Merry Merry

Lazy Sunday

We have had a lovely weekend of (almost) doing nothing but sitting around the house. Brian has had a fire raging in the fireplace since early Saturday. This is the first weekend in a long time that we haven't had tons of places to be. I feel a little guilty that I'm still in my P.J.'s and it's well past noon, but oh well, who cares? It's freezing outside, but nice and toasty inside. We've had tons of fun family moments in our house. I put up the Christmas decorations on Friday. James has lots of eye candy in the house now. He loved the Christmas lights. It's so fun to watch him experience all of this for the first time. Oh, and I actually heard a real laugh for the first time on Friday. Brian and I couldn't stop laughing at it. I keep trying to get more laughs out of him, but it's not happening. He's still smiley and happy. Hopefully full-on laughter is coming soon. I did accomplish one thing this weekend: Uploaded Photos.

Fun Visit From Aunt Sarah

Wow! What a fun and busy Thanksgiving break. It all started with Aunt Sarah arriving on the red eye Wednesday morning. She "worked" (but mostly played with James) from our house all day and then that night we went to a fun party at Hacienda where we saw The Fontanelle's (my brother-in-laws band) and DJ B Rich. Thursday we celebrated Thanksgiving at my sister's for brunch and then my aunt's house for dinner. After gorging all day and night we were pretty tired so we crashed kinda early. Friday we had a happy hour that lasted until 3 a.m. at our place. It was fun catching up with Kristyn (from L.A.) and Joel & Alicia (from NYC). Saturday we had my BFF, Anna's bridal shower, Turkey Day celebrations at my aunt Susie's house and then that night an 80s themed bachelorette party. It was a blast from the past. Here's a group shot. Anna wore a full on tacky 80s wedding dress and all the girls wore 80s style prom dresses. It was so much fun. We stayed out until 2:30 a.m.! Sunday was low key for me. Brian and Sarah went to the Rams game (Sarah won tix the first night she was in town). Then we chilled out and watched a movie together. It was a FUN break! Thank goodness Christmas break is only 22 days away...James misses his Aunt Sarah!

Our Little 4-Month-Old (Hawaiian) Turkey

Aunt Sarah just arrived from LA with a gift for James! She recently went to Hawaii for her birthday and picked up this Big Kahuna number while in Kona. James is having SO much fun with his awesome Aunt. She has already taken 50 pics. Let the fun begin! Happy Turkey Day everyone!

Our Little Wild Thing

It's been a while since I've posted some of James' new talents:
1. Smiles all the time
2. Has started to scream with excitement (very loud, but very cute!)
3. Puts hands in mouth and just about anything within reach
4. Can now roll to the side and back again
5. Can sit up in the Bumbo chair
6. Sleeps 11 hours straight through the night (God LOVE him!)
7. Has discovered that bath time can be fun when you splash and kick (I must post a video of this soon)
8. Can see much farther distance now and has recently discovered Grizzo, the cat
9. Notices himself in the mirror
10. Has lots of conversations with us (still says "Laaa")
11. Starting to laugh (it sounds like a cough, it's so cute!)
12. Growing very quickly these days (had to put away all newborn clothes because he has outgrown everything) mostly in length, he's still skinny
13. Can put all of his weight on his little legs and stand with help for a long time

3 Months

Back to Work

Whew! What a week! Returning to a new job after 5 months off with a newborn went considerably well. The morning routine that Brian and I have established is working seamlessly because we all made it to work and daycare on time every day. James did great with his babysitters. On Mondays and Wednesdays my parents come to our house to watch him which makes those days much more laid back. I was worried about getting James out the door in time to get to daycare, but that went well too. He has been very laid back about all the changes to his normal routine. This weekend the Grandma and Grandpa Rich are heading down from Michigan to stay with us for the whole week. They are going to take care of James during the day while I'm at work. They haven't been able to see him since birth so it will be great to get to know him now that he's changed so much.

My new job is great! I'm a part-time reading teacher in the mornings only. Going back to work has confirmed that I really would rather be a part-time working mom rather than a stay at home mom. I love getting up and at it in the morning and having a place to go where I can interact with adults, and being with the kids is the best. I work with first and second graders this year and they are so cute! It's funny how being a mom has changed my outlook on teaching. I'm a much more empathetic person now. The best part of my job is that I'm completely finished by noon! Although this week I worked most days until 1:30 in order to get organized, but I think the planning time will be cut down drastically once I get into the swing of things. Luckily, the next two weeks are short. We have Friday off for the next two weeks.

