"I'm a Big Kid Now"

My first baby is nearly a baby no more. The only "babyish" thing he still does is wear diapers...and I will tackle that one when he shows interest in being ready. I am ready to quit changing diapers, but I am not ready to potty train yet! And to be honest, I am about to embark on changing more diapers for another couple years...so what's one more kid for a few more months?

My baby is sleeping in a big-boy bed now. We never intended to purchase a second crib with the arrival of a second baby, so Keagan was gonna have to transition out of the crib. Josh and I were both pretty apprehensive about making this happen...we had heard "horror" stories from parents whose toddlers used to sleep through the night until they were moved out of their cribs. This scared me. I need sleep, and really didn't want to change the good thing we had going (a good, full night's sleep for the entire family). But when we returned from our Babymoon, it was decided that It Was Time. Josh put the toddler bed together (it had sat in the box for a couple months) in the living room and we had intentions of "talking it up" and putting it in his room to "look at" until Keagan showed interest and seemed ready. Welllll....the second he saw that bed in the livingroom, he grabbed his nanas (blankies) and climbed into the bed and said "Night-night Keagan." Okay! So, I guess he gets it?! Josh and I just stared at each other with question marks over our heads, both of us aasking "What now? Do we let him try it out tonight?" 

We moved the big-boy bed into his room, in front of his crib, with full intentions of having to use his crib that night. We let Keagan decide in which bed he wanted to sleep, and he chose the big-boy bed. So, we tried it. That first night he fell out a few times, never woke up but we put him back in and he kept on sleeping. The next day he got out a couple times during nap-time, but I watched him on the monitor and caught him in the act and explained that he does not get out of bed without mommy or daddy in there.

Fast forward nearly a month: Keagan is sleeping full time in the bed, he never went back to his crib which is now in his baby brother's room. He has fallen out a couple times; we hear a thunk and look at the monitor...the kid picks himself up and gets back in, and goes back to sleep! I am bragging, and praying this doesn't bite me. But he has really done well. We sleep good. He doesn't get up. Keagan loves his bed! In fact, one day before we moved the crib out, I passed by his room and he was sitting up in his bed reading. I grabbed my camera and took some pictures...Keagan did an impromptu photo shoot for me.

Then tonight as I was preparing for this blog, I asked him if I could take some pics of him in his bed. He said "Mm-hmm!" and ran to his bed, posing and saying CHEESE!...what a ham! This transition went so remarkably well that I can only hope and pray that the next two big transitions (baby brother and potty training) go as well!

As for Keagan's baby brother...we now have a double jogger. It is huge. It was expensive. I need a Wide Load sign for it. But I can only hope that maybe I can get back into my fitness (and jeans!) quickly by pushing my boys around the neighborhood. Keagan and Oscar were more than thrilled to try out the stroller and when I looked as this picture I couldn't help but think back to a similar picture as I awaited Keagan's birth. Hard to believe these pictures are only taken about two years apart!

Denial isn't just a river in Egypt

This past weekend we traveled to Lexington to "say good-bye" to our best friends, the Taylors. I use quotation marks because we said good-bye four years ago when we moved to western KY, but they are now moving even farther away to Charlotte, NC. I don't think the fact that they are moving (or have moved, by now) has set in. And we helped pack a few boxes in their house, moved furniture, and attended a Good-bye Party. But still, it just doesn't seem real. I guess it will hit me eventually...when our baby boys are born and I can't just load up my family for a weekend trip to meet Greyson. Or when she doesn't come down to help me with Finley after he is born (this wouldn't happen anyways...she's gonna be having her own newborn at the same time! but still...). I don't know when it will sink in, but I am scared it is going to be rough. I don't know when we will see them again. But I take comfort in knowing it won't be long...our friendship is that strong, we are like sisters. I also take comfort in knowing that she will finally be closer to her family, something she has wanted for forever.

