oh baby!

As promised a few weeks ago, here is an updated picture of baby Moses growing inside of me. This is 23 weeks along - a big change from just 9 weeks ago! Imagine what it will look like in another 9!

While none of my pregnancies tend to be the most comfortable, I must say that I am happy that our baby is growing and healthy. The discomforts are well-worth the beautiful blessing in the end.

Over the past several weeks I am learning more about our baby-to-be. He or she is likely growing hair, as I have started to experience some heartburn. I had a lot of this in the 3rd trimester with Anna - and it is proven to be a result of babies with hair in the womb. If you remember, Anna was born with a dark brown mohawk probably about an inch long. I will be interested to see if/how much hair this little one has. There wasn't any to be seen in our ultrasound a few weeks ago - so this must be new.

Our baby likes to sit very, very low. Where my right hand is in the picture above is where the baby likes to lay. Anna was typically found over on the right sitting at or above my belly button, while this little one lies curled up below. He or she has been sitting in an extremely uncomfortable position for the past few weeks - but this weekend moved slightly up and to the left providing MUCH relief for mom.

His or her movements are getting much stronger. I can typically feel baby moving when I lie down at the end of the day - when he stretches his arms and legs and jabs them out in various directions. I would still characterize him as pretty content and quiet - but we'll see in the weeks to come.

Baby has also started practicing for his exit. While not full-on braxton hicks contractions (practice contractions), I have had a few small episodes where my stomach tightens up into a very tight ball for a minute or so. This typically happens when I have been walking or on my feet for long periods of time. I keep telling him that while a slightly early arrival would be appreciated, I mean a few days - not a few months! Hopefully these will not increase anytime soon.

My next appointment is this Friday, another routine check-up. All is well and as you can see - baby and mom are growing fast. The 3rd trimester is just a few short weeks away.

field trip fun & anna befriends anna

This morning Anna and I patiently waited for our ride to arrive to take us on Anna's very first field trip. A few good snacks helped pass the time as we waited, and told the rain to stay away!

Soon our big yellow chariot arrived, much to the delight of this young 2-year-old. She couldn't get on fast enough!

Once aboard, the bus was delighted by Anna's rendition of "The Wheels on the Bus" and squeals of delight as she looked out the window and told the driver to go "faster!". I am pretty sure the bus ride was as much fun as the entire field trip itself.

Soon we arrived at our destination - an Apple Orchard! We hopped aboard a wagon filled with hay, pulled by a small tractor. This was yet another delight for little Anna!

We were driven around the orchard to look at the apple trees and pumpkin patches and then let off at a few stops to pick some apples of our own. Anna liked looking for the big ones and putting them in her bag.

Once our bags were filled we headed to the picnic areas to try some cider, enjoy an apple donut (needless to say, Anna loved this) and one of the juicy apples in Anna's bags. Afterward, we headed to the playground and the petting zoo to peek at the animals and swing on the swings. It was a wonderful morning!

Just when I thought our fun was coming to a close, Anna found her own sweet ending. Standing in line waiting to get back aboard the bus, Anna made friends with another Anna (age 4) - whom she greeted with a hug. They became instant buddies and amused each other for 30 mins on the bus as we headed back home. Big Anna sang songs and little Anna laughed, giggled, and egged her on. Little Anna sang back, and Big Anna smiled. It was hilarious!

Up until now Anna's friends have been found primarily through me - children of my friends. Today Anna made her very own friend all on her own. This afternoon I have heard only about "my friend Anna did ...." and "that's what Anna, my friend, sang". What a wonderful way to spend a cool fall morning - it couldn't have gone better!

new dating age

As I was cleaning things up in the kitchen, Anna headed out to the deck as she often does to play and to ride her little car. I was interrupted in my cleaning by a loud voice coming from a mouth smooshed up against the screen door:



"Mommy, I'm going on a date, I'll be back later"

"Okay? Bye mommy!"

being 2

Have you ever thought, "oh, I'd love to be 2 again!", or "I'd love to be a kid again"? I have. I look at the life that Anna and I lead and I think...for moments throughout the day I do get to be a kid again. Oh sure, I am still a parent and need to protect, guide, discipline, encourage, support and all the other things that go along with being a stay-at-home mom - but I also get to play and to see every day through the eyes of a 2 year old.


So, what is it like to be 2? Do you remember? Here's a glimpse into our little 2 year old's life:

• Every morning is a morning to wake up happy. What will the day hold? Anna wakes up singing songs, or talking to her babies/animals in her bed, or calling out to Steve and I asking "Mommy, Daddy, where could you be??"


