A few recent pics to share

Decorating the Christmas tree!

Playing in the leaves!

Warren loves to act like Cookie Monster with Daddy.

Recently

I just spent $84 (after insurance!) on Elidel for our itchy kiddo! Poor Warren, seems he's got excema, and for some reason it is spreading. The doctor said a food allergy can aggravate it. Warren is 20mths and weighs 26lbs! I think he was around 32" tall. He continues to thrive and learn more and say more everyday. He's even shown some interest in the potty chair. In January he gets to start attending the Piper Center!!! We are excited to see how much he will learn and grow in their care. There will only be 8 kids to 2 teachers (all teachers have bachelor's degrees with EC certificates!), and they make individualized lesson plans. He's at all the 2yr old indicators already, so he needs to be at a place like Piper that will meet him where he is.

I am right at 24wks pregnant! Whew! The time is going by so very quickly! My belly is definitely out there now, and I just told Roy today that I feel like I grew several inches during the day. I am feeling little Grant Kenneth a few times a day, especially in the evenings and after meals. The headaches have completely stopped. I do have nose bleeds once in a while, which is weird because I never have nose bleeds unless I'm pregnant. My next appointment is the 20th.

We will be going home for Christmas. I'm really excited to see Warren with all the family. He is such a ham. I anticipate lots of laughter and pride overflowing in this momma.

20 wk Check up

Blood pressure 128/70. Gained 4lbs total so far ("Not too bad for being half way through," my doctor said!), measured 20cm, so right on track with due date. Heartbeat sounded good. Warren just kept staring at the heart monitor when we were listening to baby Grant's heartbeat. It was funny. BTW, I weighed Warren while we were there, and he is right at 25lbs. He also got to eat Smarties for the first time while we were there, and he really liked them.

Sadly, while waiting to see the doctor, I saw a lady crying because they had just done an ultrasound on her due to not hearing a heartbeat, and she found out she had miscarried. My heart was aching for her, but at the same time I felt so greatful for the life that is in me. I've had three friends miscarry in the past few months, so I feel like the lucky one. It's sobering, to say the least.

Next appointment is Dec. 17th.

Baby Garton #2 is a .... boy!!!!

On Thursday, November 11, I went in for my ultrasound. The baby is healthy and his head measured 20weeks and 4 days, though I was only 19 wks. His heartrate was 143bpm. He was moving his arm and even grabbed his knees/legs, and he had his ankles crossed.

It's a BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am excited to have 2 boys! We went out the night of the ultrasound and bought the baby a going home outfit.

Growing in the belly! 20wks!

Mr cool!

18 weeks

I am feeling great! I am showing more each day, and the migraines have pretty much stopped. Pregnancy bladder has officially set in, and I am started to have crazy dreams... Last night I dreamed I peed in my former pastor's (yes, folks, Pastor Peak!) office chair! It had a built-in potty under a flap. Hilarious and a bit disturbing! I have been feeling the baby move regularly at night when I finally get the chance to sit on the couch and rest/do schoolwork/check emails. I strted feeling him/her at the end of last week - finally! My ultrasound is Nov 18 - just a couple weeks away. Can't wait to find out if we will be having Grant Kenneth or Alyssa Mercedes next year!

16wks and 5 days

17wks and 2days w/Warren



















16 wks and 5 days with baby#2

I had my checkup today, and all went well. I had only gained 2lbs total (that's 5 less than at this time with Warren!). Baby's heartbeat was strong, and we even heard him/her moving around on the monitor. That was a relief because I was starting to worry since I hadn't felt the baby move - I did with Warren at 16wks. Funny how we compare our pregnancies. Just when I thought I had this whole thing figured out, I am surprised again! I still am getting headaches off and on, but doctor assures me that they normally go away at 20wks. As long as I have my Tylenol with Codeine, I'm good. I have 4wks until my ultrasound!

Making a "funny face" on demand. Warren is doing so much these days... today he said, "Uv ooooo" to me, and earlier this week he said, "I uv ooo," to his daddy. He has been sleeping great in his big boy bed (the chaise lounge), and he continues to make us laugh everyday. He knows how to throw fits, but he doesn't have one that often - a few times a week, I guess. He is still crazy about fruit, and he will go to the fridge and pull out what he wants. He esp. loves mandarin oranges and likes to sit on the floor and peel them with me. He's such a helper. He throws trash away, retrieves items, and feeds Cleo. He has a great sense of humor, and even knows how to fake laugh - he learned THAT from his daddy! LOL

He took this adorable picture at school!

Our lives are busy, but things are going well all around. One thing's for sure - life is more fun with a child!

