35 Weeks

35 Weeks: Baby O2 is the weight of a honeydew melon. 

The baby weighs 5.25 pounds and is over 18 inches long.  This week the kidneys are fully developed and his/her liver can process some waste products.  The baby's basic physical development is mostly complete- the main job now is to put on weight!

How far along? 35 Weeks

Total weight gain? 24 pounds- I blame Christmas food ;)
Maternity clothes? Mix of both maternity and non-maternity. I am so proud to say that I have bought ZERO new maternity clothes.  I made do with what I had from Cole.  What's the point of wasting money on clothes I'll never wear again?  I'd rather get new clothes for after the baby :)

Stretch marks? None yet...

Sleep? No problem whatsoever but I am back in the routine of 1-2 bathroom breaks in the night just like the first trimester.
Best moment this week? All of our Christmas celebrations.  The joy on Cole's face as he wandered out on Christmas morning to a room full of presents was priceless.  It's funny that the last couple mornings he has whooped with joy when he has seen his new toys- like he forgot they were his. And the fact that we'll have TWO of them to share in the excitement next year- Can. Not. Wait.

Miss anything? A cocktail on New Year's would be nice... there's always next year!

Movement? Still the most at night.
Food cravings? Nothing crazy... just thirsty all the time.

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? Ahhh I just can't wait to find out!!  One minute I say girl then the next I say boy.  Trent is sticking to his boy prediction since he thinks he saw "something" at the sonogram.
Labor Signs? Nothing at all... baby is baking away.
Symptoms? Hot- I don't think I've slept with the covers on in a week. Baby is also pushing down low and I'm feeling some pressure.

Belly button in or out? Out all the time 

Wedding rings on or off? Still on since I haven't hit the swelling stage like I had with Cole.

Happy or moody? Happy- the last month countdown is on!
Looking forward to? Enjoying this week off with Cole Man.  These could very well be the last days I have of just Cole and Mommy so I'm going to soak up every second and stare at him while he sleeps.  Can't believe he won't be the only baby for very much longer :(  I tear up just thinking about it.  #preggohormones

Daddy moment?  Trent was just as excited as Cole for the presents on Christmas.  I'm not sure who has been playing with the trucks and trains more. 

Big Brother Cole moment: I think Cole might know that something is about to go down in 33ish days.  He has been a bear with bedtime the last few nights.  At first we just blamed it on traveling and being away from home... but he's doing it here at home too.  The last couple nights he just clutches my neck so tight and cries out, "I want mama." How can I not give in to that?! If he wants to snuggle with me I'm not going to say no because when we were in Great Bend I was chopped liver.  Glad I moved back up on his list haha!

34 Weeks

34 Weeks: Baby O2 is the weight of a cantaloupe. 

The baby weighs 4.75 pounds and is almost 18 inches long.  This week the fat layers are filling out, making him/her look rounder and the skin is smoother than ever.  His/her central nervous system and lungs are continuing to mature.

How far along? 34 Weeks

Total weight gain? 21 pounds
Maternity clothes? Definitely in pants with a mix of shirts.

Stretch marks? None as of now

Sleep? No problem whatsoever.
Best moment this week? Our whole Saturday!  We ran some quick errands in Olathe, had Maddy Girl's first birthday party, went down to Union Station so Cole could experience the Holiday Express Train, and then we headed back to Emporia for the Rusco's annual ugly sweater party.  Grammy drove down that evening to watch Cole so we could have a kid free night.  Trent more than enjoyed himself too ;)  Jam packed day of fun!!

Miss anything? Nada

Movement? All day and night long
Food cravings? Holiday cookies and lots of them!

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? I have been guessing girl but last week I had a dream that the baby was a boy and oh my word he was so cuddly cute... just like his big brother :)
Labor Signs? Nothing at all in this last week.
Symptoms? More frequent bathroom breaks, hot when I sleep and that's really it.  No pains, no heartburn, no swelling... definitely different than it was with Cole at this point.

Belly button in or out? Out all the time 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Oh so happy- love this time of the year with our family and friends.

Looking forward to? Christmas!!!!!!  Can't wait to see Cole's reaction to the excitement of presents and fun with his family.  After watching his joy of opening presents with Maddy at her birthday party, I can't wait to see what he'll do at Christmas :)
Daddy moment?  Trent loves holiday stuff as much as I do and was just as excited as Cole for some of our fun this last week like carriage rides and the train.  

