SWEET PEA IS UP ALL NIGHT PAR-TAY-ING AND I'M UP ALL NIGHT PEEING!!!

Little baby LENN?? loves to get His/Her groove on while I like to get my snooze on!!! I find myself up a lot in the middle of the night either peeing a ton or just feeling our sweet pea dancing around in there. I forgot how much time I spent making midnight trips to the toilet, when I was pregnant with Miles. Of course, I also forgot how much water my Midwife likes to make me consume. I think anyone would pee this much if they were drinking 3 liters of water a day!!! LENN?? helps the process along by using my bladder as a bouncy ball...;0)!!! So far, this is all I have been experiencing at this point in the pregnancy. I have had a few cramps here and there as my uterus grows, but certainly nothing to write home about. Just a whole lot of excreting!!! A LOT OF URINARY EXCRETING!!! Honestly -- I pee so much that we may need to start a TP fund and enlist the help of our friends and loved ones in supporting our growing need for tons and tons of Charmin!!! Ok -- I'm done talking about it -- sorry Gumpa -- I know -- a lot of TMI!!!! ;0)

15 WEEKS PREGNANT - OUR LITTLE APPLE

How your baby's growing:
Your growing baby now measures about 4 inches long, crown to rump, and weighs in at about 2 1/2 ounces (about the size of an apple). She's busy moving amniotic fluid through her nose and upper respiratory tract, which helps the primitive air sacs in her lungs begin to develop. Her legs are growing longer than her arms now, and she can move all of her joints and limbs. Although her eyelids are still fused shut, she can sense light. If you shine a flashlight at your tummy, for instance, she's likely to move away from the beam. There's not much for your baby to taste at this point, but she is forming taste buds. Finally, if you have an ultrasound this week, you may be able to find out whether your baby's a boy or a girl! (Don't be too disappointed if it remains a mystery, though. Nailing down your baby's sex depends on the clarity of the picture and on your baby's position. He or she may be modestly curled up or turned in such a way as to "hide the goods.")

FEELING THE BABY MOVE!!!

The past three days I have been in pregnancy bliss!!! I am for sure -- 100% positively feeling our little lemon dance and twirl inside my belly!!! He/she moves just as much as sweet little Miles did. It's so amazing to be experiencing that feeling all over again. I forgot how awesome it is when you feel those first movements and the reality of the life growing inside becomes even more real. I love you already little baby -- I love the way you flutter!!! xoxoxoxoxoxox

BACK TO WORKING OUT!!!

Now that I have made it through the first trimester and am experiencing a ton more energy, we have started back on a workout routine. We have made a few minor adjustments to make things easier and beat the heat. The 1.5 mile walk is now taking place on Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday, first thing in the morning after Miles wakes and gets his bottle. It's SOOOOOOOOO much cooler and everything is so fresh and crisp at 7am!!! Those same evenings we are doing 60-100 up hill and downhill lunges. We've added a 1 mile walk around Quixote, after lunch, on all the other days, and we are doing some light strength training and stretching as well. We've been back at it for a few days now and boy does it feel good!!!! Yippee!!!

14 WEEKS PREGNANT - OUR LITTLE LEMON!!!

How your baby's growing:
This week's big developments: Your baby can now squint, frown, grimace, pee, and possibly suck his thumb! Thanks to brain impulses, his facial muscles are getting a workout as his tiny features form one expression after another. His kidneys are producing urine, which he releases into the amniotic fluid around him — a process he'll keep up until birth. He can grasp, too, and if you're having an ultrasound now, you may even catch him sucking his thumb.

In other news: Your baby's stretching out. From head to bottom, he measures 3 1/2 inches — about the size of a lemon — and he weighs 1 1/2 ounces. His body's growing faster than his head, which now sits upon a more distinct neck. By the end of this week, his arms will have grown to a length that's in proportion to the rest of his body. (His legs still have some lengthening to do.) He's starting to develop an ultra-fine, downy covering of hair, called lanugo, all over his body. Your baby's liver starts making bile this week — a sign that it's doing its job right — and his spleen starts helping in the production of red blood cells. Though you can't feel his tiny punches and kicks yet, your little pugilist's hands and feet (which now measure about 1/2 inch long) are more flexible and active.

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THE BABY K'TAN HAS ARRIVED!!!

And it is as blissful as I had hoped. Most carriers/slings/wraps require several tries and wears before you feel comfortable in them. Not the Baby K'Tan. It felt amazing from the first moment I slid Miles' little booty into it!!! Oh Sweet Baby LEN??? -- you will absolutely love being worn around town in this cozy little wrap!!! How exciting. And the bonus? Nana loved wearing it too!!! I see many MANY Baby K'Tan's in our future. Perhaps stock in the company? ;0)

13 WEEKS PREGNANT -- OUR LITTLE ?SHRIMP?

How did we go from adoreable fruit comparisons to ooky bottom feeding crustaceans? Anyhoo!!!