• The day is filled with hours in which to "play". When asked "what would you like to do today Anna?" you can bet your answer will involve the word "play".


• You never know what adventures will be lying around the corner. Swiper the Fox (from Dora the Explorer) has been known to be hiding around the corners in our house. Toy animals come alive. Fancy tea parties are held for all of Anna's babies and ponies and friends - imagination is everywhere.


• Wagon rides and stroller rides almost always have a way of ending at a park (per Anna's pleading). The same swings, slides, stairs and rocks have a way of providing endless and new entertainment each day.


• Disappointments and frustrations are many - as struggles with independence meet boundaries - but there are no drawn out grudges. There are no disagreements or hurt feelings that last more than a minute or two. Instead, there is typically laughter - by all parties moments after. What a wonderful way to live.


• Challenges are around every corner. Can I climb these stairs, or are they too steep? Can I do this art project? Can I get up after a fall and try again? What will it be like to play here with these friends and have mommy leave for a bit? Each one is different, but from each she grows.


• Comforts are many. Do you remember a day when you received no less than 25 hugs or kisses or I love yous? It's probably been awhile. This is the norm for Anna, and hopefully most 2-year-olds. Proclamations of love and attention are showered on her hourly, by family, friends and even acquaintances. I hope she stores this up in her bank of self-esteem.


• Decisions are simple (at least in our eyes): chicken or PB&J for lunch? fun park or the neighborhood park? banana bread or pancakes? pink dress or pink pants?


• Newness is everywhere. How could you ever be bored when every place you visit is a new adventure. An apple orchard you visited the year before is a new place when you can walk and explore on your own. A Children's Museum is different every single time you visit because you can reach new things, play with new things, imagine new things. Instant entertainment.


• Every night she collapses into bed, worn out from activities and fun from the day just completed. Sleep is long and restful - free of stresses to keep her awake in the wee hours of the morning. No wonder her energy is boundless.

Oh, how I love to watch this little one be 2!

gone fishin'

Who says you need a lake...

Or a boat...

Or a hook...

Or a worm??

(P.S. Can you find all of the stickers on Anna's body from her dr. appt.? How many do you see?)

2 year check up

This morning I took Anna in for her 2-year checkup. I was prepared for a little bit of a battle, because she never wants to sit on the exam table and refuses to lay down. We talked a lot about what the doctor would do and the more we talked the more comfortable she became.

Oh yes, and perhaps the fact that I bribed her with a donut if she did a good job did the trick. Oh wait, I didn't do that. That would be bad parenting, right? (OK, yes I did).

Anna did great! She had a bit of a panic, with crying and screaming when she had to lay down on the table to get measured - but after it was done and she realized nothing hurt and that she got stickers from the nice nurse everything was ok.

By the time the doctor arrived she was smiling, talking and she crawled up on the exam table by herself, sat next to the doctor and told her to "listen to my heart and then check my ears". She did everything GREAT. In fact, it was our best visit yet. Not wanting to break the spell, I opted for the Flu Mist vs. the shot this year and that went extremely well at all. I figured ONE needle-free visit was in order after so many shots over the past 2 years.

Anna is now 23lbs - in the 5-10th percentile (an improvement over the 2nd percentile!). She is in the 85th percentile for height (wow! major growth there too) and her head is in the 70th percentile. Overall she is doing great for her age. Her next official visit isn't for another year, but the doctor asked that we come in again in 6 months just to check her weight to make sure it's continuing to improve or at least stay on the same course.

And yes, we did go enjoy a donut after the visit. Anna ate the whole thing. (But I didn't have one - yeah right!)

second glance

This morning Steve and I headed back to the clinic to take another look at baby Moses. Still camera shy, this little baby did everything he/she could to turn its face away from the camera. Much more active this time around (likely due to the large apple cider I drank before going in) our littlest one showed off its body parts one by one. The technician was able to see everything that she needed to see and declared that "all was looking great!".

AND, guess what...it was 3D! Wow, was that cool! Typically the best 3D pictures are taken when the baby is older than ours is at this point - the 3rd trimester is best. But, the technician indulged us and switched from 2D to 3D and we were able to see the baby's face, head, neck, arm, profile. I would post the pictures however they are quite different than 2D and require much explanation (beyond what my red arrows in photoshop can do). What we can tell you is this:

• This baby looks like Steve we think. We both exclaimed "wow, it looks like you/me!"
• In some ways, it looks like Anna did at this point, however it seems to have a longer jaw. Unless that was just the picture quality.
• This baby is still much different from Anna in the womb. While this one was active, it had nothing on it's big sis.
• The heartrate was 136bpm this time around, right in line with where Anna's was much of the pregnancy. This was the first time I have had it measured under 150bpm.

