Our Baby This Week

Our baby is about 15.7 inches long now and weighs almost three pounds (like a head of cabbage). A pint and a half of amniotic fluid surrounds him, but that volume will decrease as he gets bigger and takes up more room in my uterus. His eyesight continues to develop, though it is still not very keen; even after he is born he will keep his eyes closed for a good part of the day. When he does open them, he'll respond to changes in light but will have 20/400 vision - which means he can only make out objects a few inches from his face. (Normal adult vision is 20/20.)

I took a nap on Christmas day and when I woke up the baby had dropped. I now look a lot less pregnant and feel much better as well. Since the baby dropped, I have not had heartburn even once. It is so hard to believe that I only have about two more months to go. This pregnancy has flown by. I really haven't done anything to prepare for this baby because everything is still out from Jonah. I guess the next few weeks will be spent organizing clothes, blankets, and other baby things.

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas Everyone! This year I wrote my first ever Christmas letter to go out in our Christmas cards and thought I would post it on here in case I did not get a card out to any of you.

January
A new year in a new home with a new baby. Sort of like starting over again! Noah turned four and began questioning everything. Along with an active imagination, he also developed a very inquisitive mind.
February
Not much time for romance on Valentines day, but certainly a lot of love. Noah joined a soccer team and scored his first official goal ever. At nearly four months old, Jonah finally slept for an eight hour stretch.
March
Soccer was over and Easter was upon us. We accidentally discovered Jonah's soy allergy the night before Easter. This was our first time ever to miss Easter services.
April
Our fifth anniversary. We spent most of this month outdoors, enjoying the spring weather and picking wild blackberries.
May
A busy month indeed. Jonah experienced his first tooth and trip to the beach, Noah visited the Strawberry barn, Joe celebrated his 32nd birthday, Joe and Noah attended the NASCAR Sprint All-Star race in Charlotte, and I baked my first ever blackberry pie. At the end of this month, due to rising fuel costs, we decided to temporarily shut down Little Joe's Trucking and he went to work for a logging company.
June
This month brought Bible School, fishing, and picnics. It also brought my 30th birthday. My twenties gave me the most amazing things in my life, my husband and two boys. I was sad to see them go, but excited to see what my thirties would have in store.
July
It did not take long to start getting great things in my thirties. We found out on July 1st that we were going to have another baby. July 4th at the river was great as usual, and the boys won 1st place in the parade. Another Bible School rounded out the month.
August
Noah started four year old kindergarten at home and finished up his swimming lessons. Jonah gave up his passy and finally started to crawl. Joe and I made the decision that after three months, it was time to go back to Little Joe's Trucking so the end of this month was his last day at the logging company.
September
Little Joe's Trucking was up and running, making life busier for us all. However, we did manage to fit in some accidental mud bogging, a car/deer collision and a trip to the fall festival at Bonnie Doone Plantation. We also found out that our newest little one is a boy!
October
Jonah turned one the end of this month. We took the boys to visit the pumpkin patch, our church harvest fun day, and of course trick-or-treating. Noah was a fireman this year and Jonah was a pumpin.
November
Sickness hit us this month. It seems as soon as one of us got well another would come down with something else. We had a great Thanksgiving. Thankful for all the things God has blessed us with, especially His Son Jesus Christ.
December
Another year almost over. My ankles are swelling, my back is hurting from carrying Jonah, my ears are burning from listening to Noah's constant chatter, and my voice is wearing out from telling Joe to take off his greasy clothes before sitting on the couch. But to tell you the truth, I am loving every minute of it all.

The other day in town, a lady said to me, "It looks like your life is about as full as you can handle." I agreed with her at the time, but after thinking about it, I can't disagree more. I never want us to see our family as full. I always want to have more room for the blessings that God has in store for us, however surprising they may be. From our family to yours, Merry Christmas! May you always be open to the surprises God brings your way this new year.

Joe, Denise, Noah, Jonah, and Baby Givens

Our Baby This Week

Our baby now weighs about 2 1/2 pounds (like a butternut squash) and is a tad over fifteen inches long from head to heel. His muscles and lungs are continuing to mature, and his head is growing bigger to make room for his developing brain.
This baby has really started getting more active and I think heartburn has set in to stay. I go back to the doctor the day after Christmas. Hopefully we will both be in better moods this time.

Jealousy?

Most of you know that my brother Tj is a marine stationed in San Angelo, TX. My Mom is very proud of him and has this bumper sticker on her car that says, "My son is a marine." Those of you who have siblings know about brother/sister rivalry, and understand why I can't help but be a little irritated by this. Not that the sticker bothers me, I am proud of my brother as well. What I am bothered by is the fact that there is no sticker displaying how proud she is of me! I was going to buy her one for Christmas, but I looked around and could not find one that suited my needs. I had several in mind such as, "My daughter is a college graduate" or "My daughter gave birth to my two grandsons". We could even change that to "three grandsons" in March. However, my personal favorite is "Proud Mom of a SAHM!" If anyone knows where I could find these or have one made please let me know. It only has to be a couple inches bigger than the current marine sticker that is displayed.
Enough of that, I really am proud of my brother and it is great to have him home with Holly this year for Christmas. Today they took Noah with them to visit Paris Island, the base where Tj attended boot camp. Noah said he had a lot of fun and I'm sure Tj drilled it into his head the whole time how great the marines are. However, somehow Noah must have gotten something twisted because as I type this he is marching around the house chanting "Ar-my, Ar-my, Ar-my" and trying to convince Jonah to join him. My brother is going to be mortified to know that after spending an entire day on a marine corp base with him, his nephew has come home to cheer for the Army. That thought puts a smile on my face and is almost enough to make up for the bumper sticker thing. Some say this is jealousy talking, I say it is sweet revenge. Ha Ha Ha!

Mom's Letter To Santa

I can't take credit for this. Someone sent it to me and I just adapted it to fit my family.

Dear Santa,
I've been a good mom all year. I've fed, cleaned and cuddled my children on demand, and visited their doctor's office more than my doctor. I was hoping you could spread my list out over several Christmases, since I had to write this letter with Noah's red crayon, on the back of a receipt in the laundry room between cycles, and who knows when I'll find anymore free time in the next 18 years.
Here are my Christmas wishes: I'd like a pair of legs that don't ache (in any color, except purple, which I already have) and arms that don't hurt or flap in the breeze; but are strong enough to pull my screaming children out of the candy aisle in the grocery store.I'd also like a waist, since I lost mine somewhere long before this current pregnancy. If you're hauling big ticket items this year I'd like fingerprint resistant windows and a radio that only plays adult music; a television that doesn't broadcast any programs containing talking animals; and a refrigerator with a secret compartment behind the crisper where I can hide to talk on the phone. On the practical side, I could use a talking doll that says, "Yes, Mommy" to boost my parental confidence, along with children who don't fight and three pairs of jeans that will zip all the way up without the use of power tools. I could also use a recording of Tibetan monks chanting "Don't eat in the living room" and "Jonah don't bite your brother," because my voice seems to be just out of my children's hearing range and can only be heard by the dog.
If it's too late to find any of these products, I'd settle for enough time to brush my teeth and comb my hair in the same morning, or the luxury of eating food warmer than room temperature without it being served in a Styrofoam container. If you don't mind, I could also use a few Christmas miracles to brighten the holiday season. Would it be too much trouble to declare ketchup a vegetable? It will clear my conscience immensely. It would be helpful if you could coerce my children to help around the house without demanding payment as if they were the bosses of an organized crime family.
Well, Santa, the buzzer on the dryer is ringing and Noah saw my feet under the laundry room door. I think he wants his crayon back. Have a safe trip and remember to leave your wet boots by the door and come in and dry off so you don't catch cold. Help yourself to cookies on the table but don't eat too many or leave crumbs on the carpet.
Yours Always,
MOM...!

