Christmas 2011

So yep..another late post!  Not sure why I've been so bad at keeping up with what is going on in our lives.  Maybe it's the baby brain!

Did anybody else enjoy Christmas a little more because it fell on a weekend?  I felt like we had more time to do stuff!

This year, we went out to my parents on Friday afternoon (Christmas Eve-eve).  With Shaun's new job (hopefully get to a post about that someday too), we didn't have to worry about his schedule.  He just had to work a half day on Friday...so nice!  When we got to my parents, they were just getting ready to leave for a while.  A little miscommunication on our part.  So we had to amuse ourselves for a couple hours.  Ended up going into town to visit my brother and stopped to get a movie.

On Christmas Eve, we headed up to visit Shaun's family.  We stopped at his grandparent's first and then went to his mother's for a little lunch and to open presents.  It was a short trip but nice to see everyone!

Shaun and his mom and sister

Touching the belly:

The weather cooperated this year and our travel to and from Rhinelander was pretty smooth.  We made it back to my parents by the mid-afternoon for a little nap before the Christmas Vigil mass.  After mass, we went to my aunt's house for what is seemingly becoming a Christmas Eve tradition!  It was a good time.  Unfortunately, I was extremely uncomfortable.  Not sure what it was, but I just wanted to sleep and make it go away!

On Christmas Day, I was up early as I could not sleep anymore. I plopped myself down on the couch and relaxed and watched Baby E move all over the place.  Baby was so funny as either it's head or butt was "protruding" from my stomach.  It was so funny to watch and feel!

As the day went on, the rest of my family arrived.  We did the normal picture taking session (a few times), at lunch, and then opened presents.  On top of all the Christmas hustle and bustle and it being Sunday, we had evening entertainment of a Packer game!  So fun!!

Snoopy photo-bombed numerous pictures!

Too funny!

My baby!

The entire gang!

It was a great holiday!  Baby E. even got a few gifts.  Grandma and Grandpa D. gave an ornament that tells the story of Baby Jesus. It's soo cute!  Can't wait to play it for baby next Christmas!

32 weeks (1/18 to 1/24)

56 days left!! OMG!


How big is baby?  Squash

Weight gain/loss:  To date:   +34 (find out on 1/25 if I was able to maintain from my last Dr. visit)

Stretch marks?  Nope..still feeling lucky!

Sleep?  Hips are still bothering me but I've been religiously stretching before bed so it's not as bad.

Best moment this week?  Cleaning out our downstairs rooms...they were a mess!  And sewing stuff for the baby's room!

Worst moment this week?  Shaun having to go back to school.  Most of his spare time will now be filled with homework.  But thankfully it's only until May and then he's done!!

Food cravings?  Nothing in particular this week.

Belly button in or out?   Outie.  And my linea nigra is in full force

Movement:  Starting to feel some kicks to the side.  Still nothing where baby kicks my ribs.  I count myself one of the lucky ones!

What I miss:  Not having to put 10 layers on to go for a walk.  I told Shaun I think I'm one of the few pregnant ladies who still bundle up like a tick to go for a walk outside!

What I'm looking forward to:  Seeing the family for trivia weekend!

Weekly wisdom:  

Milestones:   Baby is now up to about 3.75 pounds and 16.7 inches long.  Gaining about a pound a week (eek) and roughly half of that goes to baby.  Baby will gain a third to half of birth weight in the next 7 weeks.  Baby now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair.  Skin is becoming soft and smooth as baby plumps up.

Another month has passed, so another set of bump pics!

Goodbye Snoopy :(

So I'm a little late in getting to this post.  Maybe because I was really sad to see Snoopy go.  Even though I was ready to get rid of him shortly after we got him!  With Shaun's new job and work schedule, it required me to go home every day for lunch.  Basically a lot of running for me.  And with Baby E coming in a couple months, we just didn't have the room (in the vehicle for 2 dogs, 2 adults, and a baby) nor the time to devote to him like we wanted.  So we made the heartbreaking decision to contact BBR and ask that he be placed in a new foster home.  At first, we thought he was going to a home about a half hour from us.  We were stoked with the thought of being able to visit.  But that fell through and then we found out he was headed all the way to Janesville......

So on Sunday, January 8 we got his letter (the 411 on Snoopy) typed up, his food, a few toys, some treats all ready to go, and headed to Portage to meet up with someone who was going to take him to Janesville.  I'll admit I bawled...like a baby.  I felt bad like I was abandoning Snoopy and I was so worried how he was going to adjust.  But I guess it's always harder on us than it is on them.  

The lady who transported Snoopy to Janesville was kind enough to e-mail me and update me that his new foster family almost instantly fell in love with him....might even be a foster failure?!?!?

Snoopy stayed with us for about 3 months and was quite the character!  He definitely left his paw print on our hearts!  Here's a few pics from his stay with us

Sadie & Snoopy's normal position on the couch:

Wanting to be center of attention...

