Friday, May 3, 2013

Farm Friday!

I recently read an article in one of the several farm and dairy related newspapers we get that really caught my attention. I know that most of my readers wouldn't find it very interesting at all but the headline it what shocked me most.

The article appeared in a publication called Farmshine, the headline read: "We spoke from our hearts, as farmers" "Consumers were surprised that conventional milk does not contain antibiotics". The article was about a small group of dairy farmers from central NY that presented at the Just Food conference in NYC. They were there to educate consumers in NYC about where their milk, cheese and other dairy products come from.

Do people really not know about the testing our milk goes through, how it's processed, and that "organic milk" isn't always the best milk? Maybe I've been living with my head stuck in the sand. You can read the article in it's entirety here, "We Spoke from the Heart", I really encourage you to go read it!

I know I've never said said it on here before, mostly because I thought it was understood, but if you have questions about the dairy industry, how things work please come ask me. Email me, comment on my blog, comment on our Facebook page. ANYTHING please ask and I promise to answer to the very best of my knowledge. I hate to see all the misinformation that is out there surrounding our industry!



And because no farm post is complete without a cute baby! Here's one of our little bullies getting his bottle!

Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Pregnancy Update- 38 weeks!

How far along? 38.4 weeks

Total weight gain/loss? lost 4 more lbs!

Stretch marks?  Nothing new.

Hows the sleep? Starting to suck! I'm up several times a night now between peeing and being uncomfortable!

Best moment this week? Contractions! Feel like we're moving forward towards the end now!
   
Movement? He was really active last night after I was done having the contractions!

Food cravings? soft ice cream, it's all I can think about!

Sex of baby? It's a boy!!!!

Labor signs? see my update at the bottom.

Belly button, in or out? OUT!

What are you missing? WINE!

What are you looking forward to? holding him for the first time!!

Other updates?

Had my weekly appointment today. Baby boy is in perfect position, I'm measuring 2 weeks behind (which means he's dropping and my tummy is shrinking), and I'm a fingertip to 1cm dilated. All things are progressing in the right direction. My Dr. was going to strip my membranes today but she couldn't quite get there with how much I'm dilated, so we'll try next week as long as I'm a little more dilated! Her words were, "Looks like you've got at least another week ahead of you, but I've learned NEVER to trust second babies! You can be barely dilated in the morning and be in Labor and Delivery that night!".

I'm certainly having some cramping from the cervical check today and I had a good hour+ of contractions last night, so progress is certainly happening! I don't want to rush him along or anything but I am ready to be done being pregnant! I'm sure just about every pregnant lady has said that at one time or another!

Monday, April 15, 2013

Freezer Cooking

With my due date less than a month away now I made the decision that I wanted to get a bunch of freezer meals stocked up. That way after the little guy arrives I will have some quick and easy to prepare meals. I started scouring Pinterest and made up a spreadsheet of recipes that sounded good to me and then had hubby go through and pick out 10 that he liked too. I used my spreadsheet to help myself create a shopping list and printed it out.

First thing I did was go shopping in my own pantry, fridge and freezer. We butcher our own cows so I knew I would have lots of ground round and lots of frozen veggies from our garden. Then I reviewed my spreadsheet and eliminated all the things that I already had on hand. Saturday morning we went off to the store and bought all the things I needed to get our meals made. It cost me approximately $120 to buy all the supplies, I didn't think that was too bad.

Here's what we came up with. Some are slow cooker meals and require nothing more than chopping things and tossing them in freezer bags, others require some minimal cooking.

  1. Grilled Cilantro Lime Chicken
  2. Chicken Cordon Bleu Bundles
  3. Ranch Pork Chops and Potatoes
  4. Marinated and Baked Pork Chops
  5. Stephanies Goulash/Beef Stew
  6. Savory Vegetable Beef Stew
  7. Loaded Baked Potato Casserole
  8. Baked Ziti 
  9. Lasagna
  10. Chicken Caccatorie


Click the link below to see all the recipes we used! All of the recipes are linked back to the page where I got them from, except the last 3 which were recipes I already had.

