Private

I have been thinking about this for quite some time now & with the upcoming arrival of Baby T along with hearing some creepy stalker stories from my girlfriend Cori, I have decided it is time to make this blog private. As much of a pain as it might be to set it up, I truly think it is for the best. Unfortunately, that means that some of you will have to create a Google sign-in account if you don't already have one but it will only be to accept the invitation & continue viewing my blog & not for anything else.

So with that said, if you want to remain a follower of my blog then I ask that you please send an email to taylorh522@yahoo.com & request to remain "BFF's for life" so that you don't miss out on the exciting & crazy happenings in the life of HT :)

I plan on making the blog private on Nov 21st so that gives you all a week to send me your emails & add you to the private list!

Sorry for the inconvenience, but I am beginning to realize that there are too many crazy people out there & that you can never be too careful! Thanks Cori for convincing me of this :)

28 weeks

According to my OB, this week marks the beginning of a huge milestone! I am now officially in the 3rd trimester - woo hoo!! Can hardly believe that I have made it this far & even harder to believe that Baby T will arrive in around 12 short weeks!

Since daylight savings, I have been having a hard time getting my weekly picture taken as I would usually take it after getting home from work. Am going to have to start taking them on the weekend. Unfortunately, it was dark again when I got home this evening so I am using a pic from my shower:
 

How far along? 28 weeks - baby is around 14.8 inches long & weighs 2 1/4 lbs

Symptoms: Starting to feel more tired by mid afternoon, I seem to get full really fast when eating so I have not been able to eat as much as I used to - which is ok :) Having to take a lot more potty breaks throughout the day too but other than that really no complaints!

Weight gain/loss: + 1 lb - total of 17 lbs gained so far

Maternity clothes? yes - all the time now

Sleep: Fall asleep pretty quick but wake up several times throughout the night having to change positions. My sister gave me her body pillow to use so I am hoping this will keep me from waking up uncomfortable several times throughout the night.

Food cravings/aversions: not really craving any specific thing this week

Movement? yes - Baby T is really active around 4am, early mornings & evenings. You can see him rolling around in my belly & see little jabs & kicks which is pretty amazing!

What I miss: being able to tie my tennis shoes easily - it is quite the struggle with this growing belly!

Best moment(s) this week: spending time with my family this past weekend & my 1st baby shower

What I'm looking forward to: getting started on Baby T's nursery

Next Appointment: Tuesday, Nov 20th - ultrasound of Baby T & nonstress test

Milestones: Baby T's eyes now have eyelashes & are doing lots of blinking this week because they’re now responding to light & dark. Bone marrow is now present & is a major construction site for blood cells, while his adrenal glands are now producing androgen & estrogen — which will stimulate my body to begin milk production. Also, Baby T is putting on more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world.

Showered

On Thursday evening, my sister Jen & little niece Jensen flew in from Wisconsin for my 1st baby shower as well as my mom, sister-in-law Rachel, niece Joslyn & long-time family friend Mary Ellen who all made the trip from South Dakota.

Friday morning my sister & I met up with my brother Steve at Sweet Tomatoes for lunch & then some shopping. Later in the afternoon we met up with the rest of my family & headed over to the OP Convention Center where the Holiday Boutique was being held. It ended up being a scaled-down version of Holiday Mart with some of the same vendors but was still a lot of fun walking up & down the aisles, checking out the booths, holiday decor, crafts, sampling of food & seeing what they all had to offer.

After we were all shopped out, we headed back to my house where we dined on Papa Murphy's pizza & spent the rest of the evening catching up! I just love being able to hang out with my family!

Saturday was a day I never thought I would ever see happen or get to experience. It was the day my 1st baby shower was to be held. Friends & family all gathered together to celebrate the upcoming arrival of this precious little miracle I have come to call "Baby T".

My sister Jen (on the right) & one of my bestest girlfriends Jilly (on the left) hosted this wonderful event at Jilly's house & it was perfect. I soon found out that the shower had a KU baby Jawhawk theme which was fitting seeing how Shane & I are huge fans & of course so will Baby T :) 

My sister started the shower by going around the room & having everyone introduce themselves, share how they know me & for how long along with a word of advice to this first-time mom. The words of wisdom were priceless & will be forever remembered. Especially those spoke by my girlfriend Nickie who made me - along with half the room - tear up by her very thoughtful words!