Warren's 18mth Checkup

Okay, even the doctor said it, Warren is advanced for his age!!!!! LOL

Yesterday Warren had his 18mth checkup. He is 32" tall and weighs 24.8lbs. He was in the 40th%tile. He surpassed all the developmental milestones, and is doing great! He had shots and was a big boy about it. He only cried a couple minutes and then kept saying, "manmaid" which being interpreted means "bandaid."

He is wearing 18mths clothes, mostly. Some pants are 12mths. He is very long waisted and short-legged, so getting pants can be a challenge. His favorite thing to eat these days is fruit, esp. mandarin oranges (fresh or canned) and mangos.

We have moved Warren out of his crib. The last couple nights have been a bit rough. He keeps waking up around 1-2am and then again an hour or so later. Hopefully this will pass soon because this momma is tired!

Everyday with this gift of ours is wonderful. Roy and I smile and laugh at him all the time. Loving something we made together is amazing!

12 week Check up

I had my 12wk checkup today and got to have another ultrasound! It was not planned, but I mentioned it to the nurse and she said she will get the doc to do one. When the obgyn came in he asked, "What are you two girls cooking up?" LOL The baby is looking great. Heartbeat was about 160bpm, and he kept moving his arm in and out. You can see his head on the bottom of the pic and his hand to the right of his belly. The doctor did check between the legs, but he didn't see anything... way too early. Still, I am just saying "he" because it's easier than typing he/she, his/hers all the time. I have lost weight since being pregnant, which is awesome!!! I hope to only gain 25lbs with this one instead of 35lbs, esp. since I am still hanging onto 12lbs from Warren

This picture was taken last Sunday, but I swear I am much bigger now. On Monday my uterus was really sore all day, and on Tues. my belly was bigger! Crazy how that happens!

My parents were here last weekend and mom took some pics. We got some good ones for Warren's 18mth pic, and a couple of our family were okay. I love the one above with Roy and Warren.

Warren with Grammie and Papa. He has said "papa" for some time now, but finally during this visit he said "mami"... now my mom doesn't feel left out. LOL

Headaches

It is so easy not too update my blog now that I have a Facebook account, but I am making myself try to update when it comes to baby#2....

For the past two weeks, I've had a headache off and on, and when I cough, it feels like the top of my head is going to blow right off. Ouch! Tylenol would dull the pain, but not take it away. I called the OB's office today, and his nurse said come in, so she can check my blood pressure. I did, and it was 140/70. Mine is normally 120/70, but doctor said he wasn't worried about it.

Warren was with me at the appointment (Roy was in class), so I had him sitting on my legs while I was lying on the bed. He wasn't sure what to think of the doctor messing with his mama! He made a face at the OB, but sat real still while we got to hear the baby's heartbeat. It was a relief to hear it beating so fast. I have been more concerned about miscarriage this time around, for some reason. I've had two friends miscarry, so it is on the forefront of my mind anytime something is not "normal."

Apparently headaches are normal with pregnancy, esp. up until week 20 or so. (Ugh! I'm 10wks and 5 days right now.) Doc said it's due to the changes in hormone levels. He prescribed some Tylenol with Codeine. So far it has dulled the pain, but not taken it away yet. I can take two, but only took one at my pharmicist's suggestion, so if it isn't gone soon, I may just take the other one.

Warren is 17mths Old

Warren turned 17mths old yesterday. He is growing more physically each day, but we are really noticing him grow intellectually. He is using voice inflection when he babbles, and it sounds like he is really saying something. Today he said his first sentence (other than "what's that?"). He was trying to get into the guestroom (so he could turn on the TV) and I said, "Ask daddy to open the door," and he said, "open the door." Roy and I were both pretty amazed that it was so clear. Very cool.

He is doing better at not hitting. Perhaps it was just a phase. He has a little friend at school whose name is Jackson, but Warren usually calls him "Jack-jack." Today when I picked him up from daycare, Jackson came over and they told each other bye. I love it!

Warren's bottom-right molar just broke skin yesterday. It was quite a relief after several days of super swollen gums, fussiness, and runny nose/cough. That means he now has 6 on top and 6 on the bottom.

He can build really well with blocks now. Today he stacked three column-type blocks on top of each other without them falling! It's fun to watch him be so purposeful in placing them. He has also become quite the monkey, climbing on whatever he can. His favorite foods are pizza and mac & cheese, and he likes to drink frozen drinks (frapps, smoothies, milkshakes). He likes to stand on the "ep-ool" (stepstool) to help us do anything in the kitchen, and of course he still LOVES to watch music videos. Roy has downloaded some of Warren's favorites onto our computers, and seriously, the kid will sit for 20mins just watching them and dancing.

Ok, enough for now. Eighteen months is his next check up shots. I will have plenty more to post then.