Josh and Jenn
Est. July 21, 2007
Sunday, July 29, 2012
A little late...
how far along: 16 Weeks 3 days
how big is baby: the size of an avocado, about 3 1/2 ounces
weight gained so far: I'm guessing 10 lbs.
Belly Button in or out: In
stretch marks: Nope
sleep:tossing and turning all night!
best moment of the week: Yesterday Josh felt the baby kick for the first time.
food cravings: nothing I need
looking forward to: Touring the birth center and meeting the midwife (next month) and the baby doubling weight in the next couple of weeks.
Thursday, July 19, 2012
25 Weeks TO GO!!
how far along: 15 Weeks
how big is baby: size of an apple, probably a small one
weight gained so far: I think I'm the same as last week so a total of 8 lbs.
Belly Button in or out: In
stretch marks: Nope
sleep: not much- Josh has been traveling
best moment of the week:Alexis is into pulling up my dresses to say hi to the baby. That's fine with me at home, but if she does it in public it will become the most embarrassing moment of the week.
food cravings: All the bad stuff I'm trying to stay away from
looking forward to: Touring the birth center and meeting the midwife
Not looking forward to: Breaking up with the Doctor
What I miss: Happy Hour drinks and summertime Margaritas
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
About The Birth
Who is going to be with you? Josh, possibly a doula, a nurse, and a midwife.
Are you going to video tape it? Heck no!
Natural or medicated?: Hopefully natural. That depends on the pitocin situation.
Do you think you will cry when you first hold your baby?: No, I'm not emotional about happy things.
Do you know what you will say to the baby when you first hold it?: Hi?
Are you scared about the labor?: Now that I know I probably won't die during child birth I'm not scared. I am scared of the drug Pitocin.
Do you have a name picked out?: nope, not a one
Is your baby going to be named after anyone?: no
Where was your baby conceived?: At home
Have you felt the baby move?: Yes, more with each day that passes
What was your first symptom?: Night sweats
Will you have godparents?: No, the child has plenty of aunts and uncles
What is the baby's room theme?: ABC's- the baby is moving into Lexie's nursery and she is getting a "big girl room"
Are you ready to be a mommy?:Since I already am, yes.
What do you think the baby will be a "daddys girl/boy" or a "mommys girl/boy"?: For the first year- all Mommy because that's who carries the milk. We'll see after that.
Tuesday, July 17, 2012
A New Activity
Two and a half weeks ago Alexis and I began an early form of homeschooling. I knew she was ready to start learning formally because she has responded well to other "little projects" we have done together. I'd been looking into a couple different options, read a lot of reviews online, and finally came across this free curriculum!
http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html
It is wonderfully simple! Each week we have a theme, vocab word, letter, number, nursery rhyme and shape or color. We sit at the table sometime after nap but before Josh gets home and "do a ittle project" (Lexie doesn't say the "l" sound yet- it's so cute) I love the structure it brings to the day and I really love that it keeps her mind busy and her body out of trouble. Most of all I love teaching!
I've also got her working on the scripture memory from church. I had high hopes of one verse a week, then decided to stick with one every two weeks. She knows "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory." There are signs that help her remember- She knows she so cute doing it and always claps at the end and says "Good Job exie!" She doesn't get what it means right now, but I know she'll remember it when she's older.
I didn't take pictures of the first trial week themed-Cows. Here are some from our second week- the Jungle:
http://www.letteroftheweek.com/index.html
It is wonderfully simple! Each week we have a theme, vocab word, letter, number, nursery rhyme and shape or color. We sit at the table sometime after nap but before Josh gets home and "do a ittle project" (Lexie doesn't say the "l" sound yet- it's so cute) I love the structure it brings to the day and I really love that it keeps her mind busy and her body out of trouble. Most of all I love teaching!
I've also got her working on the scripture memory from church. I had high hopes of one verse a week, then decided to stick with one every two weeks. She knows "Holy, Holy, Holy is the Lord Almighty. The whole earth is full of His glory." There are signs that help her remember- She knows she so cute doing it and always claps at the end and says "Good Job exie!" She doesn't get what it means right now, but I know she'll remember it when she's older.