Some of these recipes make more than one meal, so all in all I got 15 meals out of these 10 recipes! I also had 2 large chicken breasts left over so I tossed them in a bag with some Italian dressing and got an extra meal!
Finished product!

I wish I had taken pictures as I went along (it was pretty much controlled chaos), but I didn't think of it until later on. Maybe next time!

Sunday, April 14, 2013

Mess Free Painting (Paint in a Bag)

Have I told you about this yet?I don't think I have. Thanks to Pinterest I have found a great way to entertain Bug when I need a few minutes to get something done like the dishes, or make dinner! It's a fantastic way for her to paint (which she LOVES) without the big clean up afterwards. Normally I don't mind a mess but when you just need 10 minutes of distraction, you don't want a 15 minute clean up at the end, so this is the perfect solution.

Here's what you'll need:
A gallon size Ziploc bag 
Paints (we used fingerpaints but you can use whatever you have on hand, Tempra would work great too)
Q-tips
Tape (preferably something strong like duct tape)


I squirted two blobs of paint into the bag, we were working on the color green that week so I thought I would do one bag of blue and yellow to create green and another bag with green in it.
  Smoosh the paint around and try to push out as much of the air as you can (smoosh is a word, right?). After you seal the bag tape it shut to prevent any explosions! I forgot to take a picture after I taped it, sorry!

Then arm your toddler with a q-tip and hand over the bags! (You can see the duct tape in this picture!) You can even tape the bag to the surface where they are going to paint, or hang it up in a window to let the sun shine through!
such concentration!
 She had a blast, it kept her entertained until dinner was ready and she wanted to come back to it after we were done eating!

Friday, April 12, 2013

Another Survey but with a picture!

How far along? 36 weeks

Total weight gain/loss? I am up 13lbs, not too bad!

Stretch marks?  Nothing new.

Hows the sleep?Not so bad, even if I am getting up to pee twice a night. 

Best moment this week? watching Bug talk to and kiss my belly. She's constantly asking to "talk to brother" which results in my shirt being pulled up and pants down so she can talk into my belly button!
   
Movement? Lots! Last night was pretty painful, but I know that means he's doing well in there so I'll deal!

Food cravings? nothing really, at the moment at least!

Sex of baby? It's a boy!!!!

Labor signs? None.

Belly button, in or out? OUT :(

What are you missing? meh, I'm just ready for the end.

What are you looking forward to? having him in my arms!

Other updates? I have my Group B Strep coming up on Tuesday and yesterday marked having one month left!!



So I've debated and debated over whether or not to post this picture anywhere, but I've finally decided that it's too sweet and too dear to me not to share it. I was embarrassed by the stretch marks but I earned every one of those stripes creating Bug, there's nothing to be embarrassed about!

Here's my Bug giving Baby Brother kisses!


Sunday, March 31, 2013

"He is not here: for he is risen, as he said." Matthew 28:6

Happy Easter!

I feel like we've been celebrating all week! We started off dyeing eggs last weekend while my mom and dad were here. Unfortunately there's no pictures of Bug dyeing the eggs because she was only in a diaper and lets face it, I just am no comfortable putting those out on my blog for all to see. Sad, yes, but that's the way it is these days.
there's a blurry bug running by in the background!
Here they are all done.

Friday I took Bug for the first time to see the Easter Bunny. There was no screaming and no tears but she adamantly told me she was NOT going to sit on that bunny's lap and that I needed to hold her. So that's what we did.
peeking around me, keeping her eyes on that bunny!

Saturday we celebrated Easter with my mom's family. We had dinner at my Aunts house with my parents, grandparents, some aunts and uncles and my cousins. My two cousins have 3 little girls between them and Bug is pretty close in age to all of them so they all get along and play pretty well. I think they had a blast!
being a ham while we were getting pictures!
My mom (on the left) with her sister and all their granddaughters! After this summer there will 2 boys in there too!
hunting for eggs!
found one!
my cousins wife and I with our girlies on the outside and boys in our bellies!
Bugs first Peep! She agreed with mommy they're yucky!
after we got home we walked out to the flowerbeds to see if our crocus' are coming up but found this guy instead!

