Eric's 6 Month Photos

We had planned to do Eric's 6 Month photos outside at the Anderson House, but it ended up being so cold and rainy that day. We got an idea to just throw some pumpkins in front of a brick wall at my Grandma's house and had Eric sit in an old egg basket. I think they turned out pretty well! Here's a few of the best shots.

Eric's First Halloween

 I haven't really had the chance to update lately, but I am going to do my best to post more often. Last week we got to experience Halloween for the first time with our son. We originally picked out a bear costume for him. I bought it when I was only 3 months pregnant. Well, that didn't work out because it was locked in the trunk of our car that was in the body shop. Here are a couple pictures of the first costume. It was so adorable, but I'm ok that it didn't work out.

Our little bear!

Well, we decided to go Trick or Treating with my sister's family. We had a great time. We ended up getting Eric a zebra costume at the last minute. I think it turned out pretty well! So here are a few fun photos from Eric's very first Halloween!

My sister's family and us on Halloween.

Eric with his Godmother, Stephanie.

Our little zebra, just enjoying his stroller.

I had a great time too!

My nephew Owen as a skeleton!

This was Owen's first Halloween as well.

Could it be? 5 months for my Boogie?

Oh goodness... where is the time going?! Boogie a.k.a. Eric a.k.a. stinky love of my life, turned 5 months old on the 13th! I can hardly believe it. This little boy is growing up way too fast for me. It's been quite a while since I last updated, but I do have a good reason for that! My laptop bit the dust, that was a disappointment! Thankfully, Ryan is a computer genius and had been backing my computer up to a remote location and everything was safe! At first I thought I had lost every single wedding picture and all the pictures and videos of Eric since the day he was born. Not the case! They are all safe and sound!

Finally loving tummy time!

 Well, at lot has happened in the past two months, but I'll just hit the highlights to prevent writing a book. Little man is now 13.3lbs and 24.25" long. That means he has gained a pound and a half and grew 2 inches since his pedi visit a month ago. This little guy is on a mission to catch up! He changes every single day right before my eyes. I love it and it makes me sad at the same time. It is going way too fast. He got this shots last week and that was NOT fun. I didn't think these would be that bad, especially since he slept all day after his 2 month shot.

Still smiling with all those shots!

 Not the case. He was miserable, miserable, MISERABLE! Cried, fussed, screamed, had fevers, etc... It only lasted a couple days, but it wasn't pleasant. Ryan even slept in the basement because he knew Eric wasn't going to sleep. Well, he finally got over than and then Sunday night started sneezing a lot. Come Monday, he had a runny nose, sneezing, lots of spitting up, and a splotchy red face. I just thought he had allergies or was getting a cold. By Tuesday, he was running a fever and was extremely congested. We went to help my sister that day, since she was sick and my nephew Owen was getting sick too. Poor Eric couldn't keep a dry face between his nose and teething. By Wednesday morning, he began coughing, so I put a call in to his pediatrician. We got an appointment for Thursday. Turns out, he has strep and an ear infection!! My poor little guy is sick as a dog. The splotches on his face were a dead giveaway to the nurse and doctor that he had strep. I felt awful for him, no wonder he was so fussy! I really didn't think infants could get strep. I know it is pretty rare for it to happen, but strep is running rampant through the schools right now, so I guess it does happen. Well anyway, Boogie got an antibiotic and diphenhydramine. Within an hour of taking his first dose, he was already breathing better. He slept a lot, but I knew the medicine would make him sleepy. That's not a bad thing though. His poor little body needs the rest and so does this momma! He got his second dose tonight and is now resting peacefully.

Boogie finally got to go on his real first outing last month. Grandma, Aunt Anna, cousin Bella, Boogie, and I went to the KC Zoo for the day. It was a great day to go and Eric just loves Bella. He watches her all the time and she is fascinated with him as well. We finally got to use the stroller that Grandpa M. got us and it worked great! The car seat hooks into it and it is very easy to use. Eric hates the car seat, but he LOVED the stroller! We walked around for several hours and he didn't fuss once. When he got tired he just dozed off! Here is a picture of the little guy from his first trip to the zoo!

Wearing his froggies for the zoo!

We have a lot coming up withing the next few months and we are excited! We are going for our first weekend trip away in a few weeks. We are attending a friend's wedding out in Kansas. Boogie gets to stay in a hotel for the first time. We are also going to St. Louis at the end of the month. We'll see how he does on a three hour car ride, hopefully he sleeps most of it. I'll have to sit in the back to entertain him. We get his six month, yes, 6 month, pictures done next month. I cannot believe we are even getting close to that! I have a few things picked out that will make these pictures just as adorable as the last ones. He is pretty photogenic already, so that helps. Doesn't hurt having a photographer for a grandpa! We are REALLY looking forward to Grandpa & Grandma M coming out next month! John hasn't got to meet Eric yet, so this will be a really special event! I will have to take lots of pictures and videos for that! Then, we will be taking Boogie on his very first airplane ride for Thanksgiving. We are flying to Washington to be with Ryan's family. Ryan's brother and his family will finally get to meet Eric as well. I can't wait to see the girls either.


Well, I'll end this with just a couple pictures of the last couple months. I'll keep this a little more updated now that I have a better working laptop! Until we meet again!

Wore himself out!

First time eating solids - sweet potatoes!

My baby is 3 months old!

My Little Bear!

