22 Weeks With Baby D #2

Just a day late, but here we are:) Yesterday this Momma didn't make it to the shower, but we sure had a great day playing with stickers, a walk, and some time outside. This pregnancy is going really well so far.  I cannot complain as I feel really good and I'm still sleeping decent.  Little man's movements are getting stronger, which tells me he's growing:)  The jeans still fit, but are uncomfortable when I button them so they've officially been retired!  These are nice ways to tell that our baby is actually continuing to grow well!  I've been able to feel him now from the outside, but Dan hasn't had the same luck.  He'll have his hand on my belly and I'll let him know when he's kicking, but it just hasn't been strong enough yet.  My placenta is creating a pillow effect this time around. Today sitting on the couch he kicked me so hard it surprised me and made me jump and shout. Very fun:)

Skyping With Grandma and Grandpa

The other night we skyped with Grandma and Grandpa Dornfeld!  Svea was such a ham and was showing off and giving them hugs and kisses through the screen.  The cutest thing of all is when she decided she wanted to kiss the puppy on the screen.  I got a few pictures!

17 Months Old

 Clothes: You are mostly wearing size 18 month clothes with some 12-18 months or 12 months clothes sprinkled in

Shoes: still size 3 shoes
Diapers: size 4 and I wonder if you'll be in this size until you are potty trained.  Speaking of every once in awhile you like to sit on your potty chair and we clap for you!

Sleep:8 pm-8 pm and it's great!  You've been napping fairly well this month too. Today you slept for a solid hour and a half at nap time!

Teeth: You now have 10 teeth with the 11th peaking in and making an appearance very soon! This past month you sprouted all four of your back molars.  You bottom eye tooth is making it's way in.
Traveling: Walks!  We've gone on a ton of walks this month with the amazing weather we've been having! 

 Talking:You started saying duck, but not very often.  You'll also occasionally say Meeko and star is a favorite.  Any star you see you'll point it out and let us know.  This month if you don't know what something is called it is a baby.

Favorite Activity: You are still loving your blocks, you love skyping with anyone and get super excited, but mostly you enjoy a range of activities.  Coloring, babies, blocks, singing/dancing, books, pretend play in your kitchen, cars, etc.
Favorite Books:It really doesn't matter.  You'll sit and listen to us read to you just about any book.
Favorite Foods: Applesauce, peas, sweet potatoes, oatmeal, and Greek yogurt. You started eating cooked carrots all by themselves this month.  We were shocked!

Foods Disliked:None right now, but we need to try some new foods, then I think you'll have some:)
Favorite Songs: Daddy sings you a little tune every morning that you just love.  "God Bless you today, God Bless you today, God Bless you in Morning, in Daytime, in Evening, God Bless you Today"
Dislikes: Brushing your teeth!  Sometimes you'll do it yourself, but if we want to do a better job you fight us all the way.  Mommy turned the tv on for a few minutes tonight and that helped a ton.  
Favorite Word: Mom and Dad.  Sometimes you will just look at us from across the room and say our name.  We love hearing your little voice say our name!

Things we are learning: Lots of new things this month!  You can shrug your shoulders like a buffalo, you can beat your chest like a gorilla, you learned how to wink this month, you can tickle us and say "tick, tick, tick", when we ask you to you will raise your arms and we tickle you and you laugh and giggle like crazy. You can point to your chin and we are working on your cheeks.You are very good at following directions.  We can ask you to go and get something in your room and you'll run down there all by yourself and bring it back.  You listen to us when we put you in time-out.  We've only done it a total of four times, but you understand that you are there because you did something you are not supposed to do.  We have you sit there for less than a minute and then Mommy comes and gets you.  The behavior stops after you go into time-out so for now it's working.  We only do this when we know you are blatantly defying us. We are very proud of you that you understand this form of communication from us.

Svea Grace.....we love you more and more each day!  God has blessed us with you in our lives.  Thank you for being you!  We love you!

Family Pictures

 Our church directory is being updated this year so for the first time ever we took a church family picture.  Dan picked out Svea's dress and we coordinated our clothes after hers.  She's gotta look the cutest of course! Sometimes I just pinch myself at how sweet and cute she is!  We love this little girl so much.  She would not look up for our own little picture together, but oh well.  She's at least looking in our church directory picture, although not smiling.  What can you expect from an almost 17 month old:)

21 Weeks With Baby D#2

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:21 Weeks!

