Week 21

The guys started on Layden's nursery - it looks like they are working really hard, huh? :)

For some reason my update won't copy and paste... but the baby is the size of a root beer - about 10 ounces in weight! :)

Video of Baby Bubba!

Monday, August 17- New Perspective

So the bosses at work decided that not working at all is in the best interest of everyone, given my doctor's recommendations. It will be good to give me more time to rest, but this will be very hard for me. then I realize again how blessed we are and how short 4 months really is.... I feel blessed to even have the opportunity to not work and TCO is so good to me, I even get paid most of my salary.

This week, I will be going in for a few hours a day to clear my desk and make sure all projects are covered....

stay tuned. I am sure I will have more time to write...

Week 19 - just under halfway and some interesting information

So, my doctor has limited my activity. Including work. Its considered "lenient bed rest" instead of strict. So she just wants me to be resting as much as possible... not on my feet often esp. every day up and down with the stress of work. So.... one day at a time. Still trying to figure out what is going to happen with work (not work at all or work from home) - will keep you posted.

update on the baby's growth:
This week your baby starts bulking up and packing on the grossly named "brown fat" he'll need to keep warm when he gets evicted from his comfortable uterine home. Other highlights this week:
Vernix, a milky white coating that protects your baby's skin, appears all over your baby's body to keep his skin from getting pickled in the amniotic fluid. Think of it as if your baby has been dipped in yogurt, like those delicious but fake-healthy yogurt-covered raisins and pretzels. Ooh, we feel another craving comin' on ... Under the vernix, a fuzzy layer of hair called lanugo now covers baby's body. Don't worry, your Mini won't look like Cousin It when he's born. Most of the fuzz will fall off before baby makes his grand entrance.
Good news: Your baby's kidneys are fully functioning and producing urine this week. Bad news: That means there will be lots of diapers in your future. But so far you're safe—at the moment the pee just passes into the amniotic fluid.
He or she now weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, as long as a turkey sub from Subway on warm, delicious Italian Herbs and Cheese bread (or Honey Oat bread, or Oregano bread or ... )

Wow - God is Good.

So regular appointment on Thurs. turned into a whirlwind. When I went to see the doctor only two short weeks after my previous appointment, my ultrasound indicated quite a difference in the length of my cervix in just those two weeks. Enough to be concerned that I would go into preterm labor if they didn't do something quickly.

Dr. Cox scheduled a procedure to stitch my cervix until the baby is healthy and ready to be born. The procedure was short and easy and all is well. I had my first spinal - that was interesting. I couldn't feel my legs for several hours. I am very thankful that the Doctor is watching me so closely and that this was even an option.

Layden is resting peacefully and so am I. We knew that God was taking care of us and anxiety was not an issue.... We prayed for the wisdom and skilled hands of the doctors to do what they needed to do. Best part, I feel no pain now. I expected discomfort for a bit, but nothing. I am actually back to work on the Monday after the procedure.

Leland went shopping for me yesterday - got me some pants that fit and some cute tops... He did good. Some of it is going back just for practical/frugal reasons. I know that I will need to shop again when I am bigger and the clothes will need to be warmer. So, I just needed to get through this little transition period. Although its becoming more and move obvious that I can't fit in regular clothes. Garage sales are a blessing. My friend Elyssa ran into a good one and got me a bunch of maternity clothes from that and I am wearing a really cute outfit today. Comfortable. That's the key.

Update on Dexter: well, fortunately for us, he has that very important appointment this week- snip snip. We hope it will calm him down a bit, in more ways than one. I mean, its not a good thing to walk in on the dog "showing love" to our cat! Its just not right. Just not.

Got lots going on..but gotta take it easy greasy.

More to come....

Week 18

Your baby's ears are now facing forward and are completely formed so she can actually hear you talking now. You don't need to abandon your potty mouth just yet, but you might want to start thinking about it! Other highlights this week: This week is also the beginning of ossification. And while that sounds like some long and involved paperwork you'll have to fill out, it's really a fancy medical term for the hardening of your baby's miniature bones. And that's a good thing.Your baby's nerves are making more and more complex connections. Her sense of smell, taste, sight and hearing are all developing. A substance called myelin, which makes nerve connections travel faster, is now coating your baby's nerves.Your baby now weighs between 5 and 7 ounces and is about 5½ inches long—about the size of a pickle from the corner deli. (You're familiar with pickles, right? Your regular accompaniment to a big bowl of ice cream?)

Looks like we are going to name him Layden David Gray (Layden means strong and well loved) . We think that fits. Could change, but that's where we are at right now.

Going shopping this weekend. No pants fit. :) Unless they are elastic and I don' t have elastic pants for work.

Concerts and family fun

In the past few weeks, we have gone to the American Idol Tour Concert, we saw aerosmith, and we went to Lyrics Music Camp Program.  Here are a few pics. 

Where's Waldo? Can you find Lyric? 

200 and something preschoolers

Brian and Leland at Aerosmith

me and Tori at Aerosmith

ZZ top

Stephen Tyler and his orthopedic shoes

the amazing aerosmith set

American Idol

us at American idol

notes from the weekend

Dexter has pretty much mastered "sit". he does "up" on his hind legs and he is learning to "come" on command. The one thing we can't seem to get him to understand is "down" when we or anyone else walks in.... he is so excited. He just keeps jumping up and while he is little and not forceful...his little claws slice. We need him to master this before the baby comes.

Speaking of baby - we are just about ready to start the nursery - finishing up the last little bit of cleaning out that room. then we will gut it and get going. Going to start washing the outfits that Grandma bought so I don't have to do them all at once.

Name: Layden David Gray - not set in stone. But feel really good about it. Means, 'strong and well-loved'. Will fit. For sure.

Still have plenty of time for this stuff, I know but its going really fast. And would like to have most done before the holidays.... when I am a stuffed turkey myself! :)