This weekend was BUSY. B.U.S.Y. Lindsy had a baby shower Saturday morning and then Saturday afternoon was a party to wish them well in their move. Sunday was all about getting Tim and Lindsy ready for the moving van to arrive Monday. I am thankful we were able to help them get a little done, and despite being busy we had many-a-laughs and great conversation as always.

I miss you and your family already, Linds. Our friendship has been such a blessing to me. My-oh-my how things have changed since we met so long ago! Who knew that two step-aerobics classmates would become bridesmaids in each others weddings, "aunts" when our children came, spiritual guidance counselors through tough and glorious times in life, first and second-time triathletes together, and the very best of friends? And, just so you know, I would definitely let you come sleep in my bed when your air mattress goes flat. That's how much you've changed me. I love you.

Here are some pics from the weekend...

Keagan pushing Avery around the house...there was a little "pulling" of Keagan, too...

 Pics before Lindsy's Baby Shower...Hard to believe that there are 5 kids between the two of us!!

 Farewell Party...  Three pregnant chicks and Courtney (are we good birth-control?! HA!) 

 OMG the food spread (why I look the way I do....)...and this doesn't hold a candle to the desserts.

This was ALL Keagan wanted to do the whole party. In fact, he wanted to be in the driver's seat. It was such a power struggle and ended up with Keagan in the sad-spot. Terrible Two's arrived in full force during this party. BUT before it got bad, here are some cute pics!

 I LOVE this pic of Kennedy, even though it is blurry. Being chauffeured by the boys. 

 Then Kennedy wanted to drive...and you can see by Keagan's expression that he isn't too sure!

 Abby's sweet little diva, Adalyn.

 Avery and the bubbles!

 The Ladies Man.

 Adalyn...Diva. Haha! Check out the pose!

29-weeks. I feel like my belly is trying to eat Lindsy. And it may be.

Some Pregnancy News: I ended up failing the one-hour glucose test (found out a week and a half later...so much for No News is Good News) and had to take the 3-hour test. I did the same thing with Keagan. BUT I PASSED! YAY! And then today I had my first in a series of ultrasounds to check Finley's growth and development as well as my fluid levels. I felt certain that all was fine...just gauging by the size of my belly. I mean, look at me!! I am NOT small this time! ;) All was PERFECT! Finley is actually measuring a little big (which is OK by me!) at 3lbs-1oz, my amniotic fluid levels were perfect, and this baby is HEAD DOWN! Whoo hoo!!  This is a humongous relief and weight off my shoulders. I cried happy tears after the ultrasound and got a big ol' high-five from my doctor! I literally skipped out of the doctor's office today. I don't have to have another ultrasound for 4 weeks and I am actually thankful. It means this baby is NORMAL!



(Not So) Simple Math

First of all: Happy Mother's Day! I never knew just how precious this one day was until I became a mother. I am very thankful for the blessing of children in my life, and I am very thankful for a strong and influential mother. Josh coached Keagan to tell me Happy Mother's Day...and Keagan did pretty good: "Happy (pause) Day, Onya" (Onya=Oscar) Even though there is no mention of Mama in that, I still got tickled and teared up. The best job in the world is being a Mommy.

This weekend I hit the 3rd trimester. What the what?! I tell you, this pregnancy is flying by, way too fast. Sometimes I wish my gestational period was more like that of an elephant: 90+ weeks (vs 40 for humans..thank you, Wikipedia). And then I would have some extra time to breathe and prepare! Honestly, there aren't enough hours in the day for me to get done what I want/need to get done (and I don't have the amount of energy I need either. That's another story...). So anyways, I am 28 weeks pregnant.