Sunday morning S, Bug and I went to church and then came home to let her open her basket! She could have cared less about the coloring books and clothes, she just wanted the chocolate! After that we just relaxed and had a lazy Sunday.
Sporting her Easter dress mommy made for her!
forget the other stuff, give me the Reeses Cups!

Hope you all had a blessed Easter too!

Friday, March 29, 2013

Farm Friday

Here's a little fun cow trivia for today!


Found this over at Kat's Cafe and thought it was pretty neat! Six miles is pretty far away to smell something!
Much thanks to Katrina at Kat's Cafe for helping me fix the broken image! :)

Saturday, March 23, 2013

Survey Time!

How far along? 33 weeks and 1 day

Total weight gain/loss? I am up 12lbs from the day I found out I was pregnant

Stretch marks?  My old ones are very stretched out, but haven't noticed anything new.

Hows the sleep? If it weren't for having to pee in the middle of the night and the pain of trying to roll over from one side to the other, it wouldn't be so bad! LOL

Best moment this week? Nothing really, it's been pretty boring lately.
   
Movement? SO MUCH! He's run out of room already I swear. It's pretty painful when he moves around, but I still love feeling it.

Food cravings? nothing really, at the moment at least!

Sex of baby? It's a boy!!!!

Labor signs? None.

Belly button, in or out? It's still pretty flush with my belly, but if he changes positions it can stick right out!

What are you missing? Walking without waddling! Breathing without huffing and puffing!

What are you looking forward to? The end! Right now there's no more big milestones coming up. No baby shower this time and I know that's what most first time moms will be looking forward to at this point. So really I'm just hanging in there until the end!

Other updates? Starting to slowly wash baby clothes and other baby paraphernalia, Thinking it may be a good time (in the next two weeks or so) to get that hospital bag packed just in case...

Friday, March 22, 2013

A Farmers Brain

This made me laugh so hard this morning I almost spit my coffee on the computer!


I especially love the Weather Obsession Duct, the Innate Suspicion of Vegetarians, Red Tape Rage Center, and the Cerebral Attraction to Shiny Farm Machinery! It's all soooooo very true!



Found this on the Farming page on Facebook.

Thursday, March 21, 2013

Scary Moment.

I had a very scary moment with Bug yesterday, I was in the living room with her helping clean up toys when I heard her start gagging from across the room. I looked up and she was choking on something, thankfully in the time it took me to cross the room to get her she coughed and vomited it up on her own and I didn't need to take any drastic measures. Turned out she had put one of the plastic cookies in her mouth from her play kitchen! It certainly scared the heck out of me though and needless to say that toy has been tossed!

It made me start wondering though how much baby and child First Aid I would remember in an emergency situation. I'm sure instinct would take over, but it's always good to refresh your memory now and then so off to Pinterest I went! How random is it that someone I follow had already pinned exactly what I was looking for? This is what I found First Aid for Babies and Children. I felt like it was a good quick review, good to read through step by step and remind me how to do it. There's even videos from the British Red Cross to show you how to perform CPR and the Heimlich Maneuver on infants and children.

I highly recommend every parent, grandparent, or caretaker take 5 minutes to go refresh their memories on how to perform these life saving measures! You never know when you may need it.

Wednesday, March 20, 2013

Free App! Counting with the Very Hungry Caterpillar!

The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle was one of my FAVORITE books as a kid so I was really excited to hear that the app is free today on Amazon (I heard it's also free in the Apple Store but I don't have anything Apple)! Bug loves playing games on my Kindle and I only let her play ones that have some sort of educational value, plus you just can't beat FREE!

Here's the link!

After we play with it for a few days I'll try to come back and give a review on what we thought, but like I said, I can't pass up free when I see it! Happy counting!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

National Ag Day!