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole is more than ready for Christmas.  After opening some presents from Wendy and Jeremy and then "helping" Maddy open her birthday presents, Cole knows exactly what to do!  He is all about ripping off that paper and screaming at whatever is inside.  Christmas is sure to be wild this year and we can't wait!!

33 Weeks

33 Weeks: Baby O2 is the weight of a pineapple. 

The little one weighs over 4 pounds and is 17 inches long.  This week the skeleton is hardening, except for the skull plates which won't fuse together so he/she can fit through the birth canal.

How far along? 33 Weeks

Total weight gain? 20 pounds which is 5 pounds less than I was with Cole at this point.  With Cole I'd already started swelling too.
Maternity clothes? Definitely in pants with a mix of shirts.

Stretch marks? None as of now

Sleep? No problem whatsoever.
Best moment this week? All the projects that we accomplished this week: nursery trim painted white, new doors in nursery and Cole's room painted white, pallet wall finished, new dresser put together, and the baby's new bookcase built/painted.  SO much got done thanks to Lora coming up for the weekend to help Trent knock out some of his to do list.  Those two accomplished so much in a couple days!  We also had another doctor's appointment this week and the baby sounded perfect with a heartbeat in the 140s still. 

Miss anything? Nada

Movement? This baby is a mover like his/her brother was but in a different way.  Cole was a kicker- he liked to kick on the sides in short, quick kicks.  This baby... likes to puuuuuusssshhhhh as hard as he/she can in the very middle of my tummy.  This one definitely likes to stretch out in my tummy!
Food cravings? Sweets

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? We shall see in 49ish more days!
Labor Signs? Nothing at all in this last week.
Symptoms? The stage where it hurts to bend over has officially hit.  Let's see if Cole will be understanding of this stage haha.  Not likely...

Belly button in or out? Out and puffy most of this week. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Overjoyed and loving this holiday season with the excitement of Baby O2's arrival shortly thereafter!

Looking forward to? Only one more week of work and then it's Christmas break!!!!!!!  
Daddy moment?  Trent is already making sure that Cole and Baby O2 have equal treatment :)  Since Cole had a custom bookcase built by Daddy then Baby O2 had to have one as well.  I told Trent we could just buy one since he already had so many other things to do.  But a bookcase from the store just wouldn't do in Trent's eyes.  So one more project he added to the list and already got done this weekend!

Big Brother Cole moment: Out of nowhere this weekend Cole started calling his glow worm that he sleeps with, Baby.  He also insisted that Baby get wrapped in one of his old swaddling blankets and has now slept with him all weekend long.  He whines/cries until you hand him Baby all wrapped up and snug.  He rocks it, kisses it, and holds it in his arms while he sleeps.  It has cracked us up because he has never ever shown any interest in stuffed animals or treating anything like a baby. I'm sure with 5 girls at daycare it has slowly rubbed off on him.  Great practice for this big brother!!

32 Weeks

32 Weeks: Baby O2 is the weight of a large jicama. 

Our baby weighs 3.75 pounds and is about 16.7 inches long.  This week he/she now has toenails, fingernails, and real hair- even if it's just peach fuzz.  The skin is also becoming soft and smooth.

How far along? 32 Weeks

Total weight gain? Haven't checked this week and I'm too lazy to take this laptop off my lap and go weigh myself...
Maternity clothes? Pants for sure with a lot of leggings and dresses for work.  I've also started wearing some of my maternity tees/tanks with my regular shirts and cardigans.  I'll probably start wearing some of my maternity shirts this week so I can make sure and get my use out of them.

Stretch marks? None as of now

Sleep? No problem whatsoever
Best moment this week? This week's list would definitely include the Christmas parade, nursery progress, and our family/maternity pictures.

Miss anything? Nada

Movement? All over all the time!
Food cravings? Ashley's picture of her fluff popcorn meant that I had to get creative and make my own since we didn't have any fluff popcorn in the pantry.  It was delish and totally hit the spot!

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? We shall see in 56ish more days!
Labor Signs? One instance of Braxton Hicks and that's it.
Symptoms? Couple nights of heartburn and starting to have to go to the bathroom much more frequently.

Belly button in or out? Mixture of out and flat. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? How can you not be happy during the holidays with a 20 month old?!  Cole makes everything so much more fun!  The thought of two of them next year in matching Christmas jammies- omg I die.