OK, I need to break this down again. I think I did this in a blog post while pregnant with Keagan, too. But seriously...it's like a mathematical word problem. I have always been stumped by word problems. Pregnancy is 40 weeks. In MY mind, a month has 4 weeks. Not all do, I am aware. Some have 5. But I feel like most people think of a month as 4 weeks long...am I wrong? So, that means pregnancy is really 10 months long. OK. Bear with me. On this "logic" I am 7 months pregnant. But pregnancy is sensationalized as 9 months...so that would mean I only have 2 months to go. WRONG: I have 12 weeks to go...as in nearly 3 months. And when people ask me my due date and I tell them August 5th, I get some strange and sympathetic looks. It's as if they are saying "Bless her heart. She is already so big, and she has that much longer to go...AND in the summer heat." ALL.THE.TIME.
So, Whatever. I like to make things more difficult. And I think this is God's attempt at slapping "Baby Brain" across my forehead...because everything I do nowadays is pretty silly. (Like, putting Josh's contacts in MY eyes the other day...and then wondering for a good long while why they heck I couldn't see!! It wasn't until he asked me where his contacts were - when he was attempting to FIND them to put them in HIS eyes - that I realized what I had done. DOH. Oops.)

28 weeks:

• Finley is a wild man. I think he "runs" inside the womb because sometimes it feels like he is running on a treadmill. And here recently, the running movement has been up near my ribs...so I can only hope he is achieving head-down positioning. Unlike his brother, whose movements were in only one quadrant of my belly the entire time.
• I feel huge. I feel tight. My arm fat and inner thighs rub when I am walking (my arms don't rub my inner thighs...but separately I create a lot of friction..) and my butt rests on my upper thighs. It is hard to get up, especially out of bed. But I am not miserable yet, thank goodness...because, as I've stated before, people like to torture me with their thoughts on how much longer I still have to go. Thanks. It makes a pregnant woman feel reaaaalllly good about herself. NOT. (Please remember your tact when talking to me or any pregnant woman..we are ultra-sensitive because of the hormones)
• I think I passed my first glucose test (for gestational diabetes)...I never heard back from my doctor so I am going with No News is Good News on this one. I failed the first one with Keagan and had to do the 3-hour test. Lovely.
• Next week starts my growth and development scans to monitor Finley's growth and my amniotic fluid closely, since we had problems with Keagan starting at this point in my pregnancy. I feel like all will be ok this time, as my belly is significantly larger! :) But my doctor says that weight gain doesn't necessarily mean anything.
• I have a funky "taste" in my mouth 100% of the time that, if I don't chew gum constantly, makes me nauseous. I had the same thing while pregnant with Keagan. So odd. 
• Overall, I feel great and have decent energy.

Here are my 28-week bump/basketball pictures. Keagan's new thing is to say "Cheese" anytime the camera comes out...and he will go and stand in front of the camera. So he joined me in these pics!

Mama Said Knock You Out!

I don't really know the best way to start this blog post...so I am gonna scream THANK YOU!! to everyone who donated and/or walked with us during the March of Dimes walk. March for Babies was a huge success for our team, "2 Little Fighters."  We won 3 awards: 1) Most Improved Team (even though our team was "new" with Annie joining, it started as TeamOwens last year with just Keagan...little Annie wasn't here yet!), 2) Best T-shirt Design (see below...they are awesome!!), and most importantly 3) 3rd Place in Fundraising. Our team raised a total of $2,655!!!! The top two fundraising teams were corporate teams (for example, one was a local hospital!) What a huge contribution to research and support of babies, preemie and full term. It was a wonderful day and we all had a great time walking in honor of our sweet babies, Keagan and Annie. 

Some of our team...there were a few missing

 Front and back of t-shirt

 Team Captains! (and co-captains/inspiration)



 The Malone and Owens families that started all the fun!

 Keagan and Annie love each other! Funny thing is, Keagan wanted Annie to sit with him, but I think he was a little concerned when it actually happened. She looks cool with it, though!

Our sweet preemie babies: why we do what we do. Annie is now 8 months old (born 8 weeks early) and Keagan is almost 2 (born 4 weeks early).

 Marching for Babies 

 Even though we took home the most awards of any team there, the real winners are the babies who will benefit from March of Dimes' research. It was such a blessing to again be apart of this fundraising effort this year! 

