Church Shower

This is the shower my Mom, Kendra and some other friends and family hosted for me at church.
Kendra and I finally had to ban my mom from doing anything else! haha

our baby Showers!

I have been really slack about updating out blog! So I figured I would catch everyone up. Here are some pictures from our couples shower Jared and Jess hosted for us! The best part was when Rich had to try and guess what was melted in each diaper! Lucky for him it was just candy bars! haha

Let the countdown begin!

So we're down to 10.5 weeks! This is Jess and I at family fest this weekend. She and I are due 1 day apart so we're trying to see who will make to the hospital first!

24 Weeks and Growing!

So I've been a complete and utter slacker when it come to keeping up with this blog since we found out we're having a girl!
I'm 24 weeks and Lilla is growing like crazy. She is currently up to 1lbs and about 13.5 inches long. I had my Glucose test on Friday so these are recent Ultrasound pics of our little girl. The tech was laughing at the top left picture because she said Lilla looked like she was just lounging in a hammock!
Richard finally felt Lilla kick him the other day. The look on his face was priceless when he felt that little nudge for the first time. His eyes got big and this huge smile came across his face, you could tell he was really excited. I was teasing him and said yeah it's great until it's your ribs she is doing that too! ha ha
It is crazy to think that we are at the end of March and it just 3 1/2 months Lilla will be here. I can't believe how fast this is going by. I mean my first shower is just 19 days away. Speaking of showers, creating a baby registry is the MOST complicated, confusing thing I have ever done! Rich and I went to target this weekend to finish up our registry. Every store has something different, the stupid gun won't let you register for "seasonal" items and it won't let you register for what they call "low inventory" items which you know they have to carry all the time. I mean since when did bottles become a "low inventory" item! ugh good grief!
Other than that everything is going great! I walk by Lilla's room and peak in, I can't wait till there is actually a little baby in there. I sometimes go in there and sit in the rocker and just think about rocking that sweet little girl when she gets here!!!

ahhh baby feet!...I can't wait to kiss little baby feet!

IT's A....................

Baby's digestive system is busy creating meconium (a tarry black substance made of swallowed amniotic fluid, digestive secretion and dead cells), which will fill the first diaper after birth. And, speaking of the diaper situation... baby's genitals are now fully formed!

WE'RE HAVING A GIRL!

We found out on Friday that we are having a little girl! Rich and I both are soo excited! We had decided that we did not want to find out in the dr. office, we wanted to go somewhere and open it together. So Friday morning we got up...argued about if we were going to be on time or not. Those of you that know my husband know that he lives in his own time zone so I never know if he will be on time or not. We then made our way to Memorial Hospital where the ultrasound was going to be. After waiting for what seemed like forever we finally got to make our way back to the ultrasound room. Our Tech was so nice, she couldn't stop laughing at Rich and his commentary of the whole situation. Somehow he ended up quoting the movie Friday and after that the tech loved him even more. So right off the bat we explained what we wanted to do. Rich had two envelops, one had a slip of paper in it that said It's a Girl and the other had one that said It's a boy. We asked the tech to not tell us what the gender was but after we left, place the picture in the correct envelope.

She proceeded to look at the baby which was not willing to wake up long enough for us to get a good luck. We later found out it was my fault because I did not eat breakfast. She actually told me to eat cake or brownies for breakfast the next time I have an ultra sound! That would not be a problem! While shaking my belly, trying to get the baby to move she pointed out different organs and what not... she could have been showing me an ink blot test for all I knew. How she knew what was what I'll never understand. It was just grey and white circles and blogs! At one point she said "did you see that? the baby just showed me what it was"...did I see what??? It could have been spread eagle and I still wouldn't have known what I was looking at!

After the ultra sound she came out with our envelops and Rich and I went on our way.

We had lunch at Fall's Cottage downtown which overlooks the park. When we got the the restaurant we were greeted with some beautiful flowers my Sister-in-Law Julia and family had sent us. They were so pretty...pink and blue! Finally during dessert Rich decided we could open the envelopes.

