Baby #2: 24 Weeks

 ~ 24 Week Belly Bump ~

 

Baby #2: 23 Week Photo

Just the Week 23 Belly Bump this week.

 

Baby #2: 22 Weeks

22 Week Belly Bump!

 

How far along? 22 weeks!!
Total weight gain: ??
Maternity clothes? I did break out the maternity tote this week, but I am carrying so high that all of my pants are still fitting (and closing) so really I am just wearing shirts for the most part.
Stretch marks? Nope!
Sleep: Between heartburn and tailbone pain, sleep hasn't been too great lately. Not waking up to go to the bathroom hardly ever, just struggling to stay asleep.  On the positive side, I've been waking up early these days and must be getting used to it. Never thought the day would come.
Best moment this week: Celebrating your big sister's 1st birthday!! Also, Daddy got crib #2 set up this week. Now on to trying to figure out how to make that tiny room fit another crib!
Miss anything? Nothing to really complain about!
Baby is the size of a: Papaya
Movement: Some, but not a whole lot. Neither of my babies have been too active, at least so far. No real strong kicks yet.
Food cravings: Cake lady's red velvet cake (so of course we had it for the big party).
Anything making you queasy or sick: Negative.
Gender: ??????
Name: Girl is a go, boy is undecided.
Labor Signs: N/A
Symptoms: Heartburn most days, and most bothersome by far is tailbone pain. It started probably around 20 weeks and was pretty intermittent, but is starting to become a pain in the butt (literally). I have been sleeping on a heating pad and that helps me to be able to get out of bed in the morning, but by afternoon I am hurting so bad I can hardly walk normal. I always thought people who complained about tailbone pain were wimps, but it is indeed real. And is a real bummer when it starts so early. Also swelling in my hands in the mornings, and feet in the evenings already and some occasional headaches. I'm sure the headaches are just stress induced. Also started having some Braxton Hicks contractions right around 20 weeks. Much stronger than last pregnancy and have had to rest a bit more when they come. I was kind of starting to worry about it, but doctor said to just rest and take it a little easier.
Things People Say: Lots of comments about how high I'm carrying babe.
Belly Button in or out? Flat and teetering on the edge of an outtie. Pretty sure it didn't get this far ever last time.
Wedding rings on or off? On, but hands are swelling last couple weeks.
Happy or Moody most of the time: Busy, but thankful these days.
Looking forward to: Christmas, and LA's 12 month check up with her doctor this week.

Love and Prayers in Week 23, Babe!!

ONE.YEAR.OLD

Is this really possible? You are still so tiny and in many ways still seem like a baby, but how can it even be real that we are celebrating your FIRST BIRTHDAY already?? You have changed our lives and rocked our world in ways we didn't even know were possible. You have been such a blessing to have as our firstborn. Here are some stats about YOU!

 

 At ONE YEAR OLD, you:

 

Have only 2 teeth - and love to brush them!

Might be the smallest one year old ever

Weigh 16 pounds, 12 ounces (3rd percentile??)

Are 28" tall (13th percentile??)

Head circumference is 18" (65th percentile??)
Started wearing size 4 diapers on your birthday
Got 5 shots at your 1 year check up - handled like a champ

Have the most beautiful, thick head of hair

Still do not crawl, walk, or stand

Are still "Peanut" to almost everyone

Sleep 10-12 hours a night

Seem to like daycare now

Wave bye bye, but only on your way to bed at night

Clap when you are proud of yourself

Are not a picky eater!

Are a good shopper with Mommy

Enjoy throwing things over any edge

Do not self-entertain well for most part

LOVE fruit, but do not care for bananas

Really enjoy your friends at daycare

Have a new friend, Ref, in the bathroom mirror

Giggle and screech constantly

Love to play peek a boo, patty cake, itsy bitsy spider

Are 20 weeks or less from being a BIG SISTER

Are starting to enjoy reading books more

Boot scoot 360 degrees and sometimes backwards

Struggle with constipation frequently

Love cheerios and puffs

Soak your Daddy every night at bathtime

Love sharing Mommy's water from my straw

Are starting to mimic things we do more and more
Have a new found love for the Hokey Pokey song
Babble a lot
Started clicking your tongue at 1 year and 10 days
Are very close to saying "da da"
Drink pretty well from a cup without lid on your own
Have figured out that you do not enjoy any doctor's office
Took your first "big girl bath" over Thanksgiving

 

 You sleep a LOT! Your sleep schedule on weekdays: wake you up for daycare around 7:00, take a nap from 12:30-2:30ish at daycare, then nap from 5-7 (varies depending) at home and are back in bed after dinner, bath and a bottle around 9:00. On weekends, you usually wake up around 8:00 and have a bottle/cereal, are back down to sleep in an hour or so usually from 9-11, then sometimes a mid-afternoon nap from 2:30-4:30ish, and possibly even another from 6:30-7:30. Then back to bed for the night around 9:00 (highly variable depending on weekend agenda). You go with the flow SO well. However, if we aren't at home you will not nap and are starting to become a little more difficult when that happens. And you will sleep even more the next day if we throw that schedule off.

 

You shovel your food in as fast as you possibly can most meals, especially when we throw the fruit on your tray (which we usually save until last). At home we usually give you some of ours but try to stick with a meat, veggie, fruit and sometimes bread or pasta. And at daycare you get a little bit of everything. (Even a cookie a couple times against my knowing and approval - which they said you absolutely loved, of course). We really don't do much, if any, baby food anymore and probably aren't as good about doing oatmeal as we should be. You really eat almost anything we put in front of you, with the exception of bananas and maybe even cottage cheese. You also are not a big fan of any potatoes. Otherwise, you eat chicken, all veggies and fruits like it's your last meal. This week you ate almost an entire half of Runza!

