GRETCHEN ANN ELIZABETH GRANT IS HERE!!!

Gretchen was born Dec 9th right after noon. We started the induction (the drugs) at 8:30 am and the doctor broke my water at around 10 (followed quickly by an epidural before things got too exciting) ~ then we were ready to roll! Four pushes later and there she was!! All 9 lb 3.4 oz and 21 inches long... 'a tall drink of water' as the doctor said ;) She's long and lean - with huge hands and feet to grow in to.

With the support of our families we're off to a great start. Nana and Pop watched Dyson while we were in the hospital and Mema and Grandpa took care of us for the first few weeks home. We are so blessed to have family to lean on and share this exciting time with.

Baby is doing great (gaining weight and shedding the little jaundice she had in the hospital). Brother is thrilled, but a little bored by the lack of activity from his new playmate. Daddy and mommy are happy, just very, very tired.

Here's some new below pictures ;) This will be out last post but please feel free to email for updates - teamgrant@yahoo.com.

A huge thank you to everyone that's been reading and keeping up with our baby blog. And for all the treasures and soft lovelies you've been sending (especially Gigi's Great Aunt Suzie, whom in cahoots with my mom keep both of my kids well dressed all the way from Cali). Lots of love to you all!!

Last few updates...

Well first the highlights, then some pictures ;)

We're scheduled to induce THIS UPCOMING Thursday! Our last doctor's appointment went well - uneventful really... she said the contractions are all a good sign. Baby Gretchen is moving 'down' and we're still 3cm (90% effaced) so all is well.

So I'd never complain, because we're having a healthy baby (and already have an amazing healthy, happy, smart son) but I've had my first taste of Sciatic Pain and it's a doozie! I think we have a big baby on our hands... but I was 10 lb 10 oz so I deserve it ;)

Showers, Vists and Doctors - oh my!

We had a wonderful weekend!

Started with a baby shower - from Ms Kimberlee and Ms Haley - with plenty of yummies, friends and pink/green decor... it was great ;) I was thankful to have Mom and Lori visiting to partake in the festivities as well (pictures to come...).

This morning we had a doctors visit and... drum roll... we're 3cm (and 'thinned' and 90% effaced)!!!! AMAZING from 0cm report last week! YAY! All that excitement... we're getting ready!

We set a date!

YAY! Confirmed today - Dec 9th will be Gretchen's induction date! ;)

Still at zero!

Second weekly appointment (we're 36 weeks and 1 day today) and I'm still not dilated, at all! Show's how much I know... I was convinced I was primed and ready! ;)

On the good news, I did get the doctor's okay for Dec 9th for the induction - just need the scheduling nurse to call and confirm they don't already have three people scheduled for that morning. Fingers crossed!

Early or *really* big???

So Gretchen will either be a very big (and strong!) baby and/or is running out of room in mommy's tummy. She's stretching and kicking... I'm feeling a lot of movement - which is great! But it's making sleeping and well, anything else, a little more challenging.

We're excited to have family close for the upcoming holidays - momma and Lori are coming out the weekend before Thanksgiving for my baby shower and some nursery prep! Going to be great! Then the following weekend we'll have Nana and Pop (and Great Uncle Bobo?) for Turkey day. We were *thrilled* to hear we wont be missing out on any homemade cooking! ;)

Then... miss Gigi will be seeing all of her grandparents for the delivery and her aunts and uncles shortly thereafter. Lucky duck to have so many people in our lives excited for her arrival!

"Baby room" now open!

Last night Dyson officially moved downstairs to the main floor for his new "big boy room" because he's too old for the baby room (nursery upstairs). To top it off he's in his new bed - which Daddy built and Dyson LOVED!

It was all very exciting (and emotional for the pregnant mommy)... Dyson was thrilled, Daddy was pleased Dy was happy (and willing to give some decorating tips for the baby room for Gigi - 'green' was the color of choice) and Mommy cried... tears of joy. Just feel like my baby boy is soooooo far away from me ;)

So to my own momma (Dyson, Gigi that's 'Mema' to you) - I'm sorry for being so oblivious on how my moving across the country for school could actually cause you physical pain. Had no idea until I had a glimpse from the other side of the coin!