He opened one and it just had pictures in it...so he opened the other one. He didn't say anything he just looked at me and smiled. By this time I'm about to come across the table. The he tells me to try and guess...well considering I only have two options my odds are pretty good. Then he goes well it goes with one of the flowers in our arrangement... well that didn't help me. Then he said one of the flowers sounds like the name...we had a LilyMy eyes lit up and I immediately began to get teary eyed. Rich shook his head yes and said It's a girl! He handed me the envelope so I could see for myself. Tears started rolling down my face and Rich got teary eyed. I didn't know what to say...we just looked at each other and smiled huge smiles.

We now can call peanut/ Hula (that's for you Jimmi Leigh) by name... Lilla Elaine!

Wow...what a nice Mango!!!

Vernix caseosa, a greasy white substance made of lanugo, oil and dead skin cells (yum) now coats baby's skin, shielding it from the amniotic fluid. (Picture yourself after a nine-month bath, and the need for protection makes sense.) You might actually get to see the vernix at birth, especially if baby is premature.


Today I am 19 weeks! My little mango is growing and growing and loves to start kicking right about the time I lay down. Although the little kicks and punches still only feel like little air bubbles or stomach gurgling. I know it won't be too much longer until I'll really be able to feel them. We find out in 1 week what peanut is and I absolutely can't wait. So far it's mixed reviews on what it's going to be. I say boy because so far that's been the trend at work...that's what the Chinese Gender Calendar says...and the old pencil test. However, everyone at work says Girl, along with Rich and several of our friends. So in the end who really knows.

So far we haven't bought any bedding yet or anything else major. We're waiting to find out what it is. However, we have been looking at strollers and pack-n-plays. I've decided if you want to a millionaire you need to come up with a stroller design that actually works when you try and fold it up! Rich and I along with my parents have been testing out strollers everywhere we go. More than once we have been defeated by these suv's for kids. I mean really... who needs a stroller that has GPS, a strollometer, MP3 hook up and 14 cup holders???? really??? and of course you can't function without having it all. I mean 24 years ago when I was an infant what did my mother do...push me around in a "regular" stroller??? OF COURSE SHE DID!! I find it so hard to believe that strollers really need to cost $300. Then I realized they trick you. You find a cheap stroller with no bells and whistles, at a good price, but when you go to fold the stupid thing up you almost lose your religion because it just doesn't work. You have to push this button pull this lever while standing on this pedal.... really? What do you do with the kid in the mean time? Oh you just put it on the ground...because you need all 4 appendages to close the stupid stroller. So then when you finally find a stroller that doesn't take you and 4 other people to fold it you realize you are looking at the super dooper suv of strollers... ugh it's exhausting! And in the mean time don't even get me started on the pack-n-plays!! They are ten times worse when it comes to folding them up too!

OK so other than strollers and pack-n-plays I'm looking forward to picking out everything else!

Eating for one and a Sweet Potato!

18 Weeks! 2 Weeks till we find out what Peanut is!

Your fetus has become amazingly mobile (at least compared to you), passing the hours yawning, hiccuping, rolling, twisting, kicking, punching, sucking and swallowing. And, baby's finally big enough that you'll be able to feel those movements soon.


So today we have welcomed two babies! Quinn Okupinski and Finn Robinson! Finn was born yesterday and Quinn was born today! Of course right away pictures went flying around the office and all the oooing and awwwing began. I on the other hand began to have a panic attack! After listening to what Anna went through... going to the hospital and being there all day... pushing for 2.5 hours and then finally the baby being born shortly after midnight my heart began to beat hard and thoughts started whirling through my head. OH MY GOSH!!! I will be there in 5 months! Holy peach fuzz! 5 Months is not that long when you start thinking about it. I asked Richard what he would do if I went into labor at work and he said "well we know Anne can take good care of you...so just spin around in your seat and let her know. I'll meet you at the hospital, your mom can tell me how it all goes and I'll see you in your room!" After he picked himself back up off the floor from where I decked him (just kidding...I only threw a spoon at him) I informed him that he WOULD be in the room with me, he had no choice in the matter. If he can take part in making it he better take part in birthing it too! haha

Tomorrow I'll be 18 weeks! It's so exciting because now my belly is really starting to grow and I can feel more and more little kicks. I've taken some belly pics and I need to post them, I've just been really slack!