Looking forward to? Several fun Christmas activities this week like a carriage ride, visiting Santa, and making cookies.  Lots of cookies for this lady :)
Daddy moment?  Trent spent two days taking apart pallets, cutting off nails, sanding boards, and hanging more wood in the nursery.  There is only about 1/3 of the wall to finish up and then onto the next project!  While we were taking our maternity pictures today we swung by Ikea and picked up some things for the nursery.  A big dresser that comes in 3 flat boxes must mean some fun building in our future.  At least that's something I can help out with!

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole is officially obsessed with Elfie our little elf friend. He thinks it is so funny whenever Elfie moves to a new spot and says, "bye bye guys" whenever he walks by Elfie.  Even if we are just going to another room.  Poor Elfie is having to hang out up high though so that Cole doesn't touch him and steal his magic!

31 Weeks

31 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of a coconut. 

Our little one weighs 3.3 pounds and is over 16 inches long.  This week he/she is heading into a growth spurt and is plumping out as fat accumulates underneath the skin.

How far along? 31 Weeks

Total weight gain? 20 pounds
Maternity clothes? Just in pants

Stretch marks? None as of now

Sleep? Sleep is no problem at all but I do seem to wake myself up when I'm trying to move from side to side and have to adjust pillows.  The dogs smothering me doesn't help much either!
Best moment this week? How can I pick just one?!  How about a list in no particular order:

1. Hearing Baby O2 at our appointment again this week.  Just perfect and the heartbeat was in the low 140s again.

2. Hosting our first Thanksgiving in our new home with both sides of our families.  We are SO blessed to be able to have everyone under one roof together.

3. Getting almost all of my Christmas shopping done.

4. Best Black Friday purchase= new car for mama!!

5. Getting our outside lights up and doing all the inside Christmas decorating with Cole's help

Miss anything? Having some festive beverages with my sister-in-laws would've been really fun at Thanksgiving :)

Movement? This baby likes to reallllly stretch and push his/her appendages out until it can't be pushed anymore.  I love watching it though.
Food cravings? Any and all Thanksgiving food

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? We shall see in 62ish more days!
Labor Signs? Not a thing this week.
Symptoms? Mouth breathing and I'm hot when I sleep but that's really it for this week.

Belly button in or out? Mixture of out and flat. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Full of JOY! The 5 day Thanksgiving break was full of so much fun.  We have sooooo much to be thankful for.

Looking forward to? Several fun Christmas activities with Cole this week and then maternity/family pics this weekend!  Plus- only 3 more weeks until Christmas break.  Not that I'm counting or anything...
Daddy moment?  My husband's timing is so freaky sometimes.  Weird timing coincidence between pregnancies: 9 weeks before we had Cole we went out and bought our truck, Ke$ha.  And what do you know... 9 weeks before this baby we traded in Ellie Edge for a new ride- Farrah Ford our Expedition. The timing of the purchase was  not done on purpose but is pretty funny.  It was definitely a Black Friday purchase unlike any others we've made before haha.

Big Brother Cole moment: I'm convinced that seeing the excitement of the holidays through Cole's eyes is far better than experiencing it ourselves.  The littlest things make him squeal with excitement.  To see his reaction when he first found "Elfie" his elf was priceless.  Our tree, lights, pictures of Santa, etc. all make him flip and say, "Oooohhh!" or "Petty" for pretty.  He even knows that when we ask what Santa says... he goes, "Ho ho." Usually only two hos which is pretty cute.  However, the biggest moment of Cole's for the past week was when he said, "I love you" to me twice in a row.  I officially don't need a thing for Christmas after that gift from him.  He's done it a couple more times to both of us so I know it's not a fluke.  Gosh, I love that boy.  I can't even fathom how much I'll be able to love TWO of them :)

Don't mind our PJ day look to put up Christmas decorations :)

30 Weeks

30 Weeks: Baby O2 is the is the size of a head of cabbage 

The baby weighs almost 3 pounds and is 15.7 inches long.  This week his/her eyesight continues to develop even though it's not very keen.

How far along? 30 Weeks

Total weight gain? 19 pounds as of this weekend but it's very likely this will be much higher after Thanksgiving!
Maternity clothes? Only in maternity pants but I did wear a maternity tank last week over my jeggings cause I love how long they are.