8 months and counting!!

We had a wonderful checkup yesterday and I weighed in at only 15 lbs over - so I was on cloud 9 all day ;)

Thankful for traffic?

I was frustrated and then I remembered how thankful I am - a few times - yesterday.

I sat in traffic for an hour and half on the way to work (about 20 miles)... but I'm thankful I have a job to go to everyday and a boss that lets me come in whenever I want to so I can have an hour with Dyson in the mornings.

I sat in traffic for an hour on the way to volleyball practice (less than 20 miles)... but I'm thankful I can share my passion for a sport that's given me so much and that I've enjoyed for so many years.

I sat in traffic for an hour on the way home from volleyball practice (about 30 miles) totally starving... but I'm thankful to have a home to go to every night where my amazing husband and brilliant, funny son will be there waiting, thrilled to see me.

I am so thankful.

Big Brother at Ms. Robin's Daycare

Weighing in... again

Next week we hit the 8month mark - yikes! We're getting very close! I forgot the physical "pressure" my body feels carrying baby (and a total of 20 lbs extra) - it's a little early to get the pregnant waddle ;)

We're all doing well - basement and guest bedroom are almost done so big brother's room is next... drum roll - then the nursery for our sweet baby girl. We're thrilled!

7 months and 2 days!

Healthy check up today - took all of 10 minutes at the doctor. Oh, and my ever so swelling "cankcles" the doctor prescribed me compression socks... just keeps getting hotter! Sooo sexy!

Off to Pop and Nana's house we go

We just returned from a wonderful visit with Nana and Pop in Blackstone, VA. Dyson did great - sleeping for nap and bedtime without the crib tent (which is a beast to set up and take down) so that was good. And he had a chance to brag about "baby Gretchen" in mommy's tummy and show off his potty training tattoos - of which he has quite a few!

We relaxed and ate too much - a splendid way to enjoy a weekend!

Great Aunt Suzie and Mema are on a roll!

Miss Gretchen - you already own more clothes than I do thanks to your Mema and great aunt Suzie. And let me tell you, the boxes arriving at our door have the cutest, littlest, pinkest pieces I've ever seen.

BIG thanks for all the lovelies!

Another good photo shoot, er, ultrasound

Dive, dive, dive - that's all I can picture... 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea - the submarine diving deeper and deeper - then ah ha! - the wonders of the deep. It's like the ultrasound lube and instrument provides this little peak in to the mysteries of my belly so we can get a glimpse of baby, so cool ;)

We went back yesterday for the second ultrasound for more pictures of her spine because she wasn't in a good position to see everything last time. This time, however, it was more of the same. She was laying in the exact same spot with the bottom of her pelvis tucked in mine so Gigi, our technician (more on her later), couldn't quite get everything she needed. BUT she did say everything she does see looks perfectly healthy and nothing gives her any cause for alarm.

Now back to Ms Gigi because years from now I want to remember the laugh Mike and I got out of all this... Two weeks ago, for the first ultrasound we met Ms Gigi in her conservative scrubs, hair up, no make up - typical nurse "I've been working all day" look - well, well, yesterday she stepped it up - makeup (included lipstick, fresh application?), hair styled, etc the whole nine yards which wouldn't I have given a second thought until the first thing out of her mouth was "Oh, daddy didn't come today?" Wow that's some memory that he did in fact come last time... So, no daddy couldn't make the second ultrasound but he was missed (by many, apparently).

Feeling very "connected" lately

With baby Gretchen kicking every day now we're all a little more aware that our baby girl is on her way ;) I enjoy it because it's her way of "talking" to me - 'I'm here mommy... growing... getting strong' and according to Dyson it's baby's way of playing and working out ;) smart kid. Daddy's just thankful for the monthly (uneventful) doctor check ups.

