfail  I feel lame posting it without the picture because if you are like my husband- the words don't really matter. He just wants pictures!

When is the big sonogram? It is June 6^th! We are moving to Dallas, so we scheduled it at the 18 week mark so we could keep my same OBGYN and transfer the paperwork after that. It seems so soon. This pregnancy has gone by so fast.

Gender? We aren't finding out this time around! We really have no preference, and I think we are really enjoying the mystery as a little family. My parents (especially my dad) think we are crazy. I understand for the planning part, but too be honest,  little peanut will probably wear a lot of Noah's little onesie outfits whether boy or girl. If it is a girl, we will just add some sass a frass- bows, tutus, all that good jazz.

Names? We aren't telling this one either! We realize that people have opinion's on names that are valid. We appreciate them, but this time around- we want it to be revealed with gender! Noah ended up being one of the top 10 most popular names for 2011 and 2012. We realize Noah will probably be one of four in his class, and we are bummed but still love his name and it fits him PERFECT. The dood is a magnet for animals. No other name would do him just, but peanut won't have to worry about this.  We like WEIRD this time around. Also, Matt's dad and stepmom already told us names that are off limits, so don't worry! All the siblings' favorite names are safe- none were on our list!

Room situation? We will have them in separate rooms for the first 18 months. At that point, I think that we will reevaluate and most likely have them in bunk beds sharing a room. I think there is something so special about sharing a room between siblings. They will be a little over 24 months apart, so with being that close in age, I think they are going to want to be together.

I think that's all the questions I can think of at 8.am. We are BLESSED!

Week 16

Along: 16 weeks

Size of baby: Baby is the size of an avocado. Peanut's legs are much more developed and his/her head is more erect than it has been. The ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of the scalp has begun, though the locks aren't recognizable yet. Peanut's heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I would guess in the past week I've gained 3-5 pounds. I am in the "thick" stage. It looks like I've had a couple too many doughnuts.

Maternity Clothes: None yet

Gender: I am going to say GIRL! I know, I changed from last week. I keep dreaming of pink bows and little tutus.

Movement: Yes! I crave sugar again with this preganancy. After a good rice krispy treat or a big bowl of ice cream, peanut's going NUTS! It is so fun. I absolutely love baby movement.

Sleep: I sleep a lot. I think I usually get about 8-10 hours a night, but it is still a lot of tossing and turning- not the hard rem cycle sleep I love. I also could use a power nap around 2 or 3 every day. This does occasionally happen on the weekends, and boy do I love it!

What I miss: I miss having my clothes fit.

Cravings: Rice Krispy treats, chocolate, fruit, peanutbutter, dark coffee with chocolate chips and milk, and cottage cheese.

Symptoms: I still have aversion to small spaces or being touched. I feel slightly nauseous a lot of the day, but I can eat so I'm not complaining!

Best Moment This Week: Matt graduating from the University of Texas and getting to spend time with friends to celebrate. We had a lunch with our neighbors after the graduation. Noah and EEE-HAAA (this is how Noah says her name and she is a foster child so I can't give any more details than that) made Matt a graduation card. Alice, the sweet-sweet foster mom, also bought cupcakes and made a delicious pasta salad. They watched Noah for us while we were at Matt's graduation and surprised us with a celebration afterwards. We love them! For dinner that night, we had fun with the Friedecks over at their house! You saw the post- LOADS AND LOADS OF FUN! It was such a great weekend. We are BLESSED! 

How I feel about people invading my personal space!

Week 14

Along: 14 weeks

Size of baby: Baby is the size of a lemon-#2 is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop.

Total Weight Gain/Loss: I'm going to guess 3. I'm not sure- I have an appointment this upcoming week. I will know more then.

Maternity Clothes: None yet

Gender: I go back and forth. Ashley Baker and I decided that whatever we are having- we are having the same. She finds out in two weeks, so I will make my guess then.

Movement: None yet!

Sleep: I sleep a lot but it's not as sound as I would like. I toss and turn constantly, but I think it's just hard for me to get comfortable. I always struggle in this area while pregnant.

What I miss: I don't miss much.