I can hardly believe that 3 months has gone by already. My itty bitty baby is not so itty bitty anymore. Ok, well he's still a tiny guy, but he's far from the 4lb10oz newborn I brought home from the hospital! He's now 10lbs3oz and 22.5". That means he's gained close to 6 pounds and has grown 6 inches! He is on a mission to be a big boy!

Our Tiny Family

Eric turned 3 months on the 13th and it brought about several different emotions with it. Of course I am thrilled that my little guy is growing and thriving, but I am also somewhat sad that he is not the snuggly little infant he was just a few weeks ago. Come to think of it, he doesn't like to be snuggled like that anymore unless it's bed time. He hates to be faced away from the action. He is so involved with the world around him now. He wants to watch everything all the time. He will throw a fit if you try to hold him facing your chest. He likes to be turned around and preferably bounced on your leg at the same time. Eric loves movement, whether it be walking around, bouncing, etc... He will only tolerate the swing now for 10 minutes tops. He wants to be out and about. According to my mother-in-law, he's just like his daddy. Always on the go and not happy if he can't be. He's also going through some sleep changes. He went from sleeping a lot, to fighting off naps as much as he can. Going to bed at night also became a fight. We finally had to get him on a schedule. He goes to bed at 9:00pm each night now and is usually down for good by 10:00pm. He still wakes to feed 2-3 times a night, but will sleep until 9-10 the next morning. I did manage to get him to take 4 naps today somehow. They are short, 1 hour naps, but naps none the less. I think the new air conditioner made a huge difference, so he is more comfortable to sleep. I can't say I blame him being cranky with this ridiculous Missouri heat.

My Beautiful Baby Boy

One new struggle is that he only wants me at bedtime. I know this is hard on Ryan because he feels like he can't comfort his son. It is frustrating for him and it can be for me also. They are bonding extremely well otherwise. Eric will coo and talk to Ryan in a way that he doesn't do with me. He just "talks" up a storm when Ryan talks to him and smiles at him. I absolutely love it. I love sitting and watching the two of them get to know one another. They are going to be extremely close as Eric gets older and that makes me very happy. Of course I know he'll always be my little boy, but he has his daddy wrapped around his little finger.

My Heart

We are trying to plan a little family vacation for a weekend sometime before the summer is up. We haven't been able to do anything yet since we are moving soon and since Ryan has been working such long hours and weekends. I think we've decided that we are going to take Amtrak to St. Louis for a weekend. I don't want to make Eric sit in his car seat for 3-4 hours straight. That would make me grumpy too! Taking the train will allow us to sit back and relax. We'll probably hit up the zoo, the city museum, and the Science Center or Magic House. Hopefully we'll be able to meet up with some of my college friends while we're there too so they can finally meet Eric. We really wanted to go to Omaha this summer, but due to the flooding this year, it doesn't look like that is a possibility. I'll just have to take lots of pictures, because little man certainly won't remember a thing! I just want him to be able to look back at all the pictures someday to see the fun things we've done as a family.

We'll be moving to Lexington in just a couple more weeks. It's only temporary, but it makes me sad. We're moving out of our first home together. We lived here when we were dating, when we got married, and this is Eric's first home. I don't like that he'll never remember living here, but that's what we have to do in order for me to stay home with him. Well, this house is kind of crappy anyway, so it's not really a loss. I'm just sentimental about it I guess. The plus side is that we'll be living with my mom for a while, Eric's "GeeBee". He loves her and she is so excited to be able to see him more often. It is definitely going to save us a ton of money too, so that helps a lot! Once I return back to work next year, we'll finally be able to start looking to buy a home. That will be nice! I would really like to be somewhere permanent before we even start to think about Eric having a sibling. We'll just see what happens. We're flexible people.

He is my reason for living!

Well, this post kind of went all over the place, but I got out most of what has been on my mind. Boogie is growing faster than ever and I wish time would slow down just a little bit. At this rate, he'll be a year old before we know it. My beautiful little baby boy is growing up so fast! I've included pictures in this post that my cousin Josie took for Eric's 3 Months. They are absolutely fantastic pictures and I look forward to doing several more shoots with her in the future. I'm out of here for now!

Eric's 2 Month Well Baby Appointment

I took Eric to the pediatrician this past Wednesday for his 2 month well baby visit. It was a couple weeks later than I would have liked because it takes so long to get an appointment. Thankfully I know this now and will be able to make his 4 month appointment on time. Anyway, he was supposed to get his shots that day. That was a no go. He had been so fussy for two days so the pedi wouldn't give him his shots. She was worried that we wouldn't be able to tell the difference between a reaction to his immunizations or him just being extremely fussy. While I was a bit disappointed we had to come back again, I was glad he wasn't going to feel even worse. She just told us to come back next week and go to the immunizations office and they would do them there without an appointment.


Eric got his regular check-up while we were there as well. At 11 weeks, Eric is now 9.3lbs, 21.5", and has a 15.16" head. That means he's gained almost 5 pounds since birth and he's grown 5 inches! I know he's still a tiny little guy, but he's growing so fast. His pedi also decided to up his dose of Zantac since he has gained 2 pounds since his last appointment. Now we don't have to go back until he's 4 months for his well baby exam and immunizations. I've heard those shots are worse, but I guess we'll wait and see.

Eric sort of fit into his very first 0-3 month outfit this week. It was really loose on the sides, but his torso is long enough that it fit, sort of. It could be that this outfit was a hand-me-down and has been washed & dried a few times and it shrunk, because the rest of his 0-3 outfits are still too big. This little guy is skinny enough thought that preemie shorts still fit in the waist. There is no doubt he's going to end up tall and slender when he gets older, just like Ryan.

