Hanson

Okay so most of the readers of this post will probably have no need to read it. As a high school student I fell in love with Hanson. Yes those cute little boys that sang Mmmmbop. If you hate them I'd challenge you to look up the lyrics as opposed to listening to the songs. Anyway I've liked them for a decade now. They were my first concert when I was 16 in Nashville. Good news! They are going back on tour. They are even coming to Kansas City. The tour is meant to raise money for children without shoes in Africa. They do a 1 mile barefoot walk before the concert and then everyone can enjoy the wonderful music. I am very very excited about the concert in September...and just thought I'd share.

G Diapers, Names, Travel, and The Girls

G Diapers: I was getting so nervous, already, about cloth diapering Peanut. I was getting scared that it would become such an ordeal each day, each diaper change that I would not be able to keep up with being that "green" mom I want to be. We were looking at cloth diapers from different people's etsy stores, G Diapers, Bum Genius. I was getting overwhelmed with all the different types and how to change and clean each kind and the durability and cute factor. We read blog after blog talking about the greatness of G Diapers and then the horrible experiences with G Diapers, the fact that Bum Genius was the greatest invention on earth, and how Bum Genius was a terrible way to cloth diaper. I thought there was no place around where we live that sold any of these types of diapers so that I could hold them, see them, touch them, examine them, critique them. However Jess is brilliant and found out that G Diaper starter kits and refills are sold at a Whole Foods that is about 5 miles from our house. I went, opened a starter kit, felt the diaper, examined it, and fell in love with its design. I know that it will take time to figure out how our babies little bottom will fit perfectly in the little G pants so that we don't have leaking, but I am now committed to stick with it. Plus their color choices are SOOOOO cute! Lurkers chime in on your experiences with cloth diapering.

Names: Jess and I have been talking baby names since the first week of our relationship. I'm not sure if it's a "girl thing" or what, but we decided on one name we both agreed on before even talking about conceiving. We are letting people know this name because she's been saying that she likes that name for years. We came up with some less than average girl names. We are IN LOVE with one of them and really like the other one. However my concern is the unisex nature of the name. Jess thinks it won't be a problem because if she totally hates it as a teenager or adult she can go by her pretty girlie middle name. I'm still a little apprehensive. I don't want her to hate us because we didn't give her a name like Lily or Stacy or Brittany. Let me know what you guys think about this subject.

Travel: We are leaving for a week in California and our wedding in three weeks. We are leaving the girls with their dad because their school starts the day before we leave for the trip. However next year we have committed to not only take the big kids to the beach house but we'll be taking our 7 month old Peanut. I am been thinking about the packing that will be involved in next years trip. A bag for each of the girls for a week. Then we'd need a carry-on for each of the girls because they get bored easily and when they get bored they fight. Jess and I would need a bag for our clothes. Peanut will need a bag for it's clothes, diapers, refills, utensils, bibs, toys, bathing supplies, medicine, etc. Peanut will also need its Pack and Play and we have one of those Graco snap and click swings that we are thinking about bringing and we'll have the carseat and stroller. Seriously! Eight days is a long time to be half way across the country with a baby, a teenager, and a primary school kid. If anyone has any advice on what is necessary to bring on a trip with a 7 month old I am very open to listening. Since it's a year away it's not like it's uber important to have the info tomorrow but I would like to know that its even possible to have baby happy for a week without the comforts of home.

The Girls: OMG! I love these girls. Charlotte is caring and sincere and eager to read. Julia is active and loving and eager to learn anything. They love each other very much and for the most part help one another do tasks and comfort one another when something is wrong or someone is sick. However at the end of the summer I'm pretty sure they are sick of being with each other 24 hours a day 7 days a week. Them being tired of each other makes a very stressful day for me. I have to break up arguments, lecture about using kind words, and separate them to find peace. Let's just say I'm not terribly upset they are going to their Aunt Kelly's house to hang out with her 4 kids for two days next week. :)

Changes

What is up with all the changes to my face and body. First of all I have acne, for the FIRST time in my entire life. As a teenager I never had to deal with acne, yes I had an occasional pimple but never more than one at a time and never more than one a month or two. BLAH! Secondly my boobs have to weigh 2 pounds each. They haven't gotten any bigger but they've gotten more weight to them. EEK! My bowels are all messed up, as if they weren't before, now they are times a thousand. My moods are all over the place and my emotions can switch with the tide.

I am so ready to find out if this baby is a boy Peanut or a girl Peanut. I'm ready to meet this baby and hold this baby and cuddle this baby. Over the past few days I have just really been yearning to see Peanut and hold Peanut and bring Peanut home. I'm still not looking forward to the actual labor part of the whole process, but I want that Peanut in my arms!

WooHoo Second Trimester!!!

So today I enter my second trimester...well I guess technically I enter it tomorrow, but hey whatever.
This summer has been sooooooo friggin busy. Over the 4th of July weekend we drove to Columbia to hang out with Jess' grandparents and cousins that flew in from California. We also went to the "Stewart Family Picnic". That was a trip. It was Jess' official "coming out" to her entire extended family. It was quite interesting but her family was amazing. I got to hold a few babies and play with a couple of toddlers. I enjoyed myself. Total driving time 10 hours.
The very next weekend we drove to Arkansas to see my family and go to my childhood friend's wedding. I got to see my pseudo niece...she turned 2 on the 4th. She looked so pretty at her mom's wedding...and she was finally old enough to recognize me...even giving me a good bye hug and kiss on the cheek. Total driving time 17 hours.
This week Charlotte is in an Environmentalist Camp that lasts from 8-5 so I've had lots of alone time with Julia. OMG having one child is SOOOOOOOO different that having two. Julia and I have gone to the pool three times this week, Jess and I took her to the American Girl movie, we've read lots of books, gone up to the hospital to have lunch with Jess, and lots of other stuff. This week we also went to our Sequential Testing appointment where they check for Down's, Tri 18, and spina bifida. Well Peanut refused to be still. Peanut was standing straight up and down and would just bend its knees and jump straight up and down throwing its hands in the air each time. The sonographer just kept calling peanut a jumping bean and then asked us to reschedule the appointment for next week. Peanut is still measuring 3 days behind.
Just thought I'd give everyone an update since it's been a while. I am feeling much better these days. I am no longer on progesterone so I am no longer nauseated.

Peanut is alive and well!!!!!

We went in today to get the sonogram to tell us if Peanut was developing well after my hormone dip. Good news. Peanut is alive and well. Peanut measures just 3 days behind when we thought. Peanut's little heart beat was 188 bpm. Our sonographer gave us 4 b&w pictures and a 4 D picture of peanut because we were so worried.