I didn't take pictures of the first trial week themed-Cows. Here are some from our second week- the Jungle:
 |
| Lexie's a monkey! |
 |
| Which B is big? Which B is little? |
 |
| Helps us remember what to do. |
 |
| An art project and the number book we are creating together. Lexie helps me color the dots. |
Monday, July 16, 2012
Alexis Kate's Birth Story- Final
A year late, but better late than never :) Here's the story of the actual birth:
September 1, 2010
We arrived at the hospital birthing class shortly after eating a delicious dinner at Paradise Cafe. This was the final class and the first one Josh had attended. It was completely pointless. The topic was newborn care which means how to swaddle, how to strap your kid in the car seat, how to give a bath, signs of postpartum depression, etc. Common sense took us much further than this class!
We left the class early to get checked in at the hospital for the induction. That was completely nerve wracking, especially the IV part. Thankfully the nurse was confident and she gave me good hints how it would hurt less (like relax and breath). At 10pm the doctor on staff came in to insert the pill on my cervix so it would soften and be ready for all the pitocin I would get in the morning.
I remember them telling me not to eat anything else until the baby was birthed and I thought that was the most outrageous thing I'd ever heard. Also, I didn't know at the time, but I'm hypoglycemic- no wonder the thought of starvation sends me into a mini panic attack! I talked about it so much, the midwife finally said I could have something small in the morning if I was discreet about it.
They wanted me to sleep that night. That's easier said than done. All these things were beeping around me and I was having some contractions, just enough to keep me awake. Being in the hospital around all the medical "stuff" made me think I was close to death.
Josh was sleeping just fine on the tiny couch. I wanted someone to talk to, but I also knew the he was running on empty and needed to rest for the next day. After five months away I was happy to have him next to me, talking or not. I finally drifted off in the early morning hours.
September 2, 2010
Morning arrived. I think I woke up around six am. They were ready to get the pitocin started. I sent Josh to get me toast, peanut butter, and a banana. I don't know if that qualifies as something small, but I felt much better knowing that I wouldn't be surviving on those disgusting jello shots and juice.
The pitocin started and I began to feel contractions...I thought they hurt at this point. Little did I know they would get so, so much worse. The nurse asked what my intentions were for an epidural- I said no, knowing that I could always change my mind.
I spent the morning in pretty good spirits. We were laughing and talking in between the minor contractions that were coming about every 4-5 minutes. I was walking the halls with Josh and the IV, occasionally stopping to check email or post a status on Facebook.
The midwife came in around noon to check me and I was only at 2 cm. We decided it was time for a water break. That was really painful! And the water gush was weird and gross feeling.
After that things really began moving along. I was experiencing contractions one minute long and only 30-45 seconds apart. It was a crazy feeling to have no break in between. The rocking chair was my favorite place, although I was getting some back labor from it. We called the midwife back to help me through. She walked in asked me a few questions and told me it was time to get out of the rocker and do some exercising. I explained I was on the verge of puking with every contraction, yet I wanted to show her I was willing to do what it took- so off we went to walk the halls. With each contraction she would have me stop, hold the rail, and imagine I was running up a big hill. I kept crying to her that running is way easier and doesn't even compare. After the contraction she had me Plie (a ballet term meaning move up and down at the bend of your knees), then we would continue walking. As we rounded the corner back to the room I puked all over the hall. She said we didn't have to do that anymore and I was so thankful.
For the next part- still nauseous, I got on the birth ball and went into survival mode I wasn't talking or laughing. I was showing signs of transition even though I was probably only at 3-4 cm dilated. People around me kept telling me to relax though the contraction, but with no time in between I could only focus on the next one. I began begging them to turn the pitocin off. When that didn't work I asked for the minor pain meds. The midwife suggested that I not take those. Trusting her, I told them to get the epidural. No one argued with me. That was perfect. If someone had said no, I would have turned even crazier than I already was. The epidural was there so fast. The anesthesiologist worked quickly to get it in between the 30 second contractions.
4pmish- I laid in the bed and waited for it to take effect. It began working on my left side pretty quickly but not on my right. Lexie's heart rate dropped. They turned the pitocin off immediately, it was so quiet in the room and I could tell it was serious. That didn't work, so they turned me to the right. Her heart rate began to come up. It's a really strange feeling to just have contractions on one side of your body. I told them I still felt it, and they turned it up, the pain subsided a little but never went away completely. That was fine with me- I was just happy to have 60% relief!