So, it's getting closer to when we will start our contest. Our contest will have you guess the gender and the date the baby will arrive. In addition we will ask for an estimated weight and height in the event that there's a tie. We'll host this contest later in the 3rd trimester, but the information above you can use to help with your guess. You can also see our 3D pictures firsthand when we see you next, they may sway you one way or another! Of course there will be a fabulous prize for the winner.

We are so thrilled that baby is healthy, the heart looks good, the stomach looks good and that we were able to take a second look today. After 5 ultrasounds, this is our most photographed little one before birth. Most likely this will be the last time we will get to peek at the little one until he or she arrives come January. So exciting, it won't be long now....only 18 weeks to go.

wedded bliss

...celebrating 4 years of this today! These past 4 years have been the best in my life thus far and I look forward to so many more years spent with my wonderful husband building and enjoying our family. I'm so happy you asked 5 years ago, and so fondly remember saying our vows 4 years ago today. Love you!

(On our honeymoon)

apple extravaganza

Zach (3), Anna (2), Jack (4), Charlie (18 mo)

This morning Anna and I ventured to a local orchard with some of our neighbor friends. A beautiful morning, the kids were able to run around, play some apple soccer, eat apple donuts and apples, watch the animals at the petting zoo and stomp around the grounds. It was a fun morning! Next week we venture to another orchard with a group from ECFE (Early Childhood Family Education), so we will be fully stocked on apples and apple goodies for the next several weeks!

fall fun

Anna & Tyler

Baby Kate

Anna & Elise

independence

This is what happens when you let your 2 year old do her own hair while you try and finish blow drying yours:

in the blink of an eye

...TEN years have passed. How could that be? I feel like it was not that long ago that I was packing up my things and moving into my freshman dorm room at college, anxious to meet my new roommate and begin life as an independent "adult". Just yesterday I was graduating and starting my first salaried job. Somehow "yesterday" became 10 years.

This past weekend I had the pleasure of spending time with 10 of the girls I met 14 years ago in college. I had no idea at that time that I would make friendships that would last longer than any others in my life, and that the people I met, lived with, shared a dorm floor with that first year - that first week! - would be some of my very closest friends yet today.

The 11 of us girls (now women, I suppose) piled into this gorgeous cabin nestled in an family entertainment mecca several hours from our homes. For many this was a long drive - in excess of 6 hours. And yet, they made the trip. But...how could you resist a cabin such as this?

We spent our time reminiscing, relaxing at the spa, watching movies in our very own movie theater room, going out to dinner and most of all...laughing. A few of these girls I see on a regular basis, many of them I email and talk with on a regular basis as well. But a few live so far that it has been 3 or 4 years since we last spoke face to face, and it was great for all of us to spend time together.

As I mentioned above, we all met 14 years ago. There are 2 more in our group that could not make it...making the group 13. Among us we have 24 children. Yes, I said TWENTY-four. And that doesn't include numbers 25 through 28 that are still growing inside these ladies below:

In our 10 years since graduation there have been many marriages, many baby showers, many advanced degrees and other accomplishments to rejoice in. There has been heartache - more than 10 miscarriages, stroke, marital struggles and more. But we were reminded this weekend that through all of the highs and lows over the past 10 years at least one of us in the group has been there to help, support, cheer.

While the school I attended was small, in a small town, and most outside of our state have never heard of it...I think it was worth the expensive tuition, if not only for the education but for these friendships that will last a lifetime (hopefully my parents agree too!)

20 weeks and camera shy

Anna's birthday also marked another big milestone in our household. We reached 20 weeks, or the half-way mark, in our pregnancy! We are now counting down the number of weeks to go, instead of counting on the way up. Needless to say we are all very excited.

This afternoon Steve and I had the pleasure of looking at our new baby for over 30 minutes. Unfortunately our little one was not being very cooperative, so getting accurate measurements and seeing all of the organs proved to be impossible. The good news is, that means we will return next week or the following for another ultrasound!

What we did see was our baby, curled up in the fetal position sitting very low in my stomach. He or she had its chin to its chest and its knees up, hands nearly down by its feet. While the baby moved a little bit, it was pretty calm all around except for the occasional nod of the head or kick of the foot.

