ten on ten - december

here's our december ten on ten:

8:00am: yummy cup of coffee with my new almond joy creamer....

my friend Kim said she loved it so I HAD to try it!

9:00 am: measuring, marking and taping the stripes in Caedmon's room

(my hubby loves all this painting, hehe)

10:00 am: Stripes with one coat of paint....almost done!

11:00 am: I just love seeing these two stockings hanging together on the mantle.

Makes my heart smile.

12:00 pm:  Finally got around to making a "Noel" sign with the letters I bought last year

1:00 pm: The 6 year shelf mystery is now solved.  

2:00 pm: Brought in the infant car seat and swing from the garage to wash.

Getting so close!

3:00 pm: speaking of which....I look like I'm about to pop. (35 weeks tomorrow)

4:00 pm: Making broccoli salad....just because.  

I'm preggo and it sounded SO good :)

5:00 pm: a pre-dinner snack

Hello, my name is....

Are you ready for this? 

Have I held you all in suspense long enough?

Well with a little help from Pinterest, I have a picture to help me 

with our name annoucement....

CAEDMON!

We've officially decided on a first name.

Now for the middle name :)

That may take us another 34 weeks.....oh you say I only have 6 weeks left?

How in the world did that happen?!

Well shoot, now we're gonna have to kick it into overdrive!

We've got two that we're choosing between so it shouldn't take too long, right?

Oh that may be a problem.

For those of you who didn't know, 

Tyler and I couldn't agree on a first name.  

See, he liked "Silas."

And I liked "Cruz."

And neither of us was willing to lean to the other's side.

Yes we were both being very stubborn.

I'm pretty sure I would've won, had it come to delivery day though.

He can't watch his wife give birth to another son for him and NOT let her pick the name :)

But that wouldn't be fair.

So we decided to drop both of the names and start from scratch.

Seriously.

We got out the name books again and went through every. single. name.

I said I liked the name Cade and then he suggested Caedmon.

It means, "wise warrior."

This is how wikipedia says the band Caedmon's Call got it's name:

The band's unusual name was inspired by Cædmon, an Anglo-Saxon cow-herd who lived during the 7th century. Legend has it that Caedmon was afraid to sing in public due to a lack of musical talent, and shied away from occasions where he had to sing. After leaving a feast one night because he was too embarrassed to sing, he lay down in the pasture with the cattle to sleep. An angel appeared to him in a dream, calling him to sing. After refusing, he eventually decided to sing and when he did, he sang beautiful verses that had never been heard before, based on the story of creation and using the style of pre-Christian, Anglo-Saxon poetry. Founding band members Cliff, Danielle, and Aaron decided on the name "Caedmon's Call" after all three heard this story during the same week and thought it was fitting.

So how is the clue, "Braveheart" related to this name?

In the final monologue he says, "warrior poet"

Which is a combination of the meaning of Caedmon. 

Yeah you can thank Tyler for that helpful hint :)

Oh and if you haven't figured it out yet, Tyler Jr. wasn't even on the radar.

I just wanted another name for the picture to make it look better :)

So our little man's name is Caedmon.  

We'll probably call him Cade, or Caed.

Hmmmm how to spell it?

It's gaelic, so that explains the weird spelling. 

But I kinda like it :)

{34 weeks!!}

34 weeks.

Wow.  

I can. not. believe I've made it this far. 

Only about 6 weeks left if we make it to my due date.

It's kind of like a dream.  I can't believe this is actually happening.

And I'm lovin' every minute of it.

Every painful, achey, blissfully wonderful minute of it :)

So a quick update:

As you can tell I'm getting quite the belly.

Baby brother is very active, every time I sit he goes crazy.

Makes it pretty easy to do a couple kick counts each day, which is very reassuring.

Been having quite a few Braxton Hicks.  Some of which are very painful.

I got up to go to the bathroom last night (1 of 3 trips during the night) and scared Tyler when I was bent over breathing through  a contraction.

It's the only one I've had all day (at least that I've felt and hurt that bad) so I'm not in labor folks. 

Friday evening I was having quite a few contractions, nothing got stronger or closer together and then they went away completely.

I know I'm past a scary part of giving birth to a preemie but anything before 37 weeks isn't ideal.  

Those babies need to cook for as long as they can! 

It's great being pregnant in the winter, for me at least, because I am so hot all the time. 

I've yet to need a coat, granted it hasn't gotten too cold here yet but I'm basically heating our house on my body heat alone.  :)

No swelling (except my fingers get like sausages when they're hot) 

Blood pressure as of yesterday was 128/80.  Pretty much perfect still.

Weight gain is 24ish lbs. 

I have an appointment in the morning (Monday) and my doc told me not to wear my clunky, heavy shoes since it's the first weigh in after Thanksgiving.  Lol.  Since I was the one that cooked for Thanksgiving and all we had was a roast, I don't think Thanksgiving will be to blame for any weight gain :)

I still have no sort of birth plan decided on.  I'm just going with the flow right now.

