Tucker & Kody love snow!

These dogs love snow more than I ever thought possible! We woke up this morning to another 2ish feet of snow on the ground....in less than 12 hours. And it's still snowing pretty hard.

The whole neighborhood was out snow blowing around 10 - even though the snow is still coming down!

I met another neighbor! She has an 8 week old yellow lab puppy named Lilly (lady's name was Lynn and she works at the hospital). Another plus to Flagstaff are the really friendly neighbors! I've met more neighbors in the month we've been here than I did in over a year in Gilbert. The guy across the street helped me break up the ice and lent me his ice chopper, the guy next door, Joe, snowblows our part of the sidewalk and is super friendly, and the lady across the street, Lynn, with her puppy Lilly, said she might have to do play dates with our dogs plus her house backs up to the area where we let them run, then the kid next door came over and helped us get Joe's car unstuck. Very nice people in this neighborhood!

It's hard work running around in snow that is taller than you are!

31 weeks and starting prenatal yoga...better late than never!

28 weeks in the green, 31 weeks in the blue. Not seeing a huge difference. Although I am happy to see that perhaps my butt has stopped growing! I think it actually looks a bit smaller at 31 weeks versus 28 weeks. Lets hope that is true and not just the picture! From the pictures my belly doesn't look much bigger but it definitely feels bigger/heavier. My poor belly button is nearly flat and is pretty tender these days. I am hoping that it stays flat and doesn't pop out! There are enough things in my near future that have me worried, I don't need add my belly button popping out to the list :)

The main reason I say my belly feels bigger is that I can definitely tell a difference in my mobility lately. When we sit down on the couch to watch TV it is much harder to get OFF the couch! In yoga yesterday we worked our "ab" muscles. I had to laugh. What ab muscles?! Aren't those the muscles that help me sit up and get off the couch? Aren't those the muscles that help you bend at the waist? I can definitely say there is no bending at the waist these days :) Rolling to the side and pushing myself up or waiting for Joe to get up and give me hand - that is more accurate these days. Either way I got a kick out of working my ab muscles. Both Carter and I thoroughly enjoyed prenatal yoga. We did a monkey dance, some stretching and balancing and some great moves to get him off my bladder. After class I felt better than I have in a long time - I had forgotten how much I really enjoyed yoga. Flagstaff has a huge + on its list now - the time to do prenatal yoga! Thanks again Mom for making it possible! I cannot tell you how good I felt afterward and how much I look forward to going again. Both for the yoga and to hopefully get to know some of the other girls in class as well. I'm pretty sure Joe was really happy I went to yoga too because I came out with such a better attitude and felt so good. He's even offered to drive me there and pick me up (because of the downtown location/tricky parking) On Sunday's it's a no brainer for him to drive me and on Thursdays I'll drive to his jobsite and he'll drive me to yoga and then pick me up after. Another benefit to a smaller town is that everything is close together. Yoga is 10 minutes from our house (max) and Joe's job site is right in between. Namaste!

Fun baby day!

Yesterday was a fun filled baby day! To start with I started my DIY project - wooden letters that spell out Carter's name that we're going to hang above his crib. I went to Michael's to get the letters and pick out the paint. I probably stood in front of the paint area for an hour. I am AWFUL at picking paint. When we paint Joe picks the paint color because 90% of the time my colors turn out horrible. So picking 5 different colors was semi stressful!

(They only had 1 "R")

I got started painting and was pleasantly surprised with my paint choices. They actually matched the bedding and looked good!

Jen J was providing creative consult on this project and at first we didn't have each letter as a different color, but as the project progressed it looked better with each letter a different color. So then the decision was what color would the last "R" be? Orange. So I went out and picked out a 6th color! And picked up a mini "R" so I could see what it would look like.

Now I have to add the decorating touches to the letters. The plan is this:
C - plain green
A - teal with orange accents
R - plain yellow
T - brown with green dots
E - plain light blue
R - orange with teal accents

As I'm finishing up this project and discussing my next steps with Jen J the dogs start barking like crazy and the delivery man drops off some stuff. I look outside to see 3 huge boxes on my front porch.

Joe and I have a rule that if something comes for the both of us that we wait until we are both present to open the boxes. (This rule was put in place around our wedding when boxes would come and Joe would open them without me) So these three boxes are screaming at me to open them. I call Joe and tell him my situation and he gives the go ahead to open them.

Box 1 - stroller from my parents
Box 2 - pack n play from Joe's parents
Box 3 - baby play mat from Joe's parents

I then spent the next few hours opening everything and putting it all together. Joe got home from work just as I was finishing up.

Stroller

Pack N Play
Tucker really liked the smell of the pack n play and just had to roll around on the mat.

Baby Play Mat

Joe was pretty impressed that I got everything put together before he got home. The pack n play was tough though. Putting the newborn sleeper together was a struggle but I got it! As soon as Joe came home he started pushing the stroller around the house and turned on the music for the pack n play.

Our second birthing class was last night so we didn't have much time to play as we had to head out the door. We did some relaxing techniques and stretches in class and then watched a video on birth. It showed a few live births. I could have done without seeing the live births. I don't think seeing them has helped me in anyway to feel more prepared or less anxious. The births didn't bother Joe as much but seeing the placenta really got to him. After they showed the placenta Joe went to the "bathroom". After class he told me that seeing the placenta freaked him out and he had to go walk around a bit! I will admit it wasn't the most pleasant looking thing - looked like a big blob of blood colored tissue. Joe then asks me "aren't you freaked out about the placenta?" Me "Um no, I'm not worried about the blob of mushy tissue coming out, I'm more worried about the baby with bones coming out!"

