Good Sport

Brooke stopped by with Molly today and we used her as a guinea pig to try out our infant carrier. She was a good sport! As you can see - this particular infant carrier is great for getting babies to fall asleep. :) She is a bit bigger than Baby Becker is expected to be - but it was a great learning opportunity for us. These things are complicated on your first try!

I should add that Tyson was a real pro with Molly. He looked so natural holding her. I know he will be an amazing Daddy!

God must think I'm hysterical

I'm a planner. I love having a set of plans and seeing them carried out perfectly. I'm a control freak, too. I don't deal well with change or ambiguity.

When I got pregnant - I sat down and figured out Baby Becker's exact due date. January 26, 2010. That is a Tuesday. It is also Tyson's cousin Billy's birthday. "Great," I thought, "A perfect day for a baby!" I committed to teaching until January 7th, because let's face it - I WILL FEEL FINE! And after the 7th I will have plenty of time for nesting and tying up last minute items. I may even squeeze in a prenatal massage and a pedicure! God must have been laughing at me. He must be thinking, "Really, Kady? Do you know who you're up against? Stop making plans!"

Well, He wins.

Today, the nurse called to inform me that we are scheduled to go in for an induction on January 7th at 7:30pm. Of course, I cried. I tried talking the nurse into moving it back a week...but she told me it's up to the doctor. My well-laid plans have been foiled. So much for that prenatal massage.

It seems you COULD be meeting Baby Becker on January 8th. Of course, just as I say that - my water will break and he'll come tomorrow... And once again, God will have the last laugh.

Ready of Not...

here he comes?!?!?! Well, it seems little Baby Becker is not interested in waiting until late January to meet everyone. He is most likely going to arrive a couple weeks early. Here is the deal:

Today we had an ultrasound at 9:30am. The tech was so nice - verified that indeed we are okay with BLUE (phew!) and did lots of measuring. She told us a few things. 1) He is small. They believe he is around 5lb 2oz right now and he should be over 6lb. 2) Everything is in working order. Heart, lungs, digestion, etc. look/sound great. We were supposed to meet with the Physician's Assistant - but due to his size, the tech recommended we wait and meet with my doctor instead. It was a long wait.

Finally, around 11:15am we met with Dr. Moore. She explained that she was concerned about his size and that perhaps he wasn't getting what he needed in the womb. She recommended 1) that we schedule an induction by Week 39 (their 39, my 38) 2) start NST (non-stress tests) twice a week for the remainder of the pregnancy 3) have an ultrasound each week for the remainder of the pregnancy 4) that I NOT go back to work (cue tears and onset of ulcer)

She explained that there is a chance that our little guy is just fine, but they want to make sure he is thriving and if he is not - they want him out, so that he can begin thriving better. Again, I should note (especially for Grandmas-to-be) that aside from low weight - everything is healthy!

After my Strep B test (unpleasant), she did an internal check (VERY unpleasant) and told me that I'm 2cm dialated and 70% effaced. Holy S*&T! Again - panic was written all over my face. She was VERY happy with this because if they do have to induce - it seems my cervix will be "ready to go" (thus reducing the chances of a c-section). She told us to grab lunch and then head to Labor & Delivery for the NST.

The NST was great! They hooked me up to fetal heart monitors and they checked to make sure his heart rate was accelerating and decelerating - as it should. He earned an A+ and even threw in some nice strong kicks - for good measure. We were discharged and home by 2:30pm.

Of course, Tyson was supportive and wonderful throughout everything. He hears all of the positives, while I tend to only hear the negatives and focus on the "what ifs." (I get my worrying from my mother)

Positive thoughts and prayers are appreciated, as we head for the home stretch!

Yes, it's true...

I did some sewing today. Nothing any of my 4-H friends would be proud of...but for my not-so-crafty friends - well, they would find my work stellar. :) I have been on a roll lately.

I invite you to come eat off my floors (or perhaps my baseboards).

We are awaiting the arrival of the Beckers and Aunt Kim for Christmas festivities.

Merry Christmas / Feliz Navidad - to everyone!

Kady is sewing?!?

I broke away from Kady for a moment to make my first entry on the blog because history is happening in the Becker household as I type. Kady is officially in full nesting mode and is currently SEWING for the first time in the 9+ years I have known her (sewing a patterned fabric onto rocking chair in our son's room). What is going on??? I believe it is due to the 48 hour burst of energy kicking in that pregnant women get a few weeks before delivery - whatever it is I deem the news blog worthy!