We're very excited to meet you little miss! And you just received your first box of pink baby clothes from Mema and Aunt Suzi (first of many - as "project pink" just begins").

Isn't it funny....

At age of 4: Mom knows everything! At 8: Mom knows a lot! At 12: Mom doesn’t really know everything. At 14: Mom doesn’t know anything. At 16: Mom doesn’t exist. At 18: She’s old fashioned. At 25: Maybe Mom does know about this! At 35: Before we decide, let’s ask Mom. At 45: I wonder what Mom thinks about this? At 75: I wish I could ask my Mom about this. I have the best Mom in the world.

Whew!!! I need a nap!

Being an incubator takes it's toll... I'm exhausted! I had a wonderful ladies lunch out with a friend so I'm stuffed *and* I'm in a long sleeve cozy top... the house is quite, kind of toasty... I could fall asleep right now in my chair!

Tap, tap, tap... that's me continuing to type away on my laptop *even though* a nap sounds glorious right now.... tap, tap, tap...

Baby at 24 weeks!!

This week your baby's crown-to-rump length is around 8.4 inches and your baby will weigh approximately 1.2 pounds. Although it weighs a little over a pound at this point, your growing baby is still tiny. Your uterus can easily be felt 1.5 to 2 inches above your bellybutton. The fetus does not appear to have much room in the uterus anymore, but as your pregnancy progresses, space gets much tighter!



Because your uterus is expanding and putting a great amount of pressure on your abdomen, you might get stretch marks. Your weight gain may also be taking a toll on your body at this point. Many pregnant women experience backaches, bladder problems, sore feet and fatigue that affect their daily routines. You might also have some nasal stuffiness or nosebleeds.

Your baby's face is basically complete now. The fetus's eyes are close together on the front of his face and they are still shut. Your baby's ears have moved into their final position on the sides of his head. Where they are now is where they will be when your baby is born! Hair will continue to grow on his scalp and his eyelashes are well developed. Most of your baby's features look the same as they will at birth. Because your growing baby is getting plumper, he no longer has room in your tummy to do cartwheels and somersaults.

Now is a good time to ask about prenatal classes being offered in your area. Many local hospitals offer classes for expectant women and their families. You should aim to complete the classes approximately one month before your due date.

You may sometimes get a stitch-like pain in your side from time to time. It's simply the muscles of the uterus stretching.
the unborn child is covered with a fine, downy hair called lanugo. Its tender skin is protected by a waxy substance called vernix. Some of this substance may still be on the child's skin at birth at which time it will be quickly absorbed.

The child practices breathing by inhaling (up to a liter/day) amniotic fluid into developing lungs.

Baby said, "HI" to Daddy!

Last night baby Gretchen kicked (or punched?) hard enough for Mike to feel - and see! I was laying on my back and baby was very, very active. Mike put his hand on my tummy and didn't show any sign of 'feeling her' until the forth kick. We smiled ;) it's that time again... another baby on the way!

Weighing in...

It's amazing how good it feels to step on the scale and see 163 lbs! So we're 23 weeks (6 months next week) and up 12 lbs - I feel HOT, HOT, HOT ;)

Summer Cali trip pictures online!!

Check out this pictures!! Very cute - WONDERFUL time at home with the family! http://www.kodakgallery.com/gallery/sharing/shareRedirectSwitchBoard.jsp?token=196266495506%3A961973709&sourceId=533754321803&cm_mmc=eMail-_-Share-_-Photos-_-Sharee

This is one of my favorites!

It's a GIRL!!!!

We had a wonderful check up today and found out we're on pace for a healthy girl! Due date is still 12/12/10. I cried when we found out and Mike was speechless - baby Gretchen smiled for the camera (ultrasound) the whole time ;)

On to my "nesting" - LOVE IT!!