Well, we have lots planned for this 4th of July weekend, some things we have already done. I will save all of that for another post next week though. Until we meet again!

Ryan & Callie's 2 Year Dating Anniversary!

The night we started dating 6--26-09

6-26-2009. It's amazing how fast the past two years have gone. This time last year, Ryan and I decided to go downtown with several of our mutual friends. We were just going as friends too, but we left as something more than that. I knew I had developed feelings for Ryan, but after talking to my sister I was convinced that the feelings weren't mutual. It was disappointing, but I was ok with that. Ryan had just been through a nasty divorce. I could understand why he wouldn't be ready to start dating again.

Well, we met up with our friends at Johnny's Pour House. It was just another night out and we were having a good time. I knew I couldn't stay out very late because I had to work at 8:00am the next morning, but I really didn't want to leave Ryan. After we were there a couple hours, some of his friends asked if we were dating. His response? "Not yet." I calmly asked, "What do you mean, not yet?" That's when he told me he had developed feelings for me and wanted to be with me. I instantly had the stupidest grin that I couldn't wipe off my face. He asked me if I felt the same way and I blubbered out something to the tune of, "Of course!".

Shortly after that, we decided to go back to his house. We stayed up all night long talking, even though I had to work in just a few short hours. I never slept that night, but I was on top of the world. I felt like a teenager again, not 25! We spent endless hours over the next several days talking all night and texting when we couldn't be together. It didn't take long before I was at his house every single day. Things were amazing. I had never been with anyone that I could talk to and relate to like Ryan. I knew within months that this was the man I was going to spend the rest of my life with. I hoped he felt the same way and soon after he confirmed that he did.

Our Wedding Day 10-23-10

Life has been very fast paced and a definite trip since we have been together. We have experienced a lot as a couple in the two short years that we have been together. Moving in together, finishing grad school, experiencing the loss of grandparents, getting engaged, getting pregnant, our wedding, and the birth of our son, just to list a few. Things moved a lot quicker than either of us had ever planned, but we took on each task together and everything has worked out great. I'm not going to say it's always been a smooth ride, but it's a ride we know we'll never have to do alone. I know that I can face the most difficult situations in life and Ryan will be right by my side to see me through it. The same goes for him with me. I have found the person I am going to spend the rest of my days with and that is an amazing feeling.

Right after meeting our son for the first time

I love Ryan more each and every single day. Sure, this post is mushy, but I wouldn't be the person I am now without him. I wouldn't be married to the love of my life, nor would I have our beautiful son. As I sit here typing this, I keep looking over the computer watching my boys sleep. It makes my heart feel full to see my tiny baby boy wrapped up in his daddy's arms. That is a picture of pure bliss to me. So in closing, I just wanted to say that I am so grateful for this day two years ago. I'm thankful that Ryan chose me and I chose him. I'm grateful for every little thing that didn't work out in our previous lives that led us to one another. It's pretty amazing how things come together sometimes. Ryan Jon, you   are my everything and I love you, always & forever!

Our first family photo

Survey for Mommy & Baby!

A~Age: 27 years/10 weeks

B~ Bed Size: Cali King for the both of us, we are still bedsharing

C~Chore you hate: Dishes/Getting diaper changed!

D~Dogs: Didymus & Mac

E~Essential Start your Day Item: Caffiene/Diaper Change & Bottle

F~Favorite Color: Pink/Don't care yet! Mom likes to put me in green and navy blue

G~Gold or Silver: Silver/No preference

H~Height: 5'2"/20"

I~Instruments you play: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Oboe/Just "talk" a lot, no instruments yet, but daddy will teach me the drums someday

J~Job Title: Stay at home mom now, was Youth Specialist II as of yesterday/Diaper filler and good at it!

K~Kids: Eric Ryan/no babies for me!

L~Live: Missouri

M~Mom’s Name: Bonnie/Callie

N~Nicknames: Crickett, Baby girl/Boogie, Gizmo, Fuss McGuss

O~Overnight Hospital Stays: Salmonella poisoning, Cysts, Birth/Birth

P~Pet Peeve: Bad drivers, Poor Grammar & Spelling/Dogs licking my face

Q~Quote from a Movie: I'm a peacock, you gotta let me fly!/Just starting to stare at the screen now

R~Right or Left Handed: Right/To be determined

S~Siblings: Aaron,Beth, Tammy, Chad/None yet!

T~Time you wake up: Whenever we feel like it

U~Underwear: All the time/still in diapers

V~Vegetable you Dislike: Hominy, Lima Beans/No solid foods yet

W~What Makes You Late: Eric/Mommy

X~X-rays You’ve had Done: Too many to mention/None

Y-Yummy Food You Make: Angel Food Cakes, Italian Food, Salsa/Not a cooker yet

Z~Zoo Animal Favorite: Penguins/Haven't been to the zoo yet-so my dogs at home!

A Father's Love

Dad & Eric

Most people know that this past Sunday was Father's Day. I celebrated it on two different days with the special men in my life. Ryan went on a float trip this weekend, so Eric and I went up to Mama Foster's house on Saturday. We were celebrating my dad's Father's Day. Charis was there as well, so it was a lot of fun! We had an amazing meal of boiled shrimp, friend shrimp, new potatoes, asparagus, homemade mac n cheese, and brownies. I know it may sound like a regular meal, but it was my Mama's homemade cooking. That is far from regular! I ate until I was uncomfortable and I never do that!