Merry Christmas to everyone - Kady is not leading on but she is getting close, we both feel it. Expect great news from us soon.

Here, not There

So, yesterday I had to apologize to my "overly concerned" husband and give thanks that we are in the Dirty D and not in Indiana. I have been have some pain in my lower abdomen and have been peeing A LOT more than normal (sorry if that is TMI). Anyway, I called my doctor and they were concerned it could be a Urinary Tract Infection, so they told me to come in for some tests. After peeing in a cup and missing... (seriously, pregnant women need BIGGER cups! But I will save that rant for a different post.) My doctor told me she doesn't think it is a UTI - but instead, a baby's head resting comfortably on my cushy bladder. Sweet. She believes he is dropping and since I've been carrying him so high throughout the pregnancy - I'm not used to the lower pressure. Our ultrasound next week should give us a better idea where he is...AND how big he is.

Today, after doing some re-organizing in the nursery - I decided I needed to craft something for my son-to-be. So, off to Michael's I went - all giddy and hyped up on creative juices. I am working on my "special project" and I can't wait to get it finished.

35/35

We've reached a fun new milestone. 35 weeks pregnant with 35 days to go! It doesn't seem possible.

Last night Heartburn reared her ugly head for the first time in my pregnancy...actually for the first time in my life. I had to give my symptoms to (Dr.) Tyson to verify that it was, indeed, heartburn. Needless to say, Tums are on my "To Do" list today.

Clevenger Christmas

My parents came up for our "Clevenger Christmas." It wasn't the same without my brothers and their wife/gf. Or the additional 4 dogs we usually have running around.

It was our first Christmas celebration in our own home - and that was nice. Here are a few pictures from the evening.

Mom and Dad - thanks for coming up, safe travels to Florida, and next time we see you - you will officially be GRANDPARENTS.

Okay...

WHO thinks this kid is going to be over 9lbs?!?! Reveal yourself.

It's Official...

I'm on Lockdown in the Dirty D for Christmas. Boo. My doctor actually told me I could travel, however, my overprotective (very concerned) husband has said NO. I do tire very easily and I'm not pleasant to be around when I'm tired. I've cried - A LOT - about not being able to travel home...thinking about seeing everyone when I'm officially a "mommy" also makes me a little sad/nervous. BUT - we will have a lot of time to do some final preparations for the baby. My parents are coming up this weekend and Tyson's parents + Devin are coming on Christmas Eve.

Tyson and I have started our DVD Childbirthing classes. They are technically Lamaze classes, so we're learning a lot. As of now - I know the 6 early signs of impending labor, the 3 TRUE signs of labor, how to breathe through a contraction, how to time a contraction, and - lucky me - I saw exactly how big 10cm actually is... Holy cow. We have many more DVD classes to "take" - plus two more "classes" (one on breast-feeding and one on newborn care). See, Dad - we ARE learning stuff as home-schoolers.

The First Load

Yes, I realize this will be the last time I SMILE while preparing to do a load of Baby Becker's laundry.

I also know - 4 months from now - I would be giving Tyson an evil glare for taking my picture (while I prepare to do laundry). Sidenote: Tyson does his own laundry - and for that, I am SO grateful! :)

This will also be the cleanest load of baby laundry I ever do! The next load is sure to be much smellier...

Ribs

Yes, son, those are Mommy's ribs you enjoy kicking. Guess what? They aren't going anywhere. I know they must be an annoyance to you, as you now have very little space to move around but I have a solution. Go ahead and move down. Yeah, just drop on down into the lower half of Mommy's torso. Then you won't have those pesky ribs or lungs in your way.

I love you.

XOXOXO,

Mommy

In My Dreams...

It is no secret that pregnant women tend to have very vivid, sometimes very odd dreams. If I wrote them down - people would think I was crazy!

Before we knew Checker was a boy, I dreamed that he was a boy. Now, as his arrival draws nearer, I'm dreaming about delivery, what he will look like, and what I will think as a new mother. Sometimes I wake up anxious, but most of the time I wake up laughing at myself and feeling relieved that it was "ONLY A DREAM."

In my dreams...
- he comes out and we learn he's a GIRL. I cry because I brought a blue outfit for "him" to go home in.

- he has BRIGHT red hair (think glow-stick!)

