Gavin's Coming Home Outfit!

Merry Christmas to All!

I’ve done such a poor job keeping my blog updated as of late so Im going to have a vast amount of updates to include in this post. Its been such a fun few weeks. I had my last baby shower at work December 14th and I have to admit it was crazy, overwhelming. I was/am overwhelmed by the generosity, friendship and support of my co-workers. We got so much baby stuff. Basically they just went through and got all the last minor things that I had on my list of items to buy- bumbo seat, blankets, pacifiers, changing pad, extra car seat base, pack ‘n play sheets and on and on! We were also able to get our video monitor. Thanks to all those wonderful gifts we have absolutely everything we need for baby Gavin’s arrival!


It’s the night before Christmas Eve and I can happily say that I am done with my Christmas shopping and 99% of my wrapping is done as well. It’s a great feeling. The last week off has been used very wisely. The only major item left to handle is the grocery shopping for Christmas Day dinner. Im very excited that although Jason and I cant travel for the holidays, we will still get to be with a large group of family. Itll be a lot of fun to have everybody together at our house. In an effort to try and reduce some of the work for me, we’re going to do non-traditional Christmas food for dinner. We’re going to do lasagna, salad, garlic bread and some appetizers. I just can’t fathom standing on my feet in the kitchen for hours slaving over a turkey, ham, stuffing, side items, bread, etc at 34 weeks preggo.

Besides Christmas shopping, I also spent a large portion of my week off marking “to do” items off my list to prepare for Gavin’s arrival! I managed to get EVERYTHING washed with the, must be gold because of the price, baby detergent Dreft! I also got his room finished for the most part and all his clothes are now put away. Its such a relief to have all that done. The only things I think we still have to do are to get the car seat installed and get our hospital bags packed! Before I finish up with my weekly update below, I have to share a few pics of the nursery. Those bookshelves are my favorite part- thanks to my MOM for helping me to get them hung. Wow, that was a total cluster! LOL!

33 Week Update

How Far Along? 33w5d

Size of baby: Over 4lbs and 17 inches- size of a pineapple!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: +14lbs – still very happy with my weight- should be able to keep my total weight gain around the 20lb mark. That’s my hope, its going to make it much easier for it to come off after baby Gavin arrives.

Maternity Clothes: All maternity clothes plus I’ve graduated to some of Jason’s tshirts 

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler Ramey

Movement: He moves a lot! When he pushes on my stomach now the whole thing becomes distorted- very alien like! LOL!

What I miss: I haven’t missed alcohol at all up to this point, but right now, maybe because of the holidays and cold weather, I’m really missing red wine!! I’m plotting my first drinking expedition.

Sleep: I slept so wonderfully through most of the pregnancy; however that has definitely changed over the last few weeks- its much more difficult to find a spot that is comfortable it’s impossible to sleep through the night without getting up to pee!

Symptoms: Peeing ALL THE TIME! Heartburn and fatigue have made a come back

Stretch marks: No sign of any stretch marks

What I am looking forward to: Gavin’s arrival- I feel like its close enough now (no more than 5 weeks) that its within reach!

Belly button (in or out): Mostly out

Milestones: Upcoming 34 weeks- I’ve read that any baby born at or after 34 weeks very likely wouldn’t require a NICU stay!

Baby Ramey’s Progress

This week your baby weighs a little over 4 pounds (heft a pineapple) and has passed the 17-inch mark. He's rapidly losing that wrinkled, alien look and his skeleton is hardening. The bones in his skull aren't fused together, which allows them to move and slightly overlap, thus making it easier for him to fit through the birth canal. (The pressure on the head during birth is so intense that many babies are born with a conehead-like appearance.) These bones don't entirely fuse until early adulthood, so they can grow as his brain and other tissue expands during infancy and childhood.

Weekly update, belly picture, etc!

Its been quite awhile since Ive posted an update. So much has happened. I had an ultrasound the day before Thanksgiving and it looks like we're going to have a big boy on our hands. He was measuring ahead 1 week, weighed over 3 1/2lbs and over 15 inches long. Ut oh! LOL! It was so weird because Im used to seeing his whole body on the screen; however he is too big now. You see just one body part at a time, it was actually a little disappointing but very happy to see he looked good.

Last week we lost Grandma June. Very good lady and we are so sad to see her leave us but Ive taken great comfort in knowing she is finally reunited with her husband Dennis and her son Russell! Jordan and I drove down Wednesday to attend the rosary and funeral. Glad that we could be there!

I had my first and hopefully last visit to L&D until Gavin is ready to make his appearance! Thursday I started spotting a bit and of course I freaked out. The timing really sucked because we had to miss Jason's Christmas party, but I would have never forgiven myself if it had turned out to be something bad that I had ignored. They hooked me up to the monitor and I was definitely having some contractions; however they attributed most of that to me being dehydrated. They sent me home with instructions to drink lots of fluids and REST! I seem to have a difficult time with the second part. The spotting did stop! Whew! I need to keep him baking in there a bit longer- at least 5 weeks!

Here's my 31w update plus belly pic. Enjoy!

How Far Along? 31w1d

Size of baby: Over 3 ½lbs and 16 inches- size of a butternut squash!

