The Journey Of Life...

One of those days...

2012-02-06T23:18:00.002-06:00

This weekend consisted of "one of those days". This past week was crazy, I was in Wisconsin for work for 3 days, came home, worked on my day off Friday, only to go back to work on Saturday for a work conference. Saturday hit me like a ton of bricks. First thing in the morning I got notification that my mentor from church lost her son to cancer. He was 33 years old, that's just 3 years older than I am. My sister was induced to have her baby, a beautiful baby girl named, Mariella Isabel. She is stunning and tiny and has that brand new baby look. It was wonderful. And my dear friend announced she was pregnant. It's amazing and I love pregnancy and babies. It was overwhelming the emotions I felt, the way the day consumed me. And then I cried, I cried a lot. I cried for the better part of the day and night. I took a nap and fell asleep crying only to awake and start crying again. Why the emotional overload? I think there are a number of reasons. One is the thought that Josh and I are done. There will be no more pregnancy announcements from me, no announcing the gender or sharing the name. There will be no more new baby in my arms that I show off to the world. My "babies" are almost 2 and almost 4. It was hard to think of a day that included life ending, life beginning and the birth of a new baby. Talk about the circle of life. My perspective has gotten better over the last couple of days, however, I am not sure as someone who has battled infertility those feelings will ever go away. It's hard, but why? Why am I still jealous, sad, angry when it's not me? I don't know. I wish I did. I wish I could just enjoy and celebrate with others immediately instead of having to process through my own feelings first. It will get better, right? I hope so!

Guest Blogger Post

2012-01-28T23:07:00.001-06:00

Here is a link to the blog Josh and I wrote about the 5 Love Languages. It was so fun to do together and such a great reminder of what we need to do to make the other feel loved.

http://www.quadcitymomsblog.com/2012/01/23/what-language-do-you-speak/

Fun Day...Or Not!!

2012-01-28T22:35:00.003-06:00

Wednesday night I went to bed in preparation of taking Thursday off to volunteer at Mia's Fun Day at school. She was so excited mommy was going to be there and I was so excited to be able to volunteer. That is exactly one of the reasons I have chosen to work part time, so I can help at things like this. All was going well, until 3am when I woke up nauseous, sweating and knowing something was wrong. I was right. I threw up for the next 4 hours. My body hurt and I was exhausted. There was a part of me that knew I couldn't go volunteer, I was WAY to tired, but when your 3.5 year old comes in and says in the sweetest, saddest voice "Mommy, you're too sick to come to Fun Day", my heart broke and I mustered up every ounce of energy I had and went to fun day. I got to be in the Mitten Room. We read stories about mittens, hid mittens so the kids could find them and then they had a relay to dress the adult in winter clothes (hat, coat, mittens, scarves, boots, etc). It was cute and fun and when Mia's group came through she couldn't have been happier I was there. As the morning went on, I got more and more nauseous and weak. To top off our fun morning, we got the call from daycare that Roman had diarrhea AGAIN!! Seriously, this is about the 3rd week. Kerri changed 3 diapers in 20 minutes and the last one required a bath AND an outfit change! UGH!! So I picked him up and we headed home. I put the kids down early for nap and passed out myself. Josh got home from work and back to sleep I went. I slept until 7, got up and saw the kids and went back to bed at 8. The next morning I was feeling mostly better, just super tired. However, we had a new problem, Josh was sick. THANK GOD he did not throw up. This is a huge praise, because when Josh gets the flu it is very very bad news!!! So I took the kids downstairs, we ate breakfast and then it happened. Roman vomited ALL OVER!! All over the pillow, his blanket, another blanket, himself, the carpet. OH MY!! I had Mia go get Josh to help me. To say it was an eventful day is an understatement. As I writing this I am thinking we are mostly all back to health, and thanks to lots of prayers Mia has not gotten in. That is nothing short of a miracle, and I will take it! We are continuing to pray for health for her and the rest of us.

My new workout buddy

2012-01-25T23:23:00.001-06:00

The past two nights Mia and I have gone to the gym by ourselves. We have left the boys home, since Josh gets to work out during his lunch break and Roman is just getting done being sick, so we didn't want to take any chances. So after my workout the last two nights I have gone downstairs, picked up Mia and her and I head up to the track. It's been a blast. We giggle, walk fast and then she takes off running and wants me to chase her around the track. Some probably think we are annoying, or that it's inappropriate to have my 3.5 year old working out, but I LOVE it. I love her wanting to workout, we talk about being healthy, and she gets to exert some energy. At the end of both workouts, she has looked at me with the sweetest smile and said "Mommy I want to do this every day with you!" I love building these memories with her!

Special Person

2012-01-24T22:05:00.002-06:00

Today at school Mia was special person. She brought home this large piece of paper that we got to fill out including pictures of her, her family, her friends and her favorites.
She identified her favorite food as ice cream (which is funny because we rarely have ice cream), her favorite books are Princesses and The Bible. When she identified her friends she wanted to put a picture of her and Cam on their carriage ride. And the best part was when asked what she wants to be when she grows up she answered...A Ballerina. At school today Josh and I got to go at the end of her class to read a book of her choice to the class. Her face lit up as Josh and I walked in. I love that moment. She sat on my lap while I read Llama Llama mad at mama to the class. I loved hearing all the giggles from the kids and I loved being able to share that moment with Mia. I also appreciate that Josh left work too to be a part of the moment. We were literally there 15 minutes before we left and both had to go back to work. But she loved it! And so did we.

On a side note, I took her to the gym tonight while Josh and Roman stayed home. On the way to the gym we were talking about Roman and how he is learning to be nice (not push, not pull hair, share, etc). Here is the jist of how the conversation went:

Me: Yes, Roman is still learning what is kind, we have to help him

Mia: yes, but I still love him so much

Me: that's so great, he loves you too.

Mia: Mom, Roman's kind of naughty now, but he's just learning. When I'm 4 i'm not going to be naughty anymore, I'm going to use good listening.

Me: well, that's great, that makes mommy very proud

Mia: Also when I am 4 I can help and put Roman in time-out and tell him that's not kind.

Me: well, I think Mommy and Daddy will put Roman in time-out if he needs it

Mia: but when I'm 4 I can put him in time-out too.

I just had to laugh. I guess when you are 4, you are ALL grown up.
I just love her!

Bottled giggles

2012-01-21T23:30:00.004-06:00

There are times when I wish there was a way to bottle giggles. Tonight was one of those. After dinner, we spent time in the living room as a family, singing songs like "Wheels On the Bus" and "Happy and you know it". However, the real giggles didn't come until we decided to sing "Baby Bumblebee". I don't know if it's the first time we've really sang it in front of Roman, or he was just in one of those moods, but at the end of every song, when we'd sing "OUCH, it just stung me", he would launch into a fit of the giggles. It was contagious, I was laughing, Mia and Josh were laughing and Roman just couldn't stop the wide open mouth, belly laughing, giggle. I loved it!! He would then say "MORE, MORE" and put his hands together like he was holding his bumblebee. We sang it probably 20 times, each time laughing just as much as the time before.

It is times like this that I wish we could bottle that sweet, innocent laughter. The kind that makes you smile so hard you almost want to cry. The look of joy on the kids' face during this time was just amazing. I love these moments and even in the midst of our crazy life, I want to make sure I remember these precious, joyous, belly laughing, giggling type of moments!

In a side note, I met friends for coffee this morning, although I don't think any of us had actual coffee! :) My friend, Emily, moved away awhile ago and we miss her tons, so whenever she comes in town we try to get together. This morning 5 of us got together and it was wonderful. I am constantly reminded how much I need these friends in my life. They "get it". They get kids, parenting, working, daycare, cleaning, being creative, learning, need I go on, they just get it. I felt refreshed after our chat. I love knowing that I'm in the same stage, dealing with the same craziness as so many other moms. Abbie and I are hoping to plan a mini-vacay with the big kids (Mia and Campbell) to go visit Emily and Jackson. How fun!!!

And it happens AGAIN!

2012-01-19T22:40:00.002-06:00

I posted awhile back that we have been dealing with the sickies. Well, we still aren't over it. Seriously, how long can one family be sick. Roman has been dealing with a bronchial "thing", coughing, wheezing, etc. We started him on his nebulizer like usual, but it didn't seem to give him much relief, so we called the doctor and started him on prednisone (which we ALSO have a standing prescription for). On day 3, he still didn't seem better and so I knew a call to the doctor would be in order but before I could get that far the real fun started. I went to get him out of his room on Wednesday morning and the stench coming from his room was horrific. I walk in and the poor baby had vomited all over his crib AND to top it off had diarrhea too. OH MY!! In the half hour he was awake while I waited for the doctor to open he had diarrhea 7, yes 7 times!! UGH!! We got to the doctor and he looks great, ears are fine and we are given the "virus" diagnosis. That basically means, sit around and wait for it to get better. So we are waiting, we have been giving him water to keep him hydrated, he is eating dry cereal and toast for almost every meal (if he eats) and we have been doing LOTS of laundry, thanks to the serious case of runs he still has.
At least he is in great spirits, playing, cuddling and being as sassy as ever. I just hope he starts feeling better soon. I hate seeing him not feeling well and I know even though he's acting normal his belly can not be feeling well.

On another note, Roman being sick has reminded me how blessed I have been with a husband who goes above and beyond what most dads do. Today I needed to be at work, because I had multiple meetings and although Josh also had lots on his plate he volunteered to stay home. I got to work and got the call that Roman had the most massive blowout yet, out the diaper, down the leg, up the back, on the carpet, you name it, it was there. He changed him, bathed him, cleaned up and still got Mia to school on time. But that's not all, he washed the dirty laundry, vacuumed, dusted and put away the clean laundry and took care of a sick baby.

Seriously how did the kids and I get blessed with a man who does this and never once complains? A man who has broken a cycle and has been the kind of dad that I would love our son to grow up and mimic. A man who has incredible work ethic, dedication, faith, loyalty and a commitment to succeed. A man who TRULY gets what it means to be a daddy, to roll around on the floor and wrestle, pray at dinner and bedtime, read books, play dress up, dance with his daughter in the living room and yet disciplines with love so that our children may grow up and have the best chance at succeeding at life. I may not say it enough but I thank God everyday for blessing me with the perfect partner to raise our children with.

20 months

2012-01-12T23:32:00.002-06:00

Today our little man turned 20 months. In just 4 short months, he will be 2. This is crazy. I can't believe he is growing up before my eyes so quickly. Here is what Roman is doing:
He can identify most animals and the sounds they make
He loves trucks and throwing balls
He LOVES playing with his sister, usually running around chasing each other and screaming
He still only has 6 front teeth and 4 molars
He has crazy hair (it grows super fast and does whatever it wants) He has had at least 5 haircuts
He loves his "bankie"
He loves to do prayers
He loves VeggieTales
He loves to dance
He doesn't like getting his diaper changed or getting dressed
He LOVES BATHS and would take them 20 times a day!
He runs, jumps, climbs on anything he can find
He loves to torment his dog by climbing on her
He is still a mama's boy
He is Amazing!!

We have been blessed with one of the cutest, sweetest, most loving and definitely ornery boys. He has made us complete. The bond between him and Mia is incredible. It's hard to remember what life was like before him and we are thankful for all we have been blessed with.

Perspective

2012-01-10T22:13:00.002-06:00

One of the things I have been trying to work on is PERSPECTIVE. There have been a number of situations lately where I have needed a change in perspective. Today was one of them. Roman is sick...again. I feel like one or more of our family has been fighting something since the beginning of November! I am over the sickies. Anyways, he is sick with a cold. He stayed home from daycare with my mom today and while acting normal you could see he was so tired. Naptime came, I got Mia settled in her room for quiet time, did prayers with Roman, laid him down and...he started screaming and crying. Now he will normally do this for 2-3 minutes, so I said "night-night" and walked out. 10 minutes later he was still crying so I went and checked on him. He was standing there crying, I laid him back down and left again. The crying continued. So I went and got him and brought him downstairs to rock him. He laid on my chest and relaxed and then started getting restless. So I took him back upstairs, laid him down and again...he started screaming. At this point I was starting to get annoyed and frustrated, I know I shouldn't have, but I had a thousand things to do in the hour and a half Mia was doing "quiet time". I had accomplished "ZERO" of the things on my list. I went back in, he grabbed his "bankie", I picked him up and he clung to me, wrapping his arms so tight, I felt my heart flutter at his need for me. I took him to our room and laid down in the bed with him. I covered him with his blankie, sang him a song and as we both drifted off to a much needed nap, I felt my perspective change. He is growing up, faster than I can believe sometimes, there will come a day when he won't me to cuddle him, or sing him to sleep. I realized my list could wait, because these moments won't. I felt a sense of peace I haven't felt in awhile. It's amazing what a little nap with a sick baby who is completely dependent on you can do for your life perception. I am so blessed to be a mom to 2 very special babies, and although I am so sad that Roman is sick today, I am thankful that I had the time to stop and enjoy him, even in these moments.

Prayer Time

2012-01-09T23:45:00.002-06:00

One of the commitments we have made as a family is to pray before meals. Mia usually leads prayer and then Josh follows up by praying for the family. This has been such a blessing to us. We have started doing this at family holiday dinner with extended family and even in public at restaurants as we are trying to be more intentional and bold in our faith. Mia does a great job praying and loves to also pray before nap and bed. Recently Roman has started trying to sing the prayer that Mia does at meals and will usually end with a rousing "AAAA-men!" It's adorable and melts my heart everytime.

We realized that we had not been praying WITH Roman before bed, we pray for him but not with him. So I have started praying with him at night before bed, we go in his room, get his "bankie" and he cuddles up on my shoulder while I pray. It is sweet and reminds me of how great God is in those moments.

The other night, Roman was throwing a fit for bedtime. I asked if he wanted to do prayers with mommy and he said no, I told him that he would need to go in his crib then, he clung to me, laid down and as I started to pray he instantly calmed. I am amazed at how even in a young child, the comfort of God can do overwhelming things.

I then sing the chorus of "You are Stronger" to him and he goes to bed calm and quiet. Mia has also been asking me to sing her this song more and more. She has now starting singing with me while I sing. This song is the one I sang to her as we endured a lot of testing when she was young and going through horrible procedures. I would sing loudly in her ear and she would calm down. I have started singing it again and have enjoyed watching her relax and enjoy the song as much as I do.

We sang it at church the other day, and I can't help but sing it and start to cry. It reminds me of how God brought us through a really rough path, how He taught us to enjoy and treasure every moment of our children, how He blessed her with health and healing and how He lives in their hearts at such a young age.

I don't know the plans God has for them long term and I don't know the path they will take to follow the Lord, but I know today that I will foster and enjoy every moment that they pray, sing or praise from the innocence of their childhood.

A new committment to staying updated

2012-01-07T23:34:00.003-06:00

I think I might be starting to sound like a broken record. As the start of 2012 has arrived I have realized a lot of things. I have realized my kids are growing up before my eyes, I am getting older, I am striving to accomplish and learn new things and the reality is there will come a day when I don't remember the many things we, as a family, have done.
In 2012 I have resolved to be better about keeping this blog. I am sure NO ONE reads this, but I really want to write down what is going on in our lives...for so many reasons; so I remember, so I can share it with the kids someday and so that at the end of the year I can be reminded of the many things God has blessed us with. So to start I will give quick updates on us and see if I can be dedicated enough to continue this...here we go!

I'll start with Roman:
He is currently 19.5 months and the most active, ornery, loving, funny boy I've ever met. He melts my heart everyday and is growing smarter by the moment. One of the last posts I made was about his physical therapy and that is all a sign of the past. He is running, jumping, climbing, and anything else physical you can think of. He talks up a storm (only we can probably understand), he ADORES his big sister more than anything. He loves to do prayers at nighttime. He finds comfort in his "bankie" (his blanket my aunt made him). He loves to go to church nursery and the gym. He LOVES baths. He is amazing. He also loves to challenge us, be ornery and see how far he can push the limits. He is our "all boy"!!