P.S. One more thing...you can cancel all my requests if you can keep my children young enough to believe in Santa.

Our Baby This Week

By this week our baby weighs two and one quarter pounds (like a head of cabbage) and measures about 14.8 inches from the top of his head to his heels. He can blink his eyes, which now sport lashes. With his eyesight developing, he may be able to see the light that filters though my womb. He is also developing millions of neurons in his brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.
This week starts my third trimester...home stretch, here I come!

Moving Out!

Last night as I was online paying some bills, Noah walked into the office, fully dressed down to his shoes and carrying a packed overnight bag. He came up to my chair, threw his arms around me and said, "Good-bye Moma, I'm moving." I asked Noah where he was moving to and he repied, "To Grammy and Pa's house. Can you call them to come pick me up?"
Joe had been in charge of the boys and I had no idea what was going on or how to handle it. Noah has been upset before, but never wanted to move out. I don't even know where he came up with the idea. Anyway, I told Noah to go get me the phone and I would make the call. When he came back in with the phone, he was near tears. This was our conversation:

Me: We sure are going to miss you, but you will probably be happy at Grammy and Pa's house anyway.
Noah: Well, if Daddy would stop taking my toys away, I wouldn't even have to move.
Me: Why did he take your toys away?
Noah: Because I didn't listen.
Me: Maybe you should just listen to Daddy, that way you can keep your toys and you will not have to go to the trouble of moving.
Noah: (As if this had never occured to him before) Okay, you don't have to call them now!

At this point, Noah ran out of the room, content to return to whatever he had been doing. So for now, we still have a four year old living with us, however there is no telling what he will come up with next.

Talk, Talk, Talk

Me: Noah, do you realize that you have been talking non-stop since you woke up this morning?

Noah: Yeah, and can you believe that I'm still not tired of it?

Ouch! That Hurts!

I had a regular appointment with the baby doctor Thursday morning. Everything looked normal (even my blood sugar levels) so he told me to keep a close eye on things myself but the would not have to see me for two whole weeks. Yeah!!!
Unfortunately, by Thursday afternoon I was in excruciating back pain. I have had back pain from sciatica during most of this pregnancy, but I could tell that this pain was something different. It felt just like it did when I was having back labor with Noah, but without the contractions. I was hurting and scared, so when Joe got home early he loaded everyone up and we went back to the doctor's office.
After waiting for what felt like forever, I finally got to see the doctor, but not the one I usually see. Keep in mind that I was already crying, partly from the pain and partly because I was scared that I was going into labor and that it was too early. The doctor's first words when he walked in were, "So have you decided to have your tubes tied after this baby is born?" This threw me off guard and I muttered something like, "No, I haven't made any decisions yet." He then proceeded to tell me that if I had gotten my tubes tied after having the last baby, that I would not be in pain right then. Now this is all without even looking at me, he is still staring at my chart. I don't remember much else about the visit, I was crying in earnest by then, and fuming over the doctor's comments. Maybe I was just overly emotional that day, but it still irritates me that those were his first words to me.
Apparently after checking me, they determined that I was not in labor but had pulled a muscle in my back. I was given a prescription for pain pills (which I refuse to fill) and for a back brace called a pre-natal cradle. I was also given instructions to stop all lifting. I did not bother to tell the stupid doctor that it is a little hard to not lift when you have a thirteen month old at home, I figured that would only solidify his belief that I should have had my tubes tied. As I was walking out of the office, he said, "By the way, I'm Dr. Ackerman, I don't think you have seen me before." I wanted to tell him that in fact, he helped deliver my last child, but I had not seen him yet during this pregnancy and if I could help it I would never see him again. That is what I wanted to say, but instead I just shook my head and walked away sobbing.
Anyway, Joe has been great. Since work is very slow at this time, (I'll post more on that and the economy later) he has been home taking care of me and the children. I am feeling much better today and hope to be back to my normal routine by tomorrow.

Our Baby This Week

This week, our baby weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with his legs extended. He's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing his eyes, and perhaps even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, our baby's brain is very active now. While his lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if he were to be born now. He is really moving a lot more these days. His kicks and punches have gotten so strong that other people can see my shirt moving around when he wiggles.

Dear Santa

Noah was just eleven months old his first Christmas, so he was mostly interested in the wrapping paper. I figure it will be that way with Jonah this Christmas. He will probably enjoy the lights, sound and decorations, but will not be very interested in the gift part.

Noah's second Christmas was a little different. He understood the gift thing and was starting to talk a bit. His only wish for Christmas was batteries. When we have a noisy toy at our house that is driving me crazy, I take the batteries out and presto, no more noise. Noah understood this at the age of two and wanted his own stash of batteries to fall back on, so he asked Santa to bring him "babbries". I wish I had taken a picture of his face when he open the box from Santa and found it full of batteries! He was so excited!

By his third Christmas he was really catching on and decided he wanted two things, a kitchen set he had seen in Wal-Mart and an orange ride on motorcycle. He was talking a good bit by this time, but still had trouble with words that started with 'C' or 'K'; they came out starting with an 'H' sound. He called the kitchen set a cooker so yes, he asked Santa for a "hooker" and a motorcycle.

Last year for Christmas, I think Daddy put a bug in Noah's ear, because he asked Santa for an orange go-cart. Much to my dismay, Santa was able to find a used go-cart at a yard sale and spent an entire weekend cleaning it up and painting it orange. The day before Christmas, Noah changed his mind and wanted a yellow one instead. We explained that since the order had already been placed, it was to late to change it at this point.

This year, Noah has changed his mind constantly about what he wants Santa to bring, so we finally sat down last night and wrote a letter. After I "mail" the letter today, there will be no more changing of the mind because it will be too late. Here is his letter...all his words, not mine. I don't even know what some of these things are. If any one knows what a magic four-wheeler is, please let me know!

Dear Santa,
My name is Noah. I have been a very good boy this year. Please bring me Hot Wheels Cars. Please bring me cars and a fish light. Please bring me the workshop I saw on TV and a new drill. Please bring me instruments. A violin and a special flute. Please bring me an airplane and a four wheeler that has magic on it, a watch, and sunglasses.
I have a brother named Jonah. He has been good. Please bring him something he can push and ride. Please bring him lots of balls so he will not take mine and stop lights with cop cars and plain cars.
We will leave you carrots for your reindeer and cookies and white milk for you beside the fireplace. I may not be sleeping in my own bed. Thank you for bringing my go-cart last year and thank you for bringing my motorcycle.
Love, Noah

Our Baby This Week

The network of nerves in our baby's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. He may now be able to hear my voice, Joe's voice and the boy's voices as we chat with one other. He's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when he's born and takes that first gulp of air. And he's continuing to put on baby fat. He now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

I had an ultrasound on Monday and the technician switched it over to 3D so we could actually see the baby's features. He did not co-operate very well, but we at least got a glimpse of what he will look like. Everything looked fine with the baby and the pill the doctor put me on seems to be controlling my blood sugar levels for now. I go back to see him again next Thursday and he will check to make sure that the sugar levels are still in a range that he feels comfortable with.

All Cats Go To Heaven

Yesterday afternoon, I sat Noah down to tell him about Prissy dying. I did not think it would be a big deal since due to Prissy's attitude problem, he and the cat had never even come close to bonding, but I wanted to explain it to him anyway. I told him that Prissy had died and gone to heaven. This is the conversation that followed:

Noah: Are you sure?
Me: Yes Noah, I'm sure that she is dead. Daddy already buried her out back.
Noah: But I mean about the heaven thing?
Me: Well Noah, I believe that there are animals in heaven, and I would like to believe that Prissy is there too.
Noah: But Momma, are you sure, because she was really mean!

