Christmas Time

Dear Stella,

It's a few days before Christmas and I have to tell you that I am already excited for next year at this time because you will be with us celebrating your very first Christmas. However, this is the last Christmas that your Dad and I will spend alone and I don't want to take that lightly either.

We were always bad about waiting to open gifts. I was determined this year to do the whole she-bang. You know, wake up in the morning to open our stockings, open each others presents, and spend time just the two of us. It's so hard to wait when it is just the two of us because we have ZERO self control. So yes, I caved and gave your Dad his present a few nights ago and he gave me mine. Then today, I let him open his stocking. I'm horrible at Christmas with him but I promise not to be with you. Santa will only come Christmas day anyway so it will force us to wait.

Your Dad and I can't wait for your arrival so we can share our traditions with you. Christmas at Lifechurch is my favorite, I have a feeling you will LOVE the drums. You will more than likely hear them this year (we like to sit close). Every year we will take you with us to the Christmas tree farm to pick out our tree. While we are there we HAVE to have the hot chocolate and apple cider. We will come home and spend the day decorating while Dad hangs out on the roof. I don't even know what it is that he does up there. ;) Then, we will take you to look at Christmas lights (my favorite). Don't worry, hot chocolate will be involved in this too. Your Dad has been particularly nice this year about Christmas lights, he has already taken me 3 times! I hope you love the lights as much as I do.

You are already so loved as the majority of our family have wrapped gifts for you too. I think this is crazy because you aren't even here yet but it makes me feel warm and fuzzy inside to know that you have family so excited for your arrival.  I know I am too.

Our Christmas card 2012

Love,

Momma

Week 20 Update

I've been reading a ton of "Mom" blogs lately and one thing I wish I would have done sooner is keep track of some of the things that are occurring on a weekly basis. Other Moms have done this and I found it really neat to see how things are changing. I guess it's never too late to start.

20 weeks 5 days

Cravings: This week I have craved Mcalisters Deli country potato soup. I've eaten it 3 times already. Rut Row elroy. I have also taken a liking to their tea which makes Stella either really happy or really mad. Either way, I feel her the most after I have a little tea.

Aversions:I still have not been a huge fan of anything meat. Before being pregnant I was borderline vegetarian and completely fine going weeks without any kind of meat. However, being pregnant has made this 100 times worse.

Special Moment: We felt Stella kick this week! We were so excited. Since then, I have felt her kick multiple times a day and I'm loving every minute of it.

Symptoms: Feeling a little like I can't breathe. I don't know if she is taking more of my oxygen or what but I have been having mini panic attacks at night. No bueno. I can definitely tell she has grown this week too. Her Daddy said this week " Your belly is bigger" , he better watch it.

I'm Feeling: Great! Christmas is around the corner and we can't wait to celebrate with our families. All the presents are purchased, wrapped, and under the tree.

What we've done to prepare this week: I hung all of the clothes she has already gotten.  Buying small pink hangers was the best feeling in the world. This kid already has a section in her closet. We are in for trouble. I also ordered her bedding and can't wait to receive it!

Stella's First Kicks

Dear bouncing baby in my belly,

I felt you kick!! I have been able to feel you move for awhile but this week was a little different. It started to feel like I could feel a small poke every now and then. Yesterday morning I just woke up and was being really still because I swore I could feel you moving around. I put my hand on my belly and felt a little nudge. I quickly woke your Dad and put his hand directly where mine had been. We had done this routine a few times that week because I was just certain he would be able to feel from the outside but we weren't having very good luck. Then he felt it! He was so excited he wanted to share with the world almost immediately.

Since then, I have been able to feel you kick quite frequently. I think you must be having soccer practice in there or something. Everyone says I better enjoy it while your legs are still little because later those kicks will become a little more painful. For now, I find it as a relief to know you are OK in there. Keep on kickin' pumpkin!

Love,

Momma

Ridiculous Moments

Dear Stella,

I love you very much but you are making me SUPER crazy. I can’t believe some of the things I have done…or not done in some cases. Here are some funny moments that have happened throughout my pregnancy thus far.

1.       While changing over the laundry I started the dryer. As I went to empty it later and fold the clothes I forgot to actually put the clothes from the washer into the dryer. Awesome.

2.       One night I poured myself as glass of milk. I walked to the refrigerator, opened the refrigerator, poured the glass of milk, and walked back to the living room to sit down and watch TV. All the while I left my freshly poured glass of milk on the counter and the fridge standing wide open.  Here’s your sign.

3.       Passed my exit not once, but three times. On multiple occasions.

4.       Cleaned all the dishes from dinner. EXCEPT I forgot that I had warmed corn up for the dinner in the microwave. This would have been OK had I actually put it on the table to serve it in the first place. I found it 3 days later. Can of corn 1, Kendra 0.

5.       Randomly forgot the code to our house alarm. We’ve had the same code since we moved in…last fall. I called Zach in a panic and said “Don’t make fun of me but I swear I can’t remember our alarm code, it just left me”.

Hopefully this portion of my brain comes back soon because I’m not sure how much more ridiculous things could get.