Stretch marks? Nothing yet and I just started bottle #3 of cocoa butter lotion

Sleep? Falling asleep the second my head hits the pillow and sleeping great all night long.
Best moment this week? Trent starting his 10 straight days off for Thanksgiving break,getting some Christmas shopping done, and I also got my kit in the mail for my December Daily album and squealed like a giddy school girl.
Miss anything? Nothing this week

Movement? The BIG kicks and rolls are definitely here.  I love when something bulges out of my tummy and we guess what it was.  The baby also high fives Trent all the time.
Food cravings? Nope, pretty standard week with food.

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? Since my one and only dream was a girl, I'm still guessing girl. Only 69ish more days until his/her birthday reveal!
Labor Signs? Not a thing this week.
Symptoms? Minor heartburn at night depending on how I'm sitting or laying and that's about it.  Rib pain- all gone!! One thing we have noticed is that I turn into a mouth breather at night- and mouth breathers annoy me!  When I'm falling asleep I don't feel like I get enough air when breathing only through my nose.  Trent also says that he has caught me snoring twice now.  So he says ;)

Belly button in or out? More flat than out this week. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Excited about everything we have in the next 10 weeks- Thanksgiving, the Christmas season excitement with Cole, New Years, house projects, nursery work, and then... BABY!  Seems like time is moving at warp speed right now. 

Looking forward to? Hosting our first Thanksgiving in our new home this year with both of our families.  Food, family, fun... nothing better.
Daddy moment?  Trent. Is. Amazing.  This boy has a to do list that is a mile long and just keeps knocking things out on his 10 days off like it's nothing.  He also spent Friday at home with Cole when our poor boy got sent home from daycare for a tummy bug.  He definitely won dad of the year since Cole threw up all over him that afternoon. 

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole's latest obsession in the last two weeks has become anything related to trains.  All morning, afternoon, night he'll say, "I want choo-choo" which means he wants to watch Thomas or read his train book.  Can't wait until he sees a train up close in person to see his reaction!

29 Weeks

29 Weeks: Baby O2 is the weight of a butternut squash  

Our little one weighs 2.5 pounds and is a tad over 15 inches long head to toe.  This week the lungs and muscles are continuing to mature and his/her head is growing bigger for the developing brain.

How far along? 29 Weeks

Total weight gain? Not sure- I need to check.
Maternity clothes? Only in maternity pants.

Stretch marks? Nothing yet...

Sleep? Sleeping so good, hope it lasts!
Best moment this week? Having last Monday and Tuesday off with Cole.  That boy is so much fun!  He got to go to another doctor appointment for the baby and loved hearing the heartbeat.  Everytime he's gone and has heard the heartbeat he has grinned ear to ear like he knows what he's hearing.  Melt my heart :) We also had today off together since our daycare shut down with her own sick child.  I don't mind one bit when it means extra time with my boy!
Miss anything? Nope..

Movement? My favorite part of all this- he/she moves all the time!
Food cravings? Had to make homemade Chex Mix this weekend.  It sounded so good and the 3 of us polished it off in 3 days.  Cole was a big big fan just like his parents.

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? Well, the heartbeat at the appointment last week was 130.  Hmmm... old wives tales would say boy...
Labor Signs? Had our first Braxton Hicks contraction last week at around 9 o'clock at night.  Both of us had forgotten what those were like.  Hope the real ones hold off for 11 more weeks until baby is done cooking!
Symptoms? Minor heartburn and that's it.  I'm sooo happy to report that the rib pain has really decreased compared to what it was like a month ago.  At this point with Cole I had insane heartburn and awful back pain.  Crazy how the heartburn is manageable and I've had no back pain whatsoever.  

Belly button in or out? More flat than out this week. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Happy happy happy!  With Cole, 29 weeks was when I had my first and only crazy preggo lady meltdown.  Could this be on the horizon with this one?!  I haven't had one yet... look out Trent ;) 

Looking forward to? Working on the nursery and starting my holiday decorating!  We're also VERY excited that Trent has 10 days off for Thanksgiving break!
Daddy moment?  Trent kept the ball rolling on the nursery this week and it now has all new doors, beautiful white trim, and he began the wood accent wall.  Crazy connection according to my perpetual calendar- 2 years to the day, Trent began working on accent walls in both nurseries.  My calendar said that In Cole's nursery he began painting the accent wall stripes and exactly two years later he started hanging the wood in Baby O2's nursery.  Crazy how that worked out!  I hope these babies realize all the things their daddy does for them!!