This was not the way I had envisioned this conversation going, and all I could do was laugh. Thank God for children to bring a smile to our faces!

Priscilla

On my sixteenth birthday, my mom gave me a black Persian kitten. I named her Priscilla Desiree and we called her Prissy for short. She was my baby, as no one else could stand her. It seems that Prissy had an attitude problem from birth. When I went to college, she became my Mom's responsibility until she got re-married. At that point, Prissy went to live with Joe. Joe despised Prissy, and Prissy despised Joe. However, Joe must love me very much, because he always took good care of her. When we got married, Prissy would have once again become my responsibility, but I got pregnant and could not handle the cat litter. I got to love and spoil Prissy while Joe took care of the icky stuff. Because Joe loves and spoils me, he continued to take care of the icky stuff even after Noah was born.

Like I said before, Prissy had an attitude problem since birth. It got even worse the older she got. She preferred solitude most of the time. So when we moved into our new home, we left Prissy in our old home. Joe went back there every day to check on her, and I would go as often as I could to spend time with her. Friday night I was back there with her and she was just as ornery as usual. Sunday morning, when Joe went to go feed her, he found her passed away, curled up in her favorite sleeping place. He came back up to the house to tell me. He said, "I have bad news and good news, what so you want first?" Now I am a bad news first person. I always have been. I mean, how can you enjoy good news if you are bracing yourself for the bad news to come? Anyway, the bad news was that my cat that I loved for nearly fifteen years had died. It took a while to absorb the news. I knew that she had already lived longer than normal, but I guess I just expected her to be sick, or give us some warning. Now that I think about it, I am glad that we did not have any warning, because that may mean that she did not suffer, she just went to sleep and did not wake up.

About an hour later, after I had processed the fact that she was gone, I remembered that Joe said he had good news. When I asked him about it he said, "Oh yeah, we don't have to buy any cat food this week!" I know it sounds horrible, but at least it made me laugh. Because of his love for me, my husband has been very good to that cat, but I am not so sure that he was sad to see her go. He did however go out in the pouring rain Sunday and give her a proper burial. I will miss my Prissy. Attitude and all, she will always have a place in my heart.

Christmas Pictures

Today Joe and I attempted the dreaded annual task of taking the kids for Christmas pictures. It did not turn out as bad as it could have been considering that Jonah completely skipped his nap time today. Does anyone else have to bribe their kids to get them to smile for the camera? Anyway, here is a preview of what they look like.

Happy Thanksgiving

Thank you God for:

Two healthy boys who are just a little bit spoiled
A husband with a tender heart
The new life growing inside me
Rubber gloves, so I don't have to touch the icky turkey
My family, immediate and extended
A warm fireplace
Real Christmas trees
A new (free) trashcan
Friends, old and new
Sugar free dark chocolate

These are just a few of the big and small things I am full of thanks for today. Joe said he was most thankful for me. How sweet was that? Noah says he is most thankful for his friends, except the ones that don't listen to him. (We are working on that one!) What are you thankful for today?

Our Baby This Week

Head to heels, our baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. I have another ultrasound on Monday so I will know exact measurements then. His weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but he's beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and he will start to look more and more like a newborn.

This weekend was tough for me. I had problems with my blood sugar running high and then dropping suddenly. I saw the doctor Monday and he sent me to the hospital Tuesday for a three hour glucose tolerance test. The results were a little better than I expected, I do not have to take insulin at this point. He is trying me on a pill to take once a day to help level out the highs and lows. I am testing five times a day and will see him again on Thursday to discuss the next step.

Oops, I Did It Again!

We live out in the country so we have no city services like water, sewer, or garbage pick-up. We had to drill a well, put in a septic tank, and take off our own garbage. Several years ago an independent company started a garbage collection service. For about $20.00 a month they provided a large blue trashcan on wheels (like you see in the cities) and would come by to empty it once a week. Let me tell you, it is worth every penny for this service when you have a child in diapers.

Before we moved to our new house, we lived on the back of our property, where Joe's shop is. It was about a quarter of a mile down the drive and back to get the trash can to the road for pick-up, so Joe showed me how to hook the handle of the trash can to the ball on the back of the truck and pull the can to the road. This worked very well, except that the handle of the trash can did not quite fit over the ball and sometimes it fell off halfway down the drive, spilling dirty diapers and garbage everywhere. Joe solved this problem by installing a hook on the back of the truck that I could actually place the handle into and lock it in place. What a great idea!!

A few years ago, when Noah was about three months old, my Mom offered to watch him while I went to town and did some shopping. It was trash day, so I thought I would take the trash out on my way to my mom's house. I hooked up the trash can, loaded up the baby, and off to my mom's house I went. As I was on my way to my Mom's house (about five minutes away) I noticed that there were an awful lot of people waving at me. I even went by a logging site where men were working and they were waving their arms and shouting things as I drove past. I thought to myself, "I hope my husband does not act that way when a woman drives by his work site." Anyway, I went on to my Mom's house and got out to walk around the truck to get Noah out of the back seat on the opposite side when I actually tripped over my trash can, still attached to the back of the truck! I don't think I had ever been so embarrassed in my life. The only thing I could think was, "How am I going to get this thing back home?" It was LOADED with trash and way too heavy for me to lift into the back of the truck and there was no way that I was dragging it back home the way that I had gotten it there. I did not even want to drive back by that work site without the trash can behind me, much less while pulling it once again. The whole time that I was dying of embarrassment, my family was having a good laugh at my expense. We ended up pulling the trash can to my Mom's neighbor's house who had not put out their trash that morning, and let the trash men dump it from there, then I loaded up my empty can in the back of the truck and drove home. For years I have endured teasing about the number of miles that I put on my trash can tires and about rigging up trailer lights on it so I can haul it after dark.

When we moved to our new home, much closer to the road, I was very excited to not have to deal with pulling the can down the long drive anymore, but I still used the hitch on the truck when the can was especially heavy. Yesterday afternoon, the boys and I were coming in the drive when I realized that I had not pulled my can in from being emptied the day before. I pulled the truck over, got out, hooked the can to the back, and drove around behind the house. I did not unhook the can right then because I had to get the kids in the house and down for a nap. About 5:00 yesterday evening, I realized that I was supposed to go over to Hampton to get spaghetti plates we had purchased from the Methodist Church. Yes, I forgot that my trash can was still attached. It is at least a twenty minute drive to the church and I was almost back home before I remembered that I had not unhooked my can. I remember walking around the back of the truck when I got to the church and I did not see my can then, so it must have fallen off on the way there. I retraced my path and could not find it anywhere. Keep in mind that this can was empty, so when it came off it probably took flight into the woods somewhere, or else someone saw it on the side of the road and thought that they had been blessed with a nice trash can with worn out wheels.

I called the trash company this morning about getting a replacement can and spoke to a very unprofessional woman. After I explained the situation in which I had found myself, her exact words (after she stopped laughing) were, "Please tell me you don't have a dog." I was told they would have to call me back. I think she probably needed to regain her composure first and then relate my story to all of her co-workers. At least I brought some smiles to their day (and probably yesterday as well, depending on who all saw me). Joe says that along with trailer lights he is going to install a GPS on the new can so I will be able to find it. Of course Noah says that if I had put my name and phone number on it, maybe someone would have returned it. I guess I am in for a few more years of ribbing. One of these days I am going to get it together and not do stupid things anymore. But then again, what would my family talk about if it weren't for my adventures?