My Dad & Eric

Eric made a card for Grandpa Kevin, with a little help from me... (: We traced his hand inside the card and wrote his name on the front. He loved it! They got some good pictures together and then we all watched a movie with Charis before bed. We stayed the night, so Charis, Eric, and I all shared the big bed in the North Room. It felt just like all the sleepovers we had when I was little!

The next morning, Eric and I loaded up and drove the hour back home. Ryan made it home from the float trip and we met him outside with a big hug! Eric had on his camo onesie that I picked out for him to wear just for Father's Day. Ryan decided he wanted King Chef for lunch, so that's where we went. After lunch we did a little shopping, then back home to relax. I told Ryan we could do whatever he wanted since it was his first Father's Day, but that's what he wanted to do!

Ryan & Eric watched TV and napped, so I got the house all cleaned up and packed Ryan's bags for his TDY the next day. I wanted him to just relax, so I got everything ready for him to leave the next morning. Then he got his gifts. Eric also made him a card with his hand traced inside, he's pretty talented, no? Eric then showed him the other onesies he has that are just for his daddy! One says, "I love my daddy!", another says, "Best Father's Day Present Ever", another says "Spirit of America" with a picture of the B2 Bomber, since that's the jet Ryan works on. The last one shows a drum set and says, "Proof my mommy liked the drummer". I think that one describes itself! (: I gave Ryan his card from me and then his gift. I made him a custom, "All the Reasons I Love You" book. It is a little book that lets you pick all the different reasons why you love someone, then it attaches the matching stick figure cartoon. You can even make custom pages, which we did several. I was worried he would think the book was a little cheesy, but his reaction blew me away. He started crying!! I asked if he liked it and he replied, "No one has ever done anything like this for me before, I love it!" I was really glad in that moment that I decided to make that book. Now he can always have something to look at to remind him just how much his wife and son love him, even if we aren't always able to be with one another.

The next morning while the boys were still sleeping, I shut off Ryan's alarm for the airport. I finished packing his bag, laid out his clothes and uniform, and made is breakfast. I took him his breakfast in bed and let him know everything was ready for his trip. He was thankful for the extra sleep! Then he got ready and headed off to work happy.

Daddy's Major Man!

*My Boys*

I would have to say this Father's Day was wonderful. I spent time with my father and watched my husband experience his first Father's Day. I am lucky to have such wonderful men in my lives that take pride in raising their children. I was blessed to be raised by a wonderful father, step-father, and finally my grandfather. Papa, though in Heaven this year, was not forgotten. I thought about him all day and missed not having him there with us for the first time. I know he would have been so proud to see his new great grandsons and would love his granddaughters as usual. He's just watching over us now instead of sitting next to us. I miss him every single day and when Eric is old enough, I plan to tell him everything about his Great Grandpa, Papa, Foster.

Well, that about sums it up for now. Until we meet again!

Boogie turns 2 months old!

His first real smile on camera!

I can't believe it really, but little man is 2 months old now. It amazes me just how quickly these past 9 weeks have gone by. I find myself already forgetting the completely sleepless nights, constant feedings, and the pain from birth. I guess if I remembered all of those things I would never want to have another child someday! :)

Eric is now 8lbs 3oz. He is still so tiny, but he is getting close to doubling his birth weight. No too bad! He is doing amazing. His reflux is under control and he is sleeping so much longer during the night. I usually wake up with him once or twice a night and then it's back to sleep for another few hours. I don't really have anything to complain about!

We are getting to spend lots of time with his cousins Charis and Owen this summer. I really enjoy sitting over at my sister's house while Ryan is gone to work. Owen is still very attached to his mommy, so I don't get to hold him very often, but when I do I love it! Owen is still bigger than Eric! It's hard to believe that Owen is 5 weeks younger, but is bigger everywhere (except his head) than Eric. They are both such beautiful little boys. It is going to make me so sad when the end of the summer is here and we both move to new towns. I will miss the closeness, but thankfully we'll still only be an hour apart. I want our children to grow up together and hopefully they will be just as close as my sister and I are.

Boogie has his 2 month well baby appointment next week. I look forward to seeing his new measurements and for my Grams to get to go on base for the first time. I like watching people experience the Air Force base for the first time, it's pretty fascinating! Well, I'll end this with a picture. Ciao!

2 months old!

A Pedi Visit for Eric

I had to call and make an appointment for Eric this past week. He started spitting up, then throwing up, and had the worst tummy troubles at night. I felt so terrible for him and mom and dad weren't getting much sleep either. As long as he was upright he did ok, but as soon as we put him to bed at night he would get fussy. He would pull his little legs up to his body, grunt, and cry. It even got to the point one day that he was screaming and would throw up everything he just ate. I can honestly say that was the first time I felt defeated as a mother. I didn't know what else I could do to help my child feel better. So, I called the doctor.

The doctor's office on base was able to make him an appointment for the next morning. My mom stayed the night with us that night so she was able to go with me. It was my first time driving on base and my first time being on base without Ryan. Things went smoothly though and we got there with no problems. We met his nurse practitioner for the first time and she was wonderful! She was so attentive and so very friendly. That instantly made me feel more relaxed. The weighed and measured him first and wow! Eric had grown! He is now 7lb2oz and 19.5in long! Little man has been busy!

She then asked several questions and was able to diagnose him with reflux. That didn't surprise me in the least bit. He was prescribed Zantac twice daily and was switched to Enfamil Gentlease Formula. We were to try that for a few days and if that didn't work, switch him to Similac Sensitive. So, we got home and we started the new mixture. He struggled the first 24 hours while the old formula was getting out of his system, but the throwing up stopped instantly. What a relief!!