Next we played a couple of games & then it was time to open presents! 

Everyone was SO very generous & I got such wonderful gifts! I got several things I registered for like my pack-n-play, high chair, changing pad with cover, baby monitor, diapers, wipes & crib mattress cover & sheets . I also got lots of great things for Baby T like rattles, lots of cute outfits, little hats & LOTS of books which I loved! Looking forward to starting the nursery & getting it finished so I can put all these wonderful gifts away!

After opening gifts, everyone enjoyed a lovely spread along with yummy cake & cupcakes. Jilly outdid herself as usual with all the food & my sister's spinach/artichoke dip & beer bread were a hit! 

Before everyone left, I was able to get pictures with all the guests which will be a great keepsake for Baby T's baby book!

My sister Jen & niece Jensen:

 
Posing with the game-night girls (minus Michelle & Natalie):

 My dear friends Nickie & Cori:

 

 Me & my sister-in-law Rachel:

 
Lo (Jilly's mom), Jilly, my mom & me:

 

 Jenny & I:

 

 Me & Mary Ellen:

"Auntie Heather" with my nieces Joslyn & Jensen:

It was a wonderful afternoon spent with my wonderful family & very special friends & I am so very thankful to have them all in my life to celebrate the arrival of this very precious miracle!

27 weeks

This morning I had the pleasure of taking my glucose tolerance test. Around 8am I had to drink 8 oz of this sweet, orange, syrupy liquid & at 9am I was having my blood drawn. I got the results back at my afternoon OB appointment & I am happy to report that I passed - YAY :) No gestational diabetes for me & Baby T!!

The rest of my appointment went well. My OB was happy with my weight & how much I have gained so far, my BP was low at 118/64, no sugar in my urine but there was a trace of protein which means I need to be drinking more water - ugh, so hard to do when I am working! 

I had mentioned to her that I have been having some lower abdominal "pulling" sensations which she said is probably just ligaments stretching but just to be sure she did a cervical check. She said my cervix was behaving nicely - no one has ever said that to me before - lol :) It was firm, high & closed which is good - no sign of premature labor. So it was yet another uneventful appointment & my OB couldn't be happier with how things are progressing. 

In 2 weeks, I will begin my weekly biophysical profile appointments with a nonstress test to monitor the health of Baby T during the last 12 weeks - yikes - did I just say last 12 weeks? Where is the time going?? If he is under any kind of stress or if my amniotic fluid gets low we will be able to tell. So hard to believe I will be starting the 3rd trimester next week!!!

Seeing how I had the wonderful news of a negative glucose test today & a fabulous appointment, I thought I might celebrate by getting a sugary-filled cupcake at Smallcakes :) So yummy...

I ended up meeting my neighborhood girls for happy hour this evening so by the time I got home to take my weekly picture it was dark :( So the bathroom pic will have to do...

How far along? 27 weeks - baby is around 14.5 inches long & weighs 2 lbs

Symptoms: I'm noticing my lower back is starting to get more achy, spider veins have appeared out of nowhere on my legs, I am starting to "huff & puff" more when I am really active & reflux has joined the heartburn which makes for a lovely time but other than that, I am doing/feeling great :)

Weight gain/loss: According to the scale at the OB's office + 2 lbs (Total of 16 lbs gained so far)

Maternity clothes? yes - all the time now

Sleep: Still able to fall asleep easily but am waking up a lot to change positions & try to get comfortable. I have a feeling it is only going to get worse from here on out.

Food cravings/aversions: not really craving any specific thing this week

Movement? yes - Baby T is really active around 4am, early mornings & evenings. You can see him rolling around in my belly & see little jabs & kicks which is pretty amazing!

What I miss: Being able to hold my bladder for 10 hours like I used to - lol :)

Best moment(s) this week: being on call all weekend & not getting called in once - love those kind of call weekends!

What I'm looking forward to: my 1st baby shower on Saturday & getting to see my family at the end of the week!

Next Appointment: Tuesday, Nov 20th - ultrasound of Baby T & nonstress test

Milestones: Baby T is sleeping & waking at regular intervals, opening & closing his eyes & even sucking his fingers. With more brain tissue developing, his brain is very active now. His lungs are already capable of breathing air as his vascular system can now handle oxygen/carbon exchange & his brain stem can now regulate rhythmic breathing as well as basal body temperature. Hiccups will be pretty common from now on also.