Our Baby This Week

Our baby is growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts him at just over a pound. Since he's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), he cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but his body is filling out proportionally and he'll soon start to plump up. His brain is also growing quickly now, and his taste buds are continuing to develop. His lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help his air sacs inflate once he hits the outside world. His skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.
In the past few weeks, the top of my uterus has risen above my belly button and is now about the size of a soccer ball. Last night was the first time that Joe felt the baby move. I go back to the doctor next week and I think I am having the glucose test done. I have been monitoring my blood sugars and they really have not been that bad at all, so unless things change between now and then, I don't think I am going to have a problem this time around!

Feeling Better

Jonah is feeling much better and Hallelujah, no one else in the family got sick! I would have posted sooner, but I believe that blogger is conspiring against me. Most days I can not even get to my blog and then when I write a post, it won't let me publish. Has anyone else been having this problem?
Things here have been hectic. I can't believe that time is passing so quickly. My Christmas tree will be delivered Friday of this week. I keep thinking that it can't be that time already. It seems like yesterday that we were celebrating Christmas with a new baby in a new house and here we are a year later preparing for Christmas and a new baby to follow soon thereafter. For the kids, it can't come soon enough, but I am just wanting it to slow down so I can make sure to truly enjoy each moment before it is gone.

Our Baby This Week

Our baby is now more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango). Blood vessels in his lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that our baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing him for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as screaming children or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze him when he hears them outside the womb.

First Antibiotic

Jonah has experienced yet another first this week...his first antibiotic. He has not been feeling well for the last couple of days. Since Sunday I have not been able to get him to hardly eat anything. For those of you who have spent any length of time around my boys you know that for either of them to voluntarily pass up a meal, there is a problem. Tuesday afternoon, Jonah's fever spiked and he got really listless, so I headed off to the doctor with him. Turns out he has strep throat. We finally got enough Tylenol/Motrin in him last night for his fever to break and got him started on his antibiotics. He had a better night last night than we had been having and seems like he feels a little better this morning.
Of course the doctor said to keep Jonah away from Noah to keep Noah from getting sick. This doctor obviously does not have children of his own or he would realize how ridiculously impossible it is to keep children away from each other. Hopefully, none of us will get strep, even though we spend twenty-four hours a day with each other!

Laziness

I'm not really doing very well with this blogging thing lately. It is not like I have been extremely busy or even that there is nothing worth blogging about, I just can't seem to get myself in the mood. I feel that way about a lot of things these days. I could blame it on pregnancy hormones, but I think it is just a streak of laziness. Anyway, maybe I will snap out of it soon...it is driving me crazy!
In other news, Jonah has started walking. He started taking a few steps on Halloween, and has been taking a few more every day since. He is getting really good at walking, however he still will not walk on demand. I try to get him to walk for other people and he just flops down on the floor and makes me look like a complete idiot. He only really takes off walking when he thinks no one is watching. I'm beginning to believe that he may have a slight case of stage fright.

Our Baby This Week

I think this is possibly the worst picture ever, but it was the only one I could find. At about the length of a spaghetti squash and almost 1 pound, our baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. His lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and he's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath his gums. His eyes have formed, but his irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If we could see inside my womb, we would be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers his body and the deep wrinkles on his skin, which he'll sport until he adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside his belly, his pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

In other news, I am still feeling fine. I am two weeks further along than I was with Jonah when I had to start taking two insulin shots a day, but thank the Lord, no blood sugar problems so far this time around! The back pain is becoming more manageable. I have learned what triggers it and to listen when my body says enough! Of course today I did not listen very well, as I think I overdid it carting Jonah and Noah around to get my grocery shopping done. Hopefully after a good nights rest, I will not be hobbling tomorrow.

We are still debating on baby names. We did not decide on Jonah's name until we were actually on the way to the hospital to deliver, so I guess we still have plenty of time to come up with something that we all like.

Happy Halloween!

So these pictures are before trick-or-treating. Hopefully I will have better pictures later. Walgreens is doing free pictures this afternoon! Noah is our Fireman and Jonah is whatever we can get on him without him screaming. He started out as a pumpkin, but had a diaper blowout and had to change. We then tried an orange cat costume (left over from Noah), but it was big, scratchy, and hot. I did not think a heat rash on top of eczema would be a good idea, so that costume was out as well. Our last option was the homemade quilted Halloween bib and overalls. Maybe we will have better luck next year. Have fun everyone!

Our Baby This Week

Our baby is approximately the length of a carrot. I am beginning to feel like he is practicing martial arts as his initial fluttering movements have turned into full-fledged kicks and nudges. I have not yet discovered any pattern to his activity. In other developments, our baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.
I have still been doing well with my blood sugar levels and blood pressure. I am having a lot of back pain. The doctor seems to think that it is pregnancy related sciatica. I'm not sure that is the case, I just know that it hurts to move. Luckily, I have a husband who takes very good care of me and helps out a lot. I really don't know how single mothers make it through the day. They have my utmost respect!

A Year Of Firsts

Jonah Ozious Givens

10/22/07 First Hug from Noah
10/24/07 First Car Ride
11/18/07 First Professional Photo
12/06/07 First Day without Mommy
01/30/08 First Zoo Trip
02/18/08 First Trip to Chuck E. Cheese
03/19/08 First Eight Hour Stretch of Sleep
04/30/08 First Sat Alone
05/10/08 First Beach Trip
05/15/08 First Tooth
05/16/08 First Busted Lip
06/08/08 First Fishing Trip
06/09/08 First Taste of Watermelon
06/10/08 First Taste of Cricket
07/04/08 First River Parade
08/10/08 First Day without Pacifier
08/13/08 First Egg Free Day
08/21/08 First Crawled
09/10/08 First Top Teeth
10/04/08 First Day Bottle-Free

I included this list on the invitation for Jonah's party, and thought I would post it on here as well. I did not really keep a baby book up to date for Jonah like I did with Noah, so this will have to be a substitute. I guess you just get slack with those type of things when you have more than one child to take care of. I just wonder how many things will get recorded about this newest addition? Hopefully I will find enough time to jot down the really important things, like graduations and marriage! Ha Ha

Jonah's Party

We gave Jonah his first birthday party on Sunday. It worked out great because Sunday was also the annual church fall festival at the ball field. We had everyone over to our house for lunch and cake and then headed over to the ball field for fun and games. I think Jonah was a little overwhelmed, but still had a great time. The highlight of his day was getting to eat the chocolate cake. Linda made it for him with an egg free recipe, so he could enjoy it just like the rest of us. This was his very first taste of cake and as you can tell from the pictures, he tasted it with every part of his face! I let him have a good time, but I drew the line at him seeing how far he could fling it.

Landon Neil Crosby

I have been debating about whether or not to post this and I guess I have decided to go ahead. When Jonah was born, there were four of us friends who delivered within two weeks of each other. This time around when I got pregnant, there were three of us; myself, my cousin Stephanie, and Joe's cousin Denise. Our due dates were once again all within a few weeks of each other. It is so exciting to go through a pregnancy with someone that you are close to. You can compare all of the strange things happening in your body with someone who truly knows what you are feeling at that exact moment.
Unfortunately, Wade and Denise's precious baby boy Landon did not make it to his scheduled due date. My heart breaks for them at the thought of saying goodbye to their baby. I am filled with emotions that I want to express, but just can't seem to find the words. Nothing seems to be adequate. I feel guilty that so many times I have taken for granted the miracle of life.
Denise has to be one of the best mothers in the world. God knew from the beginning that Landon needed a special mother for his short life here on earth. A mother's job is to love her children and from listening to Denise, I know she loved little Landon from the moment that she was planning for him. Even before he was conceived, I'm sure she had dreams for him and loved just the idea of him. I hope Denise realizes that she did her job perfectly, no baby could be loved more. Little Landon is now in heaven at Jesus feet, knowing that he is loved very much not only by his mom, but his entire family.

