Week 25

Head to heels, your baby now measures about 13 1/2 inches. Her weight — a pound and a half — isn't much more than an average rutabaga, but she's beginning to exchange her long, lean look for some baby fat. As she does, her wrinkled skin will begin to smooth out and she'll start to look more and more like a newborn. She's also growing more hair — and if you could see it, you'd now be able to discern its color and texture.

I can't believe we only have 15 weeks left, at the most!!! WOW!!

Bayou Wildlife

Last week we went with some great friends to Bayou Wildlife Park. It was SUPER FUN!! THe animals are "free" in a huge wildlife reserve. We boarded a wagon type thing and made our way throughout the park. All of the animals came up to the wagon and we were able to feed them all! Some of them were a little aggressive when it came to the food and even managed to steal a few of our food buckets. We saw LOTS of anumals, some of our favorites were the giraffes, longhorns, deer, llamas, buffalos and kangaroos. Kailey LOVED petting the llamas and camels and one camel even looked like he was going to give her a HUGE kiss!

It was a really hot day, like 104 so we were pretty sweaty after our tour with the animals. We enjoyed a yummy lunch at McAllisters and then came home for a much needed nap and shower! We will certainly go back to visit the "aminals" but we will wait until it cools off some.

Little Tumbler

On Saturday we went to a super fun birthday party at AcroFit, a local gymnastic place. The kids (and parents) got to play on EVERYTHING and then had pizza and cake! Kailey LOVED the trampoline and jumping into the foam pit. Daddy also had lots of fun playing right along with her! She was really worn out when we left and we all got a good nap, well, except Daddy because he was busy painting the office. Since she loved it so much we are looking into a toddler class they offer!

Stair Sleeper

On Saturday we discovered what a drama queen Kailey can be. When we returned from running some errands Kailey said she wanted to go upstairs, I told her she needed to wait for me to go up with her. She proceeded to throw herself on the floor and then block the stairs from all of us. She laid on the top step kicking the wall and pouting. I just let her do her thing and several minutes later things got very quiet. I walked over to the steps and this is what I found...

Yep... Kailey was ASLEEP on the bottom step. I couldn't believe it. I was worried she would roll off onto the tile so I moved her to the bed and she slept for another 2 1/2 hours, I guess she was just tired...

Happy Daddy Day!

We had a really fun weekend! Granny and Poppy came to visit us from Louisiana... On Friday we enjoyed a yummy dinner out, Saturday Greg and Poppy worked on the nursery ALL DAY LONG.. They painted and put up the chair rail and crown molding while Mommy went to buy all the furniture we had picked out. Granny and Kailey had fun organizing all of the toys that will go into the girls craft system from Pottery Barn Kids. Saturday night we enjoyed a yummy dinner thanks to Granny and then stayed up late playing. On Sunday (Father's Day) we started by sneaking out to Buckees to get Greg and Poppy a yummy breakfast, we headed to church and then came home. Kailey gave Greg his father's day gifts... The matching recliner for our media room, a new miter saw and some other fun goodies, his FAVORITE GIFT was the artwork Kailey made for him to hang in his office. Kailey also made some artwork for Poppy and he loved it! We enjoyed a day at home, Greg and Poppy worked on the nursery some more and helped Mommy get things organized, put in the attic and plan our next project. We had some yummy steaks, burgers and chicken grilled by daddy and enjoyed some yummy dessert made by Granny. It was really a great weekend and it was super helpful to have Granny and Poppy in town. I was able to get several closets cleaned out, I went through all of the baby clothes, organized toys and even had some ALONE time! All and All it was a great weekend! I am so incredibly blessed to have such an AMAZING Daddy for Kailey and Baby Girl 2, he is such an awesome man!

Stay tuned for pictures of the nursery...

Here are some pictures of the artwork Kailey made:

Week 24

I can't believe we are already at 24 weeks, WOW--time is flying by! Here is what's going on this week...

Your baby's growing steadily, having gained about 4 ounces since last week. That puts her at just over a pound. Since she's almost a foot long (picture an ear of corn), she cuts a pretty lean figure at this point, but her body is filling out proportionally and she'll soon start to plump up. Her brain is also growing quickly now, and her taste buds are continuing to develop. Her lungs are developing "branches" of the respiratory "tree" as well as cells that produce surfactant, a substance that will help her air sacs inflate once she hits the outside world. Her skin is still thin and translucent, but that will start to change soon.

