Thursday, April 28, 2011

Favorite Commercial



Sawyer LOVES music! He could care less about television programs, but the second music comes on the tv he stops playing and runs to the tv. This Jennifer Hudson Weight Watchers commercial has been his favorite for several months. We don't have cable, so the variety of tv commercials he views is limited. In fact, he doesn't even have a tv show he prefers, but this commercial will stop him in his tracks and capture his attention every time (at least for 30 seconds).

Tuesday, April 26, 2011

Easter Weekend

On Saturday they held a big Easter egg hunt at a nearby park. We decided to walk over and join in the fun. Well, we arrived 2 minutes late and it was over. Seriously, all the kids were walking back to their cars. Sawyer of course had no idea what was going on, so it didn't phase him, but I was a little upset because I wanted him to have his 1st egg hunting experience. We certainly learned our lesson for future Easter egg hunts.


However, Daddy came to the rescue and scoured the field for a missed egg. And much to our surprise he found one. We called Sawyer over and he was able to get his 1st egg and it had a nickel in it.


Shaking the egg


Sawyer's 2nd experience with the Easter bunny...he was not impressed


On Easter Sunday we went to church and heard a wonderful sermon directly focused on sharing the gospel. That's one thing I always love about the Easter service and our pastor did a great job of explaining the gospel and the power of Christ's death and resurrection to the unbelievers in today's world.


We hurried home from church to host an Easter barbecue. The chocolate covered peeps were the table centerpiece and part of the dessert. We had a great time eating and chatting with family and football friends. Unfortunately, it was pouring down rain, so the kids did not get a traditional easter egg hunt.


This is Sawyer before church getting his 1st easter basket with lots of goodies from the grandparents.


He immediately picked up an egg and started shaking it. He's was so excited and then the egg broke open and candy spilled all over the floor. He said uh-oh and started crying because he thought he had done something wrong :)


Mommy & Sawyer


Sawyer & Daddy


Our little family




Cousin Gracie & Aunt Candace in their cute easter attire

Sunday, April 24, 2011

24 weeks




How far along: 24 weeks 5 days


Total weight gain/loss: 19 lbs.


Maternity clothes: pants yes and shirts sometimes


Sleep: only side sleeping with a pillow b/w my legs


Best moment this week: Having nice weather so we can go play outside


Movement: Yes, especially in the middle of the night after I get up to use the restroom


Food cravings: nothing to speak of lately


What I am missing: ?? I'm feeling good and pretty much back to normal


What I am looking forward to: Garage sales to look for cute girl clothes


Milestones: Passing the glucose test (hopefully, we'll find out next week)
The 24 week doctor's appointment went well. I saw the midwife for the 1st time and she was very informative and more willing to sit and talk about my questions. The babies heart beat was 156 bpm and she is measuring appropriately. My blood pressure was good and I gained 4 lbs. in the last month. The midwife actually made me feel a lot better about the weight gain I've been experiencing. Her first comment was you have gained 6 lbs. more than you should have at this point. Then I mentioned how that was quite the coincidence since I started this pregnancy 6 lbs. lighter than I was with Sawyer. So she went to check on my weight compared to my height and she confirmed that I began this pregnancy underweight, by at least 7 lbs. Sooo, according to her (and I'm going to go with her explanation :) I should gain 25-30 lbs. during pregnancy plus the difference between my ideal and starting weights, which actually puts me right on target. Sorry if that's confusing, but I'm excited because while I know this does not give me free rein to eat everything at least I don't have to be so careful about what I eat.



And speaking of being underweight I think this is a direct result of my hyperthyroid rearing it's head for the 1st time. According to the doctor's ideal weight for my height I have been consistently at that number for over 5 years until approximately 6 months after having Sawyer. At the time I was just pleasantly surprised by how much weight I was losing with nursing. But in hindsight I now realize the weight loss was a thyroid issue as I weighed less than I did when training for a marathon despite that fact that I was eating everything I wanted and not working out on a consistent basis.