Our Baby This Week

The ultrasound showed that our baby weighs about 13 ounces now. He's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — about the length of a banana. He's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for his digestive system. He's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in his bowels, and we will see it in his first soiled diaper (both Noah and Jonah passed meconium in the womb during delivery). I am doing well. My blood pressure has been great and my blood sugar levels have been in the normal range so far. Maybe there will be no insulin shots his time around.
We are still debating on the name. I have made up my mind, but Joe is a little unsure. If he does not come around soon, I guess I will have to come up with something else.

Jonah Turns One!

Today is Jonah's first birthday. Mom snapped this picture of him while he was visiting with her and Pa today. We had a very big day for him. Joe took off work today and we all got up this morning and headed out to The Pumpkin Patch. This was really for Noah, but Jonah enjoyed it as well. Noah got to race stick horses while the rest of us watched. He then attempted to ride a real horse, but chickened out at the last minute. We all went on a hay ride and then a nature walk. Jonah and Noah played in a huge 'sand' box filled with shelled corn. (Their favorite part of the day!) Then just before leaving, both boys got their faces painted and picked out a pumpkin to bring home. Joe and I then took the boys to my mom's house and headed back to town where I had an appointment with the doctor. This was the first time Joe had gone with me for this pregnancy. They did another ultrasound and this baby is definitely a boy! He was very willing to show off his 'goods'. We picked up the boys this afternoon and gave Jonah his birthday present; his very own universal remote control. Maybe now he will leave mine alone! No birthday cake for him today, we will have his party this weekend and he can chow down on egg free chocolate cake then. All in all a very good day, I just have a hard time believing that a year has passed already. Happy Birthday Jonah, Mommy loves you very much!

Just Too Cute!

Mud Between Your Toes

Noah: Momma, have you ever felt mud squish between your toes?
Me: Yes Noah, I think I have.
Noah: Don't it just feel so good?
Me: Yes Noah, I suppose it does.
Noah: I mean, I like clean feet too; but sometimes I just want to feel some mud!

This is the conversation Noah and I had as we walked barefoot back to the shop this evening. Some people like to see their little boys wearing ties and dress shoes, but not me. I'm sure it is nice occasionally, but I prefer my boys barefoot and covered with mud. That is when they seem the happiest, and it always washes off. Maybe it is a really good thing that this newest one isn't a little girl!

Our Baby This Week

So because of computer issues, I missed week seventeen, but I don't really think much happened. This week, head to rump, our baby is about 5 1/2 inches long (about the length of a bell pepper) and he weighs almost 7 ounces. He's busy flexing his arms and legs — movements that I have really started noticing more and more in the past few days. His blood vessels are visible through his thin skin, and his ears are now in their final position, although they're still standing out from his head a bit. A protective covering of myelin is beginning to form around his nerves, a process that will continue for a year after he's born.

Do We HAVE To Go To Church?

Noah really does not like going to church. In his words..."Church is just too long for a little boy to have to sit still and not talk!" Yesterday Joe had a long talk with Noah about the importance of church and once again told him that yes we would be going to church Sunday mornings whether he liked it or not.
This morning our pastor delivered a very good message on service to God. Near the end of the message, he looked out at the congregation and asked rhetorically, "Why are you in Church this morning?" Noah, who was laying on the floor by this point, looked up at me and whispered, "See Momma, he don't know why we 'gotta come either!"

No More Bottles

Last Friday (October 3rd), Jonah decided that he no longer wanted to drink out of his bottle. I had planned on taking the bottle away on his first birthday, like I did with Noah, but since he seemed ready for the change, I decided we were going to do it earlier. It really turned out to be not that big of a deal. Like the passy, he really didn't care that he no longer had it.
Jonah turns one on October 22nd, and we are going to have his birthday party October 25th. In order for this party to be "Jonah Friendly" I am banning eggs for the day. I found a chocolate cake recipe that does not contain eggs and I think I will try it. If any of you know of another good cake recipe that does not contain eggs, please let me know.

I'm Back

At least for a little while anyway. Thanks to a borrowed computer, I will be able to update everyone on what has been going on with us. Hopefully by this weekend, I will have my own computer up and running. The no Internet thing is driving me crazy. I thought that it would give me more time to clean my house and do other chores, but if you saw my house right now you would see that is just not the case. However, if you ride by my house, you will see that I finally have out my Fall decorations in the yard. I have wanted a scarecrow for so long and finally this year I got one! I must say he is the cutest little scarecrow I have ever seen. The scarecrow along with the pumpkins and bales of hay make it look like Fall is really here.

Workplace Psalm 23

The Lord is my real boss, and I shall not want.

He gives me peace, when chaos is all around me.

He gently reminds me to pray and do all things

without murmuring and complaining.

He reminds me that He is my source and not my job.

He restores my sanity every day and guides my decisions

that I might honor Him in all that I do.

Even though I face absurd amounts of e-mails,

system crashes, unrealistic deadlines, budget cutbacks,

gossiping co-workers, discriminating supervisors and an

aging body that doesn't cooperate every morning,

I still will not stop---for He is with me!

His presence, peace, and power will see me through.

He raises me up, even when they fail to promote me.

He claims me as His own, even when the

company threatens to let me go.

His faithfulness and love is better than any bonus check.

His retirement plan beats any 401K there is!

When it is all said and done,

I'll be working for Him a whole lot longer and for that,

I BLESS HIS NAME!!!!!

I found this on my desk today when I got to work. I don't know who it is from, but I thought it was perfect for my mood today. Lately I have been wondering what I was going to do about my job next year when the baby comes. The company has been VERY good to me, allowing me to only come in one day a week and allowing me to even be flexible about which day I would like. For right now, I have only been guaranteed a spot here until the end of this year. Every time before they have extended me, but with the economy slowing down, it is looking like I will not get an extention this time around. I'm not sure if that is such a bad thing or not. I will be very busy with a toddler, a new baby and home-schooling Noah. The little bit of extra money is nice to have, but we have worked out our budget so that if I don't work it will not pose any true hardship on our family. Anyway, a lot of rambling to say this...I will not worry, God has it all in His control.

Monday...The Good And The Bad

First the good news. We got the AFP results back Monday. Everything looks fine, so we are sticking with our local doctor and hospital for delivery. No more tests or worrying!

Now the bad news. My computer crashed on Monday so until it gets fixed or we get another, you can expect updates on this blog to be sporadic at best. The only reason I am able to update now is because I am at work. If my boss is reading this, I am clocked out! This is my lunch break, and since I left my lunch in the fridge at home, I have plenty of time for things such as blogging.

Bonnie Doone Plantation

This Saturday Joe and I took the boys and Granny Faye out to Bonnie Doone Plantation for their fall festival. It was the first time that we had been back since we got married there five and a half years ago. We had a great time exploring and remembering. It cost us $5 for the entire family to get in and we all ate lunch for about $10. I think we will try to go again next year. Since the plantation is owned by the Baptist Association, there is no alcohol or tobacco use allowed on the property. That makes for a great family outing!
Noah was especially excited to see the place where Mommy and Daddy got married. We took him to the exact spot we stood out under the huge live oak trees. He always flips through our wedding pictures and is insulted that he was not invited to be in any of the pictures, so it was a treat for him to feel included this time.

