10-30 pregnancy update

At week 10: I told Brittany that I was pregnant
At week 11: I met with an ultrasound specialist.  They did an ultrasound.  It's early, but he think it's a boy, no sign of downs.  We also did blood test for genetic testing to make sure everything else is okay (and will also tell us the sex of the baby).  Since I'm so old (ha!) this testing is recommended due to the higher risks of complications for babies with an old momma.
I felt the baby move!  It just feels like something moving in my belly, not distinguishable.
Week 12: On Monday, we got a call with results from the blood test, there are no sign of chromosome issues, and confirmed it's a boy!

With that good news, we went home and we decided to tell the kids.
We took a video and told them they were going to have a little baby brother. Their reactions were so cute.  Emmalyn was over the moon!!  Max came over and asked if he gave me a hug would it make the baby happy??  He immediately gave suggestions for what we could name the baby.  It was super sweet.

The kids both are so excited.  They are asking lots of questions.  Max wants to give the baby kisses nearly every day.  Emmalyn asks questions as we are doing daily things...we are showering so she asks :will the baby use baby conditioner?  where will the baby shower?" or "where will the baby sleep?"  She did NOT like that I said he would sleep in her bed and she'd get a new bed.

The kids have been very attached lately...lots of cuddling.

Max asked if the baby can hear and I said yes so he got close to my belly and loudly said "I love you baby".

About week 12 really started to notice a lessening of nausea and basically gone by 13 weeks.

I feel like I started looking pregnant about 13 weeks.

At week 15, Peter felt baby move for the first time.

How's my second trimester so far? (I'm just at 17 weeks) I'm just exhausted...always tired. still falling asleep watching tv before 10 pm. I could take a nap at any time...  also overwhelmed and negative about everything.
Now I am getting winded when going up stairs.
I have no real aversions anymore but like to eat like a child (mac n cheese, pasta, bread, pizza, etc.) My cravings have been frozen lemonade, pizza rolls, I love pickles (and one day I DID have pickles and also ice cream) it's hard for me to drink enough water.  I also want to drink soda so badly!  I've been adding a little bit of Simply Lemonade to my water to give it a little flavor.  I have no energy - hard to get excited about baby.  The thought of what it means and the extra work just overwhelms me.  I have had a few minor headaches.
Just this week I am breaking out with zits
My hair is thinner and not stopping falling out - - so much for that pregnancy perk.


KIDS update:
Emmalyn - waking up often in 5 am hour last few weeks and not tired anymore.  She likes a light on when she goes to sleep.  In the morning she asks 3 questions, "What do I have today?"  "Are you going to work today?" "Whose choice is it?" (we go back and forth whether she picks her clothes or I do)
She still is clingy when I drop her off at school (after first week she hasn't been super excited to go but she does like it).
On 10/17 when counting she said "16"  she has skipped it FOREVER.  like always.  BIG DAY
She scored her first goal on Saturday at soccer!
Maxwell had eye dr. appt last week and his doctor said that if things stay like this that next summer, when he has next appt, he can probably stop wearing his glasses.  He will still will be minorly blurry in that one eye but it won't affect anything and his vision won't get worse.  He can wear his glasses only a few hours a day now but we will still have him do it all day.  He likes playing goalie at soccer.

Third week of February 2017

Maxwell posing before school.  It was school class picture day so he dressed up a little bit.  It was a Wednesday

The night before he seemed sweaty at night and was complaining about headaches but in the morning he seemed to have energy so I sent him to school.

A couple hours later, I get a call from the school nurse saying that he has a fever of 101.  So I went to pick him up and take him to see his doctor.   (Luckily pictures had already happened so he didn't miss them.)

He weighed 42.4 lbs

I let him eat his snack because he was hungry (they have lunch at school at 10:30 am).  His snack was apple slices and seaweed (He loves it!).

At the doctor's, he had a fever of 101.6 and was diagnosed with an ear infection. 

He quickly went downhill.   On way home said he wanted to lay down, and then by the time we got home, he couldn't even change his clothes into something more comfortable.  So I helped him then brought his medicine.   

Sad sick face

He quickly fell asleep and took a 3 1/2 hour nap!!!

Not feeling good at all

That tooth was soooooo ready to come out.  We finally had enough of the drama around getting the tooth out and Peter pinned him down and just pulled it out.  

He survived! (And the next morning got $1 for his tooth.)  Two bottom teeth - gone!

Brushing her teeth while wearing my shoes

Look at that rash!

Poor max was just not having a good go of it.  I keep him home from school the next day since the rule states that they have to be fever free for 24 hours without medicine before they can go back.

At work, the Network of Women put on a bunco night with our Executive Leadership Team.  It was a huge success!

On Friday, I wasn't sure whether to keep him home or send him.  I decided to keep him home which was a good thing because he said he was tired and he proceeded to lay down all day except for lunch and dinner. 

