17 weeks

Hello little one!
We had another check-up today for you. Your heart beart was 160 BPM. Big Brother Isaac came along and helped point out where the doctor should listen for you!
We are looking forward to seeing you again the first week on November and hopefully finding out if you are a girl or boy for real!
(Although many people say that you are indeed a girl by the way mommy is carrying you....and I have to tend to agree!)

Your baby's weight has doubled in two weeks and now weighs about 3.5 ounces! The crown-to-rump length of your growing baby is 4.4 to 4.8 inches. If you spread your hand out opened wide, you can see about how big your baby is.

Your uterus is moving up and is now approximately 1.5 to 2 inches below your navel. You are showing more now and there is a noticeable swelling in your abdomen. At this point in your pregnancy, a 5 to 10 pound weight gain is normal. Other people can probably feel the difference in your lower abdomen if they were to rub your tummy. To be the most comfortable, you should be wearing maternity clothes or clothing that is too large for you. You may have felt your baby move already. However, you might not feel it move every day at this point. As your pregnancy progresses, movements become stronger and more frequent. Feeling your baby move can help reassure you that your baby is doing well. You might also notice that your gums or nose bleed occasionally. This is from the increased blood volume that puts pressure on small blood vessels and capillaries.
Huge changes continue to take place within your developing baby. This week fat begins to form and will continue to do so until he is born. Fat is important to the body's heat production and metabolism. Right now, at 17 weeks, water makes up about 3 ounces and fat 0.018 ounces of your baby's body. In a baby at term, fat makes up about 5.25 pounds of the total average weight of 7.7 pounds. The placenta is continuing to grow at an amazing rate. The placenta will continue to develop in tandem with the fetus and it will weigh more than a pound at birth! By this week, the placenta is large and well established with a network of blood vessels that exchange nutrients and waste.
The eyes are facing more forward. The ears are now close to their final position.
Your baby is more flexible with ability to move head, mouth, lips, arms, wrists, hands, legs, feet, and toes.
Fingerprints are forming now.

Your baby's skeleton is changing from soft cartilage to bone, and the umbilical cord — her lifeline to the placenta — is growing stronger and thicker. Your baby weighs 5 ounces now (about as much as a turnip), and she's around 5 inches long from head to bottom. She can move her joints, and her sweat glands are starting to develop.
 

Around this time your baby's ears pop from his head and Baby-to-be can now sense sounds. After all, he has plenty to listen to in utero! He's accustomed to the strong beating of your heart, blood rushing through your veins, and your stomach grumbling. He can also discern sounds outside the uterus, like your voice and music. Although, according to the Mayo Clinic, whether he can distinguish the sound of your voice versus other sounds is not yet clear.

On average, most moms are feeling fetal movement by week 17. Kick, little one, kick!
How Big Is Baby?

This week your little one weighs in at around 5 ounces and stretches to just over 5 inches (crown to rump). He is about the size of a red onion.

Changes that occur in the fetus when you are 17 weeks pregnant


In week 17 of pregnancy, your 17 week fetus is about the size of 5 inches long and weighs about 5 ounces.

Your baby is the size of your palm now.

Your baby’s little limbs reach to their relative proportions and they continue their development after this week.

Even though your baby’s ears are not structurally completed and fully functional, they can hear actively.

Various parts of the baby’s brain start to develop in order to progress the hearing and other senses.

When you are 17 weeks pregnant, your baby’s bones are getting stronger by the day.

Unique finger prints and toe prints begin to develop.

The baby’s first bowel movements called ‘meconium’ is stored in the colon. Your baby is able to digest the amniotic fluid and deposit the fat under the skin; this process continues for the upcoming weeks as well. This fat helps to regulate their body’s temperature after the birth.

Your baby is very mobile now and will move almost all parts of its body, which is visible in 17 weeks pregnant ultrasound.

The umbilical cord becomes long and thick in response to the increased needs of your baby. During the first baby movement happening this week, the baby will “play” with the umbilical cord holding it and even biting it. Still you should not worry about this since the umbilical cord is protected by a membrane acting as a shield so the baby cannot hurt it.

Promises of a military couple

I saw this today on facebook and so had to share it! Semper Fi!

A Marine's Promise ...