Total Weight Gain/Loss: down 2lbs this morning for some reason, +12lbs

Maternity Clothes: Im now finding that some of the maternity clothes I wore early in pregnancy aren’t going to fit the whole time :/

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler

Movement: Constantly feeling him move

What I miss: Being able to sleep without all the CONGESTION and gunk! Uuuugghhh!

Sleep: I slept so wonderfully through most of the pregnancy; however that has definitely changed over the last few weeks- its much more difficult to find a spot that is comfortable!

Symptoms: I’m attributing all this winter sickness mess to being pregnant, other than that I’d be feeling pretty great

Stretch marks: No sign of any stretch marks

What I am looking forward to: Definitely my vacation time around the holidays-2 weeks and counting until Im off for 10 days! Woohoo!

Belly button (in or out): Halfway out

Milestones: No major milestones to speak of, just very thankful for every day that he stays in there, at least for the next 5 weeks and then he gets an eviction notice!

Baby Ramey’s Progress
This week, your baby measures over 16 inches long. He weighs about 3.3 pounds (try carrying four navel oranges) and is heading into a growth spurt. He can turn his head from side to side, and his arms, legs, and body are beginning to plump out as needed fat accumulates underneath his skin. He's probably moving a lot, too, so you may have trouble sleeping because your baby's kicks and somersaults keep you up. Take comfort: All this moving is a sign that your baby is active and healthy.

Belly picture- 29w3d!

29w Update!

I still am not feeling well at all. My sore throat and high fever from last week has now turned into full scale crud! Crud in my head, crud in my chest, crud all around. It makes good sleep impossible and last night I woke up at 3am wheezing because of all the CRUD in my chest. I can really feel the lack of sleep taking a toll on me. My usual zest and energy is significantly lacking. Anyway, I had to get my pregnancy update out before I missed another week.

How Far Along? 29w1d
Size of baby: 15 inches and about 2 1/2lbs- size of a butternut squash!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 14 lbs- still feeling really good about this
Maternity Clothes: Yep- all the time

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Moving my belly all the time
What I miss: Nothing- can’t complain
Sleep: Sleep has taken a nose dive- really hoping it’s from the recent sickness though and isn’t indicative of how it’s going to go for the next 10 weeks!
Symptoms: Just feeling very pregnant and feeling the need to slow down a bit
Stretch marks: Nope, still none,
What I am looking forward to: Ultrasound Wednesday- it’s been WAY too long since I’ve seen baby Gavin, over 10 weeks!
Belly button (in or out): Halfway out
Milestones: Hitting the 3^rd trimester!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!
Baby Ramey’s Progress
Your baby is growing rapidly now. This week he weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over 15 inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is getting bigger to accommodate his growing brain – which is busy developing billions of neurons. Every day, about 200 milligrams of calcium is deposited in your baby's skeleton, which is now hardening. With this rapid growth, it's no surprise that your baby's nutritional needs reach their peak during this trimester.                 

Doggie pictures

Jason recently came into the world of Apple products, much to our dismay. However, I will say that he has been able to download some of the coolest photography apps. We laid in bed last night practicing with the puppy dogs. Had to share! Aren't they the cutest puppies you ever did see... says the very biased fur mommy! :) Also made this fur mommy realize that her Toby desperately needs a haircut!

Weekend wrap up!

I’m too tired and worn out to post my pregnancy update right this minute. I’ve been sick since Monday night.. sore throat, chills, fever, etc. It has sucked but I definitely am starting to feel better. I’m hoping this is my only bout with sickness while being pregnant. It isn’t fun. It just wears you out more than normal.

We had a great weekend. We had lots of family visiting and had a very, very busy weekend. We got to all see Ally play volleyball, watched some college football, had a family dinner altogether and then the shower on Sunday. It was great. It happens too infrequently so I’m super happy when it does come together. The shower on Sunday was beautiful. My friends did a wonderful job and I was truly overwhelmed with all the effort that went into it. I got such wonderful things and it took me hours to get it all put away. I got TONS of clothes, toys, books!!!!, blankets, Cardinal gear overload (much to Jason’s great pleasure), bottles, bibs, diapers, wipes, etc. We are very blessed. I feel like it is finally starting to come together.

Thankfully I took the Monday after off to recuperate and get organized a bit. I also had some car trouble over the weekend so I was able to take care of that on Monday too. One of the last big things we had left to get was our travel system and I was able to pick that up on Monday, which was a great relief to me. I got a great BuyBuyBaby coupon in the mail that Babies ‘R Us would honor and it saved us over $70!!!! That was a great find! I have one more of those coupons too that I got because mom signed up for their mailing list and I’m holding on to it to use for our video monitor.

I have got to make a major dent in our Christmas shopping over the next  2 weeks or else Im going to get very antsy! As of today only 80 days to go! Wowzers!!!

27 week update

We had such a busy weekend trying to get ready for all the family visiting this weekend for my 2^nd baby shower. I’m so excited to have everybody here! We had to put the finishing touches on our upstairs living room, get Christmas lights hung, clean the upstairs, grocery shop, volleyball game and wash 4 rooms full of bedding linens. We were busy little bees, but got it all done.