12 Weeks

Today James and I took a trip up to Overland to visit Brian at work. It was nice to finally see where he goes every day. It's actually a really nice facility in a nice neighborhood. Brian introduced us to the staff and we got to see the bulletin boards that he put up. I must say (and I'm a bulletin board master by now) that they looked really good. James got to go with us for lunch at Applebees, which ended up not being very fun. We basically asked for the check while we were placing our order. Today marks the official end to my 3 month maternity leave. I start back to work Monday morning. The party is over now! I'm a little excited about it though. If I was returning full-time I'm sure I'd be singing a different tune, but since I'm finished by noon each day it doesn't seem like that bad of a burden. There have been more days than I want to admit that James and I slept until noon so it will be nice to have a reason to get up and get going each day. James slept 10 hours straight last night. I sure hope he keeps it up for me next week. He's usually pretty good about sleeping, but there have been several instances recently that he's woken at 3 a.m. or even worse 4:30 a.m. (because at that point why go back to bed???) Those days will suck getting up and going to work, but luckily we can both come home and take a nap if we need to...which I'm sure we will. I will try to get on and post how the first week back goes. Monday my mom and dad are thankfully going to be here in the morning to watch James so I don't have to worry about being late for work. However, Tuesday I will take him to the sitter who I hired 3 days a week. We did a trial run to her house earlier this week and made it out the door pretty well. I'll just have to make sure that everything is ready the night before...and if he vomits or poops all over the place right before we have to go I have to NOT panic. The plan is to just keep an extra shirt in the car (for me just in case!) It's going to be an interesting week. I'm sure it will only be a matter or time before our little routine is second nature....but in the mean time wish me luck! I will need it!!!

Check-Up

James had his 2 month check up today even though he is 11 weeks old today! The doctor said that he looks perfectly healthy. He now weighs 10 lbs, 8 ounces, which is 4 pounds 8 ounces more since birth. He is in the 10th percentile for weight. We were a little worried about that, but his doctor told us that he is gaining weight normally and staying within the same percentile. He is 23 and 1/4 inches long, which is 3 and 3/4 inches more than birth. He's in the 41st percentile for length. Today he had his 2 month vaccinations which meant 2 shots (one in each thigh) along with an oral vaccination. Poor little guy was in a lot of pain! He turned bright red. Luckily Brian was able to come today too and he picked him up and hugged him tight until the pain stopped. He handled it well considerably. I was worried that I would cry too, but I didn't because James didn't seem like he was in that terrible of pain. He's been a little fussy this evening, but Brian has been holding him all night. Right now he's sound asleep against his chest. We are giving him children's Tylenol for the pain. Those shots are the worst! In other news, James is still smiling and "talking" to us all the time. He's a very happy little guy. It's hard to get him to smile for videos because he's too preoccupied with looking at the video camera.

Crazy Cute!

Buddies

Anna and the little guy she babysits, Cameron, have been spending lots of time with James and I over here at the crib. Cameron is about 1 1/2 months older than James and quite a bit larger. He is such a cutie though! James is pretty much oblivious to him, but I think Cameron gets a kick out of seeing another "little person" around. The Ladies Man onesie cracks me up!

Happy 2 Month Birthday, Baby J!

I can't believe how much our little guy has changed in 1 month! Here are some updates on James.
- He has been sleeping through the night!!! (9 hours last night)
- Smiling and laughing frequently
- Prefers to lay on his back rather than be held or cradled
- Makes noises, mostly this one "Laaaa"
- Finally able to wear 0-3 month-old clothing (but still baggy!)
- Awake a lot more during the day
- Still loves music
- Loves books (Especially the book "I Kissed the Baby" - good read if you're bored!)
- Doesn't cry often at all (just when hungry or needing to have a bm)
- Hair is getting thicker and longer
- Still loves his bath time
- Kicks his legs all day long
- Can hold up head for short periods (tonight he started to lean over and pulled back up)
- LOVES his mobile...there's a duck that cracks him up each time it comes around. It's like he's seeing it for the first time every time!!
- Eats about 4 ounces out of a bottle (when we give him one)

So, I can't believe that I only have 1 more month to spend with James before work. The good news is that I will be returning part-time to work for the remainder of the school year. I'll be a reading teacher in the a.m. only (8-noon, M-F). He will be babysat by my mom and dad on Mondays and Wednesdays and by an awesome parent from my school on the rest of the days. I'll be able to pick him up shortly after noon each day so we won't be far apart long. He's going to a sitter that is only 1 mile from our house! My mom and dad are coming here on their days. Brian and I are starting "dry runs" next week so that we can practice getting ready and getting out the door in time for work. We have a plan in our heads, but want to make sure it works in reality. We go for our 2 month doctor appointment in a couple weeks so I'll have more stats to share on James then. In our eyes he is just pure perfection!

