Finally, a new post!

Can you believe it? I'm posting!!! Sorry it has taken me so long. I am starting to feel better and spending most of my days at the hospital. I want to try (don't hold me to it) and post just about every day. I want to share the story - so much went on and I know that not all of you got the full story and then also put updates. I'll break the story into little pieces so that you don't have to spend 2 hours reading it.

Jacob update: he is doing good. He looks sooooo good. He is 2lbs and 11oz. His nurse today said that he is the smallest one in level 2 nicu (that is where he will go home from - they don't have a level 1, odd) and the only reason why he is there is that he is doing so well medically. We had a rough day today and I didn't get to hold him as much as normal. He was just a little bit agitated. I think it is because I got there an hour later than normal...he is his mother's child. They are going to start increasing his feedings. He is fed through a tube through his nose (the part of his brain that tells him how to suck isn't developed yet and will take another 2-3 weeks). They feed him 3 milliliters every 3 hours and will be increasing that 1 milliliter every 9 hours. He is our beautiful baby boy!

Mommy update: I'm feeling pretty good. I stay on my pain medicine, but am starting to be able to go longer between pills. I'm very emotional and cry a lot. Today I'm having a rough day and am overwhelmed with how long it will be before I get to bring my baby boy home so I've had lots of tears. Everyone says I am looking smaller. I lost 17lbs in a week! That is how much water I was retaining and I still have some to lose. What a great diet! I walk everywhere now and don't need a wheelchair for the hospital anymore. I'm slow, but I make it!

Jacob's Story Part 1: The story really started before last Tuesday. The first complication I had was swelling in my hands and numbness in my fingers. I wore a brace at night that helped with the pain, but there was nothing we could do for the numbness and it would only go away with delivery.

Just when I was getting used to that, I started to itch. I itched and itched and itched. Mostly at night. I think that started 4 weeks before he was born, but I don't remember. My feet also began to swell and swell. At some point they tested me for preclampsia (don't know if I spelled that correct). I had spots in my vision one night (12/03) and I went to the hospital. They checked on the results of my preclampsia test and it was negative and they sent me home.

I seemed to be doing OK, still itching, but doing OK.

Monday night (12/10) I had a really bad night. I was so itchy and irritated and felt like I was going to jump out of my skin. I didn't sleep at all. I called the doctor that Tuesday and they worked me in. They ordered more tests and thought I might have something wrong with my gallbladder and that would be causing the itching. If that was the case, then they could give me another medicine (I was already on one that wasn't working) and I should be good to go. The only problem was that it took 7 days to get the results back. So, that Wednesday I went and got my blood drawn for that test and waited.

The next Monday (12/17) they called and said the results were back in and were positive and that the doctor wanted me to come in so that they could go over everything. I made an appointment for 9:40 Tuesday morning (12/18). I was excited because finally we had a reason for my itching and they could fix it.

Meanwhile, my feet were continuing to swell and my ankles were huge and (sorry it I gross you out) my urine had started to get really dark, but I was drinking a ton and my trips to the bathroom were not increasing that much....to be continued.

I'll post more pictures later as I get further along in the story. Here is Jacob's first picture ever. Here he is only a couple of hours old!

Jacob's 30 week update

Jacob had his theatre debut this weekend. He played baby Jesus in the womb. He wasn't too nervous. He did well and slept through just about the entire thing.

This is how he is growing:

Did you know your baby is nearly three pounds now?


His head is getting larger to accommodate a period of rapid brain growth. Don't forget to continue to "teach" your baby in the womb by exposing to music, literature, and simply talking to him.

A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him. As he grows and fills your uterus, the amount of amniotic fluid will decrease. Funny, you certainly won't feel any lighter!


He spends more and more time practicing opening and closing eyelids. His eyes can move from side to side, following a light source. He may even reach out to touch the light.

Early lanugo is beginning to disappear that served to protect your baby's skin from the water in the womb. Your little one's own hair may begin to appear.


Toenails are entering their final growth stage.

Bone marrow is now in charge of red blood cell production. These red blood cells will continue to service your child's body by transporting oxygen and removing the wastes (carbon monoxide and other gases).


Your baby has the capability now to produce tears -- yes, within the womb.

By the end of this week, your baby is now 15.7 inches long and weighs 2.91 pounds.

Update

My feet and my ankles are HUGE! I really need to take a picture and post it for you to see. It is too funny.

Pray for us as we have a big Christmas production tonight. Adam and I have several roles in it. It will be a blast. I have been running so hard this week and am wiped, so I'm going home early to rest before we have to be at the church. It should be fun and impacting! I cannot wait!

I leave you with these thoughts . . .

Amazingly Simple Home Remedies:

1. If you are choking on an ice cube , simply pour a cup of boiling water down your throat. Presto! The blockage will instantly remove itself.
2. Avoid cutting yourself slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them while you chop.
3. For high blood pressure sufferers: simply cut yourself and bleed for a few minutes, thus reducing the pressure in your veins. Remember to use a timer.
4. A mouse trap placed on top of your alarm clock will prevent you from rolling over and going back to sleep after you hit the snooze button.
5. If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives, then you will be afraid to cough.
6. You only need two tools in life - WD-40 and Duct Tape. If it doesn't move and should, use the WD-40. If it shouldn't move and does, use the duct tape

Remember: Everyone seems normal until you get to know them.

Cousins

Look at Jacob's cute cousins waiting to play with him!

Logan and Noah Butschek

(He does have another cute cousin, Reece, not pictured here)

Video Fun

This is a long video, but so worth it. The best part is at the end. Enjoy!

Jacob is 29 weeks today!

Your baby's head is in proportion with body now. He appears more like a newborn each and every day!

Fat continues to accumulate under the skin -- only now preparing for entering the *real world*.

Your baby's brain can control primitive breathing and body temperatures.

His eyes can move in their sockets. Soon he will be able to follow a blinking light.

Your baby is increasingly sensitive to changes in light, sound, taste, and smell! Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences (or disdain) for particular tastes or odors at this stage.

He is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, he will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if he is performing somersaults for a circus act!

His length is now approximately 15.2 inches and weight is 2.54 pounds.

How many legs?

Well, thanks to the 3 of you who posted your guess. Here is the answer:

Problem: There are 7 girls on a bus. Each girl has 7 backpacks. In each backpack, there are 7 big cats. For every big cat there are 7 little cats.

Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

Answer: 10,990 LEGS
7 Girls x 2 Legs = 14 Legs
7 Girls x 7 Backpacks = 49 Backpacks x 7 Big Cats = 343 Big Cats x 4 Legs = 1,372 Legs
343 Big Cats x 7 Little Cats = 2,401 Little Cats x 4 Legs = 9,604 Legs
14 Legs + 1,372 Legs + 9,604 Legs = 10,990 TOTAL LEGS!

Stay tuned....I have the BEST video in the world to post shortly!

Sometimes I remind myself that I am a blonde . . .

. . . and I wonder if blondes should be allowed to be pregnant - it might not be in the best interest of the baby.