This morning I had my monthly ob appt and my glucose test. Ive been dreading this test for weeks, but it really was pretty uneventful. It required I fast from the night before so I was starving by the time it was over, but I can’t complain too much. Now let’s hope I pass. J I mentioned to Dr. S that I was getting antsy to see how much Gavin has grown since it has been almost 9 weeks since my last sonogram. He took pity on me and scheduled a growth scan in 2 weeks- the day before Thanksgiving. I am sooooo excited. I thought I would have to wait another 4-6 weeks before I got to take a peek again. He has gone above and beyond to ensure this pregnancy has been as stress free as possible. I’ve posted my 27 week update and a new belly pic too! Enjoy!

 How Far Along? 27w2d
Size of baby: 14 1/2 inches and about 2lbs- size of a cauliflower!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 13 1/2 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Pretty much everything is maternity at this point
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him move every hour
What I miss: Being able to easily get off the couch or out of a chair!!
Sleep: Still sleeping great
Symptoms: started getting nighttime leg cramps, which they say is normal

Stretch marks: Nope, still none
What I am looking forward to: 2^nd baby shower this weekend and family visiting from out of town!
Belly button (in or out): Halfway out
Milestones: Getting the 1 hour glucose test done and behind me

Baby Ramey’s Progress
This week, your baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.

 How your life's changing:

The second trimester is drawing to a close, but as your body gears up for the final lap, you may start noticing some new symptoms. Along with an aching back, for example, you may find that your leg muscles cramp up now and then. They're carrying extra weight, after all, and your expanding uterus is putting pressure on the veins that return blood from your legs to your heart as well as on the nerves leading from your trunk to your legs.

Major catch up post and 26w update!

I’ve been such a bad blogger lately. Things have started to pick up around the Ramey household so I just haven’t been as diligent with my updates as I would have liked. Last weekend was my first baby shower and it was wonderful and overwhelming all at the same time. It was awesome to get to see a bunch of family and family friends that I haven’t seen in quite some time. We had a great turn out and I feel very blessed to have so many loving people around us. We got loads of blankets, burp rags and clothes. I also got some of my bigger items- stroller, swing/bouncer and the play mat. The stuff is all piled into Gavin’s room at the moment as we have no place to really put anything away. It was just nice to get out of DFW for a few days and go back to my hometown. I really enjoy doing that and don’t do it as often as I’d like to.

We have another shower next weekend and I’m really excited about this one too. The attendees for this one are more Jason and I’s friends so it will be a different crowd. We do have some family coming in for this shower that we are really excited about too. Our family friend, Alecia, will be traveling to Dallas with my mom and Jason’s mom and sister are both coming in from St. Louis for the shower. It is so sweet of them to take time away from their families to make the trip. It will be great to see them and great to have them be a part of this.

Because of the influx of family coming in next weekend Jason and I have been on a mad dash to get our upstairs living room finished. Ill post pictures after this weekend, when the couch arrives. We finally sold the pool table so we were able to now turn this room into a useable space. It’s going to be awesome and I’m so excited to have it finished. It just means that when our house is full of family and kids that there is now an overflow space for people to hang out in to watch tv, rest, etc. Also means that Ally and Gavin will have more space to spread out with all their stuff over the coming years!

I can’t believe how far along I am already in this pregnancy. I know that things will start to move even more quickly now that the holidays are approaching. Im so excited that in just over 12 weeks we will be getting to meet our little boy.

How Far Along? 26w4d
Size of baby: 14 1/2 inches and 1 2/3lb- size of an eggplant!
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 13 lbs- really pleased with this, because even if I gain 1lb every week until the end of my pregnancy I will still come in significantly under the average 30lbs gained. Very happy with this!
Maternity Clothes: I’m finding now that my non-maternity tops that I’ve been able to wear up to this point no longer cover my belly! LOL!
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: I definitely am feeling him every day, but the feelings have started to change. I used to feel intermittent jabs and punches, now I can actually feel him rolling around in there.
What I miss: Having all the energy I’m used to having- I wear out a lot more quickly
Sleep: Really can’t complain, I’m still sleeping very well, but the accidental rolling back onto my back causes me morning-time discomfort
Symptoms: Heartburn!!!!, very vivid dreams

Stretch marks: Nope, still none
What I am looking forward to: 2^nd baby shower next weekend and drs appt Tuesday
Belly button (in or out): Very much half way out!!  
Milestones: First baby shower!  

Baby Ramey’s Progress
The network of nerves in your baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear both your voice and your partner's as you chat with each other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel. If you're having a boy, his testicles are beginning to descend into his scrotum — a trip that will take about two to three days.

 How your life's changing:

If your lower back seems a little achy lately, you can thank both your growing uterus — which shifts your center of gravity, stretches out and weakens your abdominal muscles, and may be pressing on a nerve — as well as hormonal changes that loosen your joints and ligaments. Plus, the extra weight you're carrying means more work for your muscles and increased stress on your joints, which is why you may feel worse at the end of the day. Walking, standing, or sitting for long periods, as well as bending and lifting can all put a strain on your back. A warm bath or hot compress might bring relief. (Some women, though, find cool compresses more comforting.) Try to maintain good posture during the day, avoid activities that require bending and twisting at the same time, take frequent breaks when sitting or standing, and sleep on your side with one or both knees bent with a pillow between your legs, using another pillow (or wedge) to support your abdomen.

Late 24w Pregnancy Update!

How Far Along? 24w4d
Size of baby: 12 inches and +1lb
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 11 1/2 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Yes, all maternity bottoms, mostly maternity tops but still some non-maternity shirts fit
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him every day now, all throughout the day
What I miss: Having all the energy Im used to having- I wear out a bit more quickly
Sleep: Starting to have my sleep impacted for the first time!
Symptoms: Heartburn!!!! (seems that people think he will have a lot of hair!!!)