Trip to Louisiana

Dancing with Daddy

checking out the fountain and flowers with Granny

playing in Poppies truck

swinging

A couple of weeks ago we traveled to Greg's parents house for a visit and to go to Greg's cousins wedding. It was a quick weekend, but we had lots of fun at the wedding, playing outside, seeing family and friends and of course eating some yummy Louisiana food.

Aunt Becky

silly Uncle Ryan (pic taken by Kailey)

My Silly Monkeys,,,

So, if anyone wonders where Kailey gets her silly side from I can tell you.....

HER DADDY!!!

Little Fish...

Kailey loves to swim swim swim... while in Dallas we did lots of swimming. Honey's neighborhood has a zero-entry beach pool that is really cool!! We also used the good ole baby pool in the back yard...

American Girl

A few weeks ago we traveled to Dallas to visit Honey, while we were there we did lots of shopping, eating out, swimming, playing outside and we went to the American Girl store! OMG--this store is simply AMAZING!!! If you have a little girl you MUST go here. It is two HUGE stories of dolls, doll clothes, etc. They even have a hair salon where your baby can get her hair done! Your little girl and her baby can even dress alike! It was AWESOME! They even have an American Girl Cafe upstairs where you can get yummy treats and of course your baby sits right up to the table with you. It was the PERFECT girls day and Kailey loved it!! Little girls are SO MUCH FUN!

Week 23

Turn on the radio and sway to the music. With her sense of movement well developed by now, your baby can feel you dance. And now that she's more than 11 inches long and weighs just over a pound (about as much as a large mango), you may be able to see her squirm underneath your clothes. Blood vessels in her lungs are developing to prepare for breathing, and the sounds that your baby's increasingly keen ears pick up are preparing her for entry into the outside world. Loud noises that become familiar now — such as your dog barking or the roar of the vacuum cleaner — probably won't faze her when she hears them outside the womb.

Week 22

At 11 inches (the length of a spaghetti squash) and almost 1 pound, your baby is starting to look like a miniature newborn. Her lips, eyelids, and eyebrows are becoming more distinct, and she's even developing tiny tooth buds beneath her gums. Her eyes have formed, but her irises (the colored part of the eye) still lack pigment. If you could see inside your womb, you'd be able to spot the fine hair (lanugo) that covers her body and the deep wrinkles on her skin, which she'll sport until she adds a padding of fat to fill them in. Inside her belly, her pancreas — essential for the production of some important hormones — is developing steadily.

Week 21

Things are going along smoothly. I am finally feeling good and have been busy picking things out for the nursery. We haven't decided on a name yet, but stay tuned. I have been feeling baby girl move for a few weeks now and Greg started feeling her about 3 1/2 weeks ago. It is very cool! She is very active at night and likes to stay very low in my tummy.

Your baby now weighs about three-quarters of a pound and is approximately 10 1/2 inches long — the length of a large banana. You may soon feel like she's practicing martial arts as her initial fluttering movements turn into full-fledged kicks and nudges. You may also discover a pattern to her activity as you get to know her better. In other developments, your baby's eyebrows and lids are present now.

HALF WAY THERE!!!!!

Well we are half way there!!! WOW! This pregnancy is going by SO MUCH FASTER than it did when I was pregnant with Kailey. I am really trying to enjoy every second I get with Kailey as I know my time will soon be split. It is hard to believe that there will soon be two little princesses in our house... Daddy better prepare himself!!

Going on this week:

Your baby weighs about 10 1/2 ounces now. She's about the size of a cantaloupe She's also around 6 1/2 inches long from head to bottom and about 10 inches from head to heel — the length of a banana. (For the first 20 weeks, when a baby's legs are curled up against his torso and hard to measure, measurements are taken from the top of his head to his bottom — the "crown to rump" measurement. After 20 weeks, she's measured from head to toe.) She's swallowing more these days, which is good practice for her digestive system. She's also producing meconium, a black, sticky by-product of digestion. This gooey substance will accumulate in her bowels, and you'll see it in his first soiled diaper (some babies pass meconium in the womb or during delivery).

Crazy Eights

Crazy Eights


Crazy Eights! My friend, Erin, tagged me for this...so...here goes

Tag Rules...
1. Mention the person who tagged you.
2. Complete the list of 8's.
3. Tag 8 of your wonderful blog friends!