When I left the hospital Monday night, they told me to drink 10 glasses of water a day. I thought, holy cow that is a lot, but I decided that I was going to do it. I set a reminder on my computer at work to go off every hour and thought if I downed one an hour I would be able to pull it off. I started Tuesday and by noon I had downed 4 water bottles. I went to lunch and felt funny. I felt like I was swimming. It was if I didn't have room in my stomach for lunch because it was full of water. I then started to think - something I should have done that morning - they wanted me to drink 10 GLASSES of water and I think that that means 10 8oz glasses of water. I called Adam who confirmed my thinking and it was then that I realized that I have finished off 80oz of water before lunch - that is how much I was supposed to drink that entire day! No wonder I felt like I was swimming - I really was swimming!

Update on Jacob: he is doing well. The doctor checked on him yesterday and his heart rate is good. My belly is measuring 28cm and it is supposed to measure 1cm per week +/- 2 (so that means it is just perfect). He is starting to become more active and that is so much fun!

Update on Mommy: well, I have been awake since 2am (so, if any of this doesn't make sense you understand why). I hadn't been sleeping at all and then I slept GREAT Monday and Tuesday night, but then last night it was back to the itching and the tossing and turning. The only thing I can figure is that on Monday and Tuesday I had no caffeine. So today I experiment - no caffeine and we'll see how I sleep. Hopefully that is the reason and I can go back to sleeping. So, I have been feeling better, but today I just feel weird and really tired. But still so happy to be an almost mom!

Are you smarter than a 5th grader?

I'm not. I needed help to figure this out. See what you come up with.

I think I fixed the comments so you can leave your answer as a comment and I'll post the winner next week.

Problem: There are 7 girls on a bus. Each girl has 7 backpacks. In each backpack, there are 7 big cats. For every big cat there are 7 little cats.

Question: How many legs are there in the bus?

Jacob is 7 months old.

Eyebrows and eyelashes are now very noticeable!
Hair on baby's head is growing longer. Some babies are born with almost none at all, while others appear to be ready for their first haircut!
Eyes are completely formed now. Quite a view from inside!
Your baby's body is getting plump and rounded. Most of that increase is muscle tissue and bone. Fat will be added during the third trimester.
Muscle tone is improving. Preparation for the Olympics feels like it is taking place in your womb!
Lungs are capable of breathing now (but baby would still struggle and require medical attention if born now)
Talk to your baby often, reading stories, singing songs and more. He or she can recognize your voice now and will often calm to it later on!
Your baby weighs in now at 2.2 pounds and is 14.8 inches.

Jacob and Mommy Update

As some of you heard, I went to the hospital early last night (around 6pm). Everything is fine and I'm feeling better. I have had (and still have) a TON of swelling (my ankles have disappeared and my fingers are numb from the swelling in my hands) and my blood pressure has been border line lately. At my last doctor's appointment they ordered some test to be run just to make sure everything was OK.

When I was fixing dinner I got a spot in my vision and then it got blurry. It was really weird. I thought I had something in my contact, but after washing it 5 times and then taking them out, it still hadn't gone away and I started to get a head ache.

When this happens, they like for you to go in and get everything checked out just to make sure. Adam, of course, was in Clermont so I called Stacy - my cousin who is a labor and delivery nurse - and she picked me up and we headed to Florida Hospital South where we were met by my mom and sister and soon Adam (My family couldn't stay away. Micah wanted to come, but had homework. He told my mom to call if anything was wrong and he would come right away. There wasn't anything for them to do - Mom and Juli ended up going to get some food. Just a lot of waiting on the tests).

My blood pressure was higher than they like (the top number was sticking around 141 to 138 - and they like it to be at 110, I think), but Jacob's heart rate was good and my reflexes were good (I don't know what that has to do with anything, but since I was so swollen it was a good thing). They took 3 vials of blood to test and were able to get the results from the other tests that I just had run and everything looked good. They sent me home and I have to go to the doctor's office for a follow-up visit tomorrow.

I'm glad everything checked out ok. I wish I could have done that from home, but you never know and I'm glad I went in. It was good to listen to Jacob's heartbeat for over an hour. It is just too cute. We were home by 9pm. I slept really good (which was a HUGE blessing since I have been getting 3-4 hours of sleep per night the past 3 nights) and I'm feeling pretty good today. I'm tired, but a good kind of tired. I think I'll sleep well tonight and Jacob and I decided no more trips to the hospital until he is ready to come out!

84 days until we meet him!

Potty Stop: a 3-year-old tells all from his mother's rest-room stall.

My little guy, Cade, is quite a talker. He loves to communicate and does it quite well. He talks to people constantly, whether we're in the library, the grocery store or at a drive-thru window. People often comment on how clearly he speaks for a just-turned-3-year-old. And you never have to ask him to turn up the volume. It's always fully cranked. There've been several embarrassing times that I've wished the meaning of his words would have been masked by a not-so-audible voice, but never have I wished this more than last week at Costco. Halfway, through our shopping trip, nature called, so I took Cade with me into the rest-room. If you'd been one of the ladies in the rest-room that evening, this is what you would have heard coming from the second to the last stall:

'Mommy, are you gonna go potty? Oh! Why are you putting toiwet paper on the potty, Mommy? Oh! You gonna sit down on da toiwet paper now? Mommy, what are you doing? Mommy, are you gonna go stinkies on the potty?' At this point I started mentally counting how many women had been in the bathroom when I walked in. Several stalls were full ... 4? 5? Maybe we could wait until they all left before I had to make my debut out of this stall and reveal my identity. Cade continued, 'Mommy, you ARE going stinkies aren't you? Oh, dats a good girl, Mommy! Are you gonna get some candy for going stinkies on the potty? Let me see doze stinkies, Mommy! Oh .. Mommy! I'm trying to see in dere. Oh! I see dem. Dat is a very good girl, Mommy. You are gonna get some candy!' I heard a few faint chuckles coming from the stalls on either side of me. Where is a screaming newborn when you need her? Good grief. This was really getting embarrassing. I was definitely waiting a long time before exiting.

Trying to divert him, I said, 'Why don't you look in Mommy's purse and see if you can find some candy we'll both have some!' ' No, I'm trying to see doze more stinkies. Oh! Mommy!' He started to gag at this point. 'Uh oh, Mommy. I fink I'm gonna frow up. Mommy, doze stinkies are making me frow up!! Dat is so gross!!' As the gags became louder, so did the chuckles outside my stall. quickly flushed the toilet in hopes of changing the subject. I began to reason with myself: OK. There are four other toilets. If I count four flushes, I can be reasonably assured that those who overheard this embarrassing monologue will be long gone. 'Mommy! Would you get off the potty, now? I want you to be done going stinkies! Get up! Get up!' He grunted as he tried to pull me off. Now I could hear full-blown laughter. I bent down to count the feet outside my door. 'Oh, are you wooking under dere, Mommy? You wooking under da door? What were you wooking at, Mommy? You wooking at the wady's feet?' More laughter. I stood inside the locked door and tried to assess the situation. 'Mommy, it's time to wash our hands, now. We have to go out now, Mommy.' He started pounding on the door. 'Mommy, don't you want to wash your hands? I want to go out!!' I saw that my 'wait 'em out' plan was unraveling.