Giving kisses:

Sharing so nicely

He was always such a cuddler and wanna-be-lap-dog

This week I received an update from his new foster family and sounds like Snoopy is adjusting very well!  They have a huge back yard so he can run like crazy!  And they also have a 15 year old who has been spoiling him by letting him sleep on her bed!!  They said Snoopy has been the best foster dog they've had!  Way to go Snoopy!

Shaun's New Job

So you may have seen in many of my weekly baby update posts that Shaun has a new job!  It was one of those easy but tough decisions.  His retail job was just getting to be too much.  I felt like I never seen him and it was really starting to affect our relationship.  So we made the decision, shortly before our week long vacation in November, that he would put in his two week notice....without having anything lined up.

Before he put in his two weeks, he had already been looking, had his resume in at a few different places, and had a few interviews.  In the meantime, his two weeks came and went and there was still nothing lined up and he was officially unemployed.  One place had offered him a job after he went in for a second interview and told him he had to make a decision immediately.  Needless to say, he rejected their offer.

We were holding out hope that he would get hired at an office not too far from where I worked.  He had his first interview and was just waiting to get a call back for the second.

And finally the call came!!  On Friday, December 2, he got the offer from the job we had hoped and prayed he would get!  He obviously accepted their offer immediately and to our surprise they wanted him to start right away instead of in January!

So in the end everything had worked out perfectly!  It's still scary to think that he could still be unemployed especially in today's economy, but I think God was on our side watching over our growing family!

The new job has been great!  Shaun is home when I'm home.  We've gotten oddles of things done around the house and have actually been able to enjoy just sitting on the couch and watching a movie!  Sometimes it is the small things that really make us happy!

31 weeks (1/11 to 1/17)

How big is baby?  Butternut Squash!! 

Weight gain/loss:  To date:   +34 

Stretch marks?  Nope.

Sleep?  Hanging in there...the "charlie horse" type cramps in my hips are killing me!

Best moment this week?  Surprising Shaun's mom for her birthday :)

Worst moment this week?  Packers losing....

Food cravings?  BBQ'd anything!

Belly button in or out?   I think I can officially claim it's an outie!

Movement:  Yep!  Kind of interesting to see the baby's habits.  There are days baby moves around like crazy and then the next day it's like baby wore itself out!

What I miss:  Feeling decent in the morning.  I'm fine until I take a shower and get ready for work....

What I'm looking forward to:  Getting some needed cleaning/organizing done this weekend!

Weekly wisdom:  

Milestones:   Baby is about 16" long now and weighs about 3.3 pounds and headed towards a growth spurt!  Baby can turn his head from side to side.  Arms, legs and body are beginning to plump with much needed fat.  

30 weeks (1/4 to 1/10)

Getting into single weeks left now--9 (or only 63 days)!  How scary (and exciting)!!


How big is baby?  Butternut Squash!! 

Weight gain/loss:  To date:   +34 (yep, you read that right!  Thanks to a binge on Christmas cookies, I'm at my max.....)

Stretch marks?  Nope.

Sleep?  Starting to get a little more uncomfortable....

Best moment this week?  The doctor thought baby was breech so I got to see baby on ultrasound again :)

Worst moment this week?  Stepping on the scale to find out how much I put on.....

Food cravings?  Nothing really...

Belly button in or out?   More out than in.

Movement:  Definitely!  Baby is rolling and kicking!

What I miss:  Snoopy!  We sent him off to another foster home on Sunday (1/8) :(

What I'm looking forward to:  Our new couch and chaise lounge that we ordered!

Weekly wisdom:  Everything is not always as bad as it seems.

Milestones:   Baby is about 15.7" long now and weighs almost 3 pounds!  A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds baby but it will decrease as baby gets bigger and takes up more room.  Baby's eyesight continues to develop, though not very keen, even after birth.

29 Weeks (12/28/11 to 1/3/12)

Happy New Year!!  We actually were still up on New Year's Eve to see the ball drop (well at least until 11 to see it drop in NYC)!  Baby started moving around quite a bit when it dropped!  I'm taking it that baby knows it's baby's birth year!


How big is baby?  Butternut Squash!! 

Weight gain/loss:  To date:  +17 

Stretch marks?  Still nothing yet!

Sleep?    Getting a little rougher.  Had to add another pillow to the three I already use.

Best moment this week?  Celebrating Shaun's birthday and being able to spend time with him.

Worst moment this week?  Having some nausea....hopefully it doesn't get too bad again.

Food cravings?  Nothing this week.

Belly button in or out?   Halfsies but mostly sticking out now.

Movement:  Yep!  Can feel baby rolling around.  Add it to the weird but awesomely cool column.

What I miss:  The mild winter temps!  It was frigid the last couple of days!

What I'm looking forward to:  Not having to drive home for lunch everyday.

Weekly wisdom:  

Milestones:  Baby is now up to 2 1/2 pounds and is about 15 inches long!  Muscles and lungs are continuing to mature and head is growing bigger to make room for the growing brain!