Cutie-Patootie!

All Smiles

7 Weeks Already!

New Book From Grammy Margaret

1 Month Check Up

Today James had his official one month check up. I was so relieved to find out that everything is perfect and he is growing up! He is now 21 1/4 inches in length (That's a 1 3/4 inch increase from birth) and he weighs 8 pounds (He weighed 6 pounds 4 ounces at birth). A few other concerns I had were cleared up including a "rash" on the back of his head which turns out to be a birth mark and the spitting up is apparently normal and not worrisome. My doctor also advised me to give him a bit of Mylanta in the evening to stop the bouts of crying that tend to happen around 8 pm sometimes. He was super cute at the appointment even though he was undressed laying on a hard table, he still was smiling and cooing the whole time --even when the dr. was prodding and poking at him with medical equipment. However, there was a bit of a melt down when a nurse gave him his Hepatitis booster. It was one of those cries where no sound came out...if you know what I mean! I quickly scooped him up and hugged him and he forgot all about it. Now he just has a funny little band-aid to show for it. So all is well with the little guy. He has started to smile at us from time to time and he is sleeping very well in the night besides his feedings that at least are happening at predictable times. Brian has started helping with the early morning feeding around 5:30 a.m. so that I can get about 4 hours of uninterupted sleep which as it turns out makes for the perfect amount of rest for me right now to get through the day. I never thought in a million years I'd be saying that! Ha! Talk about a lifestyle change. But it's all well worth it, especially when he flashes that adorable little smile!

Kickin' It

Getting Bigger!

James' Faves

1. Being bundled up tightly
2. Bath time
3. Music

Bath Time is the Best Time

Cuteness!

Getting the Swing of Things

The last almost 2 weeks have flown by! James is starting to get used to his new surroundings, and luckily things are starting to become a little less stressful on our end too. He is a very happy baby! I guess he's not too unique in that all he does is eat, sleep, poop, repeat. I have started to work out a schedule where I can get about 7 hours of sleep at night (not in a row of course) so that has done wonders for my mental and physical health. In the morning after I feed him, I get a nice long stretch to shower, eat breakfast, have a cup of coffee, and check email before he wakes up again to eat. He most recently has had a clogged tear duct which caused his little eye to become weepy and gunky. The pediatrician told me to whip off the gunk regularly and to massage the inner corner of his eye three times a day to unclog the duct. I think this trick is working because the gunk is almost gone. He actually loves the eye massage too! It's so cute. He makes lots of noises and smiles a little while I do it. We have yet to venture into the great outdoors and I'm starting to get more than a little bit stir crazy watching the day go by out my window. Tomorrow my mom and I are probably going to make a trip to Target. Woo Hoo! Brian is back to work and studying up to prepare for his new role in a new school district. He is stressed out and also losing sleep (although I do my very best to not wake him at night I've have some nights where that was impossible). But he's managing just fine. Things are very quite around here for now!