So I found two patterns/colors I like for the nursery walls. I would like to do wallpaper on the bottom half then molding and a more neutral/subtle color on the top half of the walls - looks like we're going shabby chic with pinks/greens/creams ;)

http://www.americanblinds.com/wallpaper/largeimage/productid,53820

http://api.ning.com/files/-lzQUg6-muo6TMlh5Va4mlxrnl-QAvn72G1c15qbKpzrl0*IDeNZh7IeTdxqvF9hRhC36knwFEyi1cA4*ibpURCemH7Ysru3/greenpais3.jpg

http://www.chemo-hats.net/gabcottons/g402main.gif

VERY EXCITED!!

Update on baby names...

Updated belly picture from our Cali trip! Dyson loves baby ;) 5 months along!! Finding out the gender this Monday! Who are we going to meet in December? Hudson Hetfield Grant or Gretchen Ann Elizabeth Grant??? Hmmmm...

Flight to Cali

So turns out the best way for a pregnant woman to fly cross country is with her husband and two year old... distracting a two year old for almost 7 hours in a tiny space takes all of your attention - leaving you very little time to think about silly stuff like "I'm uncomfortable" or "wow, I could use a nap or more food"... and in those few moments you do remember, and feel overwhelmed your husband steps in and saves the day giving you a much needed break and something to smile about.

Truly blessed.

Update on baby names

So our leading favorites....

Tatum Ann Elizabeth Grant (for a girl)
Hudson Hetfield Grant (for a boy)

A little history...
Tatum's first name is from John David Tatum, a former American football defensive back who played ten seasons from 1971 to 1980 for the Oakland Raiders and Houston Oilers in the National Football League. He is popularly known as "The Assassin." He was voted to three Pro Bowls (1973-1975) and was a member of one Super Bowl winning team in his nine seasons with the Raiders. Tatum earned a reputation as a fierce competitor and was considered as one of the hardest hitters ever to play the game.

The (double) middle names are from her grandmothers - my mom's middle name 'Ann' and Mike's mom's 'Elizabeth'.

Hudson's first name is from Saul Hudson (born 23 July 1965), better known by his stage name Slash, is a British musician. Best-known as the former lead guitarist of the hard rock band Guns N' Roses, with whom he performed and recorded between 1985 and 1996, he later co-founded Velvet Revolver with his former bandmates Duff McKagan and Matt Sorum. Slash has received critical recognition as a guitarist. In August 2009, Time Magazine ranked him #2 on its list of the "10 Best Electric Guitar Players of All-Time".

The middle name is from James Hetfield, lead singer of Metallica, was born on August 3, 1963. A band Mike cites as (along with KISS) the most influential in his life as a musician/growing up.

But we'll see... a few first names we still like (the middle names are already set):
Girls
-Tess
-Delila
-Ada
-Kagan

Boys
-Porter
-Gibson
-Ryder
-Stabler

Family Summer Pictures

Camping at the lake in WV and DC Zoo

First day back to yoga (yikes!!)

Yoga, maybe even more so than any other type of exercise, punishes you for not staying with it. This morning I did 30 minutes of yoga after two days of running/lifting and it was rough! But afterward I (and baby) felt good. And next time will be that much easier... right?

Lost of movement in my tummy! Love it!!!

Baby is on the move today! Must have heard big brother telling everyone at daycare yesterday that his baby is kicking! Or maybe using Mike's protein powder in my shake this morning was just a little too much for 7am....

Update on the scale

So up until last week I was on pace - same as last pregnancy - for gaining one pound per month (until month 5 when I started gaining 1 lb per wk)... and then there's this morning's weigh in... I'm up to 158.2 lbs.... which means at 4 1/2 months I'm up 7.2 lbs. I'm getting my tail in the gym today. I know, I know it sounds silly but I thought I had two more weeks of bragging about my weight. And I am not really ready to give in so easily.

Besides in about a week I'll be home with my two skinny, mini sisters on the lake in bathing suits - talk about motivation!!

A "no call" is a "good call" at this point...

