Im seventeen weeks pregnant today! Sixteen weeks was the point in my pregnancy with Breck that I began photographing the baby bump, so I want to try to take pictures during the same weeks in this pregnancy to compare! :)
Obviously showing a little bigger this time, but fortunately not gaining the pounds to prove it! So thankful those numbers are staying the same, but it's just the inches that are growing.
16 weeks... (Left: Baby #2, March 2011) (Right: Breck, August 2009)
This is when I was about 39-40 weeks pregnant with Breck! Notice the shirt? Yeah, it's the same one I had on yesterday. It's the BEST prego shirt because as you can see, it stretches quite nicely. I think for an even more dramatic comparison with this pregnancy, I'm going to wear the same shirt each time I photograph the baby bump! :)
Ps. We had a little, (well huge would be a better adjective of choice), surprise this week, but that is for another post coming soon! I'll just say our cup runneth over with family this week!! :)
What is it about that heart swelling feeling when you see a plush white oversized envelope protruding out of your mailbox that's signed with a Mother's handwriting?! It's the same feeling I got when I saw a package slip in my mailbox during my college days. It was priority to immediately pick up that package at the mail office because that meant something comforting from home was waiting for me. I remember saving the packages to open once I was in the privacy of my own room to savor and cherish by myself. I mean, hey, sometimes tears would flow when I opened that package and smelled my momma's perfume. Well, I got that same feeling the other day when I found a little package in the mailbox, except it wasn't for me. It was for the grandboy. :) So we waited until the boy was up from his nap to open it together! And he LOVES his new sleeper from Mamaw and Papaw! I think an installation of a cute little mini mailbox outside our boy's door is in the future. It's a must. Who doesn't love getting a package or a card? And especially from Grandma and Grandpa! Baby boy needs a mail box right outside his door. I was going to include a picture of the cute package from Mamaw and Papaw addressed to "Mr. Breck ...." But then I realized it might not be such a comforting idea to post our address all over the internet for any wanderer to see! So use your imagination: To: Mr. Breck B...
Mamaw knew he'd look so cute with that green against his red hair!
Under the raccoon it says "Mommy's Rascal!"
I think this might be the closest to curly we'll ever get... after-bath-time-curls.
Sorry, punkin, you've got hair like your Momma. :o(
Thanks for the new jam-jams, Mamaw and Papaw! They are so comfy-cozy! I love you! <3 Breckeroni
Daddy has been on vacation this week, and with the help of Poppa we've gotten some huge construction to-dos checked off the ugly list. And in the midst of being productive this week we were able to socialize a bit with our friends Thursday night! We had a great time... there were lots of laughs from the Mommies and Daddies and "Sssshhing" to the screaming babies at each end of the table.
Friends who also appreciate a good pair of cute BabyLegs!
Friends who also appreciate the fact that I was able to find another use for my obsessive glass jar collection. I mean really, who can resist pouring oyster crackers from a clear glass jar.
It just does something for me, I can't help it! :)
Baby Boy is good at showing some love. (Yes, he is wearing suspenders AND babylegs!)
Baby J took his very first big boys steps while they were here! He took four steps all by himself!
Breck is napping and I'm feeling productive. Down to the basement I'll go to crank out some more bags for goodwill and get some more organization going down there. I'm a pack rat, but I'll admit it feels so good to purge and make some room!
Well, I still think they are so cute on him. You either LOVE BabyLegs or you hate them. Frankly, I don't mind much that the grandparents aren't love them like I am and that they think they are a little if-y. I will probably stop putting them on him once he's at a year-and-a-half, but I'm stretching it as long as I can! :) Tonight during dinner, I looked over at Breck and said, Gosh, that is the cutest outfit. BrettRyan laughed and said, Well, it isn't an awful outfit, but I wouldn't go as far as to say that it's the cutest either. I know, I know. I realize it's probably one of those fads like slap bracelets, or super poofy eightys bangs that were twice as big as your head, or body suits, or stirrup pants, that one day you look back on and roll your eyes. One of those fads that in ten years, I'll look back at pictures of Breck's baby leg warmers and I'll think Gawsh, did I really put those on him, and think they were cute? But hey, I'm willing to accept that one day I may or may not think that, for the sake of the momentary cuteness... cuz it's worth it!
I mean, how could you not agree when you see these little piggies pokin' out of 'em...
First of many dirty bare feet to come this summer....
Goodness. sakes. I love that face!
Ps. Baby B2, you sure have us in a whirlwind trying to narrow down names for you! Too many favorites and too many possibilities! It's so fun though! We just can't decide if you're going to be a boy or a girl... we're dying to find out! Only one more month until we find out your gender!