Flagstaff Doctor Update

I had my first appointment with the Flagstaff doctor today. She was very nice and informative... maybe a little too informative! We did all the usual first appointment talk and talked through my pregnancy thus far. Then she had me up on the table to measure my belly and feel for Carter's position. Carter is head down with his back coming up my right side, his butt in my ribs, and his legs going down my left side. At my last appointment he was transverse so this is good news. Now we'll just have to see if he stays in the head down position. The doctor told him he was doing well so we'll see if that helps!

After the position determining she measured my belly and said I was right on track and that she estimated Carter to be 4.5 pounds. At the time I was like "oh cool! They've never told me how much they thought he weighed." The more I thought about 4.5 lbs the more I started to freak out a bit. The pregnancy books say about 3-3.5lbs at this point. Then I read online that the baby gains between 1/3 and 1/2 pound a week from here on out. I'm 30 weeks, so by 40 weeks I'd have a 9.5 lb baby. If I'm honest that number scares the shit out of me.

I am half Van Thiel and Van Thiel's have big babies. But I am also half Lund and Lund's have smaller babies.

But in an effort to keep things positive I have heard that bigger babies are better sleepers. So I'll go with that for now and see what she says in two weeks about his size. From here until 35/36 weeks I'll see the doctor every 2 weeks then from 35/36 weeks on I'll be going in weekly.

We also talked about delivery dates. I told her both my brother and I were both early - she said that family history doesn't really have anything to do with when I'll deliver. Sadly. I wouldn't mind going early especially if I've got a chunk in there! As far as induction they will schedule an induction between 40 and 41 weeks if I have not delivered by then. She also said if I was 39 weeks and really uncomfortable and my body looked like it could be ready soon that they would discuss an induction then if I wanted to. But from what I've heard an induced labor is harder. So for now I'll just cross my fingers for going early!

Carter's heartbeat was great at 151!

Enough medical stuff! Now on to the fun stuff. We've decided to go the DIY route with the letters for Carter's name above his crib. I found some cute hand painted letters online but they are $22 PER LETTER. That is just insane when you can buy the letters for 3 dollar/letter at Joann Fabrics and then paint them yourself. So I am going to do a DIY project and try it out! Jen J helped me plan out the colors and design - she's way more creative! This is what the plan is, we'll see how I do!

Baby stuff galore! (thanks Nana & Papa)

Having a baby is kind of like getting married. Stuff is constantly being delivered to your door :) Yesterday we got the swing and today we got the JJ Cole Hat and the JJ Cole Bundle Me. Both the hat and the bundle me are made of the same material as the Sleep Sheep - SOOOOO soft! Now the only thing left to arrive are the clothes you ordered. Carter thanks you and says to stop looking at the registry!

We put the swing together last night:

It has: 10 songs and 3 nature songs, different seat positions to allow for head to toe swinging or side to side swinging, a domed mirror above the baby with clouds, stars and animals that circle above, and removable toy bar. There are 6 swinging speeds and volume control also.

Then tonight I put the JJ Cole Bundle Me in the car seat. It looks so soft and cuddly in there - and warm too! It will be so nice not to have to deal with big snowsuits or buntings or whatever they call them.

It has slots for all of the harnesses to go through and then an elastic strap to secure the top/bottom of the bundle me to the car seat.

The slots in the bottom of the bundle me allow the harness to come through but also allow the newborn car seat insert (came with the car seat) to be in there as well.

Looks warm and cozy!

The Trail

There is a great walking trail in our neighborhood with lots of open space for Kody to run. The girl that loved to swim and sun herself in 110 degree weather also loves the snow. She doesn't care what the temp is as long as fun is involved! The past couple days its been 50 and sunny and perfect for walking and throwing snowballs to Kody.

Turns out this girl loves to chase snowballs as much as Tucker does. Ohh the anticipation!

Look closely by the little tree in the middle... see that white ball of fury and the snow flying all around? That's Koder!

Coming back for more!

Happy New Year!

Its been a while since my last post - but forgive me, we were just slightly busy! I cannot believe it's 2010 and the year that our first baby will be born! Well technically 3rd baby since we count Tucker and Kody in our kid count, but our first without a tail and fur :)

We've set up Carter's room a bit. It was actually the first room we put together! We've had all this stuff just sitting around in Gilbert so it was nice to finally have a place for it. And we put together the recliner! Love it!

Here are some pics of his room and some close ups of the Twilight Turtle and Sleep Sheep for you mom :)

Looking in the door - to the right is the crib and chair

Looking in the door - to the left is the dresser and where the mirror is sitting will be where the big teddy bear goes.

Dresser/changing table and the twilight turtle!

Close up of the Twilight Turtle. Cute huh mom?

His crib and the Sleep Sheep - the softest little stuffed animal I've ever felt. Also I've heard from other moms that the Sleep Sheep is a miracle for getting babies to sleep

Photo taken from the closet looking toward the door - for perspectives sake

And Carter's baby blanket!

And now I'm 28 weeks (29 tomorrow) but I don't think my belly has grown much over the past month. My butt on the other hand.... dang it!
My 24 weeks and 28 weeks & Joe's 28 weeks

belly close up