I prepped all my stuff to drop off at the consignment sale that I like to sell/shop at.

I did the smaller site this time and it was still totally packed with items.

On Saturday, we had our friend Andrea's son Carter's third birthday party.  Maxwell seemed up to going.  He didn't jump long in the bouncy house which was a sign that he wasn't yet 100%.

Enjoying cake

Emmalyn was my grocery shopping helper.  She pushed the little cart, loaded things on the belt, and helped me pay.

Enjoying a snack outside while Maxwell was in Kindermusik.

Knocked out after a birthday party plus playing in the sun.  I gave her a wipe to clean her face but she was clearly too tired to get that done.

Sunday was the 5th day of Maxwell being sick and he still was acting tired!  Luckily there was no school on Monday so he had one more day to get better.

Maxwell wrote a story/drew pictures about making Smores next door.  He drew the process and included Mr. Chris too.  (I'll correct the spelling--) "A couple days ago, I asked to go toast marshmallows with Ms. Mary Ann.  With my cousins..."

Fun Sunday breakfast - thanks Dad!

I love this note Maxwell wrote to me and Peter

Emmalyn going potty on the big potty!

Trying to teach her how much toilet paper to use

Every time she goes potty in the potty, she gets a sticker.  (Trying to staying away from candy as the reward.)  Yay for potty training!

Emmalyn has been in panties on Saturday and Sunday at home. No accidents other than one early on Saturday when she was trying to get there and didn't go fast enough. Then Monday did great with Britt. No accidents at home - even pooping. I put pull-up on her outside the house though because I don't want to deal with extra changes of clothes and accidents outside the house and she poops in it of course.  She is not yet staying dry during nap. 

When tucking Max in he this week, he was talking about being awesome so I asked him what he was awesome at and he said "addition". Then he asked a question about negative numbers so I tried to explain them a little to him and he goes "you are really good at teaching me. You should be a teacher" Then later when cuddling, he said "you are good at being a mom". Melted my heart. 

Signed Emmalyn up to start at Castle Montessori in the fall today. Excited for her to go - she's ready for it! Her new thing at bedtime is once you lay her down, she gets one blanket, puppy, and turtle and bunches them together and lays on top of them. Then you put her peppa pig blanket on her and go to leave and she goes," mom. I have just one thing to tell you." Every time. Sometimes she tries to sneak more things in but always has something else to say. Often she will tell me how excited she is that in the morning she will get to have cereal and milk and play on her iPad.

Mother's Day 2016

My family did a great job with Mother's Day. 

I got two games that Maxwell picked out for me (they are games that he can play with me) and I got some sweet cards.

"Mom I love you so much

Thank you for being my mom just because you keep loving me so much"

Maxwell's "bouquet" he made me at school

Peter made a delicious breakfast for us all!  (I should note that I got to sleep in!!!)

Then Emmalyn took a nap and Maxwell and I played the new games he got me.  After Emmalyn woke up, I did her hair in two little french braids.  I've never done that before - go me!  It's crazy that she's got enough hair for me to braid like this!

View from the top

 (I distracted her with the ipad while I was doing it)

View from the back.  It's not perfect but I feel good about it.

Another view of the hair in better light at Costco.  Okay, I was a little obsessed with it and kept looking at my work of art.  :)  I was proud of it!  It was also fun spending the time with her while I was braiding. Hopefully we do it many more times as she is growing up.

Emmalyn got to hold the receipt.  It's always a big deal to the kids to get to hold the receipt at Costco because then you get to hand it to the person at the door who checks it and draws smiley faces on the back.

It's still staying in!

A closeup of how I finished the braid and pulled her hair up into pig tails.  A closeup is so silly but oh well - again, I'm proud of it!

After Costco we took the kids to the library where we looked at books and played on the computers a little bit.

Peter rested his eyes.

It was a nice day outside so after the library, we took a blanket outside in the backyard and played one of my new games again.  I wasn't ready to be done outside so then we went to the park, too!

Video - Emmalyn "playing" with Raider, the German Shepard across the street.  It was really cute how he followed her with his ball.  They did this for awhile.

Maxwell made a Happy Mother's Day card for Mary Ann next store and we delivered it to her and then we did takeout from Palio's Pizza for dinner.  Max said he had a gazillion hearts that he was going to blow at me because he loved me so much.  :) He was incredible sweet the whole day.

It was a great day!

The next day they did a breakfast for the mom's at Maxwell's preschool- "Muffins with Mom".  He was really excited for me to be able to go to it with him.

It was fun to sit and spend some time with Maxwell, just the two of us.

silly face!

Think the sugar from the muffins and juice has hit yet??

My big kid all loaded up with his backpack, water, and lunch...  Headed to his classroom.