UPDATED-Bella's Bday Wish List-UPDATED

You asked for it.... LOL In addition to the picture list below, anything Dora or Sponge Bob and books with flaps (the little peekaboo things you can flip open).

Bella is getting ready to move into her big girl room!!!

Dorinda Bedspread from Wal-Mart: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5499619

Dorinda Sheet Set from Wal-Mart: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5499623

Pink Rose Sheet Set: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=8054332

Lilac Sheet Set: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=5607642

Turtle Sandbox: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=9864660

Don't worry about buying dolls-we'll get that part:)

Doll Play Set: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4698927

Bella has one like this that has animals and she LOOOOOVES it!!!!

Leap Frog Magnetic Letter Set: http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=2233410

14 Weeks

WOOOO Feeling MUCH better-2nd trimester wonderfulness has definitely arrived (*knock on wood*)!!! Tons more energy and little to no morning sickness:) I'll post pics tonight.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

You open the refrigerator door, only to be greeted by the nauseating smell of garlic. But you LOVE garlic. Or rather, you did. Now all sorts of smells seem unappealing at best, and gut-wrenching at worst. In fact, nearly 85 percent of pregnant women have at least one food aversion. One explanation, according to researchers, is that food aversions peak when hormones are fluctuating. As you progress through the second trimester, and hormones stabilize, your aversions may disappear. And while aversions to coffee or alcohol may be your body's way of preventing you from consuming anything harmful to the baby, aversions to healthy foods should be treated differently. No, you don't have to force-feed yourself the detested item. Instead, find a palatable alternative that offers similar nutritional value.

You can ask Ben-I want to vomit on Sunday mornings when he drinks coffee at church. The smell of the coffee brewing doesn't bother me, its the coffee breath that gags me LOL

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby is now about three-and-a-half inches long and weighs about two ounces. His or her neck is complete, and your baby even has fingerprints. He or she is beginning to move around in the amniotic fluid, which, by the way, replenishes itself every three hours. Fetal movement, or "quickening," can occur as early as this week, so be alert for fluttering sensations in your belly. If you can't feel them, however, don't worry, they're more likely to occur between the 18th to 22nd week. In subsequent pregnancies, fetal movement usually is felt earlier.

The flutters have started this week! In the evenings it is sometimes more than fluttering. DEFINITELY feeling the stretching and growing going on!!!

Bella's Words & Allergy Update

Singulair seems to be doing the trick as far as cutting down on congestion and her cough. She is still sneezing and itching her nose/eyes quite a bit so we'll see.

We were at playgroup on Friday and started talking about the 2 year old well-check appointments and the different milestones that 2 year olds are suppose to have met that the doctors ask about. One was that they are suppose to be able to say 20 words or more. It made me think, "Does Bella say 20 words?" I honestly didn't think so and started to worry. She is completely able to communicate anything she wants/needs and is extremely receptive to communication (i.e., we can tell her to do something and she knows what to do-whether she actually DOES it or not depends on the stubborn factor of the day). SO I decided to make a list and we keep thinking of words randomly thru the day so its definitely not complete but its a LOT more than I ever thought and definitely over 20:

*In no specific order, I have preggo brain so I wrote them down as they came to me. These are only words that other people could actually discern-they aren't perfectly clear but easy to understand. Example: "Bella" usually comes out as "Bewwa" as it does for most kids her age because the L sound just ain't happening yet:)

Mama
Daddy
Bella
baby (she is obsessed with baby animals, and also loves to take Squirt's ultrasound pic and carry it around the house saying, "Ohhh baby" and kissing it LOL)
dirty
away (her form of saying something needs to be thrown away-lil miss tidy!!!)
bye
hello
hi
cat
dog
meow
night night
juice
ow
cheerio
mine (definitely one of the most used)
no (another most used)
me
thank you
please
bank (LOOOOVES to put change in her piggy bank)
keys
Dora
Diego
go
cheese
teeth
eye
banana
Nana
Papa
bear
horse
Bob
Sponge Bob
bubble
book
milk
more
shoe
potty
stinky (she is obsessed with smelling her horribly stinky feet)
water
slide
outside
choo choo (refers to trains AND trucks as choo choos)
duck
moo
baaa (what does a sheep say? and she usually SCREAMS "BAAAAA")
boo
apple
jump
bee (every bug is a bee)
butterfly (except a butterfly!)
fry (french fry)
hat
phone
num (candy)
dance

Mama's Turn

The belly entering the 2nd trimester.....