- he has 4 toes on one foot and 6 on the other

- the doctor is a friend from school and she tells me they believe he will weigh close to 10lbs. I panic and beg for a c-section.

- Tyson is stuck in traffic and I have to drive myself to the hospital

- he's absolutely perfect and I wonder how I could have created something so incredible

Early Parenting

After being SO excited that our Baby Boy was already "in position," I realized I had spoken too soon. Last night I felt really strong hiccups right under my sternum. Little booger.

I decided to try to stand on my head, because I heard it can flip a breech baby. I leaned over the edge of the bed - head on the floor, butt in the air. Once I felt like I might pass out, I sat back up and decided that maybe a good solid "Clevenger Lecture" was in order. (For those who don't know, Clevenger's excel in giving lectures, it's just in our genes) I pulled out my stern voice and said, "Listen kid, mama is NOT happy that you have flipped yourself around. You need to figure out how to get back in position, because I am NOT having a C-section. So, flip. Now."

Tyson, lying next to me, must have thought I was being harsh. "Let me try," he piped. "Hey, little guy - it's your Dad. Your mom is mad that you flipped around. You need to try to go back the way you were, okay buddy? Love you. (kisses belly)"

Can you tell who the disciplinarian will be in our family?

Awkward Conversation

Today I had an awkward conversation with one of my first graders. She is the girlie-girl in the class and has been SO interested in the baby since day #1! She once hugged me - then said he "kicked her in the head." Ooookay.

This was our conversation today:

Girl: Mrs. Becker, is the baby going to come out of your "private" or your belly?

Me: (Shocked look...eyes wide...jaw on the floor)

Girl: (staring at me, smiling)

Me: Ummm, well...I hope he doesn't come out of my belly...because that would mean I'll have to have surgery. (awkward pause) Have a seat, hunny - we're going to line up for gym.

God love first graders.

William Beaumont

Today - while all wrapped up in "Baby Mode" - we took our Hospital Tour at William Beaumont Hospital (right here in Royal Oak). It took us 11 minutes from door to parking garage, though I am confident - when faced with contractions - it will seem like the drive is a lot longer.

The hospital "campus" is HUGE, but we easily found the South Tower where our little guy will be born. The entire facility is very nice, very up-to-date, and well laid-out! We saw the triage area, a labor & delivery room, and the postpartum rooms. Though we had already heard a lot of the information they gave us (thanks to new-mommy-friends) - we feel more confident knowing what to expect and where we will be staying. Tyson was happy to see a Starbucks, I was happy to see a Ben & Jerry's! (priorities)

Here is a picture of the hospital.
And here is my "team" of doctors. One of these ladies will be bringing Baby Becker into the world!

The Nursery

On a Roll

After visiting the Jakobsens on Friday night - I had a serious reality check and realized I needed to get my butt in gear. Baby Becker could come ANY day (although we hope he doesn't)! After TWO trips to Buy Buy Baby (20 miles away) we acquired some nursery necessities and our stroller! Yay!

We decided to go with the Baby Jogger City Mini. We love how easily it folds up and it's also SO lightweight - as shown in the picture! Cooper and Tucker didn't know what to make of this "silly contraption." But - if it will be used when taking WALKS - they are all for it!

We have our infant carrier on order from Peg Perego and we hope it arrives before the baby. Otherwise - we will be calling the Jakobsens to come pick us up with Molly's carrier.

Meeting Molly

We stopped by the Jakobsen's on Friday night to meet Molly. She was sound asleep the whole time and just as precious as can be! We can't wait for Baby Becker to meet her!

Home Sick

I have been battling a respiratory "something or other" for over a week. Yesterday, my doctor told me to GET SOME MEDS! I just hate putting unnecessary chemicals in my body while our Little Guy is still developing. Today, I decided I couldn't take the runny nose any longer - so I headed to CVS.

I discovered that many "older folks" enjoy frequenting CVS during the day and they have A TON of questions for the pharmacist. They question prices, dosage, side effects, etc. I waited in line behind two ladies - who both decided to play 20 questions with the pharmacy tech. After 15 minutes, I finally handed over my prescription - only to find out it would be a 15 minute wait. So I settle in between my two elderly friends. As we sat there in silence, I realized we probably had a lot in common. I thought about striking up a conversation about sore hips/joints, constipation, frequent trips to the bathroom at night... They probably could have offered some great advice. However, I soon realized that both were nodding off in their chairs. Oh well. Thank God for my Blackberry.

