Random Update

We've had a busy couple of weeks. Martin had to do a phone system installation out in Taylor which meant he didn't have to travel but was working from very early in the morning to late at night many work days in the last two weeks. The kids hardly saw him and I saw him slightly more given that several nights I was asleep by 9 and he wasn't home yet. We missed him!!

The kids had their last day of school yesterday - complete with junk food celebrations, movies in the classroom, and a picnic in the park involving a reptile presentation including lots of snakes and other creepy critters. Unfortunately, I didn't take the camera but a good time was had by all.

Tuesday of this week, we went to the Dr. again just for our monthly check. These visits are quick for us and we've never had any issues. They take blood pressure and then get a weight and urine sample - which they check for protein or sugar, I believe, which could indicate issues including gestational diabetes. Then, the Dr. comes in and uses a doppler device to listen to the heartbeat and checks for size and proper growth of the uterus and baby. We heard a strong heartbeat and the Dr. observed LOTS of movement and said both were good signs. I've gained more weight than I'd prefer, but I've lost it before and I'll lose it again...

We scheduled the sonogram for this coming Friday at 8AM and will again take the kids and my Mom. The results of our first sonogram and genetic screening from a couple of months ago showed our chances of having a baby with Downs Syndrome to be 1 in 260. The official cut-off that our lab gave for it being a "positive" screen (not what you want) is 1 in 250, so we were just outside that range. I googled and found sites that listed the cut-off as 1 in 270 and I worried for a day or two, but ultimately decided that we saw enough indicators of a healthy baby that we just weren't going to focus on the possibility of an issue. We decided not to do any further testing (amnio or CVS test) that carries a risk to the baby of between a 1 in 200 or 1 in 300 chance of miscarriage. Our Dr. (whom I respect and trust immensely) is very matter-of-fact and told us that any major issues will be revealed by this upcoming sonogram. Best of all, we get to confirm the sex so we can get serious about naming the baby, registering for a shower, and preparing the nursery - FUN!

Nuts!

Yesterday we went to Sydney's play called "Nuts!" It is strategically planned immediately following their schools PTA meeting's which slightly bumps up attendance. Sydney was so excited about the play. She was talking about it for days and when she got home from school that day she was asking when the play was going to start. It was only 4 hours before.... :)


Their school is right in our neighborhood so we walked. Well, Courtney (our new baby to be) and I walked, while the kiddos skateboarded and scootered. When we got there Sydney reminded us that we were not allowed in the music room where they prepared (I snuck in and snapped a picture anyway).


The kids seem to have a lot of fun doing the plays, Jake's was earlier this year. Courtney helped put the costumes together for this one. She colored about a thousand squirrel faces. It was all very cute. Afterwards I took a picture of Sydney with two of her friends. Sydney was a walnut, I think Arushi (to syd's left) was a squirrel and Brooke (to Syd's right) was a hula nut. Okay, I know that's not a real nut but I couldn't think of what she actually was.

Belly Pictures

We haven't been great about taking pictures of my growing belly, but here are a couple. Right now, we're 17 weeks pregnant. Today she was kicking over and over and I put Syd's hand on my tummy and asked her if she felt the roughly 6 kicks about 30 seconds apart and she didn't!! My hand was right on top of hers and I can't imagine how she didn't feel them, but maybe next time. Martin has been feeling the baby move for about a month now, which has been fun for both of us.

belly picture at the end of March around the time of Martin's Birthday

And another about a week into May

Mother's Day Weekend

We had a great weekend. Friday night we drove to San Antonio and went to Incredible Pizza with Martin's family - his Mom, Dad, sisters Jacqueline & Virginia, brothers-in-law (?) Ryan & Jonathan, niece Mia, and nephew Reid. It was equal parts fun and chaos with a little time to visit.

me, Martin's Mom, Emily, and sister, Jacqueline

Martin's Dad, Andy and baby Reid, Jacqueline & Ryan's little one

The kids came home with lots of goodies and so excited they were up until after 11:00 - which we just don't do. Because... the next morning they were up by 7:15. They still wake up early no matter how late they go to bed. But, that gave us a good start on the day. Martin's Mom made a great breakfast and we still had time to pet the baby goats and horse before we left for Austin.

Jake with a cute baby goat

Andy, Sydney, Jake & Lucky the horse

We made the last 1/2 of Sydney's soccer game and then went to her end-of-season swim party. The kids had a blast while the parent visited and worked to stay cool - it was a VERY hot day on Saturday.