And in other trivial news I am pretty convinced that my belly button will pop out with this pregnancy. It never happened when Sawyer was gestating, but it's already looking like it might this time around.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

An apple a day...

is supposed to keep the doctor away

However, on Monday of this past week Sawyer had his 1st fever.

It was gone by the next day so I thought it was a reaction to his MMR shot.


As the week progressed Sawyer developed a runny nose, congested cough, was fussy, and clingy. He was also chewing on his fingers and drooling constantly. We chalked it up to teething.



By Friday he only wanted to be held or sleeping. Something was obviously wrong as he never wants to be held.



So, at 4 pm on Friday we went to the doctor's and he was diagnosed with his 1st ear infection. He also received a script for his 1st antibiotic.



I think it's huge blessing that he made it to 15 months without going to the doctor for an illness, but I am also very thankful that the diagnosis is treatable. And less than 24 hours after the doctor's appointment Sawyer is acting much more like his normal self (right now he's tickling daddy).

Friday, April 22, 2011

Sugar, Spice, & Everything Nice...thoughts on having a girl

Excited & nervous at the same time



Clothes shopping will be so much more fun and expensive :)


Hoping she will have a protective older brother


Will she be a tomboy or a girly girl?



Realizing she will look so cute w/ daddy on the football field, but terrified of a teenage girl with accessibility to over 100 hormonal teenage boys!

Who will she look like? I know it's trivial, but I would love for 1 of our children to favor Kyle...particularly the blue eyes and dimples


Who will she act like? Her brother may look like his momma, but he acts so much like his daddy.


Praying she will have a soft heart and a love for God's people.


Praying she will be bold in her faith.


Realizing she belongs to the Lord even now. Feeling blessed that He entrusted us with her upbrining.


All kinds of thoughts about having a girl swirling around my brain. Each day makes me more excited to meet our new little one.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

The thyroid saga continues...indefinitely

Recently I had a follow-up appointment with the endocrinologist. On my 1st visit I had blood drawn and then a month later I had blood drawn again to compare the levels of thryoid hormones and antibodies.

The short of it is I have Grave's disease and it will not go away after pregnancy. In fact, it's genetic and I've had it my whole life. Thankfully, I've never experienced any of the symptoms (heart palpitations, temperature sensitivity, shakiness, etc).


The long version (for my memories sake). The 1st blood draw indicated I had a TSH level of basically zero. While my Free T3 and T4 thyroid hormone levels were within the normal range though a little on the hide side of acceptable. My 2nd blood draw once again indicated a zero TSH level and my Free T3 and T4 levels remained in the acceptable range and both had actually decreased, but still within the normal range. The indicator of the Grave's disease was the thyroid antibody levels. They test for two antibodies and both were significantly higher than the normal range (I don't remember the actual numbers). Grave's disease is an autoimmune disease and basically my body is attacking my thyroid.


At this point because me Free T3 and T4 levels are within an acceptable range they will continue to monitor me closely. The medicine they prescribe for hyperthyroidism can harm the baby so they will just monitor me closely to ensure my levels remain about the same. If my Free T3 and T4 levels increase above the normal range there is a chance they would have to put me on the medicine, but we pray that doesn't happen.


The plan following the pregnancy and nursing (approximately 1 1/2 years from now) is to do a scan of my thyroid and determine the best course of action. Most likely it will be an oral medication.


The positive aspect is I experience none of the negative symptoms of the disease. In fact I can attribute my easy weight loss and extra energy to the condition :) The other good thing is the doctor's identified the disease before I was having complications. As I age the symptoms can become stronger, so we have time to get the disease under control before it causes lots of problems.

Monday, April 18, 2011

Boo

Our internet/computer is down so posts will probably be few and far between until it gets fixed (hopefully quickly). Sorry for the interuption in programming. We hope to be back soon!

Saturday, April 16, 2011

15 months

Sawyer saw the pediatrician for his 15 month check-up.

