Pregnant Tuesdays-Week 36

Total weight gain/loss: plus 2 lbs! Baby weighs more than I have gained!
How much does baby weigh? On average babies weigh about 5.75 lbs at this stage.
Maternity Clothes? Oh yeah. Though I can still wear my maxi skirts!
Stretch marks? they are present and spreading
Sleep? The insomnia has returned.
Best Moment this week? Finding out that he is more than likely head down-thank you Justus for flipping! This is quite a relief!
Food cravings? Cheesecake, fresh chocolate chip cookies, cherry coke....unfortunately, these are all no-no's for now.
Food aversions? I'm getting sick of the diabetes diet-can I consider that an aversion?
Pregnancy Symptoms: Back aches, sore hips, round ligament, "lightening", tire easily...
Gender: Boy-Justus Dempsey
Labor signs? Some contractions and he has dropped.
Belly button in or out? In; but seems to be getting flat and much smaller.
What I miss? A&W Root Beer and sweets! Please someone bring me a bottle of cherry coke upon delivery!
What I am looking forward to? My ultrasound on Monday-week 37 and then my prenatal massage!
Milestones? We have made it to the final 4...the final 4 weeks!

Resurrection Day

Today we celebrate the day that Christ arose from the grave! This is the day the world celebrates Easter and I must admit we enjoy the festivities of the day; but we emphasize to Klayton that it really is about Jesus! How Jesus was nailed to the cross for our sins and rose again on the 3rd day and ascended into heaven where we can spend eternity if we know Him as our personal Savior.

The morning started off with Klayton looking for his Easter basket! I got a video of him; but don't think I got any pictures of him until he arrived to his basket!

At church, in our Sunday best!

Following church we did our own egg hunt for Klayton! And he knew what to do this time and when it was all said and done he wanted to keep hunting!

We then enjoyed lunch with my parents and Klayton was able to find a few more presents at their house! He was given a HUGE box of fruit snacks-he loves fruit snacks! And tools to dig with as well as the spiral art kit! Did anyone else have a spiral art kit as a child? I did!

It was a good weekend and a good day! Love special times with my family!

Egg Hunt

My mom works at a local assisted living place and they had special activities for the Easter weekend. One of the residents did a "magic" show and then following the show was an egg hunt! We thought it would be fun to take Klayton! He enjoyed the magic show and laughed a lot! It was so cute because I think sometimes he was laughing just because every one else was. Following the show, all the kids were dismissed to the courtyard to hunt for eggs!
Klayton successfully found his first egg!

After he found it, he was content to explore the contents of the egg. We had to tell him if he continued to do that he would be without anymore eggs to explore later! So, he was off to search again!

By the looks of his bucket, he quickly caught on to the task of hunting easter eggs!

And, when we got home he was then able to take the time to explore the eggs and their contents!

I just have to say, I had SO much fun watching him hunt for eggs and exploring what was inside the eggs when we got home! Sweet memories for this Mama!

Wordless Wednesday-Say Cheese

Exploring Art

Living in a small town there doesn't always seem to be much entertainment for a 3 year old. We had heard that there was a children's museum in Sioux City; but upon calling them discovered that they were not yet opened. However, the person I spoke to offered some free suggestions for where to take a 3 year old...one of which was an art museum! I was told that they had an art room specifically for kids. To be honest, I would never consider taking Klayton to an art museum because to me you would think it is for adults with exquisite taste! But, it was something to do and free-who can pass up free?! So, off we went to The Sioux City Art Museum. We were not disappointed! We spent at least an hour there and could have easily spent more time there!
There was a huge wall with magnetic shapes to build creations with! This wall reached from the floor to the ceiling and we all enjoyed making a creation of our own on it!

Legos! Klayton loves Legos and they had this awesome Lego house!

A mirror to draw a self portrait on! They had dry erase markers available for this activity. Something different and maybe something to even try at home?

Blocks, I believe these blocks were to recreate a person or an animal-I can't really remember; but Klayton enjoyed building with the blocks!

Have I ever mentioned how Klayton already loves technology? So, this little computer center was right up his alley!

I can't really remember what activities these next two pictures represent; so they get to be grouped together and suffice it to say they were just as fun!

I do believe that we will be revisiting the art center again and we are never too young to enjoy the arts!

Pregnancy Tuesdays-Week 32

Total weight gain/loss: plus 7-thanks to gestational diabetes!
How much does baby weigh? 4 lbs 9 oz-a little fatty and I may be slightly concerned...
Maternity Clothes? yep-pretty much everything except cardigans
Stretch marks? they are present and spreading
Sleep? The insomnia has returned.
Best Moment this week? Seeing him via ultrasound-even though he would not look at us, can we say stubborn? Speaking of stubborn, he is still breech. Turn, baby, turn!

Food cravings? Not at this time.
Food aversions? Not as of late
Pregnancy Symptoms: Back aches, dry skin-literally I am so itchy, sore hips, round ligament.
Gender: Boy-Justus Dempsey
Labor signs? Very early for that!
Belly button in or out? In; but seems to be getting flat.
What I miss? A&W Root Beer and sweets! Please someone bring me a bottle of cherry coke upon delivery!
What I am looking forward to? Meeting my little guy and it will be here before we know it!
Milestones? 32 weeks, single digits for the number of weeks that are left!