Pss. BrettRyan just looked at me and shared this depressing news: There is a winter storm warning tomorrow night. The calendar says it's Spring, but the weather sure keeps us from believing it sometimes! I'll just rely on my rose petal and orange nectar candles to ring in spring for now.
Can we just talk about how darn cute these spring colors look on my boy? Cuz I can't stop talking about it. Love how they make his hair and eyes just pop.
Ps. This is what the boy does when he sees the neighbor's "gog" lately. He's obsessed with her and frequently does this... welcomes himself up their walk and steps onto their front porch and gawks at the "goggie." It's precious!
A treasure to a little boy does not consist of money, gems or jewelry. He will find far greater pleasure in the wonder of a rock, pebble, stick or beetle. - Author Unknown
We've had a few warmer days that hint spring. And by that I mean... we wear spring jackets instead of our bulky winter coats. But hey, it's hope. And we'll take it! I've never been much of an outdoors person. But being cooped up inside all winter with a toddler and with the beautiful weather we had yesterday made me want to me outdoors-y. Yesterday Breck and I had so much fun just wandering around seeing what we could find. Since Breck is walking now, he thinks it is a big deal to be able to walk and explore outside. Yesterday we bundled up just enough to guard us from the wind and wandered around from rock, to branch, to leaf, to steps all afternoon. I pretty much let him go where he pleased and I followed happily behind watching nature through his eyes. What an amazing thing to do... to see that the sound of the wind and the scratch of a dried leaf from last fall skidding across the pavement was amusing to him. I think he actually didn't even get the idea of wind, and thought that the leaf was moving on its own. I reached down and picked up the leaf to offer it to him, and he furrowed his eyebrows and backed away with a look on his face that said, "Mom! That thing is alive... it was just moving around on the ground!"
I mean, seriously. Can a ball-cap look any cuter on a baby?
Momma, look what I found!
And I'm pretty much obsessed with his new kicks I scored for $4.00 at a local MOPS sale!
And today we got another dose of hopeful weather when we met up with our friends at a local gem of a park. Miss B is always good at being creative with playdates! We will be frequenting this place this summer... it was a beauty! The babies had so much fun despite the still cool morning weather and runny noses from the cold. But hey, it's still warmer than what we've had during the past four months, and there are no flurries in the air, so we'll take it! It's our hint of spring!
Told ya, I am obsessed with his new sneaks!
Miss B caught us some candids!
Sweet Little Miss never made a peep!
And who ever said Momma and son couldn't match!? Gotta love the Keens!
Breck just got some shoes that match little J's exactly!
We even discovered the fun of a steering wheel.
What a fun day! Can't wait for REAL Spring and Summer to get here! Hurry please, hurry pool grand opening, baby sunblock, deck lights glowing long after dusk, beach picnics, and sunkissed skin! Mmm. It's a comin'... I can feel it in the air.
My words seem unworthy when it comes to documenting our FamilyLife Weekend To Remember Marriage Conference. It was sheer excellence. The speakers were amazing. The hotel and experience were amazing. The knowledge we gained from going and learning about how to have a purpose in your marriage and not just let it happen... was priceless. I am convinced that every single married couple no matter what their status is, has got to go to one of these conferences. It literally gives insight from scripture that has the power to save a marriage in a weekend. Newly-weds were there. Couples with a great marriage, but just wanted some direction were there. Couples that were on the brink of divorce were there as a last hope that it might save their marriage. One of the projects during the conference was to spread out throughout the hotel and get alone with your spouse. We then prayed together and began to answer some questions in the project booklet and write them in the form of a love letter to each other. It was amazing. I felt like I was back in 2006 in our dating relationship. At the end of the conference they had an opportunity for any of the couples to participate in renewing their wedding vows. I, being the sap that I am, was tearing through the entire vows ceremony imagining a long white train puddled behind me on the floor, and my man in a tux.
Everyone in attendance got these workbooks to fill in the blank and take notes throughout the session. The workbooks and the conference was the most organized event I have ever been to. Like I said, "sheer excellence."
The speakers during the conference were Doug and Susan Grimes, and Brett Ray. They were all fantastic.
I am in awe of and so thankful for the ministry of FamilyLife. So much so that we would love to work for them - someday. The FamilyLife Mission is: to effectively develop godly marriages and family who change the world one home at a time. At the end of the first evening session, the speaker got up and announced that there would be prayer request boxes all throughout the ballroom during the course of the weekend in case anyone had a specific prayer request for their marriage that they would like prayer for. FamilyLife had a team of prayer warriors, that prayed during each session, during the entire weekend for the couples that were there. At he announced that at one point the team prayed through the entire list of guests that were there and prayed for them by name.