I'm sure my grammar is all out of whack for the title of this post, but it's a HAPPY day so I think even my English teaching husband will give me a pass!

For anyone that doesn't already know the four month checkup appointment is one of the most uneventful, nerve racking appointments there is... well, maybe till the five month check up where we find out the gender and check all the baby's measurements to be sure we're growing A-OK.

Month four is the first stage of testing for any abnormalities and it takes a FULL 7 days to get results! KILLER! If the results are negative (ie don't show anything of note) the doctor doesn't call and if there is a problem they call to discuss your next steps/options. I was counting down the days. And Friday came and went without a call. What a relief. What a blessing.

I may be a little hyper-sensitive these days because a dear friend of mine just lost her baby (she was a month ahead of us) and my heart just aches for her, as a friend, a fellow mother (she already has two little ones) and as a pregnant woman. It's so difficult to find words in this situation. There are no words. They are finding their own way to heal but she's asked friends for some time and distance as they get through this difficult time. So I feel helpless, but for now I just pray every day and thank God for my healthy boy and our second on the way. God's angels are protecting our baby right now until delivery when it's our turn - who am I kidding, I'll still be praying to baby's guardian angels long after pregnancy. I'm sure my parents still do the same, regardless of the years that have passed and the miles that keep us apart... just a parent's right I suppose.

So it's Monday morning. I'm in the office crying at my desk because this posting touched me so deeply. Thank you for letting me share. And thank you for reading/participating in our baby blog. Your support and love for our growing family means the world to us.

So blessed.

Mommy to be (again) moments ;)

Feeling blessed

There are too many close calls and so many things to worry about. We had another good checkup yesterday - a nice reminder of how blessed we are to have a healthy baby.

Already sleeping less with two kids... little earlier than expected!

Three day holiday weekend, sweet - off to another camping trip! This time it was Lost City, WV!

It was great - four nights and three days of under the stars, lake swimming, cookout eating time with our nearest and dearest. I did however get a tiny glimpse of life with two kids because as we learned from our last trip Dyson will not go to sleep until Mike and I are in the tent in bed with him... so there we all were at 9pm worn out from the water and sun cuddled up on our queen blow up mattress sharing sleeping bags. Well, momma (and baby) can only sleep on our left side because right side hurts too much and I have to have my knees pulled up to get comfortable. So it was momma on my left side, legs pulled up, Dyson sprawled out as much as he could, then daddy clinging to whatever piece of the mattress he could find. Needless to say we didn't sleep too soundly, well, I should say Dyson and baby were fine, it was daddy and mommy that kept waking up to readjust ;)

But we had a wonderful time and I was reminded of how easy it is to care for baby while still in my tummy with Dyson out of his routine and in a new place - every meal and moment at camp was an event. But there was baby tucked away safe happy as can be. So keep on growing little munchkin, we're excited to meet you, but comforted knowing your safe and sound. MWAH

Is it just me, or is the room spinning???

Wowzers - I'm going to have to check the blog I made when I was pregnant with Dyson but I don't remember these "dizzy spells"... I can't find a pattern either - it's not the same time of day, I'm not necessarily hungry or due to eat, etc... not sure what's going on. The little Google searching I have done points to high blood pressure side effects which I doubt is the cause, because I've never had high blood pressure at any of my checkups or low iron which sounds a little more likely.

We're due for our next appointment next Friday so I'm going to amp up my iron-rich foods (yum, huh?) based on the options listed on this site I found - http://www.fatfreekitchen.com/nutrition/iron.html - and see if that helps any, then just let the doctor know.

Stay tuned. ;)

Camping with mommy, daddy, Dyson and baby makes 4!

My two absolute favorite family vacations I can tie just about every fun, summer moment to are camping (in the pop-up!) and the houseboat trips.

Well I'm on lucky duck because Mikey enjoys camping too and last weekend we did three days at the lake camping with Dyson. Tents and all. We did make one improvement from last year - blow up mattress and it's just silly we didn't get one before - it's a 1000 times better than sleeping on the ground.