Stretch marks: None- slathering on belly lotion daily
What I am looking forward to: First baby shower next weekend, ssssooooo excited for that
Belly button (in or out): Still halfway out
Milestones: Hitting the 24 week viability point this past Sunday and the impending 3^rd trimester- now been pregnant for ½ year! WOW!

Update:

People are really starting to notice how “pregnant” I am. There is certainly no way to disguise it at this point. My drs appt a week and a half ago was really uneventful. He listened for the heartbeat and I got my glucose test scheduled for my next appt on November 8^th. After that next appointment I will start going to the dr every 2 weeks. I expect it will start going fast after that. I’ve started thinking a lot about what Gavin will look like. I’ve seen some baby pictures of Jason and if Gavin looks just like Jason then he will have a dark complexion, loads of curly hair and really long eyelashes. I told Jason that when I take Gavin out people are going to think I either stole him or am  his babysitter, because we will look nothing alike with my light hair and pale skin. Jason thinks that is very funny!

 Baby Ramey’s Progress

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

I might be a genius!

The title might be a bit generous but I did come up with something tonight that Im really excited about. I love to cook but of course I dont like to wash dishes. And the one dish that I hate to clean the most are 9x13 casserole dishes. It seems that everything I make in these types of dishes make for the messiest to clean up. They seem to always have food that sticks to the dish and requires at least a few hours of soak time. I cant stand leaving the kitchen for the evening with dirty dishes around. Blame it on my Mom, but I compulsively clean as I cook. For most meals I go so far as to put the leftover food away and clean the remainder of the dishes before I sit down to eat; therefore having a dish that requires an overnight soak really annoys me! Several months ago I discovered these really cool crock pot liners. Its just a piece of plastic that you put in the crock pot before adding the ingredients. It makes for super easy clean-up and I was wishing for the same type of plastic liner for my casserole dishes but they dont make them. Well tonight I improvised. I took one of those crock pot liners, cut it on the seams and laid it flat in my baking dish. It worked beautifully. I made my baked chicken, put the leftovers away, pulled the liner out of the baking dish and Voila! No casserole dish clean-up required! I'll definitely be purchasing more crock pot liners for future use!

Toby and Brutis!

We all know those people that gush about how amazing their children are, all the while their kids are running around wreaking havoc on anything and everything they can get their hands on. I feel like I am THAT parent but not with a human child, but with our 2 furbabies- Toby and Brutis. To me, they are the cutest, loveable animals around. However, I get the sense that not everybody is as enamored with those two as we are. Toby kind of barks a lot and is pretty demanding when he thinks its “cookie” (treat) time. And Brutis, well Brutis is just lazy, but he also tends to want to sit right by you, or on you, whichever he prefers. That makes us, the humans, a bit uncomfortable considering he is every bit of 50lbs.

Jason begrudgingly let me get Toby several years ago when we lived in our apartment downtown. We got him in late fall/early winter so traipsing up and down the stairs of our apartment complex in the cold weather wasn’t very fun. He spent many months destroying everything in sight, including furniture, but I already loved him. For many months he was this little bundle of fur that tortured us with his antics. He hated to be caged up and we hadn’t had him a week when Jason started letting him sleep with us. He hasn’t slept anywhere else since. He didn’t even become fully potty-trained until after we got the doggie door a few years ago. Even now, he will still poop in the house if it rains. Heaven forbid the little prima donna get his feet wet but give him access to a mud puddle and he will be happily covered paw to ears in less than 10 seconds.

Brutis was adopted the year after we got Toby because Toby was so rambunctious we decided he really needed a playmate plus Jason decided he needed a “man” dog. He was tired of walking around with the little teacup yorkie. We were trying to choose between Brutis and his brother and the sales lady pointed out that Brutis was definitely the lazier of the two. We happily chose him and wow, that lady couldn’t have described him better. He is such a couch potato. In the morning he curls up in our sheets after we get out of bed, he jumps down to let me make the bed and then he is right back on top of the bed when it gets made. And Jason’s theory that he was getting a “man” dog quickly disintegrated when Brutis started peeing on himself every time someone new came in the front door, he got scared or anyone raised their voice at him.

I suppose I am that “parent”. I have the terrible dogs that everybody hates, but I still only see their loveable sides. They make our days more fun and they are ALWAYS happy to see us.

Wedding Anniversary!

Three years ago today Jason and I got married. We stood in front of our family and friends and pledged forever to each other. That day three years ago I married my best friend. I married the person that makes me laugh at the silliest things, at the most inoportune times and when Im so mad at him I can hardly see straight. I married the man that is a perfect example of the parent I hope to become. Three years ago I married the man that has proven that he will stand by me, in good times and bad.


The last three years have been full of laughs and some tears too, but through it all its all been made better because I get to share it all with him. I am so grateful to have you Jason and I look forward to many more years together!

23w Update plus the Weekend Wrap-up!