Mia:
Where do I start with her? She has become such a sweet, smart, polite little girl. Yes, she has her moments, but what 3.5 year old doesn't. She leads mealtime prayers, uses her manners quite frequently without prompting, she loves to draw, color, cut and do crafts. She loves Barbies and princesses and REALLY wants to marry her daddy "because she loves him so much". She loves her great-grandma who passed when she was 8 months old, she carries pictures around of her and pretends to talk to her. I love that my grandma lives on through her. She is a mother hen, sometimes to a fault, she loves Roman and I love the relationship they are developing.

Josh:
He has worked so hard this past year to get us in a place where we are financial smart and secure. He still loves his job and we LOVE having him home more. He has learned many new things about fixing things at the house and has done a great job. He is an amazing father and husband. He taught Mia how to ride her bike and will never turn down an opportunity to wrestle on the floor with the kids.

Me:
This has been a year of many things. Josh and I took our first vacation since our honeymoon with no kids to Cabo San Lucas and it was AMAZING!!! I fell in love with him all over again. He got me an acoustic guitar for Christmas that I am going to try and learn to play!! I am disgusted with my body and weight and so we joined a gym and I have been busting my butt trying to get in shape. I have decided that I need a new perspective and this year is going to be one of positivity, and growth. Work is amazing and I love that I am continually supported and encouraged to grow.

Family:
It is amazing being a family of 4, and that's what we are. We will never be 5 or 6, we are 4. I have had to come to terms with that this past year. Through that process I have realized how immensely blessed I have been with 2 healthy children, who love us, love each other and love the Lord. We are finding our niche and I am starting to really love and appreciate who we are as a family of 4.

Well that is the update. The goal now to stay more UPDATED!!! Let's see how I do :)

Funny Story

2011-06-10T22:37:00.002-05:00

Roman has been getting into the dog's water on a regular basis. We have tried EVERYTHING short of removing the water (which I do not believe in, because I think he needs to learn). We have tried redirecting, physically moving, saying "NO TOUCH" in a stern voice and nothing has worked so tonight I tried a different tactic and this is what happened!!

Roman headed towards Comiskey's water and put his hand in there. I said "NO TOUCH" and moved him into the living room. He crawled as fast as he could back to the bowl and did it again. So I walked over, smacked his hand (not hard, don't worry), said "NO TOUCH" and moved him to the living room. He started crying but didn't go back to the bowl. Here is where the funny part comes in. I turn around and Mia is SOBBBING, I asked her what's wrong and her response was "Don't spank him, he's my favorite brother. You hurt my feelings, cuz he's my favorite brother, don't spank him"
I busted out laughing!! I couldn't help it. I barely tapped him but because he cried she was SO upset! It was a really sweet moment actually and I realized how special that bond of siblings really is!

Update!!!

2011-06-10T22:18:00.003-05:00

So I thought I would give a quick update on what's going on in the Stocking household!

Roman had an evaluation with the AEA since he has low muscle tone. He barely qualified but is just at the 25% delay level so they picked him up. It was bittersweet. I am so sad that he needed assistance and services but I am so glad we are in an area that provides these services for free. Before the initial evaluation he wasn't even army crawling. At the initial evaluation he finally started army crawling. Then we had his formal evaluation and plan development and he crawled on all 4's and pulled up to stand at the stairs for one of the first times. We were so excited. This was a big accomplishment considering he had just turned 1 and wasn't doing any of this. So we have our first REAL Physical Therapy appointment coming up on Tuesday and just this week he climbed the ENTIRE flight of stairs (All 13) and started pulling up to stand on EVERYTHING except a flat wall!! This is such a huge accomplishment for our little lazy boy!! I am excited to see what the PT says when she sees him.

On another note he is saying the following words:
Ball (This is his all time favorite thing. He wakes up saying Ball)
Dada
Dog
Woof
More
Book
Block
However, the little stinker still refuses to say Mama!!

He still continues to be the most amazing baby. Unless he is hungry, or confined to his stroller he is the happiest baby ever!! He adores his sister and LOVES food!!

Mia is still our little Princess. She loves to make us happy and loves to hear that we are happy with her. I think her love language is "Words of Affirmation". She is such a great helped with Roman, she sings to him, she tries to explain what's going on. Overall she is a joy.

She is also in the stage of 1 million questions. Anytime she is with us, in the car, whereever she has a question for us, anything from "Where are we going?" to "Why are the cars stopping?" to "Where is God right now?" Sometimes I LOVE the questions and conversation and honestly sometimes there are days that I just need a LITTLE quiet. All in all though I love this girl more than life itself. She is smart, funny, adorable, kind hearted and simply amazing!!

Update from the homefront

2011-05-13T14:15:00.003-05:00

I really wish I could just buckle down and keep this up to date. I love going back and reading it over time, so that means I have to update it. So here we go.

Roman:

Little man just turned one yesterday and it was a bittersweet milestone. First of all he was sick, diarrhea kind of sick, so that was really no fun. Then we took him to get his first haircut and I realized what a little boy he looked like and that's where the third part comes in. I realized that I no longer have a baby and probably never will again and I was sad. Roman is an amazing baby (little boy). He is sweet, cuddly, lazy and best of all a mama's boy. I love this especially because Mia is such a daddy's girl. He has a smile that melts my heart and eyes that pierce through my soul. Sometimes I am taken off guard at just how much I love him.

He says: dada, ball, dog and on occasion mama.
He has been signing "more" and "milk"

He claps, waves bye, gives kisses and hugs, does so big and plays peek a boo.

He is still only army crawling, but he can sit himself up from the floor

He still loves his momo (pacifier) and his "stink" (little blanket)

His one year stats: Weight: 21lbs, 5oz and 30inches long

Mia:

Where do I start? Mia is at such a fun age. She turned 3 on the 22nd of April and we threw her an awesome Princess party. She loved it and was so much fun. She is full of attitute, stories, sass and laughter.

She is finishing her first year of Pre-Preschool, a Parent's Day Out program. It has been such a blessing to have her enrolled there. She has learned so much, made friends and overall has had such an awesome experience.

Funny Stories

2011-03-18T20:26:00.002-05:00

I have come to realize that no one reads this (or maybe that's my excuse since I haven't updated in forever). However, I had to post these 2 stories for my own memory.
Mia is hilarous right now. She is full of language, stories, jokes and attitude!!

Story 1: happened a few days ago. Here is the back story...Mia loves jumping on Josh back and wrestling him. This is usually a nightly escapade that takes place many times, however, the other day Josh hurt his back. Not just a little, like 2 bulging disc hurt, so there has been no jumping allowed since then.
Well every night Josh tucks her into bed, rubs her back and her belly and sings her songs.
Fast forward to the other night. He went to rub her back and
Mia: "Oh daddy, your back hurt I rub it tonight". She then rubbed his back.
"Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star"
Daddy: "Oh thanks Mia, it feels so much better now"
Mia: "Oh good Daddy, I jump on it tomorrow!"
I love the mind of an almost 3 year old.

Story 2: This took place in the bathtub. Mia is on her knees, squeezing her nipple between her fingers.
Mia: "Mommy, what's wrong with my boobies"
Mommy: "Nothing's wrong honey"
Mia: "No milk is coming out"
Mommy: "Milk only comes out of mommy's boobies"
Mia: "Oh, when I get bigger my milk can come out"
Mommy: "Yes, when you get bigger"
I couldn't help but giggle, her little mind is so funny how it works.

Things they say...

2010-12-30T21:24:00.002-06:00

Roman has started saying "dada". Not consistently, but he is definitely making the noises. I was really hoping "mama" would be first this time, but no such luck.

Things Mia says,
*"I love you mama"
*"Ooooh, that's my favorite" (referring to whatever it is she sees at the moment, today was socks)
*Today I told Mia we were going to see Nana and she said "Aw, Nana my best friend" Followed by her running over and giving me a kiss on the head and a pat on the back
*On the way to the store, she looked over at Roman and said "Mama, I just love my bubbies. He's so cute"
*After she didn't get a sticker for listening at naptime she said "I make you happy? I try again next time."

Sometimes she seriously cracks me up. She is so sweet sometimes and lately has really wanted to please us. Her feelings are very hurt if we tell her that we are said because of XYZ. She will almost always respond now with a pouty lips, some tips and an I'm sorry, I make you happy.

Christmas Eve and Tears

2010-12-24T22:54:00.002-06:00

So it's Christmas Eve and Josh and I were driving as we started talking about the kids. We chatted about how fast they are growing and how amazing Christmas is going to be with Mia this year as she understands so much more this year. We also started talking about how lazy Roman is...still barely sitting at 7 1/2 months, rolling only if he has to, and generally just being lazy. I told Josh we should enjoy those moments, because one day we will wish he was that little again. And then it happened. I couldn't help, or stop it. The tears came. They filled my eyes and I felt the lump in my throat grow.
Josh and I have talked and we are not 100% sure, but probably more than 50% sure that we are done having children. We are in love with the 2 we have and are so blessed. However, as we talked about our children growing up I couldn't help but feel that twinge of wanting a newborn, not now, but the reality of this being our last Christmas with an infant was hard for me to swallow for a moment.
I will write more later about the "grieving" process I am going through as we decide whether or not we will have any more kids. But for now, I am headed to bed, so that in the morning I can watch the delight on Mia's face as she experiences Christmas and we celebrate the birth of Baby Jesus.

Mia's Christmas List

2010-12-19T21:19:00.002-06:00

Mia and I sat down the other day and wrote a letter to Santa.
Here is what was on this year's list:
Cinderella (A BIG, GIANT one)
Ariel Doll
Buzz, Woody, Bullseye
Witch
Scooby Doo Ball
Gum

This was hilarious because she doesn't EVER watch/see Scooby Doo and has NEVER had gum.

Too cute!! I love it!
To see things through the eyes of a child again.

We have also been doing a countdown to Christmas calendar with her. She is so excited each day to take a number off and see how close we are to Christmas and Baby Jesus' birthday. We are making a Happy Birthday Jesus cake for Christmas Day.
It is so fun to have her anticipate Santa Claus coming and talk about presents, but even more amazing to see her learn and anticipate Baby Jesus' birthday!

Seriously, the flu?

2010-12-19T21:06:00.003-06:00

So the last few nights Roman has been extremely fussy, up every couple of hours screaming his lungs out. He doesn't want to nurse, doesn't really want to be held, just screams. I swore it was an ear infection, so we made an appointment for Friday. Friday morning comes and Mia wakes up saying her belly hurts, considering she is potty-training I assume she has to poop. The morning continues as planned and we are getting ready to head to the Dr. when Mia turns and vomits ALL over me, the couch, the floor and herself. Oh my! So I clean her up, change my clothes and head to the dr. While we are there, she seems to be feeling much better. So we go into the room, get Bubs stripped down into his diaper, weighed (18lbs, 3oz) and told the Dr. will be right in. Seriously, no sooner does the nurse leave the room, Mia looks at me again and pukes all over the floor. I don't know what to do. I open the door and yell for the nurse. She comes with the wonderful pink "puke bucket". The dr. comes in and checks Roman over...all good. WHAT? He's Fine? So, we think it's teeth for sure now. Motrin has totally calmed him down. He then tells us the flu is going around and Mia should be better soon. Great!

Well it only gets better when Josh comes home early from work to help me out and then he gets sick, yes, he starts vomiting too! ARE YOU SERIOUS? AM I ON CANDID CAMERA? So off to bed go Mia and Josh...both throwing up. To make the day complete, I start the dry heaves about 5:30pm. Luckily, I never throw up but through the night my back aches, my stomach kills and I am sure I am going to vomit at any moment.

Let me just say that nursing and the flu do not really mix!
But 24 hours later we are all better. Thank the LORD!!

He finally did it

2010-12-13T21:40:00.002-06:00

So it only took him almost 7 months, but Roman finally rolled over from back to front. Don't worry he isn't rolling from front to back yet, although he has done it once. He first did this on Wednesday, December 8th. My mom was watching him, he was playing on his mat, and then he did it....kicked hard enough that he rolled himself over! She sent me a picture and I was so excited. This feeling, however, quickly turned to one of sadness. If I was a stay at home mom I would have been the first one to see my son do this, but instead I was at work and missed it. I was then reminded how blessed I am to have a job that I love, where I only work part time and I realized that even if I was a stay at home mom I may have missed this. I could have been at the store, on a date with the hubby, running errands, etc. So instead of wondering "What if..." I decided to think "How amazing". How amazing that my mom was there to watch him, tell me, take a picture.
Roman has also started tripoding, and can sometimes sit unassisted, not for long and not well but he is trying! He was 7 months old yesterday and it is amazing how much he is changing.

Other quick updates:
Roman
-Still nursing exclusively
-I'm making his food and he LOVES avocado, sweet potatoes and squash
-He adores his sister
-He is so laid-back, well mannered and overall AWESOME baby

Mia
Oh, Mia...there is so much to say about her. Here are just a couple of things.
-The biggest one is...She is POTTY-TRAINED!! YAY!!! She still wears a pullup sometimes, but overall she is doing amazing
-She loves to do her prayers before every meal and nap and bedtime
-She loves to pretend, make believe and sing
-She loves her brother and making him happy
-Naptime and bedtime have become a fight with her (each takes at least 20 minutes to complete)
-She LOVES LOVES LOVES school. She can't wait to go and pretends to go while she is at home.
-Her vocabulary is amazing, and she is super funny (I know we probably think she is funnier than others, but that's the perks of being her parents)

Another 5K and Mia's 1st Race

2010-10-03T21:17:00.003-05:00

Saturday was Ambrose Homecoming and since I work there I decided to once again participate in the St. Ambrose Killer Bee 5K. Josh was also nice enough to join me, although I ended up pushing both kids and Josh ended up running by himself. The course is pretty hilly and I did HORRIBLE. I will use pushing both kids as an excuse, but I really need to get back into running shape. I ran the 3.1 miles in about 35 minutes, which is an all-time SLOW for me...oh well, at least I did it. And now I have some motivation to do WAY better.

It was also FREEZING out and by the time we were done Mia was beyond cold. However, we warmed up a bit and then it was time for her first race, the BUMBLE RUMBLE. She was NOT at all excited until the kids started running and then she thought it was all pretty funny. Daddy ran with her and she did great. She even "won" a medal (okay, everyone did, but she didn't realize that).

Here she is running with daddy.

On the way to the finish line
Mia and her medal!

Fall Fun at the Apple Barn

2010-10-03T21:03:00.003-05:00

I love fall, our family loves fall. We wait for this time of year all year long...and it's finally here. Fall has been made even more fun since having kids. This year for the first time we went to Stone's Apple Barn in Hampton, IL. We went with our small group from church and had a blast. Roman did was Roman does, and slept 99.99% of the time...he is such a good, laid back baby. Mia had a blast running around, picking apples, and eating them right off the trees.

Mia is at such a fun age, where she is really starting to enjoy the activities we are doing. She loved riding on Daddy's shoulders to pick apples from WAY up high! Eventhough it was cold and rainy, we had a blast.

Here is daddy and Mia as the rain started picking up, but everyone was still all smiles.

Here she is eating another one of the apples she picked...I'm not sure how many she ate while we were there!
Mommy and Mia picking apples.

Roman doing what he does best, sleeping! What a good baby.

This is one of the first ones she picked...she was so excited!

Here is our small group from church and all our kids. Roman finally woke up for this part. We are so blessed to be part of a church and small group where we can make such amazing friends!

And here is our family picture at the Apple Barn.

Mia was so cute afterwards. I made muffins from the Apples for her to take to preschool, since it was her snack day. She was so excited to tell her teachers about her "apple muffins with apples from the Apple Barn". If anyone asked about her muffins, she would correct them and tell them they were "Not muffins, apple muffins"

Her words and stories are becoming so clear and hilarious most of the time.

