31 weeks

Almost. Well I made it past 30! For some reason to me that is the biggest milestone. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that if this one goes anything like last time I am less than 5 weeks away from having this kid. Yikes.

I definitely don't remember feeling this pregnant with Blakely. Henry is under my ribs and makes it very hard to bend over or really even sit on the couch normally. I have constant heartburn and acid reflux. And though I thought I had all those symptoms with Blakely, I now know I did not!

All of a sudden he is just constantly on my bladder. That coupled with my overprotective husband who hounds me to drink more water NONSTOP, I can't make it through an hour on the bike at the gym without stopping at least 3 times to use the bathroom. Literally. I am sure all the people think I either have diarrhea or I am just fake working out. :)

I can do an hour on the bike- going pretty vigorously- but I can't make it up a flight of stairs without feeling like I'm gonna die. What's up with that???

I'm having lots of contractions and I think even some back contractions- which I never had with B and they are painful! Anyone else have those pre-labor?

It finally dawned on me this past week that we don't have a baby room. I'm not sure why, but I just never got the urge to decorate or prepare I guess. And i just really didnt think about it. So we have no dresser no crib no clothes. So I guess the pour guy is just gonna sleep in the pack and play for a while cause I'm not buying another crib!

We are getting more and more excited about having a boy. I think he will spend the first few months of his life in
nothing but a white onesie. And I am so looking forward to not having any confusion on his gender! I love getting Blakely dressed up cute and stuff on occasion- but I also feel this pressure for her to always look cute in public. But the fact is, she drools like a faucet, refuses to wear a bib at meals, and likes to play in the dirt. So cute clothes just aren't that frequent. Stephen has already made it clear that Henry will not be dressing "cute." And I'm fine with it!

My friend Katie watched B for us yesterday so me and Stephen could go on a date! She did awesome and we had a blast. It was low key- we went to Starbucks, bass pro, and taco bueno. Perfect!

On to the pictures!

Help. Me.

I need advice.  From anyone and everyone.  Blakely has entered into the worse phase ever (I shouldn't say that, cause I'll eat my words....)  I know it is magnified by her not feeling good the last couple of weeks, but I am really afraid this isn't just due to sickness, but is something we have to figure out how to break her of. 

She has really taken the whining and fit throwing to a whole new level.  She throws herself the biggest pity party constantly- half the time, I don't even know what it's about, I just hear her whimpering about something.  And it is just the most pathetic whine you've ever heard.  And THEN.  If she thinks I might not give her what she wants, for instance, if she wants something like a piece of ice from my drink, and I can't suddenly make the ice jump into my hand so I can give it to her (ie. I have to take the lid off and get a piece out that isn't too big so it might take an extra 4 seconds...) she FREAKS.  And I mean freaks.  Screams, writhes, real tears.  How does this girl do it?  I think she may be destined to be a movie star, cause her ability to cry is pretty impressive. 

She gets her feelings hurt soooooo easily.  It's ridiculous.  Today her "dog dog" (her favorite stuffed dog animal...) was on our banister.  I was cleaning up, and she was busy doing something ELSE.  NOT trying to play with dog dog.  So I picked him up to go put him away in her bed, and as she saw me walking down the hall she just fell a part.  It's the same as with the ice.  At this point, I feel trapped.  I would gladly give her the piece of ice she wants, or give her dog dog if she wants him, but now she's freaking out and I don't want to teach her that that is how you get what you want.  So do I then not  give her what I would have originally? 

One of our HUGE battles is dinner.  She will sit happily in her high chair for a little while.  Then she decides she's ready to sit on my lap.  Well, I know this is mainly our fault, cause we have let her sit on my lap before because the child needs to EAT. bad.  But anyway, now if I have any desire to eat my dinner without her on my lap, in my way, with her hands in my food, NOT eating it, just playing... Then I have to listen to screaming the whole time.  She won't even settle for Stephen's lap, or even just getting down and playing.  She HAS to be in my lap.  We attempted to put our foots down last night and make her stay in her chair.  It was so unpleasant.  Totally ruined our nice grilled chicken, and she got herself so worked up that she was choking and coughing from crying so hard.

So how long do I let a fit like that go on?  Until dinner is over?  Cause let me tell you...this child won't just get distracted...she will win the endurance prize as far as fits go.  She will scream until dinner is over and then some.  And is there anyway to get her to stop whining?  I don't feel like discipline works with her- she just doesn't get it yet.  What do I do when she throws a fit when I AM going to give her what she wants?  Still give it to her?  Or then don't give it to her because she is throwing a fit? 

I don't care if you are a mom, or a babysitter, or an aunt or WHAT.  If you have ANY thoughts, or books or anything PLEASE HELP ME. 

29 weeks

Well here I am! A few days late...