Everything was great - the weather was beautiful, the lake was great (http://www.virginia.org/site/description.asp?attrID=29489) . So good in fact, Dyson couldn't tear himself away to nap... at all. So he was up from 7-9 (when it got dark out) and crashed! The hardest part was 'holding it' every morning around 4 or 5 when Mike and I would wake up and be too afraid to go out to the bathroom out of fear that Dyson would wake up... that boy does not go back to sleep after he's up ;)

So we're on for next weekend. Camping trip #2. Can't wait!!!!!

Turning over a new leaf!

YUM! I'm obsessed with salad. I haven't made a salad at home ever since I found a dead mosquito in a bag of ready-to-eat chopped lettuce a few months back. But I had a coupon (heaven knows I love a coupon!) for a store brand garlic Caesar dressing and ready mix cut lettuce. I added some tomatoes from the farmers market and some spicy cut salami and a little chopped leftover bacon. It's AMAZING!!! Taste buds coming back to to me and baby's a salad lover - who knew?! Taking after mommy.... maybe we have a girl after all??? A love for salad is one thing Mike will not be passing down to any of our kids.

That said Dyson did eat some chopped lettuce for the first time with a lot of cheering from mom and dad and urging to see "sunshine mouth" - a wonderful trick from daycare where the kids chew, chew, chew to show you a clean mouth and get high fives ;) Hey, whatever works - my 2 year old is eating raw lettuce, I'll stand on my head if I have to! ;)

Mommy and baby... on a skateboard??

I had a pretty great dream last night. I was absolutely rocking out on a skateboard - mind you, I also had a waistline (aka wasn't pregnant). I'm 28 years old, pregnant with our second and I still don't know how to skateboard. A downright crime if you know my social circle from the Serrano Seahawk Jr HS days in Cali...

A lot of people I know have a bucket list, but I'm a Tunila (so I'm impatient), and made mine a "before I'm 30" list. Before I'm 30 I would like to be able to not embarrass my son on a skateboard. Sadly my skating career was cut short on a church trip to Mexico where I was trying to show I didn't have to sit on the sidelines with the other girls, that I could skate too. Well, the board went out from under me and so did my legs, I landed on my hip/bum and ended up black and blue (and couldn't cry, of course, to save face). OUCH!!!

So, why is this dream confession on baby's blog? Baby, I have you to thank. If I wasn't 13 weeks pregnant with you I'd have gone out to the store this morning and bought a board - not to mention me finding some random 15 year old kid to teach me.

So thank you baby, for keeping me off a skateboard (and my hip/bum bruise-less) for another 6 months (at least). Just one more reason daddy and I are excited you're a part of our growing family!

Second doctor's appointment.... not to be outdone...

Well, well, well... I guess it's the "Tunila" coming out of them kids. Our babies are very competitive and do things on their own time table ;)

At today's appointment the doctor tried to find the heartbeat with the monitor and couldn't (that was a short sentence, in real life, that was about 5 minutes ending with me in tears and eyes shut praying). Then she said, "Not to worry, this happens, let's do a sonogram to confirm everything is fine." So we did. And it was. Fine, that is. Baby just wasn't ready for us to hear her/his heartbeat... VERY similar to his/her older brother as Mike reminded me. We had the exact same thing happen with Dyson at 13 weeks. (This did not make today's visit any less unnerving - my heart was racing!)

I think I got my first glimmer of a "just because you've done this before doesn't mean it's any easier or less stressful" mommy moment. The lesson I'm taking away from this is 1) just to expect all the same jitters as I had when I was pregnant with Dyson, 2) when in doubt pray like heck and 3) again, it's nice to know I have my rock (daddy) in the appointments with me to calm me down and put things in perspective.

We're 12 weeks in!

Yay! We're 12 weeks in - first trimester done ;)

One lucky duck....

Baby,

This is momma... I was just thinking on my way in to work this morning how lucky you and I are. With an hour commute it leaves plenty of time to "just think".