James Daniel Rich

Sweet Pea

We are so excited to introduce our new little guy to the world - James Daniel Rich! At what ended up being my very last prenatal exam my OB decided that I should go ahead and be induced since the amniotic fluids were even lower than the previous visit. Approximately 1 hour before this news Brian got a call from Ritenour (a school district which he had applied for as an Assistant Principal) and he found out that he had gotten the job! We were elated with the news and this just totally made his day as he was really bummed to be going back to the classroom next year. He found out that he would begin the new job on Tuesday, July 28. Flash forward 1 hour and we find out that my Dr. has scheduled me to be induced that SAME day! Oh no! We had to tell her that this just wasn't going to work with Brian's job. (You got to love how we can "schedule" delivery). So, she left the room to look at other openings and the only slot open was the very next morning. WHAT??? I couldn't wrap my mind around this news...that I would be having the baby in less than 24 hours really sent a shock to my system. It was a day of BIG news. We left the appointment in total shock and excitement and went on a mission to get last minute things in order (like Brian scrubbing the bathroom floor as you can see in our photos and grocery shopping). I didn't sleep hardly at all that night. We knew we'd be getting a call between 6 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Friday to come in for the induction. The hospital called at 7:30 a.m. and we jumped into action as fast as humanly possible. I was surprisingly peaceful at this point, but Brian was on pins and needles. When we got the hospital it took a little while for us to get checked in. On a funny side note, one of my delivery nurses ended up being a parent of one of my third graders next year (hello awkward!) Actually she was really amazing. The hospital staff was so nice and made us completely secure and comfortable. They started the pitocin drip around 11:30 a.m. within hours I was on my way to being more and more dilated. I can't remember the exact time (some time later afternoon) my OB came in and broke my water. No big deal at first, but then the "real" contractions kicked in. Ouch! It was a tough 45 minutes or so, but Brian helped me through it with breathing and relaxation. Finally, I threw in the towel and asked for the epidural. The anesthetist was awesome. He had this calming voice that just made you think PAIN RELIEF! The epidural went in painlessly and within 30 minutes or so it kicked in. I felt tingly in my legs and the contractions became less and less noticeable. The best part was the "euphoric" feeling it gave me. I felt a little drunk and suddenly had the munchies. We had some visitors come in and it was fantastic visiting with the Riches and my family all the while having some pretty major contractions. Everyone left the room eventually and Brian and I turned on the TV around 7 p.m. to watch the Daily Show. A nurse came in around 7:15 to see how dilated I was and I found out I was at a 10 and it was time to start pushing! I became shaky learning this news because I had no idea at all I was ready for go time. I thought I'd be laying there well into the a.m. hours. They got me and the room ready, but my Dr. wasn't there yet so we had to wait. In the mean time the delivery nurse decided Brian could help out with a "test push" to show me how it's done. Well, the test push led to the baby's head coming out several inches and they decided no more test pushes because this baby was going to slide right out!!! Brian was enthralled and such a champ. When the doctor got there I ended up pushing through two contractions and baby James came right out! I felt nothing at all and it couldn't have gone smoother. All I can says is - EPIDURALS ROCK!

James weighed 6 pounds, 4 ounces and was 19.5 inches long. He was born on July 24, 2009 at 7:37 p.m. He is absolutely perfect and adorable. He has a clean bill of health and is already eating, peeing, pooping and sleeping like a little champ. We are so blessed to have this little angel in our lives! Thanks to everyone for all of the support you have given to us throughout the last few days. We are blessed in so many ways. I will be uploading some pics very soon...but for now, got to get some rest.

Also, Brian started his new job and is loving it...except for going into work each day totally sleep deprived! Life is crazy!

Tic-Toc-Tic-Toc

Today I went in for my 38 week check up and found out my amniotic fluids are looking a little low. My doctor wants me to come back in this Thursday to check the fluids again. She said if they continue to stay low or drop lower she may go ahead and induce next week. I'm due next Friday, but still the idea of being induced isn't my favorite. Of course I will do whatever is best for the baby, but I'm really hoping he can come "naturally." Everyone I've talked to about being induced says that it makes for a longer, much more challenging delivery. I guess the plus side would be that we could know exactly when he is going to be born. I'm a fan of planning and this would normally be pretty awesome, but still I'm a little worried about the use of drugs to make me go into labor.

During my ultrasound the tech did a 3D view and I was able to see some pretty distinct features. Unfortunately the little guy is smooshed right up against my placenta so his face looked kinda funny, but he looks pretty cute despite being packed in like a sardine. So for now, we wait!

Gravity in Full Effect

So I just wanted to share a picture of my oddly shaped belly. The baby has recently dropped a lot. The good part is that I can finally breathe a little easier and I can definitely eat more without feeling doubled over in pain. The bad part is that I'm constantly in search of a restroom because he is resting right on top of my bladder!!! Check out the pics below of our new nursery glider. It is so soft and plush. Brian enjoyed sitting in it for some time yesterday. Thanks Sandy and Bill for the awesome gift.

The New Glider!

3 Weeks to Go!

I had my 37 week check up today along with an ultrasound and things are looking good for the little guy. He's roughly (give or take a pound they say) 5 pounds, 4 ounces and measuring up just fine. At this rate he will most likely be around 7 pounds. Brian came along today for the ultrasound. We both agreed that the pics are a little too "abstract" for posting. At this point he is so smooshed in there that he looks more like a cabbage patch kid and his hand was in the way of his face the entire time! My doctor did an exam and said that he has dropped considerably and I'm now 1 cm dilated. She thinks that I will most likely go right up to my due date, but not any later. The waiting game has begun. I'm still trying to cross things off of my endless to-do list before go time. One of the major things that I need to do is finalize my sub plans and classroom since I'll be missing quite a bit at the beginning of the school year. I'm also taking a grad class at Webster and have 2 projects to do. The class goes right up to my due date so I think I'll try to get those turned in before they are due.