Today is National Ag Day! Ag Day was founded in 1973 to recognize and celebrate American agriculture. Here's a little info....

What Is Ag Day?

It's a day to recognize and celebrate the abundance provided by agriculture. Every year, producers, agricultural associations, corporations, universities, government agencies and countless others across America join together to recognize the contributions of agriculture.

What Is Ag Day All About?

Ag Day is about recognizing - and celebrating - the contribution of agriculture in our everyday lives. The National Ag Day program encourages every American to:
  • Understand how food and fiber products are produced.
  • Value the essential role of agriculture in maintaining a strong economy.
  • Appreciate the role agriculture plays in providing safe, abundant and affordable products.
So many more facts about Ag Day can be found here. I really encourage you to go check out their site!




We won't be doing too much to celebrate here at Sethian Farm but carrying on as business as usual. It's pretty chilly and Bug isn't feeling great to begin with so I think we'll spend our time inside today. Of course S will be out there milking, feeding, fetching hay, and doing whatever else he needs to get done today. Please do whatever you can to celebrate and promote Agriculture today!

Sunday, March 17, 2013

Saying Goodbye to T'Pol

We lost our sweet T'Pol today :(
Our Red Lineback T'Pol

She's been down for so long there was no way she was going to get back up again, and she gave up fighting. She's going to be sadly missed around here. When S was a little kid and she was a calf he used to curl up with her. She loved to have you stick your finger in her ear and rub like crazy. She was never my biggest fan, S was hers and she didn't like it so much when I was around, but she was never mean just preferred him. She was always so tolerant of Bug when she was little and let Bug do pretty much whatever she wanted to her. We are sad to see her go, but would have hated to watch her suffer. S dug a hole and buried her here with some of our other beloved cows and doggies. RIP T'Pol!


Thursday, March 7, 2013

Bug and the Cows

Bug and I spent a little time in the barn last night with daddy. Bug was insistent that we needed to go down and even ran to get her barn boots so we could go out with daddy. We have a cow down who is very special to all of us and I thought it was a good excuse to go give her a little bit of love and affection.

Bug cracks us up she's terrified of the babies when they moo but she'll get right up in the faces of the milk cows with no problem. She rubbed T-Pol's (yes my husband is a Star Trek geek!) ears and nose for quite awhile telling her to get better and "no be sick". I love that we will be raising our kids on a dairy farm. Seeing the compassion in Bugs eyes as she talked to that cow was heartwarming. I think she's going to grow up to be daddys little helper, that is once she gets over her fear of the calves noises!

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

Been Gone So Long! (Survey)

I feel like I've been away for every, there's been so much going on and I just haven't had the time! My great grandfather passed away last month, then just recently a good family friend passed unexpectedly. We have been working with the FSA trying to get things worked out with the ownership of the farm since S's dad's passing. My SIL is expecting her first in July so I've been scouring the internet for fun games to play at her shower. We finally just had our family Chistmas with S's side of the family this past weekend. Bug is a busy busy two year old who keeps me on my toes all the time. She's into everything and goes a mile a minute with me waddling along behind her. We're also going to appointments every 2 weeks now, getting closer and closer to the end!

Here it goes....

How far along? 30 weeks and 5 days

Total weight gain/loss? Approximately a 10lb gain, although I'm not really sure.

How are the maternity clothes? Killing me. I have to get more pants, they are digging into me and I'm going to have to go up a size. Boo!

Stretch marks?  I haven't noticed any new ones, yet!

Hows the sleep? Sleep isn't bad. I wake up a couple of times a night to switch positions (which has become a process!) and to pee once but over all I'm sleeping pretty well.

Best moment this week? Nothing new to report, but I have fun laying in bed at night watching my tummy move. He's getting so big and he can really make my stomach move!
   
Movement? see above.

Biggest change in your body besides belly? My rear is getting even bigger. I didn't know that was possible!

Food cravings? Hoagies and ice water!

Sex of baby? It's a boy!!!!

Labor signs? None.