Either I ate a Mexican Jumping bean or the baby just kicked me!

Yesterday (Feb 4th) I was sitting in my chair at work and then all of a sudden I felt these three little taps. The first one I didn't realize what it was but when it happened again I realized peanut was trying to get my attention! It was the most amazing feeling ever! I've been sitting in the same position today thinking that peanut might decide to do a little afternoon aerobics...so far no such luck.

Tomorrow I will be 17 weeks and peanut will upgrade to an onion. Only a couple more weeks till we find out what we're having. So far bets are....Girl. So I guess we'll just have to wait and see!
I have a feeling it's going to be the longest 3 weeks ever!!!!!!!!!

Chips and Dip anyone??

"Watch what you say... tiny bones forming in baby's ears mean the little one can now pick up your voice. Eyebrows, lashes and hair are starting to fill in, and taste buds are forming. And, if you're interested, an ultrasound might be able to determine gender. "


So today I am 16 weeks and I just got back from the Doctor. I haven't updated this thing all week because there really hasn't been a lot to report. Today at the Dr. visit we heard peanuts heart beat at a whopping 160 beats per minute. Doc said everything sounded great, my weight was great ( any man who says this is has the key to my heart! haha) and all tests came back just fine. On Feb. 27th we'll find out if we're having a Lilla or a Landon! We've decided that we are not going to find out in the doctor's office but have the Dr. put the picture in an envelope along with a slip of paper that says either Lilla or Landon. We're going to seal up the envelope and take it to dinner where we are going to open it together and have a little celebration! (I say this...and it sounds like a wonderful idea but I don't know if I can handle the suspense!)
When I was talking to the nurse today she told me I would probably start to feel the baby move around next week! This is really exciting to me because I've only ever been able to feel one baby kick (in someone else stomach of course!) Every other belly I've touched, no matter how hard the baby is kicking, he could be doing karate on the mom's ribs, as soon as I touch her belly the baby freezes! I have no idea why!!! It's like I'm either really calming or just a freak of nature. The same thing goes for the whole pencil test (you know where you attach a pencil to a needle an piece of string and hold it over a pregnant girls wrist to see if it's a boy or girl.) I cannot perform this test. The pencil will not move at all! I had a friend tell me it meant that I have a high energy. Well just ask anyone that sits around me and they could have told you that!

Other than that there isn't a lot going on.... My 24th birthday is Monday! Whoo hoo! We were suppose to go over to my parent's house and have dinner with the family but we think they have the black plague or something like that! I want no part of it... I'm not going over there until they Lysol the whole house! haha No, seriously if there is one thing I hate among all other things in this world it is throwing up! I would rather eat moth balls or something like that than be throwing up all day.

OJ anyone?

Continuing the march towards normal proportions, baby's legs now outmeasure the arms. And, finally, all four limbs have functional joints. Your fetus is squirming and wiggling like crazy down in the womb, though you probably still can't feel the movements.


15 Weeks tomorrow! Wow that seems like a long time but it's really not. It has gone by really fast! The exciting part is I'm finally starting to really show and it doesn't look like I'm just chunky, you can actually tell I'm pregnant! hahah I go for my 16 week check up next friday and I can't wait because I want to hear peanuts heartbeat again! After we hit the 16 week mark it will only be 4 more weeks until we can finally find out what peanut will be! Boy or Girl I dont' care.... honestly I don't. I just want a healthy baby. There are positives for both genders...I mean little girls are so much fun to dress up and are so cute and sweet, but there is something about little boys and their mommies! I mean if it's a boy that means I'm still the only female in the house so the chances of me still getting all the attention is pretty high! haha I'm just kidding, I would gladly share the attention with my little girl. (granted, I probably won't have a chance to spoil her because my mother would get to her first!) Either way I'll be happy! :)

Elephants...bears...and dogs OH MY!!!

