Bath time fun

Look out, there's a shark in the bath tub!

Although the pictures below were not taken while he was in the bath tub, I find them quite cute! Let me tell you the story behind these pictures!

After a surprise was found, Austin was instructed that he could not poop in the bath tub. I told him that "big boys" do not go poop in the bath tub and if he needed to go still then he should sit on the potty. Well, little did I know that we would spend the next hour jumping from the bath tub to the potty! If he was in the bath tub, he needed to go potty. After he sat on the potty for 10 minutes with no results, he was ready to get back in the bath tub. Wouldn't you know it, not 10 seconds after his toes hit the water he had to go potty again! Over and over again we did this for an hour! I must admit that I was very patient with him the entire time (although I was getting very frustrated on the inside)! Potty Elmo was very helpful in acheiving an end result! End result: Austin went pee in the potty, finished his bath with no additional surprises and is now in bed snoozing the night away!

100 days to go!

Today I am 100 days away from my due date! That seems so far away, but in reality, it's only a little over 14 weeks away! It shouldn't seem that far considering I've been pregnant for almost 26 weeks! Here's some info I found about the 26th week of pregnancy:

Your baby now weighs a little under 2 pounds and measures about 14 inches, from head to heel. The nerve pathways in her ears are developing, which means her response to sounds is growing more consistent. Her lungs are developing now, too, as she continues to take small breaths of amniotic fluid -- good practice for when she's born and takes that first breath of air.

Now I know why the kicks are getting as hard as they are! Her movement seems constant and I'm really starting to feel the big shifts in position as she tries to get comfortable in there! Speaking of getting comfortable, that is something that is decreasing for me. Although I'm not as big as I'm going to get, we all know how big I got with Austin, I'm starting to feel uncomfortable when moving in certain positions and trying to bend down to pick something off the floor! I do seem like I'm more active with this pregnancy; who wouldn't be active with having a child who is almost three in the house!

I knew I would be in trouble if I had a girl! Although I'm not the most girliest girl around, I have succeeded in buying my daughter almost everything pink! I've been having dreams that I've had the baby already and she doesn't have any clothes to wear! I'm sure that's not going to happen, but I consider it a nightmare! I don't feel as prepared with this baby as I did with Austin. I guess once we start to get her room set up and get all of the baby things out again I might feel different.

I've been considering purchasing a double stroller. Michael doesn't see the need for a double stroller, but I think it will almost be a necessity with two kids! I asked him what he wanted me to do when I had to take both of the kids somewhere. I can't very well push the baby around in the stroller while trying to chase Austin down. Besides, when Austin decides that he doesn't want to walk anymore, the stroller is very handy and he enjoys riding! What does he care, it's not like he's ever going to be pushing the two of them around! We'll see, I haven't really found one that I like but I'm hoping that Michael will be more willing to agree with me if we get a Jeep one! I'd really like to get the double stroller that matches the car seat we already have, but apparently 3 years in between babies is too long for the stroller companies to keep the same pattern!

On other notes, Austin and I are starting to feel better, but we are nowhere close to being 100% yet! I was instructed to take Sudafed and that has made it a little easier to deal with. I just can't seem to shake the cough and congestion in my chest! I have to go to the doctor on Thursday for my check up anyways, so I'm sure if I don't feel better by then that my doctor will prescribe something!

I'm hoping that the dilemma of naming the baby will begin when Michael gets home from "school." Of course that will throw a curve ball to Austin, as we now have him saying "baby sister" after asking him what is in Mommy's belly! Before we knew that Austin was a boy we had decided (and agreed) on a girl's name. I still love the name we picked out but haven't really gotten a good feel about what Michael thinks. For those of you who don't know or remember, Abigail Elizabeth is the girls name we had decided on! Let us know what you think!

Coughs, sneezes & oreos

To sum it all up...we're miserable! At any given time Austin or I is either coughing, sneezing or blowing our runny noses! I'm not sure where we got it from, but it's not fun anymore! I'm sure mine is partly due to the significant weather changes we've had the last couple of weeks. Last week it was in the 60's and this week it's in the high 80's. I'm not complaining that the weather is still decent and it's only November, but feeling like this just plain sucks! On top of feeling like this, it doesn't help that I'm pregnant and don't have the ability to take the medication that usually works the best! Hopefully it will go away soon!

