Goofball

Here is our little goofball trying to rip and tear a milk jug top. He would grunt and try to pull it apart, then put it in his mouth and act like he was tearing it with his teeth. I kept taking it away from him and he would convince me to give it back. It was pretty hilarious. What a joy he is.

Tulip Time Festival

We went to the Tulip Festival in Holland, MI on Monday. It was pretty cool. Mostly I like the pictures we got there but the flowers were nice too. We ate fair food (corn dogs & turkey legs) that were really bad for us, walked around some shops and found a park that was free to get into to check out the tulips. The weather was nice, not too hot and not too cold. It's still a little chilly here but the past few days have been almost 70 and it has been a nice change from the rainy, windy, cold weather we have had all spring. Pete was wonderful and happy the whole time. He missed his afternoon nap but you would have never known. Here are some of my favorite pictures from the day.

25 Weeks

Tomorrow I will be 25 weeks. 15 weeks to go! 3 1/2 months left. Crazy.

I feel big. And I feel achy. My groin, pelvis and hips are getting pretty painful. But the morning sickness has eased up and I am thankful for that. I probably should try to hold Pete less but I can't get myself to do it. He is my boy and he is so sweet. And he loves his mommy so much. Someday soon he is not going to want me to hold him anymore and I will miss it so much. P. says I should start weaning him now for the arrival of his sister but I don't feel it's necessary. By August Pete will be walking, even running, and I expect the holding to wean itself. Back to the pregnancy........

Our little girl kicks all the time. It seems like she is always moving. I wonder if Pete and I keep her awake with our talking and playing. Whatever the case, it's fun and I am glad she is a mover, that means she is ok. I try not to talk about stretch marks so as not to jinx myself but so far so good. And last but not least, I am pretty tired. I go to bed late, Pete wakes up early and today he decided he didn't need a second nap. That was tough.

Even with the pains and exhaustion I am having fun with the pregnancy. I went garage sale shopping today and got 3 cute summer maternity shirts for $3. $1 each. I enjoy feeling her kick and find myself sometimes watching my tummy to catch a glimpse of her in action. Even though I am heavier and gaining weight faster than I did with Pete I still feel like a cute pregnant mommy. I enjoy talking about the pregnancy and still read the books and magazines about "what to expect". It's been fun looking for girl stuff at garage sales though I haven't really bought anything yet more due to the rain that puts a damper on my shopping plans. But I have all summer to get what we need and we don't need much. Clothes mainly. I hope to get clothes for her through 1 year so we are set until next garage sale season. It would be fun to find a cute crib set for her too. I haven't really thought about names. I feel like I have heard them all and none of them excite me. I am sure it will be a last minute decision again!

Well, I can't think of anything else to update you on. Things are coming along and overall we are healthy and doing well. Oh and here is a picture of our first baby girl gift from my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew. So cute.

Ouchie

Pete got his first boo boo, worth documenting that is. We were at the library yesterday and he was having a ball climbing on their really low baby benches. He sat back on his knees, clapped his hands and went to put them back down on the bench but the bench wasn't there. The hard ground and carpet was though and he went nose first into the floor. Nothing softened his fall, not his head, hands, nothing. Scared me to death. I was sure he had broken his nose by the way he hit and the sound it made. Good thing the bench wasn't more than a foot off the ground or things would have been much worse. He cried for a short 20 seconds or so and was done but his nose looked horrible. I am guessing this is a rug burn. It looks worse than it was for him I think. It hasn't phased him since those first few seconds so that is good. Anywhere we go people ask us what happened though. Here is our boy's nose. The first of many, many bumps and bruises I am sure.Oh and this is his new high chair. It was a hand me down. Not that the one we had didn't work but it didn't have a pad under his butt and had a big space by his legs where he could squirm out if I wasn't watching him at all times. This one is more comfortable and safe. The toys besides Ducky are hand me downs too and have provided great entertainment last night and today. Lord knows we need the entertainment!

Had to throw in a cheese smile.

Daddy, Doggy and Ducky

The "cheesy" cheese smile is back. Check it out. It would be nice if he just smiled nicely for me but then that wouldn't be him. I think these smiles are pretty hilarious.It was actually nice here on Friday, well, if you can deal with all the wind lately. Pete played outside and was dry until I filled up the dogs' water bowl for them. He fully enjoyed getting all wet.

Pete's new game: hide behind the tupperware lid. He does this with most plastic tops or plates that he can get his hands on while eating which by the way is not going well. Pete eats like 4 foods, all carbs like toast or cereal. And don't even think about trying to hide a pea in his yogurt or toast. I hope this is just a phase. This phase has lasted 32 years for me....
Pete playing in the closet today.And here is a cute video of Pete and his walker he got for his birthday. He loves it and chases me all over the house with it all day long. Running into me or the dogs is his favorite part and if he doesn't get a good enough reaction out of you he will hit you again. This week he stood up on his own. He wasn't holding onto anything or even close to anything to grab onto. He was only up for a few seconds but it was pretty exciting. And from this video you can see he is pretty darn close to walking. He is just not ready to let go yet. Either is mom.