We had a busy weekend. We had the kiddo plus Jason had class Friday & Saturday night so I didn’t see much of him. Friday night Ally and I just ran some errands, got some Soup ‘R Salad and took her to the mall to spend some of her birthday money. Saturday morning we had to get up and hurry off to Ally’s volleyball game. Ally’s team’s height seems to have tripled in size over the summer and they took 2 out of the 3 games Saturday afternoon. I can happily report that they built a new Taco Casa right near where she lives so we had our lunch after the volleyball game there. Love that place. Saturday night Ally and I headed over to watch my nephews so that Jordan and Ashley could enjoy Ashley’s sister’s wedding. I love watching those two and I can’t wait for the time when Gavin gets to participate in their fun. We went to be late Saturday night because after we left the boys I had to stay up to finish watching the rain delayed Rangers game. Happily we came out with the win. Unfortunately the STL Cardinals got beat yesterday by Milwaukee so they have to win today! This is going to be a very, very long week for me at work. We have our BIG upgrade over the weekend. We have been working toward and planning for this event for about a year now so this week leading up to it is sure to be stressful. Then we will actually perform the upgrade and testing starting Friday night so there won’t be much of a weekend coming up for me. However, I will not complain- I will just be thrilled to have it successfully completed! Squeezed in with everything else going on this week is Jason and I’s wedding anniversary too. I can’t believe it’s been 3 years!!!!!

How Far Along? 23w1d
Size of baby: 12 1/2 inches and between 1 1/4 & 1 1/2lbs in weight– the size of a large mango
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 10 lbs
Maternity Clothes: For the most part yes, all my jeans are maternity but Im still able to wear quite a few non-maternity tops
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Continue feeling him every day
What I miss: Being able to eat without getting heartburn!!!!
Sleep: Still feeling pretty lucky- am able to sleep fine
Symptoms: Heartburn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What I am looking forward to: Drs appt Tuesday, baby shower in 3 weeks!!!!
Weekly wisdom: Every pregnant person grows at different rates. I cant compare myself to anyone else.

Belly button (in or out): Still halfway out.
Milestones: Still anxious to get to the 24 week mark

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Your Body This Week

You may notice that your ankles and feet start to swell a bit in the coming weeks or months, especially at the end of the day or during the heat of summer. Sluggish circulation in your legs — coupled with changes in your blood chemistry that may cause some water retention — may result in swelling, also known as edema. Your body will get rid of the extra fluid after you have your baby, which is why you'll pee frequently and sweat a lot for a few days after delivery. In the meantime, lie on your left side or put your feet up when you can, stretch out your legs when you sit, and avoid sitting — or standing — in one place for long periods. Also, try to exercise regularly to increase circulation, and wear support stockings (put them on first thing in the morning) and roomy, comfortable shoes. You may be tempted to skimp on liquids to combat swelling, but you need to drink plenty of water because staying hydrated actually helps prevent fluid retention. While a certain amount of edema in your lower extremities is normal during pregnancy, excessive swelling may be a sign of a serious condition called preeclampsia. Be sure to call your midwife or doctor if you have severe or sudden swelling of your feet or ankles, more than slight swelling of your hands, swelling in your face, or puffiness around your eyes.

22w (22w4d) Belly Picture!

Weekend wrap-up and 22w update!

We had such a great weekend! We got together with some friends that we hadn’t seen in a really long time, brought the kids along and headed to our favorite cabins in Glen Rose. It was so different and chaotic from previous trips, but still so much fun! Im so happy that we’ve found these cabins. It’s really a tradition, with and without the kids, that we can keep up for a long time to come. Friday night everybody got there sporadically and we all just spent the weekend catching up. The little kids danced and entertained us. Saturday some of us headed out and went to Fossil Rim Wildlife Park. It was so awesome. You drive through what is their natural habitat where they’re just roaming freely. We saw antelope, elk, deer, zebra, cheetahs, giraffes and others that I can’t pronounce. They were so domesticated and would walk right up to the vehicle and eat out of your hand. It was really awesome. Yesterday was spent catching up- cleaning house, washing clothes, grocery shopping, etc. I must have done a bit too much yesterday because I woke up today and am pretty sore. I want to start off the week on a happy note so I will leave out any commentary on either the Aggies OR the Cowboys. Go Rangers!

How Far Along? 22w1d
Size of baby: 11 inches and 1lb – the length of a spaghetti squash
Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 10 lbs
Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops
Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler
Movement: Feeling him every day now, even feeling it from the outside
What I miss: Nada, not a thing
Sleep: Sleeping pretty well
Symptoms: Heartburn has gotten much better since Dr. Seligman got me on prescription medication.  

What I am looking forward to: Drs appt next Tuesday, have some questions
Weekly wisdom: Every pregnant person grows at different rates. I cant compare myself to anyone else.

Belly button (in or out): Recently it has changed a bit, and its halfway out.
Milestones: Inching closer to the really important 24week mark.

Update:

I’ve started feeling Gavin moving around in there all the time. I love it! It’s such great reassurance. Over the last several weeks I have started to also develop the linea negra line. It’s getting darker everyday it seems. All momentum I had started to make on the nursery has come to a screeching halt. I think I’ll get re-engaged once the baby bedding gets here. That’s the plan. I really, really want to have all that wrapped up by Thanksgiving. We’ll see.

Baby Ramey’s Progress

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Your Body This Week

At this point, you may find your belly becoming a hand magnet. It's perfectly okay to tell folks who touch your tummy that you'd rather they didn't. And if people are telling you that you look smaller or bigger than you should at this point, remember that each woman grows — and shows — at her own rate. What's important is that you see your practitioner for regular visits so she can make sure your baby's growth is on track.

