My big little boy!

Due to an ultrasound that John and I will forever remember (and not in a positive way) we still have no news on our Little Bit. Hopefully, someone in doctor land will let us know some news tomorrow (sigh). If not at least I got a couple of rosaries prayed today.  Anyway,  in happier news, I forgot to post yesterday that Noah has decided that it is time for him to start potty training, even if mommy is not so ready yet.  On Sunday, Noah was outside running around in the backyard with daddy and he said,"I need to potty"  So off went the diaper and he went to the potty outside in the grass (one of the joys of being a boy).  I told him good job, but next time we had to use the potty. So about five minutes later he carried his Lightening McQueen potty outside and used the potty.  Yesterday, I found him sitting on his potty and he asked if he could have a book (because sometime it takes sometime on the potty).  Today, I found him on the big potty (as he calls it).  I guess I better get with the program and figure out how to do this potty thing because he is ready.  My little boy is growing up too fast.  So proud of you my big little boy.

Love Letters to our Babies

The night before we had our 18 week ultrasound with Noah (and the night before he was born) John and I both wrote him letters.  So we are continuing the tradition.  The first letters are from us to Noah since we did not have a blog then and I figured it would be nice to have them in the blog.  The second set of letters are to Little Bit.

February 27, 2008

Hello Baby,
We find out what you are tomorrow.  Daddy is sure you are a boy, but I know you are a girl, one of us is wrong.  We will love you no matter what.  I just hope you are healthy and happy and know that you are loved very much!
Love, Mommy

February 27, 2008

Hey Baby Plummer!
When you finally read this you will laugh because your daddy knew all along you would be a boy! But mom and dad cant wait to see you because we already love you!
Love, Daddy


March 28, 2011

Dearest Little Bit,
I can't believe that it is already time to find if I am going to have another darling little boy or a little girl.  It seems like just yesterday that we found out that we were going to be blessed with another little miracle and now its already been 19 weeks.  Time flies when your big brother is Noah.  Noah cant wait to meet you.  He is firmly convinced that you are a girl so if you are a boy I have a feeling that you are going to give him a real hard time in the future.  It has been wonderful the past few days being able to feel your tiny little movements.  We want you to know that you are loved and cherished and we feel honored that God has give us yet another one of his angels to take care of.
Love, Mommy

My sweet precious Little Bit,
This is Daddy.  I just want you to know that even though you are still in Mommy's tummy, I have been working very hard to make sure you have everything you will need to be a happy Little Bit.  The last 5 weeks have been so long, because we've known for that long that tomorrow we will find out if you are a boy Little Bit or a girl Little Bit!  Knowing that I'll get to find out a little more about you is one of the things that has kept me going through the day, everyday, even when I'm tired or grumpy or don't feel good.  I can't wait to meet you!  Your mommy and your big brother also can't wait to meet you, and Noah says everyday that you are his little sister.  No matter who or what you are, you will ALWAYS be loved by all of us.
Love, Daddy
 

The Great Plummer Yard Project 2011

I know its March and I am just blogging about January, but since most of January and February were spent in a sleepy haze of morning sickness (should I say all day sickness) I am just getting to January updates.  John has been asking to put grass in the front yard for years however, I have been hesitant because I remember how much work it was to do the back yard.  However, on New Years Eve Day, I relented and the Great Plummer Yard Project 2011 began.  So much of January (on John's days off) was spent moving rock in the front yard.  John would dig up the rock, I would shift out the dirt and then we would move the rock to other areas of the yard that needed rock.  If this sounds like fun, you may need to get out more.

During this process, we had a variety of onlookers come by and comment on our progress and our plans.  Of course, everyone has an opinion, but it appeared the unanimous decision of the lookie loo's was that grass would not grow under our trees.  This started to concern me because after all this work I wanted lush happy grass not brown dead grass.  So I consulted some contractors who confirmed that grass would be very hard to grow under the trees.  So John and I now had a yard that was half dirt half rock all ready for the grass that would soon be dead.  What to do. We kicked around several ideas such as artificial turf (amazingly expensive) and maybe just putting the rock back (just too depressing for words) and finally came up with the idea of putting a courtyard with a three foot wall into the front yard.  Just for a timeline reference we were now in February and I was getting a little bit should we say anxious about the yard.

So contractors were consulted and estimates were provided for the courtyard.  We called with City of Chandler to determine our set backs and permitting needed.  Then we called our friendly home owners association (HOA) to determine if the courtyard could happen.  They let us know that we needed to submit our plan along with pictures of all materials and then they had 45 days to approve the project.  One of the contractors estimates worked for us (and our checkbook) so we filled out all the paperwork and submitted to the HOA on February 25, 2011.  And now we are waiting and waiting to find out if they will approve the Great Plummer Yard Project.  Lets hope for the best.  Below are some pictures.