AFP Results

For those of you who don't know, AFP stands for alpha-fetoprotien. The alpha-fetoprotein test is where a blood sample is drawn from me at a specific date in the pregnancy to check the levels of AFP. AFP is a protein put out by the baby's liver and shows up in my blood. It is generally used to provide a screening for neural tube defects like spina bifida and ancephaly. It can also indicate a host of other things such as Down Syndrome or Trisomy 18.
Some people are vehemently opposed to this test because they believe it to be a way for the mother to end a pregnancy that is not going to bring forth the 'perfect' child. This is not the case for us. We not only believe that abortion is wrong, we believe that this child was formed in my womb according to God's plan and while we know that no child is 'perfect', God's plan for our lives certainly is. We have this test done because the hospital where I plan to deliver does not have the necessary resources to care for special needs babies. The closest one to us that would be able to handle these cases is an hour and a half away.
We had the AFP done with both of our other two boys. With Noah, the test came back that there was a possibility of spina bifida. We were scared out of our minds, but we were sent for a detailed ultrasound and the doctors determined that everything was fine, they just had my due date wrong. With Jonah, the results came back indicating a need for further testing for Down Syndrome. We were sent to a genetic counselor who determined that he had a 79% probability of having Down Syndrome with a heart defect. They had to do an amniocenteses along with a detailed ultrasound to rule out that possibility. The two weeks waiting for the results to come back were the longest weeks of my life, but everything once again turned out just fine.
I am up in the middle of the night not really worrying about the results, but more wrestling with the question of why I am even having this test done. I understand the medical reasons; it would definitely be better for my baby to be born in a place where he can be best taken care of, no matter what the health conditions are. I also understand that I have my own selfish reasons; I don't want to be put in the situation of having my newborn flown to a medical center over an hour away while I am stuck recovering in the hospital where I gave birth. What I am having a hard time understanding is why I feel the need for this test in the first place. Am I taking something out of God's hands and putting it in my own? Is it wrong to rely on a test that is often used by others as a basis for determining if a life is valid? I know that this little baby's life is valid. I feel him squirming around as I type this. There is no test result that will ever change the love that I have for him or the desire to hold him in my arms. I guess what I have come up with is that I want what is best for my baby, and this test is helping me provide that. So there...now we wait, and hopefully I can get some sleep.

Deer Season

I got my first deer of the season last night. I got two last year. No, I do not hunt, I tend to do better with my vehicle than most people do in a deer stand. Luckily, I was in Joe's truck last night so the damage was minimal. I was on my way home from Bible Study and the deer actually ran into me instead of me running into the deer. It hit on the driver's side door and you can barely see the dent. Unfortunately the deer did not fare quite as well.
I hope this is it for this season. My car can not stand another deer collision. I still have a dent in my front fender and am missing part of my grill from the last deer that I hit!

Our Baby This Week

Right now, our baby is about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. The legs are much more developed, the head is more erect than it has been, and the eyes have moved closer to the front of the head. The ears are close to their final position, too. And there's a lot happening inside as well. For example, the heart is now pumping about 25 quarts of blood each day, and this amount will continue to increase as our baby continues to develop. At the ultrasound today, they measured the heart as beating 144 beats per minute.

And now for the news that everyone wants...IT IS A BOY!!! We are not 100% sure of course, but the technician seemed pretty sure. She said we would verify it next month when I have another ultrasound.

I am so excited about another boy. I love my two boys so much and I think they are the greatest things on earth. Noah is still getting used to the idea that we are having a boy and not a girl. He really wanted a girl this time. Joe says he is not disappointed, but I think he was hoping for a girl as well. I kind of feel guilty about the fact that we are having a boy and that I am so excited about it, but I think that no matter what the ultrasound would have shown today, I would have still been this happy. I am just so glad that God has chosen to bless us with another pregnancy.

Dr. Visit

I just got back from the visit with my OBGYN. The baby is growing and is doing fine. I have still not gained any weight, but I have not lost any since my last visit either. I had a lot of blood drawn, and we should get the AFP test results back by the end of the week. The results indicated a need for further testing with both Noah and Jonah, so I am a little anxious about them.
They did an ultrasound and yes, the baby did cooperate. The technician was able to tell what we are having, but Joe isn't home yet, so I'm not telling all of you. You will just have to wait! A little suspense never hurt anyone.

Kid Updates

Noah is now allowed back outside. He is wearing his snake boots. Such a cute sight to see him running around outside or riding his tractor in just his boxers and boots. Sometimes he adds rainbow suspenders as well. If you happen to ride by my house, be sure to look!

Jonah is now cutting a new tooth on the bottom and one on the top. This makes seven in total. Unfortunately, he has decided to start grinding his teeth again. I am hoping he will stop when he gets used to these new teeth, that is what happened with the last two.

Sunday night was the first time I felt our newest little one moving. I was so excited that I woke Joe just to let him know. He pretended to be impressed, but I could tell he would rather me have waited until he could feel the baby moving before waking him again. I have an ultrasound today, so if this baby cooperates, we may know what we are having soon!

Moth Balls

So we haven't gotten a goat...yet. Joe's remedy for the snake problem was to put out two boxes of mothballs all around and under the house. I must say, it is not a pleasant smell. Any other (non smelly) tips for keeping the snakes away?

Twelve Rattles

And no I am not talking about baby rattles. I am talking about the number of rattles that were on the HUGE rattlesnake coiled up under my picnic table this afternoon. The really bad part is that the snake was only about six feet from my back door. We all had been out several times this morning walking back and forth right where the snake was coiled. Joe didn't see it until about his fifth trip. When he came back in the house to get the gun, he was as white as a ghost. I think he realized that if the snake had struck Noah, there would have been no chance of Noah surviving. With the size of the snake, we just would not have been able to get help in time. I am now paranoid about even allowing Noah to walk to the car. I think we may all have to invest in snake boots. Our other option is to get a goat. Has anyone else heard that goats keep snakes away? I have heard that many times and I think it may be worth a try. As for right now, my kids are once again confined to the house.

Our Baby This Week

I tried to find a better picture than this, but for some reason, all of the fifteen week pictures were upside down. Our baby is growing and now measures about four inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). Our baby is busy moving amniotic fluid through his or her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in the lungs begin to develop. The legs are growing longer than the arms now, and the baby can move all of the joints and limbs. Finally, if we were to have an ultrasound this week, (which we are not) we may have been able to find out whether we are having a boy or a girl! I'm not sure when my next ultrasound is, but I think I want to know what we are having this time.

More Of Grammy's Boys

Look at the camera Jonah!

Jonah, stop playing so Grammy can take our picture!

Come back here, Grammy wants a picture!

Grammy's Boys

Right now I work one day a week, usually Mondays. My Mom has been great about keeping the boys for me while I work. They both love their Grammy and love spending time over there. She always manages to snap cute pictures of the two of them. Getting everyday pictures of my boys is something that I fall very short on. I always look back and wonder why I didn't have the camera out when they were doing something cute.
As you can tell from the pictures, Noah and Jonah usually play together very well. Please ignore the fact that Noah is in his boxers and Jonah is not wearing a shirt. We tend to have a somewhat relaxed dress code in our family.
I am so grateful that my Mom has been able to keep my boys so often. Noah and Jonah are very blessed to be loved so much by all the people in their lives. Even though I only work one day a week, I don't know if I would have continued working had I not known that my children were being cared for in a way that was equal to (or better) than I would have cared for them. It is nice to be able to go to work and concentrate on what I am doing instead of constantly wondering if my children are okay.
Thanks Grammy for loving these little boys...they sure do love you in return!