Big Brother Cole moment: The new words keep coming out and daily Trent and I will look at each other like, "Woah, where did that come from?!" This week he also proved he's definitely our son by picking up on his own without being told.  On several different occasions, he has helped pick up all the kitchen stuff he drug out... AND he put them back in exactly the correct drawers/cabinets without help.  On Saturday he had drug out a ton of toys from his basket and then suddenly decided he was going to pick everything up until it was all back in his basket.  Seeing these habits makes his OCD parents very happy!  But then again... he still likes to take every book off his shelf in one giant pile and drag shoes all over the house.  Another funny moment was when he put himself in timeout in the corner. Sadly, this is something he's been visiting quite frequently due to his hitting.

28 Weeks~ 3rd Trimester

 

28 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of an eggplant.   

This week our little one can blink his/her eyes and now has eyelashes. The baby can see light through the womb, is developing billions of neurons in the brain, and is adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world!

How far along? 28 Weeks

Total weight gain? Up 17 pounds.
Maternity clothes? Only in maternity pants.

Stretch marks? Nope- lathering on my cocoa butter like a mad woman though.

Sleep? Slept great all week long but I also feel that 3rd trimester exhaustion creeping back in.  Or maybe it's because I pulled some late nights with work stuff and family time instead of going to bed early.
Best moment this week? We had Bob, Lora, Ashley, Jeryn, and Ian in town all weekend long with us to help get some things knocked off of Trent's pre-baby to do list!  The help was awesome... but the family time was even better.  Cole LOVES his cousins.  He played sooo hard with Jeryn all weekend long.  He totally idolizes her and it was so cute how he would copy whatever she was doing.  They were definitely two hams together.  Then there was all his cuddling and loving on Baby Ian.  He totally loves that baby boy and it was so cute to see him want to see and snuggle the baby any chance he could get.
Miss anything? An adult beverage on these long school days would sure be nice.

Movement? Lots and lots of movements- the kicks and jabs seem to get bigger and stronger all the time.
Food cravings? Major preggo craving thanks to a friend's facebook picture earlier tonight- Cookie Dough Oreos.  Trent agreed that we just HAD to try them out tonight and immediately ran to the store for me.  They definitely got the stamp of approval from all 3.5 of us! 

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? Trent's guessing boy, I'm guessing girl, and Cole's guessing baby.  Cole went with the safe choice haha.
Labor Signs? Nope- baby better stay put for awhile!
Symptoms? I still had minor heartburn a few days this week based on what I ate, nothing like the first time though.

Belly button in or out? I'd say out most of the time... it does go flat now and then based on the baby's position. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? 150% happy all week long!  I think family visiting and a 4 day weekend definitely helped contribute to my excited mood all week long. 

Looking forward to? Having Monday and Tuesday off with Cole Man!  Please let him sleep in...
Daddy moment?  Thanks to Trent and his family's hard work we have a few more things done around here before Baby O2's arrival in 84 days-ish.  Trent and Bob slaved away and got our new fence installed which was definitely not an easy task since they had to dig 34 post holes.  There are a few things that Trent will have to finish up this spring on the fence but we're calling it 90% done and we love love love it.  Inside the house, Lora and Ashley were an enormous help in Cole's bathroom.  They took down the ugly border of different styled outhouses (awful!) and finished painting the bathroom a medium shade of gray.  It's a million times better than before!!

Big Brother Cole moment: It's amazing how Cole's talking has changed overnight.  It's like something clicked and all these new words are coming out.  There are times where all we'll do is say, "Cole, can you say ____?" and he'll say it.  So cool.  He's also starting to say short sentences.  His first sentence ever was at daycare on Halloween.  He said to a playmate, "No, that is my truck." Jan said it came out crystal clear out of nowhere.  Other sentences he's saying include: Wanna go outside, I want Daddy, I want pizza, I want drink (sounds like dree-a) and a few others I'm not remembering.  Clearly he's Trent's son if all his first sentences are about trucks, outside, and food.  We couldn't be any prouder :)

27 Weeks

27 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of a head of cauliflower.   

Lil' O weighs almost 2 pounds and is 14.5 inches long.  This week the baby is waking and sleeping at regular intervals, opening and closing his/her eyes, and sucking on his/her fingers. More brain tissue is developing and the brain is very active now.