The rest of the time was a blur- I was on my back breathing through the pain. They would come in to check me every so often. Around 7-7:30 I was breathing pretty heavily and feeling a lot of pressure by 7:50 I could tell that something had changed, I told the nurse, she checked me and told me I was ready to push. I explained to her that I was not pushing without the midwife who she had already called, but hadn't arrived yet. I had found my strong personality match as her reply was something like- "that's fine, but you body is going to have this baby whether you push or not" Luckily through all that the midwife came in.
She put both her hands in my you know where and began to stretch me with some slippery stuff which helps the baby slide out without trauma to the mama. Then she told me when to push. It worked and with about four pushed Alexis Kate was born. They immediately gave her to me which I felt was pretty disgusting since she was covered in ickiness. I was very concerned that everything was okay with my body and that I wasn't going to die.
It wasn't love at first sight with Alexis. Most newborns have to grow into their cuteness, she was one of them. I definitely felt protective of her and was in awe of how I was carrying a baby in my body and all the sudden she's here in my arms.
I think it's safe to say it was love at first sight with Alexis and Josh...it's interesting because it shows in their relationship today.
We were in Office Max last week when out of the blue she told the sales man "I'm a Daddy girl!"
Well, that sums up the birth of Alexis complete with all sorts of run on sentences, I'm sure :) Sorry, I don't love editing.
September 1, 2010
We arrived at the hospital birthing class shortly after eating a delicious dinner at Paradise Cafe. This was the final class and the first one Josh had attended. It was completely pointless. The topic was newborn care which means how to swaddle, how to strap your kid in the car seat, how to give a bath, signs of postpartum depression, etc. Common sense took us much further than this class!
We left the class early to get checked in at the hospital for the induction. That was completely nerve wracking, especially the IV part. Thankfully the nurse was confident and she gave me good hints how it would hurt less (like relax and breath). At 10pm the doctor on staff came in to insert the pill on my cervix so it would soften and be ready for all the pitocin I would get in the morning.
I remember them telling me not to eat anything else until the baby was birthed and I thought that was the most outrageous thing I'd ever heard. Also, I didn't know at the time, but I'm hypoglycemic- no wonder the thought of starvation sends me into a mini panic attack! I talked about it so much, the midwife finally said I could have something small in the morning if I was discreet about it.
They wanted me to sleep that night. That's easier said than done. All these things were beeping around me and I was having some contractions, just enough to keep me awake. Being in the hospital around all the medical "stuff" made me think I was close to death.
Josh was sleeping just fine on the tiny couch. I wanted someone to talk to, but I also knew the he was running on empty and needed to rest for the next day. After five months away I was happy to have him next to me, talking or not. I finally drifted off in the early morning hours.
September 2, 2010
Morning arrived. I think I woke up around six am. They were ready to get the pitocin started. I sent Josh to get me toast, peanut butter, and a banana. I don't know if that qualifies as something small, but I felt much better knowing that I wouldn't be surviving on those disgusting jello shots and juice.
The pitocin started and I began to feel contractions...I thought they hurt at this point. Little did I know they would get so, so much worse. The nurse asked what my intentions were for an epidural- I said no, knowing that I could always change my mind.
I spent the morning in pretty good spirits. We were laughing and talking in between the minor contractions that were coming about every 4-5 minutes. I was walking the halls with Josh and the IV, occasionally stopping to check email or post a status on Facebook.
The midwife came in around noon to check me and I was only at 2 cm. We decided it was time for a water break. That was really painful! And the water gush was weird and gross feeling.
After that things really began moving along. I was experiencing contractions one minute long and only 30-45 seconds apart. It was a crazy feeling to have no break in between. The rocking chair was my favorite place, although I was getting some back labor from it. We called the midwife back to help me through. She walked in asked me a few questions and told me it was time to get out of the rocker and do some exercising. I explained I was on the verge of puking with every contraction, yet I wanted to show her I was willing to do what it took- so off we went to walk the halls. With each contraction she would have me stop, hold the rail, and imagine I was running up a big hill. I kept crying to her that running is way easier and doesn't even compare. After the contraction she had me Plie (a ballet term meaning move up and down at the bend of your knees), then we would continue walking. As we rounded the corner back to the room I puked all over the hall. She said we didn't have to do that anymore and I was so thankful.