I sheepishly opened the door, and found standing outside my stall, twenty to thirty ladies crowded around the stall, all smiling and starting to applaud. My first thought was complete embarrassment, then I thought, 'Where's the fine print on the 'motherhood contract' where I signed away every bit of my dignity and privacy?' But as my little boy gave me a big, cheeky grin while he rubbed bubbly soap between his chubby little hands, I thought, I'd sign it all away again, just to be known as Mommy to this little fellow.

Jacob's Bedding: So, since I haven't posted any pictures of Jacob's room - I thought I would post a picture of the bedding we picked out since Target and Babies R Us doesn't carry it so we couldn't register for it.

Are you Martha or Maxine?

Martha's Way: Stuff a miniature marshmallow in the bottom of a sugar cone to prevent ice cream drips.

Maxine's Way: Just suck the ice cream out of the bottom of the cone, for Pete's sake! You are probably lying on the couch with your feet up eating it, anyway!

Martha's Way: To keep potatoes from budding, place an apple in the bag with the potatoes.
Maxine's Way: Buy Hungry Jack mashed potato mix , keep it in the pantry for up to a year.

Martha's Way: When a cake recipe calls for flouring the baking pan, use a bit of the dry cake mix instead and there won't be any white mess on the outside of the cake.
Maxine's Way: Go to the bakery! They'll even decorate it for you.

Martha's Way: If you accidentally over salt a dish while it's still cooking, drop in a peeled potato and it will absorb the excess salt for an instant 'fix-me-up.'
Maxine's Way: If you over salt a dish while you are cooking, that's too bad. Please recite with me the real woman's motto: 'I made it and you will eat it and I don't care how bad it tastes!'

Martha's Way: Wrap celery in aluminum foil when putting in the refrigerator and it will keep for weeks.
Maxine's Way: Celery? Never heard of it!

Martha's Way: Brush some beaten egg white over pie crust before baking to yield a beautiful glossy finish.
Maxine's Way: The Mrs. Smith frozen pie directions do not include brushing egg whites over the crust so I don't.

Martha's Way: Cure for headaches: take a lime, cut it in half and rub it on your forehead. The throbbing will go away.
Maxine's Way: Take a lime, mix it with tequila, chill and drink!

Martha's Way: If you have a problem opening jars, try using latex dishwashing gloves. They give a non-slip grip that makes opening jars easy.
Maxine's Way: Go ask that very cute neighbor if he can open it for you.

Martha's Way: Don't throw out all that leftover wine. Freeze into ice cubes for future use in casseroles and sauces.
Maxine's Way: Leftover wine??????????? HELLO !!!!!!!

Thanksgiving Weekend Adventure

A lot has been happening in the Shaw home lately. Christmas is around the corner and the house is decorated! I impressed myself - I thought it would take me all week, but we don't have too much room for stuff so I got motivated yesterday and got it done (I'm starting to take after my super motivated husband - yikes!)

Update on how Mommy is doing: I'm doing ok. I can say that it is getting harder and harder. I haven't slept through the night since Tuesday night and I am feeling that. I wake up itching or with a headache or just wake up and can't get comfortable. I am swelling and my right hand keeps going numb because of it and I think my left hand is starting to think about joining in on the fun. I go to the doctor Wednesday and I looking forward hearing Jacob's heartbeat. I must say, when I feel my worst (like when I had to lay down this morning because my head hurt so badly) he moves the most, so that is fun and reassuring.

Update on how Daddy is doing: He is doing good. He is learning how to sleep when I toss and turn all night - definitely a skill to be learned! He is getting more and more excited. He is anxious for Jacob to get bigger so that he can feel him move more.

Our adventure this weekend . . .

Part 1: We painted Jacob's room! It looks so good. I love the paint color! We got some of his furniture out and tried to arrange it. We still have to arrange the room, get the couch out and put together the crib, but it looks so different already. We did have a slight adventure when a quart of the paint split and got on the carpet. My super wonderful husband cleaned it up quickly and with the help of our little carpet cleaner it just about all came up.

Part 2: The picture kind of gives away the punch line (no pun intended there). So my dog has starting barking very loud and mean at anything and everything outside. My neighbor was out in his yard and Garnet starting barking again. We were upstairs painting so I went in the sun room to open the window and yell at him to be quiet. Those windows stick and sometimes are hard to open. I was pushing with my left hand, but still couldn't get it open. I couldn't hit it with my right hand because it was really hurting me sooooo I used my elbow - stupid, stupid, stupid. You guessed it - my elbow went through the window. I have a nice v shaped cut and a broken window now. I cried - maybe from pain, maybe from frustration, maybe from embarrassment - I don't know. So, while I was holding a paper towel on my cut trying to stop the bleeding and Adam was cleaning up the split paint (yes, part 1 & part 2 of our adventures happened within about 5 min of each other), Micah ran up to Walgreens to get butterfly bandages for me. We got the paint and the cut cleaned up and finished up for the day without any more adventures.

I'll try and post some pictures of the window and Jacob's room tomorrow. So many adventures in just one weekend. Hopefully next weekend will be a bit slower, but you never know!

Jacob's Update

26 weeks (this one is a little late)
Your baby may weigh about two pounds now and is 14 inches in length.
To support the fetus's growing body, the spine is getting stronger and more supple. Though no longer than the span of the average adult hand, it is now made up of 150 joints, 33 rings, and some 1,000 ligaments.
Air sacs in the lungs form now.
Lungs begin to secrete a greasy substance called surfactant. Without surfactant the fetal lungs would stick together and couldn't expand after the baby is born.
Although they've been sealed shut for the last few months, your baby's eyes are opening and beginning to blink this week. Depending on ethnicity, some babies will be born with blue or gray-blue eyes (which may change color in the first 6 months of life) and some will be born with brown or dark eyes.
Retinas begin to form.
Brain wave activity for hearing and sight begins to be detectable.
Fetal brain scans show response to touch. If you shine a light on your abdomen, your baby will turn his head, which according to researchers, means his optic nerve is working. (that is just way cool!)

27 weeks
Your little one's brain continues its rapid growth. Don't forget to share music, conversation, and even books with your baby! (oh my, I'm so behind! Adam might be concerned if he comes home to find me on the couch reading to my belly!)
Response to sound grows more consistent toward the end of the seventh month, when the network of nerves to the ear is complete. Your baby's hearing continues to develop, he may start to recognize your voice as well as your partner's. (how fun! Adam talks to my belly a lot.)
Lungs continue to grow and prepare for functioning outside of the womb. Each day in the womb greatly increases survival rates!
He also continues to take small breaths and although he's only breathing in water and not air, it's still good practice for when he's born.
Eyelids are now open more. Your baby can distinguish between light and dark.
Retinas have formed.
Average size is now 14.4 inches and 1.9 pound.

