10 weeks to go!

30 weeks down, 10 weeks to go until our lives are again changed forever.  To get some of you up to speed,  I am due March 12th, we are having a boy, and we have named him Christopher Brandon.  We will be calling him Christopher and not Chris, so please follow accordingly. 
Christopher is definitely growing, and has been making me very hungry in the last few weeks.  With Noah, I felt hungry through out the entire pregnancy.  With Christopher, I have only noticed feeling famished in the last few weeks.  I am praying that this little dude will be a little but smaller than his brother, since Noah was 9 lbs. 6 oz. at birth and 22 & 1/8 inches long.  I know that most people have their smallest baby the first time around, but I don't know how we get bigger from here.  I know people who have had ten pound babies, I just don't want to be one of those people. 
I have been relatively consistent with exercising.  I have been doing prenatal yoga about twice a week, and using a recumbent bike 2 times a week plus doing light arm strengthening exercises after I ride my bike.  I would like to do more on the bike, but for about the past 6 weeks, when I ride my bike I get Braxton Hicks contractions, which makes it very difficult to continue.  They stop as soon as I stop riding the bike, which is a bit annoying, but I take it as a good sign for this pregnancy because I literally did not have a single false contraction with Noah.  I went from feeling absolutely nothing to having contractions 1 minute a part when he was 9 days late.  You can imagine the shock this sent both my body and Noah's body into.  With Noah, I had intentions of not having an epidural.  Once I got the hospital, however, the doctor asked (before everything went crazy with Noah), "Epidural?"  I looked at Brandon, whispered, "sorry," and then responded to the merciful doctor, "Yes, please." 


Noah eating the horse's plastic carrot

 I have done very well with my weight gain this pregnancy, as I have only gained 12 pounds thus far.  I was overweight to start this pregnancy, so I hope to at the most gain 24 pounds (normal weight people should gain 25-35 pounds).  If I gain a pound a week from this point on, then I am right on track to meet my goals.
 As many of you know, I have discontinued my calorie counting once I knew I was pregnant because it is not advisable to feel famished during pregnancy.  However, I have been attempting (minus the holidays, and my walking trips to the mall with my friend Jenny) to make sure that everything I put in my mouth is of a nutritious nature.  I have been consuming a lot of unsalted nuts, eggs, fruits, veggies, and lean meats, and drinking lots and lots of filtered water.  Noah and I like to eat an apple a day (Noah eats it with the skin on, can you believe it?) together.  Thank goodness for Aldi or else I would be spending $20 a week on apples. 
As I come closer and closer to the end of this pregnancy, I ask that you would keep Christopher and I in your prayers.  I am attempting to have a VBAC this pregnancy, so like with all pregnancies there is some risk to this choice.  We desire to have a VBAC as opposed to another c-section for two main reasons: We would like to have a large family and for my health. 
So, please pray that the Lord would keep the baby and I safe through out the rest of this pregnancy and especially during delivery.  Please pray that I would not have gestational diabetes (will find out in about a week- I didn't with Noah), please pray that Christopher would be a child of God and would always know Jesus as his Lord and Savior, and please pray that Brandon and I would raise both Christopher and Noah in the fear and admonition of the Lord.       
Oh, and here are some pics of Noah for your viewing pleasure:

Noah loves peanut butter!

Oops!  I ate it all.

Back and Better

I am back from my blog hiatus.  The combination of being pregnant, continuing my fitness regimen, and Noah's nap times getting later in the day and shorter have all contributed to my time away.  I have missed writing, but I have to keep my priorities straight: God, family, self, and then blogging :)
Well, since I have been gone, I have started to look pregnant. But in that awkward way when people aren't sure if I am pregnant or just have a fat belly.  I try to tell people as much as I can to relieve them of their curiosity (psssssssssst....I'm just fat).

Speaking of curiosity....you all came here for one specific reason, right?  What are we having, a boy or a girl?  Well, I'll give you a hint.  The baby has two legs, two arms, and during the ultrasound absolutely none of those arms or legs would sit still.  Sounds like a certain baby I already know and love, doesn't it?

Yup, it's a boy.  Noah officially has a baby brother and Mommy already feels officially tired.  We are so pleased with this gift God has given us and are pleased that as far as we can tell baby boy is as healthy as can be.
I am 19.5 weeks now, so I am basically half way through my pregnancy.  The baby is 10 oz., which is exactly how big the baby should be, and is about 1/10 the size Noah was at birth.  Here's to hoping for a smaller baby this time around.
Please continue to keep this baby in your prayers and thank you for caring.
  
We haven't come up with a name yet, but will be sure to share once we come up with names.  Do you have any baby boy name recommendations?  What names do you absolutely despise for a boy? 