Roman...a little about our little man

2010-09-17T21:28:00.006-05:00

Roman is the sweetest, laziest, most laid back baby. If he isn't hungry or tired, he usually isn't making a peep.
Josh and I have had a blast trying to figure out his personality, and even who he looks like. Some people say Josh, some say me, I don't think either of us are really sure who he looks like.
He loves to sit up and smile.
He is a huge flirt with the ladies. The smirk he gives melts my heart every time.
He is finally able to hold his head up really well, like I said he's lazy!
He hates tummy time, so did Mia, so no rolling over for the little man.
He sleeps in his crib and prefers to be laying flat over being in his swing (such the opposite of Mia).
He nurses quick and then loves to snuggle after.
He is starting to giggle and loves when daddy talks to him..
There is something very special about having a boy. I am so glad we have one of each and truly feel like our family is complete. He is so different from Mia and I love that about him. I am amazed every day at how much I can love these two precious babies. They remind me to enjoy the small things in life.
I don't always mind the late night feedings, as the house is quiet, and there is something so special about bonding with my baby boy in the midst of the quietness. We are blessed and I hope we continue to remember that as the days, months and years go by.

Roman sporting his cloth diapers

All Smiles

Sporting the BEARS outfit
He fell asleep on the floor with Nicole (something Mia NEVER would have done)
Sitting in his bumbo like a big boy!

All about Mia

2010-09-17T21:01:00.005-05:00

This is so much to say about our little girl, the new "big sister". Mia is such an amazing little girl who never ceases to amaze us, and always keeps us on our toes. It was such a blessing to have all summer off to spend with her and Roman. We did so much and kept ourselves very busy. We had LOTS of playdates with our good friends, Emily and Jackson, who moved away at the end of the summer. We miss them already. We enjoyed playdates with E&J and Abbie and Campbell at Miss Effie's Flower Garden and we spent lots of time at the park, pool, family museum and Monkey Joes. Life is good.
Here is Jackson and Mia on the tire swing

Here she is at Miss Effies

Here is our little fashionista
She has decided she also loves to "feed" her baby. She feeds her baby "Mia food" while Mommy nurses Roman.

She also likes to wear her baby sometimes.

At the end of August, Mia started school, yes school. Okay, it's actually a Parent's Day Out program that meets twice a week, but she is LOVING it. I think it is really good for her. She is learning some things, but most of all she is having to wait in line, take turns, be a leader and so on. I think these are great skills for her to work on.

Here she is on her first day of school.

Here are Mommy and Mia at the park

And daddy and Mia at the park

Mia continues to be VERY strong-willed and we have more than our fair share of timeouts, but overall she is such a funny, smart, adorable, loving little girl.

Here are current fun facts about Mia as of today:
1. She is 40 pounds (and wears 4T-5T clothing)

2. She prays before every meal and every night before bed. Her prayers are simple and sweet, and as a mom I love hearing my little girl pray.

3. She knows her ABC's
4. Her numbers up 13 and with help up to 20.

5. She can identify shapes

6. All her animals and the sounds they make

7. She speaks in sentences and uses her manners MOST of the time.

8. She says the funniest things (ex. The other morning she comes downstairs wearing her pajamas and I tell her she is beautiful, she looks at me dead in the eye and says "Not a day, mommy, I wearing my jammies." I couldn't help but giggle.

9. She is very inquisitive. She wants to know everyones name, their mommy's name, their daddy's name, what they are doing (okay, maybe she is nosey)

10. She loves church and I love that she loves it.

11. She sleeps in a toddler bed and goes to bed every night with no problem.

12. She loves to imagine and pretend

13. She still LOVES books

14. She loves to sing and dance, her favorite song is "head, shoulders, knees and toes"

15. She makes me smile every day and reminds me how blessed I am!!!

Going from 3 to 4

2010-09-16T14:59:00.005-05:00

This will be long so hopefully you will make it to the end.
I can't believe it's been 4 months already. We have survived so much and things have been SO different this time. To make this easier I will break it into sections:
1) Recovery: The recovery has been so much easier this time. It was so wonderful to be able to get out of bed soon after delivery, pick up my daughter, eat, walk around, tend to my son all with out the pain of surgery. I was and am still exhilarated by my birth story. The fact that I pushed this 7lb 11oz baby out with no medication reminds me of what an awesome God I serve and how many people were praying for me during my journey.

2) Nursing: I really want to make nursing work this time. I nursed Mia for 6 weeks exclusively and then was completely done by 12 weeks. She had some stomach issues and we ended up having to put her on Nutramigen. I told myself I was going to try everything to make it work this time. And I did. We noticed early on that Roman was very gassy, having some trouble latching and his stools were a little mucousy. After much research, doctor visits, 2 La Leche League meetings, we decided that I would go dairy free. So for 4 months I have been dairy free, yes that means no cheese, milk, yogurt, ice cream, chocolate, etc. This was my commitment to my son and to making this nursing thing work. Well, it's worked. Roman is over 4 months old and we are still exclusively nursing. It is a wonderful bonding experience and I am enjoying every minute of it.

3) Sleeping: Roman is also a much better sleeper than Mia. He started off just like Mia sleeping on my chest in the recliner, we then transitioned to the swing and at 5 weeks we started transitioning to the crib and since then he has consistently gone to bed every night at 8:30pm and then usually wakes once to nurse, goes right back down to sleep and then wakes up again between 5:30 and 6:30, the great thing is for many this would start the morning, but Roman nurses and goes back to sleep AGAIN!! YAY!! Usually until around 7:30 or 8:00. What a good little baby.

4) Getting out and about: Well, we were a pretty active family before Roman and we have kept up that lifestyle and he has just adjusted to it. It's been great. Yes, taking 2 out requires a little more planning and a few more things in the bag, but we get it done. I even take them out quite a bit by myself. We go to Target, the park, Stroller Strides, play dates, the zoo, you name and we have been there. That is another difference with a second baby...with Mia we didn't go ANYWHERE...we sat at home and stared at her. Roman gets to go everywhere with the family. Of course, he sleeps most of those places!

5) Diapers: So after talking with quite a few friends and doing some research, we decided to cloth diaper Roman. Okay, I actually decided and Josh grudgingly went along with the idea.
So since he was about 6 weeks old we have been cloth diapering using the BumGenius 3.0 and I love it! It's easy, it's quick and best of all it was cheap. There was a sale so my entire stash cost me $200, just think that is only about 5 boxes of diapers...do you know how fast you go through a box of diapers?

6) Mia: Mia adores him!!!! She was a little unsure at first, but the moment we brought him home she loved him. She is always asking where her "bubba" is, wants to check on him every morning when she wakes, likes to hold him on her lap, give him multiple kisses a day, and always makes sure he has his "momo" (pacifier). She is so sweet with him!!
With us on the other hand is a different story. She decided it was a good idea to be a little naughty after bring Roman home. She would always wait until I was nursing, since she knew I couldn't do anything. Oh Mia! Good thing we love you so much.

Well, there is tons more, but I will cut it off here as to not bore you, although I may have already done that! :)

First days

2010-09-16T14:30:00.003-05:00

We decided it was time to go back and start updating the blog so that Roman's life is documented as well! So I will start off with some pictures and then try to get semi caught up and then be more diligent about writing. I don't even know if any one even reads this, but it will be fun for us to go back every now and then and see how much life has changed.
Here are some great pictures.

Here is Mia meeting Roman for the first time, so sweet

Mia and Mommy and RomanOur first family picture

Daddy and his babies

Sweet baby Roman
Mommy and Roman (1 day old)

Back to the bump and grind...

2010-09-14T21:31:00.002-05:00

So today after looking back through old post, I realized how much I loved reading the old stuff I had blogged about. It's been 4 months since I have written and we (Josh and I) decided it was time to start keeping track of all that's going on in life again so we don't forget. It's so easy to forget what happened just a short time ago.
So if you are reading this, there should be lots of new posts to come!

My VBAC Birth Story

2010-05-16T21:53:00.007-05:00

So this may be TMI, or explicit, for some to read, so read at your own risk. However, I wanted to document what this birth was like so I am doing it here.
Saturday, May 8th, I experienced REAL contractions for the first time. I timed them and they were about 5 minutes apart for 2 hours, but then they stopped. On Monday morning, while I was at work, I started feeling like my period was coming. I was having really low cramping and some contractions. I went to the Midwife and they said I was experiencing Prodromal Labor (Pre-Labor). They checked my cervix and said I was 90% effaced but only a fingertip dialated. They also said I could experience this for weeks. OH GREAT!!
Tuesday night, May 11th, I went to work, still having some very mild cramps/contractions. Then I went to Stroller Strides and worked out. While I was there I was chatting with my friend Abbie about my labor book. I told her I was waiting for her letter before I would go into labor. That night I received an email from Abbie, entitled "Now you can go into labor" with her labor focus letter. I literally walked upstairs after laughing at the title, went to the bathroom and realized I had just lost my mucus plug. I came downstairs and told Josh and started laughing about how ironic this all was! Again, losing your plug doesn't "really" mean anything, I could still be pregnant for hours or weeks.
So in an effort to move things along I told Josh it was time to have sex (Midwife orders)! haha! So afterwards, we went to sleep, but I started having contractions. I figured they would go away. By midnight, I was really uncomfortable, so I decided to get up and start timing them. I went to the bathroom and headed downstairs to time contractions. After a few that were 3.5 to 4 minutes apart, I thought I peed on myself. Quickly, I thought maybe my water broke. I ran up to the bathroom and as I sat down another big gush...this made me think I hadn't peed myself, my water broke. After this, the contractions started getting closer and more intense. I woke Josh up and we called his mom, telling her this could be the real deal. She came to the house and we were off to the hospital.
By the time we got to the hospital, I had soaked my pad, underwear and pants (it was definitely my water). I checked into triage and realized that quickly that these contractions were NOT letting up. The nurse checked me and I was still only a fingertip dialated. Needless to say, I was rather frustrated, but since I was a VBAC and my water broke, they admitted me.
I got to the room and my midwife came in to check me again. I was still only a fingertip, but we knew that could be an issue due to some cervical surgeries. So she checked me and within one check broke the scar tissue. I went from a fingertip to 2.5 cm in that check and the rest of my water broke on the table.
This is when it got intense. I decided to labor in the bathtub with the jets on. I was in there for close to 3 hours. I had made a playlist of songs that we sing at church that I listened to again and again. It was my escape to another place. I felt pretty in tune with my breathing and was handling things pretty well. Then it was so intense I wasn't sure I could handle them anymore. I decided I needed some medicine. So I got out of the tub and they checked me again. I was almost 5 cm. This was great but I knew I had 5 more to go. I decided to get a shot of Nubain. It didn't take away the pain but it allowed me to doze off a bit in between contractions. I labored hard for what seemed like forever. At 8cm I begged for an epidural, I was sure I couldn't do it and was in a lot of pain. However, I had the most amazing team at my side. The most amazing thing was hearing my husband sitting at my side saying "You can do this, you've made it this far, you are doing amazing." It was so encouraging to hear him have such amazing faith in me. So no epidural for me. Finally it was time to push. It was one of the hardest things I've ever had to do. I labored on my hands and knees for a long time trying to turn the baby, who was trying to come out sideways. I finally went to my back and started pushing there. About 1.5 hours into pushing they had to due an episiotomy because baby's heartrate was starting to dip and if we didn't get baby out soon, a C-section was in my near future. After they did that, I experienced the WORST pain I've ever felt...and then, HE was here!! The most amazing feeling was them laying our son on my chest and seeing my husband crying, realizing we had a son! My VBAC was the painful, hard and the most rewarding thing I've ever done! I am so proud of myself and the way it all turned out. I had an amazing, supportive team and a God that helped me realize I can do All Things Through Him Who Gives Me Strength.
So Roman William made his arrival on Wednesday, May 12th, 2010 at 10:25am after 10 hours of labor and 2 hours of pushing. He weighed 7lbs, 11oz and was 20 inches long and is the most perfect baby ever.

The last picture of me smiling, in triage

The next time I smiled, meeting our son, moments after birth

7lbs, 11oz
20 inches long

Daddy holding his son for the first time

After his first bath

Full Term and Mother's Day

2010-05-09T21:35:00.008-05:00

Well today marks 37 weeks, this means that I am full term in the eyes of the Drs. That is very exciting. Mia came at 37 weeks, 5 days so I am getting anxious to meet this little one. It really could be any day now. Today is also really special because it's Mother's Day. This day is such a special one for me because it helps me stop and realize how blessed I am to be a mom to such a beautiful, smart, loving little girl and how I will soon be mom to another baby so very soon.
Here are this weeks pictures, up another pound.

Belly

Bare belly (have I dropped at all yet?)

And one from the front (man that belly is big)

Mommy and Mia on Mother's Day

This is Mia and I last Mother's Day (2009)

My very first Mother's Day (2008). This year was special for many reasons: 1: It was my FIRST Mother's Day and 2: it was the Sunday we dedicated Mia to the Lord.

Up 1 pound

36 weeks

2010-05-09T21:30:00.005-05:00

This week I gained another 2 pounds...that is 5 pounds in 2 weeks. Not sure where the sudden weight gain came from but oh well. We are getting close to the end.
Here are this weeks pictures.

Full body shot

Bare belly shot

View from the front

And a view from the back (this is only because everyone keeps saying you can't tell from the back that I'm pregnant and I wanted to see for myself)

Up 2 pounds

35 weeks

2010-05-09T21:27:00.005-05:00

35 weeks pregnant and up 3 more pounds!! OOPS!! That is NOT so good!

Mia's 2nd birthday!

2010-04-24T21:23:00.004-05:00

Well, it's official. Our baby has turned 2. I can't believe that Miss Mia is already another year older. Sometimes when I think about it, it makes me sad, other times, I love that she is growing up. I guess this birthday was a little different because we are so close to meeting Baby Stocking and I realize that soon Mia will no longer be our "baby".
We celebrated her birthday the weekend before, which is good because she has actually not been feeling the greatest.
Here are some pictures from her birthday. She had a blast and was so good the entire time.
We had two birthday cakes for her and she loved both of them. Here is one of them with her adorable picture on it, the other one was a Dora Cupcake cake!

Here is the birthday girl in the adorable tutu I made her!

Sporting her Dora hat and carrying her Dora balloon.

I just love her expression here. This is while we were singing Happy Birthday. She just smiled the whole time, later she kept singing her version...."Ha Day Mimi!"
It is seriously too cute

Mia with her baseball bat, ball and new Sox hat from the Lovelady. This girl may be all tutus and dresses and cute, but I think she is going to make one heck of an athlete. She seems to have a natural ability for sports.

A family picture on Mia's birthday

Me (34 weeks), Mom, and Lindsey (26 weeks)
What a great family picture!!

Mia at home shouting Hooray!!

Riding her new bike. She is a little too short for it but she still loves her "motorcycle".

Here she is on her actual birthday. This is a classic Mia face!

You can tell she wasn't feeling to hot on her birthday, either that or she really didn't like mommy and daddy singing to her.

34 weeks and back to normal

2010-04-18T22:01:00.005-05:00

Not only am I 34 weeks and feeling back to normal, but we celebrated Miss Mia's 2nd birthday today (see next blog post).
So this is coming to you very late, as tomorrow I will technically be 35 weeks. I have felt so much better since the kidney stone was removed. YAY!! And the best part is I lost almost ALL the weight I gained in the hospital. So I am actually only up .5 pounds from where I was 2 weeks ago. That makes me VERY happy, as I was pretty freaked out about the 9 pounds I gained in the hospital.
Baby Stocking is moving tons and actually likes to do flip flops in my belly. Josh is always astounded when he can see the baby moving from across the room.
Well this will be a short update since I'm almost to 35 weeks.

Here is a full body shot.

Here is my ever growing baby belly

And the bare belly shot.

10 bags of IV fluids = 9 pound weight gain...

2010-04-11T21:18:00.003-05:00

Or at least that's my thought. I gained 9 pounds this week. I can only imagine, laying in bed for 3 days being pumped full of IV fluids caused some major water retention. I am feeling much better, although my upper back and neck are so sore from laying in a hospital bed for 3 days. Up until that incident and since then, I have been feeling pretty good. Today we even did our maternity shoot. I am so excited to see the pictures. I can't believe we are 33 weeks, that means 4 weeks until baby is full term.
Here are the pictures of the week. Big covered belly.

Look at that belly...I am wondering if looks bigger due to the fluid I am retaining

And the full body picture...check out that belly!