The measurements we were able to get were a little ahead of my due date, but not far enough to change anything at this point. My suspicions seem to be correct that this baby is a little bigger than Anna was! We'll see! We saw all 4 chambers of the heart, the head and brain, the spine, both hands and feet. What we could not see well, and the ultrasound technician could not accurately measure was the abdomen, parts of the heart, the kidneys and more. Hence, our return visit!

As I mentioned the baby was not moving much and liked to be curled up tight in the breech fetal position, so pictures were difficult as well. Pictured above is the best one, with some labels I added to help you out. This picture is not the most clear! We hope to share more with you after our next ultrasound and then we'll let you make your next guess. Steve and I have some inklings of what we think this baby might be after seeing him or her on the big screen...but we are going to keep them to ourselves and let you do the guessing! Perhaps we'll make it a contest as the date looms closer. In the meantime, pray our little one continues to grow and that all news we discover at our next appointment is positive.

fall

With fall weather comes the opportunity to wear all the new fun fall clothes that we purchased months ago and that Anna received for her birthday. Oh yes, and just another reason to take more pictures! Here are a few from the past few days...

loving gesture

This morning Anna was playing in the living room with her animals so I thought I would take the opportunity to work on some thank you notes that need to get out the door. As I wrote on cards and lost myself in the world of the written word, my daughter played happily with her toys in front of me - playing with all of the animals and telling me what their moods were for the day, and then hosting a tea party for her dolls and puppies. After awhile she must have lost interest, as she climbed up on my lap, looked at me with all of her love in her eyes and said in her sweet voice:

"Are you having fun mommy? Tell me, you have a good day? How are you?"

I heard the questions I ask Anna often repeated back to me in a loving attempt to gain my attention and begin a conversation. Of course we had to cuddle and hug after that.

For this, my 500th post on this blog, I didn't think there could be a better story.

our baby turns 2

Dear Anna,

Two years ago today you were welcomed into our lives with a flurry. Born with your big blue eyes wide open, you were ready to face the world and exhibited so many of the traits that define you today. You wanted your space (you were independent), you slept best in your bouncy seat, your swing or your bassinet - rather than in the arms of a loved one. You loved to be sang to and to dance around the room in our arms. You loved to listen to stories. And a mere 6-7 weeks into your life you loved to smile and giggle.

I know I speak for your father and I both when I say that you have forever changed our lives in the most wonderful of ways. Who knew that we could love this much? Who knew that such a precious little thing could bring so much joy, excitement, and love into the world and into the lives of so many? You are a special little girl, who will become an amazing woman one day. I hope you always know that and believe in yourself. We do.

This past year has gone by so quickly, I feel like we were just cleaning up from your 1st birthday party rather than your 2nd. During this past year you have learned to crawl, then to walk and finally to run...and run like the wind you do. You learned a handful of words, then a barrel full of words and then complete sentences. You love to play - both by yourself and with others. You love to learn new things, go new places, talk to people. You love an adventure and a challenge. You love attention - both giving it and receiving it. You love to laugh. You are loving, gentle, caring, silly - oh so silly, smart, energetic, and so much more.

I wish I could better articulate what it is like to be your mom. It is the best job and the biggest privilege I have ever had. And it is so much more than that too. Each day I wake up and look forward to hearing your babbles and songs come through the monitor. Each day I look forward to an adventure we are going to have. I won't lie, there are days that are challenging, and moments that are frustrating...but even on those days I would never make a different decision. I love this opportunity I have to witness, mold, and truly enjoy your growth. Being your mom, and your daddy's wife are the things that bring me more joy than I ever could have asked for in this lifetime. Remember that always.

This year ahead will be a great one for you, and for us as a family. Our dynamic will shift as you gain a sibling - but I am confident that you will be a wonderful big sister. You have so much love in your heart, I know you will share it well. You have new activities to try - you have begun some already...and like always you have jumped in with both feet and a smile. I hope you have as much fun as we, your parents, will.

On your birthday, and always, I want you to know how special you are. You light up our lives and I could not imagine our life without you in it. Thank you for all that you have given us, all that you have taught us. Thank God for the blessing of you. You are our joy, our little Anna - forever and always. Happy Birthday sweetheart!

my little sweetheart

guess #1

This afternoon I went in for my 20 week appointment. All continues to go well - baby Moses is growing as is now very evident by the increasing size of my stomach (I'll post a picture in the weeks to come). Over the weekend my appetite went into overdrive - something that has not been the case for the first 19 weeks of my pregnancy. Suddenly sweets taste good again and my cravings for carbs are hard to satisfy. I know this is a time for great growth for the baby, so while not completely surprised it still has caught me a bit off-guard!