I don't know if it's just Mommie thoughts kicking in or what, but last night as I was laying in bed I had a random thought.... We are responsible for picking out our child's favorite stuffed animal! I mean granted it's just some fur with cotton batting inside but stuffed animals are a big deal!! I had "Pup and Stuff" which I slept with every night up until I went to college and then even in college Pup went with me. Pup was this little pink and white puppy that I received when I had my tonsils taken out, then there was Brownie which was this little brown bear which I think I got for a birthday and then Ellie the elephant which I won at a school fundraiser! These three protected me for many years from any boogie man or monster and not to mention "Rawhide and bloody bones" (which was my Great-Grand Mothers version of the boogie man! I mean what kid wouldn't be terrified of a man with no skin that kidnapped little kids! I'm think Granny may have contributed to my fear of the dark, thus the reason why I needed my Pup and Stuff in the first place!) that might be lurking in my closet or under the bed.
Now Rich on the other hand has Ralph. Ralph is probably by far the best pillow I've ever used. Ralph is this big over sized dog that him mother bought for him one Christmas (I think) Obviously he loves this animal because Ralph has been sewn together and patched so many times and his stuffing is all matted together and in clumps. I gained custody of Ralph when I was in college, most girls get to wear their boyfriends frat pin or their college ring...oh no I got Ralph (which later I found out was almost as good as getting a diamond right there on the spot.) Rich did not give up custody easily and he would come steal him back occasionally. So see, our stuffed little friends play a very important roles in our lives so now I have the same responsibility for my own child. Where do you start? How do you even begin to know what will protect your child and provide comfort? Such a difficult job...

Ladies and Gentleman....We have a lemon!

"Your adorable little fetus is busy with thumb sucking, toe wiggling, and (not so cute but equally amazing) making urine and breathing amniotic fluid as the liver, kidneys and spleen continue to develop. Lanugo (thin, downy hair) is growing all over the body for warmth" (thebump.com)

Ok so we have a furry lemon, somehow I'm imagining a moldy lemon with green fur on it...i surely hope thats not what the baby looks like! haha

I will be done with my 1st trimester tomorrow it sounds odd saying I'm in my second trimester. It sounds like I dont have that far to go...ohh but that is not the case at all. It's been funny because one of my friends/co-workers sits right beside me and she is about to pop any day now. It has been amazing to watch her belly grow and to feel little Quinn kick. It seems unreal that, that is going to be me in a few months. Sometimes I forget about peanut being there because I can't feel him/her yet. My only reminder are the horrible headaches and the little roundness of my belly...which I still haven't figured out if it's the baby or the rainbow sherbet! :) Either way, it's kind of cute!

HEY THERE REALLY IS A BABY IN THERE!!

So today I'm 13.5 and I had an ultrasound done for our 1st Trimester screening. Everything looked great. Our little peanut was wiggling around so much the nurse couldn't get peanut to lay the right way. It was awesome to sit there and just watch the baby move. Peanut was rolling from side to side...waving... kicking...and jumping up and down. It was like he/she was saying Hi Mommy! Hi Grammy ( my mom went with me today because Rich is in Chicago.)
The screening went well the Doc said everything looked fine-n-dandy!

Just a little update!

so as of tomorrow I am 13 weeks! Whoo hoo we have a peach! Now someone needs to explain this to me, just because they compare the size of the baby to fruit...this shouldn't mean that is the only I want to eat but it is! All i want is fruit! So if this is the case, what happens when the baby becomes an onion or a cantaloupe?? I don't like either one of those... just food for thought!
Anyway, on Monday I go for our Downs Syndrome testing (not that we have anything to worry about, we just saw it as another opportunity to see the baby again.) My mom is going with me because she's never actually seen an ultrasound done before... when I told the nurse this you could tell she was very confused and then asked, did your mother never have an ultra sound? When I said no, there was an awkward silence and then I proceeded to her her that I was adopted. You could hear the relief in her voice as if she really thought I was born to one of those women who don't know they are pregnant until they sit on the toilet and a baby pops out! haha

So far this week I've felt pretty good. I'm still really tired but nothing major. I am looking forward to having energy again.