Coming to you from L&D (Labor and Delivery)

2010-04-10T13:30:00.004-05:00

Wednesday night I started having some serious lower back pain. I assumed maybe it was from exercising the night before, but thought that was weird, since we really didn't do a lot of back. I had Josh rub it before bed, and was in so much pain I could barely crawl into bed that night. Thursday morning Josh left at 4:30am for a school in DesMoines. I got Mia up and ready for the day and then realized I was pretty sure I had a bladder infection, and that's probably why my back had been hurting. So I went to my regularly scheduled OB appointment and they confirmed that my white cells were elevated and there was blood in my urine. I filled my perscription and went back to work.

I decided to skip Stroller Strides that night because my back was not feeling any better. Mia and I ran a few errands, but I would have to stop quite a bit and breathe through the back pain. As the night progressed, the pain kept getting worse. After I put Mia to bed, I called my mom and asked her to come stay with Mia so I could go to the hospital. When I got here, they checked baby who looked great, and started me on fluids and antibiotics. They figured maybe it was a kidney infection. They also gave me some Nubain to help me sleep (it made me feel CRAZY).

On Friday, they were gearing up to send me home, when it happened. I got up to go to the bathroom and on the way back I got stuck between the bathroom and the call button. I was in pain beyond words. I have never felt something like that before. I stood stuck, sobbing in the middle of the room, praying the nurse would walk in...finally I got to the call button and by the time she came in I was in hysterics.

They got me some hot packs for my back and gave me a different pain med. Then they ordered a kidney ultrasound to check for kidney stones (which, I've never had, but do run in the family). When the ultrasound tech came in it happened again; debilitating pain and this time vomiting too. I just couldn't believe the pain. It was HORRIFIC!! They brough ultrasound up to my room and there is was. An 11mm Kidney stone. Now to put this in perspective, the tube that this is supppose to pass through is only 1mm...so my stone was over 10x larger than the area it needed to pass through. So the urologist came in and they scheduled me for surgery to put a stent in.

Immediately friends and family started praying for me and this little baby. At 9:30 this morning they decided to do my surgery, I would have to be put under general anesthesia, so that made me nervous, but it was all worth it when they woke me up from surgery and told me that they got the stone and no stent was needed. I got to see the stone and it was very big and jagged, so they are glad I didn't have to try and pass it.

Now I am just hanging out here listening to sweet baby's heartrate and hoping I can go home soon. They said they are going to keep me for a bit longer since the procedure actually caused me to start having contractions.

Well, Dr. just came in...I am free woman!! YAY!! Contractions have slowed, cervix is closed, about 40% effaced and still at -3 station (all that jargon means baby still has awhile, which is good). YAY!! So I'm headed home!!

Easter Sunday and 32 weeks!

2010-04-05T20:40:00.005-05:00

Easter was amazing this year! What a difference a year makes. Last year with Mia was fun but searching for eggs this year was amazing. It was hilarious to hear her talk about the Easter Bunny, or as Mia would say, the Esser Bunny. We went to church Saturday night, which Mia loves and had a great time praising the Risen Lord. We are so much to be thankful for, we have been blessed beyond measure.
Here is a picture of Mia last year.

And here she is this year. Getting pictures of her is getting harder and harder the more active she gets. But I still love everytime I can catch her precious smile.

Here she is at my sister's house after the Easter Egg hunt. She is watching Grandma contently, waiting for more eggs.

Here is our family Easter picture. Mommy, baby, Mia and Daddy

This is what Mia wore while searching for Easter Egg's in the front yard. She had so much fun and couldn't run fast enough to get each egg. After she filled her basket, she wanted to sit and open each one. Then she thought she could eat whatever was in there. We decided we should go inside and play toys and mommy would empty the eggs.

Here we are on Easter Sunday at my sister's for dinner.
The boys are sporting the kid's new bouncy balls.
Josh, Me (32 weeks), Lindsey (24 weeks) and Auggi

Here is my 32 week belly. I gained another pound this week, and I have a feeling every week from here to the end is going to include more weight.

And here is the bare belly shot of the week. I feel like I am carrying this baby really low...but it could just be me. It is definately getting bigger by the day. Not sure where I am going to fit 8 more weeks of baby!!

Single Digit Weeks Left

2010-03-30T20:51:00.002-05:00

I have less than 9 weeks left before we meet this little baby. I can't believe we are getting so close. The nursery is almost complete. We just need to get a matress and a rug and the nursery is done. We are getting so excited.

I am feeling great. There are some days that I forget I am even pregnant. It was so nice this week, while I was driving home with the windows down, I thought "I should go running"...then I realized at 31 weeks, I probably can't just pick up and go running! Hopefully, I will be able to back into the swing of things quickly.

Little one is moving a lot lately, you can see the baby move all the time. I think it's awesome, Josh is still semi weirded out when he sees or feels baby move.

Mia is doing great and getting closer by the day to her 2nd birthday. She now sings Happy Birthday to herself and when asked how old she will be on her birthday she says "Two". Her words are becoming more clear and she loves to tell stories and point EVERYTHING out. She also loves helping mommy set the table for dinner every night. She is such a good helper (when she's in a good mood)! She has started throwing temper tantrums which is a real treat. She screams, flops on the floor and cries uncontrollably...sometimes it takes everything we have not to laugh. But overall, she is such a joy! She is full of personality and love being with her everyday.

So here are the pictures for the week. I gained back the pound I lost last week, plus 1. YIKES!! Oh well...that's okay. Here is the picture of my belly covered, it's getting big!

And here is the naked belly. Look how round that belly is!!
And one full length picture for fun. Also, a picture with my hair actually down. It's getting long!

Infertility Ads That Hit Home!

2010-03-26T09:13:00.005-05:00

I stole these from my friend's blog (Life, Liberty & The Pursuit of Baby) and definitely thought they were worth sharing. It is amazing to me that after having Mia and being pregnant with this baby that the feelings of Infertility NEVER go away. I have been so blessed on my journey to have had Mia and to be welcoming a new baby VERY soon. Yet, when I watched these ads, my heart ached, the tears flowed and I saw myself and so many of my friends sitting on that couch having that conversation.

I have said this before, but I will say it again. I have always believed that everything happens for a reason in life. Infertility is something I wish I NEVER would have had to endure, but I realize why I did:
*I became a better mother, appreciating and treasuring every moment of pregnancy (Even the vomiting), delivery and my daughter. I learned to appreciate the very thing we had worked so hard to achieve.
*I made amazing friendships and strengthened other ones. I had an amazing support team, most of whom have now welcomed their own little miracles. These are the ones I laughed with, cried with and who listened to me vent at the top of my lungs.
*I learned to trust God with everything I had and all that I am. I knew that only faith would get me through this time...and it did.
*I learned to love a man more than I ever thought was possible. My husband, became my biggest supporter, loving me when I was completely unlovable in the midst of infertility, telling me he would love me if I could never give him a child. He reminded me how blessed we were to have each other, how love always prevails. And while the journey was not and has not been easy, we have a bond that can not be broken. We have been to the pits of hell and survived. He is my rock, my everything and the most amazing daddy and husband anyone could ask for.

Through everything I learned, and all the blessings I have been given, the reality still remains that there are those out there who are still hurting, yearning for their baby. I continue to pray for those who have not yet received their miracle, their healing in the process.

Just as a friendly reminder, if you have never experienced infertility or loss, you will never REALLY know how we feel, we can't relax, it won't just happen. Yes, we will cry and even become angry. It's not about you or your child, it's just that the hurt is sometimes unbearable. So if you know someone struggling, be supportive, let them cry and rejoice like you never have when they share the news of the blessing they will soon hold in their arms.

30 weeks, 10 weeks (or less) to go!

2010-03-21T22:12:00.002-05:00

Another week has past and that means we are another week closer to meeting this precious gift from God. I can't believe I am already at the 30 week mark. That means after today I am down to single digit weeks. It's amazing. Each week has brought us closer to the ultimate gift, and we couldn't be more excited.

The nursery is almost all the way completed, just need to finish some last minute details (Rug, blinds, curtain rods hung up, and buying a crib mattress. It's so fun watching it all come together. It's hard to think sooner than later, I will be putting our baby to bed in there!

For fun, I thought I would add some comparison pictures to see how much I've grown over the last 30 weeks.

Here I am at 10 weeks

And here I am at the halfway mark...20 weeks
And today, 30 weeks pregnant.

Overall, I am still feeling great. The weather has been beautiful, I've been playing outside with Mia and enjoying her more and more everyday. She has been such a blessing to our family and I can't wait to see how she is with this new baby. I think she is going to make such an amazing big sister.

On an exciting note, I lost a pound this week. That means my weight gain is about 1/2 what is was at this point in my pregnancy with Mia...that is VERY exciting to me! :)
Here is a full view shot.

And the classic bare belly

3D ultrasound, and a peek at our baby

2010-03-21T21:54:00.003-05:00

Yesterday, Josh and I headed to Naperville, IL to Stork Snapshots to see our little baby in 3D. We did the same thing when I was pregnant with Mia and I loved being able to see her before she actually arrived...plus I had a gift certificate.

We made sure to tell the tech right away that we did NOT want to know the gender. She agreed, but later asked if we wanted her to take pictures of the gender and save them to the CD so we would have them for later (after the baby came). I IMMEDIATELY said "NO". I knew if she did that I would look the second I got home. So still a surprise baby!

However, I have to say after the ultrasound I will be SHOCKED if it is a girl. This baby looks JUST like Mia and Josh, the lips, chin, everything is the same, but something about this baby looks like a boy.

So enjoy looking at our little baby! I think this baby is beautiful, of course, I'm probably a little partial!

Look at those lips (they are identical to Mia and Josh)

Here is a great shot of the baby's chin AKA Josh's chin

This is the one that I think SCREAMS boy.
And here is a comparison with Mia's pictures on the left and Baby Stocking on the right.
What do you think?

Mia busting a move!

2010-03-21T21:33:00.002-05:00

Just for fun, I thought I would had a video of little Miss Mia busting a move!
Enjoy.

29 weeks and an exciting week!

2010-03-14T21:33:00.002-05:00

Here we are at the end of another week. Today marks 29 weeks down and 11 to go. I can't believe we are getting so close to meeting this sweet little baby. Overall I am still feeling great, besides the occasional backache. I am still working out (cardio and strength training) 3 days a week, and I added in a yoga class once a week. I think all those things have helped me continue to feel as good as I do. It's amazing how 2 pregnancies can be so different. With Mia, I was still vomiting every day, and this one I am working out, playing with Mia and feeling great.

This week has been exciting though for another reason. Mia has been using the big girl potty!! YAY!! Now, it's not consistent yet, but 3 days in a row, we have had at least one time a day of going in the potty chair. Now, THAT'S exciting. She is so funny when she goes, she stands up, looks inside and we all clap and cheer really loud. Then we say bye to the pottys and go get our potty treat (a dum-dum sucker). I am pretty excited that we are at least making progress, especially since she isn't even 2 yet. I'm not pushing anything, but we are definately starting to encourage it.
The other exciting thing that will be happpening this coming week is Saturday Josh and I are heading to Naperville (Chicago area) for a 3D ultrasound of this baby. We are so excited to see what it looks like again!! We will share pictures as soon as we get them!

So here are the pictures from the week, I actually lost a 1/2 pound this week. So the weight is still looking good. Sorry for the no makeup look, it was the end of the night and I still fighting off a little bit of a cold.

And a close up of the belly covered

And here is the naked belly (you made need sunglasses...it's pretty pasty white)

Changing Pad Cover I made.

2010-03-14T21:22:00.003-05:00

I found a pattern online for making a changing pad cover, and thought I would give it a try. I am pretty pleased with how it turned out. I used 100% cotton flannel in two different fabrics. Here is the finish project. I love it!! I am so excited.
And here is the finished project in the room. It was super easy to make (completed during one of Mia's naps) and I am looking forward to making more, especially once we find out who this baby is!

28 weeks and 29 years old!

2010-03-08T20:57:00.003-06:00

So today marked a very special day for many reasons. Today marked my 29th birthday. I can't believe this is the last birthday I will spend in my 20's. Wow!! Looking back, I never realized this is where I would be in life. I can't believe that as I celebrate my 29th birthday, this is the year that I will have been with Josh 8 years, married for 6 years and shortly after my 29th birthday I will become a mom to 2 precious children. I just can't believe how blessed I have been during my lifetime. I continue to be amazed.
This birthday was special for me for another reason too. My niece and nephew (my sister's twins) celebrated their first birthday today. It is so amazing to be able to share this time with them. We have started a sort of tradition on "our" birthdays. We are going to take a picture of the 3 of us on our birthdays to celebrate the very special bond that we have.

Here are me and the twins on my 28th birthday and their "birth" day.

Auggi on the left and Milli on the right

And here we are today, me celebrating my 29th birthday and the twins celebrating their 1st.
Auggi on the left, Milli on the right

The twins had a birthday party at Jungle Bungle and because my sister is so sweet, she got me my very own cake and sang happy birthday to me! It was great. I am so blessed to have such an awesome family!

This week had some serious effects on my weight! I'm going to blame the birthday dinner, trivia night snacks and other food that I've induldged in this week for the 3 pound weight gain. I know I shouldn't be concerned...and I'm not really, I just don't want to see anymore 3 pound weight gains in a week!
This past week I also had my glucose test and I PASSED!! YAY!!! Baby is measuring great and the heartbeat continues to be around 147. I am still feeling great and continue to work out with my Stroller Strides girls 3 days a week and teaching dance 1 day a week.
We also put up the crib and dresser this week. Josh finished painting the room and installed the new closet system. It is becoming more and more real that this baby is coming soon. I can't believe it.
Here are the pictures from this week. I decided to actually include one with my face!! haha!!

Check out the size that belly is getting

And the bare belly shot.

Ultrasound pictures

2010-03-08T20:43:00.004-06:00

Here are the ultrasound pictures that I had done a couple weeks ago. It was so amazing to see this little baby and it was crazy to see how much this baby looks like Mia. Here are some of the pictures for you to enjoy.

Profile with the arm in front of the face

Another profile picture with the hand in front of the face...this is how Mia use to sleep too!

A front view of the face...look at those cheeks and Mia and Josh's chin!

Look at those little toes. Mia has the same little gap between her big toe and the rest of her toes.

3rd trimester here we come!

2010-02-28T21:32:00.002-06:00

27 weeks down, 13 to go. I can't believe we are in the 3rd trimester already. That means we are getting closer by the day to meeting this little baby and giving it a name. YAY!!! I am still feeling great. There are days that I suppose forget I am pregnant, that is, until I go and try to find something to wear!! haha! My clothes are getting tighter, but honestly, I am feeling great. I credit that to still working out 3 times a week. I am doing Stroller Strides 3 days a week, and now I have added a Yoga class with Stroller Strides on Saturday mornings. I am still teaching dance 1 night a week and still chasing and playing with a 22 month old! So all in all, I feel wonderful.

I also had the blessing of seeing the baby this week via ultrasound (pics to come soon). A local radiology clinic needed to do a 2nd trimester scan, and a friend suggested me, so I got to go see the baby. It was AMAZING!! I love being able to see the baby move around. I'll write more when I post the pictures.

Well, I gained another pound this week, it was probably all the cookies Mia and I made this week!! Oh well! :)
Here are the pictures of the week.

The bare belly!
And just for fun, here is a view from the front.

Our Little Artist

2010-02-24T21:27:00.003-06:00

So one of the ideas I had for when I have my maternity pictures done is to let Mia paint on my belly. However, Mia HATES being dirty and so I figured it would probably be a no-go. So I decided to buy some finger paints and see what she would do. Here is how the evening progressed.
She started by only using one finger, dipping it carefully in a color and then making a small dot on the paper...
This was followed by mommy showing her how to make a snake and some serious giggles...

Then she realized how funny it was to paint on her own belly AND the paper...
And it was even more funny to get to paint mommy's baby...
Here she is looking at the paint she put on mommy's baby...
And we finished with lots of giggles, messy bellys, messy hands and a bath!
It was so much fun to see her do this and I am really hoping we can get a cute professional picture of the event as well.

I got a Doula!!

2010-02-24T21:18:00.002-06:00

So I am really excited about this. For those of you that don't know what a doula is, here is information from the DONA International site.

What is a doula?
The word "doula" comes from the ancient Greek meaning "a woman who serves" and is now used to refer to a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; or who provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.

