Crafty Christina

Lately, I've been having the itch to get back into arts and crafts. I used to be an avid scrapbooker, knitter, card maker...just to name a few things that I used to enjoy doing. Now that Everett is getting older, he is less fussy and will go decent periods of time laying around and entertaining himself by looking around at all the things surrounding him. It's amazing to see him stare at a single object for so long. I wish I had that kind of attention span. I get bored way too easily. Perhaps, some people call that ADD. Anyway, before this blog entry turns into another "Everett" one, as they all are, back to the idea of me getting back to digging out my creative senses. Now that Everett allows me to have a moment or two here and there, I feel that I have the time now to dig out my boxes of craft supplies. I have several halfway knitted scarfs that I can finish and a box full of card stock and scrapbooking supplies that need to be dusted off and put to use. So...here's to the return of Crafty Christina.

Fake Crying and Yelling

As a mom, you learn the different cries of your child. I know the cry that calls for a bottle, the cry that says "I'm tired", the cry that says "I need my diaper changed", and the cry that says "I just want to be held." Lately, he's been having a tearless cry that last about a second or two. I don't think I would even consider it crying but more of a fussy whine. With this fussy whining, he throws in some coughing and a little yell. It's actually pretty funny. I call it his fake crying because he tends to do this when everything's okay. He's been fed, had diaper changed, isn't too hot or too cold and when there possibly couldn't be anything else wrong.

Watch the first 20 seconds of the video. He doesn't do much in the rest of it other than lay there looking cute.

Oh, what buff legs you have!

Everett's got some strong legs! He was rather worked up the other day but Dale set Everett on his feet and he was actually holding himself up. I found that a little amazing at 7 weeks; but I'm his mother and everything he does amazes me but this was extra amazing! Now he'll do this from time to time when I place him up on his feet.

He had a pediatrician visit the other day and his doctor found it rather impressive too. He was weighed in at 8 lbs 13 oz and measured 21 inches. He's a smaller baby and is in the 9 percentile. I was a little concerned that he has only gained 2 lbs and 5 oz since birth but he's all healthy and I was told I had nothing to worry about.

Happy 7 week birthday today, little man!

Here are some photos of him holding himself up: (He was just a "little" upset. Ha.)

Hiccups and Farts

Everett had hiccups a lot while he was in my belly and most often right when I went to bed. That's when he was the most active. Kicking and squirming and hiccuping right when his Momma laid down to go to sleep. He was quite the night owl. He doesn't have them nearly as much, couple times week if that, but they are so loud and squeaky. And so cute!

If you listen closely, right after I say, "You got some squeaky hiccups," you hear a long rumble-rumble-rumble-rumble. That was about the longest fart I have ever heard out of such a small child. It's still the longest one I have heard out of him to this day. Surprisingly, that fart did not result in a very poopy diaper, as I thought it would have.

Binky

So, I've never really been keen on the use of pacifiers. I see many toddlers running around with pacifiers in their mouth and have just felt that they were beyond their age to be using one. I didn't want my son to get stuck using one and avoided it until his pediatrician informed me that he has a very strong sucking reflex (more than normal) and advised me to accommodate that need by giving him a pacifier. So, it is what I have done. It's cute seeing him use it, as it is half the size of his face but boy, does he get worked up when it pops out of his mouth.

goodbye, little jetta

My 'ol clunker sold today. I will miss the way it clunks, the way it rumbles when the AC is on, the way the left front wheel screeched when you turned, the way it stalled at stop lights and stop signs, how I couldn't see how fast I was going at night due to the odometer light not working, the way I had to manually open the electric moon roof...

Most of all, I will miss not having a car payment for the past 3 1/2 years and the cheap car insurance.

Goodbye, ghetto car...

 

oh the joys of pregnancy

At this point, the only thing I can do is make the best of it all. I didn't foresee having a complicated pregnancy, as things up to this point were going so wonderful but now is the time to be thankful that things aren't any worse.

I failed the second glucose test and my OBGYN told me this morning that I have Gestational Diabetes. We're hoping that it can be monitored by diet only so I will be hooking up with a Dietitian and will have a diet plan made out for the remaining of the pregnancy. I'll have to check my blood sugar level several times a day. I now sympathize deeply for those who have to deal with having diabetes on a daily basis for the rest of their lives. Avoiding carbs and sugars will be the toughest thing. Especially tough as Dale is sitting here eating a plateful of pizza and I'm literally salivating and drooling at the mouth. The box of Ding Dongs I just bought will just have to go to waste too.  What a shame.


I'm 30 weeks and 2 days a long and will need to start my weekly visits with my OBGYN a little earlier. Dale and I have actually been going in every Monday for the past 3 weeks. The wonderful thing is that we get to see baby Everett through ultrasound on a weekly basis and we receive a photo of him to take home with us. :)

The amniotic fluid will be checked up every week as well too. It has increased the last 2 weeks so I am so thankful for that. I am still reminded that it's on the low end so lots of water and lots of sleep is vital. I don't mind having to mandatorily rest a lot though as I am so exhausted all the time.The baby is putting pressure on my sciatic nerve so my constant lower back pain leaves for restless nights.

Oh the joys of pregnancy. I'll write a little more on the positive note the next time. This was all new news to Dale and I today so I thought I'd share our pregnancy progress.

Everett's nursery is coming along. I'll post some photos soon of his room!

Start of a new blog

It's been years since I have been a "blogger" but thought now is a great time to start blogging again. Dale and I are expecting our first child in about 2 months and figure that we will have many special moments to share with everyone and what's not a better way than through a "family" blog?! In the meantime, I can share with you all my final days of pregnancy-as these next 2 months will probably be the longest months of my life. I have heard many a times from my previous preggo friends that the last month seems to be twice as long as the 7 months prior. Oh joy, I cannot wait.

I am currently waiting results for the 3-hour glucose test that I took this past Wednesday. I failed the 1-hour glucose test with a level of 170. The goal was to be under 140. I have always been a conscious/healthy eater--avoiding fatty and sugary foods and was a little startled when I failed the original test. Fingers are crossed for better news on the test results next week.

I was also diagnosed with low amniotic fluid but was able to increase the level within the past several days while being in temporary bed rest. I'm still on the low end but considered "normal." In the meantime, I've been ordered to decrease my work hours and spend as much time off my feet as I can. Failing to do so will again decrease the amniotic fluid level and can cause for preterm birth and/or the baby to get caught up in the umbilical cord. As hard as it is for me to not be out and about, spending a lot of time on the couch is one thing that I'm making a point to do.

Baby Everett is becoming more and more active as the days pass. He often has the hiccups, which I love feeling. It puts a smile on my face knowing that he's all nice and snuggled in my belly, growing by the day, and getting all ready to join Dale and I in this wonderful life that we have. It will be just that much more wonderful when he's finally here!