 

Both Daddy and I love going to pick you up from daycare, because you get SO excited to see us. The other day I walked past the room that you were in and instantly heard you start whining because you had seen me walk by so I knew to turn around. And you kick your feet and whine harder and faster until we pick you up. Daddy sits you down to get all your stuff together and said that it is a full out cry until he picks you back up. You do pretty well in the mornings at drop off for the most part, but you are ready to come home with us when it's time. Best part of the day :)

 

As mentioned above, you have a new best friend. I started calling her Ref (for Reflection) because you LOVE to go in and sit on the counter and look and laugh at her. You think she is the FUNNIEST thing EVER! You can't walk past a mirror these days without being a total ham.

 

We call you a little water bug, because you look just like one when we put your feet on the ground to try to get you to walk. At this rate you are never going to learn how to because I don't think you take it serious enough. I keep telling myself that as far as I know in the history of mankind, no child has not learned to walk, and that eventually you will get it. You still do not crawl either, but I'm not sweating that as bad. You put your hands in front of you like you want to crawl but you are so far from actually being able to do it. You rock CONSTANTLY when you're sitting, and we have concluded that it is because you want to move so badly...just not enough to figure out how to do it. I even put lots of decorations on the very bottom of the Christmas tree to try to tempt you to get to them. Maybe that will work.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

 Sweet Baby Girl, We just love you SO VERY MUCH. You are the best thing that has happened to our family. I cannot even wait for all of the fun we are going to have after looking back on this past year. Every smile. Every laugh. Every moment we spend together makes my heart fall deeper in love with everything that you are. It is true, I love you so much it hurts. Thank you for bringing us so much joy.

Love Always,
Mommy

 

 

Landry's FIRST Birthday Party!

We celebrated your first birthday on December 7th with just our immediate families. Grandpa and Grandma Matthes; Great Grandma Matthes; Reed, Alyssa, Levi & Clara; Grandpa and Grandma Deaver; Roo; Kilah; and Great Grandpa and Grandma Wert all attended. We started the party with lunch at 12:00 and soon after you and the twins all laid down for naps. While the little ones napped, some of us played Phase 10 while the others rested and watched football. After you all woke up, we opened your presents and then did your smash cake. You got lots of fun presents: a rocking horse, some outfits, books, elephant toy, dinosaur ball toy, princess tent, learning bug, wagon, money, and a rocking chair. We are going to have lots of fun playing with all of your new toys...which we desparately needed!

 

We couldn't have timed your naps more perfectly that day! You were pretty tired all day because we kept you up too late the night before celebrating, but you still did awesome. You did not hesitate to dig in to your smash cake and did not mind getting messy. Pretty adorable. You finished with your cake and went straight to the bath. We all had a great day celebrating your first birthday, and I am already looking forward to the next one.

 

Of 300-some pictures, I tried to narrow them down the best I could. There were just too many cute ones that I wanted to share here, so beware of picture overload!

 

Playing Phase 10 while the littles slept.

Your most beautiful cake. Turned out exactly
as I had imagined it.

Getting ready to start the birthday process!

Kisses for the birthday girl!

First ride in the wagon you got.

There is even room for 3!

 

The best I could get of them all looking and somewhat smiling.

Birthday girl and her most special Daddy.

Hated every single second of that birthday hat.

Blowing out your sparkler candles. Mom's 1st bad idea and never again.

You started digging it before anyone was even really ready.

 

...And didn't slow down!

This pink stuff is pretty tasty!

LOVE this face :)

Shortly before you reached over and slimed your Daddy :)

The best picture we could get of the birthday buddies
before you threw your hat off.

 

The end result, and ready for the bath!

Just a quick pic before Great Grandma went home.

You would think we were photographing 3 kids
with how difficult it is to get them to all smile at once!

4 Generations of Matthes'

Another 4 generation of Matthes'

Love these girls more than life itself. Couldn't
have done any of the party without their help.

Just having a moment with Mommy.

My favorites. The very best sisters.

 

I cannot believe that we have a ONE year old already. We had a great weekend celebrating with family. I can't wait for all of these fun memories year after year. I've said it 100 times, but I am so very thankful to have you in our family, Landry. You are the greatest thing to happen to us. Looking forward to doing life with you in your second year.

 

Love and Prayers in Year 2, Sweet Girl!!

Landry's 1st Birthday!

We celebrated your 1st birthday after coming home from work/daycare on Friday evening with Grandpa and Grandma Matthes, Roo, and Kilah. They all came over to help us finish getting ready for your big party. The major project of the evening was decorating your smash cake, and I was so glad that Grandpa was there because he was more than willing to help do it for me. That saved me a lot of stress, and it looked a lot better than if I would have done it myself. We also put the finishing touches on decorations (read: Kilah made tulle balls and both aunts finished your high chair tutu).

Picture of the Peanut at the exact time of day she was born
(4:56 pm) with a celebratory clap.

Decorating the smash cake!

Adding just the right amount of glitter.

Hanging the adorable tulle balls she made.

Birthday bath at ONE YEAR OLD!

Working on the cake table after Peanut went to bed.

 

It has been a great first year with you, Sweet Girl. We have loved absolutely every minute of having you in our family...what a blessing you have been. We thank God every day for you. Looking forward to many more celebrations with you!!