Practice makes perfect

I looked through my recent photos to pick out some favorites to post and was pleased to find many of my husband... practicing his Daddy skills. There is just something so endearing about seeing the man you love, falling so gracefully into that role.

Holding a sleepy Pari at church.... with Maly at his side. She is trying to turn Pari's foot into a hanger for her Easter basket (it is an innovative thought)

Monopolizing precious baby-holding time with Zoe (I got only 1 minute that evening)

Happy to help Princess Alison, who was too cold to move, find Easter eggs...

How can you say no to that face?

Sacrificing himself as a trampoline for three rambunctious girls...

And watching quality films such as "Cinderella 3" with Ali Cat (and probably liking it, although he would never admit it)

All this just makes me love him that much more. I realized tonight that after all those moments of wondering what he will be like and what I will be like when we finally have our own children -- the answers are actually just right around the corner. This thought is punctuated by the recurring Braxton Hicks contractions that I have been having on the right side of my stomach all week! Guess we need to get around to discussing names (sorry to all of you who have gotten used to "Woody").

We had our 30 week sonogram today and it was so good to see Woody close-up once again. We were very pleased to hear that he is healthy and right on target - weighing in at 3 lbs 4 oz (about a third of a Zoe), and at the 50 percentile in size. Because this sonogram also depicted placenta previa, I had to do a more invasive sonogram (not fun) so they could examine my cervix. Woody's head apparently is pressed right up against my cervix, as is some of my placenta. The doctor explained that if it doesn't right itself by the next sonogram (scheduled for end of April), we will need to be prepared in case a c-section is needed. After the birthing class two weeks ago, and the recent birth of my very healthy 10 lb niece on Monday, I don't know if I will mind a c-section!

He was playing peek-a-boo with his hands covering his face!

This foot is already 5.5 cm long!

There is no mistaking.... Woody is a boy!

Baby Horton is Here!

There is a lot of good news to report, but the most exciting of all is that Woody's cousin, Baby Girl Horton (yet to be definitely named), was born today. Nanthida and Charles are very happy to have a very healthy girl, weighing 10 lbs 3 oz (oh my!) and 23 1/2 inches long. My younger and little sister was quite a trooper - I'm sure she will fill everyone in on the details when she feels more up to it. Baby Horton is beautiful and has such a sweet spirit already! I will post more pics soon but here are two to whet your appetite.

She was so alert for just 2 1/2 hours old.....

Other good news... I found out last Thursday that my GTT was normal - so no concerns for gestational diabetes. I then, of course, celebrated with two scoops of chocolate custard from Sheridan's...

Last of all, Woody and I played our first game together this week. It was the sweetest thing. I rested my hand on one side of my stomach... and felt a thump against my palm. So then I moved my hand to another part of my stomach... again, another little thump against my palm. And then to another part of my stomach... and against my hand was another little thump. I stopped for a second and wondered, is he playing a little game of tag with me? So then I put my hand back on my stomach in a different spot - and he thumped against my hand again! What a funny little guy! I love that we are bonding and interacting already!

Seventh month, 29th week, belly pics.


I am starting to feel huge these days... but there are still 11 more weeks to go! Here's hoping for a seven pounder for this first time mama....

Oh Boy

When you get away from blogging for 10 zillion years (just a slight exaggeration) as I have, you get overwhelmed about where to start. Knowing you all don't need a play by play of each moment in the last 3 weeks, I will try to capture just the highlights. However, a warning to the reader, this will a long post of my ramblings...

What has kept me from blogging each week as intended? And what has been exciting enough to make the blog during my "catch up" post you wonder? Let me tell you... First of all..

1. Woody got his very first package!


I laughed for a good 10 minutes after I saw the label. My dear friend Leslie sent Woody an entire box of clothes! It will be perfect for this novice mother and for those days of needing to change him multiple times after multiple little accidents!

2. Along with the rest of the world, I have had a terrible cold/flu for the last 3 weeks.

It has been strange - some days I felt fine, then I would hit a patch of several days where I felt like death. The headaches were the worst and I had to start medicating with Coca-Cola (some very good advice from my coworker!). My twice weekly all-day sickness became unfortunately much more frequent, I fainted at a restaurant (I think due to dehydration), and I missed too many days of work. But, I am feeling much better now and hope that this is maintained.

3. I went to Tara Shea's bridal shower. She is getting married in less than 2 months!



I loved getting to catch up with old friends... And as you can tell from the above pic, it was an entertaining evening!

4. I passed the National Counselor Exam.

Thanks to many prayers, despite my illness, I was able to get just enough studying done in time to leave the NCE on Friday with some relief. I did not want to consider the consequences of failing... My temporary license would have run out and I would have had to wait 3 months to retest, at which time I would be out of a job and KB, Woody, and I would be living in a box somewhere... or as I like to tell April, living with her... As you can see, I never catastrophize.

4. I failed my Glucose Tolerance Test.

I blame it on the month of February.... also known as "dangerous Valentine candy" month. I retested today with the 3 hour GTT - with a family history of diabetes, I am getting myself prepared for any outcome.

5. I attended Andrea's baby shower for Baby A - there are babies everywhere!



It was a delicious party (literally). I ate too much cheesecake (hence why I likely failed the GTT) but I enjoyed myself immensely.

6. We pampered Nanthida and celebrated the upcoming arrival of her little girl.

The Four Preggos...

It was a grand time! We are all (Woody included I'm sure) VERY excited for little Baby Horton to arrive. Who knows... by the time I finish this post, she could be here!

7. We celebrated my sister Debbie's birthday.

If you've been to a Brown family Mexican night feast, you know it was a good time as well. Needless to say, I rolled away from there quite satiated from good food and good company.

8. KB and I have selected a daycare provider.

And she is none other than Woody's cousin, Pari's, beloved daycare provider, RaShawn! I am thrilled to send Woody to a person I can trust, and also to have him near a cousin who, as he gets older, can play with him (or maybe more accurately, will lovingly beat him up)

9. Woody gave me my first real scare.

He decided to be still all day Tuesday. No amount of prodding could get him to move. Since I had been sick, the docs had told me to watch for this. Tuesday, I felt like death so I wondered if maybe he just didn't feel so hot either. However, after going the entire day without any noticable movement, I started to worry. Luckily, as I lay in bed worrying about him very late Tuesday night, he gave me a sweet reassuring kick. Since then, he has been doing acrobatics - and I love every minute of it!

Last of all...

10. I am now officially in my third trimester, 28th week, and seventh month!

Where has all the time gone? I feel like he will be here before I know it - and while I am so excited to meet him, I am not sure I am quite ready for how everything will change. KB and I attended our Childbirth Express class and I'm not sure I am ready for labor either. ..

Thanks for navigating through my super-long post! Promise my next will be sooner (and shorter).

Just because it's such a cute pic of Pari and her grandparents!