He is getting so big, but he still hasn't reached that 20 lb. mark. However, if he had eaten a handful more Cheerios the morning of the doctor's appointment he would have been right there :)

Weight: 19 lbs. 14 oz. (3%)
Height: 29.5 inches (20%)
Head Circumference: 17.75 inches (10%)

He may be getting taller, but he's still a skinny mini. At the doctor's office I was filling out a development questionnaire for Sawyer and one of the questions was: How much physical activity does your child get in 1 day? My options were 1 hour, 2 hour, or 3+ hours. I just smiled and marked the 3+ hours box. In my head I was thinking the only time he does not get physical activity is when he's sleeping so 12+ hours of physical activity would have been a more appropriate answer for Sawyer. This may also explain his ability to gain weight :)

At his well-child check-up he received 2 shots (tetanus and MMR) and he was a trooper. Developmentally he is right on track. I had to laugh as Sawyer was literally running and throwing the ball around the small exam room the doctor asked if he had started running. Um, yeah ALL the time. I think the more appropriate question would be, when does he stop running?

Also, in the waiting room I noticed most of the other children around Sawyer's age were sitting calmly in their mother's lap. Sawyer will not sit in my lap unless he needs a drink break and then within 10 seconds he's off to the races again. In fact, when I was talking to the front desk nurse he was wiggling out of my arms, so I put him down. The next thing I know a woman gets my attention to tell me Sawyer had just exited the building when someone opened the door to leave. I ran to get him and by the time I reached him he had made it through two doors and onto the sidewalk outside. If he sees an open door he bolts immediately. Not going to win mother of the year after that mishap, but at least I caught him before he reached the parking lot or the street. He definitely keeps me on my toes.

Some highlights from the month: LOVES to play with the ball and blocks, says a new word nearly everyday, can follow commands (even when you're not talking to him :), puts himself in time-out after I talk sternly to him (even if I am not requiring time-out), becoming a picky vegetable eater, loves to touch/pat newborn babies, tried juice (watered down) for the 1st time and didn't really have much interest in it, has learned to play the "I'm smaller than you" card by becoming very sensitive when an older, larger child tries to mess with him (i.e. Daddy throws a ball at Sawyer's head and he laughs, a 2 year old boy throws a ball at Sawyer's head and he cries hysterically)

This is Sawyer's most recent funny face. He makes it when he thinks he is being funny.

Thursday, April 14, 2011

Rare Moments



We had to memorialize this moment as it NEVER happens.

The other night as Kyle was getting Sawyer ready for bed he came over to my lap and requested a snuggle. I'll take all I can get.

Tuesday, April 12, 2011

Daddy's 1st Dress

Daddy picked out his 1st dress and it just so happens to be the baby girl's 1st dress.

White linen w/ gray eyelets
Much to my surprise he was very picky. We visited several stores and I learned all the stipulations of a perfect dress through a male's eyes. But in the end when he found "the one" he knew immediately. I think he picked a winner!

Sunday, April 10, 2011

For the grandparents

Compliments of Sawyer's cuteness.




Doesn't it just make you want to fly across the country to kiss those cheeks?

Friday, April 8, 2011

Girly Craftiness

So we've known for a few weeks that the next baby will be a girl and it has inspired me to try a few projects outside of my normal comfort zone (i.e. burp clothes or embellishing onesies)

Here are the results so far.



Before Sawyer was born I received a few baby gowns and I thought I would never use them. Well lo and behold when Sawyer arrived I loved the gowns because they were so convenient. No snaps or zippers making for easy diaper changes and the length of the gowns made it more like a blanket than a dress. So, when I found a few newborn kimono t-shirts in my sewing stash I decided to try my hand at baby gowns. I loosely used this tutorial from Running with Scissors. I did not make the bodice, so I only used the instructions for the ribbing and the gown portion. I used a soft flannel for the gown part, so the outfit should keep her plenty warm. I love how they turned out and I'm thinking it might be a perfect coming home from the hospital outfit.


Then I winged a onesie dress. I did not use a pattern for this particular dress though I'm sure you could find one pretty easy with a google search. I've made these several times before, but this one threw me because I did not have enough of the print fabric. So instead of making my traditional empire waist onesie dress I went for the short skirt look. The fabric is from an Amy Butler line and you might be shocked to know that I love it even though it has animals on it. In fact the pink bunnies mixed with the damask might make a great Easter dress. It will all depend on how big/small she is.