How far along? 26 Weeks

Total weight gain? Up 15 pounds.
Maternity clothes? Only in maternity pants.

Stretch marks? Nope- lathering on my cocoa butter like a mad woman though.

Sleep? As long as I can get comfy I'm sleeping like a baby.  Not waking up for bathroom breaks or anything right now.
Best moment this week? Hands down- Halloween with Cole-Man!
Miss anything? The days of no rib pains. 

Movement? All over and at all times of the day.  Hiccups started this last week too- I forgot how cute those little rhythms are.
Food cravings? Nothing really this week.  

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? 90 days until his/her birthday.
Labor Signs? No- I'd hope not!  According to my old posts with Cole the Braxton-Hicks contractions could begin anytime.  Holy moly that seems like it's way too early for that.
Symptoms? Some slight heartburn has kicked in here and there.  Thankfully, it's nothing like my fire-breathing dragon days like I had with Cole.  Still just overall getting slower due to the rib pains.

Belly button in or out? Completely flat in some moments and then puffs out in others. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Totally happy all week long!!!  

Looking forward to? A 4 day weekend!!!!  Emporia observes Veteran's Day so that means I get Monday and Tuesday off as well.  SO pumped.  Love that I'll get some extra time with Cole.  I do have to go in to the doctor for the glucose test though... hope all this Halloween candy hasn't skewed my results ;)
Daddy moment?  Trent is making progress on the nursery!!  Paint is done, wood trim is torn out, and the new white door and oil rubbed bronze hardware is up.  So nice to say adios to the wood door and gold knobs.  One door down and only 15 to go... I wish I was joking.  The other Daddy moment of the week was seeing my boys trick-or-treat together.  Cole is such a mini-Trent that it's scary.  Seeing the two of them do father/son things just makes me melt.  They are definitely two peas in a pod.

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole Man has officially stopped taking a paci!  We quit cold turkey this last week after the recommendation from our pediatrician.  He said the sooner the better with the baby coming in 3 months and we didn't even have to do anything special, crazy, or out of the ordinary.  We just took them all away, put them in a box, and stored them in the closet for the baby.  He only wanted his paci at night and in the car so I was  really only worried about bedtime... but after crying for a bit he basically got over it and went to sleep.  And that was that.  What a champ.  Speaking of champ... our Royals All-Star knocked it out of the park at Halloween this year.  We took him around to Emporia's Boo at the Zoo and he didn't quite get the say "trick-or-treat" part but he definitely understood that he needed to grab candy from the person's hand or bowl and he carried his own little tote bag.  It was pretty much the cutest thing ever. The thought of having two little ones in tow next year for Halloween just makes me giddy :)

26 Weeks

 

26 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of a scallion.  

He.she weighs 1 2/3 pounds and is 14 inches long.  This week little one's hearing is improving and he/she is inhaling and exhaling amniotic fluid to help with the development of the lungs.  If Baby O2 is a boy then his little man "bits" are also descending into place- which takes 2-3 months.

How far along? 26 Weeks

Total weight gain? Up 13 pounds.
Maternity clothes? Only in maternity pants.

Stretch marks? Nope- lathering on my cocoa butter like a mad woman though.

Sleep? I fall asleep instantly but wake up anytime I have to move because it kills my ribs.
Best moment this week? Getting to FINALLY snuggle our nephew, Ian.  He is such a cuddler and loves to grunt and squeak.  I'm pretty sure that Jeryn, Cole, Ian, and Baby O2 are going to be quite the crew of crazy cousins!  Can't wait :)
Miss anything? The days of no rib pains. 

Movement? The kicks really got strong this week and the movements can now be seen across my whole stomach.  Love seeing those little ripples and waves.  All the kicks are still down low which is a good thing for my ribs.
Food cravings? Nothing really this week.  

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? 98 days until his/her birthday.
Labor Signs? No- I'd hope not!
Symptoms? The only real symptom I feel would be the rib pains I mentioned that are being caused by my uterus/organs pushing them out of place.  It's definitely something that I can deal with and try not to complain about.  Afterall, a healthy and happy baby is the main focus.  Who needs to move and breathe without hurting haha.

Belly button in or out? Completely flat in some moments and then puffs out in others. 

Wedding rings on or off? On 

Happy or moody? Happy- we are sooooo very blessed and remind ourselves of this everyday when we feel slightly overwhelmed with all we have going on.  Good thing we like being busy cause life sure isn't slowing down anytime soon.