Belly button, in or out? Most days it's flush with the rest of my stomach, every once in awhile it will poke out depending on his position.

What are you missing? Walking without waddling!

What are you looking forward to? I know I still have approximately 10 weeks left but I'm looking forward to the end! I am uncomfortable a lot when he moves and I know it's only going to get more painful as time goes on!

Other updates? Nothing new really. Been thinking about things to pack in my hospital bag and putting together a big sister kit for Bug to have at the hospital. Other than that, not much.




Monday, February 4, 2013

Super Bowl Commercial

I know your probably sick of all the facebook posts and tweets regarding the Super Bowl but I had to write about this. I really didn't care much about the game since my team wasn't in it, but I do still enjoy watching a good game and that one certainly had a good second half. I also enjoy the commercials and always look forward to the Budweiser commercials with the Clydesdales. Last night however there was one particular commercial that moved me, quite honestly it brought tears to my eyes. That would be the Ram Trucks commercial featuring Paul Harveys FFA speech "So God Made A Farmer".

If you haven't seen it, please watch it: So God Made A Farmer

Now this isn't the first time I've heard Mr. Harvey's speech (and it certainly won't be the last), but every time I hear it it brings tears to my eyes and gives me goosebumps. Sometimes I feel that people have no idea what my husband does and other farmers too. The blood sweat and tears they pour out every day to keep our cows fed, the milk coming, food on the table, fields plowed, corn growing, and fences mended. They put all of themselves and everything they have into their farms.

I beg of you, thank a farmer today. They work sun up until sun down (and sometimes beyond), they give everything they have, so thank them. The next time you get stuck on a back road behind a slow moving tractor, don't flip off the farmer, blare your horn or go blowing past them at a high rate of speed, just give him a minute. Odds are if the farmer can, he'll wave you around when it's safe or move over to the side if he can. Be courteous, be respectful, and be thankful for the hard work he or she did that day so you could have milk with your dinner. Thank a farmer.

Okay, I'll step down off my soapbox now! :)

Wednesday, January 23, 2013

Survey, a Belly Picture, and the Nursery!

How far along? 24weeks and 5 days

What have you bought for your baby? I've bought a couple of outfits at a consignment store, plus all the stuff we needed to do the room.

Total weight gain/loss? Approximately a 6lb gain.

How are the maternity clothes? I'm in pants ans shirts full time now. Pretty much everything else doesn't accommodate my huge tummy anymore.

Stretch marks?  I still haven't noticed any new ones yet, although it might be hard when I have so many from before

Hows the sleep? It was pretty good until this past week. I'm having trouble falling asleep and staying asleep now.

Best moment this week? Getting the nursery done!

Movement? Oh my goodness, this little guy is going to be some kind of athlete or something. He just goes and goes and goes!

Type of delivery your planning on? Still planning to go med-free! Been trying to read up on pain managment so I can better cope this time. I just hope to avoid the endless back labor this time around!

Biggest change in your body besides belly? My rear is getting even bigger. I didn't know that was possible!

Food cravings? Ice cream.

Sex of baby? It's a boy!!!!

Labor signs? None. Thank God! Baby better be staying put for awhile!

Belly button, in or out? In, for now, but probably not much longer.

What are you missing? Wine. I'm always missing my wine. I don't realize how much of a wino I really am until I'm pregnant/breastfeeding. I'm also missing sleep, and being able to get up from a seated position without grunting!

What are you looking forward to? Appointment on the 31st.

Other updates? How about a bump shot, and some pictures of the nursery?!

Took this today, 24 weeks and 5 days!
baby boys room!
All ready for furniture!

Friday, January 18, 2013

Shoes

Shoes have become my arch nemesis. Bug has decided she doesn't like loathes shoes. The second we're in the car she's kicking her shoes off, the second she's in the cart at the store she's kicking them off. They are never on her feet. Ever. It doesn't even matter what shoes they are, she despises them all. It's the most aggravating thing in the whole world, and yet I know she gets it from me. I can't stand having my shoes on either. I have accepted the fact that my kid is always going to be the shoeless wonder. So if it's the middle of the winter and you see my daughter with no shoes.... don't judge, there's nothing I can do with her!