In other news, we just found out that our friends, The Leonards, just had their healthy baby boy named George! Baby Rich is going to have lots of friends. Brian and I celebrated our 6th anniversary this past Sunday. It was a fun day of movies, eating and relaxing. He has one more week after this one of summer school and then he'll be on summer vacay with me. Summer is flying by! I'll post another belly shot soon because it is definitely getting HUGE!

35 Weeks

The weeks are really starting to fly by now! Other than being short of breath and occassional backache, I can't complain. I'm feeling great and getting so excited for our little guy to get here. I've been indulging in summer relaxation more than ever this summer.

The temperature has been well over 95 degrees for the past 2 weeks so I've been trapped inside watching movies or enjoying pool time at GG's place. It was super fun having Sandy, Brian's mom, down for a long weekend. We shopped and ate lots of good food, and my family hosted a shower for me. Once again we received tons of wonderful gifts...We are all set! I've included some pics of the nursery below. I went to the doctor this week and she thinks that I should get another ultrasound to check out the baby's size since I'm still measuring small. I have been a little worried about it, but I think everything is fine! He is always wiggling around and it's even getting to the point where I feel like I'm getting punched from the inside so I know he's getting stronger and bigger. The other night he had hiccups for what felt like an hour! I read that I might experience this and sure enough it happened. We don't have any major upcoming plans other than preparing and savoring our last bits of eating out when we want, going to movies, hanging with friends till late in the night and of course sleeping in (I've been doing a lot of that!) I'll be posting my next ultrasound pics when I get them in about a week.

32 Weeks

The 3rd Trimester is in full effect! I'm definitely starting to feel a bit weary these days. Sleeping is getting harder and harder. I don't sleep much, but I still wake up most days feeling pretty refreshed. We have been doing quite a bit of traveling in the past couple of weeks. 2 weeks ago we were in NYC for a friend's wedding. What a tough city for pregnant people! We walked every where all day every day...but it was fun and great to see the city in the spring. Last weekend I went solo to my cousin's wedding in Charleston, SC, which is a lot easier for the tired and pregnant. I relaxed a lot by the pool and enjoyed tons of laughs with my family. It was also super fun to see the Rambows at the exact same resort. My mom became fast friends with them even before I got down there. Such a small world! I've been out of school now for one week, but it still doesn't feel like summer. Usually by now I am immersed in a summer home improvement project, but since I can hardly bend over without feeling winded these days, I'm going to have to learn how to relax and do very little. Brian has been a super star helper. Today he mulched all the gardens, made me lunch, got me dinner, fed the cat, and basically did everything for me because I'm sick AGAIN! I came home from SC feeling like I had a sore throat but now it has turned into a full on cold. I hate summer colds! Today I did manage to do most of the baby laundry and get that all tucked away in the nursery dresser. It feels like I'm playing house right now getting all of these little things ready for a baby that isn't here yet. Not long to go! This weekend Sandy (Brian's mom) is heading down to hang out and go to my family baby shower which is going to be super fun. I can't believe that the 2 month count down is here. I'm getting nervous and soooo excited to see the little guy. Well, all of this typing has made me tired. Time to lay down!

BIG Sigh of Relief

At my last visit to the doctor (at 27 weeks) my doctor seemed concerned that the baby may not be growing normally or that there may not be enough amniotic fluid. She scheduled yet another ultrasound for me 3 weeks later (this would be my 6th ultrasound!) Well, today was the day for it and everything is fine! The ultrasound was so much fun. I brought my sister this time because Brian had graduation obligations at the high school. During the ultrasound we saw him put his thumb in his mouth and yawn. Totally cute! He now weighs 3 lbs 4 oz and his heartrate is 150 bpm. The doctor said he looks perfectly healthy and normal and that he is on track to be an average size baby. I'm now at 30 weeks and 4 days and can't believe that we are almost to the 2 month count down. The nursery looks really cute. I'd add pictures but I still don't have a few "key" items in there so I'm holding off until it is perfect. This Friday is my last day of school for the next 5 months. I can't even wrap my mind around being out of work that long, but I'm sure it's going to fly by and I'll be sad when it's over. I head out to Charleston right after my work day Friday for my cousin's wedding. Tomorrow night Brian and I begin our birthing class at the hospital. I think it will be very eye opening for both Brian and I. We are both rather clueless when it comes to babies. :) The ultrasound pic was taken using my sister's iPhone so it's not the greatest quality. If you can't tell, it is a profile of his face.

