Zzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!

I recently read in a book that I have (Your Pregnancy Week by Week...thanks Karyn!) that you might be able to start to know your babies sleeping patterns by now. That is definitely the case with this little one. He is usually active during the day (for example I just felt a little kick) but it mostly feels like he is just getting comfortable in there. However, from 10 - 11 at night is when it's most fun! He is having a party in there!!! That's the hour that Paul will watch my stomach move and feel him bounce around for himself! Just recently that hour has switched to 8 - 9. I'm not sure what made him switch...but it's been a consistant 8 - 9. Until last night! Don't get me wrong...he was right on track with starting at 8...but I went to bed at 12:30 and he was still having a party in there! Something tells me our little one has more in common with his Daddy than just his looks!!! He's already a little night owl!!! hahahaha!!!

Cock-A-Doodle-Doo!!!

Here's our little Rooster at 24 weeks! (July, 25th) Those are actually Eric's tiny fingers. When we checked in on him he was in the middle of rubbing his eyes (it was the cutest thing ever!)...so those are his little fingers spread apart! He weights approx. 1.5 lbs! Thankfully he once again checked out to be right on track!

During the checkup the Dr. was trying to get a good look at his face in order to get another 3D picture of him. However...he was camera shy and had both hands in front of his face. She started poking at my stomach like crazy to get him to move. You saw poor Eric bouncing up and down. He didn't like it one bit and turned his head the opposite way she was wanting. It was really cute to see him get frustrated! More power to you Eric!!!

Notes to Eric: Daddy and I have been obsessed with shopping for you lately! We have gone through a lot of different color palates for the bedding in your crib. Just when we think we found one... we switch it! I think it's because we are having too much fun shopping and don't want to settle on anything yet!

Also...everyone who sees you in 3D says you look just like Daddy! Two nights ago I woke up in the middle of the night and glanced over at him while he was sleeping. It was amazing how much he looked like you in your sonogram pictures! I actually believe I fell back to sleep with a smile on my face for the first time ever!

Thank You Eric!!!

Today Paul and I had a very exciting morning!!! Not only has little Eric not complicated my IPT (that was a fear in the beginning because some woman develop ITP while being pregnant so there was a chance being pregnant could have made mine worse)...but he has helped me break two of my records!!! One of them being...I am now officially in my 21st week without a treatment. The longest I've ever lasted is 20! The second one being...he has helped my numbers go up the most they have ever gone up with no treatment. Last week I was 27 (I basically should have had my treatment but the Dr. was curious to see what my body did without one) This week...my numbers were 56! A 29 jump when the biggest jump I have ever done (that's if there is a jump at all...99% of the time it falls) was 13. So thank you Eric!!!

Here is the latest picture of our little guy! At our last visit (Thursday July 10th) he checked out to be perfect...or as the technician kept putting it....beautiful!!!

Eric Christopher Downs!!!

Congrats to those who got it right! And thanks to those who gave Paul and I a good laugh yesterday! It was a lot of fun receiving phone calls and emails throughout the day asking for extra clues! And to see what everyone was able to come up with! I especially liked when Emily's Mom popped on to claim that she found Downs! hahahahaha!!!! Thanks again for playing! It's going to be great to look back on!!!

P.S. Congrats to Andrea's Dad for getting Christopher without seeing the letters! WHAT!?!?!

We Have A Name!!!

Appox. 1 month ago Paul and I decided on a name!!! We were going to wait until he was born to make the announcement, but I'm not so good at keeping it a secret. We call him his name at home...so I have accidentally slipped approx. 5 times here at work when I talk about him. So we figured we might as well just tell everyone what it is so we can call him by his name no matter where we are :)

(Not too many will be able to play cuz some know already...but if anyone is like my Mom...I figured you might have fun trying to figure it out yourselves :) Just don't leave a comment until you have a guess. That way you don't see what anyone else wrote)

First/Middle/Last name are listed:
H T E C D R R P W R I O S S E N I H C O

Half way there!!!