My son kicked me!
By Adam Shaw

I finally know my son is really in there!! I mean, I know he's there, but last night I finally felt a hard kick. It was such a cool feeling. I can't wait till I can actually see him move in there. I can't wait to be a dad!!

Jacob is 6.25 months (25 weeks)

The structures of the spine begin to form -- joints, ligaments and rings. These will protect the all important spinal cord which serves as the information transmitter for your child's body.

Blood vessels of the lungs develop.

Your baby's nostrils begin to open. There is a study out of Belfast that suggests babies at this stage have the capability of scent preferences!

The nerves around the mouth and lip area are showing more sensitivity now. When baby is rooting for food later on, these will be valuable!

His swallowing reflexes are developing.

Dexterity is improving. Your baby can make a fist and would clasp objects placed in palm.

Your child has now obtained an approximate length of 13.6 inches and weighs 1.46 pound.

My lonely, chubby finger...

So I'm swelling. My hands are swelling and my feet are swelling. No ankle swelling yet. I haven't been able to wear my diamond and today was the first day I couldn't wear my wedding band. It is so sad. My hands are so swollen that they hurt when I make a fist or try to write. Yes, I'm drinking water. I was a "sweller" before the baby so I can't say that I am surprised. Today I did discover that I can wear my sapphire ring (that I normally wear on my right hand) very comfortably on my left hand and that made my morning! I hope to get just a plain band (a size a little bigger than my sapphire ring in case I swell more - my sapphire ring will hold it on until I out-swell that and can't wear it anymore), but we will see. I tried to convince Adam to buy me a "pregnancy" version of my wedding band, but he didn't jump at the idea. I don't know why. =)

Adam has been kicked!

Last night, I was sitting on the couch and Jacob starting kicking really hard. He kicked a couple of times and I was enjoying it and quietly called Adam over to feel. Now, I have to be quiet and still when I have Adam try and feel him kick, because he gets shy if I move or talk. Adam put his hand on my belly and waited no more than 2 min and then it happened - Jacob kicked! Adam said, "was that him?!?" Adam's face lit up when he realized it was his son kicking him. I want it to happen again just to watch Adam's face. He was just too excited. After that one kick, Jacob was done and didn't want to kick that hard again. Hopefully very soon there will be more kicks for Adam to feel. Adam has been waiting so patiently to be able to share in this part. I can't wait for it to happen again and again!

I'm just too excited!

So I'm so excited about what we picked out for Jacob that I just had to share what his stroller, car seat and pack 'n play look like. Isn't it just too cute?!? I love it!

To see his furniture you will just have to come and visit. We should have it up and the room painted by early December. I can't wait! He is going to be here faster than we know it. I am so anxious for Christmas, not because it will be Christmas, but that means that the next big event will be meeting Jacob!

Jacob is 6 months old!

Bring on the bulk! Baby gains about 6 ounces this week. The weight is in muscle, bone mass and organs.

His body begins to fill out with his appearance increasingly becoming more like a newborn.

Taste buds begin to form. If mom drinks something strange or bitter, baby may be observed showing his distaste.

Little creases have appeared on his palms. The muscular coordination of his hands has improved as he sucks his thumb.

Over the next seven days the sweat glands will be forming in the skin.

His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" and cells that produce surfactant, a substance that helps the air sacs inflate easily.

This week your baby is officially considered viable. (Finally!)

Baby weighs 1.3 pound and is 11.8 inches long -- almost the length of a ruler!

We are registered!

Saturday Adam and I registered. It was so much fun - well Target was overwhelming and Babies R Us was more fun.

Target: we started there and tried to register for as much as possible there. The prices are better and it is more convenient for people. I found myself very overwhelmed by picking out everything. How many pacifiers do I need? What if he doesn't like the bottles I picked out? Oh my, I need towels and wash cloths - how many? Burp cloths - how many is too many? Is there really a thing as too many burp cloths? I like the soft kind - which one is that? Oh my, I was very overwhelmed. Adam did good for the most part. He got a little tired at the end and was not looking forward to an entire store of baby stuff next.

Babies R Us: this was much easier. It was more fun for Adam because we picked out the bath and stroller and things like that. We tried to register for all of our big stuff there (although, we did register for the high chair and swing at Target because I liked it better there). By the time we got there, I was just scanning things - blankets, bottles, all sorts of stuff. I think we got everything. Did you know you had to buy a mattress for the crib? They can be really expensive! We chose the cheapest one because (1) Jacob will never know the difference and (2) we picked out some expensive things so we were trying to find a balance. It is so hard to know what we will need. My fear is that he will not have any clothes or I'll use all my burp cloths in one day or what if I need something and don't have it? It was a lot harder than I thought it would be, but so much fun. We did order our furniture (even though that is what we are asking for for Christmas - we needed to make sure it will be in in time) so that was fun to know that we will be able to get that shortly.

All in all, I think it was a success. Adam enjoyed it (victory!) and I think we got everything we need. Who knows! Thankfully Walgreens is just around the corner for the emergency runs!

REALLY funny video! Anyone who has EVER gone into a nail salon or even walked by it can probably relate. Enjoy!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o

Update on Jacob's developement

What Jacob was up to last week: 22 week update

Your baby weighs close to a pound at this point!
Your baby can now hear your conversations more clearly than before!. When you talk, read, or sing, expect him to hear you. Studies have found that newborns will suck more vigorously when read to from a book they heard frequently in utero.
Eyelids and eyebrows are fully formed.
Fingernails have grown to the end of the fingers.
Be prepared for all those "Why" questions coming! Your baby's brain has entered a stage of rapid growth, especially in what's called the germinal matrix. This structure deep in the middle of the brain serves as a kind of factory for brain cells and disappears shortly before birth. But the brain's amazing expansion program continues until around the five birthday.
With some help from mom, baby's liver is starting to break down bilirubin, a substance produced by red blood cells.
If your baby is male his testes begin their descent to the scrotum.
Primitive sperm have formed and he is producing testosterone.
Length is 10.94 inches; weight is nearly 1 pound.

What Jacob is up to this week: 23 week update

Proportions of the body are now quite similar to a newborn although thinner since he hasn't begun to form body fat.
Bones located in the middle ear harden.
Your baby is able to hear. (Dads, did you know: low-frequency sounds mimicking a male voice penetrate the abdomen and uterine wall better than the higher frequencies of the female voice?) The eyes are formed, though the iris still lacks pigmentation.
The pancreas, essential in the production of hormones, is developing steadily. Hehas begun producing insulin, important for the breakdown of sugars.
If born now, your baby has a 15% chance of survival, his odds going up with each passing day. .
The average baby at this stage weighs 1.1 pound and is 11.38 inches long.

I tried to post an update on how Jacob is growing, but the site where I get the information is not working so hopefully I can post that soon (I know I am behind).