8 things I look forward to:
1. Having our second baby girl
2. decorating another nursery
3. seeing my Mom tomororw
4. going on several vacations this summer
5. TIGER Football!
6. Kailey starting MDO in September
7. The backyard finally being finished (I don't know if that will ever happen)
8. my Uncle Bill coming home from Iraq safely

8 things I did yesterday (Memorial Day):
1. went swimming
2. made some yummy burgers
3. thanked lots of soldiers:)
4. watched Greg fix the broken waterline outside
5. had some great friends over
6. went grocery shopping
7. Watched John and Kate plus 8
8. organized my maternity clothes

8 things I wish I could do:
1. Snap my fingers and have my house all organized
2. be skinny and still eat dessert!
3. see my friends who don't live here
4. win the lottery so Greg wouldn't have to work anymore
5. go on a vaction RIGHT NOW!
6. fly
7. live closer to my Mom (one day, one day)
8. see my fabulous brothers, sisters and nephew more often

8 shows I watch: (when Kailey isn't watching cartoons)
1. Lost
2. The Bachelorette
3. John and Kate Plus 8
4. The Hills
5. Law and Order SVU
6. The Office
7. Cheesy Movies on Lifetime
8. Mickey Mouse Clubhouse (I do have a 2 year olf)


Bloggers I tag:

Melanie
Charli
Kim W.
Ashley B.
Shannon
Cassie
Julie
Nicole

THANK YOU

Memorial Day: A Day to Remember...

A very special THANK YOU to all of the brave men and women of all branches of the military who made the greatest sacrifice of all so that we can have the many freedoms that we enjoy each and every day. We are forever grateful and are forever in debt to you and your families. If doesn't feel like one day is enough, we will remember you always and will always remember that it is because of YOU that we have our FREEDOM.

On this day we also remember those currently serving and those who have served in the past. We are praying for your safe return and are grateful that you were brave enough to stand up and fight for our great country and people.

Thank You.

Susanna

Wife of 1LT Greg Blanchard

Strawberry Festival!

Miss Strawberry about to head out to the Festival!This past weekend was the Pasadena Strawberry Festival. We headed out early and started our day of FUN! We really had a good time! Greg was one of the judges for the cook-off so he was lucky enough to try lots of different Gumbo's, Ribs and Fajitas, he saved some for me and boy was it YUMMY!! While he was judging Kailey and I met up with our friends Carrie and Luke. We walked around the carnival area, watched some mud volleyball, watched an alligator show, looked at all the different vendors, watched a family circus (I will post again about this), went to the petting zoo, and oh so much more. They had a children's village set up which was really nice as it was air conditioned!! After Greg was done he met up with us for some more fun, we played some games, won some prizes, and ate some yummy and not so figure friendly carnival food. We even had a piece of the WORLD'S LARGEST STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE it was AWESOME!!!! We really had a fun, family day and when we left the festival at 3:30 Kailey was OUT!

This is the World's Largest Strawberry Shortcake, the picture really doesn't do it justice. And boy did it smell and taste yummy!!!

I just HAD to get a funnel cake, it was yummy too!

Week 19... almost half way!

Your baby's sensory development is exploding! Her brain is designating specialized areas for smell, taste, hearing, vision, and touch. Some research suggests that she may be able to hear your voice now, so don't be shy about reading aloud, talking to her, or singing a happy tune if the mood strikes you.Your baby weighs about 8 1/2 ounces and measures 6 inches, head to bottom — about the size of a large mango. Her arms and legs are in the right proportions to each other and the rest of her body now. Her kidneys continue to make urine and the hair on her scalp is sprouting. A waxy protective coating called the vernix caseosa is forming on her skin to prevent it from pickling in the amniotic fluid

Friday Funday...

On Friday we took our first trip to the Houston Zoo!! We had a fantastic time and ended up buying the annual pass since we loved it so much!!! We went with our friends Kendra and Jonah, enjoyed our picnic lunch, checked out the animals, rode the carousel and train and came home for a LONG nap!! We didn't get to see everything before nap time so we will be headed back to the zoo soon!

Then, Friday night Kendra, Jonathan and Jonah came over for a yummy dinner and lots of laughs. We really had fun hanging out with them and can't wait to do it again soon!

Chimes

One of my favorite places to eat in Baton Rouge is The Chimes Restaurant, so of course last week I just had to eat there and see some friends!

Alaina, Auntie Kim (Kailey's Godmother), me, Rebecca and Reece


Auntie Amy, Auntie Melanie and me

Kailey watching Mickey Mouse Clubhouse on the phone

Kailey and Reece are great buds!

The ladies...