Pregnancy Indulgence!

Today's pregnancy indulgence- McD's soft serve ice cream. I should say that the term "indulgence" should be used loosely as the entire cup comes in at less than 120 calories. But yummy nonetheless!!!

Misc Update!

Things have been so busy lately. Last week’s trip to NYC was very hectic and quite exhausting for this pregnant chick. The client visits went well and the user conference was great. I ate amazing food and found time to do a bit of shopping, but not much sightseeing. That’s fine though, I’ve been there before. I did pop into St. Patrick’s Cathedral and lit a candle in memory of Ethan. We also cruised through a bit of Central Park and walked through Times Square. That was the last big work travel that I have planned before the baby, so I’m glad to move past this.

We are headed out this weekend for a camping trip with our friends and kids. I’m looking forward to it, should be a great time and full of plenty of chaos. The weather should be perfect. I love going out to these cabins. The surroundings are beautiful and its always incredibly peaceful!

I have made pretty much zero progress on the baby’s room lately. I guess I’m kind of waiting for the bedding to arrive. It should ship sometime this week. After that I will get kicked up into high gear. I am trying to do some red accents with the turquoise-blue walls so that I tastefully work in some STL Cardinals gear. I wanted a Fredbird stuffed animal for the room and I found out that Build-A-Bear makes a stuffed Fredbird, but of course the only place you can get it is at the STL Cardinals stadium. Got a text yesterday from Jason’s sister that she went to the game and got Gavin a Fredbird. I’m so excited!!!!  

I’ve scheduled family & maternity pictures for November and Im looking forward to that. I’ll use the family pictures for our Christmas cards and it will also mark the last family pictures that we take that will have just the 3 of us. The next family pics we take will have our newest family member.

I have already gotten a big portion of my Christmas shopping done, but hoping to finish up the bulk of it in the next 4-6 weeks. I do not want to leave all my shopping to the end when I will be much larger and much less tolerant of massive groups of people.

The Aggie game on Saturday made me very sad. I’ve never seen such a big momentum swing happen so drastically. Hopefully, my Cowboys don’t also let me down tonight. On a much happier note, I was thrilled to see the Rangers lock up the AL West over the weekend!!!!

I love my husband and am so very glad to be back home with him. Traveling, being away from home and sleeping alone is not fun for me at all!!

Movement!

I am so incredibly swamped today- seriously meetings from 9am- 4pm with 2, 30 minute breaks. It’s ridiculous really (!!!!!!!!), but anyway, I had to take a couple of minutes quickly before my day became chaotic to share something that happened last night. I was lying in bed and started feeling Gavin moving around, but it was more consistent than anything Ive felt before and it went on for several minutes. I started paying more attention so I turned down the TV and put both my hands on my belly and at least TWICE I could actually feel my belly move from the outside. It was awesome!! It was very light; however my belly definitely bubbled up several times as he was moving around in there. He was even moving around this morning too and I’m pretty sure they were strong enough that I would have been able to feel the movement again. I cant wait for a few more weeks when Jason and Ally can feel it as well. Very cool moment for me!

19w3d Update!

How Far Along? 19w3d

Size of baby: 8 inches and 11 oz - The size of a mango

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 7 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler

Movement: Definitely feeling him, but still nothing consistent

What I miss: Nada, not a thing

Sleep: Sleeping very well

Symptoms: HEARTBURN- all the time!

What I am looking forward to: Nothing big baby-wise coming up- certainly enjoyed getting to see Gavin again this week. Headed to NY next week for work so that’ll make for a busy week!

Weekly wisdom: That my belly is just starting to get in the way of things- embrace the change.

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.

Your Body This Week

Think you're big now? You'll start growing even faster in the weeks to come. As a result, you may notice some achiness in your lower abdomen or even an occasional brief, stabbing pain on one or both sides — especially when you shift position or at the end of an active day. Most likely, this is round ligament pain. The ligaments that support your uterus are stretching to accommodate its increasing weight. This is nothing to be alarmed about, but call your practitioner if the pain continues even when you're resting or becomes severe.

Pictures of Baby Gavin!

Our 19w appointment was awesome!!! Ill post a better update later, but in the meantime here is a link to a bunch of pictures of our baby boy! We are so excited and are feeling so blessed!!!

http://share.shutterfly.com/share/received/welcome.sfly?fid=3a47c3baf7a71f48c7e45aad1e0cdff4&sid=0AZMWzRm4aM2Tqw

Symptoms!

I am not delusional nor am I naive; however what I am, is honest! Ill say first of all that in general symptom-wise, I have been very blessed. I didnt experience any significant morning sickness to speak of, no physical pain and up to this point I havent even had any real issue with sleep. But I am having a moment - for the last several days I literally can not eat anything, no matter how big or small without experiencing heartburn! I feel so blessed and thankful to be pregnant with a healthy baby boy that I really hesitate to complain about ANYTHING. But its Friday night, Im tired and I am in PAIN! Ill deal with whatever I have to ensure we deliver a healthy baby boy safe and sound but right now Im taking 5 minutes to type this, wallow in my pity party and complain. Ok, maybe itll last more than 5 minutes, but Im going back to suffer in silence. Goodnight!