25 weeks left

Well, today officially marks my 15th week of pregnancy.  I had a really easy go of the first trimester.  I was more tired and needed to take a lot more naps, but other than that I can't complain.  Being at 15 weeks is a bit comforting as well, as the risk of miscarriage greatly decreases at your 14th week.  Most people rejoice at getting to 14 weeks because many issues like morning sickness dissipate and life goes back to normal for a while since you probably aren't showing yet either.
I definitely do not look pregnant yet and still am able to do my daily exercise regimen without difficulty, but I would say that week 14 was the toughest so far.  Noah has been teething, which means he sleeps poorly, which means I sleep poorly. 
My allergies have returned.  I haven't had any issues with them since returning to Pittsburgh a couple of years ago, but all of the sudden I am sneezing like crazy.  I can only take certain meds, like Benadryl, which helps to some extent, but not fully and makes me feel groggy.  But things are looking up: Noah woke up twice last night, but then he slept until 10:15 to make up for it!  Also, the pollen count is much lower the next couple of days and boy do can my sinuses tell. 
This also marks the first day of the week in which I have has enough energy to blog...I know you missed me so much. 
Funny story: Yesterday, I was doing my prenatal yoga video during Noah's nap.  There were times I felt so tired that I almost gave up.  But I didn't and persevered to the end.  Only, the last five minutes of the tape included a relaxation time.  Well, I was so enthusiastic about being relaxed that I fell asleep right on the floor.  Yeah, I've got to say that I haven't done that before.
Well, continue to keep me and baby in your prayers.  I have a doctor's appointment next week, so hopefully I will know more then as to the health of the baby.
Have you ever been so tired that you didn't even realize you had fallen asleep in an awkward place/position?       

Bringing my baby into a materialistic world

I finally got to sifting through the junk gifts I received at my last OB appointment.  At my OB's office, every trimester you get a bag full of "goodies" most of which contains parenting magazine that I wouldn't listen to if they were the last advice-givers on earth.  Every magazine had an article on how to be a "green" mom.  Funny, I thought you were supposed to avoid being green during pregnancy.  They also all had health and beauty secrets.  You know I'm on a health kick, but wow are we American's way too into looking hot or what?  I mean I'm pregnant!  I'm hot all the time but not in the looks category, just in the temperature category. 
I guess I can admit though that there was one interesting blurb in the one of the magazines.  The magazine asked (not going to tell you which one because I don't want to promote them), "If money were no object, would you want to have more than 1 or 2 kids?" 
First of all, the question struck me as odd as it functioned almost as a statement like: "Only financially responsible people of 1 or 2 children.  If you were financially irresponsible, how many kids would you have?"  I am of the opinion that money should have very little to do with how many children we should have (if you haven't figured that out yet). 
But even more startling than the question itself was the answer: Less than 20% of women said they would indeed stick to 1 or 2 citing that they can't handle too many young children, while a whopping 55% of women said they would have 3-4 children, while 5 or more children took the rest of the pie.  It saddens me that so many people choose money over children and that this choice is so culturally accepted today.  Whatever happened to the idea that all the child needs is a loving father and mother?  I am not trying to negate the effects of poverty on family and that there truly are times to stop having children.  But I guarantee you that the people answering these polls in a middle-class pregnancy magazine do not fit the description of living in crippling poverty.
What motivates you from having children or not having them?  How much money is not enough money to have children? 

Top momma diva and baby divo products: Part 2 of many

I can't believe I forgot to mention this on part 1 of this series, but this next product was instrumental to my sanity in the first several months of Noah's life.  The Happiest Baby on the Block - The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your Baby Sleep Longer (DVD) was a gift from a friend who also happens to be a nurse and the most incredibly patient mother in the world.  This gift to me was such a blessing and gave me the tools I needed as a first time momma to calm my seemingly inconsolable baby down.  Please, please, please take my word that this is a "must buy" for new mommas or at least a "must borrow".
The next item was Noah's favorite for the first 6 months of his life.  The Fisher-Price Rainforest Melodies & Lights Deluxe Gym was a great tool in Noah's physical development.  Noah had a physical therapist come to our home when he came out of the hospital and said this was a great toy to develop fine and gross motor skills.  I am sure there are other great jungle gyms, I just know that Noah loved, loved, loved this toy and had great success with it.  You should check it out if #1 is on the way.  Does your little one have a specific jungle gym that he/she just adores?
The last product I will mention today is not anything new or exciting.  Moms have been using this stuff for decades, but the results don't lie. For Noah's red bottom days, I use Desitin Diaper Rash Ointment Tube - 4 oz.  Because Noah was in the hospital for so long after birth, I was able to use all the hospital's  different diaper rash creams on him and test them out to see what worked best.  I am sure my tests were not exhaustive of all the millions of products out there.  But, for Noah, just the plain old original strength rash ointment did the trick (and still does).  I am sure other moms have found different products work best for their baby's behind, so I'd love to hear what products (or home remedies) you use and why for the sake of my soon-to-be mommy friends.            
 Are there any products that you are curious about and would like me to review?  Let me know.  