Studies have shown that when doulas attend birth, labors are shorter with fewer complications, babies are healthier and they breastfeed more easily.

A Birth Doula
*Recognizes birth as a key experience the mother will remember all her life
*Understands the physiology of birth and the emotional needs of a woman in labor
*Assists the woman in preparing for and carrying out her plans for birth
*Stays with the woman throughout the labor
*Provides emotional support, physical comfort measures and an objective viewpoint, as well as helping the woman get the information she needs to make informed decision
*Facilitates communication between the laboring woman, her partner and her clinical care providers
*Perceives her role as nurturing and protecting the woman's memory of the birth experience
*Allows the woman's partner to participate at his/her comfort level

The doula I am using is finishing her Doula Certification and so I am getting the service for free. I feel like this is really a GOD thing because I really feel like a Doula will help me achieve my goal of having a VBAC, however, we weren't sure we could afford one. I am meeting with her soon to develop my birth plan.

Everyone I have talked to that has used a Doula, has highly recommended using one. So I will keep everyone updated on my thoughts, but I am expecting them to be great!!

26 weeks and 22 months

2010-02-22T21:13:00.002-06:00

And here is my final post of the night. 3 in one night, that must be motivation!! :) So I thought I would start this post with some pictures of Mia on her 22month birthday. I can't believe that today (2/22) Mia is 22 months old! She is at such a fun age, but let me tell you, taking pictures is getting harder and harder. I told her to sit next to her bear....the one I've taken her picture next to since she was born and instead she put her "stink" over it, so it could go "night night"!

And her famous "cheese" face. Man, I just love this little girl to pieces.

Here is mommy (26 weeks) and Mia with our matching boots. She loves to talk about boots and shoes, so she thinks it's really fun when Mommy and Mia have boots on.

And here I am 26 weeks pregnant. I am still feeling great, continuing to feel more and more movement, sometimes to the point it keeps me up at night, or even wakes me up from sleeping. I gained 2 pounds this week! Oops!! Oh well. That's okay, that's still only 9.5 pounds. So here are this weeks pictures.

And the bare belly!

Our little Fashionista

2010-02-22T21:09:00.003-06:00

So, if you haven't noticed yet, I LOVE dressing Mia up. Maybe it's because she lets me and maybe it's because I just can't help myself...I think she's ADORABLE!!! So I dressed her up for church on Sunday and decided I needed to take some pictures of our little Fashionista. Here is she is with her lollipop (and no, she didn't eat that whole thing, which had 92 grams of Sugar. Actually she took about 5 licks and then mean mommy took it away).

Cheese! Check out those wings on the side
Strutting her stuff. Seriously, this is like America's Next Top Model heading down the runway!

I love her face here. Isn't she too cute?

Hmm...I think she's thinking about hard it is to be that cute!

Okay, so I know I'm biased, but I just think she is so cute. Her personality probably makes it even cuter, but these pictures make me smile lots...hope you enjoyed them too.

"Upcakes", Marriage and Working Out

2010-02-22T20:57:00.004-06:00

So, if I haven't said it before, I'll say it now. Mia is "strong-willed", in other words she knows what she wants, when she wants it and has a hard time waiting for things. We especially see this when she is hungry or isn't getting the attention "She" thinks she deserves. So we have started having her help out more with things that mommy and daddy are doing (putting about dishes, throwing things away, putting things in the fridge, and setting the table) She seems to LOVE these activities. I think she loves being a "helper" but also it distracts her from whatever was making her sassy.

So the other day I decided to make some muffins and thought I'd have her help...She LOVED it! She kept talking about the "upcakes" (Cupcakes) she was making. She lined the muffin pan with liners, poured the milk in the bowl and helped mommy stir. It was adorable!! I loved it!
Here she is stirring the muffins.

So proud of herself
On Friday, Josh and I attended Marriage Enrichment night at church. This is an evening put on once a year through the church, celebrating marriage. They cater in dinner, have a program, and close with a dance. Josh had to work, so we didn't stay for the dance. This is the 6th year we have attended. Once again, it was amazing. It is amazing to belong to a church that celebrates marriage, that talks openly and honestly about the joys and struggles of marriage. They talk about keeping God at the center of your relationship and how important that is. At the end of the evening, you have a chance to recommit to your vows, even sealed with a kiss. Every time I leave, I feel refreshed and renewed. I realize how lucky I am to have been blessed with such an amazing husband. It is even more amazing to sit at this event carrying our 2nd child and reflecting on our good we really have it.
Here are Josh and I after dinner.Here I am almost 26 weeks pregnant, all dressed up for the night.

Mia dressed up in her White Sox Jersey (thanks Kerri) and my heels for the night!

And just to make you smile here are Mia's "Jane Fonda" pictures. She is in a photo contest and we had to come up with a theme, so since Josh and I both enjoy working out, we thought this would be funny! This isn't the actual outfit she is wearing for her photo shoot, but it's close. Enjoy!

CHEESE!

Posing in her workout gear!! haha!

Valentine's Day - 25 weeks

2010-02-14T21:31:00.006-06:00

It's Valentine's Day! Josh and I don't normally celebrate Hallmark Holidays, but I did want to take a minute to just talk about how amazing my life is. If you ask me 10 years ago where I thought my life was headed, I would have had a very different answer than I have now. However, in 2002, my enitre life changed. I went on a "blind date" with the most amazing man. Just over 2 years later I would become his wife. The past 7 years have been a roller coaster, blessed with good times and tested with the things life threw at us. So many times I think we get caught up in the day to day and forget to remember and reflect on the blessings of our lives. I am so blessed to have met and married my best friend. Josh is the most patient, caring, hardworking man I know. He is 110% dedicated to his family and is the most amazing daddy in the world. He has taught me what it means to love unconditionally, even at times when the other seems unlovable! So in honor of Valentine's Day, to show my hubby how much I love him, here is a picture of us at our wedding, October 16, 2004. I can honestly say I loved him so much that day, but I NEVER imagined I would love him as much as I love him now.
Okay, enough with the sappy!! haha!! Today marks 25 weeks completed. It is amazing to think that in less than 15 weeks we will be meeting this baby. We are so excited. I continue to feel the baby move more and more. I didn't gain any weight this week!!! YAY!!! That is very, very exciting!! That means I am still only up 7.5 pounds. What a deal! Here is this weeks belly pics.

And just for fun, here is another comparison between my pregnancy with Mia and Baby #2. Mia is on the left, Baby #2 is on the right...I'm not sure there is ANY difference. Hmm...I wonder if that means girl, or if I just carry my pregnancies the same!

24 weeks = V-DAY

2010-02-14T21:02:00.004-06:00

Making it to 24 weeks is something very special...V-DAY. And no, that doesn't mean Valentine's Day. V-DAY at 24 weeks actually refers to Viability Day. This means that if the baby were to be born now, they would have the chance at survival, although they would spend much time in the NICU. This is just such a blessing to know that we are getting so much closer to meeting this baby and that everyday this baby has a better chance at being born healthy.

The baby is kicking more and more, and it is such an amazing feeling every time I feel the baby move. We have decided on names for a boy and a girl. We are excited with our choices and can't wait to meet this baby and call them by name. Don't ask...we aren't sharing! :) Mia continues to love talking to the baby. Every morning she says Hi to Mommy's baby and gives the baby a kiss and a hug...then she pulls my shirt down to cover my belly and says "Night Night Baby" (that means we are done talking about the baby, haha.)
Here is a picture of her kissing my belly. I pray she loves this baby as much when they arrive!

Speaking of Mia...I wish I could put into words how truly amazing she is. She will be 22 months on the 22nd and is amazing us more and more everyday. She is talking a ton (although sometimes we have NO idea what she is saying) She loves to talk on the phone, build block towers, play with her farm from Aunt Lindsey and still LOVES to read books more than anything. She is constantly cracking us up with the new things she says and does. We have to really watch what we say, because she is in complete parrot mode. Here are some recent pictures of little Miss Mia.
Here she is saying "CHEESE". Don't mind the messy hair and her crazy wings! :)

And here she is hanging out in her Dora chair, watching some Curious George, and holding her new monkey. Doesn't she look like such a big girl here?

So back to this pregnancy, I gained a pound and a half this week, I knew the weight would come at some point. To date I have gained 7.5 pounds. At this stage with Mia, I had already gained 14 pounds, so I am hoping I can keep the weight down this time. My belly is continuing to grow and my shorts keep getting shorter. Here are the pictures from 24 weeks.
And the bare belly, definately getting bigger.

23 weeks and a moving baby!

2010-01-31T20:50:00.002-06:00

Another week complete, and needless to say it was a crazy one. I left Monday night for a conference in Wisconsin. For about 40 miles it was near whiteout conditions...it was probably the scariest thing I've ever had to do. There were times I wanted to pull over, but the roads were so bad, I really had no idea where I was, or if I pulled off the road if someone would be able to see me. I was terrified. There were a few things that got me through the drive. 1, was the fact that having a family is something that always pushes me to be a little safer, and stay a little calmer. 2, I was listening to the Max Lucado book 3:16 on CD and was constantly reminded of how amazing God is, and knew that He would protect me. The 3rd thing that got me through the drive was I really started feeling this baby kick. It was amazing and all of a sudden that motherly instinct kicked in, and I really went into protective mode. Once I made it to Madison, I was exhausted, but much calmer. It was a great conference and I had some great alone time, eating dinner alone at a restaurant, reading a book, was a much needed rest time.

The baby has started moving more and more! When I got home, Josh was able to feel the baby move for the first time. It was great. There is nothing more amazing to me than feeling a baby move. Everytime I feel the baby, I feel blessed and amazed at the miracle of life.

Here are the pictures of the week. I am up another .5 pound from last week, so I know the weight is coming. I am just hoping that it doesn't creep up to fast and too much.
And the bare belly...it's getting bigger and strangers are really starting to notice and question, so now I am pretty sure that I look pregnant and not just fat! :)

22 weeks

2010-01-24T21:58:00.002-06:00

22 weeks down and 18 left to go (or less!!) I feel like I am really starting to show more and people seem to finally be realizing that I am pregnant, so that's exciting. I have started to feel a little more movement, but still not a ton yet. Everything still feels like flutters.

I leave for Wisconsin for the Career Conference tomorrow, so that means 3 days away from Mia and Josh. I'm going to miss them tons, hopefully I can get some good sleep while I'm gone, but I doubt it. Here are this weeks pictures. I gained 2.5 pounds this week...YIKES! That's okay though, I am enjoying watching the belly grow.

Here are the new belly pictures from this week.

And the bare belly

21 weeks and Nursery Furniture

2010-01-17T21:42:00.007-06:00

This week has been pretty exciting, I got to order the new furniture for the nursery. I guess for me, that makes it start feeling even more real! We have started cleaning out the nursery (the Old Office) and have picked out paint colors for the room. We are going to do the walls sage green, and the wall right behind the crib chocolate brown. I am so excited. Here is the furniture we bought for the new baby's room. These pictures are from the website. Both pieces will be cherry (the color of the crib in the picture below). I scored a GREAT deal on both of these, one I couldn't pass up. I got both of the pieces for 50% off during a sale (actually during a company misprint, that they honored). YAY!!

We decided to start the nursery with gender neutral bedding. We will keep this bedding for awhile until we decide to go with a more gender specific bedding. The bedding we picked out is super cute, this is the comforter (which we didn't get), but the bumper looks just like it. The crib skirt is sage and chocolate brown dots...super cute. Below are a couple of options we have picked out if it's a girl and one if it's a boy. I think both are adorable! :)

And that brings me to the infamous belly pictures. First of all, on a good note, I lost 2 pounds this week. So I am thinking the scale was off last week. That means I am only up 1 pound from 2 weeks ago, putting my total weight gain so far at 2 pounds. I am pretty excited about that. I have been feeling movement a little bit, since my placenta is anterior (in front) it is harder to feel, but I am starting to feel it more and more. Everytime I feel this baby move I remember how blessed I am to be carrying this child.

And here is the bare belly picture, I feel like I may have finally popped out! :)

One final note...to stick with our surprise theme, Josh and I have decided on names. We are set on our boy's name, and have our girl's name narrowed down to two. We are super excited. We decided to keep our names a secret for a couple of reasons:
1) We don't want to hear any feedback on our choices
2) We aren't sure which girl name we want to use yet, so if it's a girl, we want to wait to see our little girl before we name her.

So...come May, there will be LOTS of surprises! :)

Also check out the header of my blog and take a guess on who this little baby is.

20 weeks and the weight gain begins!

2010-01-10T21:32:00.008-06:00

So I knew it was inevitable that at some point the weight gain would start, I was just hoping it wasn't this fast. This week I gained 3 pounds...YIKES...that is NOT good! Oh well...that only puts me up 4 pounds at 20 weeks, so I guess I will be happy with that. This week was a great one with our big ultrasound and a friends wedding. Whenever I attend weddings, I always remeber how lucky I am that I was able to marry my best friend and begin a family with him. Here is a picture of our family at the wedding.

And here is my belly today at 20 weeks....halfway there

And for fun here are some comparison pictures.

And the famous bare belly shot.
20 weeks pregnant with #2

20 weeks pregnant with Mia

Big Ultrasound...It's A...

2010-01-10T21:23:00.002-06:00

Surprise!! We held out and told the tech right away we didn't want to know. I am sure Josh and I were both having some thoughts about finding out, but now that we don't know we are SUPER excited!! Everything was great, baby's heartrate was 148 and baby is measuring great. There is nothing more amazing to me than seeing a baby growing inside you, watching it move and yawn and wiggle its toes. I feel so blessed to be able to experience all the things that come with motherhood. At one point duirng the ultraosound, we were looking at the baby's toes and the baby reached down and grabbed its toes and played with them.

Here are some pictures taken from our ultrasound.
Here is the baby looking down and it has its right hand by its face with its thumb out

Here is a profile shot of our little babe

Baby gave us a thumbs up!
And sweet baby toes.

19 weeks

2010-01-03T22:00:00.002-06:00

19 weeks pregnant today. Mia has been in "Mom ONLY" mode lately, as in, I can't go to the bathroom, leave the room, be out of her sight without a major freakout. She wants to come give me a hug 15 times a day, or hold my hand, or sit on my lap. The Old Wives Tale would say that means we are having a boy...so we'll see. Speaking of gender, tomorrow is my ultrasound. I can't believe we are already to the point of our "BIG" ultrasound. We still plan on not finding out, so I'll let you know how that turns out.

Here is a great picture of Mia and Grandma today at Brunch. I just love this picture of both of their smiles. Mia is so blessed to have both sets of grandparents in town to build amazing relationships with.

Here is a family picture from today at brunch
And here is the belly. I didn't gain any weight this week, so I am standing solid at +1 pounds still at 19 weeks. I am pretty happy with that. I am pretty sure that Stroller Strides is keeping me in line.

And here is the bare belly, it's growing!

Recap of 2009

2010-01-03T21:10:00.008-06:00

2009 was an amazing year. It was a year filled with trials and tribulations, joys and sorrows, but most of all it was filled with family and friends and amazing memories. This year went so fast that I thought I would catch you up with a quick photo recap.

January

February

March

April - Mia turned 1 year old

May

June

July

August

September was a busy month for us. Josh turned 29, Mia stayed away from home for the very first time and we found out Mia was going to be a big sister.

October brought our 5 year wedding anniversary and the joy of an 18 month old little girl

November

December brought Christmas, Santa and Mia's first experience playing in snow.

This year has been so busy, but it has been such a blessing watching Mia grow into the little girl she is becoming. She is full of personality, she talks up a storm. She loves her babies, her Dog, watching Dora and Curious George. She has brought so much joy to our lives and continues to teach us patience, understanding and finding joy in the little things in life.
Hope 2010 brings just as many memories and experiences.

18 weeks down

2009-12-29T20:27:00.004-06:00

So Sunday marked another week down. I'm a little late updating this week, but life has been BUSY! :) Sometimes I wonder why I update this, if anyone even reads it, then I remember how special it will be one day for my children to read how important they are to me, and these pregnancies have gone. Because like everything, I know that if I don't document things, memories will go and will someday be forgotten. I never want to forget the moments I have loved so much.