Cravings: I love grapes, pears, yogurt-granola combo, cheese, graham crackers and chocolate. I also crave macaroni and cheese. I guess #2 loves the dairy and sweets.

Symptoms: Exhaustion and irritability. I am more sensitive and cry way easier than normal.

Best Moment This Week: Matt and I found a house in Dallas and hope to move in around June 12^th. I also have some other changes coming, but I'm not sure what exactly will work out- more on this later. This last week was a whirl wind and unwinding in Santa Fe was the perfect blessing. Matt and I had some rest and relaxation. Being in Dallas this past week, Matt and I left so excited to move there. We already have such great community in Dallas. 

Week 13: Round #2

Along:13 weeks

Size of baby: Baby is the size of a peach

Total Weight Gain/Loss: In this area I have no idea. I lost so much with #2 at the very beginning. I'm pretty sure everybody thought I was dieting because of my lack of appetitie and weight loss. I'm glad to finally admit that no I wasn't on some kind of crash diet. I actually have a baby in this belly that does not like food or anything with a strong scent.

Maternity Clothes:None yet

Gender: I think boy. Everything so far has been really similar to Noah besides occasionally throwing up. We are not going to find out gender. Matt and I loved how my friend Amber did this with Hudson and my co-worker Petra did this with Maya. It seems like so much fun, and we really have no preference what comes next. A boy would be more practical since we have everyting already but a girl would add some sass. I'm not sassy, but I do embrace the bows and the pink for the lil' one! EEEK! I get excited thinking about it.

Movement: None yet!

Sleep: Sleep has been hit or miss. I either am EXHAUSTED/ pass out between 8-10 p.m. or can't fall asleep and can't get comfortable until midnight. I had some insomnia with Noah, so I'm not surprised.

What I miss: I miss not feeling the "motion sickness" all the time. I forgot how miserable it was with Noah- which is a good thing. I do constantly remind myself that morning sickness is a good sign and means the baby is down to business in my belly. It has gotten significantly better since the 5-10 week mark which I am so thankful for. I actually enjoy food which I couldn't say 3 weeks ago. I also miss being able to brush my teeth without gagging- didn't have this with Noah. I have it with #2- weird right?

Cravings: I always want fruit. I've been loving apples and green grapes this week. Ice cream is now a must. As of right now, Blue Bell Homeade Vanilla and Strawberries is my favorite.

Symptoms: I'm car sick, tired, and more irritable. My sense of smell is so strong and sensitive. I will smell something and want to throw up. I oddly like the smell of cleaners and paint. I think it's because it is so strong it takes away all those musty or food smells.  I also have intense cravings. I can be demanding about them too- sorry Matt- best husband ever.

Best Moment This Week: Matt and I are planning a small weekend get away in May. We will be taking our second trip by ourselves- yes, that means that we haven't gone anywhere just us since our honeymoon. We are headed to New Mexico, and I could not be more excited. My agenda- spa, hikes, and food. I will miss the dood like crazy, but this will be the #2 babymoon!

Fun with the Friedecks

Our sweet friends Karl, Amber, and Hudson had us over Saturday for steaks and toddler time. We had not seen the boys together since Hudson's birthday in January. WOW! That is what tax busy season does to you. The boys swam, Karl cooked up so much DELICIOUS food, the parents had time to talk, and the boys had a blast!

I love the Friedeck family dynamic. Hudson has so much energy and a mommy and daddy who keep up with him. Noah  was so excited and jumped right in the midst of it. This play date was different than ones in the past-Hudson and Noah played together. They danced, chased each other,  "shared" toys, swapped drinks, fed each other food, and Hudson pushed Noah on the toy train- really, there was so much activity going on. One of the sweetest things was Hudson and his love for holding hands. He kept wanting to hold Noah's hand- heart melting? Why yes!

The best story of the night was when Karl, Amber, Matt, and I were sitting down eating. We let the boys just run around. All of a sudden Hudson comes over to us and is making all this noise and pointing up. He was telling on Noah! Noah had climbed up the stairs and was playing in the game room, which Hudson knew was off limits unless adults were up there. SO CUTE! We got the best laugh out of it. Noah thought that there was no problem being up there playing with all of Hudson's toys by himself. You put Noah in a room with new toys and he will entertain himself for hours. Here are some pictures from the night! 