Pete officially says three words. Well, I think he can say more but I can't quite decifer them yet. The first word was daddy. He changes from da-da, to daddy, to DAD!!!! He can also say doggy which sounds a lot like daddy but when daddy isn't around and he is pointing at the dogs I know he is talking about them. And I am sad to say ducky came before mommy too. We bought this ducky for our friend who is graduating in May that collects them and he immediately became attached to the thing. He puts it in his walkers and carries it around with him. He lifts the lid/seat/cover to check on him every once in a while and always knows where ducky might be. We had to go back and buy our friend another ducky. You can see the other walker he has in the background. He puts ducky in that seat you see up and walks around honking at the dogs and I.We are pretty sure we heard ma-ma a few times today. We will see if it continues. Mom is ready to hear her name from her sweet baby boy.

Well, I think that is all the Pete updates I have. I am going to take a belly picture tomorrow. 24 weeks now, wooowhooo! And I will give an update on all my new aches and pains. No j/k, not all of them, just some of them.

Sidewalk Chalk Flood

Today we went downtown to take part in the first annual Sidewalk Chalk Flood. They, I don't know exactly who, provided the chalk and you found a place to draw. It was a perfect day. The weather was beautiful, warm and sunny with a slight breeze. We walked around a bit to check out the festivities then found a nice spot to lay down our blanket and eat the lunch we had packed. Pete hung out with us on the blanket while we ate and took in all the people, the music and the warm weather. He sat on my lap or his dad's for a long time just looking around. I found a little spot to draw and Pete crawled down this nearby hill full speed, over and over again. I drew a cross and wrote a verse that means a lot to P. and I. It wasn't anything spectacular but it was fun. Before we left we walked around and looked at all the beautiful art. Here is one of our favorites. And here is my beautiful family, on a beautiful day having a wonderful time together. I couldn't have asked for anything more. I completely enjoyed every minute of my day today.

Easter and Other Activities

Pete spent his first Easter at a casino. I am still trying to forgive myself for it. :) Actually it was a pretty fun time. We met Omi, Opa, Mike, Katelyn and Krischan at the Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant, MI. Omi and Opa watched Pete while P. and I played some games, and lost. We met at the buffet around 1:30 and had a wonderful Easter brunch/lunch. I think the food was great! I ate so much I thought I was going to explode. My maternity pants felt tight and that is hard to do right now. Omi and Opa took the kids to the arcade after lunch while P. and I went to lose some more money. We joined them after we felt the casino had enough of our money and had fun watching Pete play on the Skee Ball machine. See pic. Pete slept on both the way there and the way home so it actually worked out perfectly. Overall it wasn't the "first Easter" I had planned for our baby boy but it was a lot of fun and fun to see family again. Thanks Omi and Opa for a great Easter lunch and fun time at the casino. Glad we were able to get together.

Here is a picture of Omi and Pete hanging out in the casino hallway before lunch. They kind of match, cute. Katelyn and Pete in the buffet. In the arcade.Pete playing ON the Skee Ball machine. Passed out on the way home. Sweet little boy. I had to post this hilarious picture I took yesterday. Pete was playing outside and kept looking in the screen at me inside. He would smash his face against the screen and laugh. I love this picture of our silly boy. And last but not least, today was a beautiful day so we took advantage of it and went to the park. I have been fighting a cold all week and today I finally felt like I was coming out of my funk. Pete had a good time climbing in this playset until he took a tumble then he stayed close to mom and on the ground. Thank you God for a warm day and the time we had outside together. I should probably update you on my pregnancy though there isn't much to say. I am still taking Unisom due to my cold. It is actually an antihistamine and I figured if it was ok for me to take for my morning sickness it was safe for my cold too. I am 22 weeks, almost 23. I am feeling pretty good, besides the cold. Our baby girl is kicking a lot, moving all the time. I am feeling huge and last night I said to P. I felt like I could have this baby right now and feel like I am ready. The only thing different with this pregnancy than Pete's is that I am much more emotional. I cry a lot, over mushy sweet things, not because I am sad. I savor every kick wondering if this is the last time I will be pregnant and never be able to feel it again. I haven't really been thinking about names. Like with Pete I just think it is going to come to me, and of course, it hasn't. When Katie was here we went through every name on the internet. I vetoed them all. Every last one of them. I just have faith we will have just the right name when the time comes.

Well, better go. Lot's to do and the boy's nap is almost up. Love you all and thanks for sharing your time with me and my family.

Sad Good Friday

Katie went home today. We are all a little sad. I am not sure if Pete is going to realize she is gone but I sure know he enjoys having her around. Katie and P. went to see Hannah Montana today and when they got home Katie went down to get the mail before she came in the house. Pete stood at the window watching her, yelling and hitting the window because he was so excited to see her. He doesn't even do that with daddy. Katie didn't cry when she said goodbye to us but when she held her brother and said goodbye her eyes teared up and she had to give him back. She kept saying, "I don't want to go. I don't want to leave Pete." It was heartbreaking. Poor kid. It's a tragedy that she has to go through this. It was her decision to move with her mom but she shouldn't have been put in this situation in the first place. Oh well, soon she will be older and busy enough with her own life that it might not phase her as much.