Mud Bogging

This afternoon Jonah, Noah, and I decided to take a walk back to the shop where Joe was fueling up his truck. We stayed back there with him for about two hours playing with the dog and just hanging out. It was dark when we got ready to come back up to the house and Joe asked me to drive his pick-up with the boys while he brought the big truck and trailer. Noah wanted to show me the new road that he and Daddy had built a few weeks ago with the bulldozer. I had never driven on the road on that side of the property and it was dark, so I was relying on my four year old for information. Noah assured me that it was not muddy at all and I could drive on it with the truck. Sure enough we got about half-way back to the house and the truck sank! Noah said, "Oh yeah, there is a big mud hole right here, you are supposed to stay on the right side of the road." I tried everything I knew, even locking the truck into four wheel drive, but could not get it to budge. Noah and Jonah were having the time of their lives, and I could see Joe walking across the woods to come get me. He directed me for about fifteen minutes, moving about two inches forward, then back, then forward, then back. Finally, the truck came out of the hole and we were on our way. I looked over at Noah, wanting to scold him, but stopped short at the grin on his face that was spread from ear to ear.
Long story short...don't take directions from a four year old!

Baby Monitors

Since our bedroom is on the other end of the house from the boy's bedrooms, we still use a baby monitor to keep an ear out for them at night. At some point early this morning, Noah came and crawled into my bed. Around six, Jonah woke up and started screaming. I immediately got up to go get him, but first reached over and turned down the monitor hoping that it would not wake Noah. Unfortunately, I was too late. A sleepy Noah looked over at me and said, "Hey, how did you turn him off like that?" ...If only it were that easy.

New Words

Jonah has started saying many new words. He likes to copy anything he hears and give it his own version. The other day, Noah and I were talking about Uncle Tj and Aunt Holly. All of a sudden Jonah started screaming Tj, Tj, Tj, at the top of his lungs. I know he probably does not even know what he was saying, he just heard a word and tried it out, but it was just too cute. Noah says that it does not count as a real word because he hasn't said Uncle with it, but I have a feeling Uncle Tj will disagree.

Our Baby This Week

Our baby can now squint, frown, grimace, and pee. Thanks to brain impulses, the facial muscles are getting a workout as the tiny features form one expression after another. Our baby can grasp, too, and may even be sucking his or her thumb. In other news: Our baby is stretching out. From head to bottom, measuring about 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and weighing in at about 1 1/2 ounces. Though I can't feel the tiny punches and kicks yet, our little baby's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

Two More Teeth

Finally! Jonah has cut his top two teeth! He now has five teeth, three on the bottom and two on the top. Hopefully this means that the so called 'teething poop' is over but for some reason I am not getting my hopes up. I am really glad that these top two teeth are done as we all have had a very hard time waiting for them to break through. However, he now has developed this skin crawling habit of grinding his teeth together. He first did it when Joe was holding him and I thought, "What is the big deal, so he grinds his teeth a little?" Then while I was holding Jonah, he laid his head on my shoulder, put his mouth next to my ear, and made this horrible grinding sound with his teeth. It really is worse than fingernails on a chalkboard. Stupid me, I put my finger in between his teeth so he would stop. Yes, of course, he bit me. I really should think these things through. Any tips on getting a child to stop grinding his teeth?

Our Baby This Week

Fingerprints have formed on our baby's tiny fingertips, the veins and organs are clearly visible through the thin skin, and the body is starting to catch up with the head. If we are having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries! Our baby is 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs an ounce.

Why I Haven't Been Posting

Mom, you NEED to come here. Jonah has something green coming out of his pants. Yuck!

Weekend Re-Cap

Sleeping in. Breakfast out at Shoney's. Shopping with the family. Buying a new cell phone. Taking a family nap. Getting Little Joe's Trucking ready for the new week. Speeding ticket. Pushing Joe's truck out of the way when it broke down in the drive through of Mc Donald's. Buying parts and fixing the truck. Picking off Peanuts. Mowing the lawn. Helping a friend move. Cooking peanuts. Another Nap. Eating Peanuts. Falling asleep while trying to watch a movie. Sunday School. Baking cookies. Playing with Jonah. Burning cookies. Birthday party for my dad. Eating way too much. Another nap. Preparing for school this week. Realizing how grateful I am that my family was together the entire weekend!

Little Joe's Trucking

Today was Joe's last day of work! Not really, but it was the last day that he worked for someone else. After months of debating and praying, Little Joe's Trucking will be back in operation first thing Monday morning. We feel that at this point, this is the best decision for our family. Joe is thrilled and I am happy for him. However, I have to admit that I am going to miss the amount of time we have had to spend with him over the last few months. For other people looking in, it may seem that people who are self employed have a more flexible schedule; but for those who have been self employed for any amount of time, you know that you never truly get a day off unless you tell no one about it and leave home with NO cell phones!

Coupons

Everyone knows what a cheapskate I am, so every since reading on my friend Melissa's Blog about how she saves lots of money by using coupons, I have been dying to try it out. I went to the ladies meeting at Community Church Monday night (a great time) and they taught all about how to shop with coupons, what stores double coupons, and how to get the most for your money by using the ECB program at CVS. I was so excited to try it out! Well Joe brought home eleven coupons that he had gotten at work for $.50 off of 32oz Gatorade. Today I went to Bi-Lo where the Gatorade was on sale 4 for $5.00. I used my eleven $.50 coupons (which were doubled to eleven $1.00 coupons) so in the end, I paid only $.25 per Gatorade. Wow, I was so proud of myself! I now can't wait to get started on the CVS thing!

Our Baby This Week

The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Our baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, toes will curl, eye muscles will clench, and the mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod my abdomen, this baby will squirm and dance in response, as was evident in my first ultrasound this week. From crown to rump, our baby is just over two inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

Prayer?

This morning I let Noah go out and jump on the trampoline while Jonah and I took the trash can out to the end of the drive. When we came back up to the house, Noah was jumping with all his might and flapping his arms like they were wings. He was jabbering away, which is perfectly normal for him as he talks to his imaginary friends all the time, but as I listened closer I realized he was talking to God. This is what I overheard:

"Are you ready? Are you sure you're ready? Okay Lord, here I come, I'm gonna fly up there and see you. Get ready now 'cause this next jump is gonna send me up there. Ready or not here I come! Well, maybe I will have to wait 'till next time, 'cause my wings ain't working out too good right now."

So I guess this means that we have the issue of where God lives straightened out, but I guess we are going to have to work on the visitation policy.

Only One Baby!

Yesterday was my first doctor's appointment. The doctor did an ultrasound and we could see the tiny little heart just beating away. To Noah's disappointment, there was only one baby to be found. We could not tell the gender of the baby yet, and I forgot to ask when I would be having another ultrasound. All in all, the baby and I were healthy and everything is right on schedule.

Bath Night

For my kids, getting a bath is a rare treat. Both of the boys have eczema and the more baths they take, the worse it gets. So we get bath night one night a week at my house. This time around, bath night happened to fall Friday night. Of course Noah had to use my garden tub and take all sorts of toys in with him. Joe was in charge of baths because I was getting dinner ready. (Remember that important piece of info...Joe was in charge.) By the time dinner was ready, all baths had been finished. Just as we were sitting down to eat, I saw Noah run back into my bathroom. I figured he had forgotten some toy and since he was back in less than a minute, I did not question him.

After dinner, we were all sitting in the living room. Jonah had fallen asleep in Joe's arms on the couch and Noah and I were watching the discovery channel. Since it was almost Noah's bed time, I told him to go use the bathroom, and then I would lay down with him and read him a story. Noah took off to my bathroom because for some reason he is convinced that there is a coyote in his toilet and he refuses to potty there. Anyway, it was not even fifteen seconds later Noah came running back into the room crying and saying that the tub was spilling everywhere. I ran to my bathroom and sure enough, water literally met me at the door. For some still unknown reason, when Noah left the table just before dinner, he went into my bathroom and turned back on the water. Keep in mind that the water had been running for about two hours. I am still unclear as to whether or not the stopper had been removed and the water drained from the tub after the baths were finished.