The first 24 hours passed and my little baby was so much happier!! I could already tell his little tummy was feeling so much better. He slept so well that night, which means so did we! He was already a happy baby, now he's even happier! I am so thankful and blessed to have such a wonderful son. I thank God every single day for bringing him into my life. I love that little boy dearly.

We've set up his 2 month well baby appointment for the end of this month. He'll get his 2 month shots then. I'm really not looking forward to that, but his doctor reassured me that babies really aren't phased by their first set of shots, it's usually the 4 months shots that bother them more. At least we have a little bit longer before that time comes.

Eric will be 2 months on the 13th. I'm working on another page for his scrapbook for that day. It is really starting to look pretty amazing. I'm actually impressed with what I've been able to put together. If I keep this up, I'm going to need a 2nd book soon! Well, I'll write again for his 2 month milestone. Until then... adios!

Eric is a month old!

5-13-2011 Boogie turns a month old!

It's so hard to believe that our little Eric is already a month old! I can't believe time has gone by this fast. It really feels like he was just born last week! Boogie is doing so great. He is such a happy baby and is pretty much sleeping through the night already. He wakes up once or twice to eat, but falls right back asleep. He rarely cries and is very content.

We weighed him the other day and he is now a whopping 5 pounds, 4 ounces! We haven't measured him yet, but I am guessing he is about 18 inches long. His preemie clothes still fit, but he is starting to fill them out. His little feet are now starting to push on the bottom of his sleepers. A few of his newborn outfits are starting to fit him, but we still have to roll the sleeves up so his tiny little hands can come out! He hit his first growth spurt this past week too. That wasn't too bad, but he definitely slept less than he has been. He wanted to eat, eat, eat.... but no sleep! Thankfully, that passed in a couple days.

He smiled at me for the first time this week too! I melted when I saw that big grin across his face. I knew it was a genuine smile too. My mom was holding him and I walked up next to them. I got close and started talking to him. He turned to look at me and SMILED!! I wanted to cry because it was just so sweet! I wish I would have had my camera, but I know I'll have plenty of time to catch that grin again!

Ryan went back to work this week. I was a bit nervous about spending the whole day with just me and baby, but things have gone great so far. Eric is really content to watch his mobile for a while and I can get some things done around the house. Ryan calls every night to check on us and we enjoy talking to him over the phone. When he gets home, we're usually up still so we still get to spend time together. We have visited my sister both days as well, trying to help her out. Looks like she will be having her son anytime and Eric will have a new cousin! I really hope they become good friends as they get older. Charis already loves Eric and wants to hold him all the time. She's done quite well with him too. Having two baby boys around this summer is going to be awesome! So many memories to make and pictures to take! :)

He is actually 5 weeks old now as of today. I wish time would stop flying past us. He'll be 2 months old before I know it! That means his next pedi visit and the dreaded 2 month shots.... ugh! That will be a whole new adventure.

Well, Eric is back asleep, so that means this momma is heading back to bed too! See ya next time!

And Here Came Baby Eric!

Well, I think it's pretty obvious that little Eric has arrived! It was a very unexpected arrival, but a wonderful experience to say the least! He arrived a month early, but thankfully our little man came into this world perfectly healthy!

Around 34 weeks my doctor decided that baby was measuring on the smaller side after the fundal height measured behind and the ultrasounds showed the same thing. They set me up to do weekly biophysical profiles and non-stress tests to watch the baby. They determined I had a condition called IUGR and the baby needed to be monitored closely to make sure he wasn't under any stress. He was measuring around 4.5 pounds per the ultrasounds. All those tests came back well and they wanted me to have a level 2 ultrasound.

I had my regular OB appointment on April 12th. She decided to check me since I had been having some symptoms of possible impending labor. I wasn't even dilated to a 1 yet and the baby's head was still able to be pushed out of my pelvis. I did have a couple really low contractions while in the office that I hadn't experienced before, but those were the only two I had. So, we scheduled my next weekly appointment and I was scheduled to have a level 2 ultrasound a couple days later to look at my placenta's blood flow.

After my appointment, I headed to work and got there around 5:00p.m. I worked in the dorm for a couple hours with the boys like usual, then went to the office to update some files on my one-on-ones since I knew I would be leaving soon for maternity leave. While I was in the office, I started having the low, painful contractions again and they were coming pretty often. I got a little nervous and asked my coworker to go get my supervisor. She came to the office and I told her what was going on and that I really thought I needed to go home. She wasn't very happy that I was leaving, but she let me go. I was considering having my mom come pick me up to take me to the hospital. I decided that I could make it home, so I just drove myself and let her know what was going on. I also called Ryan at work to let him know I was going to my sister's house to time my contractions. I got there around 8pm and started timing. The contractions were coming every ten minutes, but they weren't painful. Ryan called around 10pm to let me know he was coming home from work early, so I left for home.