My relationship with Amber has been such a blessing. It is so fun to have another mama to relate to and swap stories with. She is full of wisdom and always so positive. We will miss them when we head to Dallas, but luckily, with us both having family in the opposite cities- I think we will always keep in touch! 

Matt's Graduation

On Saturday, we celebrated Matt's graduation from the University of Texas. He graduated with his Master's in Education specifically Quantitative Methods. I hope I'm saying all of this right. I know he will correct me later if I'm not. This was a huge accomplishment. Matt has balanced for the past two years being a husband, father, student, and employee. He has worn so many hats and managed them all so well. I could not be MORE PROUD!  It also was a day of celebration as we move forward to the next stage of life. Matt will be attending Southwestern Medical School here in the fall. At the end of the four and a half years there, he will receive his PhD in Clinical Psychology- specializing in "neuropsych". (Like I said, I hope I'm accurate in my facts- as an accountant- all this lingo goes STRAIGHT over my head).  It was a day of praise for all that God has done and is going to do.

Noah stayed home- no way homeboy could last during a 3 hour ceremony!

Matt walking in on the right. I didn't have the best spot, but I tried to take pictures! Effort points here please!

Matt exiting the stage!

That night we had a play date with Karl, Amber, and Hudson! Pictures to come!

Dood and the Toilet Trashcan

A Noah Story.

We have lots, but this one extra tickled me yesterday. Noah is still really into those mash-up pouches. He likes the ones with apple sauce and the variety of fruit/vegetable combinations that they have out there.  He sucks it right up and for the most part it is not too messy.

Yesterday, I was taking a shower and he was snacking on a pouch toodling around the bathroom. He finished it up and told me "all go-go" (which means all gone). I told him good job and to throw it in the trashcan. (There is one right next to the toilet). I didn’t think much about it, but as I was getting out the shower. I saw him opening the toilet lid.  I saw a hint of something green in there and I knew it wasn't poop. I realized fairly quickly that he thought the toilet was the trashcan because it has a LID like the one we have in our kitchen. He was so proud of himself.  I died laughing. I was in disbelief. Next time I will be more specific and point to where he should throw it away.

This sumo baby never ceases to amaze me. Happy Friday!

Santa Fe Get Away!

Me and my main squeeze had our first get away with no baby since our honeymoon. I know- crazy. We really just haven't had the opportunity. Once it did come our way though thanks to our sweet friends the Watkins, we jumped on it and I'm so glad we did. It was seriously the best rest and relaxation I could have asked for. Matt and I have had a very stressful past month. This trip was the perfect mixture of walking, sleeping, and eating.  It was my kind of trip. 

As for adventures, Matt had learned about the Loretto Chapel in fifth grade. He wanted to see the ever famous staircase built by a carpenter with no name who only had a level and a saw. This staircase was breathtaking along with the chapel. 

We found great little restaurants, ate a lot of green chiles, and located the best chocolate shop ever- the Chocolate Smith. I'd convince Matt everyday of our trip that we need more SNAX (aka chocolate goodies). He always obliged- I know, Mr. Wonderful. I think the first night between naps and a full nights rest I had 14 hours of sleep. I never get that here with Noah. It was truly a blessing. I also was able to watch movies uninterrupted as well as eat a whole meal without sharing half with the dood. Our hotel was about a mile away from the square which we loved. We were away from the noise and stayed in the coziest spot. It was called hotel Santa Fe. I would recommend it to anybody! 

The weather was perfect. We could not have asked for a better little town to visit. It reminded us so much of Austin. Santa Fe has so much culture and so many hipsters. We loved the sight seeing and people watching (or in my case staring). 

This man made it extra special and treated me to a fancy dinner there our last night  at Terra located in the Four Seasons hotel. It is something we would never do on a normal, regular basis, but I definitely enjoyed myself. Matt had the rib and I had the duck. We then topped it off with the famous dessert that was ice cream, churros, and caramel. It was heaven on earth. 

That's all for now!