In the beginning you think 9 months is a really long time, but time is going by pretty fast right now. In 5 1/2 weeks we find out what the baby is. I thought 20 weeks seemed soooo long, but it will be here before we know and then my mother will begin her shopping spree of buying either blue or pink! (even if it's blue I think she will secretly buy pink and stash it away in hopes of the 2nd grandchild being a girl!)

crackers...soup...and my multiple personalities

You know, I really thought that morning sickness was going to escape me. I was going to be one of the few that wasn't going to have to stick to the Sprite and Saltines. Well my luck changed on me in the matter of a couple of days! Between last night and today morning sickness has made it's presence loud and clear. Between sleeping all day... being annoyed at anything and everything and being hungry but nothing seems to taste very good...I haven't been able to get anything done. I will say however I've kept Richard busy! He has been such a wonderful husband catering to my every need and doing everything he can to help out around the house. Today I wanted soup and not just any soup it had to be a particular kind. I was so sure we had it in the pantry. When Rich brought it up to me it wasn't "my soup" (granted he didn't know the difference) I ate two bites and couldn't eat anymore, so then I asked for mac and cheese. Rich gladly went downstairs and made me mac and cheese. I ate about half and couldn't eat anymore! Poor thing, I run him ragged, I know I do but he would never tell me if I was bothering him.
So I say all that to say this, I couldn't ask for a better husband!

Excitedly Expecting!

I must say that this is the first Blog that I have ever posted. The fact is I am very excited to share my life with those who care. You see, I have done a lot of personal reflection since I found out that I was going to be a father. I still remember the morning that my wife woke me up from my slumber with that test...she had passed! She was so excited that we had finally concieved. Not that we had been trying that long but you never know just what obsticles you may face when it comes to begining a family. We were blessed in so many ways the day that we found out we were expecting. I guess I never fully realized that at that moment when you first become a father you actually are. Until I was in 5th grade the only father figures that I had in my life had been my Grandaddy, Mr. Ben (my across the street neighbor), and Mr. Parsons who lived two doors down. The reason that I state this is to say I was raised by an incredible mom who somehow did it all but I never got to see how a father raises his own family. Being a father means being a father to both your wife in a responsibility sense and to your child. There are not many chores that I enjoy and I am pretty selfish with my time but as soon as you become pregnant there are things that your wife's body just wont allow her to do. Now I know that she still is physically able to everything that she is used to doing but the drive is just not there. Imagine coming home feeling like you are exhausted everyday. I guess thats how Sara feels. We both use to go to bed at 11:30-12:00. Now she is out by 8:30 and I just can't sleep. So when the fatigue set in fatherhood began. Granted I am not any better than the next and in fact my not be as good but I do try to help as much as I can. When your a father you have to be the leader of the pack. No not the end all be all but I think that you are truly the support unit for the family. I never got to see this growing up in my younger years and now I sure hope that I get it all right. This is new to me and to my wife but I can tell you that I am surely excited about it. Dont read anything into this but it is 3:13 pm on Saturday the 10th of January and I am sitting on my back deck grilling some pork ribs for my family Julia, Tim, Stephen, and I. All the while I have been listening to the birds chirp and feed at the feeder and I have been watching our two dogs playing in the back yard all day and the only thing that I can think of is man this is going to be cool to have a little one to watch run and play and to share my life with. I was very blessed growing up to have the amazing family that I had to support and nurture me a nd help me grow. I hope that I can get this father hood thing right and I know that I will. More importantly though I want nothing but the best for my family and I am truly blessed to have the opportunity to be the father that I never had early on in my life. Children truly are God's gift! Well its time to baste some ribs and stoke my fire but I will be back to write again!

Our First Post

So this is our first post on here! Hopefully we'll be able to keep you all updated on whats going on inside the Maxwell House hold! As most of you already know Rich and I are expecting our first child in July. We're both super excited! Below is our first glimpse of our little one! Today (Jan 2, 2009) was our second Dr. appointment. We heard the little plums heartbeat which was at 170 bpm (a dr. friend told us, that sounds like a girl! haha) I am 12 weeks today which means the little thing is the size of a plum...last week it was a lime which is baffaling to me because they are completely different shape so it's hard to compare! The baby is about 2.1 inches and .5 oz. We go back later this week for an ultrasound. I'm excited to see the difference...hopefully this time it won't look like a little seahorse! We have alreayd picked out names, if it is a boy his name will be Landon Philip (We just like Landon, but Philip is my dad's name) and if it's a girl her name will be Lilla Elaine (We found out Lilla is a family name after we had already picked it and Elaine is my Mema's name, my moms middle name and my middle name.