Once I got home, we decided to work on organizing the baby's room and getting the house in order. Ryan made a ton of headway in the extra room and I helped as much as I could with my huge belly! I started having some pains, so I went to sit down for a while. Once that tapered off, I started cleaning out the medicine cabinet. Can you say nesting? (: I was putting things back in the cabinet around 2am, when I felt a "bubbly" sensation. I wasn't sure if I had just wet my pants or if my water had broken. I kept telling myself it couldn't be my water because I was only 36 weeks pregnant. I went to the bathroom and it stopped, so that led me to believe I really had just wet myself. I got up and walked across the house and it happened again in the kitchen. That's when I knew it was definitely my water. I opened the garage door and told Ryan my water had broke. His response? "Right now?" Yep.... my thoughts too! So I changed my clothes and gathered my hospital bags. I called my mom and asked her if she thought that was my water and she agreed it was and she told me to call the hospital. I called and they also agreed it was my water and told me to go ahead and come in. I made calls to my sister, grandma, and dad then to let them know we were heading to the hospital. I sat on the front porch for another 20 minutes thinking to myself, "I'm not ready for this.....". Looks like I didn't have a choice in that matter anymore! (:

So, around 2:45am, we got the bags ready and the dog put in the kennel, then headed for the hospital. We got admitted to the hospital at 3am. They did a litmus test to confirm if my water had really broke, which it had. The first nurse prepared us for every possible thing that could go wrong with a baby born that early. My heart sank when she mentioned him possibly having to be lifeflighted if he wasn't breathing on his own. She also told us that little boys typically don't do as well that early as little girls do. I have to say she scared me to death, but I knew it was her job to prepare us for the worst. I got hooked up to the monitors and then we waited..... and waited... and waited.... They checked my cervix and I still wasn't dilated to a 1 yet. So we rested while we could, but neither of us could sleep.

Around 9am, they moved us to a labor & delivery room and started the pitocin. I had to get the pitocin because my contractions never got stronger or became regular. Again we waited. My family started showing up around 10am and Steph got there around 11am. I was pretty comfortable still and my contractions were beginning to get more regular. I got my first round of fentanyl at that point and that made my back feel a lot better. The nurse asked if I wanted the epidural then, but I told her no because I didn't want it to slow down my labor. They continued monitoring the baby and me and everything looked good. Around 1pm, they decided to up my pitocin again because I still wasn't progressing and my water had been broken for almost 12 hours at that point. I decided to get a second round of fentanyl about 12:30pm. Once again the nurse offered the epidural, but I told her I still wasn't ready for it.

My contractions began to get more painful after that and they checked me again at 3pm. I had finally dilated to a 4 at that point. The contractions started coming every minute and a half and they hurt horribly. It felt like I couldn't get a break. I got one more round of fentanyl at that point, but it wasn't as effective anymore. I got up to use the restroom and walking seemed to help a bit. I got on the birthing ball for a bit with Ryan's assistance. I stayed on there for a while, but I was too uncomfortable so I sat on the side of the bed. That seemed to help more than anything. I finally asked for the epidural at that point, my body was going a bit crazy with the strong contractions. My mom was trying to help me prepare for each contraction and let me know when they were coming. Ryan, mom, and Beth each took turns holding my hand and helping me breathe through them. I think that helped me to keep my mind clear.

They told me the anesthesiologist would be there in about 15 minutes, but they were wrong! It took him 45 minutes to get there for some reason and whatever that reason was I wasn't too happy about it. I got a bit irritated because my contractions were coming every minute and I was beyond exhausted. I had already been awake for over 24 hours and my pain tolerance was going down the drain. I actually asked Stephanie to go to the nurse's desk to find out where the heck the anesthesiologist was. He finally came in and everyone left the room. I leaned against Ryan's chest and he got it inserted fairly quickly. It didn't bother me at all, in fact I hardly noticed it because I was having contractions the whole time. Once it kicked in I was in heaven!

Ryan kept asking me if I could feel anything because he could see my contractions on the monitor and I guess they were really big. I just smiled and told him, "nope"! So we just visited with family then. My dad, grandma, mom, sister, niece, and Stephanie were all in the room with us. At 3:45pm, my midwife checked me again and I was dilated to 9.5, fully effaced, and +2 station! Success!! I couldn't believe I had gone from a 4 to a 9.5 in just over an hour. It felt like the room transformed at that point. Nurses were rushing in and out, carts were coming in, and everything was being set up for the delivery finally! Steph called for my sister to come back in and I hugged and kissed my dad and grandma before they left the room. It was finally go time! They lowered my pitocin at that point and we were ready to push.

Ryan and my mom held my legs while I pushed and Stephanie held my oxygen mask for me. My midwife wanted to make sure the baby was still getting plenty of oxygen through my blood. Beth stood next to the bed and talked me through the pushes. They lowered the mirror from the ceiling so I was able to watch everything. There were some not so pretty parts I wish I hadn't witnessed, but I guess that's all just part of the experience! I can say it is a challenge to push correctly when you can't feel the lower half of your body all the way, but I figured out pretty quickly how to do it. I was able to feel the pressure enough to know when my contractions were coming and I could push. Then my contractions slowed down at that point and became irregular again. They turned the pitocin back on and we were right back in business. I guess baby's heart rate dropped a few times during my contractions, but I wasn't aware of this at the time. They kept me moving though and I could see Eric's tiny little head starting to crown. It felt like it stayed there for an eternity! So I just kept pushing, pushing, and pushing!

I have to mention that during this time my sister, who was almost 33 weeks pregnant, began having contractions! She had been holding her breath when I was pushing and she had to lie down in the delivery room! Poor thing almost put herself into labor just to be there while her nephew was being born. Thankfully, she was able to stay in the room with us, but just rested while I kept pushing. I was just thankful to have her in there with me.

Finally, with one last push, little Eric Ryan entered the world at 4:34pm. All 4lbs 10oz of him! He started crying and I immediately began sobbing with joy. They laid him on my chest and all was right in the world. He was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen in my life! I watched Ryan cut the cord and I kissed my son for the first time. I held on to my husband for dear life and cried out of happiness while they took Eric to clean him up. I kissed Ryan and thought he was the most amazing husband I could possibly ever ask for. We had made a beautiful baby boy together and he was finally here with us! We were a family!