How your baby's growing:
Fingerprints have formed on your baby's tiny fingertips, her veins and organs are clearly visible through her still-thin skin, and her body is starting to catch up with her head — which makes up just a third of her body size now. If you're having a girl, she now has more than 2 million eggs in her ovaries. Your baby is almost 3 inches long (the size of a medium shrimp) and weighs nearly an ounce.

BIGGER BOOTY AND THIGHS = GIRL???

Perhaps I am being melodramatic. Maybe my butt and thighs have not yet grown to the proportions of those pictured left. YET. But, I will tell you, they have grown -- sigh -- enough. I was so certain that I would be shouting from the rafters -- "WE'RE HAVING A BOY" -- but after having noticed the difference in my "curves" I am not so sure anymore. I have heard from countless women that when they were pregnant with their daughters they gained a healthy pair of thighs and quite the boo-tay!!! Could it be? A girl? And then there's the all important question -- WHY???? Why do my booty and thighs need to expand in order to carry and birth this sweet little pea??? I am ALL good with the jumbo boobies, but I will pass on the ginormo rear and anything south of it!!!! Plus, now I am uncertain of the sex once more. I am totally back to ground zero and have no clue what-so-ever!!!! I suppose it's better this way. Now I will not be right or wrong when the time comes, just pleasantly surprised!!!!

PS - Do not use 12 Week Belly Pic as a reference. The thighs and booty exploded afterward, and no there will be no picture. ;0)

THE BABY K'TAN - CHRONICLES OF A BABY WEARING MAMA

When Miles was first born I "wore" him in a few ring slings that I hand made. It was glorious bliss. I loved wearing him. I can't wait to wear sweet Lil LEN???!!! But, Miles was a big boy and quickly out grew the slings. He still did not have enough head or body control to utilize the sling positions for older babies. So, we moved him into the Bjorn and ErgoBaby. We had a major love affair with those for awhile, and then he graduated to the KoKoPax. For some reason, we never went back to the original carriers. Now that he is a bigger boy and carrying him unsupported is getting harder and harder, I have decided that he will go back into a carrier. Enter the Baby K'Tan. This is the Maya Wrap without all of the unnecessary fabric and wrapping and tying. This is the wrap (that acts like a sling) I should have had when he was first born. This is the wrap that I WILL have for Baby LEN???!!! This is the wrap that I have just ordered and will be using to carrying Miles around in a week. This is the wrap I will use to carry both of my peanuts when the time comes!!!! THIS IS THE WRAP!!!!

PRENATAL WITH OUR MIDWIFE

We had another prenatal appointment today with our Midwife!!! Just a general checkup and she drew some blood for the basic prenatal work-up. Blood count, STD's, infections, and what not. Renee does have a new assistant (who's name totally escapes me at the moment) who is a 2nd year Midwife in training and she is very VERY lovely. I agreed to let her do my blood draw, which she was very nervous about, and despite a minor mishap with some possible bruising, she did a great job. I was impressed that I never felt the needle go in!!! We also listened to the baby's heart beat (again) and it sounded so strong and healthy. Our little peanut's ticker was just ticking away rapidly!!! I mentioned to Renee that I have been feeling much better these days, although I seem to be coming down with a minor case of the blues. She said that it sounded like a hormonal fluctuation and she recommended more calcium and some Motherwort. I will definately be taking her advice!!! I think that sums it all up -- oh -- wait -- and I forgot to mention that Renee has joined the legions of people who are absolutely convinced that the baby is a girl. I, of course, still have my suspicians that lil Len??? is a darling He. Only time will tell. Lots of love until the next post.

12 WEEK ULTRASOUND - BABY IS PERFECT!!!

Baby LEN??? looked absolutely beautiful during our scan yesterday morning!!! It was so nice to see physical proof of that amazing little life growing in my belly!!! Not that the symptoms I experienced weren't enough, but it's just so nice to see that sweet little fetus!!! He/She was VERY shy and would not turn over to give us a view of those precious little gender parts. He/She moved a ton, but was always facing my back. The Doctor needed to get a look at Baby LEN???'s nasal bones and asked me to talk to him/her and when I did he/she literally leapt and turned to a side profile for just long enough so that the doctor could get a measurement. How much did my heart melt when this happened???? A ton!!! The measurements were all perfect, by the way, and the Doctor said that we are very blessed to have a healthy normal fetus. Of course we are still awaiting the blood work, but the Doctor was confidant that it wasn't necessary. Unfortunately, the scan images this time around were not as detailed as Miles' were, and we didn't get the great shots that showed us Miles' little boy parts, but we are set up for a gender determination in 3 weeks!!! So we will hopefully know then!!! For now, we will most likely spend every day staring, lovingly, at the photo's that we do have of LEN???, anxiously awaiting the next time we get to see his/her gorgeous little self!!!

