My Finished Project

So here is a picture of my finished carrier. Someone liked it so much he wanted it back.



He is even pretending to suck his thumb cause he thinks all babies do that. LOL

Maddox This Week

It has been a crazy full week for our little man. One night he spent the evening with a low grade fever but never complained and it was down the by the next morning. He is such a tough guy.

He finished reciting Psalm 100 and got his treat box at school. Speaking of school today they had pumpkin day. He got to try out a few things made from pumpkin. He tried pumpkin seeds, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pie and something that he doesn't remember what it was. He really liked the pumpkin pie and the thing he doesn't remember. He said the pumpkin seeds were too salty. He got another prize this week for his memory verse.

On Thursday during Chapel they got to see Team Impact perform. He loved it so much he got his daddy to bring him back again for the night show. I think the boys had a blast. He came home with a book, T-shirt and a signed baseball bat. This morning he was showing off his muscles to I think it made an impact on him. If you would like to check out Team Impact their website is here.

TEAM IMPACT

Tonight the two of us went to the Ballunar Festival at NASA. We got there right as they were starting to blow up some of the balloons. We were right in front. Maddox took a few pictures of the balloons blowing up. He thought that was really cool. Then he decided he wasn't a fan of the fire and burried his head in my chest and proceeded to fall asleep. So I watched and took pics. It took me forever to wake him up.






And to top the week off we have been getting ready for Halloween. He can't wait to be Dark Vador (Darth Vador). Will post pictures of him in his costume soon.

Week 28 - The Chinese Cabbage

By this week, baby M weighs two and a quarter pounds (like a Chinese cabbage) and measures 14.8 inches from the top of her head to her heels. She can blink her eyes, which now sport lashes. With her eyesight developing, she may be able to see the light that filters in through your womb. She's also developing billions of neurons in her brain and adding more body fat in preparation for life in the outside world. Baby's lungs are mature enough that, if born right now, she has a pretty good chance of surviving (with help from medical technology). Her skin is still pretty wrinkly (one byproduct of living in amniotic fluid) but will smoothen as fat continues to deposit.

Week 27 - Our Head of Cauliflower

Today is a BIG day - It is Week 27! I am now 7 months along! and the beginning of the 3rd Trimester!

This week, baby M weighs almost 2 pounds (like a head of cauliflower) and is about 14 1/2 inches long with her legs extended. She's sleeping and waking at regular intervals, opening and closing her eyes, and perhaps even sucking her fingers. With more brain tissue developing, your baby's brain is very active now. While her lungs are still immature, they would be capable of functioning — with a lot of medical help — if she were to be born now. Chalk up any tiny rhythmic movements you may be feeling to a case of baby hiccups, which may be common from now on. Each episode usually lasts only a few moments, and they don't bother her, so just relax and enjoy the tickle.
We have about 2.5 months left to go. Time is passing so quickly and will keep zooming ahead as the Holiday season is approaching.

What's Up With Us!

Just a quick post to let you all know what we are up to!

Mel - Been busy with work. I have recently moved to a new office at work. It is a nice new space closer to most of the meeting we have to support which makes it nice. The only downer is it is a nice long walk from my car. This is also a plus since it makes me walk farther during the day. I have been feeling pretty good lately. Getting used to testing my sugar again and watching my carbs real closely. I have finished my big baby project (recovering the baby carrier/ car seat). I am hoping to have a picture for you all soon.

Max - He is moving his practice to a new location in a week and a half. It will be a big change but we are really looking forward to it. He has been spending his time split between family, work, Lions Club, Rotary Club and TCA. He is one busy man. I want to give him major props for really helping out at home when I don't feel so hot. He is a great Dad and Hubby.

Maddox - He is now fascinated by watching me test my blood sugar. He is enjoying school. I honestly wish that I had half of his energy. Most of you will laugh at this but we have made a MAJOR accomplishment lately. Maddox has slept in his own bed all night without waking up at all. He has done this twice in a week. He goes to bed by himself like a champ. The thing about him is he wakes up a bunch during the night and usually he comes to find us. We often walk him back to bed or he sneekily climbs in to bed with us. So him sleeping in his bed and not waking up is HUGE!! He is doing great at school. We have our first teacher/parent meeting tomorrow. I am really looking forward to it.

Baby M - So far so good. She likes to kick and roll. Maddox loves to put his hand on my belly and feel her move. Every once and a while I get lucky and can hear her heartbeat with the stethoscope. I have a bunch of Baby M projects that I want to work on before she arrives. Hard to believe that tomorrow will be the 3rd trimester.