Top momma diva and baby divo products: Part 1 of many

Keeping in mind that I am a diva, here are a few baby products that I recommend to the new mom just starting out and making her way through the overwhelming amount of junk baby products one needs for your soon-to-enter baby divo/a.  My first bit of advice is to make a registry at Babies R' Us or Amazon: make other people buy useful items instead of endless arrays of 0-3 month clothing. 
Alright, now that we know you're not footing the bill, you should buy the most expensive items out there, right?  Well, in my experience, the answer is "kind of."  There is a price point that generally reflects ill-made equipment and then there is a price range that reflects quality.  If this is going to be your only child, perhaps you can get away with being el cheapo/la cheapa (my husband is a Spanish teacher, can you tell?), but if you are planning on having more than one baby, I would recommend looking at higher quality as to save yourself money in the long run.  Of course, I am a huge advocate of hand-me-downs, but just be aware that there are certain baby items that should not be handed down due to safety considerations.  Be frugal but protect your baby first!
My first recommendation is a smaller item, but a life saver for breast-feeding Mommas.  Lansinoh Lanolin nursing cream is an absolute must-have if you plan on breast-feeding your baby.  Sorry Ladies, I guess your mom forgot to tell you that breast feeding hurts sometimes.  This is true especially at the beginning and especially if you give birth to a chunky monkey like my Noah who likes to eat and eat.  This cream literally made the difference between me crying and nearly switching to formula to being cheerful and proud to feed my son.  Bring it to the hospital with you and keep it by your bedside.  This will also help breast-pumping moms. 

My next recommendation is a slightly larger purchase: a stroller travel system.  This means a heavy-duty stroller (umbrella strollers = pain n' neck) and a car seat.  I strongly urge you to consider Graco's line of Quattro Travel Systems.   I prefer these systems because the car seats are hard-core and will hold babies rear-facing until they are 30 lbs. while most only hold up to 22 lbs.  My son still fits in his rear facing car seat and he is nearly 17 months (and a big boy for his age).  Also, the stroller is made of remarkable quality and easy to push in all sorts of terrain.  You can certainly purchase a much, much pricier stroller system than this, but my recommendation is to go middle of the road with this item- not too cheap, not too (unnecessarily) expensive.
My last recommendation is an obvious one, but I think important to mention.  Noah is a Pampers baby (no, hippie friends, I did not attempt cloth).  At birth, I had all sorts of diapers given to me for testing.  I tried Luvs, Huggies, generic Walmart brands, and Pampers.  Pampers won hands down, no questions asked.  I admit, they are more expensive.  But, I didn't have to change his clothes when he had a poop explosion and I didn't have to worry about leaks.  Furthermore, I could leave Pampers on him longer because they were more absorbent and thus he used less of them.  If you register for diapers, don't get a huge box of newborns, as your little one most likely grow out of them pretty quickly (unless baby is premature).  I would, however, recommend registering for one large box each of sizes 1-3 to start and then asking for more as presents because, trust me, you will use them.     
I know a lot of you may disagree with what I have recommended, but I am sure my soon-to-be first time mommy readers would love to hear your recommendations.  What diapers do your children use?  What kind of strollers and/or car seats do you recommend?

I like babies

I also like making people think I'm pregnant even though I'm not (yet).

I am babysitting for the Lehr's this summer, and so far, I have absolutely loved it! I'm sure most of the reason I enjoy it so much is that the David and Barabara (Dad and Mom Lehr) have trained their children to be obedient to their authorities. I also love babysitting for them because little Alice is absolutely adorable. So are Henry and Calvin, but Alice is not even 2 yrs. old yet and a girl, so I am biased. Babysitting them has allowed me to see a very small glimpse into my future (or at least what I want the future to look like) and I got to say, it looks very exciting. I'm not trying to be naive- I realize that raising children is going to be substantially more difficult than just babysitting. But I am still extremely excited. As Alice would say: "Baby? Yeah!...Puzzle?"

Exactly.

Random thoughts from the weekend

Friday evening was one of the most fun nights I've had this whole year. Nick and Rebecca stayed with us and the Tragers were over as well. We stayed up until 2:30 am (that is late for an old geez' like me) just talking and laughing. I love Nick and Rebecca so much (I love Rebecca more). I actually cried more during their wedding than my own. I miss them so much, but I am glad they are happier in Nashville. Nick almost nearly kinda sorta had a double-chin thing going on. Yea, you go Rebecca! Feed that man! He'll need the extra beef to intimidate others in the court room.

Rebecca looked so beautiful with little Thomas in her womb. She has always been beautiful, but the glow of motherhood has already started to settle in. Michelle Holmes has that look too- always was beautiful, but now motherhood has made her radiant. Isn't that weird??? Jenn Moxey, as if she couldn't be more beautiful, is sooooooooooooo adorable with her little (big) pooch of a womb. The list could just keep going and going really.

What is it about motherhood that makes women so beautiful? Is it because they laugh a lot more at the cute little things their kids do?

You know who is going to be a beautiful mom? Me! No, actually, I am really excited to see Vanessa with child. She is going to be such a thoughtful mom. I was really sad that I had to miss out on their wedding. When I woke up Saturday morning after my fun night with friends on Friday, I felt nauseous. By 10:30 am, I had a fever and knew that I was going to miss out on all the weekend festivities. My Brandon bear took care of me though.

I look forward to the time, if God wills, when Brandon and I have a child. Then maybe I'll know why everyone looks so dazzling.