So this week I definitely turned a corner. I definitely started really feeling uncomfortable for he first time. I think it's mainly due to my 19lb attachment I have to carry everywhere with me. (Blakely, not Henry-though he's putting a toll on me too) I think she is going to have a rough time over the next couple months cause she is going to have to get use to not being packed around. It's just killing my back.

I went walking the other day- when I was preg with B I went almost daily- this time around I bike at the gym for exercise and I haven't walked in quite a while. Let's just say I could really FEEL the extra 20lbs belly I am carrying!

I am measuring small again- like I did with Blakely. (though you wouldn't know it by my weight gain!) It is a little unnerving, but not nearly as much as it was with her. At least we have some sort of idea what all this means this time. So the docs are keeping a closer eye on me from now on.

I didn't really talk much about it when it all happened while I was pregnant with Blakely- cause I was totally freaked out. So my memory is a blur. But basically around the same time in the pregnancy (25-30 weeks) I started measuring much smaller than I should've then went to see a Perinatologist (specialist) and B wasn't growing like she should. So eventually they decided she'd be better off out than in, so I was induced at a little less than 36 weeks.

So sure enough, the same thing started happening last week with this pregnancy. Luckily, we (and especially the docs) know what they are looking for and were already monitoring me closely anyway. So now they are just monitoring me even more closely.

I gave up sweets for the third trimester cause I was getting pretty out of control. I am regretting it badly but I am going to try to stick with it. I definitely find many creative ways to "cheat." Like eggo waffles for any meal or any time of day... Cinnamon rolls for lunch a few days ago..(but it really was my LUNCH!) or my 500cal Starbucks drink. :) but I am sure I am still eating less sweets than I did. I should've at least waited till after Oreos 100th bday...

15 months

We are celebrated Blakely's 15month birth (week) with being SICK.  Ugh.  And a week later, she is STILL sick.  This might be the worst one yet!  Last Saturday I hosted a shower for a good friend getting married, and of course, the day that she has to be out of the house for a few hours, she wakes up congested and cranky.  I felt so bad for her, cause I know she probably just wanted to stay home with her momma, but it was good for her and Stephen to get out together.  It's funny, Stephen kept her for a whole weekend a couple weeks ago, and had no problem.  He took her to Sam's in Topeka (30min drive) on Saturday and that's where he gained more respect for me as a mom.  :)  (not that he didn't respect me before..) But he couldn't understand how I get out with her every day.  He had a grocery sack for a diaper bag- which they tried to tell him he couldn't bring in (he did some arguing that if you can bring a purse, he can bring his "diaper bag").  It was fun hearing about their day. 

Anyway.  She got progressively worse over the next couple of days with runny nose, congestion, coughing, not eating or sleeping, and some CRAZY fussiness.  So finally I went to the doc Monday afternoon- even though her 15mo checkup was Wed.  Glad I did!  Turns out, she had an ear infection along with her cold.  Poor baby.  She seemed like she finally got a little better over the weekend, then she woke up at 4:45 yesterday morning and was BURNING up.  It freaked me out.  She had a fever of at least 102 (our thermometer stinks...) and had that pretty much all day.  The doc couldn't find anything, so I guess she just has some virus.  She still gets the fever when her tylenol or ibuprofin starts to wear off.  Needless to say, she hasn't been herself.  I hope it goes away soon!

I was sad to see that she was only 19lbs 5oz with all her clothes and shoes on.  I was really hoping for 20!  We are going to turn her forward facing in her carseat soon and I was just sure she had reached the 20lb minimum. 

oh boy. 

I guess because she is bigger now, more vocal and more mobile, being sick is worse than ever.  She is clingier than ever, throws HUGE fits if she even thinks I might say no to something, stomps her feet (who taught her that?!) and is a drama queen to say the least... The worst part is that it is so hard to decide when to be firm, and when to give a little since she doesn't feel good.  We have definitely been watching WAYYYY too much TV.  It's the only way I can get her to be still and relax- which she really needs to do while she's sick!  If I didn't let her sit on (yes ON) the table to eat, I am pretty sure her diet would consist of amoxacillan and tylenol.  She loves that stuff...  We have to hide it cause if she sees it on the counter she starts begging for it. 

waiting for dada to get home!

Other than this week, she has started eating a little better.  She will eat broccoli anytime we put it in front of her.  She loves bread, pears, bananas, grapes, and anything else that has no calories.  We try to trick her into eating fish sticks, eggs, grilled cheese- which works occasionally.  She has started to like PB and J.  I know you are suppose to wait until 2 years to give PB to her, but Stephen accidentally gave it to her at like 9 months and we've never had a problem, so I figure if she'll eat it, she needs it. 

sick sleepy baby

She is wearing anywhere from 9-12-18month clothes.  Except I recently got out a pair of her 6-12 month shorts and jeans that still fit her.  She is getting longer, but also skinnier. 