I cannot promise you every night of my life. I cannot promise to be beside you for every difficult moment, every trial, every hardship. In truth, I can promise you that I will not be with you for most. I will leave you at inconvenient times. I may miss the births of our children. Any special date to us may be tainted with the anniversary of the death of one of my friends. I will ask you to take over whatever life we have built together for months and years at a time. And will then crash back into that life that you have used your sweat and your tears and your heartache to keep together and try to take it back as I knew it before. I will shut you out at times because it will be the best way for me to hold it together at that moment. I will lie to you. I will tell you I don't know things when I do. I will not always tell you where I am going, when I will be back, or who I am with. I may not call you for weeks and months and you will not be able to call me. You will ask questions that I won't answer. You will know answers to questions that you will hope you never need. I will share things with my brothers that you will never understand. They will know things about me that you never will. They will be a support to me in some things that you cannot be. I will miss birthdays. I will miss anniversaries. I will have to get to know our children over and over again. I may need time to process things that seem natural to everyone else. It will seem that someone - or something - will always take precedence over you. You may lose me long before you ever thought possible. I will uproot you and ask you to re-establish our family anywhere in the world, in any season, at any time - over and over again. Sand and mud will be tracked through your halls from the boots I am too tired to take off. I will leave you when you beg me not to. I will stand at attention while you cry beside me. I will not turn my head and I will walk away. I will knowingly break your heart. And I will do it again - and again.

I cannot promise you all of me. I cannot promise that to our children. I cannot promise you much of anything.
But if you will have me, I can promise that as I march away from you it is not without sharing your heartache. I promise you that every time I break your heart I will be breaking mine. Every time that I cannot answer you I will be protecting you. Whenever you want to call and you have no number to dial I will be wanting to do the same. I will protect everything that we have created together with every fiber of my being while you do the same back at home. I will honor you in everything - every moment that we are apart and every moment that I am with you. I will fight harder and push further knowing that I do so for you. I will see the faces of our children in every life that I protect. And I will carry you with me in everything until my sandy boots once again sit just inside our door.

A Marine Wife's promise ...

I cannot promise that I will not become frustrated when you leave me and the world seems to fall apart around me. I cannot promise that I will not curse those who sent you when the dryer breaks, and the transmission needs to be replaced, and the dog eats the couch all in the same week - most likely the week after you deploy. I cannot promise that the sand and mud that cakes my floor will not cause me to give you harsh looks and rude thoughts. I cannot promise that my heart will not be torn in twelve different ways when you march away from me. I cannot promise that I will not let my anger show when you refuse to answer questions. I cannot promise to understand why you share things with your comrades that you will not share with me. I cannot promise that there won't be times when my heartache makes its presence known before my pride can mask it. I cannot promise that I will not show my worry and my concern when it is best for you not to see it. I cannot promise to understand why you do so many of the things you do.
But I can promise that for as many tears of sadness and frustration and anger that are shed there will be double that of tears of pride. I can promise you that for every time you are away from me, I will learn to cherish the times that you are with me. In everything I will honor you and honor your sacrifice. I can promise to teach our children to do the same. I will use every moment that you are not with them to show them the amazing man that you are through my actions and my pride. I can promise that there will never be a night where you are not the subject of my final prayer and the keeper of my dreams. I promise to try to be understanding that there are many things I will never understand. I promise to keep you with me in everything and to do my best to keep grace in this life. I will be strong for you as you are strong for me and I will carry you with me in every moment until your sandy boots again sit just inside our door.

.

Oh Isaac.....

Just in case you were wondering why there seems to be more pictures of Kendall.......

Because I have to be fast to nab shots of Isaac....
He is normally doing something like this.

Or this.

Or this.......

When I do get a few good shots it is by pure trickery that I get Isaac to sit still!

Man is he one cute little boy though!

I love his living large personality.
All or nothing

And that mischievious little grin

Now to get him to slow down just a little for his tired old mama!

These times are few and far between!

Love to kick back and relax with this little man!

Marriage Monday

I have been so busy that I haven't been able to keep up with some of my favorite blogs but today I am dedicating some time to do just that....not to mention procrastinating a little bit on organization of the house.
I love Julie's Marriage Monday posts and I wanted to share part of today's and one from back in September.
You can check out her blog at www.comehaveapeace.blogspot.com/
As usual, I will chime in with a few thoughts of my own highlighted in another color.
October 17, 2011
Sometimes our vows are not easy to live out. It's in "sickness" when we show that love is an ACTION, a CHOICE, not simply a feeling.

Now I know that Ben & I said those same vows "in sickness and in health...." Unfortunately for Ben, I seem to be the one who is sick more often.
Although this pregnancy is a great joy to us, it is also a "sickness" as I do not do well during pregnancy. It takes an extreme sacrifice to keep us running on a "normal" schedule.
So did you mean it? When you promised to "love, honor, and cherish" in "sickness and in health"?