32 weeks...or 33 weeks?!?!

I had my bi-monthly appointment today. As I spoke to the doctor about various concerns/ailments... she mentioned that I was 33 weeks along. I corrected her - and said, "No, actually I'm 32 weeks." She looked back at my ultrasounds and said that I'm 33 weeks - based on the measurements and my last missed period.

Here's the thing...I will let THEM believe I am a week ahead - But what they don't know about me is that my OCD allows me to know the exact date this child was conceived (I could also probably tell you what chapter I was reading in Breaking Dawn (Twilight) that night and what I had for dinner). Anyway - they believe he will arrive on or around 1/21 and I believe it will be 1/26. We will see who is correct.

In other Baby Becker news - he has taken after the Becker side of the family and is already "in position." No breech baby here! (Sidenote: all three Clevengers were breech, thus resulting in 3 C-sections for my poor mother) We hope he stays head down for the remainder of the pregnancy.

Tyson and I have a hospital tour scheduled for Sunday afternoon. I'm excited to see the facility (it's HUGE!). Tyson will be practicing his "route" - so he is prepared for the BIG day. Maybe I should also require a trial run at night...just in case.

She's HERE!

We are SO excited to finally meet Molly Karoline Jakobsen! She arrived early this morning, weighing 8lbs 4ozs. What a big girl! She and Brooke are doing well.

Tyson and I couldn't be more excited for Brooke and Mikkel!

Three Dog Night

We have an extra pup in our house for a few days. Our friends Brooke & Mikkel are at the hospital having a BABY!! YAY! We hope they are taking good notes for us.

Their pup, Ellie (aka: Tucker's girlfriend), is staying here. Tuck is thrilled and hasn't stopped playing all night! I mean, who needs a dog park when you can have a sleepover with your girlfriend? I'm just wondering what our house will look like tomorrow after work...

Baby-Palooza

We had SUCH a great time at the Baby-Palooza Party for Baby Becker! It was great spending time with our family and friends. As always, lots of "beverages" were consumed and we even broke out the Rock Band! A BIG "Thank You" to Joe, Gina, Jon, Karley, and my parents for hosting this celebration!

The Wright Sisters

On Saturday morning my mom and I went over to Plymouth. My Grandma held a small shower with her sisters (my great-aunts), my Aunt Suzie, Jen, and Jen's daughter, Ada.

It was a great time and (despite having my eyes closed in this picture) I really enjoyed seeing everyone.

4 years of Marriage

On Thanksgiving Day we celebrated our four year anniversary. Time has flown by and we have done SO much in our short time as husband and wife! We are looking forward to our new chapter - Parenthood!

Saucy Weekend

This weekend we enjoyed some time in Royal Oak. On Saturday night we went out for dinner with our friends, Brooke and Mikkel. Brooke is due the day after Thanksgiving - so it could have been our last child-less meal with them.

I decided to be "saucy" and wear heels. Then I thought it would be a good idea to WALK downtown. Granted - it is only a few blocks...but I quickly discovered (like 100 yards from our house) that a pregnant woman and heels should not mix!

After dinner we picked up dessert at a local pastry shop. It was a good move on my part, because the thought of eating my brownie helped me persevere through the pain and make it home.

From now on, I'm saving the "sauce" until after the baby is born. My feet will thank me!

I spent Sunday putting up Christmas decorations. Last year I put them up in 4 inches of snow and vowed NEVER to do that again. I will get pictures up soon...

31 weeks

I had my 30.5 week appointment last Thursday and things are going very well! He's measuring perfectly, heartbeat is strong, and I got approval to travel home for Christmas! Yeeessss! I still have two appointments before I get the 100% go ahead - but the thought of not having to cram our families into our house is making me excited! And - I feel like Christmas is always better at home.

Sidenote: in less than 2 weeks - should I go into labor - they will not try to stop it. Holy cow.

Tyson and I have opted out of taking Birthing Classes. Everyone we know who has taken them, has given them poor reviews. We're going to self-educate and pray that everything goes the way it should. I ran this by the doctor too...and she said, "We will help you through it and tell you what you need to know." I'm not a proponent of "home-schooling," but in this case it seems like a good choice. Wish us luck.

Our Baby Boy is very comfortable under my ribcage. It gets very uncomfortable for me, especially when I'm sitting down. The other night I felt either an arm or a leg poke out of my right side - so I pushed back and he immediately pulled away. Sorry, buddy. I have also felt hiccups down by my right hip, so I'm hoping this means he is already "in position."