Total Weight Gain: 11.5 lbs. 

 Maternity Clothes:Still Belly Band and Maternity shirts.  I don't have many dress clothes for work so getting dressed in the morning isn't that much fun when you wear the same thing over and over.  Jeans still fit, which started getting me worried that maybe baby isn't growing, but today they were harder to button so that's good!

Best Moment this week: Feeling baby move more, having a great appt. last week and baby is healthy, and getting a new nephew!  Lukas Stuart was born earlier this morning!

Gender: BOY!  Our little boy....it's starting to feel more real:)

Movement:I've started feeling him every once in awhile now during the day at school so that is fun.  It's getting there:)

Food Craving: Cheerios is now a food group.  I've had it approved by the FDA.

What I miss: Nothing right now:)  I feel pretty normal unless I look at my belly.

Sleep:Good...no hip trouble in the last two weeks.  I'm sure it's because I started back up at the chiropractor a month ago.  I stopped for a good six weeks when things were a little scary.

What we are looking forward to: A shopping trip tomorrow with Lacee for baby clothes/stuff!  They found out yesterday they are having a girl! 

Symptoms: growing belly, peeing a lot, and that's about it!

It's Potty Time...

...while I read!

Wordless Wednesday (Light Sabers Are Cool!)

Last Sunday Morning and Night

 Each morning when Svea wakes up she usually requests something immediately that has obviously been on her mind since she woke up.  Some mornings it's a stuffed animal she can see from her crib, a book, or her toothbrush, etc.  This past Sunday morning it was her shoes.  She has these cute little hand me down sandals from her cousins and she's been obsessed with them for the past couple of days.  She wants them on all of the time.

 Of course we couldn't get them on with her jammies on so I  took her feet out.  Then she found her winter hat and wanted that on too.  Then she wanted her jammies off until she eventually looked like.....

...this!  You never know what request you're going to get from her in the mornings, but this one was quite comical.  She's giving a little cry here because she's hungry and can't put it together that she needs to direct herself to her highchair.  She was much happier after a nice breakfast of oatmeal and Greek yogurt with berries looking like this of course!

 Then we moved onto Sunday night as we were getting ready for bed.  BEFORE I could get her jammies on she insisted on trying on her tennis shoes, which require socks of course.  This girl is obsessed with shoes!  She sat and stared out the window and watched the birds.  She has started to babble and sing out the window as well.  She loved doing this all weekend.

 I should add that she's standing next to the open window.  It was 8:00 pm at night and the breeze that was filtering in was still super warm.  I can't believe it's the middle of March in Minnesota and I'm ok with my baby standing in front of an open window without any clothes on!

Happy Belated St. Patrick's Day

 Whether you're Irish or not hope you had a good St. Patrick's Day!  We did by playing with our babies and cradle with the windows open all afternoon.  We visited some friends in the early evening, missed a walk because we talk too much (but that's ok), and then got a tired little girl off to bed!

Ready For My Walk

 I've got my glasses on and I'm ready to go!

 This past Friday, Svea and I had a little adventure in the afternoon.  We walked downtown to the library, which she loves so much and picked out some new books to read.  I gave her a book and told her to go read it in the little house at the library.  She marched right in, sat down on the little couch, and opened her book.  Now only for 5 seconds, but she did it.  I love how much she can understand!

 Then we stopped by the post office to mail some Happy Easter packages to Svea's cousins!  Just a little something...nothing crazy, but she was thinking of them when she was at Target this week:)

Then, it was across the street to the chiropractor for Mommy.  Svea sat in her stroller eating a snack while Mommy got adjusted and told us all about Dubai.  Have I ever mentioned how there is this phrase that she babbles over and over that sounds like....Duba duba duba Dubai.  This girl is quite the world traveler!