We'll see what happens.  Although I had a dream last night that I did a vbac.

 I should probably start thinking about packing a hospital bag too, huh?  

I didn't have one packed with Lincoln (he decided to send us to the hospital WAY too soon) 

so it's weird to have to pack something ahead of time. 

Oh and make sure to check back tomorrow sometime for baby brother's name! :)

I just love holding you all in suspense.....hehe.

Mean, I know.  I'm sorry.  

Oh and if you decide to see what we're naming baby brother, please keep all negative comments 

to yourself.  Please and thank you :)

{rawr!}

RAWR!  is Lincoln's new favorite thing to do and say.  

He'll get in a crouched stance, bent over and "rawr" at anyone or anything.

He learned this from his father of course.

Does that surprise anyone?  Nope? K. 

We are dog sitting for our friends and Lincoln likes to "rawr" at the dog.

It's hilarious because Brady, the dog, gets annoyed with it and gets up and leaves the room 

every time Lincoln does it.  

That's why when I saw this print I knew I had to get it for his new room:

So, so, so stinkin' cute.  I am lovin' figuring out how to put together the boys' new rooms.  

Getting paint and hopefully (fingers crossed) painting baby brother's room this weekend.

It needs to get done asap and I feel like as long as that gets done then he can come anytime and we'll survive.  Everything else will get done as we go but the painting is high priority around here.

I'm going with a grey/orange/navy blue color scheme and am excited to see how it

turns out!

I'm ordering this print in either orange or the navy blue for baby brother's room:

So baby brother officially has a name now :)

Eeek!  I'm so excited to share it with you all because I LOVE it!

But it'll have to wait a little longer, I have a couple picture ideas I want to do in order to 

announce it and those will have to wait until this weekend.  Patience, people.  

Here's a clue to keep you on your toes.....

the meaning of the name is in the last monologue of the movie Braveheart.

You can thank Tyler for that awesome clue (insert sarcastic voice there).

So be sure to check back early next week sometime if you're at all interested to hear the name!

{33 weeks} and the painters, aka my family, come to visit!

Since we weren't able to drive back for Thanksgiving, my family decided to fly/drive out here and spend the weekend with us!  And since we just moved, I have plenty of help getting things organized and painted.  JUST the thing that they all wanted to do on their break :)  My brother flew in a day early just so he could help me paint the kitchen....right, Trey?  Aren't you glad you were able to do that?!

The next morning, bright and early, my parents, my sister and her hubby got here after driving 13 hours through the night.  Bless them, that drive through the night is a tough one.  We've made it a couple times and my poor hubby got the privilege of driving most of it so I feel for them.

I owe them all BIG time, they helped me paint our family room.  Everybody pitched in and we got it done pretty quickly.  I seriously appreciate it so much, it would've taken Tyler and I at least a week to get  it done.  I forgot to take pictures as we were doing it but I'll put up pics as soon as I get settled in.

Mom wanted a family picture for her Christmas card so we got all "matchy-matchy" and took off to look for a spot for the picture.  We have a creek and a bunch of trees behind our new house so we just walked around there until we found this great bridge.

It was perfect for the photo.  We just brought along our ladder and propped up my camera and the timer for the group shot and ended up with this as the best one.  Not too bad if you ask me!  This is the best smile we could get out of Lincoln.  He was confused by the blinking light on the camera.  

My brother took the rest of these and I just edited them in Lightroom.  Love how they turned out!

The creek was so fascinating!

I absolutely love Lincoln's face in this one!  So cute and so happy.

32 weeks 5 days

My parents and my "little" brother

I took about 20 pictures of Hope and Lincoln and ended up with 2 really cute ones!

My beautiful mom and her oldest grandson

Running across the bridge was the highlight of his day.....he probably back and forth 50 times and would stop to "rawr" at us periodically :)

My wonderful sis and I

stairstep sibling picture....we are seriously all on level ground

Siblings with spouses, Lincoln and baby brother (Derek didn't get the memo to look at my camera) :)

We had to reward Lincoln for doing so well and played at the playground behind our house for awhile....Papa Jay got a good workout in

Trey got stuck at the top :)

Daddy can't resist climbing on the playground equipment

Papa Jay - Young at heart

Not sure what my sister is doing in the background haha.....you're welcome for that one, Hope.

We did a "mini" Christmas while they were hear since I'll be 37 weeks on Christmas day and should probably stay around here :)  Lincoln got spoiled, that's for sure.

33 week update:

I can't believe I just typed, "33" weeks.  That's just crazy!  

I really can't believe I'm this far along and next week will be my last goal week, 34 weeks!  

After that, 39 weeks would be perfect!  