On other notes, Austin and I are getting used to being by ourselves again. Tonight after his bath, Austin was eating mini oreo cookies. Well...his version of eating oreo cookies is to pull the cookie apart, eat the middle, stick the cookie back together and put it back in his bowl. I'm not quite sure why he doesn't eat the outside, but it's kind of funny to watch him! Here are some pictures of him eating his cookies and being goofy! I'm off to bed, second night in a row that I've been in bed and asleep by 9:30!

Promotion

Meet the Army's newest Sergeant! Well, technically it's Daddy, but he wouldn't look as cute as Austin does in these pictures! Michael finally got promoted on Friday after a long delay, we won't say who's fault the delay was, but most of you know how the Army works! He's getting ready to go to yet another school for two weeks so Austin and I will be on our own again! We were helping Daddy roll up his sleeping bag and pack his bags and took these cute pictures while doing so...

Yet another goofy picture!

Saturday singing edition

Fun with the camera

For those of you wondering what my belly looks like...here it is at 24 weeks! Scary I know, but try and look past the stretch marks! Notice my belly button has already transformed from an innie to an outie! Why is it that your belly button protrudes when you're pregnant? And why does it hurt when you attempt to push it back in where it belongs?

While my belly is getting bigger, the summersaults seem to be stronger and happening more frequently. Austin is getting more opportunities to feel her move but always gets side tracked attempting to place my belly button back where it belongs! His version of watching his sister move is when my belly button pops back out. "Look Mommy, she's moving!" I'm sure he'll have plenty more opportunities to feel her move! If he only knew what was in there...

These are self portraits taken by Austin and I! Notice how his eyes are looking towards the camera! He was kissing his baby sister while patiently waiting for me to take the picture! We couldn't stop laughing at the pictures we were taking!

A new discovery

As you can see in the post below, I, with some help, have discovered how to add video clips to the website! Make sure your volume is turned up so you can hear Austin! We also captured him singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star, but I'm saving that one for a later date! Enjoy...

Jumping Austin

Trick or Treat?

So, after feeling a little guilty and feeling like one of "those" parents who don't buy a costume for their kid until the day before Halloween, Austin's costume didn't turn out as bad as I thought it would. I thought he was going to look like one of those kids whose parents just threw something together and ended up looking like crap! "Here put this mask on with your t-shirt and jeans!" But he's Austin, so of course he didn't look like one of those kids...at least that's what I thought!

We started off at the Halloween Carnival and ended up at the Mall. Here's some pictures of the little guy who's costume started out as a Farmer and ended up as a Sheriff! And of course I have to post all of the pictures because I can't decide which one's are the cutest!

It's kind of hard to believe that at this time next year I will be taking two kids trick or treating on Halloween! Won't it be fun to dress up a little boy and a little girl...

Happy Halloween!

My guys!

Watching TV in bed!

Eating oranges

Yes he's not wearing a shirt because he was sweating when we got home! I haven't had the air conditioning on since we've been home from Michigan, so when the temperature was in the 80's today it got a little warm in the house!

Where did he go?

Where did Austin go Mommy?

There he is!

Another five pounds...

Yup, I have gained five pounds since my last doctor's appointment 4 weeks ago! Pretty soon I'll really be tipping the scales! Other than the weight gain, everything else looks/sounds (the baby's heartbeat) great! Next appointment: 4 weeks! I'm not exactly looking forward to my next appointment! I have to have the dreaded test for diabetes! After I drink that nasty stuff I have to wait around in the doctors office so a nurse can take my blood an hour after drinking the "juice" or whatever it is!

Have I mentioned lately that Austin likes to do the dishes with me? Doesn't he look like a great helper? With his own gloves and sponge! His favorite part is at the end when he gets to spray the bubbles down the sink after we've let all of the dish water out!