20 Weeks With Baby D #2

I thought I'd compare my 20 week picture with Svea to my 20 weeks picture with her brother!  It's a strange coincidence that I've had a hat on each time!  hmmm...You might not be able to tell, but I can tell how I was carrying her a little lower. It has to be or else those jeans still wouldn't fit! I also had my 20 week appt.this morning bright and early.  Little guy is measuring three days behind (which is perfectly fine) and looked great.  The u/s tech said all of his measurements looked very good.  He was turned into my back and would not turn around so the tech couldn't get the best pictures of all of his organs that he wanted to.  He said to not be surprised if they make me come back another time to get a quick look to get better pictures.  I like to think he was just needing to be snuggled in to Mom and was just a bit sleepy. I did get to see baby's lips today and face briefly.  For being only 6 inches long and 11oz (what was estimated him to be) he sure seems to have big lips!  Ha!  Go figure!  I can't believe you can see that big of details when they are that small.  Everything else went great. His heartbeat was 146 bpm at the u/s and 168 bpm at my appt, which is all very normal.  I go back in another four weeks unless they call for another u/s, which I won't complain too much about!  Svea stayed home with Dee from church.  She's a mom of three kids and loves babies.  She watched Svea another time when she was an infant and couldn't wait to do it again today.  Svea didn't even cry when Daddy left the house, or throw a temper tantrum when they came inside from a walk.  We should have her come over more often!

On another note....I put Svea's Easter basket together today and want to give it to her sooo bad to see her reaction!  My mom gave her a bunch of plastic Easter Eggs this past weekend and she gave the "O" face for about a minute!  So, since I should hold off I'll share her Easter basket with you.  She some new nursery rhyme books, bunny ears, hooded sweatshirt for cool summer days, sidewalk chalk, a little wind up bunny, a new sippy cup, and the stuffed animal is actually mine from when I was a kid, but she'll never know. It's in great shape:) I can't wait!  She's starting to really understand when she is getting something for her as a gift.  I can't wait until she truly understands God's gift for her as well.  It might be awhile, but hopefully she'll learn it's way better than any old Easter basket Mommy and Daddy put together for her.

The Tantrums Have Started...

...and here is proof!

 

 This was her second tantrum of the night because it was the second time we came inside from a walk or running up and down the sidewalk.

We have a little outdoor girl on our hands, which we are thankful for.  We'll keep working on the tantrums though when we have to come in...poor girl:)

Put Me In Coach

This picture SCARES me how much she looks like her Dad! Freaky!

Last Weekend and This Weekend

I created this post about our weekend two weeks ago, but forgot to post it!  Here it is:)  Below you will find events from this past weekend too!

Friday night we relaxed and stayed home!  Saturday we slept in, had pancakes for breakfast.  The morning flew by and before we knew it, it was nap time.  Our friends texted us to see if we could hang out.  Did you hear that?  "Our friends"  Ha, yes, one of the very few couples that will actually be our friends  and aren't freaked out by Dan's job.  We headed over to their house to hang out, have dinner, and enjoy watching our kids interact with each other.  It was SO nice to see them again.  It's been forever!  They have two boys and Brianne was worried about her "boys" scaring Svea by their running and noises, etc.  She'd tell them to settle down and then Svea would let out this huge belly laugh because she thought they were so funny.  It was very cute!  On Sunday, Dan had a very busy day at church and then in the afternoon the church call committee interviewed another prospective pastor.  They have a little girl only three months older than Svea and she ended up coming over to our house along with the college aged babysitters.  It was so fun, although I got to see firsthand how one year olds just don't have the whole sharing concept down yet.  They played well with each other otherwise and I got done a lot of cleaning (nesting/already settling in).

My Mom came this weekend and we had beautiful weather!  We all took full advantage and went on a long walk each day.  Svea and Riker were both in heaven and it felt amazing to be back outside! Dan and I were able to sneak away Sunday afternoon to buy a water softener (long story), but we may not need it.  Who knows:)  We also purchased Svea a potty.  I giggle every time I think about the fact that I bought a toddler potty!  I don't know why:)  She likes sitting on it for now and we wanted to have it for when she starts taking an interest in it. My Mom and Ron leave for France/Belgium next week so it was nice my Mom could come out before they leave.  Dan had a funeral on Saturday and in-between it all we played with stickers and more stickers!  Lately Svea has taken to wanting to give Meeko lots of hugs and kisses!