After the party, the kids went to their Dad's house for the night - the original idea was for them to spend time with him, but they ended up spending the evening with the sitter, oh well... It gave us a chance for a kid-free dinner out, which we're trying to take full advantage of before those easy kid free nights go away. We had a nice dinner date after I took a long afternoon nap and Martin did some shopping and chores - he's a great husband!!

On Sunday, we got the kids back early and went to church, then to lunch at Pappadeux's before spending the afternoon at Mom's house with Uncle Jeff. Mom got out and played soccer with us - it was great! She's an amazing woman.

We were all tired, so we came home and had a movie and popcorn night. Which meant that the kids and I went straight into the big bed and turned on the movie, Martin made us popcorn, and I pretty promptly fell asleep and took another three hour nap. This growing a baby thing is harder work than I remembered I guess :).

Things That Make Me Happy :)

This morning, Martin got up very early to go on a business trip and somehow Jake messed up his alarm so the kids came tumbling into bed with me at 5:30. Even with that early start to our day, it was a great morning. I was aware of and grateful for these things today:

• the kids still want to snuggle with me
• Jake will reach out with his feet until he finds my legs so that we're touching when we're lying in bed together -- I love that physical connection
• Sydney still snuggles with her 'Buddy' and sucks her thumb (although now she hides both if she's anywhere but home with her family); she's been doing this since she got Buddy when she turned 1 and I have many memories of her like this all snuggled up and sleepy
• Jake, in his exuberance, will forget to be cool and will yell 'Love you too Mom!!' as he runs down the sidewalk to school - this might be the last year for that and I love it!

Anyway, that's it for today, was just what was on my mind...

Our Baby!

It's been forever since we've written and to those who have stuck with us and still check the blog periodically - thank you! Things have been hectic but, for the most part, good. We've been settling in, learning how to live with one another - which is a whole different thing when it's four people figuring that out instead of just two. But, I think we're all thriving at this point and surely figuring out our routines and things that make each of us unique - good & bad :).

Some of you know that on the 10th of February, we found out we are having a baby. We are now right at 12 weeks pregnant and we had a sonogram today. We were concerned about the possibility of twins because I gained a lot of weight up front and about genetic problems (primarily Downs Syndrome) since I will be forty at the end of this year. What we saw today looks at this point like ONE perfectly healthy little girl. What a blessing and a relief!

She had her hand up by her face and we saw a perfect profile, four fingers and a little thumb, four functioning chambers of the heart, the stomach, head, arms, legs, spinal column, and other internal organs and measurements that all point to things developing exactly as they should for a healthy baby. The Dr. guessed at the baby being a girl and we told him we won't hold him to it if we find out later it's a boy. The sonogram technology seems to have advanced significantly, as rarely before have I seen what they are seeing and this time I really could tell what they were pointing out.

Below are a couple of the pictures - one of the head & body...

...and another closer up of the profile.

At the last minute, the kids were asking when they got to hear the heartbeat. I told Jake I was planning to wait until summer when they were out of school. One of his school rivals, Presley, is also having a baby brother or sister and he told me that Presley got to miss school for her baby. So, at the last minute I asked Martin what he thought, called my Mom to see if she could meet us there to take the kids in case something was wrong and we had to stay or do further testing - and we took the whole family to the appointment. We weren't sure if they were going to stick with their published 3 guest maximum rule but luckily they welcomed us all back and the kids were on their best behavior, which helped! It was a little less 'intimate' for Martin & me to have everyone there, but it was great fun and excitement for us all. Here I am on the sonogram table...

And here is Sydney looking at one of the pictures.

And Jake looking at one as well.

What a wonderful day!!

Gifts for Soldiers

One last thing we did this holiday season that I've never done before were cards and gifts to soldiers. Jake's teacher's son left for Iraq this fall. Her daughter is in high school and I believe her son is very young as well. Anyway, that inspired me and then we had a cub scout leader in the pack who had contact info for a unit (right word?) over there and so we 'adopted' two of the soldiers from that list as well. We bought snacks (beef jerky, nuts, hard candies) and other items like sunscreen, lotion, toothpaste, wipes, etc., the kids made cards and I wrote a letter to put in each of the gifts.

One of Jake's cards to a Soldier
(protecting & country are the mystery words :) )

We had to fill out customs forms at the post office and the shipping was pretty expensive, but while I was at the post office a young man came up and asked me if I had mailed the packages I sent to soldiers overseas. I told him I had and he shook my hand and told me he wanted to thank me. He said he was fortunate enough to be here this Christmas but that they LOVED getting packages like that when he was over there. It certainly made it even more worthwhile.

Sydney's Picture on Her Card