I forgot to mention the weather today! I had to wear a sweater and pants and Austin wore a fleece jogging outfit. You ask what the temperature was today? High of 70 degrees today! Yup, we were bundled up in our coats this morning as we left the house because the temperature was in the high 50's! Crazy I know! I'm sure some of you are going, "70, that's great weather" but that's only because it recently snowed where you were at!

Accident's happen...

And for Austin they seem to happen more often than not! I once again had to sign an accident report when I picked him up from school today because he had fallen on the playground and scraped his forehead and knee! Just when his knees were just about healed from the last fall, he does it again! It's becoming a miracle if we don't have to sign an accident report once a month because Austin has fallen while running on the playground! I just keep telling myself, he's just being a boy (or he's just plain clumsy)! Here are some pictures of his forehead!

Yes, we were taking pictures of ourselves! And having fun while we were doing it!

One more goofy picture!

A few pictures from the zoo

Here are some pictures from our visit to the San Antonio Zoo!

It's a girl!

Final poll results:

36% Boy

64% Girl

Majority rules; the baby is in fact a girl!

It wasn't the easiest finding out that the baby was a girl. Austin and I learned that this baby is very stubborn! She was very modest and didn't want her Mommy and big brother to know that she was a girl. Other than being a girl, she is healthy and her heartbeat is beating at 147 beats per minute! Here are some pictures of our new little girl!

No outside plumbing, it's a girl!

Side profiles. It was really hard to get a good side profile of the baby because she kept her face pressed against the placenta the whole time. No amount of poking and prodding was going to move her away from it! The second picture is a little clearer with her ribs on the left and head on the right.

Front profiles. Ribs on the left, face on the right. The thing that sticks out the most is her nose with her eyes just above!

This is by far the cutest picture of them all! Although she was shy about letting us know that she was a girl, she was happy to show one of her little feet! Yes, those would be her toes sticking up straight in the air with her toes spread way apart on the left hand side! The line going horizontally accross is her other leg crossed over the leg showing the "big foot" (or the big fot as the ultrasound technician stated)!

All in all it was exciting finally finding out that the baby is a girl! We can now really starting telling and teaching Austin about his little sister! Daddy has been telling him that the baby is his sister all along, now we can really talk about it! Austin made his first official big brother purchase after finding out that he was going to have a little sister! His favorite part was posing for the picture!

I have a feeling that he is going to fall in love with his sister! That is, after the fact of getting used to the idea that she's not going anywhere and she is going to get some of Mommy's attention too! We'll have to wait and see!

Here are some other pictures of Austin from this weekend! We went to the Air Force base where Daddy is at school in San Antonio! Austin got to see some cool planes and we even went to the zoo! Here are some pictures of Austin and the airplanes! Look for the zoo pictures to come in a later post!

Final chance to vote

This afternoon is everyone's final chance to participate in the "Is the baby a boy or a girl" poll. Austin and I will be going to the doctor this afternoon to find out if he is going to have a brother or a sister! Check back later for the final results of the pole, the real result of the sex of the baby and pictures of our newest addition!

P.S. I'll also post some pictures of Austin from this weekend in this evenings post!

Back home

Austin and I just arrived home from our trip to Michigan. Unfortunately we had to go earlier than expected to honor the life of a wonderful man, my Papa, who unexpectedly passed away. The following link is a wonderful way of explaining who he was and why he was the greatest. He will be forever missed...

http://www.lifestorynet.com/memories/16292/

Here are some pictures from our short time in Michigan!

Wearing Grandpa Richards hat!

Huh? Me grouchy?

Austin and Grandma & Grandpa RingmanAustin and Grandma & Grandpa Richards

So, we now find ourselves back to reality. The idea of going to work and school tomorrow is not sounding very exciting, but we need to get back into our routine sooner or later! I think Austin is more excited about going back to school to see his friends than I am about going to work! Oh, and I forgot to mention back to the high 90 degree temperatures!

Our plan for next weekend is to travel to San Antonio to visit Daddy and go to the Zoo! It should be exciting! Austin asked where his Daddy was at when we got home from the airport today! I had to explain to him that Daddy had to go to school too and we will see him soon!