Thank you again to everyone who donated to this fantastic organization. You can rest assured that your contribution has gone to a good cause and has not only "helped" our team but also helped thousands of families who might be affected by prematurity.  We have set the bar pretty high with our fundraising this year...so prepare yourselves for next year! ;)

Jamaican Me Crazy

Last week Josh and I traveled to Jamaica for our second Babymoon before Finley makes his grand appearance this summer. Keagan stayed with his Gama and Poppy for a week, and apparently they all had a fantastic time! Josh and I had a wonderful time as well, but there will most likely not be a Babymoon #3. This has nothing to do with the number of children we have, but more to do with how hard it was to leave Keagan for so long!!! We missed him terribly. This wasn't our first time leaving Keagan, but it was the longest and we were out of the country. And after two days, I was craving his little body and his smell, his laughter and his smiles, and just wanted to snuggle him more than anything. The vacation was a nice break from reality, but I definitely want my child(ren) to be a part of our break from reality next time. Luckily, we used Facetime on the iPads to talk to each other daily, so I did get to see him.

OK, enough sad story. Here are the pics from our vacation! And, yep, I "rocked" the bikini every day except the last one (when my belly needed a break from the sun). Okay, so I didn't rock any swimsuits, let alone my bikinis. But, I embraced my ever-growing belly for a week and let it all hang out, literally. I drew a lot of stares, and I am sure a lot of talk, but whatever. :) It was kind of fun to not care. And, trust me, there were plenty of women out there in string bikinis who looked worse than me...as Josh likes to say they were a deuce, deuce-and-a-half.  If you don't get it, don't worry.

We ate like kings and slept a lot. We were in bed by 10-1030 most nights and up around 730. It was fantastic! We did a lot of beach-laying, but did manage to get some snorkeling in and Josh water skied. It rained every day but we only had one "wash" of a day...and on this particular day I decided to fall down a half a flight of stairs, wet from the rain. In my bikini. Grace, right here. I managed to walk away from it...okay, hobble away from it. It hurt bad, but I wasn't hurt bad, aside from some gnarly bruises on my arm where it got caught in the railing on my way down, and my butt and back. My butt is the worse, and is still a pretty awesome bruise, and still somewhat uncomfortable to sit on at times. But I felt very fortunate to not have a broken arm or tailbone, or have hurt the baby, in a foreign and medically-lacking country. I am sure I am not the first person to do this...probably just the only sober one! ;)

View from our room out onto the beach-front balcony, and views from the balcony.

 ***Warning***Warning***Warning***

Potentially retina-damaging pictures ahead!!

When I looked down at my belly, I laughed because I seriously looked naked. Trust me, there are swimsuit bottoms there...

One of the tiki bars we "camped out" right next to it every day. Not so much for the drinks, but for the reggae music. Bob Marley=total relaxation

 Our room is the top one on the end.

Green flag service on the beach! And a smiling Navinia who delivered "surprise" non-alcoholic drinks to me! She also brought fruit-on-a-stick around every morning. Can we say spoiled? :)

 One of our favorite restaurants at the resort...we loved the food and the open-air feel of it. Check out breakfast: banana-stuffed French toast, bacon, smoothie, fresh fruit.

Josh water skiing - he got up on the second try after having not water skied in 12-15 years!!

 Beach vendor (one of many)...they walk up and down the beach all.day.long.

 A storm's a-brewing. And we stayed on the beach and waited it out. It was pretty fun to watch.

Almost 27 Weeks!

 The resort has photographers that walk around and take pictures of the couples throughout the day, from the beach to dinner to sunset pictures. One of the photographers wanted to do a photoshoot of me with my baby bump in my bikini. I had a good time with it, but only purchased one of the pics for two reasons: 1) I looked insanely fat and didn't want to pay for pics of me like that! and 2) Josh was in the only ones of me that I liked, and he didn't like the way he looked...  BUT, we did do some sunset shots one night and I purchased several of these! I thought they turned out great :)

The End. (finally, right?!)

Some blog posts to look forward to: March of Dimes walk was a huge success! My "baby" is a baby no-more. Home renovations as we prepare for baby #2.