Jacob is doing wonderful! He is starting to kick more and more and it is just too fun.

Just one story to share: last night I asked Adam what he wants for Christmas (of course he was no help) and he said Jacob. I said "no" and before I could get any more words out, Jacob kicked me harder than he ever has before. It was too funny. So I had to explain to Jacob why he couldn't come out for Christmas and ask him if he would kick his dad, but he didn't want to perform anymore after that. =)

An update...finally!

I know I have been behind in posting - that is when you know I am so busy I can't hardly see straight!

Jacob is doing GREAT! We went to the doctor today and his heartbeat is strong and everything looks good. He is right on schedule.

I am feeling him kicking more and more. It is so fun! Adam says that he is jealous of me being to feel him - I think Adam is cute for getting jealous and I told him that soon he'll get kicked too (either by Jacob or me when I am sleeping and need more room!).

Last night I felt Jacob kicking and put my hand on that area and I felt him kick my hand! I tried to get him to give a repeat performance, but he got shy.

It is just too fun! I love being able to feel him and have him "communicate" with me that way.

Jacob is 21 weeks today!

White blood cells are under production. Leukocytes (or white blood cells) form our body's defense systems. They help fight infections and diseases.

Your little one's skin has changed from translucent to become more opaque.

Your infant's tongue is fully formed. If you were able to peek you might catch your son practicing giving you a raspberry (ouch)!

Baby swallows more this week. After your baby takes in amniotic fluid, his body absorbs the water in the liquid and moves the rest into the large bowel. This is good practice for his digestive system!

Wake and sleep periods become more consistent. Some research suggests that baby sets his internal clock to match the outside world's even before birth! Your eating and sleeping habits as well levels of light and noise serve as his signals. (that is just too interesting! See, my baby is getting on a schedule already!)

Baby measures about 10.51 inches and weighs nearly 12.7 ounces. (the baby weighed 12oz at our sonogram last week)

What's in a name?

Jacob: benevolent
1 John 2:17, "And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever."

True: (there is an abundance of meanings) real; genuine; authentic; sincere; not deceitful; loyal; faithful; steadfast; reliable, unfailing, or sure; honest; honorable; upright - Oh Lord may that define our son!

Why did we choose these names? When I staffed at Worldview Academy, one of the speakers had a son named True. I thought it was the most unusual, yet intriguing name. He is name after an author from a long time ago (hopefully I'll find out who and exactly why and be able to share that with you one day). More than the reason why Jeff named his son True, the meaning of the name and what it stands for means so much to me. Just look at the definition - don't I have high hopes for my children? As my mom put it, "it is an amazing virtue!"

Why Jacob? Well, first it is Jacob, not Jake or JT - Jacob. We picked the middle name first and then went backwards, kind of. I have liked that name and it was a toss up between that and another name, but Adam really liked Jacob.

Benevolent means: characterized by or expressing goodwill or kindly feelings; desiring to help others; charitable; intended for benefits rather than profit.

I realized that after we decided for sure on his name, I really didn't remember all of the details of Jacob's story in the Bible. Adam and I have looked into a little (and I'll share what we are finding as we keep studying). Jacob wasn't perfect and there are some things that I wish he didn't do, but he is the father of the twelve tribes of Israel - what a legacy. There is this amazing dream that God gave him and I've decided to claim it for my Jacob, but I'll share more about that later.

I hope you understand a little bit more what our son's name means and why we choose it. It is amazing how much more excited I am now that I can call him something and know more about him. He has and identity and an amazing destiny on his life. I can't wait to see what kind of a man God is going to shape him into!

Our Jacob True is 20 weeks old!
Tomorrow I'll post about what his name means and why we chose it.

The rapid growth stage is about over. While things have slowed down, this next stage is vital to survival.

The baby's heart grows stronger. Find a quiet place, lay flat on your back. Locate your own heartbeat by finding your pulse. Next lay your hand on your belly. You may be able to distinguish the two heartbeats!

His legs are reaching their relative size. With the increase muscle develop occurring as well, you will start feeling much more than tiny flutter kicks soon!

Immunities are being transferred from you to your baby now. These immune cells will protect him from viruses you've already had for up to six months after birth!

The nerve cells for taste, smell, hearing, seeing, and touch are now developing in specialized areas of the brain. Production slows down as existing nerve cells grow larger and make more complex connections.

Your baby may startle in reaction to loud sounds. Amazingly, he can actually hear noises outside of the womb. Familiar voices, music, and sounds that baby becomes accustomed to during his development stages often are calming after birth.

It's a . . .

BOY

Today we met our son - Jacob True Shaw.

He is measuring 20 weeks + 2 days (I am 20 weeks along), is 12oz and his heart beats at 130 beats per min.


It was soooo fun! I was surprised at how long it lasted. It was so neat to get to spend so much time with him and watch him move around. Of course I cried and laughed, but I had to stay still so that we could see him so I tired to keep my emotions to a minimum.

I have a son growing inside me!

Almost time . . .

. . . for our little one to let us know what it is. I cannot wait! I am sooooo excited! I'll have the announcement posted by noon. Whooo-hoooo!

Family Picture

You think Garnet would ever be calm enough to let us take pictures like this with our little one?

Almost Time!

I went to the doctor today and got to hear the heartbeat again. It is so fun. The heartbeat was in the 140's and then began to speed up - the doctor said that the baby was moving then.

I still can't believe there is a little person inside me! The more I think about it, the quicker tears well up in my eyes, so I'm going to move on now so that I don't get funny looks at work.

It is almost time to find out if the baby is a boy or girl. We have an appointment for Tuesday morning and by noon (at the latest) we'll know. I can't wait!!!!!!!!

19 weeks tomorrow . . . almost half-way there!
(the picture is not of the Shaw baby - just a random baby from the website where I get this info)

Your baby has the same awake and sleep patterns of a newborn. He has a favorite position for sleep and recognizable active and rest periods.

Throughout baby's body, nerves are being coated with a fatty substance called myelin, which insulates the nerves so that impulses can flow smoothly.

Scalp hair becomes apparent this week. It has sprouted and continues to grow.

The milk teeth buds have already developed and over the next few days the buds for the permanent teeth will begin to form behind the milk teeth.

If baby is female the uterus starts to develop. If you're having a girl, the vagina, uterus, and fallopian tubes are in place.

If it's a boy, the genitals are distinct and recognizable.

Your baby is swallowing amniotic fluid and his or her kidneys are making urine.

Your little one's size is around 6.02 inches and 8.47 ounces.

18 weeks + 2 days

Vernix (a white cheese-like protective material) forms on baby's skin with the lanugo (soft, lightly pigmented hair covering the body and limbs); both serving to protect your baby's skin during the months in water.
Your placenta continues to grow and nourish the baby.
Tiny air sacs called alveoli begin to form in lungs. He'll be putting these lungs to good use in just a few months!
Her vocal chords are formed. She goes through the motions of crying but without air she doesn't make a sound.
Features of your baby's heart, including ventricles and chambers, should be visible during an ultrasound.
Your baby measures about 5.59 inches this week and weighs about 6.7 ounces.

