Week 6

Baby D2 is 6 weeks inutero today. This week kicked off my morning sickness. This is different than Zoe's pregnancy. My morning sickness with Zoe started at 10 weeks and ended by week 12. This is only week 6!! Oh Lord, help me!! I'm sick all. day. long. Blah. And I'm soooo tired. Beyond tired. I'm praying this all passes soon, but definitely by the end of my first trimester.

This week, Baby D2's eyes, ears, nose, cheeks and chin are forming. The baby's hands and feet are webbed like paddles and his/her heart is beating up a storm. Blood is starting to circulate as well. The baby's intestines are developing, and the bud of tissue that will become lungs is taking shape. Additionally, the pituitary gland, brain, muscles and brain are starting to form.

This week the baby is the size of a sweet pea:

Week 5

Baby D2 is 5 weeks in utero today! (According to my calculation) Baby D2 and I are at the start of our special journey together. These updates will get longer as we go along because the baby will be growing like crazy and I will have various symptoms to report.

I'm feeling good so far. I'm starting to feel more tired than usual, but that's normal at this stage of pregnancy. I've also been experiencing a lot of abdominal cramps, but that's normal as well as my uterus begin to stretch and expand to host Baby D2 for the next 8+ months.

This week some fun stuff is going on with the baby! All the books say the baby resembles more of a tadpole than a human being. In that case, I'd say this baby is the cutest tadpole ever! :) S/he is made up of three layers--ectoderm, mesoderm and endoderm. Each of these layers will form his/her organs and tissues. Notably, this week the neural tube, which will form the baby's spinal cord, brain, nerves and backbone, is forming. Also, the baby's heart and circulatory system are starting to form.

This week the baby is the size of an apple seed:

Letter to Our New Addition

Baby D2,

Hello, my sweet little one. I'm your Mommy. Well, Daddy, Zoe and I learned today that you'll soon be joining our family. We now eagerly anticipate your arrival. You're the luckiest baby ever. You have a Mommy and Daddy waiting to shower you with love, and you have the most amazing big sister to show you the ropes. We can't wait to find out if you're a boy or a girl. Regardless, we already love you and can't wait to see your sweet little face.

Grow nice and strong for us, sweetie. We all love you!

Love always,
Mommy

Zoe Is....

...going to be a big sister! Although we were trying for this baby, it's still surreal to think that our little family of three will soon be a family of four. We know Zoe is going to be a wonderful big sister. She's such a sweet and loving little girl. The next eight months will be consumed with showering Zoe will the love she's already accustomed to receiving and preparing her for the arrival of her baby brother or sister.

Unlike with Zoe's pregnancy, I didn't test alone today. I purposely waited to test at a time we could be together as a family. Before leaving for work, I told Trevor that it was time to take a test. I took the home pregnancy test and promptly delivered it to Trevor to keep an eye on it. I asked if the window said anything yet and Trevor said "no, it's still thinking." About 5 seconds later his eyes got slightly big and he said "it's done thinking." He then handed the test to Zoe and told her to "take this to Mommy." Zoe, being the eager little helper she is, promptly complied and came to me with a huge smile on her face as she delivered the test into my hands. In my heart I already knew what the result was. I peered down and saw the word "PREGNANT." Trevor, Zoe and I had a family hug and then Trevor and I began telling Zoe she was going to be a big sister, to which she replied "huh?" LOL.

I'd be less than honest if I didn't share that shortly after rejoicing at the news, a bit of panic suddenly hit me. I began to cry as I explained to Trevor that I was worried about what this pregnancy means to my relationship with Zoe. I also want my love for this new baby to match the love I have for Zoe. I've heard countless times that God has a way of expanding parents' hearts to fully love all of their children. While I know this to be true, I can't wrap my head around that right now. Zoe and I are so bonded, and I don't want that to change. Of course, I want to share the same bond with Baby D2. I guess the fear of the unknown is consuming me, but I trust the Lord, and I know it will all work out.

We're pregnant!!! Wow!!!

Hide-and-Seek, Zoe Style

Zoe has long been fascinated with cabinets, drawers, etc, but recently she's discovered the art of sitting inside cabinets. She has a favorite cabinet in the kitchen that she likes to use to play hide-and-seek. When she goes "in" the cabinet (her feet are still hanging out...lol) she says "bye" and when she pops out she says "hi." Of course, we act shocked every time she pops out. She's a hoot! We love this girl to pieces!!! She is so much fun!

Where's Zoe?!

There She Is!