We can not know our future, but we can remember the vows we made and re-commit to being a "Marriage Survivor" no matter what the future holds
So thankful that Ben meant his vows and if he ever gets sick (I can count on 1 hand the times he has been sick in the last 8 years) I pray that I continue to do the same!
September 26, 2011
Marriage Mondays ~ 5 Sec Touch Challenge


If you knew you could do something guaranteed to reduce your husband's stress load and increase satisfaction in your relationship, would you do it? What if it was as simple as spreading your hand and touching your man?
Last year the New York Times published a report by Benedict Carey about how touch, the first means of communication we learn, affects our relationships. Findings at the Touch Research Institute, "found that a massage from a loved one can not only ease pain but also soothe depression and strengthen a relationship."
I am not so good at back rubs....in fact truth be known I am horrible at giving them. I love to rub Ben's head so I am hoping that massage does the same for him....maybe I should get in some practice on the back rubs :)

A research team explored how physical touch in the National Basketball Association (Our men will listen to this sports tidbit, ladies ..) reflected how successful the teams are, and "with a few exceptions, good teams tended to be touchier than bad ones."
"Players who made contact with teammates most consistently and longest tended to rate highest on measures of performance, and the teams with those players seemed to get the most out of their talent." When the same test was applied to 69 couples, researchers found that couples who touched more were also more satisfied.

When we open our hands and take time to touch, we're more "successful" in our relationships and we encourage each other to be our best. We can actually impact our husband's stress level by touching consistently and often.
This makes me think of my Grammy and Pappy as I see and have seen most of my life them touching each other. 60 some years later they are still going strong!
1.When was the last time you held your husband's hand? Did you initiate?
We like to do this a lot while watching our tv at night. But the last time was this morning after our morning devotional & yes I did initiate it!
2.When was the last time you put your arms around your husband?
At least every morning when we walk him out and hug/kiss him goodbye before work.
3.How often do you touch your husband's face? (Wiping off food doesn't count ;) )
I would like to say everyday but it is probably every other day
4.Do you ever lay your open hand on your husband's leg?
Yes, most definately!
5.Have you put your hand on your husband's chest this week?
Hmmm.....not quite sure?
Ever since Genesis 3 men have been toiling in the world and experiencing stress; a wife's touch can be a wonderful cure. "A warm touch seems to set off the release of oxytocin, a hormone that helps create a sensation of trust, and to reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol." This is one way an excellent wife can help the heart of her husband to trust in her, so that "She does him good, and not harm, all the days of her life," (Prov. 31:11-12). Touching reinforces mutual trust and helps lower stress levels.

What does your touch or your lack of touch say to your man? Does it speak trust, support, and confidence? Does it speak affection, desire, and encouragement? Or is it silent and cold? It's saying SOMETHING, but what? Sometimes I have a wake up moment and realize I've become distant or cold or just busy ... and I've stopped touching like I should. It doesn't always happen naturally. Like anything else, our touch can become distorted.What a powerful message we can send through reaching out to touch our man.
I pray to never be too distant, cold or busy for this simple pleasure!

"In effect, the body interprets supportive touch as 'I'll share the load.'"

I want to challenge myself and you this week. Sometimes the caress of a fingertip is enough to speak volumes, but why not open your hand and lay it on your man and just let it rest for 5 seconds? It may not sound like a long time, but in our hurried pace of life, it often takes an intentional decision to stop what we're doing, (kids, work, computer, whatever...) reach out, spread our hand, and let it rest while we count to 5. I also have a feeling it may do beautiful things.

Go ahead. Take the 5 Second Touch Challenge, and see what God gives you to enjoy!



I also like to read Courtney's posts over at http://womenlivingwell.org/
Back on October 9, 2011, She wrote in the 31 day fall challenge about Having Fun in your home....I need work on this! So I am sharing it as well!

Last week we had a two-fold challenge, “light a candle and every time you see the glimmer of it pray for peace in your home“. I want to encourage you to keep your candles and prayers going.


This week’s challenge is two-fold also:

Play soft music everyday in your home. Choose music that the family enjoys.

Then, focus on using peaceful words and maintaining peaceful relationships. Role model gentleness with your words this week and while you’re add it have a little fun. Since the music is going, grab your husband or children and dance!

1. When you feel tempted to raise your voice, use a child’s name in a snarl, furrow your brow into a scowl or speak rapidly in anger…purposely lower your voice to just above a whisper.


Proverbs 15:1 says “A gentle answer turns away wrath but a harsh word stirs up anger.”

Focus on gentle words, facial expressions, and touches.

2. Purpose to not let someone else’s anger make you angry.
Many times as a wife and mom, I find myself responding to other’s emotions. Someone in the family is grumpy and two minutes later I’m grumpy too. Someone in the family is speaking harshly and two minutes later I’m speaking harshly too. Purpose to stay in control of your emotions and not let the other members of your family dictate your mood.

3. Yelling at a bud won’t make it bloom.
Your home will not blossom into a haven if you are not controlling your temper.

4. Continue to light your candle and pray for peace in your home.

Persevere in prayer for your family. James 5:16b says, “The prayer of a righteous man is powerful and effective.”