Testing on Dogs

Poor Annie and Oakley (Nancy & Denny's dogs) were subjected to helping me test Grandma Nancy's Peg Perego stroller. I found that it has great turning capabilities! :) The pups were good sports. Oakley even tried to take a nap on the tray. Our Baby Boy appreciates them "taking one for the team!"

Shower with Tyson's Family

Last weekend, Tyson's aunts hosted a wonderful shower for us in Fort Wayne! It was great to see family and friends! Baby Becker is so loved! Tyson and I are so thankful for the love and support.

Aunt Kim, Aunt Sally, me, Nancy, Aunt Linda, and Caitlin

Grandma Shirlee getting in some practice with one of Chloe's dolls

Gina, me, and Mom

JUROR UPDATE

I made $29.10 for my hard work as a juror...which is about $3.64/hr. Luckily - the certificate and the feeling of upholding the law - made it all worth it! :) I think I'll keep my "day job" (hopefully).

Juror #3

Yesterday I fulfilled my civic duty as Juror #3 in a criminal trial. It was quite an experience, but one that I actually found really interesting. Believe it or not, there were a total of 3 pregnant women on the jury. After the trial the judge came into the Jury Room and mentioned that he had never seen so many pregnant women on one case. I didn't want to tell him - but Checker found his "final instructions" (before deliberation) to be VERY boring. He was literally flipping out in my belly and I could barely concentrate. Luckily everything worked out.

And the moral of the story, once again, is: alcohol and driving DON'T mix.

This is me with my Juror Certificate of Appreciation. I think it will go in the baby book. It was a team effort.

A Blast from the Past

I opened the Target ad today and found that they are selling THE Power Shovel for a mere $79.99. Yes, that's correct - this amazing snow removal tool can be yours for less than $80!!

I decided that this special occasion requires that The Power Shovel Video of 2008-2009 should come out of retirement for your viewing pleasure.

Enjoy.

H1N1

This is a picture of two pregnant women...patiently waiting in the cold for a H1N1 shot...This is a picture of the hundreds of other people waiting with us. By the time it was over, we waited about 2 hours for our vaccine. It really wasn't as bad as I thought it would be and, to be honest - with more and more cases emerging at school - I feel MUCH better knowing that I've had the shot.

Checker and his Gal Pal

Last night we went to a Halloween Party at our friends Brooke and Mikkel's house! Mikkel went to IU with Tyson and now works at Ford (we don't hold it against him). There were a bunch of other IU MBAs there (some Ford, some GM) and it was a GREAT time! Brooke is a real-life Party Planner (not pretend, like me) and she went ALL out! Their house was decorated to the max and she thought of EVERYTHING. We had a great time and truly appreciated our extra hour of sleep this morning!

This is a picture of Checker with his unborn Gal Pal. Brooke is due around Thanksgiving and we can't wait to meet Baby Jakobsen!

I should also note that we had ZERO trick-or-treaters. Our adorable neighbor Sydney, who is 5 weeks old, came over to show us her pumpkin costume, but she didn't take any candy. So we have four big bags of uneaten candy in our house. DANGEROUS!

Here are a few more pictures from last night's Halloween extravaganza!

Mikkel and Subba

Lizard's Blood Punch

Tyson and his "Joe's." He was "Above Average Joe," Jeff was just "Average Joe," and Brandon was "Below Average Joe." Sidenote: Tyson was the same thing last year.

Table Decor

Despite the UGLY loss to Iowa...we still have Hoosier pride. Mikkel made this IU pumpkin using his drill. AWESOME!

Humpty

This will come back to haunt me...

Happy 21st, Aunt Karley!

We are SO excited that the final member of our family has turned 21! After years of making fun of her for being so young...we can finally go to the bars together...oh wait...

HAPPY 21st BIRTHDAY, KARLEY!!! I will celebrate with you this Spring!

Bedding and Belly

Getting Ready

I have officially entered the 3rd Trimester and I am SO happy! I remember in May, seeing when each trimester would begin and thinking "Oh my gosh - October is SO far away." What do you know - time has flown by! I know I am so blessed to be enjoying my pregnancy. (despite the tear-inducing leg cramps at night)

Last weekend we had THE GREAT BECKER PURGE. We went through boxes, cleaned out closets, and re-organized our newly built storage area in the garage. I made a trip to the Salvation Army and tonight Tyson made several trips to the curb for Trash Day tomorrow. It feels good to get rid of some things we've been hoarding since college! Plus, Baby Becker is already acquiring his fair share of "stuff" and he needs closet space too...