For the next part- still nauseous, I got on the birth ball and went into survival mode I wasn't talking or laughing. I was showing signs of transition even though I was probably only at 3-4 cm dilated. People around me kept telling me to relax though the contraction, but with no time in between I could only focus on the next one. I began begging them to turn the pitocin off. When that didn't work I asked for the minor pain meds. The midwife suggested that I not take those. Trusting her, I told them to get the epidural. No one argued with me. That was perfect. If someone had said no, I would have turned even crazier than I already was. The epidural was there so fast. The anesthesiologist worked quickly to get it in between the 30 second contractions.
4pmish- I laid in the bed and waited for it to take effect. It began working on my left side pretty quickly but not on my right. Lexie's heart rate dropped. They turned the pitocin off immediately, it was so quiet in the room and I could tell it was serious. That didn't work, so they turned me to the right. Her heart rate began to come up. It's a really strange feeling to just have contractions on one side of your body. I told them I still felt it, and they turned it up, the pain subsided a little but never went away completely. That was fine with me- I was just happy to have 60% relief!
The rest of the time was a blur- I was on my back breathing through the pain. They would come in to check me every so often. Around 7-7:30 I was breathing pretty heavily and feeling a lot of pressure by 7:50 I could tell that something had changed, I told the nurse, she checked me and told me I was ready to push. I explained to her that I was not pushing without the midwife who she had already called, but hadn't arrived yet. I had found my strong personality match as her reply was something like- "that's fine, but you body is going to have this baby whether you push or not" Luckily through all that the midwife came in.
She put both her hands in my you know where and began to stretch me with some slippery stuff which helps the baby slide out without trauma to the mama. Then she told me when to push. It worked and with about four pushed Alexis Kate was born. They immediately gave her to me which I felt was pretty disgusting since she was covered in ickiness. I was very concerned that everything was okay with my body and that I wasn't going to die.
It wasn't love at first sight with Alexis. Most newborns have to grow into their cuteness, she was one of them. I definitely felt protective of her and was in awe of how I was carrying a baby in my body and all the sudden she's here in my arms.
I think it's safe to say it was love at first sight with Alexis and Josh...it's interesting because it shows in their relationship today.
We were in Office Max last week when out of the blue she told the sales man "I'm a Daddy girl!"
Well, that sums up the birth of Alexis complete with all sorts of run on sentences, I'm sure :) Sorry, I don't love editing.
Friday, July 13, 2012
The Exciting Life of Alexis Kate
 |
| Bounce U |
 |
| Last week our home-school theme was cows with calf being the vocabulary word. Alexis walked into Chick Fil A and announced "I'm a calf! MOOOOOOOOOOO!" Seriously, everyone could hear her. I was proud and embarrassed at the same time |
 |
| The Chick Fil A Express in the Mutual of Omaha building opened to the public on November 30, 2011. This was our first visit! |
 |
| Mommy Cow |
 |
| $5.81! |
 |
| True Chick Fil A style- a balloon, a stuffed calf, and friendly customer service with lots of "my pleasures" |
Every life has a story...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2v0RhvZ3lvY
how far along: 14 weeks 1 Day
how big is baby: The size of a lemon
weight gained so far: Based on my pre Alexis pregnancy weight I've gained 8 pounds for a total of 136.2. I'm trying to stop at 158 pounds. No more "treats" for the next 8 weeks- just real food- fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grain carbs.
maternity clothes: A mix of maternity clothes, summer dresses and skirts
stretch marks: No, I have good skin (thanks Mom!). I'm waiting on the veins to pop out in my legs, though.
sleep: Better. I'm still napping every afternoon with Alexis. Thankfully she naps three solid hours!
best moment of the week: Hearing the heartbeat (163 beats per minute) and watching Josh get sick over a birth video.
food cravings: no
looking forward to: Finding out what the sex is on August 9th.