It has been a super busy and crazy week with the holidays. This week was filled with family, friends, Santa and snow. Being a parent makes the holidays so different and so much more special. I love seeing Mia's face light up when we talk about Santa and presents. I love seeing how she responds to seeing family and how much she loves all of them. She has brought more joy to our lives than I could ever imagine.

At the beginning of the Holidays Mia was terrified of Santa...she loved the idea of Santa, and seeing him from far away, but the thought of seeing him too close scared her. That was until we went to see Santa at the mall. She waved at him, yelled "SANTA" and when it was her turn, she ran up to him and jumped up on his lap. This is the picture that was taken...priceless.

We made cookies for Santa and left them by the tree, except she decided she wanted to eat some of them herself.

On Christmas morning, as soon as she came downstairs and saw presents, she sat down, waiting for the OK to open them.

Right after Christmas we also got A LOT of snow. The first time it snowed she hated it, stood frozen and shouted "ALL DONE" the whole time...this time was much different. She LOVED it. She was nervous at first, but then ran around, picked up the snow, and even tried to eat it.

Daddy even made her a snowball to carry around

The holidays definately took a toll on my weight, I gained 2 pounds this week. It probably didn't help that I didn't workout all week, and ate LOTS! So I can't blame anyone but myself, eventhough I realize that at some point it is necessary that I gain SOME weight, I just really want to try and keep it down.

The other thing that happened this week is on Sunday (18 weeks) I think I felt the baby move for the first time. It was a couple of times, and I have felt it a couple of times since, it is just so faint still it is hard to know if it is really the real thing, but I am pretty sure it is.

So here are this week's pictures.
Covered

And the bare belly

Less than one week we will be able to see this little baby again! YAY!!

Midwife Appointment

2009-12-21T21:00:00.002-06:00

So today I had my regularly scheduled midwife appointment. Every thing looks good. I am officially down a pound according to the midwife, but she said that is fine at this point. Baby seems to be growing right on track, so no worries as of now.

Baby's heartrate was 158 today, so heading back up on the scale. Our ultrasound is scheduled 2 weeks from today, I am so excited, even though we won't know who this baby is, we will be able to see this little baby moving around.

17 weeks and it's Christmas Time!

2009-12-21T09:09:00.003-06:00

Yesterday marked the end of another week. I am currently 17 weeks pregnant....and knock on wood, I am finally feeling pretty good. Last week I ended up at the Dr. and was told I had a UTI. I am pretty sure when I went to the ER a couple of weeks ago I had a bladder infection, but they told me no..now 2 weeks later I have a UTI...HMM..interesting. Anyways, they gave me some drugs and I am on the road to recovery. When I was at the Dr. the baby's heartrate was measuring 150, so we are still looking really good.
My belly seems to be growing by the day and I am starting to really anticipate feeling this baby move. I felt Mia start moving about 18 weeks..so I am hoping it is coming soon! I LOVE that feeling.
As of yesterday, I am down a pound from my prepregnancy weight. I am hoping that I can keep my weight down this time and hopefully that will make it easier to lose in the end, but either way I know the reward will be great!
Christmas is just around the corner and we have already started some festivities. Josh sister, and her family are visiting from Vegas and we finally got to meet our new nephew, Tyler. He is adorable and looks like such a little man...every time I see him I get more and more excited to meet this baby. We got Family pictures taken on Saturday morning and then did Christmas at Josh's parents on Sunday night. It was so much fun to see Mia open presents and watch her get really excited about them. She is so much fun and I love watching her grow.
Having a baby/child during the holidays is such a rewarding feeling.
17 weeks covered

17 week belly

16 weeks

2009-12-14T21:04:00.002-06:00

Well, another week has passed and I am officially 16 weeks pregnant. It is amazing how fast this pregnancy seems to be going. I think part of it is because Mia keeps me very busy! :) I have been feeling pretty good, except for the horrible round ligament pain that I am still having. It has gotten so bad at times that it hurts to walk, but I know this will pass too.
The belly seems to be growing, however, I feel like there are times when I still look more fat than I do pregnant.
Here is a story that happened this week:
I told Josh that I was really excited because as of today, I have not gained any weight. I am still at my pre-pregnancy weight. Josh turned to me and said, "Well, you didn't gain much weight with Mia, until the 3rd trimester, when you exploded."
Wow, that was such a thoughtful thing to say! haha! Sometimes I think men forget to think before they speak, especially when their wife is growing a child!

I have a regular appointment scheduled with my midwife on the 21st of December and then my big ultrasound is scheduled for January 4th. I am so excited for our ultrasound so we can see this little baby. I am also getting super excited about NOT finding out the sex of this baby. I am so excited about the suspense this time. People have started asking me if I have a preference of what this baby is (not that I have any control) and I can honestly say, I really don't care either way. I would love for Mia to have a sister this close in age, but I would also love to have a little boy. I will just trust God and know that His plans for us are better than our own. So come May, we will be able to say, "It's a ......"

Well, here are the pictures from the week.

Here I am 16 weeks, still at pre-pregnancy weight

And here is the "Super White" bare belly

2009-12-06T21:02:00.003-06:00

So today marks the start of my 15th week. I can't believe I am already 15 weeks. It has already been an interesting journey, but one I wouldn't trade for anything. I am starting to feel much better. Besides the stomach virus I got on Monday, I haven't thrown up for about a week and a half, so that is very exciting. I am still working out 3 days a week, and teaching dance 1 day, so I am keeping busy and hopefully preparing my body to be in the best shape come time for delivery. I am hoping by working out this time around, that my delivery will go as planned, natural, midwife assisted. But I am open to whatever God has in store for us.

I am back up the 2 pounds I lost while being sick. So in reality, to this point I have not gained any weight, which is very exciting, but I am sure that will soon change.

That's about all that has happened this week. So without further delay, here are this week's pictures.

15 weeks covered

15 weeks bare belly

Another one bites the dust!

2009-12-02T21:31:00.003-06:00

So I thought I was going to escape the dreaded stomach bug going around my house. However, I didn't. I went to work on Monday and threw up in the morning. I chalked it up to pregnancy, thinking it was semi-weird since I hadn't thrown up in 5 days. Got home from work, didn't feel very well, laid down and took a nap. Woke up very nauseous, but again claimed pregnancy.

I went to my appointment with my midwife (regular appointment). Everything looks good, the pain I was experiencing is definitely round ligament pain, I am measuring right on track, the baby's heartrate was about 155 and all is well. My midwife also said I am an excellent candidate for a VBAC and she let me know that there office has over a 70% success rate with VBAC. I am so excited to pursue this journey. My midwife is so supportive and encouraging.

Okay, so I got home from my appointment and walked in the door, and straight to the bathroom to throw up. At this point I was starting to think it was NOT pregnancy related...I was right. I threw up for the next 6 hours straight. I was miserable. My back hurt so bad, so I came downstairs to sit in the recliner...the worse part was Mia wanted her mommy, she always wants her mommy. So I would cover my head with a blanket and fall asleep and she would run over, pull the blanket off, giggle and shriek "HI MAMA!". How do you not at least try to smile when your baby girl does that.

Well, it lasted Monday night and all day Tuesday I just spent in the chair with a heating pad on my back. Now it has been through my whole house, so I am hoping we are good for awhile. Man, rough couple of days for our household!

In 1 day, I lost a couple of pounds and it almost looked like my belly completely went away! Crazy!

Also, we have our big ultrasound scheduled for January 4th. I am so excited, now I just need to make sure I can hold out and not find out who this little baby is!

14 weeks

2009-11-29T20:31:00.002-06:00

Today marks 14 weeks pregnant. It's amazing to think that I am already this far. I know I have awhile to go, but each week gets me closer to meeting our sweet little baby. I am actually down 1.5 pounds since last week. That should be impossible since it's Thanksgiving week, but I think due to the stress of everyone being sick this week and spending Thanksgiving by ourselves, I didn't have much time to indulge in all the festivities.

Mia is finally feeling better, but today Josh woke up and had the stomach bug. I think I need to seriously disinfect my house!! I am praying that I don't get it and can stay healthy. On a good note, I haven't thrown up in a few days, so I am hoping that we are going to stay on that path.

Well here is the belly this week. I feel like it looks huge, might just be the shirt.

14 weeks covered

And here is the bare belly!

Hope your holidays were blessed and you had plenty to be thankful for. Even amidst sickness, we had plenty to be thankful for this year!

Thanksgiving and Black Friday Fun...or something like that!

2009-11-28T20:09:00.003-06:00

So this year, I was especially excited for Thanksgiving. I was excited because Mia would be old enough to enjoy some of the festivities and we had great meals planned...except the day, or should I say weekend, turned out slightly different than planned.

Thanksgiving morning Josh worked the Turkey Trot and so he got up early...at 9am, Mia was still sleeping. Now while this seems great, this is TOTALLY unlike her! She is an early riser ALL THE TIME! So I decided I better wake her so we can start getting ready for the day. I walk into her room to find a horrific smell. I walk over to her and she is passed out, that is when I notice chunks of hot dog...yes, she had puked all over her self, her crib, her stinks, her blanket, everything! So I get her up, wash all her stuff, give her a bath and we head downstairs...she seems to be feeling fine, so I assume the puking was due to the coughing fit she had about 6am.

In the meantime, I prep my turkey, which I am making for dinner. We are hosting and I am very excited.

So Josh gets home, we get loaded up and head to the Cracker Barrel to meet up with Josh's grandparents for Thanksgiving lunch. Josh drops Mia and I off at the door, we go inside, get to the hostess stand, say hi to his grandpa and it happens...she vomits everywhere. I don't mean a little, I mean all over the floor, herself, a towel, or clean stink, and it just keeps coming. She was crying, I was mortified and the manager was beyond angry, "sorry sir, like I meant to have my 19 month old daughter vomit all over your restaurant." So we clean her up as much as possible and head home. We get her home, clean her up, get on fresh jammies and it happens again...all over the floor. UGH!! The joys of parenthood. So she ran around in a diaper for awhile and luckily that was the end of the puking.

So, since she was sick, we knew we couldn't have family over at our house, so my mom picked up the turkey and dropped off some leftovers and Josh and I enjoyed Thanksgiving all by ourselves with a sick little girl at our side. Oh well!

Friday, I woke up praying for a better day. Well, it didn't quite happen. For the past couple of days I have been cramping really bad. I've also been having to go to the bathroom a ton. I called my midwife, but the office was closed, the nurse said she thought I had the start of a bladder infection. Well, as the night went on, the pain got worse. I decided I should go to the ER and get it taken care of, since I was hospitalized with Mia for a kidney infection. I get there, see the Dr. and she is pretty sure it's a bladder infection, we just had to wait for my urine sample to go through the lab. The nurse comes back in (who was my neighbor, by the way) and it is clean, they do a blood draw, all is good, even my white blood cell count. Then I get to have an ultrasound. I am still amazed everytime I see our baby...it is such a miracle. It has long legs and is measuring a tad ahead of schedule, but alas, everything was normal. SO the diagnosis...severe round ligament pain.

Now I had RLP with Mia, but it was NOTHING compared to this. So I will follow up with my midwife on Monday, and for right now, take some tylenol and rest.
As if the weekend wasn't eventful enough, woke up at 9am on Saturday to again find Mia still sleeping. Go in her room, afraid she has thrown up again. She wakes up and I bring her downstairs, she almost falls asleep in her highchair and then only wants to cuddle with me. I put her back down and she sleeps from 9:30 to 11:30...gets up, but will only sit with me on the couch. She goes back down for a nap from 1:30 to 4:00 and finally seemed to be feeling better when she got up. The doctor said he thinks she had a stomach virus...seriously can my house feel better soon or what!!!

So that was my amazing Thanksgiving weekend...however, eventhough it went entirely NOT as planned, I have so much to be thankful for:

* Even when my baby is sick, I am thankful I have the opportunity to be a mom and continue to pray for those who are struggling with infertility and yearning for their own baby to care for
* I am thankful that we can afford medical attention when necessary
* I am thankful I have an amazing husband that loves me so much and tries to help more than the average dad
* I am thankful for my family, even though we didn't get to spend the holiday together, I know how much they love us, and pray they know how much they mean to us as well
* I am thankful to be blessed enough to carry another child. The shear joy of seeing a baby, created in love, on an ultrasound, reminds me of God's amazing works
* I am thankful for so much! I feel I have been blessed abundantly in life

On a more exciting note...I got my ring back from the jewelers this weekend. We took the center stone from my grandmother's ring and put it in the center of my ring and then I got my 5 year anniversary band!! YAY!! So the top band you see is the brand new anniversary band (it is not soldered yet), the middle is my engagement ring with my grandmother's stone in the middle now, and the bottom is my wedding band! I LOVE IT!!!

13 weeks pregnant and a 19 month old baby girl

2009-11-23T12:59:00.004-06:00

Well, I have made it to the 13 week mark. I can't believe I am already 13 weeks and in the 2nd trimester. I am still amazed at the blessing before us. I am back to my starting weight, but still in all my regular clothes. I am hoping I can still hold out for awhile longer! I am feeling pretty good during the day for the most part. I am still getting up at least once a night to pee and usually still throwing up every dinner, but I know that it's all worth it in the end.

Here are some new belly pictures
It's probably just me, but I feel like it is starting to stick out more

On another note, Mia also turned 19 months. What a blessing she is. She has gotten so big and is just such a joy to be around. Josh and I took her to the Festival of Trees Parade and she couldn't have been more excited. Once it started she didn't move except to wave at the Balloons and people on the floats. It was so fun to see how much she is interacting now.

Here she is waiting for the parade to start.
That night we went to the Lighting of the Commons to see fireworks. She was NOT excited to see Santa, and was pretty scared of the fireworks at first, but overall, she loves being outside and she danced around for awhile.
Here is a family picture during the fireworks.
For reference, her is Mia at 1 week old, just 19 short months ago.
And here is my baby girl, 19 months old. I just can't believe where the time went.
Her new favorite thing when you get the camera out is to say "CHEESE", then she wants to see the picture.
However, when she says it, she usually closes her eyes!! :)

For those of you reading this, thanks once again for joining us on our journey. We are so blessed to be where we are.

Some of Mia too!

2009-11-18T08:52:00.002-06:00

My baby girl is growing up right before our eyes. In less than 4 days, she will be 19 months old. She is so fun and full of personality, which also means she tends to be full of SASS too!! She is strong willed, independent, smart, funny and everything in between. I love when she wakes up in the morning and gets so excited to see us.
She is talking a ton. Her favorite words are mama, dada, dog, bubble, bath, elmo, dora, baby, milk, snack, eat...and there are many more, but those are some favorites.

We talk about the baby in mommy's belly, so she likes to lift up my shirt and talk to the baby (which she thinks is my belly button). She also gives the baby kisses and even shares her momo (pacifier). She will be an amazing big sister.

Here are some pictures from her 18 month shoot that we had done at Scott County Park. Isn't she adorable!

Looking out the train window

The First Trimester

2009-11-17T20:49:00.006-06:00

So, I have obviously taken quite a break from the blogging, but have finally found some time to get caught up and am hoping to keep up a little better from now on. This first post will chronicle my First Trimester. As with Mia, the first trimester has been very hard on me, lots of throwing up (almost every dinner), some headaches, lots of emotions, etc. I actually got a prescription for Zofran, but didn't really want to take it. I hate taken medicine while I'm pregnant. So I only took it on the days that I knew I had a lot of presentations to give. My due date is May 30th, so we are very excited for another spring baby. Mia was due May 8th, but came 3 weeks early on April 22nd. We have also decided this time that we are not going to find out what we are having. This was more my choice, but I think Josh is finally onboard with the thought. I will also be attempting a VBAC (Vaginal Birth after Cesarean), which I am very excited about. So during this journey, I just ask for your prayers and support as we embark on this journey. So here are some of the pictures from the 1st trimester...just a warning...the belly is already not so cute!