Looking forward to? Halloween with Cole Man this year!!!  He wore his costume to a party this weekend and was quite the stud.  Can't wait for Friday when he gets to come to school with Dad for my classroom party and then for trick-or-treating that night!
Daddy moment?  Trent has officially made the "Must Do Before Baby O2" list and the amount of things on there is slightly scary.  Poor guy :(  Especially cause the majority of them I can't help out with.  One day at a time, one project at a time, right?!

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole Man was a trooper this weekend.  We were on the go non-stop and he was so happy no matter what we were doing.  At the Halloween party he participated in his first karaoke session and let's just say he was a BIG FAN.  He took control of one of the microphones and all he would sing was "Dadadada."  He definitely partied hard and slept like a rock that night. We also taught him how to lay down in the leaves so we could cover him up tonight.  He says "night-night" and lays down on the ground laughing like it's the funniest thing in the world.  Gosh, it's so fun experiencing everything through his eyes again.

25 Weeks

25 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of a rutabaga.  

Our little one weighs a pound and a half and is 13.5 inches long! This week he/she is beginning to put on some baby fat and the wrinkled skin will start smoothing out so the baby will look more like a newborn. Baby O2 is also growing more hair and if we could see it then we'd be able to tell its color and texture.

How far along? 25 Weeks

Total weight gain? Up 12 pounds.
Maternity clothes? Only in maternity pants.

Stretch marks? Nope- lathering on my cocoa butter.

Sleep? Once I can get comfy then I'm out the second I close my eyes.
Best moment this week? 3 day weekend of fun with my boys!
Miss anything? Being comfortable anytime I move, sneeze, or cough. 

Movement? All the time and still the most frequent at night.
Food cravings? Just my crack filled, I mean salted caramel drink from Starbucks.

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? 104ish days and then we'll know :)
Labor Signs? No- I'd hope not!
Symptoms? The rib pain I felt all this last week was no joke.  I coughed- it hurt, I bent down- it hurt, etc. Loading Cole in his carseat in the truck was enough to leave me gasping for air.  I won't even mention the moment that Harlee jumped up on the bed and her paw landed square on my ribs.  I'd be lying if I said I took it like a champ.  The solution according to Google- have the baby.  Umm, no thank you.  Looks like I'll be enjoying the rib pain for awhile longer now with a happy smile on my face.  Stay put little one and I'll just suck it up!

Belly button in or out? Completely flat in some moments and then puffs out in others. 

Wedding rings on or off? After a month and a half I finally got my rings back from the jewelers!!!  LOVE them. 

Happy or moody? Wasn't moody this last week, just tired from teaching all day and conferences all night. 

Looking forward to? Finally being healthy enough to meet our nephew, Ian, this coming weekend!!!
Daddy moment?  Thanks to Trent we actually got going on the nursery.  Nothing like 3.5 months to go or anything haha. This week he tore out the trim, patched all the holes, and did 2 coats of primer over the red.  He also picked up the barnwood and/or the pallets we'll use for the wood accent wall.  Then Lora was able to do the first coat of the light gray on the other 3 walls.  Love the color we chose- so light and airy that it makes the room feel a ton bigger than when it was red.

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole decided that he would get too big for his britches overnight this week and has asked to go night-night on his own 3 nights in a row now.  No rocking or cuddling, and even 30 minutes before his normal bedtime.  Makes mama super sad :( He has also started putting his hands and head on my belly and will say, "baby." His daycare has a 2 month old and she says he is so good with her and really likes looking at her.  Let's hope he does the same for his own baby!

24 Weeks

24 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of an ear of corn.  

Our little one weighs just over 1 pound (supposedly he/she gained 4 ounces in the last week) and is a foot long! The brain is growing quickly and taste buds continue to develop.  His/her lungs are also developing "branches" on the respiratory "tree."

How far along? 24 Weeks

Total weight gain? Up 11 pounds.
Maternity clothes? I finally gave in and put on the maternity jeans this week.  Love how comfy they are!  

Stretch marks? Nope- lathering on my cocoa butter.