Spoiled

Baby T isn't even here yet & is already spoiled rotten. In the last few weeks I have had friends send & give me gifts for the little guy "just because" & I am so very thankful for their generosity. 

Here are a few pics of the some of the things we have received so far:

KU gear from my co-worker Darcy (who lives in Lawrence, KS :)
 

 Pillow & blanket set from my girlfriend Stacey in South Carolina:

Addition's to Baby T's wardrobe courtesy of my dear friend Jen:

Ginormous teddy bear for Baby T's room from my girlfriend Deb:

More KU gear - a bib from my neighbor Susie & paci's from my co-worker Stephanie:

At this rate, I'm not going to have to buy Baby T any clothes or KU apparel at all :)

26 weeks

How far along? 26 weeks - baby is around 14 inches long & weighs almost 2 lbs

Symptoms: If there was one complaint I had about this pregnancy it would have to be the indigestion & the heartburn. Every time I eat I make sure to follow my meal with Tums & sometimes that doesn't even help :( Also, I am feeling that need to pee every 30 minutes that everyone warned me about - fun, fun!

Weight gain/loss: Will check next week at my OB appointment on 11/5. (Total of 14 lbs gained since last check)

Maternity clothes? yes - all the time now

Sleep: Still able to fall asleep easily but wake up a couple times a night trying to find a comfortable position & to pee of course.

Food cravings/aversions: I had pasta 3x's this week so Italian food is right up there with my favorite things to eat right now!

Movement? yes - from 8pm to 9am Baby T is moving & kicking all around. Pretty quiet throughout the day.

What I miss: Being able to hold my bladder for 10 hours like I used to - lol :)

Best moment(s) this week: a couple evenings out shared with great girlfriends

What I'm looking forward to: my 1st baby shower & seeing my family in a couple of weeks

Next Appointment: Monday, Nov 5th - glucose screening test & OB appt

Milestones: For the first time, Baby T's eyelids have fully opened after being fused shut all this time. He has started to move his head all around, the hair on his head is starting to grow in as well as his fingernails. His testicles are beginning to descend into the scrotum which will take about two to three days for the process to complete. He also continues to inhale & exhale small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of his lungs. 

Crafty

With Halloween soon approaching, I was looking very forward to gathering with a few girlfriends for a fun, relaxing evening of painting pumpkins. Our hostess Jill invited us over & had instructed us to bring a pumpkin, along with our favorite fall appetizer or dessert & our "inner-craftiness"!

After much catching up, we enjoyed the yummy spread of chicken chili, candied pears, kettle corn, baked sweet onion dip & the most dee-lish pumpkin cinnamon rolls made by Miss Keri & then we got down to business. The girls rolled up their sleeves, put on some old t-shirts & the paint brushes were a flyin'! We had such a great time & shared many laughs while making our creations. 

Here is my painted masterpiece:

Me with our hostess Jill (in the middle) & my favorite "domestic diva" Miss Keri on the right:

 
And all the girls with their pumpkins:

 

Since this little craft session was such a hit with these girls, there is talk of gathering together for a Christmas craft-making session in the near future :)

25 weeks

How far along? 25 weeks - baby is around 13 1/2 inches long

Symptoms: Fatigue has really set in this past week & the heartburn is back with a vengeance.

Weight gain/loss: refusing to step on the scale until my Nov 5th OB appointment

Maternity clothes? yes - most of the time. Still have some regular tops I can fit into.

Sleep: Been able to fall asleep easily & stay asleep with no trouble - up until 4am, of course!

Food cravings/aversions: Loving cheese from the deli - especially colby-jack

Movement? yes - from 8pm to 9am Baby T is moving & kicking all around. Pretty quiet throughout the day.

What I miss: have I mentioned sleeping through the night & turkey sandwiches??

Best moment(s) this week: seeing Baby T sucking his thumb at the ultrasound - so stinkin' cute!

What I'm looking forward to: my 1st baby shower & seeing my family in a couple of weeks

Next Appointment: Monday, Nov 5th - glucose screening test & OB appt

Milestones:  Baby T is beginning to exchange his long, lean look for some baby fat. As he does, his wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out & he'll start to look more & more like a newborn. He's also growing more hair & if you could see it, you'd be able to see its color and texture.