12 weeks -back at my starting weight

Showing my belly

Here I am at 11 weeks 5 days before a date with Josh

11 weeks - Still down 1.5 pounds, but feeling huge

11 weeks10 weeks - down .5 pound, had an appointment with the Midwife this week and baby's heartrate was 166. The sound of a baby's heart beating is such an amazing sound. I have also started experiencing some round ligament pain, not horrible, but not comfortable.
10 weeks uncovered

9 weeks, down about 2 pounds

9 weeks uncovered

8 weeks, down 1 pound - had my OB interview this week. Basically just getting all the information again about what to expect and all the forms I have to fill out.

8 weeks uncovered

7 weeks, at starting weight. This week has been really exciting for us. We got to have an ultrasound to date the pregnancy since I ovulated so late. The baby was measuring right on track and the heartrate was 173. I still get so excited and emotional when I see and hear OUR little baby. Also exciting is the fact that on October 16th Josh and I celebrated our 5th wedding anniversary. It has been 5 years filled with trials and tribulations, but most of all joy and excitement. I am so excited to once again be on the journey to parenthood with my best friend.

7 weeks uncovered

So here is a picture at 6 weeks after my Mother-In-Law's birthday dinner. I was pretty bloated. The nausea has started to set in and I am still at my starting weight.

5 weeks, up a pound. I think this is mainly due to the massive amount of bloat going on. I am feeling great at this point.5 weeks uncovered

4 weeks, really bloated, but so excited

4 weeks, check out that bloat

The day we found out, 3 weeks, 2 days.

And Baby Makes 4!

2009-10-26T21:02:00.002-05:00

So I guess it's about time I update the blog. So sorry in advance if this is really long! We have been having an amazing time with Miss Mia. She is growing by the day and becoming more and more fun along the way. After her 1st birthday we decided we were ready to start thinking about adding another baby to the mix. I went off the pill in May and we figured it would take us awhile to get pregnant since it took 2.5 years to have Mia. Well, I had one cycle on my own. A REALLY long cycled followed that we induced with a Progesterone Shot. Then the 3rd cycle we decided to do a round of Femara, which was my miracle drug with Mia. I ovulated all 3 rounds when I took it before. All by day 18, which is good. This time I took it, got a Positive OPK, followed by a negative Progesterone test (NO OVULATION), then I got another Positive OPK, followed by another negative Progesterone test (NO OVULATION). Then VERY late in my cycle I started crampy and got yet ANOTHER positive ovulation test. I called the Dr and asked for another progesterone test, but they said there was no way I ovulated that late in my cycle. But I waited and prayed, knowing that God is faithful and hears the cries of His people. On Tuesday, September 15th, I was suppose to go get my shot to induce my period. However, my body had other plans. I took a test in the morning, just to make sure and it was Positive. Very faint, but I was only 9DPO. I was in shock. I had a blood test later that day and it was also positive.

The most amzing part is that the Dr. said I actually ovulated on my own, that the medication didn't work, but my body did! AMAZING! Praise God!!

So I waited until after work and after the Dr to tell Josh. He came in from working outside and Mia was wearing a shirt that said, "I'm the Big Sister, Amelia" and carrying the test that said Pregnant. Needless to say he was shocked. He thought just as I did that this cycle had been a bust and that we were on to another, but God had bigger and better plans for us.

So please pray for a healthy and safe pregnancy for the Stocking household.

Rings

2009-02-15T16:57:00.002-06:00

When my grandma passed away in August, it was really hard on me. My grandma was one of the most amazing, caring, sweet, loving people you would ever meet. I remember right before she passed, the night before her surgery, she wanted to feed Mia. I made sure Mia had eaten enough to satisfy her and then handed her to my grandma. Grandma weighed maybe 90 pounds. So we propped up Grandma's arm and laid Mia there. Grandma fed her a few sips and then would sit her up to burp. It was just the neatest thing watching my grandmother feed MY child. I miss her so much. I'm so sad that Mia will never have any memories of her besides the ones I tell her...so that is how this came about. My grandpa asked me to take my grandmother's wedding ring in to get appraised so he could sell. My mom brought it over and gave it to me...I put it on...it fit! My 90 pound Grandma's ring, fit. And it fit perfect. The minute I put it on I knew I wanted it, that I needed it. I took it and got it appraised...I then told my grandpa I would pay him what it was worth to keep it. However, I felt bad that my sister wouldn't have a piece of it. So after some discussion with my grandpa I knew EXACTLY what to do!! I took it to our jewelers, a friend of ours, and he separated the engagement and wedding band. He replated the engagement ring to match my wedding set and then he melted down the wedding band and made 3 baby rings, one for Mia and 2 for the twins.
I think this will be an amazing way to remember my grandmother...especially because those rings were a symbol of over 54 years of marriage! What a testament of love and commitment!

The engagement ring replated and one of the baby rings

Me wearing the rings

The engagement ring

And Mia's baby ring!

Hats and Mittens!!! Yippee!!!

2009-02-15T16:51:00.004-06:00

Pictures from 1-16-09. Mia has changed so much over the last few weeks. She has a tooth now. The first one she got on January 4th, 2009. It was a horrible, 3 week process that consisted of lots of crying, drooling, sneezing and vomiting. But we finally have a tooth. She also learned how to clap. We say "clap clap clap" and she flails her hands together trying to clap!

We also got a new hat and mittens for her...they are TOO cute!!!

Here she is trying to clap
Big smiles...Can you see her tooth?

Daddy and Mia playing with Comiskey the dog...she thinks her dog is hilarious!!

Playing with her new Stage toy...she LOVES to look at herself in the mirror.

Another Christmas

2009-02-15T16:43:00.004-06:00

My sister and Auggi were in California for the holiday season, so when they returned the beginning of January, we celebrated Christmas with them then. It was great to be with family and Mia LOVES her Aunt Lindsey, so she was really excited to see her after she had been gone for 2 LONG weeks!! We had such a blessed year this Christmas!

Opening her LeapFrog Toy and Game from Aunt Lindsey and Uncle Auggi

Aunt Lindsey and Baby Squishy....that's what Linds calls her!

Aunt Lindsey, Uncle Auggi and Baby Mia

The girls...Mom, me, Mia and Linds

Baby Mia loves her twin cousins so much already!!!

My baby blue eyes and New Year's Eve!

2009-02-15T16:38:00.003-06:00

Mia is growing up right before our eyes...it's amazing, yet sometimes sad! Here she is on New Year's Eve, happy as can be. She is such a beautiful baby, with an amazingly STRONG personality!!

Mia and her bear! She is SO big!!

I love her smile in this picture!

Mia's Christmas Dress

2009-02-15T16:33:00.001-06:00

8 Months Old!! Celebrating the birth of the baby Jesus!

Seriously...isn't she adorable?

Mia's first Christmas

2009-02-15T16:18:00.003-06:00

We celebrated Mia's first Christmas this year and it was a blast. She did such a good job, opening her presents!! She was for sure, our greatest present ever. Here we are at my Grandpa's Christmas day opening presents. It was a bittersweet Christmas this year. My grandma just passed away in August, and it was hard celebrating knowing she wasn't with us...but I know she was watching over us.

Mia smiling at her present from grandma.

Trying to open her present

We did Christmas Eve at Nana and Papi's (Josh's parents).
Here is Mia and Nana

And here is the best present we ever received!!

Lots of updates

2008-12-19T10:55:00.003-06:00

Enjoy!! There are lots of new postings!! Sorry it took me so long to update!

34 weeks and more testing

2008-12-19T10:40:00.003-06:00

Well, as we awaited the results of Mia's ultrasound and EEG, we received some grim news. The ultrasound pictures were not good enough to rule out what they were looking for. So she was scheduled for a CT scan. As I talked to the Dr. more, I realized they were checking her for cancer. I guess I had never really understood what they were looking for. She had a couple symptoms of Neuroblastoma, and because the ultrasound pictures were a little hazy, they weren't sure if it was a tumor, or just bad pictures, so they had to move forward in that direction. My heart sank and I became sick to my stomach, anticipating that my precious baby could have cancer. However, something amazing happened. I was called to prayer and felt an amazing peace in my heart. I knew God was with me, and whatever happened, whatever the outcome He would provide. So I stepped out in faith and emailed everyone I knew, some I talk to everyday, so I haven't talked to in years and asked for prayers. Something amazing happened over the next 72 hours. I was contacted by so many people letting me know they were praying for Mia and our family. People I didn't know emailed me their prayers. People laid hands on me and prayed at Creative Christmas rehearsal, and my husband and I joined in prayer every night. I have never felt a calm like I did during that time. We went to Mia's test and they gave her an IV and then sedated her, the whole time I prayed and knew that so many around us were praying as well. Here she is after she woke up from sedation. She wanted her sippy cup, even though she has NO idea how to use it.

And here is her little IV...this may have been the saddest part...

After her test the waiting began, but the prayer continued.
On Thursday morning, December 18th, I received amazing news. Mia was cancer free, there was no Neuroblastoma and she was clear. I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders and I knew God had heard our cries. Now we just had to wait and hear about her EEG results. I prepared myself for seizures and how we would deal with those. However, at 5:30pm on Thursday evening, the phone rang. It was Dr. Anderson, Mia's pediatrician. My heart sank. No news is ever good when the Dr. calls. However, once again God was ever faithful. He was calling to tell me that ALL of Mia's test were normal...ALL OF THEM!! No seizures, no cancer. He said she is healthy. They are treating her with Prevacid for acid reflux and think that may be causing the symptoms. She has been on the Prevacid for about 4 days and we are already starting to see the symptoms lessen. She also slept through the night from 8:00pm to 7:45am. That has NEVER happened. I am just so blessed to have a GOD that is the ultimate healer, who hears the cries of his people. I will give all the glory to GOD, knowing that by Him and the prayers of so many, my daughter is healthy. What an amazing Christmas Gift.
So after all that....here is Mia at 34 weeks! She will be 8 months old on Monday!
Of course trying to eat her bear!

What's that face?
So big!! She loves to stand up now!!

Thank you again for all those who prayed for us...you are amazing people of faith and I know the outcome would not have been the same without the intercession of so many. I wish I could put into words the thanks I feel towards all of you, and the God that answers prayers!

33 weeks...and testing

2008-12-19T10:35:00.003-06:00

So here is the update on why it has taken so long for me to update. Right around Thanksgiving Mia started having some arm twitches. Basically she would drop her head and raise her left arm. We took her to the Dr. and they said it was probably just a muscle jerk, so we went home. Well, it started getting worse and then eventually her eyes starting rolling up and back during these episodes, so we took her in for a stomach ultrasound of her adrenal glands and an EEG, to measure brainwave activity to see if she was having seizures. So these pictures were taken after her EEG. They glue the electrodes to her head, so her hair looked like this for days.

Christmas Photo Shoot

2008-12-19T10:25:00.005-06:00

So I decided to try and get creative with some Christmas pictures this year. I have to say I think they turned out pretty cute!!

Of course she has to have everything in her mouth

Look at that smile!

Family picture in our Christmas jammies!

Trying to play with the lights

This is my absolute favorite one that I got.

Here is the finished product of our Christmas card, I made this and am pretty proud of myself....except I haven't sent any of the out...oh geez...I am REALLY far behind!!

And here is one of the professional ones I got done. That's me holding her hand. I love her face here!

It's been awhile...a lot has been going on!

2008-12-14T20:48:00.003-06:00

So there has been so much going on in the Stocking resident, that I am VERY behind in blogging about my precious baby girl. So I will update with every week now!! So here are the pictures from 32 weeks!!! This first picture is from Thanksgiving at my mom's house (I told you I was behind)!!! We had a great time and we had so much to be thankful for!! I am so thankful for the wonderful family I have, the amazing husband I've been blessed with, the beautiful baby girl that melts my heart and the most amazing friends.
Mia got to try some mashed potatoes, but wasn't quite sure about it!!

Here is me, Mia and Aunt Lindsey (one of Mia's FAVORITE people)

And here is Grandma, Lindsey (and the twins), me and Mia

Here she is...32 weeks old!

Here we are before going to my Christmas party...she loves to grab faces now!

Look how adorable my little girl is!!

Okay, now for a funny story....I had just been talking to Josh and told him how thankful I was that Mia has never pooped in the tub. Well of course, I jinxed myself. So that night, she pooped in the tub. So when I lifted her out, I realized that she was getting ready to go again. I didn't know what to do...so, I put her on the toilet and she finished pooping. Josh came up the stairs, and upon seeing her on the toilet, bust into laughter. And this happened 4, yes 4 nights in a row!!! So my little 7 month old baby has pooped on the toilet...how's that for advanced!! haha!!

31 weeks

2008-11-25T20:17:00.002-06:00

Here is Mia this week in her mini skirt...her belly is getting a little big, so I figured I would try to get one more picture with her in it!

Just chillin'

Sitting up so big....this was right before she spit up peas on herself!

30 weeks old!

2008-11-25T20:05:00.002-06:00

Well little Miss Thing continues to grow and change before our eyes. Her newest "Trick" is making this really weird grunting noise. I'm not sure where it came from but she definately grunts all the time...it's not so bad at home, but it is a little embarrassing at the store when this little baby is grunting all the time!! She has also started doing a way cooler trick. She is starting to try and sign the word "MILK". I have been signing the words "MILK", "MORE", "EAT", and "ALL DONE" for about 4 weeks now, but just the other day I looked and as I said and signed "MILK" she started flicking her right wrist...it was really exciting.

Well here are Mia's newest pictures from the week prior. Her she is in her bears outfit from "Uncle Burkle and Aunt Jess"~

And this is her snowsuit....she hates putting it on, but it is so warm. It is worth it!

And this is what things usually look like, Mia with something in her mouth and drool all over.

Look at that smile...isn't she precious?
And here she is 30 weeks old.

Funny story about the sweater she is wearing. So I get her dressed and get ready to take her picture when Josh says, "Don't you think that sweater is too small, her belly is hanging all out." I had to laugh and inform his that it was a shrug and suppose to short...oh, all the girl fashion trends he will have to learn!! haha!~

29 weeks old!

2008-11-14T21:03:00.004-06:00

Well Miss Mia is 29 weeks old. I can't believe she is almost 7 months old already. I think we are still trying to cut a tooth. She has been so crabby lately, drooling a ton, chewing on everything, she had a runny nose and still there is no sign of a tooth. I really hope one comes sooner than later, because Mommy and Daddy are REALLY tired!!
Well, we have also started a mommy and me swimming class. It meets once a week for 30 minutes. The first class she HATED, I couldn't believe it because she loves bathtime and water. So after thinking about it, I assumed it had to do with all the people, the sound of the water and the massive amount of water, so to better prepare her I decided it was time for her to bathe in the big girl bathtub. She LOVED it!!! She loves to splash and play and get wet. This made swim class go so much better. So here is Mia splashing in the tub...I decided I better not post any of the ones with her little "boobies" showing!

Here she is in her bikini right before swim class
This had to be one of the funniest things...Mia grabbed the hanger and started chewing on it. Well, we were getting ready to leave so I took it away from her and she FREAKED out. I mean crying, flopping backward, I believe we saw our first temper tantrum over a "toy". So I gave it back to her and this was the result! If you look real close you can see the drool she has ALL OVER!

And here is Miss Thing at 29 weeks! Isn't it amazing how much she has grown.

And a close up of her...look at the hair that is starting to come in! YAY!!

28 weeks old!

2008-11-14T20:52:00.003-06:00

So as you can see I'm almost 2 weeks behind. I feel like life is moving in fast forward and I'm stuck on pause. Somedays I just feel like I am moving so slow. So I vowed to update her blog tonight. Mia is sitting up by herself all the time and playing like a big girl. She still hates to be on her tummy and will only roll from back to front and then scream until you flip her over. She definately knows what she wants. She still loves her solid foods. Her favorites are applesauce and sweet potatoes. She looks like a little bird opening her mouth searching for food. She is also attempting to hold her own bottle, however, she still prefers just to lay there and be fed! We have also started to try to introduce a sippy cup and water...she is still not to sure about the whole thing!

Since we had such nice weather for it being November I decided to take her to the park to play. She loves being in the swing and being pushed...she giggles and giggles...it's too cute!

I also decided to conduct my own little photo shoot with her. So I set her in the leaves and just started snapping pictures. They are nothing fancy, but I thought it was cute to capture in with the fall leaves. She is changing as quickly as the leaves.

Look at that smile!

I love this picture of her~Check out those cheeks!