6 Pounds, Diet Rite and GD

Today marks the end of week two in my journey with GD (gestational diabetes). I am officially 30 weeks 5 days and saw my doctor for the first time since the diagnosis this past Monday. My numbers were looking great and he told me to keep it up! Those words were SO encouraging to hear because I feel like I need to obtain perfection in this diet and that I just keep falling short in some way or another. In the last two weeks I have lost 6 lbs.-he said that is to be expected due to the diet changes. So, I am only 6 lbs heavier than I was pre-pregnancy. Crazy!
When I saw my doctor for the first time since learning that I have GD I knew to expect something more from the appointment than normal; but didn't expect to hear as much as I did! For starters, I don't think I really considered that GD is high risk because it seems to be so common now a days. I learned that starting at week 32, I will begin visiting the OB floor at the hospital for NST (stress test on baby) and I will receive once a month ultrasounds! I must admit I am thrilled that I get to see Justus a couple more times via ultrasound! Between, my doctor, the dietitian, ultrasounds and visits to the OB floor I will definitely be getting around at the hospital and I am sure either I will be sick of seeing them or they will get sick of seeing me! Ha! I also went into my doctor realizing that I have 10 weeks to go until due date; but left the office with only 9 weeks to due date! Say what?! If Justus does not come on his own by week 39 I will be induced. I am however, praying that I go into labor on my own, it is one thing I have been really hopeful for in this pregnancy. If you wouldn't mind praying with me on that!
Since being on my new diet it seems the only drink of choice is my Propel water. I like it but its getting old. I can drink diet pop in moderation; but I really prefer to avoid that because of the aspartame-though I have given in less than 5 times. Tonight I discovered that sometimes things that you just know are going to be awful aren't that bad because you just want something different...I experienced my first sip of Diet Rite! Now don't get me wrong, its not going to be my beverage of choice once I deliver this baby boy; but for now it will do...in moderation of course!

Random Klayton

*Yesterday, I was blow drying my hair when Joseph came to get me. He wanted me to see for myself, that my child had undressed himself and decided to take a shower! When I peeked in at Klayton the shower was basically dribbling water; but he was definitely washing his hair!

*Last week in Target, I was shopping the maternity clothes and Joseph decided to take Klayton with him to another part of the store. A couple minutes had passed since they left me be when out of the blue I heard, "MOM!" being screamed at the top of a certain 3 year olds lungs. I couldn't believe that I was being beckoned in such a way, the shoppers around him were laughing and I wasn't necessarily pleased or necessarily upset; but we did have a conversation about other ways to get Mom's attention.



*Klayton has been taking swim lessons for the last 4 weeks-he has two more weeks to go. He loves water and these lessons are giving him even more confidence in the water. I am so thankful that he is getting the lessons and to see improvement, I wasn't expecting miracles by any means; but the progress is neat to watch!

*When he talks about baby sometimes he literally knocks on my belly and then puts his finger to his cheek as says, "mmm". I think he is expecting a verbal response from baby!

*Klayton likes to wear his daddy's deodorant and put hair gel in his hair! He is definitely all about looking good-I'm sure thats where wearing two pairs of shorts comes in when we are at home. And the other day when he appeared wearing his shorts, snow pants goggles I was really surprised to see that his picture did not end up in the tabloids!

*A couple weeks ago we were doing some clothes shopping-I like to stay a season ahead with clothes for Klayton. We found a shirt that I knew would fit him; but he insisted on trying it on for himself. It was so funny because we never realized that he knew that is what you are supposed to do! lol!

Can I just tell you that I love my little mister and that I am daily thankful for him in my life?!

Pregnant Tuesdays-Gestational Diabetes

A week ago today I learned that I have the dreaded GD-gestational diabetes. I failed the one hour glucola test as I did with Klayton and went in the following morning for the 3 hour test. I fully expected to pass and be borderline as I was with Klayton; but that was not to be. The nurse called to tell me and I let my pregnancy hormones get out of control and cried about it. I was SO upset and I dreaded the diet I knew would be coming. I immediately got on Facebook and messaged friends that I knew have GD as well and I am so thankful that I was able to reach out to them through Facebook! They were such a help to me and I decided to follow their diet until I met with the dietitian.
So, last Friday I met with a dietitian and receive a "nice" little kit to start pricking my finger for blood now. Oh joy. I was put on a "diet". Oh joy. What does this mean for the rest of my pregnancy-no more root beer. I have to avoid sugar and sweets as much as possible and I must limit my carbs. For example, I have three snacks a day that each is only allowed to contain 15-30 grams of carbs and my meals are allowed to contain 45-60 grams of carbs. I am also to walk as much as I can for exercise. Mostly the diet is about moderation. We had spaghetti for dinner and I allowed myself one serving and filled up on salad. I am trying to be good and do the diet "right"; but I get fearful that I am not doing it perfectly and Justus will be effected.
To sum it all up, I wish I didn't have GD; but I am thankful we caught it and I can hopefully control it to have the birth I want to have when the time comes.

Pregnant Tuesdays-Week 28

Total weight gain/loss: plus 12-sad.
How much does baby weigh?
Maternity Clothes? yep-pretty much everything except cardigans
Stretch marks? they are present and spreading
Sleep? The insomnia has returned.
Best Moment this week? Hearing his heartbeat-148.
Food cravings? Not really. Maybe caffeine? Eh-I know not good.
Food aversions? Not really; but when something does not sound good it really doesn’t sound good and there is no way I will be eating it.
Pregnancy Symptoms: Back aches, dry skin-literally I am so itchy, sore hips.
Gender: Boy-Justus Dempsey
Labor signs? Very early for that!
Belly button in or out? In.
What I miss? Nothing!
What I am looking forward to? Meeting my little guy and it will be here before we know it!
Milestones? 28 weeks=third trimester or as I like to call it the downward slope!