PS -- How cute is Miles, sitting in Daddy's lap, looking up at the Ultrasound Monitor? He is looking at the on screen image of his little brother or sister. Ugggggggg -- my heart -- melting -- So Yummy!!!

PPS -- They changed our due date to February 18, 2011, but we all agreed that we plan on sticking with February 20, 2011. Miles was 9 days late and if this baby wants to bake a little longer I'd rather have a later due date so that I'm not sitting around counting the endless days!!! February 20th sounds absolutely perfect to me!!!

12 WEEKS PREGNANT - OUR LITTLE LIME

How your baby's growing:
The most dramatic development this week: reflexes. Your baby's fingers will soon begin to open and close, his toes will curl, his eye muscles will clench, and his mouth will make sucking movements. In fact, if you prod your abdomen, your baby will squirm in response, although you won't be able to feel it. His intestines, which have grown so fast that they protrude into the umbilical cord, will start to move into his abdominal cavity about now, and his kidneys will begin excreting urine into his bladder.

Meanwhile, nerve cells are multiplying rapidly, and in your baby's brain, synapses are forming furiously. His face looks unquestionably human: His eyes have moved from the sides to the front of his head, and his ears are right where they should be. From crown to rump, your baby-to-be is just over 2 inches long (about the size of a lime) and weighs half an ounce.

12 WEEK BELLY PIC

Well -- there it is in all it's pointy glory!!! Beautiful baby LEN??? is making quite the appearance at such an early stage in the pregnancy. I absolutely look pregnant and people are already noticing the bumpy bump!!! Yippee!!! I am feeling a million times better, and even mentioned to Jason this past week that I would like to get back to working out!!! The energy has finally returned. And thank goodness that pesky morning sickness disappeared too!!! I am so relieved that this will be our last week of the first trimester and that we will be moving onward and upward!!! This week we finally get to see the baby and maybe -- just maybe -- we will find out the sex. If it's a boy (as I suspect) then we are sure to notice the nub we noticed with Miles at the 12 week ultrasound!!!

BABY DREAMS

It's almost official -- we're having a boy!!! Okay -- so -- No, A doctor did not confirm this and we have yet to even see the baby in ultrasound, but I am convinced more than ever that we are having a boy. Before we got pregnant with Miles, I had a dream that Jason was chasing a little blonde haired boy around a grassy field. He looked just like Miles does -- and lo and behold -- we have Miles. The other night I had a dream that Baby numero dos was riding in his infant car seat. He was a smaller baby than Miles was, had darker blonde hair, and even though he looked different than Miles, he still looked just like him!!! They were clearly brothers -- and he was clearly a BOY!!!! I have had a sneaking suspiscian that we had another boy on deck and this dream only solidifies my hunch!!! Only time will tell -- I guess we'll know for sure in a few weeks. That being said -- if the tech says girl -- I will fall over with shock!!! I, of course, would love to have a girl -- but I am convinced that momma will be the center of two little boys' world!!!

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INTELLIGENDER SAYS -- BOY!!!!!

So -- we caved -- actually I caved -- and took the Intelligender Predictor Test. It's silly, I know, but I got bored. For those of you who don't know what the Intelligender Test is, it predicts the gender of your baby by measuring the PH of your urine. Alkaline -- BOY. ACIDIC -- GIRL. My test showed BOY. Personally, I don't know how much I buy into it. I'm skeptical -- especially since I tested my saliva with litmus paper the day after and sure enough it was alkaline. All that being said, it was a fun way to pass the time, and now we have some pics and a story to tell about this pregnancy. Now we just have to wait a few more weeks before we find out, for sure, whether or not we are carrying a precious little man or sweet little lady!!! We cannot wait!!!

11 WEEKS PREGNANT - OUR LITTLE FIG

How your baby's growing:
Your baby, just over 1 1/2 inches long and about the size of a fig, is now almost fully formed. Her hands will soon open and close into fists, tiny tooth buds are beginning to appear under her gums, and some of her bones are beginning to harden.

She's already busy kicking and stretching, and her tiny movements are so effortless they look like water ballet. These movements will become more frequent as her body grows and becomes more developed and functional. You won't feel your baby's acrobatics for another month or two — nor will you notice the hiccupping that may be happening now that her diaphragm is forming.