Wait till you meet your father - okay, I'm already tearing up - he is the most amazing man. He'll do anything for you, your brother and me - anything to make you safe, happy and really just about anything to make you smile ;) Don't get me wrong, my picker wasn't always so keen - I dated some real pieces of work in high school and college - but if I must say so myself, I picked a good one with your daddy. He's so loyal - never a cross word - the strongest moral compass of anyone I know and works so hard for us.

And then there's your brother (daddy's mini-me) he's the sweetest kid - starts to get upset if anyone is hurt or sad - and so smart - absolutely in love with books and chatting it up at the age of 2! He's already in love with you too - talks to you through mommy's belly button, gives you kisses and even tried to share his Popsicle with you the other day (again, through mommy's belly button). He's excited to show you how to shoot hoops, swing a bat, play catch and pass/hit a volleyball - some of his favorites.

Yep munchkin, we are blessed. We are all so excited to meet you and welcome you in to your family! But for now, stay in there, keep growing and we'll see you when the snow starts falling (December!). Love you!!

First Bikini Day for Baby!

Oh, little one - if you only knew.... momma is out sporting a two piece with you showing off your roundness ;)

We had a great weekend with friends and topped it off with a pool party in our backyard - Dyson was a HUGE fan (pictures to come) - and this was all after standing in line for 20 minutes at the local county water park only to find out there were at capacity and that was NOT going to happen Sunday. ;)

Baby Names...

So we have a list - because every Tunila has a list for everything - so a baby name list is a must...

Here are the surviving names:

GIRL
Tess, Macie, Ada, Khiya, Tatum (my favorite)

BOY
Jacoby, Stabler, Leland

Here are the names that have been DQ'd by daddy or mema:

GIRL
Ainsley, Abigail, Piper, Harper

BOY
Mack, Caleb, Jagger, Sol, Crue, Hudson, Maddox

Any favorites??? The names have to pass our two tests: 1) Is it easy to recognize/pronounce if you see it written; and 2) is it unique enough that there wont be other kids with the same name in baby's class ;)

By the way - Dyson's middle name was almost Bean, after his prenatal nickname ;) See, Raider seems pretty normal compared to Bean! Little known fact - Kobe Bryant's middle name is also Bean after his dad's nickname from when he was in the pros ;)

10 am Feedings

It's pizza... almost every day. Whatever lean, low fat pizza I can get my hands on ;)

Dyson's 2nd Birthday Party - chance to show off the baby bump!!

What a wonderful day with friends and family! Our Cali family was missed - but Dyson received some fun packages in the mail that brought a little bit of sunshine to VA.

Speaking of... we decorated the backyard and Mike worked hard to get everything looking great - about 15 minutes in, the rain started. So, we moved everyone in and started over ;)

The baby bump was on showcase in my fitted top (and stretchy pants - the best). Dyson has a great time and blew his candles out in one go! I'll post the videos soon.

10 Weeks Tomorrow!

Keeping count? We're 10 months tomorrow and feeling much better. I still need to eat every two hours but I've up'd my water and stopped eating after dinner. Mommy and baby are weighing in at a healthy 151 LBS (That's 10lbs less than I started Dyson's pregnancy!)... My guess is losing the weight post-baby doesn't any easier so hopefully even when I gain my 30 lbs, I'll be able to fit in something!

Thank your brother, baby...

Dyson was testing his limits this weekend and "tried out" a few new not so nice things to say on momma... he waited for a reaction and kept on when he didn't get one he was expecting. I used all the distraction techniques, addressed the words directly (we don't use those words, yada, yada) finally I was so upset with him for continuing to use the ugly words, I popped him on the tush and put him in time out. Mike and I use time outs whenever necessary, but we don't spank Dyson. I felt horrible, Dyson was just confused... not my proudest mommy moment for sure.

So baby number two, you can thank your brother because daddy and I will not be spanking anymore (either of you). I just can't wrap my head around how I preach being nice and not hitting and then act out of anger and spank you guys. Next time I'll use my words ;)

"Feed baby every two hours..."