Zoe's "One Year" Photos

It seems somewhat silly to post Zoe's "one year" photos now that she's 18-months, but we just received our photo disk from the photographer a couple of weeks ago. Memories are extremely important me, as is capturing major milestones (and simple moments) via pictures. For that reason, we've had quarterly professional pictures taken of Zoe starting with her newborn photos. Unfortunately, we hit some bumps in the road with Zoe's one year photos because of inclement weather in February and March (we did an outdoor session) and then a mystery rash that covered Zoe's face, neck, chest and back for over a month (poor baby!). We finally took pictures at the end of April, just before Zoe turned 15-months old. Better late than never, right? The remaining delay was on the photographer's end. Anyway, we're happy to have the photos in hand, and we are so pleased with the way they turned out. Without further ado, here are some of our favorites:

17 Months!

Dear Zoe,

You're 17 months old, pumpkin! My, how time flies. You have become so much fun. Although it's sad thinking about how fast you're growing, I can honestly say that every new stage is more fun than the stage before. You are doing so many new and exciting things.

First, in terms of physical development, you're getting your 5th tooth. You've handled teething really well. Besides drooling like crazy and chewing on your fingers, occasionally, you wake up at an odd time in the middle of the night or you'll be a little clingy, which I attribute to teething, but you have not experienced any extreme discomfort...at least not that we're aware of. You're becoming very skilled at going up and down the stairs. In fact, you literally try to walk up and down the stairs now. Mommy and Daddy watch you very closely. You've pretty much mastered crawling up and scooting down the stairs. You can point to 15 body parts (hair, ears, eyes, face, nose, teeth, belly, belly button, hands, arms, fingers, legs, knees, toes and feet), and you can point to the same body parts on Mommy and Daddy.

Your speech is really starting to explode. You have added "down, sit down, sit (sounds like an expletive), more (along with sign), "nah" (no), hi and bye (instead of simply waving), up, hot (which sounds like "ha ha hot" as you fan your hand), chicken, "tay" (okay), jeans, spoon, shirt, shoes (also sounds like an expletive), book and bow." Also, when we ask you questions, you respond with "mmm hmmm" (which is your "yes"). It's so cute! Sometimes you also respond to questions or directions you don't understand by responding "hmm" (huh?) until you figure it out. You can understand and complete quite a few multi-step directions. You've mastered five animals sounds--cow, sheep, bird, duck and dog. ("Tweet tweet" is Mommy's favorite....you sound so cute saying it (sounds more like "teet teet"). You're such a fast learner and you're so observant. You amaze us, Zoe.

Oh, you love talking on the phone. Your phone conversations go like this: "Hi! Mmm hmmm, mmm hmmmm, mmm hmmm, Bye!" It's hilarious! You think everything is a phone--remote control, your hand, and recently you used a computer mouse as a phone. LOL.

You continue to use your sign language, although Mommy and Daddy haven't done a good job of adding new words now that you're talking more. The funny thing is the sign for "all done" has become a universal sign for you. In addition to signing "all done" when you're finished eating, you also sign "all done" when a game is getting old to you, if Mommy kisses you one too many times, if you're tired of being chased (which you still love), etc. Sometimes you add "nah" to the "all done" sign....that's when we know you're *really* "all done". LOL.

You love to color. You started art class in June and since then you've wanted to doodle nonstop. Mommy and Daddy bought you an art easel for the house, which you love to stand at to doodle. (We hope this will save our walls...fingers crossed) The funny part is sometimes you try to color with your crayons and pens wrong side up. When Mommy and Daddy attempt to turn your writing tool around, you flip it right back over and try to continue with your doodling. It's pretty funny.

Zoe, you love to dance. You've got rhythm, girl! Recently you added twirling to your dancing. You're becoming such a big girl! You really love music, especially participatory songs. You love to hold Mommy's and Daddy's hands and twirl for "Ring-Around-the-Rosies" and you fall just before "we all fall down" and say "down" as you're falling. You can do all the hand movements for "Itsy Bitsy Spider", you point to the relevant body parts for "Head, Shoulders, Knees and Toes" (although there's always a little delay) and you bark when you hear "B-I-N-G-O". You're hilarious!

You're still a little peanut (you weighed 20 lbs. and you measured 31 inches at a recent doctor's appointment). You're a picky eater, although you like to eat things that are good for you. Your favorite foods are broccoli, green beans, yogurt, rice, black beans, various types of fruit and pasta marinara. You're suspicious of meat, but occasionally you'll surprise us and down some chicken or fish.

I'm sure there are many things I missed, but these are the highlights I jotted down over the past month. Zoe, Mommy and Daddy are in awe of you and remain incredibly proud of you. I can never say it enough....you are the light of our lives. We love you so much, sweet girl. I can't wait to see what the next month holds in store!

My love always,
Mommy