Love,

Momma

How Much Your Daddy Loves You

Dear Baby Stella,

I wanted to take a moment and tell you how much your Daddy loves you. When we found out we were going to have you we were both overcome with joy. I will never forget your Dad's excitement that day. I usually only see him that excited when we are waking up in the brisk cold of Colorado because he is ready to snowboard, except he was more excited than that. I’m the planner, so I set into planning mode. We needed to figure out our insurance, the nursery, the room situation, and all of the other logistics that go into having a baby. Your Dad is a “sit back and do what needs to be done-er” , if there is such a thing. I would often say “Zach, can you…?” “Zach, we need to…” and he would jump right on it. Now, what I didn’t mention is that although I am a planner, I’m not very decisive with my new pregnant brain. Well, let’s be honest. I’m not very decisive EVER. So, while I knew that I wanted the nursery painted gray, I didn’t know what shade. So I picked 3. Your Dad painted the different colors, we made our decision and he worked hard to get all the painting done.

3 shades of gray..poor Dad!

 

Your Daddy painting away!

 

 

Next, I wanted to redo a dresser for you. It was an old buffet from my Mother’s kitchen. I loved it and it was antique. I bought 2 different kinds of paints, a new glaze, special brushes, and wax. Once I had the dresser completed I loved it. Your Dad moved it into the nursery. The next day, I decided I didn’t love it in the nursery and he promptly removed it. (Sorry Dad!)

Lastly, we got our crib just in time for Christmas (Thanks Papa Don and Grammy)! We both loved it. Your Dad loved it so much that he put it together twice. After I told him to just put it together in the living room, we realized it wouldn’t fit through the nursery door. Rut Row. So he took it apart and put it back together in the nursery. You have such a handy Dad. Now that you had your new crib I decided that you needed a new dresser to match. I purchased the dresser and your Dad put that together too. He did all of this in the name of LOVE for you because by this point he was NOT loving me. 

Your Daddy and your crib.

 

I sure hope you like it after all that work I did! ;)

 

 

Love,

Momma

 

 

 

When The Saints Go Marching In

Dear Baby Stella,

Last night was one of my very favorite memories made with our amazing family. Your Uncle Conner, our Tonner Bear/Poopsie/youngest brother won the State Championship title in class 2A football. It was so exciting! I apologize for the jumping up and down, running around, and extra hot chocolate I may have given you. This night was really special for Conner and everyone there to watch. It was made even more exciting by the fact that Conner was player of the game. He had so much love and support there to watch. It really made me think of how blessed we are to have such an amazing family and how one day those people will be a part of your life too. I also secretly hoped that you would one day experience something that special in your life. Your Dad was a state champion twice in wrestling, Your Papa Don won state twice in football, and now Conner knows the  feeling. As the clock was ticking down, I was overcome with excitement and joy for him and for everyone who had watched him along the way. I couldn't make up my mind who to celebrate it with. Your Nana and Papa Kenny had come to watch, your Dad was with your Papa Don, and Your Grammy was close to the field so she could be heard with her noise makers. I decided on spending the special moment with your Dad and I'm so glad I did. When the last second ticked off the clock we jumped up and down, hugged and I think I even cried a little. What a special night. Next year, we will bundle you up and take you with us. I think you will be Uncle Conner's biggest fan.

Posing with our favorite OCS player. Go Conner!

 



 

 Right after the win!

 

 

We had shirts made! Go #22!

 

Big Mike, Momma, Uncle Conner, and Dad!

 

Great Uncle Bill, Cousin Allison, Grammy, and Papa Don

 

Grammy and her Poopsie

 



 

 

Love,

 

Momma

Almost 19 weeks or 20?

It was ultrasound day! Every time we have an ultrasound I get so excited that I am just like a kid on Christmas Eve the night before. I barely sleep, I wake up super early, and I am ready 30 minutes before I need to be. Now, if I can just train myself to be this excited when I plan to do an early gym session. These days, I'm not excited about exercising unless it involves going by Panera for a fresh bagel after. You have to bribe this fat kid.

Today was special because we were going to find out that our baby girl is for sure a baby girl, like by a professional. Yes, my worry kicked in as I stepped in the elevator and I thought, "Oh crap, I already ordered a ton of pink." But FORTUNATELY our little girl is still a little girl so I won't be rushing off to exchange everything. Zach said, "I'm surprised she is still a girl, if she was anything like her mother she would have changed her mind." I laughed because it's true.This ultrasound was also special because sweet Grammy and Papa Don got to see sweet Stella for the first time. It was so much fun having them there.

 Well we know our little girl is a little girl but she can't quite make up her mind if she wants to grace us with her presence in early May or late April. In our last 2 ultrasound appointments the doctor has confirmed that our sweet angel is measuring a little big for her due date. He says we could be having her a week earlier than expected. Which I guess is apparently normal. I think he's too scared to tell me her head is like her fathers and he would rather not let it grow anymore. But what do I know? Anyway, we have been trying to take pictures before every appointment. This weeks was especially Christmas-ee, which I love. My fireplace is my favorite part of our house. I can't wait to snuggle the sweet princess in front of it, even if we do have the AC going during the summer. We will keep our bad energy habits a secret from the Dad. What he doesn't know won't hurt him.

Almost 19 weeks or 20? We will let the princess decide.