They tested his blood sugar at it was right at a 50, the cutoff limit. They were very worried about him since he was so early. To everyone's surprise, he was doing just fine! I was able to do skin to skin immediately and that was amazing! I just laid there with my tiny little son on my chest and I was in awe. Ryan stood by my side the whole time just admiring our brand new baby boy. We had just carried the Moudy name! My dad and grandma came back in right away and everyone cried. Eric was the most perfect little person I had ever seen. I didn't let him out of my sight for the rest of the day. I was finally a mommy and my life was changed forever!

And that is the story of my little Boogie Bean's arrival. Very unexpected, very early, but perfect in the end! Now we have a lifetime of memories to make with our precious baby boy! There are so many more stories to come, but for now I'm signing off!

Week 33 Survey

How far along? 33 weeks 2 days

Total weight gain/loss: About 12lbs.

Maternity clothes?: Of course! It's the only thing my ginormous belly can fit into now! I can still wear my regular jeans with my BellaBand if I choose too, but I am more comfortable in my maternity jeans/pants.

Sleep: It has been decent. Due to my spondilitus, I wake frequently from back pain and it takes me quite a while to roll over. Once I do get rolled over and get comfortable, I can usually fall back asleep. I have been getting really hot lately in the middle of the night and that is starting to make it a bit more difficult!

Best moment this week: Getting all the baby clothes in order and my shower is this weekend! I wouldn't say this is my best moment this week, but my belly button finally popped out and that just humors me! (:

Movement: He is very active on and off through the day. He is extremely active when I finally lie down in bed at night. You can see his kicks/hit through my shirt now and the kids at work think that it's amazing. The rib shots are getting a tad bit painful, however.

Food cravings: Ice!! I want to eat ice all the time now. I know that's because my iron is low, but I still crave it even though I am taking an iron supplement twice a day now.

Gender: He's still a boy!

Belly Button in or out? It just decided to pop out this week. It is so odd looking to me!

What I miss: Being able to wear my regular clothes, walking normally, sleeping normally, reaching my feet!

What I am looking forward to: Meeting my son, sleeping on my back and stomach again, not having to read labels on every stinking medicine bottle!

Week 33 Mom & Baby Information

33 Weeks Pregnant

Future mom

Since conception your uterus has considerably increased. The physiological anemia loses its acuity as the quantity of red blood cells starts to conform to the volume of plasma. You might have bright dreams at nights but unfortunately the need to urinate will intensify. You can possibly distinguish the baby’s knees from his elbows despite the fact that they have become infrequent and fainter. You can also feel easy rhythmical pushes as if they come from within the uterus. They are probably caused by the child’s hiccups when he has swallowed some amount of amniotic fluid and that’s not a reason to worry about. Everything is all right with the child.

Your baby

Pressed in the darkness of the uterus, the baby nevertheless has managed to familiarize himself well with all types of activities common to newborns, except for crying. He sleeps a lot and, probably sees as many bright dreams as his mother. It is possible to conclude that his pupils move in a distinctive manner peculiar to a fast sleep. After waking up he starts listening to sounds as well as to his own sensations. He might probably see some kind of shadows, but the main thing is obviously he studies something; billions of neurons in his brain now working out trillions and trillions of new connections. Meanwhile external activity of the child can quite be shown by pair strong pushes.

The baby has turned his head down and is preparing for birth. Your doctor or midwife will tell you about the baby’s position in relation to the birth canal. If the birth happens now, the baby could breathe independently but he will need a warm box. The level of surfactant is increasing; the lungs are more evolved, therefore the baby has more chance for survival.

Baby length and weight

Length from crown to sacrum - approximately 16.54 inches.

Weight - approximately 64 ounces.

Week 30 Survey

How much you weigh at BFP: 131

How much you weigh now: 140

How far along are you?: 30 weeks

Any maternity clothing?: Most definitely. I am only in maternity jeans or loose pants, but I can still fit into some of my larger shirts and hoodies

PG Work out plan: Lots of walking at work, stretching as much as I can, but I am struggling with a lot of hip/back pain and that limits my activity.

Did you actually do your work out plan this past week? I move as much as I can

Eating Habits? Just eating what I can when I can. I struggle with my appetite a lot. I do my best just to eat small meals every couple hours.

Newly craved food: I want steak a lot, but I don't eat it often.

Milestones this past week?: We've started going to the OB every 2 weeks now, I can feel baby up in my ribcage, and the baby shower invitations are out!

Week 30 Mom & Baby Information

30 Weeks Pregnant

Future mom

In process of weight increase, your movements become slower and clumsier. Do not forget about a correct posture when walking or sitting. Before getting up from the bed, roll to a side first. It is especially important because stomach muscles are strongly stretched and weakened due to growing uterus. The center of gravity changes and therefore it is very important now to take a correct position for walking and sleeping. Walk and swim often but only for short distances.

Your baby

The baby starts to understand you more and more. He feels it when you massage your stomack during Braxton Hicks. Although contractions are a little painful to the baby, they don’t harm him because he is reliably protected by the amniotic fluids. The baby is starting to train his lungs, rhythmically lifting his chest that sometimes amniotic fluids get into his throat and cause hiccups. Your baby has accumulated fatty tissue and he is not afraid of premature birth.