Growth scan

Last Wednesday I had my 24 week growth scan & when Baby T appeared on the monitor he was sucking his thumb - it was so stinkin' cute! Then we watched him pull his thumb out of his mouth & yawned - amazing! I am always in awe when I get to see him on the monitor & see how much he has grown since the last scan.

The tech did all her measurements (size of head, belly, femur bone, & arm bone) & Baby T proves to still be an over-achiever. I was 24w2d at my scan & he measured 25 weeks 3 days, is in the 64th percentile for size at this stage (50% is average), weighs 1 lb 10 oz & all looks good with his organs. So relieved to hear such good news!

Here are a couple of pics from the scan:

Baby T's face:

Baby T's foot:

My next appointment is in 2 weeks where I will do my glucose tolerance test in the morning & then later in the afternoon I will see my OB for my usual checks.

So very thankful all is going good thus far!

Holiday Mart 2012

Holiday Mart was this weekend & those of you who know me or have followed my blog for several years know how excited I get to attend this annual event. Besides the appearance of pumpkin spice lattes, it is one of the things I look forward to when the month of October rolls around.

To me Holiday Mart is the kick-off to the Christmas season. Nothing gets you in the holiday mood like decorated Christmas trees, holiday decor, Christmas music playing overhead, gift ideas to be bought & a good time spent with girlfriends.

This year my girlfriends Stephanie & Stacey joined me in the festivities & we definitely had a great time walking up & down all the aisles, checking out all the vendors had to offer, sampling yummy food & even getting a few Christmas gifts bought & out of the way. Hard to believe that Christmas is only 2 months away!!

Thanks girls for joining me in this annual holiday tradition :)

Orlando - Day 4

We were supposed to go to the beach today but according to the news channel, there was a tropical depression brewing in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. They reported 25 mph winds & dangerous waves so we opted to just stay around the resort & spend the day chilling by the pool. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera along but below is where we spent the majority of our day:

After we enjoyed a day of fun in the sun, we ordered carry-out mexican food from Don Pablo's & spent the rest of the evening packing up our things, cleaning up the condo & watching a little TV.

I was sad to be leaving my sister & her family but was looking forward to getting back to the hubby & furries :) It was such a fun, enjoyable trip & I am so glad I was asked to come along!

Orlando - Day 3

Day 3: Sea World

Out of the whole vacation, this was my absolute favorite day. I loved Sea World & all it had to offer. It was another gorgeous, sunny day & the park was definitely not as busy as Magic Kingdom which made it very relaxing & peaceful as we made out way through it.

 

One of the first stops was the Stingray Lagoon which contained all kinds of stingray swimming around waiting to be fed. We all bought some food for them & enjoyed feeding & touching them as they swam by. They are such cool creatures & I SO enjoyed hanging out here watching them.

Next we made our way over to the Dolphin Theater to watch the dolphin show. It was really entertaining & great fun watching all the dolphin's do their tricks:

 

After the dolphin show, we made our way over to Shamu Stadium for the show with the whales but before it started, the kids enjoyed going on a few rides. Tanner & Cael even went on their first roller coaster ride! You can spot them in the last 2 seats in the very back of the ride:

 

The show with the whales was way cool! They are such beautiful animals & so amazing to watch! We all thoroughly enjoyed watching this show - even little Jensen!

Afterwards we walked down to the "underground" of the stadium & just so happened to get our own personal show with one of the trainer's which was awesome! You can see the whales sticking their tongue out in one pic & waving their flipper in the other!
 

 

As we left the stadium & made our way over to Dolphin Cove these two cuties were walking ahead of us. Big brother Tanner leading little brother Cael by the hand - so cute!!

One of the last things we did at Sea World was probably my absolute most favorite - feeding the dophins. We all got up close & personal with these beautiful animals feeding & petting them & I could have stayed their all day long! I love how they always look so happy!

Sea World ended up being a great place to check out & I'm pretty sure fun was had by all! By the end of the day, we all decided that 2 days in a row of theme parks was enough as we were all starting to feel the aches & pains of all the standing & walking! 

After we got back to the resort & had dinner, the boys wanted to go swimming so we all headed down to the pool. Jensen & I decided to "just watch" while Jen & Ben swam with the boys! It was another great day but I think we are all looking forward to a much more relaxing day tomorrow!!