After a serious meltdown (or three) about baby bedding - I settled on one Sunday night. Grandma Shirlee couldn't wait for it to be ON the crib, so she ordered it Monday and it arrived today. I guess impatience is inherited, because it was ON the crib less than 10 minutes after I arrived home from work. I absolutely LOVE it and can't wait to get everything finished up this weekend.

Look for Halloween pictures this weekend. Tyson insists that I need to "take advantage" of my bump - "because I may never be pregnant at Halloween again." So - I will be taking advantage of the bump. Off to make my costume!! :)

Slacker

I have been QUITE the slacker lately...with updating this and getting things ready for the baby. Tyson worked hard to get the crib put together and then called to ask where the mattress was...OOPS! His reply to me telling him that I haven't bought one yet was - "Aren't you supposed to be nesting or something?!?!" Ummmm, yes, I do believe that will come eventually.

Right now, I am swamped with things at school. First graders (and reading assessments) keep a woman BUSY!

We have also been doing our fair share of traveling too! Two weekends ago we visited our old stomping ground - Cleveland, OH - for a friend's wedding. This past weekend we were in Indianapolis for another friend's wedding and then traveled down to Bloomington to see Devin. Along the way we were able to see a lot of great friends and I was able to indulge in some of my favorite foods. We had so much fun - but we are looking forward to a weekend at home this weekend! And I might just decide to "nest" a little...maybe...

Donut Day

It was Donut Day at school today. The kids were allowed to bring $.50 and get a donut to help support a local foundation. Anyone that knows me, knows that I inherited my Grandma Peg's LOVE for donuts. Pregnancy has only amplified this love and donuts were a regular in my diet during my first trimester (thanks to Tim Hortons, Donut Cutter, and Tom's Donuts).

So, needless to say - I was PUMPED for Donut Day. I took a class order yesterday and 14 kids requested a donut. On my sheet - I wrote down 15, because of course - Baby Checker needs his fill too. The lady showed up in my classroom this morning with 15 freshly baked, Krispy Kreme donuts. They smelled like heaven. Like my first graders, I had my $.50 ready. I had also left plenty of room in my morning appetite (less Life cereal) for my donut. As the donuts were being passed out - I realized that someone who had not requested a donut yesterday, had brought their money and was buying MY donut. Of course, I couldn't be THAT pregnant lady...so despite having an unfulfilled craving and a growling belly - I let MY donut be sold to one of my six year olds. (I hope God was watching)

I spent the next 10 minutes watching 15 kids eat donuts. One little girl kept saying, "Mrs. Becker - this is the BEST donut ever! It's so yummy. Mmmmm." I wanted to smack her. It was definitely not a proud moment. My inner dialogue was saying - "Listen kid, you stole MY donut and I'm HUNGRY...so why don't you eat and shut up about it already!" Of course - instead, I smiled and said, "Yeah, it looks really good. Hurry and finish it so you can do your handwriting."

Apparently, it was my LUCKY DAY because when I went to the Teacher's Lounge for lunch - there was a box of extra donuts. You know I had one. And that little girl was right - it was very "yummy." Craving: fulfilled.

Bruises

So I fell this past weekend. It was the most bizarre thing ever. I was lying in bed, with a Tucker on my left leg. I stood up - right foot first - and when I shifted my weight to my left leg, I tumbled to the ground. I had a severe case of "dead leg." Basically Tucker had made my leg fall SO asleep, I didn't realize it and it just wouldn't work. I landed on my back/right butt cheek. At first, I was scared, so I started to cry. Immediately, I thought "OH NO - the baby!" However, I soon realized he was VERY well padded. Then I thought, "Did I break my leg and not realize it?" After about 30 seconds of inner dialogue - I looked at the bed and saw Cooper and Tucker staring down at me like, "Mom, what are you doing down there?"

I realized it was okay to laugh. I started calling for Tyson, because I knew I wouldn't be able to stand up on my own. He came running, very concerned and then half-annoyed that I was laughing. Needless to say, I am finding it difficult to sit on the right side of my "tush" (as my 1st graders call it).

