February

Baby Girl

How far along? 21 weeks
Total Weight Gain? 10 lbs total
Stretch Marks? no
Sleep: doing pretty good
Best Moment this Week: Taking Nolan for his first hair cut, celebrating 13 years with Alex! 
Miss Anything? moving/bending comfortably
Movement: She is moving like crazy, especially at 10pm
Food Craving? Not really.  Still liking sour foods.
Anything making you queasy or sick? no
Bellybutton in our out? out
Wedding Rings on or off? on (actually a little big)
Happy or Moody most of the time? Pretty moody
Looking forward to? Baby girl continuing to grow!
Labor Signs? Having some contractions, especially when vacuuming, but when taking breaks they go away.
Anything else? no

How far along? 22 weeks
Total Weight Gain? 12 lbs total
Stretch Marks? no no new ones.
Sleep: pretty good
Best Moment this Week: Lots of movement, especially at 10 pm
Miss Anything? Just bending. It would have been nice to skate with Nolan and Alex during Catholic Schools Week.
Movement: a lot of movement all the time, especially at 10 pm
Food Craving? not really
Anything making you queasy or sick? not really
Bellybutton in our out? out
Wedding Rings on or off? On and still a little big
Happy or Moody most of the time? moody
Looking forward to? Growing baby, seeing baby again at 28 week ultrasound.
Labor Signs? not really, some braxton hicks but nothing sever.
Anything else? no

How far along? 23 weeks
Total Weight Gain? 14 lbs total
Stretch Marks? no
Sleep: pretty good.  I keep waking up on my back and having a hard time breathing because of it, but still going to sleep on my side and waking up that way.
Best Moment this Week: Hearing baby move like crazy while being monitored at hospital (see bottom)
Miss Anything? immune system
Movement: tons, she moves all.the.time.
Food Craving? not really
Anything making you queasy or sick? besides the germs I am guessing come from students...
Bellybutton in our out? out
Wedding Rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time? pretty moody
Looking forward to? Knowing everything is ok with baby girl and appointment tomorrow to just check up.
Labor Signs? no, just some braxton hicks. 

Anything else?  I had another stomach bug this week.  I was sick on Monday night-Tuesday.  I stayed home from work on Tuesday, still having some severe stomach pains.  Wednesday was better but not gone so I called the doctor just to check. The doctor told me I needed to get a liver panel done and push fluids at the hospital.  I called my mom to pick up Nolan from the sitter, called Alex to let him know I was going, and then called the sitter to let her know it was someone else picking up my mom. I took myself to Neenah (I found it all by myself!), was there 3 hours, and came back clear.  I was home by bed time.  

How far along? 24 weeks
Total Weight Gain? +15
Stretch Marks? no
Sleep: Pretty good once I get comfortable enough to sleep.
Best Moment this Week: Celebrating Valentine's Day with my loves.
Miss Anything? just moving more easily
Movement: lots of movement. She never stops.
Food Craving? Not really
Anything making you queasy or sick? Not really
Bellybutton in our out? Out
Wedding Rings on or off? On
Happy or Moody most of the time? Happy
Looking forward to? Just seeing her healthy at her ultrasound at 28 weeks and continued movement and growth.
Labor Signs? no
Anything else? no

How far along? 25 weeks

Total Weight Gain? +16
Stretch Marks? no
Sleep: Pretty good once I get comfortable enough to sleep.
Best Moment this Week: Just feeling our baby girl growing and moving away!
Miss Anything? Normal movement
Movement: Never stops
Food Craving? none really
Anything making you queasy or sick? Not really
Bellybutton in our out? out, way out.  Almost looks like Nolan's little herniated belly button.
Wedding Rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time? Moody
Looking forward to? Just seeing her healthy at her ultrasound at 28 weeks and continued movement and growth.
Labor Signs? no

Anything else? Conferences are this week so it is going to be a long week.  I am already dreading the lack of food, bathroom breaks, and seeing Nolan....It is making me pretty moody (teary)