Week 26 - An English Hothouse Cucumber

This week in baby growth news...
The network of nerves in baby M's ears is better developed and more sensitive than before. She may now be able to hear both my voice and those around me as we chat with each other. She's inhaling and exhaling small amounts of amniotic fluid, which is essential for the development of her lungs. These so-called breathing movements are also good practice for when she's born and takes that first gulp of air. And she's continuing to put on baby fat. She now weighs about a pound and two-thirds and measures 14 inches (an English hothouse cucumber) from head to heel.

A Real Bummer

Well I was prepared for this but still hoping it wouldn't happen. I once again have Gestational Diabetes because of my low blood sugar. So starting pretty soon I will have to test 4 times a day after meals and keep a food journal. Sounds lovely doesn't it. The problem is now I will have to be even more vigilant about not eating too many carbs or things with sugar. So I will be real close again to my OneTouch Ultra Smart again. I can honestly say I haven't missed it over the last 5 years at all. Also have slightly low iron levels but had already started to take my iron pills so I will just keep taking those to hopefully bring my iron back up. I am still really happy with how the test went yesterday as it was a much more pleasant experience than when I had the test all three times with Maddox.

Appointment #6 (10-12-10)

So this morning was my sixth appointment with Dr.Mundy to check up on little M. Today was also my Glucose Test. Since last time around I had Gestational Diabetes I opted to skip the 1 hour test and go straight for the 3 hour test. My motto was lets get this over with asap. So I checked in at 8am and had my first fasting draw at 8:20. No problemo! The tech did a great job and it was quick and painless. She got about 5 vials on the first draw. Not sure what all extra tests they wanted all that red stuff for but I guess we will see next visit or before if it isn't good. Then she handed me the 100mg glucose orange drink. It was like drinking orange soda syrup...yucky. She said I had 5 minutes to choke it down. I did it rather quickly just to get it over with. Then I went to the waiting room and filled out my pre-registration for the hospital. That really makes you feel like things are right around the corner. I then got called back for the appointment part of the visit. Everything looked fine. Waiting about 20 min to see Dr. Mundy. The only question I had was if we were doing a C-section again when would he do it. He said just what I though 39 weeks. That lovely day is Jan 13th. i think that would be a great day unless she decides to come sooner. When I finished talking to him it was time for my second draw. Pulling off that gauze and tape owwy. She stuck me quick and it was only a little painful. Then it was time for the ultrasound to check on baby M. She was kicking up a storm after all that sugar. LOL Everything looked good. Got yet another new tech in training. M weighs in at 2lbs 1oz. Everything looked great. If you check out the picture above she is waving at you all! After we were done I went back up and waited in the front. Time flew by and before I knew it time for #3. This one as well was in the same spot so it was a little sore but she was very quick so no pain for long. I then went back to the waiting room for another of down time before the final draw. This couple was sitting next to me with there new baby in a stroller. Every time the little boy would cough she would shake him like crazy. I felt bad for the little tyke. The father kept using the F-word over and over. It made that last hour pass slower than the previous ones but I had brought plenty of magazines to keep me busy. Then it was time for the last draw of the day. I was so excited. I hadn't felt bad the whole time so hopefully that is good news. She stuck me the 4th time which felt like the previous two. I will probably have a nice pretty bruise cause all 4 were in the same spot but she did a terrific job! So if I pass I don't hear from them till next appointment and if I didn't pass I will hear from them in the next few days. Lets hope I get the no news is good news on this one!

Family Pictures

The first weekend of October we got our pictures taken by a family friend of mine, Charity Sizelove Teal. Our families were really close when we lived in Oklahoma. She has turned a photo hobby of hers into a new business. I must say that I have been absolutely impressed by all of her work. Her family is using the money they raise from her photos to adopt a child from Uganda. Hopefully they will reach their goal and bring home a child in the next 6 months. If you get a chance please take a minute to check out her amazing pictures on her website and blog.
CATPHOTOGRAPHY

Week 25 - The Average Rutabaga

Head to heels, baby M now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half (more like over 2lbs now) — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture. She is growing by leaps and bounds right now. Under her skin, capillaries are forming and filling with blood and by week's end, air sacs (also lined with capillaries) will develop in her lungs, getting them ready for that first breath. Mind you, those lungs aren't ready for prime time just yet — but they are developing surfactant, a substance that will help them expand after birth. And speaking of breathing, your baby's tiny nostrils, which have been plugged up until now, are starting to open, and her vocal chords are getting ready to roar. Only 105 more days to go!

First Kindergarten Field Trip

Today I had the honor of escorting my son on his first field trip in Kindergarten. The trip was to the Bayou Wildlife Park. Personally we have been about a half dozen times or more. It is a great place to experience animals up close.