We tend to think of uterus as a dark place. The uterus can be dark depending on the mother’s environment. You can distinguish the baby’s sleep and body cycles better and better. Although it usually seems as though the child wants to sleep, while you are active and on the contrary when you are falling sleep, the baby starts to behave actively. It does not indicate the newborn’s sleeplessness; the baby’s body cycle after birth may completely not correspond to his sleep cycles in the uterus.

Baby activity

The ultrasound can clearly show what your baby is doing now. He has worked out a mode for sleeping and waking up, but it seems like he shows the maximum energy exactly when you are trying to fall asleep.

Baby length and weight

Length from crown to sacrum - approximately 14,76 inches.

Weight – approximately 3 lbs.

Week 29 Survey

How many weeks are you?
29 weeks 0 days

How many pregnancy tests have you taken so far?
I took 6 total. The first 3 were negative. The 4th was positive, but so faint I took the 5th, which was a digital test. We took the 6th test just for fun so my husband could watch the lines pop up himself!

How many pregnancies have you had?
2, we lost our first pregnancy at 5 weeks.

Have your symptoms gone away and come back at all?
Not really. Some of the symptoms mostly went away, but still they come back from time to time. I still get random nausea, but it is nothing like it was in the 1st trimester.

Have you had any bleeding at all?
Yes, I had two bleeding scares in the first trimester. Once at 6 weeks and the other at 7 weeks.

Have you seen a heart beat? If so what week?
Yes! We've "seen" it on the ultrasound a few times and listen to the heartbeat on the doppler often. The first time we "saw" the heartbeat was at 6w5d. The first time we heard that heartbeat was around 11 weeks.

Do you enjoy being pregnant?
Hmmm... it's a toss up to be honest. I love feeling him move around and listening to his heartbeat. I like how I look pregnant, but I certainly do not like how I feel pregnant. My body hurts most of the time, I get heartburn and nausea, and I am so tired. I also love how my husband looks at me. He is fascinated by my body right now.

Have you told everyone you know? If so do you wish you didn't?
Of course! We are pretty far along in the pregnancy for people not to know! It's obvious just by looking at me! We told everyone around 8 weeks, but my family and close friends knew around 6 weeks.

Do you feel pregnant?
Very much so! My belly has gotten huge in the last few weeks and I waddle like a penguin! It is becoming difficult to do things such as tying my shoes or change clothes. I get out of breath easy and it is getting painful to get out of bed.

Did your belly start to grow? If so when?
Oh yes! We definitely went through a huge growth spurt a couple weeks ago and I think it is happening again now! I can no longer hide this belly at all!

How many children do you think you would like?
After this, we would like one more. Hopefully the next baby will be a girl and then we're done!

Week 29 Mom & Baby Information

Week Twenty Nine: Movement is more forceful

You are 29 weeks pregnant. (fetal age 27 weeks) Your baby now weighs about 2 and a half pounds (1150gm) and is about 15 inches (38.5cm) long from head to heel. Brain is busy developing billions of neurons. Baby's muscles and lungs are continuing to mature. The fetus can taste and respond to pain. The milk teeth have developed under the gums. The baby's head is growing bigger to accommodate the brain, which is busy developing billions of neurons. The eyes can move in their sockets. They may be able to follow a blinking light. As well as your baby's increasing sensitivity to changes in light, they may also be able to taste. Various studies show that your baby may indicate preferences or dislike for particular tastes at this stage. Baby is also moving from side to side, but probably still is head up. In the next few weeks, they will move to the head down birthing position. At times you may feel as if baby is performing somersaults for an olympic gold medal. Baby may be performing fewer movements because living conditions in the womb are becoming more cramped. The baby is still doing a lot of kicking and stretching. Some of your baby's kicks and punches may even take your breath away. Baby hears things better from the vibrations all around, and can now distinguish real sounds and voices. Do not forget to continue to 'teach' your baby in the womb by exposing them to music, literature, and simply talking to them. At this stage baby eyes are almost always blue and can distinguish bright sunlight or artificial light through the uterine wall. At week twenty nine, your baby measures about 11 inches (28 cm) from crown to rump, or a total length of about 15 inches (38cm) from head to heel, and weighs about 2.5 pounds (1150gm) ABOUT MOMMY Your baby's very active now. Your healthcare provider may ask you to spend some time each day counting kicks and will give you specific instructions on how to do this. Let your provider know if you ever notice that your baby is becoming less active. You may need a nonstress test or biophysical profile to check on your baby's condition. Some old friends — heartburn and constipation — may take center stage now. The pregnancy hormone progesterone relaxes smooth muscle tissue throughout your body, including your gastrointestinal tract. This relaxation, coupled with the crowding in your abdomen, slows digestion. Sluggish digestion can cause gas and heartburn — especially after a big meal — and contribute to constipation. Your growing uterus may also be contributing to hemorrhoids. These swollen blood vessels in your rectal area are common during pregnancy. Fortunately, they usually clear up in the weeks after giving birth. If they're itchy or painful, try soaking in a sitz bath or applying cold compresses medicated with witch hazel to the affected area. Avoid sitting or standing for long stretches. Talk with your provider before using any over-the-counter remedies during pregnancy, and let your provider know if you have any rectal bleeding. To prevent constipation, eat a high-fiber diet, drink plenty of water, and get some regular exercise. Some women get something called "supine hypotensive syndrome" during pregnancy. This happens when lying flat on your back causes a change in heart rate and blood pressure that makes you feel dizzy until you change position. You might notice that you feel lightheaded if you stand up too quickly, too. To avoid "the spins," lie on your side rather than your back, and move slowly as you go from lying down to sitting and then standing.