Nursery Inspiration

The long awaited nursery is finally underway. Brian painted the walls (a light minty green color) and my dad came over yesterday to help him assemble the furniture and install a new fan. Even though we have LOTS more to do before it is done, it looks so great already. The color really brightens the room and feels so soft and springy. The above picture is my inpsiration. I registered for the bedding and a few other matching items to go with it. In other news, the baby is really on the move these days! I feel him all the time partying in my belly. I think he's still enjoying all of the space in there. Pretty soon the poor little guy will be packed in like a sardine. It was another crazy busy weekend. Yesterday I helped throw a bridal shower for my cousin Kim and then we had the bachelorette party after. It was a lot of fun. Her wedding is coming up at the end of this month. I will be heading to Charleston, SC for 5 days! We also head to NYC in 2 weeks for our buddy Joel's wedding. The best news of all is that we have 18 days of school left! Woo-Hoo! This time of year it REALLY pays to be a teacher.

25 Weeks and Spring Showers

We had a wedding this Saturday so I had Brian take a photo this time of me dressed up. My belly has really started to pop out. My belly button is on the verge of becoming an outy! Things have been really busy, but very fun around here. Saturday afternoon I went to my friend, Mimi's, baby shower. After that we had a wedding to go to for Mark and Candise. It was so much fun to get dressed up and go out dancing...although my feet were killing me by the end of the night. Today my fabulous friends threw me an awesome baby shower. I couldn't have imagined a more beautiful shower (way to go Anna, Josie, Mara and Sarah!). Some of my friends went in on a group gift and got my crib and changing table! I also received tons of other sweet gifts. It was so much fun! I'm so lucky to have such wonderful friends!

It's a Boy!

22 Weeks - Over 1/2 Way There!

We had our 22 week ultrasound on Tuesday. After drinking 48 ounces of water and waiting in the doctor's office for 45 minutes (that was challenging!), the nurse finally came out and said that the machine was broken and we'd have to reschedule for another day. Well, being as highly emotional as I am, I of course cried. The doctor felt really bad and decided to pull some strings for us. She came back to tell us that they had an "old" machine that might work. The room itself looked like it was straight from the 70s, but the old machine worked...we saw what we have been so curious to find out... Brian was beaming when he heard the news. I was a little disappointed (naturally) but then got really excited about the idea! We came back on Friday so that they could get scans on the modern machine and found out that everything looks healthy and normal! It was incredible to see all of the distinct features on the little guy. His arms were moving and legs were kicking. We could even see his tounge stick out a few times. It all seems very real now! So I changed the look of our blog to be more boyish...goodbye pink and green for now! Looks like it's basketballs and trains from here on out!

Strange Happenings

Lately I have experienced some new pregnancy related side-effects (Some that I didn't see coming.)

1. The belly is in the way! I have literally ruined 2 shirts while trying to cook in the kitchen not realizing that my extended belly is rubbing in spaghetti sauce or today--bleach! I now will have to wear an apron while cooking...

2. My balance is ridiculous. I have stumbled more times than I can count and the best happened the other day at school when I grazed right into 5 science projects that lined the halls. My third graders thought it was a little too funny! :)

3. Stupidity. I waste hours every day forgetting what I was about to do and having to retrace my steps until I can remember. I now know what dementia feels like.

4. Weird dreams. I have had some of the most crazy and realistic dreams lately!

5. Constant tossing and turning. I can't get comfortable for more than 15 minutes or so at night without having to flip over to the other side. I guess my body is prepping for the sleepless nights ahead.

18 Weeks and Growing

I thought it was high time I jumped on the baby blogger train, so here we go! Things have gone so smoothly for the last few months that at times I forget that I'm pregnant. I've been very lucky so far. I never had morning sickness (other than feeling a little queesy the first few weeks) and haven't really felt all that tired. The only complaint that I've had is the siatic nerve pain that comes and goes...but seems to be lightening up! We are very excited to welcome baby Rich into the world. We head to L.A. in just a few weeks to visit Aunt Sarah and then when we return we have an appointment to find out the gender. I can say that I have absolutely no idea what I'm having. I will keep you posted!!!