I waded through the flood waters, turned off the faucet, and pulled the plug on the tub. Before I got started cleaning up all the mess, I went back to tell Joe what had happened. Noah followed and was still crying. I told him that it was okay but that he was going to have to help clean up the mess. Noah then told me that he was crying because when he saw all the water everywhere, he wet himself. I look down, and sure enough there is my child standing there with his shorts covered in pee. Why I chose this moment to break into hysterical laughter, I'll never know, but it just all seemed too funny to me at the time. I must have laughed for a good ten minutes. Every time I think about it I still laugh! Joe got Jonah down in his crib and joined in to clean up all the water. The good news...I had not done laundry, so there were plenty of dirty clothes to soak up all the water, and my bathroom floor is really clean now!

Mommy Attitude

Yesterday was a tough day for me. Nothing serious, just everyday life frustrations, but combine those everyday frustrations with pregnancy hormones and I turn into a bucket of tears. This happened on the way home from town yesterday. Noah was shocked that Mommy had pulled the car to the side of the road and was crying like an insane person. I tried to calm down and told him that nothing was really wrong and that I would be okay in a few minutes. Sure enough, it was not long before I got myself back under control and we were on our way again. As we were turning into the driveway, Noah asked me, "Mommy, is your attitude over now?" Through my laughter and a few more tears, I informed him that yes, my attitude was over. The last few weeks I have been telling him to watch his attitude so I guess he doesn't differentiate between good and bad attitude, it is all just attitude to him. I am so glad I have a four year old to keep me sane!

Crawling (Sort Of)

And he finally crawls! Well, maybe crawling is not the correct term, but at least he is mobile. I was beginning to wonder if Jonah was ever going to do anything besides roll to where he wanted to go. He loves to hold on to things and walk along them, but never wants to get down on the floor to crawl. He will be 10 months old tomorrow and today is the first day that he has even attempted anything resembling a crawl. He looks like he is part crab. He puts both hands on the ground, balances on his left knee, and pushes with his right foot flat on the ground. It is very funny to watch, but it gets him where he wants to go. He was pushing Noah's tractors and trucks all around the living room today. Along with crawling came the words I have been dreading to hear; "Mom, Jonah has the truck that I want to play with!"

Our Baby This Week

Our baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. The hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under the gums, and some of the bones are beginning to harden.

Dirty Jobs

I don't know what has been causing it, because we are very careful about what Jonah eats, but he has been having some diapers that make me think he is rotting from the inside out. I thought maybe it was because I am pregnant and my smeller is more sensitive these days, but my Mom and Joe have noticed it as well. The smell is like nothing I have ever come across before. Today, as I was holding my breath for a world record trying to change the diaper of a baby who no longer wants to lay still to be cleaned up, Noah walked in the room. He took one whiff and said, "Now this is a dirty job, I think we should call Mike Rowe!" Dirty Jobs with Mike Rowe is Noah's absolute favorite show and he begs to stay up every Tuesday night to watch it. The way he made the comment and the expression on his face was so funny that I had to burst out laughing, which led me to then inhale, which led me to then gag from the smell. When is the earliest that a baby can be potty trained? I don't know how much longer I am going to be able to change diapers if this smell continues. Maybe I will call Mike Rowe, I am sure this smell would rival any he has come across.

Out of Gas

Noah and I had an interesting adventure Saturday evening. Noah had been invited to a "Back To School Bash" at Carter's Ford Church. We decided that Joe and Jonah would go to the auction while I took Noah to his party and then we would meet up at the auction later. We ran out the door late as usual. I knew that I was getting low on gas, but my gas light had not yet come on, so I figured I still had several miles to go. Let me say here that I DESPISE pumping gas. I will ride on fumes for 50 miles if there is a possibility that at the end of those 50 miles Joe will be with me to pump my gas for me. I was planning on waiting until we left the auction and having him stop by the gas station with me on the way home to pump my gas.
It did not work out quite as I had planned. After the party, Noah and I had gotten just down the road, on our way to the auction, when my car shut off. For the first time in my life, I actually ran out of gas! I was able to pull over to the side of the road and called Joe to come and get us. Noah was so funny. As cars were passing us he kept saying, "I am getting madder and madder! Why isn't anybody stopping to help us? If I saw a car sitting by the road, I would go get my tractor and pull them home. I can't believe they aren't stopping."
It only took Joe about five minutes to get there with a can of gas. My sweet husband did not say a word, just put some gas in my car, followed me to the gas station and pumped my gas for me. My excuse for running out of gas is that my gas light never came on, but as it turns out, I ride around with my gas light on so often that the bulb is burned out!

Mouse Count

First, second, and third mouse caught in my bathtub.
Fourth mouse found dead from poison.
Fifth mouse caught last night on a glue trap.
Think we are done?

Jonah's Smile

Is this not the cutest baby ever? Jonah loves to have his picture taken. Mom snapped this picture last week just before we went swimming. I had been putting sunscreen on Jonah and it made his hair stand up. You can see his two bottom teeth very well. Just the last few days he has started cutting a third tooth on the bottom. It has almost broken through now. Still no teeth on the top!

Food Allergies

We finally got Jonah in to see an allergist on Tuesday. It only took him fifteen minutes to determine what has been Jonah's problem all along. It turns out that Jonah is allergic to eggs. Not that he has been eating that many eggs, but I have been eating eggs and he gets it through my breast milk. You would be surprised at how many things contain eggs. We are both on an egg free diet and the doctor is thinking that will not only take care of the stomach problems but will take care of his horrendous eczema.
Jonah also showed slight allergies to other things that we already knew such as soy, watermelon, and peas. Soy and eggs are two of the most common allergies for a child to grow out of and it is a good sign that Jonah is already showing less of a reaction to soy than he used to have. Hopefully he will eventually grow out of the soy and egg allergy. Right now the doctor wants us to come back once a month for testing to monitor his progress.
I can't tell you how relieved I am to finally figure out what has been going on with him. Already we are noticing differences in his skin. Hopefully the worst is behind us now!

Swimming Lessons

Noah finished up his last swim lesson of the summer on Saturday. As much as he likes swimming, I think he and his swimming coach were glad to see the lessons end. On the last day of classes, he told his coach that he just couldn't kick and use his arms at the same time because the water kept getting in his way. He also says that he can't put his head under the water because he might see something that he is not supposed to see! Even after his second summer of lessons, he still is not as comfortable in the water as I would like for him to be. I think it is because he really does not get that many opportunities to swim in a pool.
Some friends, Jerry and Kathleen Mixson, just had an in ground pool installed. Joe was off from work on Monday because of a doctor's appointment, so I convinced him to go swimming with the boys, my mom, and I at Jerry and Kathleen's house. We all had a good time and discovered that while Noah may still be a bit hesitant about going under the water, Jonah has no such reservations. For a child who hates a bath as much as he does, he certainly does love the pool!

Our Baby This Week

Though barely the size of a kumquat — a little over an inch or so long, crown to bottom — and weighing less than a quarter of an ounce, our baby has now completed the most critical portion of development. This is the beginning of the so-called fetal period, a time when the tissues and organs in the body rapidly grow and mature. Our baby is swallowing fluid and kicking up a storm. Vital organs — including the kidneys, intestines, brain, and liver are in place and starting to function, though they'll continue to develop throughout my pregnancy. If we could take a peek inside my womb, we would spot minute details, like tiny nails forming on fingers and toes and peach-fuzz hair beginning to grow on tender skin.
By the way, don't think that I just happen to know all of this stuff. I copy it from the baby center website.