Our little helper.  

John hard at work moving rock.  

Yard in progress of rock removal.  

Yard half cleared of rock.  

The plan for the yard.  

The new gates for the yard.  

Little Noah Memories

Noah said and did some cute things today that I don't want to forget.  This morning he brought me breakfast in bed which consisted of leftover cheese crisp from lunch yesterday and Ranch dressing.
Tonight just as he was about to fall asleep he looked at me and said, "I am Cajun, mommy." Why yes you are my little angel from heaven, sleep tight.

Now Announcing Little Bit!

It has taken me quite a while to announce however, better late than never, we are pregnant with our second child ! I am 16 weeks pregnant this week so about 4 1/2 months along.  We are over the moon happy and thrilled to be adding to our little clan.  We found out that I was pregnant on December 14 and it was quite a surprise to us both because we had taken two pregnancy test several days earlier that were both negative.  However, after taking several more tests and getting confirmation from the doctor, it was official Little Bit was on the way (For some reason, we started calling the baby Little Bit and it has kind of stuck).  We planned on telling my parents on Christmas morning, but we could not wait so we ended up getting Noah a Big Brother shirt and inviting them over.  Both of them were thrilled and happy.  We told John's mom and brother the same way, but on Skype.

I was feeling good but a little bit nervous until the second week in January, so about 6 weeks pregnant when I became sick.  I was never really sick with Noah, but my goodness this was different.  I was sick all day long, nauseous, tired and just sick.  I would feel best when I did not eat anything, so if something anything sounded good, John would run out and go get it for me.  I have basically become a vegetarian again however, I am eating red meat, but mostly just hamburgers.  Chicken grosses me completely, however, this did happen with Noah, and went away after a while so I am hoping that I will be able to eat chicken again soon.  Some strange food cravings I have had so far are dill pickles, crackers, Sprite, Greek yogurt but only the honey flavor and I cant get enough fish, even tuna, which I hate, hate, hate when I am not pregnant.  Its just too strange.

Cooking anything was out of the question as the food smells made me sick.  Noah and John were (and continue to be) amazing and ate take out or whatever I scraped together.  Thankfully, my wonderful mom cooked us some meals too which really helped.  During January, we had a bout of stomach flu go thru the house too so not only was I sick, but poor Noah and John also got sick.  I didn't get it until February thankfully.  Some days Noah and I spent lots of time cuddling in bed, making forts and just resting.  He is an amazing little boy and is going to be a wonderful little brother.  He has determined that he is having a baby sister and you can ask him twenty different ways he will always say that the baby in mommy's tummy is a girl, his baby sister Ava.  He kisses Ava every night and every morning and has even named one of his dolphins that he sleeps with every night, Ava.  Its is so sweet it makes me cry and I am so blessed to be his mom.

During the last week in February, I started to feel better (which was about 14 weeks so right around the end of the dreaded first trimester).  I still have some days when I don't feel myself and chicken is still the enemy, but hopefully soon I will be enjoying chicken nuggets again and wondering what was so gross about chicken.  I am still tired, but its hard to tell if that is just a reflection of having a very busy, but wonderful two year old or the fact that I am growing a human, maybe it's a combination of both factors. 

A real but constant worry that lurks around every doctors visit is Noah's IUGR condition.  It's kind of like the elephant in the room, John, my mom and I worry about it, but don't really talk about it too much. I have read and read and the doctor tells me its a 50% 50% chance of this baby having it.  We will know more at 26 weeks, but I cringe every time I hear the dreaded "you are so tiny" words.  I know every pregnant mother wants to be small, but its hard when you know what being small means for your baby.  I did lose weight in my first trimester, it was really hard to eat I would force myself to at least get something down.  Now that I feel better, I am trying to up the calories and put on some pounds.  I am hoping that someday some random person will tell me that I look huge, I think I will hug that person.  Anyway, enough with the pity party, if the baby has IUGR, so be it.  Noah is perfect now and I know how to take care of a little baby, lots of love and prayers, lots of food and cute little clothes.  I also trust Dr. Webb and I know that he will take good care of us.  Here are my ultrasound pictures.  The first one is from our first visit to the doctor and the second ultrasound was taken because on our last visit we could not hear the baby's heartbeat (just the first in hopefully a very short line of heart attacks for Mommy and Daddy). We all love you my Little Bit, thank you for letting us take care of you and welcome to our family, we are blessed and honored to be your parents.  Oh and I am due August 20!

January 13, 2011: Little Bit at 8 weeks and 5 days.  

February 10, 2011:Little Bit at 12 weeks and 5 days.