how big is baby: The size of a lemon
weight gained so far: Based on my pre Alexis pregnancy weight I've gained 8 pounds for a total of 136.2. I'm trying to stop at 158 pounds. No more "treats" for the next 8 weeks- just real food- fruits, vegetables, protein, and whole grain carbs.
maternity clothes: A mix of maternity clothes, summer dresses and skirts
stretch marks: No, I have good skin (thanks Mom!). I'm waiting on the veins to pop out in my legs, though.
sleep: Better. I'm still napping every afternoon with Alexis. Thankfully she naps three solid hours!
best moment of the week: Hearing the heartbeat (163 beats per minute) and watching Josh get sick over a birth video.
food cravings: no
looking forward to: Finding out what the sex is on August 9th.
 |
| 13 weeks 2 days |
Friday, July 6, 2012
how far along: 13 Weeks 1Day
how big is baby: The size of a peach
weight gained so far: I'll know next week at the doctor appt- guessing 8 lbs at 14 weeks
maternity clothes: Some- they are the most comfortable
stretch marks: No
sleep: I've gotten used to waking up to pee- I can almost do it in my sleep!
best moment of the week: wanting to eat vegetables again, feeling the baby move, and when Alexis kisses my tummy and says "baby cries" "shhhh baby"
food cravings: I love carbs and always want them, but I don't believe in pregnancy cravings - It's mind over matter.
looking forward to: Hard workouts and our trip to Houston at the end of the month to see my first favorite little girl :)
A recap of the first trimester:
If I could describe this part of Lexie's pregnancy in one word it would be: tired. This time I would say: sick. I never want to live through that again! I ran a half- marathon at six weeks and took a beach vacation at 11 weeks. The in between was spent sometimes at the gym in the morning, but mostly on the couch wallowing in self pity over how sick I felt. Maybe that's why I wasn't tired...I spent so much time laying around! I'm thankful to have it behind me.
I rang in the second trimester by trying to drive a manual without a clutch and getting lost on the way to the grocery store. Even with a cold I have tons of energy. It's great.
how big is baby: The size of a peach
weight gained so far: I'll know next week at the doctor appt- guessing 8 lbs at 14 weeks
maternity clothes: Some- they are the most comfortable
stretch marks: No
sleep: I've gotten used to waking up to pee- I can almost do it in my sleep!
best moment of the week: wanting to eat vegetables again, feeling the baby move, and when Alexis kisses my tummy and says "baby cries" "shhhh baby"
food cravings: I love carbs and always want them, but I don't believe in pregnancy cravings - It's mind over matter.
looking forward to: Hard workouts and our trip to Houston at the end of the month to see my first favorite little girl :)
A recap of the first trimester:
If I could describe this part of Lexie's pregnancy in one word it would be: tired. This time I would say: sick. I never want to live through that again! I ran a half- marathon at six weeks and took a beach vacation at 11 weeks. The in between was spent sometimes at the gym in the morning, but mostly on the couch wallowing in self pity over how sick I felt. Maybe that's why I wasn't tired...I spent so much time laying around! I'm thankful to have it behind me.
I rang in the second trimester by trying to drive a manual without a clutch and getting lost on the way to the grocery store. Even with a cold I have tons of energy. It's great.
A Baby!
 |
| Six weeks and already looking the part |
how far along: 5 weeks 5 days
how big is baby: The size of a sesame seed
weight gained so far: I'm coming in at 3 lbs heavier than when I had Alexis
maternity clothes: No, but it won't be long
stretch marks: No
sleep: I've been waking up at 5 am to pee and about half the time I get back to sleep
best moment of the week: When I told Alexis I had a baby "in my tummy" and showed her she said "that's gross" and then "that's dangerous".
food cravings: nope
looking forward to: Our doctor appointment at 8 weeks
Josh and I actually planned this one :) We tried for two weeks and BAM!- A Baby! I announced it to Josh through this picture through text:
Two things clued me into the pregnancy right away:
#1- the hot flashes in the middle of the night.
#2- our dog, William, switched spots in the room to sleep RIGHT next to my side of the bed.
He did the same thing in the beginning with Alexis and I thought it was so strange because of the strained relationship we have.
Over the next couple of days our family found out through Skype. Two weeks later we announced to our parents on Mother's Day weekend with the picture you all saw on Facebook:
.JPG)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)