18w4d Belly Shot and Weekend Plans!

I apologize for the darkness of the picture below but you get the idea. We have a busy weekend ahead of us. We are headed out to Austin tomorrow morning for some family time and football. Itll be a good time, even if I do have to spend my hard earned money and see a t.u. football game. It’s a quick trip. We will be back Sunday. Then Sunday night the Cowboys kick off the regular season. Can we say woohoo for some non-pre-season crap football?!?!?! YEAH! Monday Jason and I are both off and have tons of errands to run. We will also be registering and going to my ob appt. It will be the last big ultrasound to see baby Ramey. After this we wont see him on u/s again for 2 1/1 more months, when I’m in the 2rd trimester! Hope everyone has a good weekend!

18 Weeks!

How Far Along? 18 weeks

Size of baby: The size of a sweet potato

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 4 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops

Gender: BOY- Gavin Tyler

Movement: Definitely feeling him, but still nothing consistent

What I miss: Nada, not a thing

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty welly- sometimes I even sleep until 4-5ish before having to get up to go to the bathroom.

Symptoms: VERY thirsty lately and I also have crazy, vivid dreams EVERY SINGLE NIGHT

What I am looking forward to: Jason and I's day off next Monday which we will spend going to a big ultrasound appt and we're also headed to register!

Weekly wisdom: Not feeling very wise at the moment

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Head to rump, your baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that you'll start noticing more and more in the weeks ahead. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born. If you're having a girl, her uterus and fallopian tubes are formed and in place. If you're having a boy, his genitals are noticeable now, but he may hide them from you during an ultrasound.

Your Body This Week

Hungry? An increase in appetite is pretty common about now. Make it count by choosing meals and snacks that are rich in nutrients instead of empty calories (chips, French fries, candy, and other sweets). Bigger, more comfortable clothes are a must now as your appetite and waistline grow.

Your cardiovascular system is undergoing dramatic changes, and during this trimester your blood pressure will probably be lower than usual. Don't spring up too fast from a lying or sitting position or you might feel a little dizzy.

From now on, when you do lie down, it's best to lie on your side — or at least partly tilted to one side. (When you lie flat on your back, your uterus can compress a major vein, leading to decreased blood return to your heart.) Try placing a pillow behind you or under your hip or upper leg for comfort.

Update!

This week has been a rough week and I am glad to see it coming to a close. This whole span of time for me right now is rather bittersweet. One year ago on Monday, August 29^th, 2010, we lost our sweet baby Ethan. I don’t want to dwell too much on this and bemoan about how hard it all is. I think everyone can appreciate how hard it was/has been/is for us, even without me detailing out every feeling I experienced leading up to that day, that day and every day since. Regardless of whether we were able to bring Ethan home with us the fact is still that I became a mommy that day and Jason became the daddy of his second child. We will never forget him and always love him.

Moving on, today is September 1^st. For me it marks the beginning of Fall- my MOST favorite time of the year. In fact, this marks the beginning of my most favorite and second favorite time of the year. I love fall and winter. I love everything that fall brings- cooler temperatures, football!!!!!!!!, and family holidays. I love cold weather. I prefer it over hot weather ANY DAY and the last several years we have had great winters with very uncharacteristically winter like weather here in North Texas. I hope the trend continues this year! Our new house has this really awesome hill that would be perfect for sledding should we get any snow!!! 

 I also wanted to post my 17 week belly shot too, which was actually last Sunday, but better late than never. I’m also posting probably my last weekly belly comparison. It was at 18 weeks exactly that we found out Ethan had Dandy Walker. Although I carried him for another 3 ½ weeks the joy of pregnancy was pretty much sapped out of me after that so I didn’t continue the weekly tradition. Now all the belly pictures will be just of me and this baby.

17 Weeks!

How Far Along? 17 weeks

Size of baby: The size of an onion

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 4 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops

Gender: BOY!

Movement: Still feeling flutters, nips and pushing that definitely feels like baby movement

What I miss: Nada, not a thing

Sleep: Still sleeping pretty well, but laying on my tailbone for extended periods of time will wake me up

Symptoms: VERY thirsty lately

What I am looking forward to: Next ultrasound on September 12th

Weekly wisdom: That I just have to eat more than Im used to, even if its not what Im used to

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and he's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. He can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.

Your Body This Week

Starting to feel a bit off balance? As your belly grows, your center of gravity changes, so you may begin to occasionally feel a little unsteady on your feet. Try to avoid situations with a high risk of falling. Wear low-heeled shoes to reduce your risk of taking a tumble; trauma to your abdomen could be dangerous for you and your baby. You'll also want to be sure to buckle up when you're in a car — keep the lap portion of the seat belt under your belly, drawn snugly across your hips, and also use the shoulder harness, which should fit snugly between your breasts.

You may also notice your eyes becoming drier. Using over-the-counter lubricating drops may help. If your contact lenses become uncomfortable, try wearing them for shorter stretches of time. If you still have discomfort, switch to glasses until after you give birth.

Erin Condren Giveaway!