 Kisses!

19 Weeks With Baby D #2

Pregnancy Highlights

How Far Along:19 Weeks!

Total Weight Gain: 10 lbs.  I am retaining so much water right now I can't stand it.  I hope it's a fluke and just a weird week of too much salt because it feels too early to be retaining this much fluid.  I have the lines on my legs when I take my socks off at night, my boots barely fit around my calves, and my fingers are tight!

 Maternity Clothes: Belly band and maternity shirts!  The jeans still fit, but I'm almost certain they won't two weeks from now!

Best Moment this week: The times I get to feel baby boy.  His movements are starting to get stronger!

Gender:Boy, oh boy, it's a boy!

Movement: Starting to pick up more although I think my placenta is really blocking me from feeling him more.  I feel him the most when I lay down at night on my left side.

Food Craving:Still cheerios and Chinese food and horrendous sweet tooth.  I feel like a six year old on Halloween as I want candy and sweets SO BAD!

What I miss: Surprisingly being able to sleep on my back.  Once you hit 16 weeks you can no longer sleep on your back and even though it's not my favorite position to sleep in sleeping on my sides is already getting old and my hips are starting to hurt just a  bit.  Sometimes I'll roll onto my back and count out a minute before I move just because it feels so good.

Sleep: It's pretty decent.  I wake up once to go to the bathroom and about three or four more times to switch to a different side to sleep.  Svea will have an off night about once every two weeks, but other than that it's pretty good.

What we are looking forward to: Our appointment next Friday when we get another peak at our little guy with an ultrasound.

Symptoms: not much...I feel pretty normal except for the occasional tiredness and the fact that my belly is expanding.  I've probably gagged once in the past two weeks so that is basically gone!

MIA (Conferences Week)

Busy Week! I have conferences so sorry for my lack of blog posts this week.  I didn't get any pictures this weekend either so we'll have to get caught up again this coming weekend!  Here's a video I took of Svea tonight at the end of supper doing her cute little babbles (not a ton) and making her "O" face that her Daddy taught her.

Video

18 Weeks With Baby D# 2

There is not too much new this week other than the fact that you can tell I've "popped".  This probably happened around 20 weeks last time so it's pretty close.  Baby Boy is still very high as I am still in my regular jeans with a belly like that!  So weird!  I know it's just because they sit so low and there is no baby down low this time:)  There is no way I can even come close to zipping or buttoning my dress pants.  I'm guessing this time next week the jeans won't work either.  We keep telling Svea there is a baby in Mommy's tummy.  She'll come over and pat my tummy, but still looks at us funny when we say "baby" in there.  I'm feeling good...hips are starting to hurt a little at night so I might need to up my pillow leg support.  Other than that nothing new to report...which is good!

Mid-Winter Slump

I've hit that lull I feel every winter!  I guess it doesn't matter if it's a dreary winter or not.  I always reach a point in the middle of the school year where I lose ALL motivation in what I'm doing.  We had a snow day yesterday so that helped.  I was able to have a "free" day at home with Svea.  We had a great time.  She has been so snuggly the past couple of days full of hugs and kisses at your request.  I hope it never ends:)

 We stayed in our pajamas all day...it was wonderful! Check out the video below from last week!

This has nothing to do with my school motivation, but I found out this week that my position might be on the chopping block:(  It's probably a 50% percent chance that I'll be doing the same thing next school year at 4 days a week.  If they cut my position I'll be pushed back into the classroom and back to full-time:(  I was SO hoping for at least one more year so our babies would be almost 3 and 1 before I had to go back full-time.  Best case scenario I am hoping I can do this position until they both at least go to elementary school...we all can dream right:)  there are some classroom position jobs opening up in Paynesville, but I don't know how excited I'd be about starting a brand new job in a new school district on maternity leave.  There are some exciting opportunities if I do get pushed back into the classroom so I am just patiently waiting for April 1st, when I should know more, and giving it all to God and not worrying about it.  

Here is a cute video of Svea dancing away to "Runaway" by Bruno Mars.  She was going even crazier dancing when she wasn't on the video.  She was a little distracted by watching herself in the camera.  Oh, we had so much fun this day:)