Next up was a pillowcase dress. I used the tutorial from Prudent Baby. By this time my sewing machine was getting tired and therefore I got frustrated, so it's not my best work, but I love the end result. I've had the black and gray fabric for years and I was waiting for the perfect project to use it on. I love the way a pillowcase dress can grow with the child from dress to shirt. I also love how I can interchange colors with the black/grey fabric. I could change the undershirt, ribbon, hair accessories, and leggings to whatever color I choose. I'm thinking red and pink would look adorable, but also blue and yellow, and... :)


And finally I had a cute light blue striped onesie that I purchased from the Salvation Army. However, much to my dismay as I gingerly removed the stapled tag from the garment I created a hole in the onesie. Seriously, who thought it would be a good idea to staple a tag to the front of the shirt? To save the onesie I made a few rolled fabric flowers (here's a good tutorial from My Sparkle) from some red scraps and put pins on them to attach them to the onesie. I will also be making a few more flowers for a headband to complete the ensemble.

Still on the to-do list one more gown, a pair of baby shoes (this is really intimidating to me) and some head gear (don't tell my husband :)

If anyone knows of a cute and easy baby shoe pattern let me know.

Oh and one more thing. My wonderful friend Patty gifted me with some houndstooth fabric that matches our living room perfectly. So I made a quick pillow slipcover. I love how it turned out...perfect color, perfect pattern, perfect size.

Old pillow
+
Houndstooth fabric
=
Lovely new creation

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Spring Football

In our world daddy is deep in the depths of spring football. While he's away Sawyer has been enjoying his own version of football. He may need to put some more meat on his bones before he's ready for the real game.




Monday, April 4, 2011

Baby Gear for #2

While we have most of the baby gear we need for baby #2. I have thought of a few things that would be convenient for baby #2 that we did not have for Sawyer.
I realize this contraption may only be used for a short time, but Sawyer loved to sit up and be in the action. While I don't know what this baby's temperament will be I realize I will need some hands free time to play with Sawyer and this item may help. Plus I've heard lots of great reviews. This is also an item I may be able to purchase at a garage sale or borrow from a friend.
We currently have this high chair. We love it, but it's not very transportable and when we have guests over we have one less chair. This little number is what we're looking for. It attaches to the table and can be easily removed to take to restaurants or friends houses. Plus Sawyer will still be in a high chair/booster when the next baby starts eating so we will need two children's seating options.
3) An official diaper bag
When Sawyer was gestating I opted for a large purse from etsy to serve as his diaper bag. I wanted something unique that could function as a diaper bag, yet not scream diaper bag. I still love my etsy diaper bag, but the reality is with two children it's not very practical. Now that there will be twice as much stuff to lug around I really need some pockets to stay organized. I thought as they grew older they needed less stuff, but I was wrong. Now not only will I need to take the baby necessities (diapers, burp cloth, pacifier, blanket, change of clothes, bottle, etc) but I also need to carry toddler necessities such as a sippy cup, snack, diapers, small toys, etc. This is the bag I REALLY want, but unless I can find an amazing deal on ebay it's not going to happen. Right now I'm not going to lower my standards...I've got time right? We'll see what I end up with.

Any other suggestions for making life with multiple children run more smoothly?
How about new things that have come out in the last year that are a must have?

And a few other things I need to start thinking about that are not directly related to #2

1) A twin bed: Sawyer is getting kicked out of his crib and we should probably invest in a sleeping alternative for him

2) Girl's clothes: While Sawyer has some sweet clothes I can't in good conscience dress this next child in blue and green all the time. However, I do see her in some camo pj's in the future courtesy of her brother's hand-me-downs.

Picture sources: Babies'r'us bumbo and high chair, Petunia Pickle Bottom diaper bag

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Another Sign of Spring

Breaking out the baseball attire. We may not be able to go outside and hit the ball around, but we can support our favorite team inside. Go Royals!




Breaking out the baseball attire