Our Trip to Canada and Beyond!

Well, not really beyond Canada, but it sounded fun. We had a great time. The picture is of the hotel we stayed at Saturday night. When you looked out at the water you could see Canada and Washington (it was in Blaine, Washington). It was soooo pretty. It would be a GREAT vacation place if we ever won the lottery! Here is a play-by-play of the trip. . .

Thursday: We both worked half a day and then went home and clean and packed. I was stressed out with all that we had to do and didn't like leaving it to the last minute, but it worked out and we had about 30 minutes to spare. We got to the airport in plenty of time and our flight was delayed just a little and a storm was trying to move in so we tried to board the plane quickly, but people were slow. Adam and I were not supposed to sit together, but they were able to change our seat which was great! Because of lightening we sat on the runway for 2 hours. YUCK! The flight was really bumpy and my feet and calves swelled so much and didn't go down so I was really uncomfortable. We weren't bored though. They showed Ocean's 13. We made up some time in the air, but when we landed and got off the plane our other flight was supposed to be leaving. Thankfully it was delayed so we had 5 minutes to run all the way down the airport. Adam took off and I lost him and I trailed behind as fast as I could (I wasn't going to be the reason why we got stuck in Denver). We made it on the plane just in time and then it was delayed 1.5 hours for mechanical reasons and the air wasn't on. So we were tired and sooo hot, but just glad to make it on the plane. Although I was very worried about our luggage making it on. We were going to get to watch another movie so I was glad for the distraction, but of course it wouldn't be an adventure if we wanted to see the movie - it was Ocean's 13 again! Thankfully I had a good book to read. We were so sleepy and Adam slept a little, but my feet and legs hurt and I couldn't get comfortable (I would not recommend flying when pregnant). But we were on our way. When we landed I was VERY glad to see Adam pulling our luggage off. We got our rental car (an Impala!) and were off for our 2.5 hour drive into Canada. . .

FRIDAY: In the car I tried to stay awake. I wanted to help keep Adam awake, but I had to take a short nap. An awful smell from a paper mill woke me up. We guessed that the drive was beautiful. We couldn't see much as we were on dark, windy, mountain roads. Thankfully our car had GPS so we didn't have to worry about reading directions and driving. We got to the hotel at 6:15am our time and were soooo glad to go to bed. Adam had been up for over 24 hours and I had been up for almost 24 hours. We slept great!. The time change was nice in that we got up around 10am feeling pretty rested and still having a good chunk of the day left. We went to lunch with John and Carrie and then headed to the mall. Carrie was getting her nails done with the girls and Adam left his rehearsal clothes at home and had to buy pants. I just hung out with the girls and got a manicure (fun, fun) and Adam hung out with John (WAY TOO much bonding went on!). The day was relaxing until Carrie and I got stuck at the mall (our ride got lost) and we had only 15 minutes to get ready for the rehearsal. We made it and looked fabulous! (I'll have to post pictures later) The rehearsal went well (but what did you expect with Pastor Joe and myself running things?) and the dinner was GREAT! A wonderful buffet. They serve a lot of fist - cold and hot fish. We were going to hang out at the pool when we got back, but we were too tired and just went to bed.

SATURDAY: The wedding day! We slept in and then got breakfast at the hotel. It was fun to watch all the girls run around trying to leave. It was good entertainment. We went back upstairs and I started getting ready. Adam got us Taco Bell for lunch (I have been craving it for about a month!) and it cost us $15 - everything is more expensive. We headed off to the church for the wedding. Everyone arrived pretty much on time. I was nervous about being the wedding coordinator, but everything went off without a hitch. The wedding was beautiful. In Canada, you go home between the wedding and reception (the wedding was at 2:30 and the reception at 5:30) so we (I say "we", the bridal party and the tag along - that would be me) went to a park to take pictures. It was beautiful, but sooooo cold. It was about 60 degrees and we were dressed for a wedding, not the cold. The reception was fun. Again, really good food. We were planning on staying in Canada that night, but the Dunn family was heading to Washington and had an empty room. So, we went back to the hotel and packed really fast and headed about 30 minutes to the hotel in Washington and checked in and went straight to bed (We ran into Nathan and Colleen, but tried to not giggle too much - we were so tired so things were funnier. We did feel for them, running into their family on their wedding night. They got stuck at the border for a little so they were running behind. The plan was not to run into us, but that didn't happen.)

SUNDAY: We had brunch with the Dunn family, Nathan and Colleen and Colleen's family. It was nice and again, GREAT food. The place was so pretty. We were outside for awhile just watching the water and the kids play. It was cold, but a nice change. It was nice just to relax and not have a schedule. We left there a little after 3pm and headed 2 hours down to Seattle. Our hotel was 1.3 miles way from the airport! We wanted to go to a fist market and fun seafood restaurant we heard about, but were too tired so we just found a close restaurant, ate dinner and then went to the hotel and to bed.

MONDAY: We were up early. I was a mess. I was running late and even left my shampoo, razor, face wash and shaving cream at the hotel. We ate a quick breakfast and then headed to the airport. We had to have the rental car in by 8am. They scanned it at 7:56am! Our flights were on time so that was great. We had a short flight to CA and had a 2 hour layover. We were able to grab some lunch and take our time. On our next flight we had 2 movies - Fantastic 4 (the new one) and Ocean's 13 (we just can't get away from that movie)! I did much better on the flight home. We had an open seat by us and stretched out some. I didn't sleep much, but my feet and legs hardly swelled so that was WONDERFUL! We got home a little after midnight.

We're still tired - more tired today than yesterday - but had a GREAT time. It was nice to get away and so fun to hang out with everyone and be able to celebrate with Nathan and Colleen. I should have some pictures soon to post.

Biggest lesson learned on the trip: don't fly when you are pregnant! =)

Home at last!

We are finally home. We had a GREAT trip and would have enjoyed more time there. It is just beautiful!

I'm exhusted and am not sure how I'm going to make it through the work day. My body clock is off. It was very confused when I tried to get up at 3:45 this morning (which was really 6:45) so I gave it another hour and then had to get up.

I'll post about the trip when I'm more awake and don't have so much work to catch up on, but we're back, had a great time, and the baby did well (I guess it did...I didn't have any problems).

More later. . .

Oh Canada, oh Canada. . .

We are off today for Canada for Nathan Dunn's wedding (he is a good friend of ours that I have know my whole life - my grandmother and his grandmother became friends before any of our parents were even born!). Adam is one of the groomsmen in the wedding.

We are going to Langley (which is about 3 hours North of Seattle, Washington) and it is supposed to be BEAUTIFUL! The weather is nice - the highs are 65-55 and the low at night is in the high-to-mid 40s (a bit too cold for me, but a nice change).

Of course I'm stressing over what I am going to wear. I bought a dress that I really like. I just want to look pregnant and not fat/wide/shaped like a safely cone!