Amongst the hustle and bustle....

I am taking a few minutes to remember someone who was precious to us. Who remains precious. Who we will not meet until we are called home.

Before last night, I didn't know that there was a day of rememberance for infant and pregnancy loss. A good friend sent me this picture and a simple "I'm thinking about you." I wanted to do that for my friends and family who have also suffered the loss of a pregnancy or infant. 

Everyone grieves in their own time and in their own way. I have friends who still can't talk about their loss without tears filling their eyes...

It's been 10 months 3 weeks & 6 days since I found out that we lost our baby.

And some days I still think about what might have been and who that little one might have become.

But I trust that God had other plans for our little one much greater than I can even imagaine.

Our little lost love would have been around 3 months old right now. Wow how different our lives would be!

And I am keeping in perspective that without the loss of that little one.....that we would not have the precious child that is growing inside of me right now.

Praying for all of those that have loved and lost.

Beach Baby at 16 weeks and a Huey....

Best I could do with a timer and 2 little ones....

The first time we got to see Ben fly the UH-1Y!
So very cool but SO different sounding!

16 weeks

Don't faint but I am actually posting this on my 16 week date!

It is a stormy day here in Jacksonville & my little boy is sleeping away so I thought that I would catch up on some computer work.

(I am also not feeling up to working on the upstairs organization project!)

I am anxiously awaiting my next OB appointment which will be next Wednesday before we head to West Virgina for my cousin's wedding.

At this point of your pregnancy, your baby is approximately 4.3 to 4.6 inches long and weighs 2.8 ounces. Not only is your baby growing, your uterus and placenta continue to grow to accommodate the growing baby inside of you! Just six weeks ago, your uterus weighed about 5 ounces. This week it now weighs 8.75 ounces! The amniotic fluid that surrounds the baby is increasing and there is about 7.5 ounces of fluid.
Five and a half inches tall and only six ounces in weight. The child can grasp with his hands, kick, or even somersault.


At this time, your baby is holding her head erect. Because her muscles are developing, she can make some faces now. Your baby is able to squint, frown and open its mouth. There is enough calcium in the bones that they will show up on an x-ray. Your baby's fingernails are well formed now and the legs are longer than the arms. Because your baby is moving well now, you may begin to feel his movements! Some women say that the early movements feel like gas bubbles or a slight flutter. If you have not yet felt the baby move, don't worry. Fetal movements are usually felt between the 16th and 20th week of pregnancy.

You may feel your heart beating 'louder'. This is because there is a lot more blood in your body than normal. (about 20-25% more)

Get ready for a growth spurt. In the next few weeks, your baby will double his weight and add inches to his length. Right now, he's about the size of an avocado: 4 1/2 inches long (head to rump) and 3 1/2 ounces. His legs are much more developed, his head is more erect than it has been, and his eyes have moved closer to the front of his head. His ears are close to their final position, too. The patterning of his scalp has begun, though his locks aren't recognizable yet. He's even started growing toenails. And there's a lot happening inside as well.

A little scary but still neat!

An exciting development at 16 weeks pregnant – your baby's facial muscles are developed enough that your future child can grimace, frown, and make other faces in the womb. Although your baby has no control over his or her expressions right now, this will change in the weeks ahead.


At 16 weeks pregnant, your baby is able to hold his or her head slightly straighter than before. Your little one's eyes are finally moving into their final position in the front of baby's head. The ears are also moving to their final location on the side of the head.

Your baby's hair is starting to grow at 16 weeks pregnant. While you won't be able to tell his or her hair color until after birth, this is still an interesting development.

For the first time ever in fetal development, your baby's body is longer than his or her head. Your little bundle of joy is getting more proportional with each passing day.


Fun Fact:

Even if your baby is born with a full head of hair, his or her hair may fall out and change colors completely within the first few months of life.

By 16 weeks pregnant, your baby's umbilical cord is firmly attached to his or her belly at this point. The umbilical cord provides vital nutrients to your baby.

From pregnancy week 16 onward, your baby will be focusing his or her attention on complicated circulatory matters. For example, your little bundle of joy's heart is pumping around 25 quarts of blood every day. That's pretty impressive for someone that's smaller than a grapefruit!

No 16 week picture of me yet. Kendall and Daddy are at school & work plus Isaac is shady at best for getting me in the picture :) Maybe a double one next week!

Memories from the last 2 weeks.....

Kendall would say "Girl Power!"
Just enjoying a little cuddle time

Pretending to be asleep seems to be the new fun game!

Soccer, soccer, soccer......

Isaac loves to practice soccer with sissy and daddy

End of game tunnel!