How far along? 26 weeks

Total Weight Gain? +18
Stretch Marks? no
Sleep: Pretty good once I get comfortable enough to sleep.
Best Moment this Week: phew, its hard to find one after the past week.
Miss Anything? OMG I really wish I could handle situations (emotionally) better.  I have lost all control of my emotions and have been a wreck this week.
Movement: Lots, like crazy.
Food Craving? none really.
Anything making you queasy or sick? no
Bellybutton in our out? Waaaay out
Wedding Rings on or off? on
Happy or Moody most of the time? Moody.
Looking forward to? Everyone being healthy, stop crying on a whim.
Labor Signs? no


Anything else? Last week, Nolan had RSV and an ear infection.  I had conferences and saw Nolan 3 hours total (including the 2 hours I came home and watched him because he could'nt go to the sitters).  Nolan was taken care of by basically everyone but me and it was THE SICKEST I have ever seen him.  He was lethargic, skipping meals, miserable, and he just needed his mommy....and everyone else besides me was there for him. Then, Alex's co-worker had a family emergency on Thursday and it looked like he would have to work into the night...meaning someone else was taking care of him again.  I lost it.  I was coming down with something.  I lost it.  I cried in my co-workers arms and just lost all control of my emotions.  I was a hot mess.  I just cannot wait to feel normal and in control again!

Nolan Alex

 Nolan got his first haircut!  He did so good!  I didnt realize how long his hair was until I saw the lock on the certificate!

During Catholic Schools Week, we always have a family night. This year was skating at skate city.  Nolan did so well!  We had so much fun!  It brought back so many memories being at Skate City.  It even smells the same!

We celebrated the Super Bowl with our friends this year.  The kids are getting so big eating at the big kid table all by themselves.  

Nolan is getting really good at using his fine motor skills, especially with painting.

Valentine's Day!  Nolan has grown so much this year!

We have nothing magnetic in our house.  All of our appliances are stainless steel and not magnetic.  Nolan got a great set of Mickey Mouse magnets from Grandma Gloudemans but could never really use them.  I was trying to cook the other day and wanted him to play with magnets while I did (like I did when my mom cooked and I am sure many of you did as well).  I decided to make the wall magnetic so I could be in the kitchen working and he could be busy. I also like it on this wall because when I am nursing the new little one, he could be doing magnets here as well. He can be seen from the kitchen or the living room.  He LOVES it.  He puts them all up, then knocks them all down. Whatever makes him happy right?

Nolan got his first mohawk!  It happened when he put peanut butter in his hair and we washed it out, but then it was so cute we put it in a couple more times with hair spray.  How cute is this boy?!?

Nolan had a low grade fever and a cough that was getting progressively worse at Emily Poppe's birthday party (Saturday).  He turned 18 months on Sunday so if we had to go to take care we could (finally).  Sunday came and his fever was low and he was coughing but he was catching his breath and doing fine.  I just assumed it was a virus going around.  Tuesday was his wellness visit so we were attempting to hang in there until then since it was likely a virus they could do nothing about.  Monday was worse, but we hung in there for one day.  Tuesday he was pathetic but we already had the appointment.  At the doctor, he found a nasty ear infection (ooops) and RSV.  His O2 levels were fine so we didnt need to go into the hospital, but had to watch for them to go down.  He was a hot mess.  We got him home, gave him lots of love, pushed fluids, put pro-biotics in the fluids because he was on an anti-biotic for his ears and just held him as much as we could.  By we, I mean Alex, my mom, our sitter, I was at conferences.  He so kindly shared all the germs with mommy and daddy too....

Trying to get back to normal, I took Nolan to 1000 Environmental Center. He loves outside, running, and animals so I thought this would be great.  He obviously is not better.  He refused to get out of the stroller most of the time, cried quite a bit, and just kept saying home.  We had a couple good moments when he decided the only time he wanted out of the stroller was when we were on the railingless bridge, next to the raging Fox River, while I was pushing a stroller, holding a diaper bag, holding his hand, and trying to do it all with a 25 week baby bump.... Thank goodness inside he had 4 walls...until he fell up the step and literally bit the step and had a bloody lip.  We called that day and just went home.

Nolan has really been getting into books.  I think this came about while he was sick because he could cuddle while we read, but as he was SLOWLY getting better, he has taken interest in them on his own.  How cute is he on the floor here reading?







As Nolan has been sick, he has been super cuddly as I mentioned.  On this day in particular, he took a liking to the dogs and just kept hugging them. How cute is this?!?