Here are some pictures from our lunch today at Chili's. We fed Pete tortilla chips, mandarin oranges and some vanilla ice-cream from our dessert. That should help the weight problem...Today is Good Friday. At lunch we tried to "celebrate" it's meaning with Katie explaining what happened today and what happened 3 days later. She had basic knowledge of the holiday. I prayed with Pete before his nap today thanking Him for dying for us so we could have such a wonderful life together as a family. I look forward to teaching Pete more about his Savior as he grows up but for now I will just give thanks to Jesus for blessing me like He has. Happy Easter friends and family.

Fallen Off the Growth Chart

Straight from the mouth of Pete's pediatrician...."Pete has fallen off the growth chart." Pete gained 1 pound 4 oz in 3 months. His doctor wasn't able to plot his weight on the chart because it was so low. We were shocked. Apparently his weight went from the 15th percentile to the 5th and she asked us if he eats. Pete has never been a big eater. He is never really interested in eating and he is incredibly picky. But I thought he ate enough and he doesn't look skinny. So our goal, feed Pete more. It's not like we don't try, he just doesn't want it so the doc recommended we give him what he wants for now until he starts putting on some weight. She said his dad is skinny so that is where he probably gets it. What am I? A big fatty?

Other than that he is great. He is 29 1/2" long. 9 inches taller than when he was born. He is pretty much on track mentally and physically. We decided instead of giving him 4 shots all at once to space them out a little bit. He received two on Wed and will get two others in about 5 weeks from now. We still have to go back and try to get his blood drawn for the lead test. Poor little feller.

We have had a nice week with Katie. Pete just loves her. He finds her funny and interesting and I am sure he will miss her when she leaves. I already worry about explaining to Pete someday why his sister doesn't live with him all the time. How do I explain that daddy has another baby with someone else? I wonder if after this summer he will not understand why she gone again? Will this situation affect him at all? I will pray about it and hopefully when the times comes I will know what to say to him.

We went to the park today. I couldn't decide what pictures to post because they were all so cute. It was sunny but don't let the sun fool you. It wasn't warm and the wind was painful. I am so ready for summer. Here are my cute kids. Pete is going to get very dirty this summer. After his day at the park and our time outside tonight I can tell he enjoys the dirt. He went through more than a couple outfits today and one that will probably never be clean again. I guess I better get used to it, he is a boy after all.

Goodnight and happy Easter weekend. Would it be wrong to take Pete to a casino on his first Easter?

Appointments

Monday I had my 21 week doctors appt. My doc said my ultrasound looked great except for the baby was breech. She said most likely she will turn by the end but for now she is feet down. Our little girl was estimated at 10oz and my doctor said that was about medium sized. They were able to see all views of all parts and everything looked great. It was nice to hear. My appointment went fine. I gained like 5 pounds since my last doctors appointment so the doc was happy about that. I wasn't quite as excited. It's always hard to see yourself getting larger. I gain my weight in my face and I hate looking in the mirror at those extra pounds. My bp was great, baby's heart rate was fast, she didn't tell me what it was, she just said it was fast. I talked with her about my spotting and she said according to my ultrasound everything looked ok. Sometimes they just don't know where it is coming from and it's just something I am going to have to deal with, probably for the rest of the pregnancy. It's not a huge deal, just a little annoying and sometimes a little nerve wracking when it gets worse. We decided to start cutting back on my morning sickness medicine. I have been feeling better this week so thought I would give it another try. This is exactly the same week it went away with Pete. I go back in 5 weeks for my next appointment, glucose test (yippee!) and blood test for anemia. So far so good.

Pete has his 1 year appointment today. I am a little scared for him. It will be fine except for the vaccines. As much as I feel confident shots don't cause Autism I am still worried there is a chance it has something to do with it. P. and I decided against the chicken pox vaccine and will talk with her about the necessity of the Hepatitis one. If there are optional vaccines I would rather avoid them. I feel like it is my responsibility to protect Pete from diseases but also not overload his young system with toxins and drugs that could harm him or that he doesn't absolutely need. It will be fun to see how much he weighs, how tall he is and to see if his sleeping and eating habits are on track.

Here are some pictures of Pete and his new wagon. He loves this thing and will ride around in it for as long as you want to pull it. Thanks Omi and Opa for the great gift. And thanks Nana and Grandpa for the generous college money and great clothes. Wish you could have been with us to celebrate.

Pete Turns 1

Playing pin the paw on the dog. Pete was the closest but we didn't blind fold him.
Opening presents. Here he received a whole bunch of Mr. Potato Head stuff.
Here you can see his new lawnmower, an outfit from the Gap, toy phone, hooded bath towel and walker.Family photo.
Eating cake. He ate some frosting off the top, didn't make a huge mess and was done. It was pretty uneventful.Relaxing after all the party guests left. Serra was worn out.... :)