Actually, I'm a little over half way there! Today (July 8th) I am 21 weeks and a few days! As much as I dreaded posting these pictures I figured it would be a good time to post about my pregnancy up to the half way point :)

Month 1-3 and slightly into 4: I had a bad gag reflex. The littlest thing (like watching someone chew gum could make me gag) The only thing that would solve this problem was to eat. I found I had a bag of crackers in my purse at all times! It was the only way to feel better! Thankfully though...I never once threw up!

Month 4: The first two weeks of month 4 I was feeling much better but I somehow became completely out of shape. The smallest of walks would make me completely out of breath! The sad part is...sometimes I didn't have to be walking...I just had to talk and I'd get out of breath. Then again...with the amount I talk it sort of made sense!!! (That only lasted a couple weeks...I heard it was a hormonal thing)

I also started to experience (and still do) a nerve that would pinch in my lower back. Some steps it would be perfect...some steps...not so perfect.

And yes...I definitely noticed I used the restroom a lot more. But mostly in the middle of the night. I think it's Gods way of preparing me for getting up 10 times though the night. I like thinking of it that way :)

Month 5: My walk has definitely slowed down! Paul jokes me about it almost every day! I like to think it's him getting faster...however...I'm not quite sure that's the case! hahahaha!

I also trip over everything! Sad part is...nothing has to be in front of me...it's over my own two feet. It's pretty comical actually. It makes me laugh every time I do it!

I've also started to experience heart burn. I've never experienced this before and unfortunately it's my favorite thing in the world (pepperoni pizza) that seems to make it the worst! But to look on the bright side....last night I got to watch a really funny episode of the Fresh Prince at 3:00 in the morning cuz there was no way I could lay down!!!

Cravings: My only craving so far in the entire 5 months has been Milk! Yes...milk. Don't ask me why. A glass of milk before I was pregnant was one of the last things I'd chose to drink...but now I have one just about every day!

Up to this point I feel I have been blessed with a very easy pregnancy!!! On a day to day basis I feel really great! I will be sure I post again once this little guy gets much bigger later in my pregnancy. I'm sure I'll be a bit more on the uncomfortable side! hahahaha!!!

Note to baby: Daddy and I were able to see you move from the outside of my belly just this past 4th of July weekend!!! Your kicks are getting much stronger and I LOVE IT!!!!

I leave this post with this. You know how the question "Which came first...the chicken or the egg" is impossible to answer. I've got another one for you! How is it that our little guy only weighs 12oz right now...but mommy has put on 15 lbs in the past 21 weeks!!!

4th of July Weekend!!!

As sad as we were that we couldn't go down to Florida...Paul and I had an amazing 4 day weekend together! It's been a very long time since we've had such a long break with just the two of us with no traveling...and it felt really good.

On Thursday and Friday we rented a Uhaul and made a trip to GoodWill. In that trip was:
-our kitchen table (which has been my family's kitchen table for a little over 30 years)
-my dresser which I've had since college that my mom got from GoodWill. She stripped and repainted them so they looked new(ish) and painted the year 1997 on the back (we consolidated into just one dresser)
-Paul's computer desk
-Paul's computer
-approx. 200 CDs
- bags and bags of cloths
- dishes
-books
- a knif set
....hmmmmm. I know I am missing a couple other things but that is the bulk of it.

Our apartment has never once been more organized! It feels SO GOOD!!! And it was SO MUCH FUN knowing it was to make room for the new little man in our lives!!! We actually got so excited to start setting things up for him that Paul put together his stroller for him!!! It was the very first thing we have assembled for him!!! Great Job Daddy!!!! (if you know Paul's track record things don't really stay together very long after he makes them...but he did a great job with the stroller!!!)

Saturday and Sunday were spent relaxing!!! Sometimes it's so hard to do knowing you have so much to do around the apartment...but we made sure to get it all done in the first two days so the second two were just for hanging out! And that we did! And YES...it went by way to fast...and YES...it's hard being back at work today!!!

Home Sweet Home!!!

Rewind to Saturday July 21st!!! We had a great weekend in Everett Mass! Right there with Florida it's our home away from home!!! Nothing beats going back to visit family....picking up some Doms for lunch...and sitting out on the deck with everyone for hours just talking and laughing!!!

This weekend was extra special! Auntie was back in town from Seattle! Great news to report...we did some apartment searching while visiting and she found one she loves and is moving back to Massachusetts! YEAH!!!!