Im going to take a few minutes to talk about these fancy Erin Condren Life Planners that have taken the blogging world by storm. They have been posted, tweeted and FBed about everywhere. It’s funny to me considering that as digital and “paperless” as we have become, these tangible, non-electronic planners have become all the rage. Just proves that you can’t duplicate the pleasure us OCD women get when we get our hands on a fun and colorful planner. I remember from high school on how much enjoyment I’ve gotten from starting off a new year with a new planner all decked out with the year’s important dates. I do think these planners are AWESOME and would love to have one, but the $50 price tag is keeping me away. Here’s the website http://www.erincondren.com/store/ and a fellow blogger over at The Link Home is also offering a giveaway with enough free store credits that one of these fancy planners could be yours for FREE!

16 Weeks!

How Far Along? 16 weeks

Size of baby: The size of an avocado

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 2 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops

Gender: BOY!

Movement: I actually think I have started feeling this baby move but its very sporadic

What I miss: Nada, not a thing

Sleep: Still sleeping very well

Symptoms: VERY thirsty lately

What I am looking forward to: Baby bedding and crib coming in this week

Weekly wisdom: Its very important that I drink plenty of water. I didnt drink enough on Saturday and experienced some uncomfortable cramping, probably from dehydration.

Baby Ramey’s Progress

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, his heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as your baby continues to develop.

Your Body This Week

The top of your uterus is about halfway between your pubic bone and your navel, and the round ligaments that support it are thickening and stretching as it grows. You're probably feeling a whole lot better as you settle into pregnancy, too. Less nausea, fewer mood swings, and "glowing" skin contribute to an overall sense of well-being.


Soon you'll experience one of the most wonderful moments of pregnancy — feeling your baby move. While some women notice "quickening" as early as 16 weeks, many don't feel their baby move until about 18 weeks or more. (And if this is your first baby, don't be too impatient — you may not be aware of your baby's movements until 20 weeks or so.) The earliest movements may feel like little flutters, gas bubbles, or even like popcorn popping. Over the following weeks they'll grow stronger and you'll be able to feel them much more frequently.

Second drs appt of the week!

Im off to the dr again this afternoon, but this is just a regular ob check with Dr. Seligman. Im so excited to tell him how well our appt on Monday went. He actually probably already knows but it’ll still be nice to discuss it with him. Im also hoping to discuss how we will handle my delivery. Dr. Seligman is part of a very large practice, 6-7 doctors. Typically at some point after 20 weeks they would make me start rotating through all the other doctors in the event that one of them is on call and has to perform the delivery. However, I don’t know how he plans to handle my situation. Nor do I even know how their practice in general handles this. We shall see.

Cravings and belly talk!

Im pretty good about any crazy cravings that I might I have. I usually am able to keep them at bay or satisfy them on my own. I’ve never ask Jason to run to the store at midnight to get a chocolate bar nor have I really ever ask him to go out unexpectedly for any food item. But last night, I had my first craving that I had to satisfy, although it was an easy and convenient request. We had gone to Saltgrass and had dinner and on the way home I decided that I needed a piece of Key Lime pie. Even though I was stuffed to the gill I had to have the piece of pie. So I told Jason that he had to stop somewhere for me to get a piece. We really got lucky and it only took one stop, the local Kroger had Key Lime pie in the bakery section. It was delicious and completely worth it, but the conversation Jason and I had later made me wish I hadn’t had that piece of pie.

This is how it went. I was lying in bed and rubbing my belly with my Burt's Bees Momma Belly Balm and he said "how big is he now" and I said "about 4 1/2 inches, the size of an apple". He followed that up with "and your belly is already that big? I can tell you're going to get really big".  Really, did he just say that??? I told him that I was showing early because I was about 22 weeks pregnant less than a year ago, my body is responding more quickly than last time, but I was still bummed. I don’t want to be comically big.

Baby bedding!

The obsession begins..... these are the 4 options Ive come up with. (You can click on the image to view them bigger)

15"ish" weeks comparison picture

Doctor's Appointment Update!

My appointment yesterday couldn’t have gone better!!!! The brain checked out perfect and he also checked the heart, feet, toes, bladder, stomach, diaphragm, legs, arms and everything checked out perfectly. It was amazing!!!!!!!! He is perfect! In fact, the specialist has released me back to my regular Ob and I no longer have to see him at all! It is an amazing feeling to know that everything with our baby boy is just fine. We also got definitive confirmation that baby Ramey is definitely a BOY. See pictures below!

15 Weeks!

How Far Along? 15 weeks

Size of baby: The size of an apple

Total Weight Gain/Loss: + 2 lbs

Maternity Clothes: Maternity Jeans, yes, but still wearing mostly non-maternity tops

Gender: Dr thinks Boy- will find out for sure today.

Movement: I actually think I have started feeling this baby move but its very sporadic.

What I miss: Nothing at this point, Im loving being pregnant!

Sleep: Very well!

Symptoms: I am having trouble taking deep breaths at time, very thirsty at times, HEADACHES and I've just started recently having some pain in my tailbone!

What I am looking forward to: Drs appointment TODAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Baby Ramey’s Progress

This week's big developments: Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl!

Your Body This Week

You've probably gained about 5 pounds by now (a little more or less is fine, too) and are well into the swing of your pregnancy, but you may still be surprised by an unexpected symptom now and then. If your nose is stuffed up, for instance, you can probably chalk it up to the combined effect of hormonal changes and increased blood flow to your mucous membranes. This condition is so common, there's even a name for it: "rhinitis of pregnancy." Some pregnant women also suffer nosebleeds as a result of increased blood volume and blood vessel expansion in the nose.