And here she is 28 weeks old!

Mia's 1st Halloween

2008-10-31T21:29:00.004-05:00

Well even though Mia was so little this year and couldn't really Trick or Treat, we still had a very eventful Halloween. Our weekend started Thursday night, October 30th. We went over to a friend's brother's house to go Trick or Treating. It was so cute to see all the little kids dressed up.
Mia was a MAGIC PONY for Halloween. It kind of reminded me of a My Little Pony. She was so adorable and she even wore her hat the whole time! What a good little girl.
Here she is all dressed up in her pony costume

Look at those baby blues...she is so precious.

In her Trick or Treat candy tub...she is pretty "sweet"

And here are the little ones all ready to go.
Brock Lansing (almost 7 months), Mia (6 months) and Owen Schertz (7.5 months)
Aren't they adorable?

Here is a picture of Mia and Owen Schertz (almost 8 months)
They look like they are dating here...I'm sure this picture will come back to
haunt them later in life!

And here she is ready to go Trick or Treating.

And here is how she finished out the night!

On Halloween night we went over to Brian and Danielle Schertz' to hand out candy. The weather was perfect and Mia got to go in a big girl swing for the first time ever. Needless to say she loved it.

After that Mia and I headed to Downtown Davenport for the Halloween Parade. We walked with Stroller Strides. Below is a picture of the girls I spend A LOT of my time with!! They are an amazing group of women...and babies!

Happy Halloween!

27 weeks

2008-10-31T21:23:00.002-05:00

So this week's post is a little late, but it's here. We've had a rough week it seems. We think Mia is starting the process of teething, and if it's true to "Mia style" it will probably take FOREVER!!! haha! This week she has just been really fussy, doesn't want her paci (she LOVES her paci), is drooling buckets and wants to CHEW on everything. These are the times I am glad I am done nursing. So here are a few pictures of our little drool monster.

This is what it looks like everyday, fingers in her mouth and drool all over.

Here she is 27 weeks and not too thrilled

This is the face we've been seeing this week!

26 weeks/6 months/Half a year

2008-10-24T21:44:00.007-05:00

26 weeks, 6 months, half of a year...no matter how you put it, Mia is celebrating her half birthday. Our baby girl is 6 months old!! As I sit here writing this post, I had to stop and just think for a minute. I am almost brought to tears as I think back to what the last 6 months have looked like. It started with a trip to Labor and Delivery because I thought my water was leaking and finished with an emergency C-section with Josh almost not making it in time, because her heartrate was dropping. Just 6 short months ago, the life Josh and I once knew, changed forever in an instance. At 10:51pm, April 22nd, our baby girl was born, and moments later we held her for the first time. It would be the first time we would cry tears of joy at the sight of our miracle baby. Over the next few months, there were trials and tribulations as we dealt with a colic baby who we later found was allergic to formula. There were nights Josh spent sleeping on the floor of Mia's room, while I rocked her for hours...and then we would switch. I remember the nights sobbing in her room, staring at my crying baby, wondering if I was really meant to be a mom...and yet as I sit here today, I wouldn't trade those moments for anything. During those moments God taught me patience at a new level, He showed me a love that only a wife can have for her husband as he lays on the floor "just to be supportive", I learned to appreciate my parents a little bit more for the sacrifices I know now they made, I learned what it means to truly love unconditionally and because of that I wouldn't change a thing.

The other thing that has happened through theses experiences is that we have learned to really appreciate and understand Mia's personality. I can't tell you what a blessing she is to be around. Her smiles melt my heart and her giggles make me tear up. We have watched her develop into this amazing baby and we have come to realize that she is just a "tad" sensitive. She knows what she wants, when she wants it!! I can't explain the feeling I get when my daughter smiles as I walk in the room after getting home from work, or the grin she gives her daddy first thing in the morning. These are feelings I never knew I could feel, but am so glad God blessed us with the chance to experience them.

So on Mia's Half Birthday I say: "Happy Birthday, Cricket!! Thank you for being the most amazing blessing to come into our lives! We love you with all our heart and can't wait to watch you grow, learn, and conquer the world! We love you! Love, Mommy!!"

*Okay so I wrote a book today...sorry...here are the pictures...and if you made it this far in the reading...THANKS!

My cousin got married last weekend and this is the dress Mia wore.

Family picture at the wedding

Mia fell asleep, so Grandma rocked her so mommy could eat

Daddy and Mia's first dance to "Butterfly Kisses". Mia is so blessed to have such an amazing daddy.

Playing with her new toy

This is Mia all bundled up for her morning walk with Daddy and Comiskey

26 weeks old

Look at that smile

And here are some pictures from her 6 month photo shoot. We got them done at Portrait Innovations. They turned out pretty cute!

HAPPY HALF BIRTHDAY, BABY GIRL!!

25 weeks old!!!

2008-10-14T20:30:00.004-05:00

So as Mia approaches the 6 month mark, I can't believe how much she is changing. The funniest part is, it's only been 6 months, not years since her birth and yet in those few short (okay, sometimes, very long) months, she has grown and changed so much. Just for a reference her is our little bean at almost 4 weeks old. She is just so tiny laying there in that big huge tub.

Well this was Mia just a couple of days ago, she barely fits in her tub anymore!! Can you believe how much has changed in her 25 weeks of life. I know I say this every week, but I am astounded and amazed at what an amazing baby she is in so many ways.

Her other amazing thing she is doing is starting to sit up. Here she is leaning against the ottoman, but she is trying very hard to sit up "like a big girl". She still likes to throw herself backwards every once in awhile. She is also in LOVE with Comiskey, she will just sit and giggle while Comiskey just lies on the floor. It is so funny. We have to start putting Miskey outside while Mia eats, otherwise she just sits there and laughs the whole time!!
Well, we took our first "family Holiday outing" this weekend. We went to the Pride of the Wapsi Pumpkin Patch. It was so much fun to a "family" activity. I almost cried on the way home, just thinking about how far we have come in the past couple of years, and how amazingly blessed I have been. So here are the pictures from the pumpkin patch.

Here is Daddy holding Mia in the Pumpkin Heads.

Daddy and Mia at the Pumpkin Patch
The 2 pumpkins we picked out...the big one weighed 30 pounds!! haha!!
Mommy and Mia on the hayrack ride
Here is Mia in her jean skirt. I had to take a picture because her belly is too big and she probably won't get to wear it again!!
And here she is...25 weeks. Can you believe it! She is almost 6 months old already. She is towering over her little bear now.
And here are 2 pictures of her sitting up SO BIG!!!! I just stare at her and can't believe this little being who just 6 short months ago couldn't even hold her head up, is now sitting on her own. Wow, what an amazing journey this is and will continue to be.
SO BIG!

24 weeks, can you believe it!!

2008-10-08T20:09:00.003-05:00

Well here we are another week closer to our little girl being 6 months old. I can't believe that time is moving so quickly. This week was a busy one. On Saturday morning, Mia and I ran the 3.1 mile Killer Bee race for St. Ambrose Homecoming (Yes, I went to Augustana, but I work at Ambrose and they had a team). It went okay...I didn't do near as well as I would have liked to but: I pushed a baby for 3.1 miles and at the 2.5 mile mark I carried her because she was crying, put her back in there to finish and run it in under 36 minutes...so not great...but hey we finished. Then after that we went to a going away party for some friends. They are really going to be missed!!!! After that we went to the Light The Night walk for Leukemia and Lymphoma. We walked for my 6 year old Cousin, Hunter, who was diagnosed this summer with cancer. He designed the shirts we are wearing below. It was great to see friends and family all together.

Mia is growing so much. She has starting eating solids for breakfast and dinner. She LOVES applesauce and isn't to sure about bananas yet, but she loves to open her mouth really wide and wait for the next bite..it's too fun!!

Well here are this week in pictures!
Here is Josh and I at the walk wearing our Hunter Rocks the Most shirts!

Here is me, my sister and Mia (She's in the sling) at the walk
They didn't make shirts small enough, so I had one made for Mia
Here she is at 24 weeks.
Chewing on her fingers like always!!!

23 weeks old!

2008-10-02T20:18:00.002-05:00

Sorry I didn't really take a lot of "fun" pictures this week. Mia continues to grow and change everyday. We started feeding her applesauce and she LOVES it...I still need to upload the video, we also gave her sweet potatoes tonight...everytime I lift the spoon up, she opens her mouth REAL wide waiting for the next bite...it's so cute. She has also figured out how to JUMP in her jumparoo, before she would maybe bounce once or twice, but today was full out jumping and laughing and smiling. I love to watch her grow and learn and just take in all of her surroundings. I sometimes still can't fathom the blessing she has been in my life, I just can't imagine life without her, and everyday I realize how much she was worth the wait, how God blessed me like He promised he would, how he taught me patience through my battle with infertility, and God knows I needed some patience with Mia!! haha!! She makes me want to be a better mother, a better daughter, sister, friend, wife. She reminds me how to love unconditionally and that tomorrow is always a new day, no matter how bad today was. Thank you, Mia, for making me a better person and for choosing us to be your parents!

23 weeks old!

Sucking on her fingers! That's her favorite thing to do.
Toes...she found them and is really starting to like them!

5 months and 22 weeks!

2008-09-26T21:12:00.003-05:00

So Mia is continuing to grow right before our eyes! She just amazes us more and more everyday. She is now a pro at rolling from back to belly...however, she wants NOTHING to do with rolling from belly to back, so a typical day on her mat is like this: Starts on back...quickly rolls over to her belly, cries, we help her to her back again, she quickly rolls over onto her belly, cries, and the cycle repeats until we finally pick her up...it's too funny!

She has such a personality and still tends to be a pretty sassy baby...but at the same time she is SO fun...laughing and smiling and engaging our attention. I love every minute of it!
Here she is with her daddy...I think she was trying to say "Daddy, I love you THIS much!"

Here I am 5 months post-partum, I still have some weight to go, but Stroller Strides is kicking my butt, so hopefully I'll be skinny again soon!
Mommy and Mia
Look how big those thighs are...this little one is definately not starving!
Mia 22 weeks old!! I just can't believe it sometimes!

We have a roller!!

2008-09-21T20:35:00.002-05:00

So tomorrow Mia is 5 months old!! And while she refuses to be on her belly and therefore will not roll from belly to back, she has mastered back to belly. Today was the first time she did and she did it at least 5 times...she cries once she gets to her belly though!! haha!!

So here is our baby girl rolling over!

21 weeks!!!

2008-09-19T19:54:00.002-05:00

WOW!!! So much is happening in our lives right now, I sometimes feel slightly overwhelmed. However, when I stop long enough to breathe, I realize how blessed we are as a family. Mia is growing bigger and bigger everyday. She is so fun, most of the time! haha!! She still isn't sleeping well, but as tired as I am, I wouldn't trade these moments for anything. I still look at her in amazement and wonder how I could love someone so much. She is such a blessing to our lives. I have also been reminded of what an amazing husband I have. Sometimes I wonder if there are any dads better than Mia's. No matter how tired he is, or how late he has worked the night before, he is up with her every morning. He loves spending time with her and because of that I am able to do some things I enjoy while he spends time with her. The look on her face when she sees her daddy is priceless. My prayer is that if every baby had a daddy HALF as great as Josh...children would have an amazing role model in their life and know the unconditional love of a daddy!

Here are some recent pictures of Miss Mia...
This is Mommy and Mia before going to run some errands

Mia cuddling with her new blankie...don't worry she still perfers her "stinks"
Okay, so this is the most exciting news. Mia won the Cutest Baby contest at Happy Joe's. We entered her in the 0-5 month group, she had to go up before a panel of 5 judges. She was smiling so big at all the judges. So she won!! She got a tiara, trophy, Free Pizza for a Year from Happy Joe's. It was so adorable...and so now I am not just a biased mom...it's official...she IS the cutest baby!!! haha~~~

Here she is with her tiara and trophy
21 weeks old! Look how big she is!
So big...and on 1 foot!!

20 weeks!!

2008-09-10T21:16:00.002-05:00

Well, Mia and I are taking a Stroller Strides class 3x a week. It is awesome, because Mommy gets to try to get back into to shape and Mia gets to come along for a ride in her stroller!! She LOVES being outside. She is getting so big, although she still refuses to roll over, hopefully soon I will be posting that she rolled over, but right now she is happy on her back hitting her toys!

She had to go to the Dr. last Thursday because she had a clogged tear duct and she weighed in at 17lbs, 2oz. That means she gained a pound in 2 weeks!! YIKES!! Oh well, we like her a little chunky!! haha!!

We are also blessed because on Monday nights my mom is watching her so I can go teach dance. I just feel so blessed that my mom and Mia get that time to bond.
Here is a picture of Grandma and Baby Mia! :)

And here is Mia, 20 weeks old, with her belly all hanging out!
Look at that face..she is changing so much!

19 weeks!!

2008-09-03T20:05:00.002-05:00

So here is Mia in her White Sox Dress...she was watching the White Sox game!! Such a cheerleader!

Pretty intense, huh?!?!
Daddy and Mia getting ready for Fantasy Football...she was helping him pick players!
19 weeks old!! She is so big!
Check out those chunky thighs!

18 weeks old~

2008-08-28T20:31:00.004-05:00

So Mia turned 4 months old on Friday. I just can't believe that our little one is getting to be not so little anymore. Here are the most recent pics.

I took Mia for her first run in the jogging stroller...let me tell you what a workout it is running while pushing a stroller and holding onto the dog, all while being very out of shape!! But we survived and she loved it.

Here is mommy and Mia after our run....she loved it "THIS" much!

Mia also had her 4 month check up! She is doing great! She is 16lbs, 4oz (95th percentile) and 24 inches tall (50th percentile). The Dr. is going to have us keep her on Nutramigen since she did NOT do well when we tried to switch her last week, but he said we could try to start some cereal.
Big smiles - 4 months old!
Chillin' on the couch after her shots
So we decided to try some cereal. We stripped her down, put on a bib, placed her in the bumbo and got out the camera!

She took her first bite and just sat there with a "What was that?" look on her face

Then she decided she did NOT like that!! Haha...so we are going to wait a little longer on the cereal!!
Here she is at 18 weeks before bed
And here she is in her big girl jeans and t-shirt

And of course she has her hands in her mouth...she loves her hands!

17 weeks old!

2008-08-19T20:03:00.003-05:00

Well Miss Mia is 17 weeks old today. Friday will mark her 4 month birthday and shots (YIKES). I am not excited about the latter. Well, we decided to be adventurous this week and try to transition her off the Nutramigen and back onto Gentlease. She did good for a couple of days and then started getting super fussy again. I am not sure if she is teething (she is drooling a ton, wants to chew on her fingers, my fingers and everything else she can get in her mouth) or if it's the formula. So just be safe, we put her back on the Nutramigen. Hopefully that will make things a little better. Other than that, things are great. She is getting so big and there are days when I start crying looking at her and how much she is changing and growing. They are tears of joy but also a little bit of sadness that my baby is growing so fast. Here are some new pictures!

Josh and I went on a much needed date night last week. My mom came and watched Mia for a couple of hours. We went to Woodfire Grill for dinner, took a walk across the skybridge, then we went and played Miniature Golf, where I beat Josh for the first time in 3 years!! YAY!! Exciting stuff! After that we took a trip to the Lagoon, where Josh proposed, and walked around. It was so beautiful out that night and it was so refreshing to just be Josh and I for a little bit. I have always said that even after kids I want my marriage to be a priority. I want Mia to grow up in a loving household where her parents are still in love and show the importance of that. We also celebrated 6 years since our first date. I just can't believe what a lucky woman I am, and how lucky Mia is to have such an amazing daddy!
Here we are leaving for date night.

This is Mia in her princess crown. We went to our friend's daughther's 3rd birthday party and the kids got crowns, so I thought Mia should wear one...she didn't even care!
These are her new jammies, they say Amelia on them. I think she was done with pictures and ready for bed.
We took a trip to the park and I thought Mia should wear her new shades and hat!! haha!! Too cute!

Mommy and Mia heading to the park.
The family at Vanderveer!
And here is the big girl at 17 weeks old, just days shy of 4 months old!

And here is her big smile that melts my heart everytime!