24 Weeks Pregnant

Your baby's 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. (From Baby Center)

MY UPDATE at 24 weeks (6 Months along):

I am still doing great. I had an OB check up and things were good. We measured right on track and I got to hear the baby's sweet heart beat. I love that. I asked the Doc about that pulling and pressure on the left side... again... he said it is most likely the round ligament that holds the uterus in place. As I lift things or strain (even just pushing and turning a heavy buggy at COSTCO) I am feeling that ligament pulling. He said I need to be careful of course, but that usually it gets better as the pregnancy continues because things tighten up. Good News! I hope so. At least now I will not worry because I know what 's going on in there. I am still nesting and cleaning and organizing and brainstorming everyday. I started to say to my husband, "maybe we could move the...." and before I could finish, he jumped in and said, "move the table in the hall way? move the Christmas decorations around in the attic?" and just started a list of ridiculous things to move... "move the washer and dryer up stairs?" etc... I can't help it. I'm nesting. I am feeling the need to get things in order. I am doing pre-Christmas prep because this baby will born the week before Thanksgiving. I am working on my first child's 2nd year scrapbook so that that will be DONE before the new baby arrives. I am even thinking ahead on the birth announcements... I told my husband I wanted to go ahead and get the envelopes so that I could address them now. He 's being really sweet about all of my nesting and he's grateful that I'm feeling SO motivated (if not slightly compulsive) about getting the house straightened up and cleaning out the basement to make a new play room for our BOYS!!! It's all happening FAST for sure.

My Sister Moved

I hosted my family for a special moving-back-to-college-dinner for my little sister. I can't believe it's time for her to go back... where did the summer go?

It was really nice to spend time together this summer. She is GREAT with our little man! We love her and think she's an awesome Aunt!

BLAST FROM THE PAST: Not so many years ago... my sister and me... getting ready!

(Don't Cry Mom!)

Mmmmmm..... Dinner was GOOD!

We LOVE Spaghetti Night!! Do you?

It's sorta sad when the Spaghetti is all gone...

Mmmmmmmmmmmm..... Dinner was GOOD!

A Very Special Person in my Life

My Grandma 's 85th Birthday!!!

_________Cousins

_________My Little Bear in the Pool

________My Grandmother & Aunt

Happy Birthday Grandma! We LOVE You!

Toddlers can make a MESS

What happens while I'm washing stuff at the sink and only watching my almost-two-year-old indirectly?

Don't cry over spilled (or poured) salt.

I asked him to clean-up, clean-up the mess and he went and got the broom!! How could I be upset, he was so sweet about it! Maybe it's salt ART??!

Playing in Mama's plant, with side-walk-chalk, and a big stick...

But he had fun!!

Pregnant Pics (23 weeks)

23 weeks pregnant

Pregnancy Update -- 23 Weeks

Your pregnancy: 23 weeks
How your baby's growing:Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango),

you may be able to see him/her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb. (Baby Center web page info)

My Update at 23 weeks along!

I do feel him moving a lot!! And I know he can hear... he responds to Daddy and moves around when he speaks to him. And the Leap Frog 'alphabet pal' came blaring on the other day as I was cleaning up and I felt him "jump" -- that toy is loud!

I've been nesting a lot lately! That's a good thing though... it feels so nice to get things organized that I've put off. Progress!!

I have had more pressure and pulling... almost like I'm feeling the stretching that my body is going through... and I don't remember feeling that with my first.

The doctor said he hears that a lot from Mom's of more than one child because we don't slow down and take it easy while we are pregnant. WE CAN'T stop or slow down when there is a toddler running around. If lift him in and out of the high chair, in and out of the car, in and out of the bath... every day! I'm wanting to be careful -- of course. And I think everything if fine. It's just different from the first time around in certain ways.

Overall, things have been really good! We are so excited about our new son!