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

My Breastfeeding Journey

This post has been a long time in the making. It's going to be a bit personal and be prepared for words like nipples! I never realized how I felt about my breastfeeding journey with Bug until these words started flowing, it's long and it's heartfelt. I hope you enjoy. 

The first time I remember seeing someone breastfeed was when I was about thirteen. I was at some kind of shower with my mom (baby or bridal I don't remember), and my Aunt was breastfeeding my little cousin. I remember being really curious about what was going on under the blanket but was too shy to even ask my mom. After that I don't really remember seeing anyone nurse again until I was in college and my childhood best friend nursed her children. That's when I started thinking that when I had children I wanted to nurse them. When I became pregnant with Bug my sister-in-law had just given birth to her son and was nursing him. I had many conversations with her about it and she was open enough with me that she didn't cover up when she nursed him and I could observe what it was all about.

While I was pregnant I read several books on breastfeeding and read everything I could find on the Internet. I was nervous but confident that I wanted to nurse Bug as long as I could. The night she was born I had no idea what to do, but thankfully my sis-in-law was there to guide me through. She jumped right in, grabbed my breast and showed me how to hold it and bring Bug right to it. She latched right away and our nursing journey began.

After a few days at home and some more help from my sis-in-law and others I started feeling a bit defeated. I was in excruciating pain and my poor nipples weren't getting any relief no matter what I tried. At Bugs one week check-up I spoke to a lactation consultant who confirmed what I had already thought, Bug had a "tongue tie". After a quick five minute procedure in her pediatricians office to have her tongue snipped, things changed almost immediately for us.

Our breastfeeding journey continued for 15 months when Bug weaned herself, first from daytime feedings and then bedtime. Now that's not to say there wasn't ups and downs. There were times Bug would go through nursing strikes, my nipples would get chapped and crack and there were those nights where she cluster fed for hours on end and I thought she'd never stop. Looking back now as I'm preparing to do it all over again with our next little man, I know without a doubt I cannot wait to do it all over again. I got to have moments with my daughter no one else got to have. I got to snuggle with her late at night when the rest of the house was sleeping, of course there were times I hated that part! I still wouldn't have traded any of it for a minute, it was worth all the hard times.

I never thought that I would become a breastfeeding advocate, but here I am. I'm never going to be someone who says "formula is evil" and every one MUST breastfeed, but I want to help those who are looking for more information or have questions. Breastfeeding saved us money, allowed Bug and I an extra special bond, and I could do it virtually anytime and anywhere. I never had to worry about having enough bottles or mixing formula, or forgetting her food because it was always attached to me. The one regret I do have is that I felt I had to "hide" when I fed Bug. There were times I felt I needed to go in the other room at family functions and other events. I always nursed with a blanket or cover, and I never felt the need to let my breasts hang out where anyone would see them, so I don't know why I felt I had to hide away in silence. I just felt like I had to do it in private for others, and I didn't. I'm sure I won't be so nervous about it this time around. Be prepared family, no more hiding away in a bedroom every time baby needs to eat for this girl!

So there you have it, my breastfeeding journey. Maybe it will open up a conversation for someone else, maybe it will inspire someone to breastfeed, or maybe it just gives you a little more insight into who I am. Any way, I'm so happy I wrote it, it brought back lots of memories!

Monday, January 14, 2013

No TV Day!

Today S made a declaration that today be a "no TV day". I was shocked. Usually he is such a TV addict, but we've been talking about how often Bug has wanted to watch movies lately and really felt we might be letting it become a problem.

So all day today there has been no TV, movies or Netflix allowed in our house, and it's been wonderful! Today was one of those days where S "took off" a few hours from chores and spent time with us. We made a late breakfast after he got in from the barn and ate together at the kitchen table, played blocks together on the floor and daddy and Bug played a few of her learning games on the Kindle together. We really have to do this more often!