Sleep? The body pillow has officially arrived and is helping me sleep sooo good.  Although I had one really rough night of coughing where I slept in the guest bedroom to give Trent a break.  I should finally start getting over this month long cold cause the doctor gave me antibiotics on Friday at our appointment to help me kick it.
Best moment this week? Having a 3 day weekend with my boys.  Love that Emporia lets you do work days offsite.  We took advantage of it on Friday with our doctor appointment, lunch out, running errands, and a nap.  It was awesome!
Miss anything? Nothing this week. 

Movement? All the time and still the most frequent at night.
Food cravings? Made some caramel apples tonight cause they looked amazing at the store.

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nothing

Gender? 112ish days and then we'll know :)
Labor Signs? No- I'd hope not!
Symptoms? I've had two days of slight heartburn and some major rib pains on my right side.  But I'm very thankful that the heartburn isn't too strong yet like it was with Cole. 

Belly button in or out? Almost completely flat which is no surprise since my baby app says my uterus is the size of a soccer ball.

Wedding rings on or off? Off and at the jewelers still...

Happy or moody? Overjoyed  

Looking forward to? Even though I have to pull two work days from 7:30-7:30 this week, I can't wait for the 3.5 weekend that follows it!  We finish up conferences on Thursday around 11 and then I'm off all weekend long!!

Daddy moment?  With another weekend spent at home we got sooo much done again.  Trent and I were able to completely clear the garage of boxes finally and were able to pull all 3 vehicles into the garage and the shop.  Trent is having a ball organizing all his tools in his new shop and got all the lighting put in this weekend.

Big Brother Cole moment: Cole absolutely loves going "aside" (which means outside) to hang with Dad.  He was oh so helpful organizing with Dad this weekend.  We also got in lots of "sing" time down back.  He races as fast as his legs will carry him to the gate at the side of the shop and put his whole arm through to point at his swing-set.  He goes straight to the swing every time and then will end up at the slide.

23 Weeks

23 Weeks: Baby O2 is the size of a large mango.  

He/she weighs just over 1 pound and is 11 inches long!  This week the baby has developed the sense of movement and his/her hearing has become more keen.  The baby hears what we hear, just muffled.

How far along? 23 Weeks

Total weight gain? Up 10 pounds.
Maternity clothes? Not yet but will probably be in the maternity pants before long.  Even with the rubberband or the belly band, the pants are having trouble staying pulled up to where they should be.  

Stretch marks? Nope- lathering on my cocoa butter.

Sleep? Still sleeping awesome- minus one night where I was up all night with violent/scary nightmares.  Lawn mower wrecks, stage 4 cancers, zombies, etc... all of them were awful and kept me awake!
Best moment this week? Taking Cole to the pumpkin patch to see his reaction :)  Oh man was he excited to look at and do everything.  Of course he loved the wagon ride, the tractor ride, climbing on the toys, and seeing the farm puppy.  I hope I can always remember the squeal he let out when he saw a bright yellow pumpkin in the field while we were pulling him in the wagon. We stopped to let him out and he ran straight to it.  Of course that's the one we had to get, so he "helped" Daddy cut it off the vine and everything.  He loves his little yellow pumpkin!
Miss anything? Nothing this week.

Movement? Still the most movement at night and big enough where you are starting to see my stomach bulge out.
Food cravings? Nothing crazy at all.

Anything making you queasy/sick? Nada!

Gender? 118ish days and then we'll know :)
Labor Signs? No- I'd hope not!
Symptoms? Crazy preggo dreams and the baby belly that even strangers are starting to notice now!

Belly button in or out? Still in but very shallow.

Wedding rings on or off? Off and at the jewelers still... :( Definitely ready to have them back!

Happy or moody? Happy/peaceful... amazing what a weekend at home will do for you!  After being gone all but one weekend in September it felt SO good to stay home and get some things done around the house.  The biggest one being that I finally had a chance to completely purge/organize my closet.  I was in my happy zone for those few hours while Trent and Cole did guy stuff.

Looking forward to? 3 day weekend woop woop!  Here in Emporia they let you do your workdays offsite.  So, on Friday we have a doctor appointment for the baby and then I can "work" from home ;)

Daddy/Big Brother Cole moment?  Trent's new toy, his riding lawn mower, arrived on Friday and it was like Christmas around here for the boys.  I honestly don't know who was more excited- Cole or Trent.  They both grinned and laughed like fools which of course melted me.  They had the best time riding around the yard together and Cole now walks himself right out to the shop nightly to go sit on the mower and make vroom noises.  He is all boy!!