Stephen swears her vocab is not really expanding, and I'm starting to agree.  She doesn't say too many words, but she understands everything.   It's almost scary.  I told Stephen the other day she needed pants so we could go to the store, and Blakely ran to her room and got into her drawer and brought him a pair of pants. 

She loves to put makeup on with me, cook with me, clean with me... If it's something I do fairly regularly, she has her own version of it too.  Except fold clothes.  I have to put clothes away immediately or she will pull every folded shirt onto the floor.  She also loves to try to put my clothes on.  Particularly my undergarments...on her head. 

She has started kissing a lot more.  She doesn't just give them out freely, but every once in a while she will surprise you with a juicy one right on the mouth.  It's pretty gross and sweet all at the same time. 

She still plays fantastically with other kids.  I am always amazed at how calm she is around other kids.  She never throws fits, always wants to share her toys, and is always very nice to the other kids- even when they are mean to her.  And, yes, some are!  She gets pushed, hit, toys stolen, etc. all the time.  But she is tough!

Her sleep hasn't really improved.  She fights sleep like a maniac.  She goes to bed around 7:30 (daylight savings...) and wakes up around 5ish.  She takes two naps a day, usually one is an hour or less, and the other is 30 minutes.  Not really sure how she survives on so little sleep, but we are done fighting!

27 1/2 weeks

I keep saying I will post a belly pic, then it's a few days late, so I say I will the following week...and so on. So I'm just gonna do this one a few days late!

Someone was being a bit of a leach and wouldn't let me go to the bathroom, much less take a picture, without her on my hip. So it might not be the best one. I don't think I look very big in this pic for some reason- but I promise, I am. My friend told me just yesterday that I am "starting to look uncomfortable." I wasn't "uncomfortable" until she said that. :)

And of course, one of my little stinker...

These days...

I should be posting in a week about B's 15 month checkup, but I thought I'd go ahead and give a little update.  I want to be sure and remember what life is like- but there is just no time to blog!  So this might be a long one...or it might be a short one if she wakes up sooner than later... :)

Blakely is busier than ever.  She is talking up a storm- and it is hilarious.  I need to video it, but I just know she'll be as quiet as a mouse as soon as I start filming.  She just blabs all the time, and I know she thinks she is saying things.  She is into everything.  I know I always say that, but seriously, she is SO curious, and is dead set on be a part of whatever I'm doing.  Cooking has become quite the challenge because she throws a MAJOR fit if I don't let her sit on the counter next to me, or hold her while I am doing it.  Most of the time I just let her crawl around on the counter messing with stuff- it's seriously the only way I can get anything done! 

She is obsessed with being outside.  She begs to go out most of the day, and is by far the most content when we are outside.  She just roams and picks things up and pushes her wagon.  She also has a little slide thing that she loves to play on. 

We have been pretty frustrated for the last couple of months with her sleeping.  She hasn't been going to bed super easy, and she gets up WAYYY early.  Like 5:30 at the latest.  Sometimes 4.  It's pretty miserable- especially being pregnant.  She has also been incredibly fussy and cranky.  Like big fits and whining, non-stop.  We have tried everything in the book to change it, but nothing works.  So finally we just decided a couple of days ago to embrace it.  And it has helped a ton.  Both her attitude and ours have completely changed.  She gets up happy, goes down for naps easy, and is in a much better mood.  Now, this might change tomorrow...but for now, we are just gonna go with it.  It still feels so wrong to put her down for a nap at 7am, but whatever. 


how hilarious is this hair? 

awake, and in a good mood!

sitting on her throne.  we got her a potty- but she mainly just likes to take it a part and sit on it to watch tv.

I am now 27 weeks pregnant...and I can hardly believe it.  Where did the first and second trimester go?!  I mean...it's just crazy.  I feel great- tired of course, but I am sure that has more to do with my 5am wakeup call than this baby.  :)  He moves like CRAZY.  Like, all night long.  But I love it.  He's healthy and growing, and I think I am pretty much as big as I was right before I had B.  No joke.  I am a little nervous about having a normal sized baby.  :) 

And yes, I said "HE."  I know I said I was going to wait, but I just felt like Stephen wasn't enjoying me being pregnant like he did with B.  So I surprised him, and at my last ultrasound had the doc take a pic and put it in an envelope (so I didn't see it either) and I gave it to him for Valentine's day.  He loved it and was SO excited to find out that he is going to have a SON.  Henry is his name.  :)  We are glad we are having a boy, because he will need to be tough to stand up to his bossy-butt big sister.  I have a feeling he will outweigh her by the time he is a year old. 