I read this in one of my baby magazines for pregnant women with morning sickness and it stuck with me... any other advice anyone would like to pass along?

So my new theory on morning sickness.... it's nature (and baby's) way of "training" the new mommy to take care of something - in this case, her body - to prep for having a newborn in the house. So with this line of thinking.... Dyson thought I needed seven months of "training" before I got the point ;) Yikes!

We're Facebook Official

I announced our excitement about the pregnancy yesterday on Facebook and received some wonderful notes from family and friends. Thank you all!

First DR Appointment - Perfect Check-up 8.5 wks!

So I'm showing, just "because it's my second" according to the doctor. I wanted to say, "really? are you sure maybe we should check for a second heartbeat or redo the math or something..."

The doctor has declared it. ONE healthy baby about 8 1/2 weeks old. With a strong heartbeat ;) EXACTLY what a momma and daddy want to hear. We're due 12/12/2010 so as my sister Lee said, Merry early Christmas!

Lunch....

So I'm eating leftover pizza from last night and very, very cold ginger ale.... momma (and baby?) are very, very happy right now ;)

Today is baby's first doctor's appointment!!

Alright... take your bets: Twins?

Really farther along than we think?

My best guess is I'm showing *WAY* more than I did with Dyson because it's my second pregnancy and I'm a few years older (yikes!), but also that we're actually THREE months along and not just two months.... we'll see. Stay tuned!

A Wonderful Mother's Day (FYI videos posted)

While it made me homesick and miss my momma even more than a typical day... we had a wonderful Mother's Day (weekend)! If you have a moment, check out our Flip Channel for some recent videos! If you don't have the URL address, please email me and I'll send you the link.

We drove down to the Children's Museum in Richmond on Saturday - which was great. TONS of stuff for Dyson to touch, do, see... it was cool. After Dyson's nap we headed over to Toy's R Us for his second basketball hoop (grew out of his toddler one about 6 months ago)... so more videos to come to show of his new skills. To be honest I'm not sure who more excited for his first basket - Mike and I or Dyson. But it was really cool ;)

Then Sunday was "honey-do" list day ;) It started with pancakes and ginger ale in bed - yum! Which put me in a great mood and must have made baby happy because I didn't feel queasy for awhile. Off to Home Depot for some stuff for the yard and over to Costco for party supplies for Dyson's birthday BBQ in a few weeks.

Dyson learned "Happy Mother's Day" which was the sweetest most wonderful thing I think I've ever heard - second, to when he learned "I love you". It was one of those mommy moments. I was so proud and felt so lucky to have him in our life. It's a high bar - but I know baby number to is going to be as special and funny and smart in his or her own way... we're so excited to meet you baby!!!! We already love you so much!

First Doctors' Appointment Tuesday

Welcome to our new web site. Dyson's baby blog is tucked away in his baby book and we hope to have a similar account of this exciting time for baby number 2!

Thank you all for the kisses and well wishes. We're waiting to spread the news outside family and close friends till after our first appointment.... so mmmummms the word until you get the green list sign. Pretty please.

We are so thrilled for our doctor's appointment (our first check up!) this Tuesday. Just a few days away and we'll learn so much about our baby - well, a due date at the very least.

General family status...
Mommy - (I) have morning sickness all day, everyday *but* the usual tricks, like eating 200-300 calories every hour or more citrus than you can imagine, that I used when I was pregnant with Dyson (for the first 7months, 7am - 9pm every day) aren't working but ginger ale seems to get me through the work day and Mike does so much around the house at night that I can just put my feet up and lay low ;) I'm a *very* spoiled mommy to be.

Daddy - is very excited and worrying about me doing too much, probably a little tired of the "what about... ...." game but he's enjoying the quiet before the storm aka a newborn in the home again ;)

Dyson - likes to talk to baby and give him/her kisses through mommy's belly button. Very cute.