As for Bug's TV time, I think there's going to be some new rules set. When S gets in from he barn tonight he and I will discuss it and come up with what we feel are reasonable amounts of TV/movie time for her to have in a day.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

2012 in Review

I thought it might be fun to run down some of the biggest moments of 2012 from the blog!

January 13, 2012 - Kaylee stops breastfeeding during the day on her own!
No Breastfeeding

February 7, 2012 - We Busted Out the Blue for Andrew. Showing our support from across the country for my cousin who is battling cancer.
Blue for Andrew

February 15, 2012 - I make my first batch of DIY laundry detergent! It's been almost a year and I've only had to make 3 batches! Love this stuff still!
DIY Laundry Detergent

April 9, 2012 - Easter. We get to celebrate with both sides of our family!
He Has Risen!

June 16, 2012 - Mommy and Bug do our first big sensory craft together, Cloud Dough!
Cloud Dough

July 5, 2012 - To try to beat the heat we decide to try painting with ice!
Painting with Ice

September 14, 2012 - We announce our big news that Bug is going to be a big sister!
Big News!

December 27, 2012 - Christmas!
Merry Christmas!

Some big events that aren't on here.
  • We took our first zoo trip in September to Seneca Park Zoo in Rochester NY.
  • We grew a huge garden this summer, and still have a freezer packed full of veggies!
  • S and I celebrated 3 years of marriage!
  • In October we lost S's dad to cancer. 
  • Bug turned 2, mommy turned 26 and daddy turned 32 this year!

Tuesday, January 1, 2013

It's A.....

BOY!! 

We're having a boy!

We had our anatomy scan done on Friday. Baby boy is measuring approximately 1lb and 3oz, and had a heart rate of 145bpm. Big sister was there with us and got to see her little brother kicking around. When daddy told her it was a boy she said "No, girl". Daddy told her again that it was a boy, she was going to have a brother and her response was "Ughh!" Haha! The technician told her she was going to say that a lot when it comes to her little brother! We are over the moon excited!

3d image of our little guys face! Mommy thinks he looks like his daddy already!
This one made me giggle because it looks like he's flexing his muscles!
We announced our fantastic news to S's family on Sunday. I wanted to come up with something fun to tell them, other than the traditional gender reveal cake or simply saying "It's a boy"! So I hopped on Pinterest and found a way to make your own scratch off lotto cards and made these using some examples from around the internet.


Happy New Year! & Survey

Happy New Year! Welcome to 2013 everyone! I have decided to forego a resolution this year and just make a sweeping statement that I have faith that this year will be better than last! We're expecting a baby this year, how can it not be wonderful?!

How far along? 21weeks and 4 days

What have you bought for your baby? Still nothing, but now that we know the sex I can start anytime! (Check back later for that post!)

Total weight gain/loss? Not sure, I have an appointment on Thursday!

How are the maternity clothes? Same as last month. I'm in maternity pants full time now, I have some shirts but I am still able to fit into a lot of my pre-pregnancy shirts. Especially those from before I lost some of my weight.

Stretch marks? Oh I've got plenty of those from last time, I haven't noticed any new ones yet.

Hows the sleep? Not too bad. My biggest complaint is the sore hips I have every morning from sleeping on my sides.

Best moment this week? We found out the baby's sex last Friday!!

Movement? LIKE CRAZY! Baby is all over the place. No one but me has been able to feel outside movement yet, but I don't think it will be long!

Type of delivery your planning on? My delivery with Bug was natural so as long as all goes well, this one will be too.

Biggest change in your body besides belly? Still my acne! Ugh!

Food cravings? Haven't really had many lately I guess.

Sex of baby? We know... check back later for an update on that one!

Labor signs? None. Thank God! Baby better be staying put for awhile!

Belly button, in or out? In, for now, but it's certainly moving out!

What are you missing? Wine. I'm always missing my wine. I don't realize how much of a wino I really am until I'm pregnant/breastfeeding.

What are you looking forward to? Appointment on Thursday!

Other updates? None.