Stephen and I became an "aunt/uncle" last night!  Stephen's sister gave birth to Lucy Jane.  We are so excited to meet her!  She is a cutie for sure.  And we are so excited for B to have a girl cousin to play with at holidays!


how sweet is Lucy?  Such a pretty baby!



in case you were wondering what I had for dinner

Our love story

This has been on several friends' blogs, so I thought in honor of V-day I'd play along too! 

1. How long have you and your significant other been together?

We have officially been together since November of 2006- so 5 1/2 years?  But we also dated for about 6 months in 2004. 

2. How did you meet? {What's your "love" story?}

We actually met my junior or senior year of highschool (can't remember which) in Springdale, AR.  My brother was at the U of A and was friends with Stephen.  Me and some friends went up to see Joe (my brother) and we were staying at my grandma's in Springdale.  I forgot some sort of toiletry, and around midnight we stopped at Harps (grocery store) to get some.  A truck pulled up to us and Stephen yelled out "Hey, you're Joe's sister!"  Apparently he had seen my picture in Joe's room and thought I was cute.  :)  I was pretty convinced that I was going to marry one of Joe's friends, and I told my friends that it'd be Stephen Billings after we met that night. 

A year or two later I came to college, and I had a big crush on him , but I am pretty sure he had long forgotten about me since I was the "little sister" until we finally actually became friends at Kaleo- Stumo summer project- the summer after my freshman year.  We worked together at Big Kahunas- a water park, so we rode to work and home together every day.  We fell in love that summer.  You aren't allowed to date at the project- but the very last day before we went home, he asked me if he could take me on a date when we got back to Fayetteville.  We were floating in the ocean and he was getting stung by jelly fish.  It was so romantic.  :)

We dated for about 6 months and then I got confused and broke up with him.  I was still crazy about him, but he moved on.  Eventually I did too, but it took a while!  He claims he liked me the whole time :)

A couple years later, after pretty much not even being friends, I ended up needing a ride home from church and he took me home- I knew after that 20 minute drive that he liked me.  He asked me out a couple weeks after that and not long after that we were engaged.  Our (second) first date was in November 2006 and we were engaged in May and married in September. 

3. If married, how long have you been married? If not, is this the guy you hope to marry? {do tell}  4 1/2 years

4. If you are married, where did you get married at? Big or small wedding? If not, where would you like to get married? And will it be big or small?

We got married in my parents' front yard in Choctaw, Ok.  I'm not really sure what makes a big/small wedding.  We had over 300 people there, but it was a super casual outdoor wedding.  I was barefoot, wore a short dress, and we had barbeque at our reception.  It was wonderful. 

5. Do you have any nick-names that you call one another? Do share!

The theme I have been reading on all of these is "babe/baby" and we are no exception.  I even try to make a conscious effort not to call him babe when others are around because I think it drives single people crazy.  Married people understand though.  :)  We really don't have any other real nicknames- just embarrassing ones that I wouldn't ever admit to. 

6. Name 3 things you love most about your honey.

He can always make me laugh, he is THE best dad, and he loves God even more than he loves me. 

7. Tell us how he proposed? Or your ideal proposal?

My parents got married in my grandparents backyard.  Ever since I was a little girl I wanted to get married there underneath an apple tree in their pasture.  Stephen came with me to my grandparents one weekend and he asked me to marry him under the apple tree- it was the sweetest.

8. Is he a flowers and teddy bear kind of guy for v-day, or strawberries, champagne, and rose petals?

He's a flower and starbucks kinda guy- that's what he got me today.  :) 

9. Are you a sunset dinner on the beach kind of girl, or pop a movie in and relax on the couch?

Both sound wonderful, but since we live in Kansas, with no beach anywhere nearby, we pretty much do the movie and couch- which I love just as much. 

10. Tell us one thing you'd like to do with your significant one day. If you could do anything? Go anywhere?

I want to go to Hawaii and Europe.  Without children.  :) 

11. Tell us what you plan on doing on this Valentine's Day.

We celebrated on Sunday.  We got a babysitter, and did our 5th annual McD's date.  :)  We get dressed up, and dine in at McDonalds.  We even order WHATEVER we want.  :)  Then we drove around and talked, then we came back and put B to bed, then we watched Courageous on the couch.  It was wonderful.  I thought v-day was over, but instead, he surprised me today with a pink rose and a starbucks.  What a sweetie. 

12. Are you asking for anything this Valentine's day?

Got everything I could ever want.

13. Give us one piece of advice of keeping a relationship strong and full of love.

Kiss.  Every, single, day. 

14. Show us a picture of what love means to you
The theme of all of these that I've read is daddy and daughter pics, so I'll stick with it.  But seriously, is that not the sweetest thing you've ever seen?