Crib and Potential Bedding Option A

Here is the crib.

Here is Bedding "Option A"

Checker has a CRIB!

Checker is happy. Tyson is happy. And I saved 20% on the crib - so you KNOW I'm happy! I decided TODAY was the DAY and I made my way to Babies-R-Us after school. The crib is white and cute...and everything we need in a crib. It should be in later this week! Phew. Glad that is over with...now on to bedding. Oy vey!

Procrastination

I am the QUEEN of procrastination and I absolutely HATE making decisions. The fact that we still don't have a crib is weighing heavily on my mind - yet you would never know it, because I find a million different ways to procrastinate and a million different excuses to NOT make a decision. This was my outlet this weekend - along with MANY loaves of pumpkin bread.

Things I Love...

Here are some things that can be found in our nursery and I LOVE them. I find myself spending more and more time in that room, after over a year of barely noticing it even existed. We are getting closer to a suitable nursery.

23 Week Picture

Nancy, prepare the manual!

I have requested that my mother-in-law forward me the manual she used to raise Tyson - especially as a toddler. Before we were married his family enjoyed popping in old holiday movies - mainly to point out JUST how "active" Tyson was as a child. It seems we could be in for the same "active" Baby Boy.

Yesterday was my 23 week appointment. It was quick and easy - except when it came to finding Checker's heartbeat. I didn't panic - as I would have a couple months ago - because ALL day I had felt him squirming around in there. My doctor searched for a good 5 minutes...periodically coming across his heartbeat, only to lose it a second later when he decided to MOVE. This happened 4 or 5 times. Finally she got him to hold still long enough to get the rate and said, "Well, he's in the high 150's/low 160's." Having a thorough Google education on baby's heart rates - I asked if that was "normal" for a boy. She laughed and said, "Well - ummm, it's normal for a very ACTIVE boy." I laughed, but in the back of my mind all I could see were the videos of Tyson jumping off beds and putting his head into the camera lens to make a face.

Then again - maybe he is the next Michael Phelps - just swimming some laps in his pool of amniotic fluid.

Belly Bumps and Buttons

My bump is definitely growing! I had a break through moment last week - when a complete stranger asked me when I'm due! Yeesss! I also had a moment when I looked at my new shape and thought, "IS THIS MY BODY?" It is so amazing and, yet also, very surreal.

Tyson was finally able to feel the little guy kick on Thursday night. At first we were just staring at my belly and we could see it pop up when he kicked. It was a great moment for Ty.

While staring at my belly, Tyson was also sure to point out that my belly button is "coming out." The more I looked at it, the more I noticed that it was much more shallow than it ever has been before. So - an "outie" is probably inevitable.

We are quickly approaching 23 weeks - which is pretty amazing. We're just THREE weeks away from third trimester. And on that note...I am off to order a crib and bedding.

Remembering Chad

My cousin, Chad, passed away on September 15th. He will be greatly missed by my family!

Half Way!

Today marks the half way point of the pregnancy. I can't believe we are 20 weeks in! It seems unreal that in another 20 weeks (or less), Baby Becker will be here! My weekly email update said he's the length of a cantaloupe - and today, at the grocery store, I caught myself staring at them in the produce section. REALLY? A cantaloupe? Where is he hiding??? His kicks and movements are becoming stronger and I'm feeling them more often.

Yesterday we scored a dresser/changing table and an armoire off Craigslist. I had been looking FOREVER and the thought of spending $1500 on an armoire alone - was making me sick. Now, we will buy a new crib and get started creating a nursery fit for our little boy. I promise pictures once everything is finished.

Today was my first day with students and I survived. My bedtime is officially 10pm or earlier. Trust me, I will need ALL the sleep I can get. I forgot how exhausting the beginning of first grade can be! We had a lesson on washing our hands today. Do you think Mrs. Becker is a

germ-o-phobe??? :)

Make sure you vote on Baby Becker's nickname. We have gotten some great suggestions!

Video of Reveal

Reveal Party

We had so much fun sharing our Reveal Party with Baby Becker's Grandparents, Great-Grandparents, Aunts, and Uncles!

Here is Team PINK: Gina, Nancy, Tyson, Shirlee, Jerry, and Grandma PegAbove is Team BLUE: Denny, Grandpa Clev, Karley, Me, and Joe (Jon & Devin couldn't be with us, but they were both Team Blue, as well!)

Our "family" picture. The dogs were excited too!