13 wks-definitely a change from 12 wks (below)

13 wks-I was making fun of Ben taking my picture and I end up looking drunk LOL Got me a lil Dunlops Disease going on but dangit these shorts are COMFY!!!!

Squirt's Kodak Moment

I got to see my sweet lil Squirt today!!! Yep, I'm already head over heels:) The U/S tech said this one is gonna be our snuggler because it kept rolling up into a ball. It was sucking its thumb and playing with its face.

Baby is inside the big black round thing-the bag:) (Sorry doing it elementary cuz for some reason some people don't see babies easily on U/S-I personally think its VERY obvious LOL) The bright white curve is the spine. Has SUPER long and skinny legs. Big ol tummy:) You can see its hand with thumb sticking out going towards the face.

awww my beautiful baby!!!! Close up shot of the face-you can see the hand going for the mouth:) And of course, all my babies are gonna have chipmunk cheeks LOL Also has a very definite chin.

The tech said everything looked great-no obvious markers for Downs or any Trisomies and is measuring perfectly on target:)

Allergies Schmallergies

BLAH sick of allergies and the darn rain that just makes it worse!!! Bella was started on Singulair yesterday so hopefully that will magically do the trick. So far just Zyrtec and Nasonex hasn't worked. We are to try the Singulair until the samples run out. If it works, then she'll be on it permanently. If not, then we try Sudal without the Zyrtec.

She doesn't act like she doesn't feel good-still has tons of energy and has actually been eating and sleeping again, but she has constant congestion which is now causing a cough. None of its contagious-no fever, no green/yellow gunk, just fun ol allergies. Poor baby, it was one thing I didn't want her to inherit-that and my asthma. But I guess when you have parents who both have allergies and asthma, you are cursed LOL

Second Trimester!!

WOOOOO Milestone #1 accomplished!!!!

We (Ben, Bella and I) got to hear Squirt's heartbeat (160!!) yesterday. Unfortunately they scheduled my ultrasound wrong so I have to go back tomorrow morning-hopefully I'll have some Squirt pics to share:) Might even get a guess at the gender tho its not real reliable until after 20 wks.

I somehow managed to lose 4 lbs!! Dunno where I lost it at cuz my belly is definitely growing. Just another way that this pregnancy is completely different from what I had with Bella. By the end of the first trimester with her, I think I had gained 10-15 lbs LOL I've been eating like crazy so I dunno what the deal is other than my morning sickness which started to really fad but its been pretty yukky the past week. Here is to hoping I get my 2nd trimester energy hit soon:)

13 weeks

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

The second trimester is sometimes referred to as the "honeymoon of pregnancy." This is because women often regain energy, with much of the arduous work of organ development now almost complete. As you enter your second trimester, your nausea most likely has faded into a memory. (If you had to stop taking prenatal vitamins during this time, you should begin to take them again as soon as possible.) You may feel absolutely wonderful. You aren't yet subject to the physical discomforts that may appear in the later weeks of pregnancy and you may finally feel ready to reveal your long-held secret to the world.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Measuring in at about seven centimeters crown-to-rump and weighing about two ounces, your baby-to-be will spend the rest of the pregnancy concentrating on growing and becoming strong enough to live outside the uterus. Your baby's intestines have now moved from outside the body to inside the abdomen. While your baby won't be saying "Mommy" for some time, vocal cords are now developing. Your fetus also has developed many reflexes and will squirm inside of you if your abdomen is prodded.

First Trimester

Thought I'd share the comparisons

12 Week Pics

I think I'm looking a *little* more energized. A little more belly higher up-you can tell on the belly shots that its getting that awesome preggo firmness.

12 wks

11 wks

12 wks

11 wks

LAST week of First Trimester!!!!