They also had a surprise birthday party for me! We ordered in Chinese food and had the second best cake ever! (next to my wedding cake!!!) We couldn't leave out RUBY!!! She got some dessert as well!!!! (even though it didn't look nearly as good as ours!!!)

Keri is the best at gift giving! She got us a family picture frame that I have been eyeing on RedEnvelope for a very long time now. I thought for sure she somehow knew I was wanting it but she had no idea! She also hooked our little boy up with a Kevin Garnett onesie!!! I just think it's the cutest thing in the world and can't wait to put him in it!!! (But after I put him in the Yankees one my brother gave us!) hahahahahahahaha!!!!

As always we had such a great time!!!! See you all SOON!!!!

Daddy was RIGHT!!!

I'M A BOY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

When I pictured Paul and me having a baby, I always thought it would be a girl because I always found myself thinking of Lauren. Once we found out that I was expecting, all feelings of a girl went away...but I didn't have feeling of a boy either. For some reason I never got a feeling one way or another. Paul on the other hand...he had an overwhelming feeling it was a boy! A few days after finding out I was pregnant he turned to me and said "I know we are going to have a boy!" He was SO SURE of it!!! And he was right!!! We went for our 20 week anatomy scan yesterday (June 30th) and got the conformation! (the Dr. guessed boy two times during earlier visits but they were just guesses...now it's confirmed) We are officially having a BOY!!!! And we couldn't be happier!!!

We feel so blessed that everything went well! The heart and brain looked perfect which was music to our ears! They also checked for cleft lip because they knew we were concerned about it due to the fact that I was on prednisone during the first trimester. (They say heavy dosages can raise the risk of it...but I was only on 2.5 mg every third day. But we still worried) We were so glad to hear and see that there were no signs of it!

Paul and I always agreed we didn't want to have a 3d scan done of him because we didn't want to see him before he entered the world. However...when he had his anatomy scan done yesterday she kept switching between 3 different ways of seeing him...one being 3d. Needless to say he was absolutely breathtaking to us! He was the cutest thing we have ever layed eyes on! We even saw him yawn!!! Every time he would move his foot (yes..that is his FOOT up by his head!!! hahahaha) Every time he would move it up I was so proud of him! That just meant she had to spend more time getting him in a spot so she could see what she was looking for...meaning we got to see him for longer!

When she printed out his picture for us she warned us that he is still very small and is still developing so we should not focus on things that didn't look right. Example: That little bump on his head would go away when she was moving it around but when she took a still picture of him it was there. So it's hard to tell what is really him and what is just the computer not capturing him very well. But even with that warning Paul was very concerned about his upper lip being bigger than is bottom. The technician told him it was perfect and not to worry. The Dr. told him it was perfect and not to worry. And I showed him pictures of what a baby looks like at 20 weeks old (they have bigger upper lips). Even after all that he was still so concerned. As much as I hated to see him worry like that...to me it just showed that he loves his little guy so much already and wants everything in life to be perfect for him!

So here is our sleepy, very flexible, perfect little boy!!!

Nice to meet you!!!

Here I am!!!! Aren't I the cutest little thing ever!!! I have to say I love being home way more than I liked being in the hospital! I love spending time with my family!!! They are all wonderful!!!

When I found out that I wasn't going to get to meet Auntie Jen and Unlce (my big sister has told me A LOT about them) I started to cry! They were going to come down and visit this weekend (since they have two days off of work) but Auntie Jen's Dr. said it would be safest for her not to travel due to her numbers being low. I heard Auntie was crying as hard as I was. We can't be too sad though...they are going to spend the long break together and go shopping for a new crib for their little one that's on the way!!! Who I can't wait to meet!!!

Speaking of my big sister! Here she is holding me with my Daddy! I look like a little doll in this picture but I promise I am real!!! From the couple days that I have known my sister she seems really cool...and according to my Auntie Jen and Uncle...I am right!!!

Apparently I look just like her when she was born!!! (she was two weeks older than me when her picture was taken)

It was really great meeting all of you! I am sure my Auntie will update you all on every new thing I do!!!

Back to bed I go...that was a lot of work to type this early on in life!!!
Love
Tyler

P.S. Lauren sends her love!