We will fly into Washington about 1am our time on Friday am and then drive into Canada. The wedding is Saturday and we are sight seeing Sunday and coming home on Monday (hopefully we will be home by midnight!).

It will be a fun trip. We are both sooooo excited for Nathan and Colleen and feel so honored to be a part of their special day! I'll post about the trip when we get back and hopefully have some pictures. Maybe the baby will get excited about the trip and I'll be able to feel it move. I'm praying it is a great trip and a wonderful weekend of "firsts" for the baby!

My buttons are popping off!

So I'm getting bigger and growing out of my clothes. Every morning while I get ready I debate in my head what to wear - it tends to stress me out. I'm bored with the few things that fit right and the girls at work are bored with the few things that are so comfy. I keep telling them one day I'm going to show up in sweat pants and a t-shirt. My buttons really aren't popping off, but I do have to leave my pants unbuttoned. It was a sad day the other day when pants that used to fit me buttoned now have to be unbuttoned and shorts that fit unbuttoned no longer fit. My belly is still so small - what is a girl to do?!? I went to Stacy's last night and raided her closet so that will help and buy me some time. I can't complain too much as this problem means that I get to shop!!!

Huh?!?!

What is up with the poll? We are tied! 45% thinks it is a girl and 45% thinks it is a boy! Who has been messing with my poll and messing up the numbers?!?! =)

Too weird that they are dead even. I don't think the poll is too accurate as everyone that I talk to thinks it is a boy.

At this point I just want to know and don't really care what it is either way. We go back to the doctor on Oct. 2nd and at that appointment we will make an appointment for the sonogram to find out what it is. We should know within a week our next appointment.

For those of you who know me and how much I like to plan you will not be surprised, but I'm stressing over how and when to tell people. After my appointment I'll just have to go back to work - no fun! I can't call everyone while I'm in the car so I have to figure out who is important enough to call and who can just get an email. What about those who get an email and wanted a phone call - oh the drama!

What I am worried about the most is Micah. He has his mind made up that it is a boy. If it is a girl, I'm afraid of his reaction; he'll be so sad. If it is a boy, I hope he has a reaction and it would be fun to see it. I might just have to tell him to stop by my work after school so that I can tell him in person (I'll just make sure I have tissues if it is a girl!).

I can't wait to find out what it is. Once we know we can paint the room and register and name the baby! I'm just so excited about everything!

Parenting 106:

This definitely goes beyond the basic of parenting!

Tough Love vs. Spanking

Most of America's population think its improper to spank children, so I have tried other methods to control my kids when they have one of "those moments."One that I found effective is for me to just take the child for a car ride and talk.They usually calm down and stop misbehaving after our car ride together. I've included a photo below of one of my sessions with my son, in case you would like to use the technique.

The baby. . .

I got behind on my posts about the baby's development. Since the baby is 17 weeks tomorrow, here is the 16 & 17 week development:

The baby at 16 weeks:

Fat begins to form underneath skin, providing your baby with insulation for the coming months.

Did you know that both baby and placenta are now about the same size?

Your little one has reached 4.57 inches and approximately 3.53 ounces.

His head and neck are held straighter now.

This is a week of "mights!" You might hear the tiny thumps of his heartbeat with an external monitor now. The genitals are developed sufficiently that an experienced sonographer might be able to determine if your baby is a boy or a girl. (We already heard the heartbeat, but we have to wait on finding out if it is a boy or girl - not too much longer!)

Her heart is pumping as much as 6 gallons of blood a day and beats at a rate about double your heart rate.

If you could take a peek inside, you would witness your child's reflexes in action! (Sucking, swallowing and blinking are now evident.) She is probably even hiccuping even though you don't feel it yet!

Your baby has learned to breathe! This is apparent from the regular movements of his chest. Isn't it amazing that he is able to breathe "underwater," inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid? These actions help the lungs to develop and grow.

The baby at 17 weeks:

By week 17, your baby weighs about 4.97 ounces and is 5.12 inches long.

He or she has a much more normal "human" appearance now. She holds her head more erect and her body and limbs are longer in proportion to her head. (This is just too amazing. My baby is a baby - a real person. I'm so proud already!)

Pads are forming on his tiny fingertips and toes. Soon those individual swirls and whorls will be apparent.

Her eyes are looking forward now, but they are still firmly closed.

Meconium (composed of products of cell loss, digestive secretion and swallowed amniotic fluid), is accumulating in the bowel. This black gooey substance will become your baby's first poop! (YUCK!)

The umbilical cord is growing thicker and stronger and continues to rush blood and nutrients to your growing baby.

If your child is male the prostate begins to develop.

Her skeleton is transforming from cartilage to bone. The bones remain flexible to make the journey through the birth canal easier.

This is what another website says about what my baby is up to:

At 4 1/2 inches long (head to bottom) and 3 1/2 ounces, your baby is about the size of an avocado. In the next three weeks, she'll go through a tremendous growth spurt, doubling her weight and adding inches to her length. The patterning of her scalp has begun, though her hair isn't recognizable yet. Although closed, her eyes are moving (slowly), and she's even started growing toenails. Her fingernails and toenails will continue to grow, so don't be surprised if she needs them trimmed soon after birth.

This is just too amazing!

The BIG 2-5!

So my birthday was yesterday and I have to say it was the best birthday ever! I have never felt so special and remembered on my birthday. So many things happened . . .

I was greeted by several emails when I turned on my work computer wishing me happy birthday. I also had so many phone calls throughout the day (and I thought people might forget!).

I had lots of visitors at work - Juli, Stacy, Matt, Noah, Logan, Jenny, and my AMAZING husband who surprised me!

At work we all ate a great lunch together (Roma's has the BEST food and Publix makes the ABSOLUTE best Ebony and Ivory cake, it is an office favorite!) and they had flowers, a card and balloons.

Adam surprised me with dinner at Kobe's last night. I had REALLY been craving that and wanted to go there, but didn't want to get my hopes up so that was a GREAT surprise!

I think the thing that overwhelmed me was ALL the flowers! Adam surprised me by bring BEAUTIFUL flowers at work. My mom send me the cutest arrangement - it was in a short square vase with short flowers - so pretty. Then at lunch, Mel had yellow tea roses for me. Lastly, when I got home my dad had put on my front porch another bouquet of flowers! I now have flowers in my kitchen, my dinning room, my living room AND my bedroom. I can walk from one end of the house to the other and not run out of flowers. I LOVE IT!

Thank you everyone, ESPECIALLY MY HUSBAND, who made my birthday the best it has ever been (and it isn't even over yet. I have breakfast with my mom Saturday am and dinner with my dad and sibling Sunday night and Adam has another surprise for me on Saturday that he says I will really like. I can't figure it out. Last time he surprised me I figured it out - the piano - so I'm going to try and be good this time and not think about it!). THANKS!

What is the baby up to now?