My due date, January 15th still sounds so far away, probably because we have Christmas and New Year's between then and now but really it's just around the corner.  It'll be here before I know it, and I still have SO much to do.  

Painting baby brother's room is next on the list. 

I can't wait to see how it turns out.  Thank you pinterest for all the ideas :)

I've been feeling SO good.  My last appointment was a week ago and Mr. Lincoln got to come with me.  

He usually does pretty good but this time he was just antsy and wanting to get into EVERYTHING. 

My doctor was SO good and patient with him during my appointment.  

He brought a chair up to the side of the table for Lincoln to stand on, let him squirt the blue jelly onto my tummy and then handed Lincoln the doppler to try and find the heartbeat.

And guess what?  Lincoln found it!  His face was so cute, he thought it was fun!  

I talked more with my doc about a VBAC and he told me I would actually be a very good candidate for one and probably have a 70-80% chance of having a successful one because I've never labored before AND because Lincoln was born earlier and my uterus hasn't been stretched to full term yet (kind of the 

opposite of what I was originally thinking).  

Where as other women who have labored and had to have a c-section for reasons like not progressing etc. would have a 50-50% chance at a successful vbac.  

Just more to think about. 

My awesome friend, Meredith, lent me her support band to wear around my hips/back and it has helped alleviate my back pain a lot!  Tyler thinks it looks super hott.  lol.

I'm quite the site before going to bed at night between the support band and my nasal strips that I wear so I can breathe out of my nose.  Incredibly sexy that's for sure!

I love, love, love being pregnant.  

Have I said that yet? 

I've been having a few braxton hicks here and there.

Nothing else to really report.

Just boring, that's the way we like it!  :)

{31 weeks}

Before I get to my 31 weeks update here are the pictures I wasn't able to post in my 30 week update:

30 weeks

and here is my precious little boy with a squished nose (he was pressed up against my belly and so his nose is smooshed)

 and a profile of our littlest man

I love all the 3D pictures we've been able to get of baby brother!  So fun to imagine what he'll look like!

Well here we are at 31 weeks 5 days.

This seems so surreal.  

I can't believe that this is the day that Lincoln was born.  

My little guy (not sure how old he is in the picture...1 or 2 days, I didn't take the picture I think my sister did.  I was too busy trying to stay alive, myself....I can joke a little about that now but at the time it was serious.) 3lbs 6 oz.  

I'm so thankful that so far this pregnancy is completely different.

No signs of my blood pressure getting high, no problems with my kidneys or my liver.

No bedrest (so far at least), being treated as a normal OB patient, and actually getting to enjoy my pregnancy.  I LOVE it!  Now don't get me wrong, my back aches, my hips and joints are sore and I'm tired BUT none of that makes me wish the rest of this pregnancy will go fast.  I am loving just being normal.  I actually want it to slow down a bit so I can really enjoy the rest of this pregnancy and feeling our little boy kick and punching inside of me.  I love laying on the couch in the evenings and watching my belly bounce as he has a little dance party in there.  

So from here on out, I'm in uncharted territory.  It's all new for me.
I've been doing lots of research on VBAC's and still don't have a firm decision made but am feeling
more comfortable just knowing all the information that's out there.  Lots to think about that's for sure.
Speaking of big decisions, we are about *this* close to nailing down a name for baby brother!  yay!
Sorry but we're not gonna reveal it until we are 100% sure.  :)

Just gonna warn you all, this might be my last post for a little while.  We are moving on Saturday {finally!} and so once things slow down a bit, I'll have more time to get back to blogging.
Hang in there,"I'll be back" (said like Arnold Schwarzenegger) 

{30 weeks}

Disclaimer:
This post has no pictures....I've taken my bump picture for the week and have the ultrasound pictures all ready to show you but I've been an overachiever in the packing department (surprising, I know!) and I already packed my camera cord to upload the pictures onto my computer.....so you all are just gonna have to be patient and wait to see my bump and pictures of baby brother until sometime next week when I (hopefully!) find it amongst our mess of unpacking and settling into our new house!

So here is an update so you all aren't left hangin' for the week.....(parents and siblings) :)


I'm so excited to be at 30 weeks!  It almost seems unreal that I'm this far along already.  3/4 of the way done!!  Less than 10 weeks now until we will for sure meet our little guy!  

Here's a quick update from my doc appointment on Monday and our ultrasound Tuesday:

BP is LOW....wait did I just type that right, yep I sure did! My blood pressure was 106/62 at the office and I was even seeing some stars when I would move too fast.  I was super surprised to see it that low.  Super great though!  There is always still that risk that it could spike up really high and I could get pre-e again but  since it was creeping up way before 30 weeks with Lincoln, it usually presents itself earlier in your next pregnancy so I'm never in the clear but that makes me feel good that we're this far along and it's still normal.  Anything to keep me away from that horrible Mag.  Oh man I have NO desire to have that EVER again.  4 days was enough.  Anyways, moving right along....