The heartbeat was heard loud and strong once again, only a mere seconds after the wand was put on my stomach. It was a strong 150 bpm. (Close to last month when it was 155). I feel baby Moses often - he has had the hiccups, he likes to roll slowly from side to side, and then every once in awhile he'll give a good jab or two. On the whole he is much calmer than Anna was in the womb. I am not sure if this is just due to his size at the moment, or if in fact his demeanor is different.

I am learning that we seem to be in the minority in a few regards. We are not finding out the gender of this baby - which seems to cause a big stir in any conversation. "How can you wait?" "Don't you want to know?" "I could never do that".

I truly think that both ways, finding out or saving the surprise for the end, are equally wonderful. For Steve and I, we enjoyed the surprise with Anna at the end and it helped me with the last few weeks of pregnancy and labor. In addition, I am by nature a planner in every aspect of my life. I am anal, and I typically need to know everything in advance and have it well-planned out. By keeping this a surprise I take an element of stress, of running around getting things ready, of picking the name, and everything else that goes with it out of the mix. It allows me the opportunity to relax, to wonder and wait for the fun surprise ahead.

The one thing that has bothered me with this pregnancy is the presumption on the part of strangers that we want one gender over another. During an appointment at the salon, the aestitician asked me if we were hoping for a boy since we had a girl. I replied that no, I really didn't have a preference either way, and that we would be thrilled with either. The response I received caught me off-guard: "Yeah right, everyone says that but then they really want a boy because they want one of each". Well, um, actually that doesn't apply to me thank you very much. Steve had a similar experience at the grocery store when the clerk asked if he was hoping for a boy. His response was "No, I want a baby".

So, despite the fact that I refer to baby Moses as well, baby Moses and as a "he"...he very well could be a "she" and either way we will be more than thrilled! I choose to refer to our baby as a him because it makes more sense to me than saying "he/she" or "it". Oh yes, and the small intuition I have at the moment that makes me feel it's a boy.

So...I am giving you 3 guesses. One now, at this point in our pregnancy. One again later next week after our ultrasound and I share the photos with you. And then one at the very end - before labor begins. What is your first guess...is our new baby a boy or a girl? I'm curious to know!

(You have the heartrate facts, my sickness facts, weight gain is the same as with Anna up to this point, and you have a picture of me a month ago...so guess away!)

mom by many other names

Many years ago before Steve and I were married, actually before we were engaged, we took a trip with a group of friends to Jamaica. During this trip I took a kayak trip along the coast with my guide - a friendly and happy young man named Bobo. His interesting name took on a new life between Steve and I as we began to refer to one another as Bobo and over the years Steve has made that his nickname for me. He rarely refers to me as Christa, except in public and even then sometimes he forgets. Perhaps you have heard him call me Bobo, or his shortened version of Bobes.

Now that there are a new pair of ears in this house, and a new (and very vocal) mouth to match, someone else has started to refer to me by different names as well.

Up until this week I had been called Mommy and even "Mom" a number of times. I was told my name was Daddy during games of pretend and a few others I cannot recall.

Today as Anna was eating her lunch I stepped into the other room for a minute. Only 30 seconds after I was away I heard the following:
"Mommy, are you there?"
"Yes Anna, I'll be right there"
As I walked back over to her chair she repeated the following over and over
"What are you doing bobes?" "What do you need bobes?"

I laughed so hard I nearly cried. If only Bobo in Jamaica knew that his legend lives on over 6 years later!

birthday bash

On a beautiful Sunday morning, we packed up coolers, streamers, balloons, cake, presents and more and headed to our favorite lake / beach spot in town. It was a very windy morning - which made decorating a little difficult, as you can see...

Soon our little guest of honor arrived, with nanas, papas, uncles, aunt-to-be, grandma & mom & dad as well...all to celebrate the passing of another year in our dear little Anna's life.

When asked the morning of her party "What are we going to have today Anna?" We were met with a very excited reply..."Ba-la-la-loooons!" And balloons there were! Not only did mom and dad bring balloons, but Uncle Patrick came equipped with our very own helium tank. Balloons on command!

There was swimming and sand castles and walks on the beach. And presents and food and a big Dora cake!

When asked, "How do you like your party, Anna?"...the response was quite funny.

"It's pretty good" she replied...then rushed off to play.

Dear daughter, I think it was more than pretty good. Judging from your smiles, your laughter, your joy. Loved ones surrounding you, more gifts than you could count, yummy cake filled with sugar and kisses galore. I think this was a celebration you will think about for days to come!