WOOOO almost there:) To the wonderful, happy, beautiful land of the 2nd trimester!!! Will post pics tonight

12 weeks

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

As you approach your second trimester, any nausea you may have experienced probably will begin to subside. You may also notice the linea nigra (black line), a dark line of pigmentation creeping up your abdomen -- especially if you have a dark complexion. Your uterus has risen above your pubic bone, and your care provider will be able to feel it during an abdominal exam. It is about the size of a softball. Around this time, you may begin to "show." For first-timers, "showing" may occur a bit later, as strong abdominal muscles can help to hide your pregnancy.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY

Your baby-to-be is now 60 to 65 millimeters long or about two and a half inches long, and weighs about 14 grams. He or she has the ability to swallow and absorb and discharge fluids. Hands, now complete, are growing fingernails. Even tooth buds are appearing. Your baby's face now has a distinctly human appearance. The amniotic sac contains about 50 cubic centimeters of fluid (one and one half ounces). This week, your placenta takes over the important task of hormone production.

Names Again

k I suck and the link I posted for names before didn't work, so we'll try again....



I have an ultrasound on the 16th but I doubt we'll be able to tell the gender already even tho I've had dreams that we could. The gender ultrasound should be around the first week of August so we'll be able to get more serious about names then considering we haven't come up with any girl names yet LOL

11 Weeks

Having a MUCH better week so far. Morning sickness is dying off for the most part, headaches are kicking my rear and I'm starving ALL the time (when I wake up, an hour before lunch, 2 hours before dinner, before I go to bed, when I wake up at 3am to pee). But I feel like I'm getting a little bit of my energy back so we're heading towards the 2nd trimester (2more weeks)-I'm READY!!! 2nd trimester was definitely my fav with Bella-just wish it could roll over into the 3rd trimester and be good until the end.


WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOU

You may be suffering with more frequent headaches as a result of the change in your hormone levels. You can help prevent headaches before they start by eating regularly, drinking plenty of fluids, getting adequate sleep and keeping stress levels low. Ask your care provider if you can treat headaches with Tylenol (acetaminophen), a pain medication that is considered safe for pregnant women. If you experience frequent headaches, if the headache is the by-product of a fever, or if it causes visual disturbances or puffiness in the hands and face, call your practitioner immediately.




WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH YOUR BABY



Your baby-to-be is about 50 millimeters crown to rump and weighs about eight grams (about a quarter of an ounce). The irises are now forming. The liver, intestines, brain and lungs are beginning to function on their own. The primitive "tail" is now gone. The intestines are beginning to migrate into the abdominal cavity and the external genitalia are present but difficult to distinguish. Now that most of the major organ work is done, your baby adds such details as hair, fingernails and toenails. While your baby's head is nearly as large as the rest of her body, head growth begins to slow during this period.

11 weeks-now people might wonder "pregnant or tumor?" instead of "wow she is gaining weight or maybe she is pregnant" :)

9 weeks-yep I skipped a week

11 weeks

9 weeks

So at 9 weeks I had the sexy Urkel look and at 11 weeks I am flashing the lovely post-CSection flap... never know what you're gonna get!!

Fun at the Park

Monday, Ben had a Boy Scout meeting so we decided to meet him at a park in Rogers and then go out to eat.

This is how I found Sleeping Beauty when I went to wake her

Making Uncle Popeye proud-conquering the climing wall!!!

"I do it Dadiiii!!!"

She insisted on playing on the big kid playground LOL

Going down the big kid "rocket slide"

The park was empty so she naturally owned the place

Stairs are over-rated

Like Father Like Daughter

WEEEEEEEEE Daddy had to help out a little because her sneakers kept getting her stuck

Riding the dinosaur

Climbing Big Shot

Do NOT mess up my concentration!!!

More big kid slide fun

My favorite silly billies

Peekabooo!!!!

She decided she should be fair and give the baby playground some lovin too

Darn sneakers always getting in my way!!!

RAWWWWRRRRRR

She eyed her new favorite-planes or "Banes" as she calls them

I love you!!!!!!