"At around 4 inches long, crown to rump, your baby now weights about 2-1/2 ounces. He's/she's busy inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid, which will help the air sacs in his/her lungs develop. Sweat glands are appearing, and although his/her eyelids are fused shut, he/she can sense light. If you were to shine a flashlight at your tummy, he'd/she'd most likely move away from the beam. If you're scheduled for an ultrasound in the coming weeks (most women have one between 16 and 20 weeks), you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! "

Laughter is the spice of life!

Attending a wedding for the first time, a little girl whispered to her mother, "Why is the bride dressed inwhite?" "Because white is the color of happiness, and today is the happiest day of her life." The child thought about this for a moment, then said, "So why is the groom wearing black?"A little girl, dressed in her Sunday best, was running as fast as she could, trying not to be late for Bible class. As she ran she prayed, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late! Dear Lord, please don't let me be late!" While she was running and praying, she tripped on a curb and fell, getting her clothes dirty and tearing her dress. She got up, brushed herself off, and started running agaIn. As she ran she once again began to pray, "Dear Lord, please don't let me be late...But please don't shove me either!"

Three boys are in the school yard bragging about their fathers. The first boy says, "My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a poem, they give him $50." The second boy says, "That's nothing. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a song, they give him $100.” The third boy says, "I got you both beat. My Dad scribbles a few words on a piece of paper, he calls it a sermon, and it takes eight people to collect all the money!"An elderly woman died last month. Having never married, she requested no male pallbearers. In her handwritten instructions for her memorial service, she wrote, "They wouldn't take me out while I was alive, I don't want them to take me out when I'm dead.

A police recruit was asked during the exam, "What would you do if you had to arrest your own mother?" He answered "Call for backup."

A Sunday School teacher asked her class why Joseph and Mary took Jesus with them to Jerusalem . A small child replied: "They couldn't get a babysitter."

A Sunday school teacher was discussing the Ten Commandments with her five and six year olds. After explaining the commandment to "Honor thy father and thy mother," she asked "Is there a commandment that teaches us how to treat our brothers and sisters?" Without missing a beat one little boy answered, "Thou shall not kill."

At Sunday School they were teaching how God created everything, including human beings. Little Johnny seemed especially intent when they told him how Eve was created out of one of Adam's ribs. Later in the week his mother noticed him lying down as though he were ill, and she said, "Johnny, what is the matter?" Little Johnny responded, "I have pain in my side. I think I'm going to have a wife."

I'm in my 15th week!

This is what is supposed to be happening this week:

You may begin to feel some fluttering movements as baby kicks, flails, twists and turns (but don't panic if you don't yet). She can also grasp, squint, frown, grimace and maybe suck her thumb!

Your baby's legs have grown longer than the arms and the body is now longer than the head.
And you'll be happy to note that he is moving those arms and legs often!

His skin is very thin -- so thin blood vessel are visible. It's covered by a fine, soft layer of hair called lanugo. Lanugo comes from a Latin word meaning "down." This hair is thought to help insulate your little boy.

The three tiny bones in his middle ear have begun to harden. The auditory centers in your baby's brain haven't developed yet, so she might not really understand what you say but her hearing capacity is in the process of developing.

Fingernails and toenails are growing.

Eyebrows are beginning to grow and even the hair his head is sprouting. It will probably change color and texture after birth.

All this and your little one is an amazing 3.98 inches long and may weigh 2.47 ounces.

Parenting 105

I learned a very important parenting lesson today by watching the video below. It is not a basic lesson, very advanced, but very important. It makes me re-think how I am going to teach my kids about certain things. Enjoy. . .

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jHvDTTPW4z8

14 week appointment

On Tuesday we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. I was so fun! The doctor said it was in the 150s (whatever that means) and is good. Everytime I laughed or moved you couldn't hear it so I had to stay still.

My appointments from here on out aren't going to have too much excitement. I have to pee in a cup and they test that, they'll check the heartbeat, weigh me (I haven't gained any weight so far even though my belly is bigger!) and measure my belly.

Our next appointment is in 4 weeks (I'll be 19 weeks then) and at that appointment we'll get the Rx to have an ultrasound so that we can find out if it is a boy or girl (keep voting!). Soooo, we have about 6 weeks before we can start calling the baby something other than baby!

This is what they say about the baby at this age:

Week Fourteen:
Thyroid gland has matured and your baby begins producing hormones which will be used throughout his or her life.
In boys, the prostate gland develops.
In girls, the ovaries move from the abdomen to the pelvis.
Your little one may have learned to suck his/her thumb by this point!
Your child's bones are getting harder and stronger by the day!
Your baby's skin is very transparent still.
Lanugo (very fine hair) covers the baby's body and will continue to grow until 26 weeks gestational age - Generally this will be shed prior to birth. Its purpose is to help protect baby's skin while in all that water!
Your baby is aboout 3.42 inches long and weighs about 1.52 ounces - approximately the weight of a letter!

The baby is trying to show!

So my pants are getting tighter and I am having lots of trouble picking out what to wear in the mornings. Juli and I went shopping on Saturday and I got some stuff, but I'm trying to wait until I get bigger. After lunch is the worst time of day as the baby grows when I eat and my pants get even tighter! =)

You can start to tell that I am pregnant...well, kind of. If you know I am pregnant, then you can tell that I am getting bigger & if you don't know, I just look fat. I don't mind on most days. I do have some days when I feel fat, but if I put one of my hands on the top of my belly and the other underneath it, then I look pregnant and feel pregnant.

Adam took my picture the other day when I looked pregnant (now this was taken after lunch).

Here I am before baby:

Here I am at 12 weeks!

Experiment #1: I have food issues

I know you have been dying to know what happened with part 2 of my experiment yesterday.

I ate a waffle, a cup of applesauce and a banana at 8:30am. I was hungry at 11:20 and had to eat a snack (I love my goldfish!). I then wasn't hungry for lunch until 1:00.

Conclusion: No matter what I do, I will be hungry before I think I should. If I eat more sometimes I last longer between meal and sometimes not. I guess all of you who have had kids are laughing at me because you have long since figured this out, but I had to do some testing. My big problem is I don't get hungry anymore...I get starving! I miss the in-between step.

The moral of the story: always pack a snack!

Today the baby wanted Dunkin' Donuts and coffee sooooo the experiment will have to continue on Monday. =)

Experiment #1: Food Theory - the more I eat the longer it takes for me to get hungry.

I feel like a bottomless pit these days. I always seem hungry. I decided to start trying to figure out the best way to stay full and not get sick from being hungry. I get headaches really easily these days and being hungry gets makes them worse.

I normally eat 1-2 waffles in the morning and then get hungry for a snack, but not always so today I am tracking it.

Experiment for today: I ate 2 waffles for breakfast, 1 apple sauce cup and water. I started eating at about 8:30am and kept getting interrupted so it was about 9:20am when I was done. I made it all the way to 11:40am before I started feeling hungry!

Conclusion: not much of one can be made at this point. Tomorrow I'll eat 1 waffle instead of 2 and see what happens.

Watch for Experiment #1 Update tomorrow!