I had to see my dr's colleague for my appointment because he was at the hospital at a delivery all day.  Which was good just in case she ends up being the one that delivers baby brother.  She was really nice.  Said I'm measuring perfectly for 30 weeks and baby brother's heart rate was 145 bpm.  

They think I have more group b so they sent it off to be tested and I'll hear by the end of the week if I need another antibiotic or not.  Either way it's already decided that I'll have an antibiotic during delivery so baby brother doesn't get it.  

I asked about traveling back for Thanksgiving (just to KC) and she said if we travel we must fly.  No driving because of the risk of blood clots.  Oh yeah, duh didn't think about that.  Well guess what our plans were?  To drive.  Guess that decides our plans for us.  :(  It's going to be so weird not being around family for both Thanksgiving AND Christmas this year.  Hopefully a lot of them are able to come out and meet baby brother in January though! 

At the ultrasound today we got to see the little guy in 3D again.  It was hard to get a good picture because of where he was and apparently he was squishing his face up against the top of my belly so his nose looks smooshed.  I think he actually looks kinda chubby!  

He is doing great.  Lots of fluid to swim around in!  Everything on him looks great and the blood flow between him and me through the umbilical cord looked normal as well.  He's measuring +/- 3lb 6 oz.  Which is exactly what Lincoln weighed when he was born at 31 weeks 5 days.  Baby brother must be a chunk because I'm only 30 weeks 2 days!  

The perinatologist wasn't in the office yet so we didn't talk to him about everything or if he wants me to come in again or not.  I go back to my doc in 2 weeks (every 2 weeks now!) and I'll find out then.

I wanted another doc's opinion on a VBAC so I asked Dr. C and she was almost too over the top with recommending that I try a VBAC.  She compared the risks for both and said the risk of a VBAC is less than risks for a repeat c-section.  It's a major surgery, people.  So I have a lot of research to continue to do.  I've not made a solid decision yet....I kinda just want the decision made for me.  Like say if baby brother was breech like Lincoln was then there would be no question....c-section.  But so far he's head down and ready to go, boy do I feel it on my bladder! (I know that could still change).  But I just want to know of more moms out there who have had a VBAC after having a premature delivery with your first.  If there are any of you out there leave a comment and tell me how it went!  Please!

Weight gain is up to 22lbs now.....wowzers.
Thank the Lord my doc "okayed" me to start Jazzercise!  Trying it out with another preggo friend of mine this afternoon.  Just have to keep one foot on the ground at all times.   I'm hoping it goes well cause I'm really excited to start it up again!  If you have never tried Jazzercise you totally should, it's SO fun and a fabulous workout!

Well off to pack more boxes....our closing date is getting pushed back one day.....I'm a little ircked with our lender and the fact that they waited until the last minute to ask for some documents etc.  Oh well.  It'll happen.  Patience, Marie, patience :)  Hope you all have a great Wednesday! 

DUDE!

Thank you "Finding Nemo" and Tyler for teaching my son that a turtle says, "Dude!"

It's quite cute but I'm foreseeing his first day of Kindergarten and the teacher shows a picture of a turtle,

my son raises his hand and tells the whole class that turtle's say, "dude!"

That teacher is gonna think his parents are nuts.

Oh well....we are kinda nuts.
Oh and if Lincoln ever comes up to you and hits his head against yours, that's him doing "noggin" like
the turtle's do on "finding nemo."
Sorry in advance if it hurts, his father, again, taught him that one and he's only supposed to do that to daddy but I've gotten a couple noggin's along the way.  

So for Halloween this year, Lincoln of course, got to be a turtle.  He wasn't so sure about it at first because the costume I ordered doesn't really look much like a turtle except the shell on the back but since it was green and green is his favorite color, he agreed to wear it!  phew!

We started out our Halloween with a playgroup  party with Lincoln's little friends.

We played with lions, monkeys, giraffes, fairies, pumpkins and even a football player and got our first fill of sugar highs for the day.

Later for trick or treating we went over to our friends house and Lincoln and daddy went with their three boys and Dan trick or treating while Megan, baby brother and I stayed at the house to hand out candy.  

Baby brother even got to come out for the evening and wave to everyone! :)

My little turtle 

And me with my two boys!  

Before trick or treating and my turtle has found a sucker already!

The ninja and the turtle

Clark Kent, a pirate, a ninja and a turtle ready to go get some candy!

Tyler said Lincoln did a pretty good job and even said "trick or treat" and thank you at each house!  

The boys were so excited that they ran to each house and since Lincoln is slow (and so are turtles, how fitting huh?) he went to every other house.  

Here's a little video Tyler took on his phone of my little cutie :)
{remember to scroll to the bottom of my blog and pause the music so you can hear the video!}