I love listening to FamilyLife's daily broadcasts... one of the voices of FamilyLife is Bob Lepine. I'm telling you, his voice is the most soothing thing I have ever heard of in my life. At the conference they must have had him pre-record something along the lines of "Folks, the conference will resume in about three minutes, please begin making your way back to your seats." And they played it before each session. I flippedout thinking Bob Lepine was there in person. It was like a celebrity moment, I whipped my head around scanning the entire ballroom trying to find the voice behind that mic. BrettRyan got a huge kick out of telling me that in fact Bob Lepine was not there, and that it was a recording. Daggone. That was pretty much the only disappointment of the weekend.
These were some of my favorite quotes during the conference. Some were from video clips and some were from the workbook, and some were from the speakers:
"One of the greatest gifts we can give the next generation is one of faithfulness and fidelity in a marriage."
"You are ancestors to someone yet to come!"
"Once a woman has forgiven her man, she must not reheat his sins for breakfast." - Marlene Dietrich
The first blissful moment for me - when I realized I was there on a date, and that I had no diaper bags in tow, was when we pulled up to valet park, and the Bell Hop dude garbed in his navy blue hat and cape, opened my door and greeted me with a "Good Evening Miss. Welcome to the Amway Grand. What brings you to the Amway this evening?"
Here are some pictures of the hotel and our weekend together...
I am in. love, with these lights.
My love and I
Not sure what it is about crisp, clean, stark white sheets that say "vacation", but they get me every time.
Baby bump at 13 weeks...
One of the great things about the conference is that they set aside Saturday evening for you to have a date night. We had a relaxing evening together and ate at Maggiamo's, a local italian restaurant. LOVE enjoying my cucumber water whenever we go to a Gilmore Collection restaurant.
I thouroughly enjoyed two days to be together with my man - alone. Alone so that we could do things like hold hands, talk, and focus on each other. I missed my little man, but in all honesty it was nice to not cart fifty diaper bags around, triple checking for a paci every ten minutes, and frantically handing out Cherrios with the knowledge a tired meltdown was right around the corner. But, I couldn't wait to see my little man again and hold him tight. Upon our arrival, unfortunately we weren't greeted with a cheerful acknowledgement scream recognizing mommy and daddy ending in a hug, but we were greeted with tired, glassy eyes, and a Grammy that said, I'm pretty sure he has an ear infection. Not fun for little punkin. So we took him to Urgent Care... two hours of waiting in a germ infected open air waiting room, trying to entertain a thirteen month old with a few dinky diaper bag toys, and trying to keep him off the icky floor equals not much fun. At one point BrettRyan offered to run home to get the computer and a PraiseBaby DVD to keep him still and occupied, at that suggestion I wanted to cry and beg like a baby Please! No! Don't leave me here to do this by myself! Finally, at the third hour we were called back to see the doctor, but only to wait another hour before we would go home with prescription in hand. Sure enough, Grammy was right. So little boy has been miserable since Sunday morning. Plugged up and runny nose, horrible cough, and aching ears. Now we have an antibiotic which will help him get better, but is also giving him the "squirts" (which diapers do NOT hold, might I add) and a horrible diaper rash in the mean time. POOR BABY. I can't even tell you how much soaking of laundry, changing of beds, and diaper ointment we've applied. But just thankful he's slowly getting his spunk back.
THIS is how desperate you get in a urgent care room waiting for two hours to see the doctor with a thirteen month old. Good job Daddy. Kinda looks like Daddy too! ;)
In efforts to keep Breck near the warm air humidifier, Breck and I had a picnic by the humidifier in his room. It twas fun.
Found this in my soup...
And we've been keeping busy reading books, cuddling, and watching more PraiseBaby than I'd care to admit, but hey - you gotta do what ya gotta do when your baby is sick. Even in the sick moments at our home, I love trying to be creative and think of every possible way I can try to make his little sick body more comfortable.
And thank goodness for Bearpo!
On a side note, and for the record, I never stock things like Cheetos in our pantry, because no one lives here that possesses self discipline, but last week I broke down and bought a bag. I had a Cheeto in front of Breck and he cracked up at the "crunch" of it in my mouth. So I went along with it and exaggerated a bit, and wha-lah... we have this following video. He got a kick out of it for sure. And for the record again, I don't normally feed my child Cheetos either, but there is a first for everything, eh?
(*Be sure to turn off my playlist on the right sidebar of the blog so that you can hear Breck's laugh!)
Ps. The second disappointing thing for me this past weekend/week, was that Breck apparently has fallen deeply in love with his bottle, and wants nothing - I repeat, nothing, to do with nursing anymore. I'm thinking it's a blend of him being a little sick before we left, us being gone, him getting the ear infection, and this little dose of independance he's gotten with walking on his own. I'll admit I'm a little saddened by his decision, but I do see six months of pretty bras in my future, before I begin nursing another sweet baby... and to that I'm also looking forward to.
