![Place Your Bets! Is Baby on Team Pink or Team Blue?]()
by Catherine | Jul 7, 2013 | Family
One of my favorite things about our pregnancies is being on “Team Green” (not knowing whether we’re having a boy or girl). Now that I’m about a month away from my due date, I thought I’d wash all of the baby clothes–pink and blue.
With each pregnancy, we pick out a brand new outfit for a boy and a girl to bring to the hospital. The kids got to come along to pick them out this time. They settled on a floral/butterfly sleeper for a girl and a blue striped monster sleeper for a boy.
Folding all of those sweet little sleepers, onesies, hats, socks, and swaddling blankets gave me some serious I-Gotta-Meet-You-Baby-Fever! Folding each item made me think about Jane and Walt wearing them and breathing in that intoxicating baby smell. It’s getting harder and harder to wait for you, Baby!
For a fun little distraction, I thought it’d be fun for everyone to place their bets on what “team” Baby will be on.
Will Baby be on Team Pink (girl) or Team Blue (boy)?
Here are some side by side by side belly pics if you believe the shape of my belly reveals Baby’s gender:
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| From left to right: 23 weeks with Jane, 27 weeks with Walt, and 25 weeks with Baby due in August |
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| Left to Right: 32 weeks with Jane, 33 weeks with Walt, and 33 weeks with Baby due in August |
Family Guesses:
Philip has thought that Baby was a girl all along. Jane and Walt both think Baby is a girl. I change my mind every hour! More often than not, I think Baby is a girl.
Perhaps sharing Jane’s and Walt’s “stats” will help you to make an educated guess.
JANE
Jane was born 5 days before her due date (2/16/10) on 2/11/10 at 11:58 p.m.
Weight: 8 lbs., 7.5 oz.
Length: 21 in.
WALT
Walt was born 1 day before his due date (5/20/11) on 5/19/11 at 11:28 p.m.
Weight: 8 lbs., 13 oz.
Length: 21 in.
Now, try filling in Baby’s stats!
BABY
Team Pink or Team Blue?
Due Date: 8/17/13
Birthday/Time: ? / ?
Weight: ?
Length: ?
![7 Quick Takes Friday (Volume 5)]()
by Catherine | Jun 28, 2013 | Family
-1-
Jane is still doing splendidly with her potty training and completed another sticker map last Sunday. Remember how she used her first completed sticker map to buy herself a Hello Kitty lunchbox? She used her second completed sticker map to buy the fam a dish of strawberry ice cream with sprinkles. Yum! Way to go, Jane!
Jane isn’t so sure why every stranger we meet isn’t as excited as Mom and Dad to hear about her triumphs on the potty. She told at least 3 employees at Costco, “I went poo poo on the potty!”
-2-
We got a cd of Veggie Tales songs from the library a few weeks ago. It’s all we listen to in the car! Walt spied some asparagus at dinner a few nights ago, and he immediately asked if he could try “Junior,” the cute asparagus boy from Veggie Tales. After we handed him a spear of asparagus, he launched “Junior” into a little song and dance and sang every word of “God is Bigger Than the Boogey Man.” As an added bonus, Walt loved the asparagus. Hooray for Veggies Tales and encouraging vegetable appreciation!
-3-
Philip and I became godparents for our friends’ precious baby last weekend. This is Philip’s first time as a godfather and my first time as a godmother for a non-family member. What an honor!
I cry at every baptism, but I was especially moved when the deacon gave my friend a blessing as Luke’s mom. It reminded me of the responsibility I have as the mother of my children to get them to heaven, and what a blessing it is to carry our own precious unborn Baby in my womb.
How sweet is that adorable little baby?! We love you, Baby Luke! May God bless and keep you always!
-4-
We took the kids to get haircuts the other night. Per usual, Walt hated the experience, and Jane loved every second of looking at herself in the mirror while chatting it up with the stylist. For surviving the ordeal, Walt got his first sucker. He seemed to think it was worth it because he smiled and said, “Mmmmmm! Licious!”
Doesn’t Walt look so old?! Jane said, “He’s not even your baby anymore!” I almost cried. These hormones are something else!
The kids finished their suckers at the dinner table and posed for a few pics. Here’s a little montage of the cute moment:
-5-
By no means have I traveled to all the ends of the earth, but I’m convinced that the state of Nebraska is home to some of the kindest people in the world. While we were getting the kids’ haircuts, a sweet woman named Margaret who looked to be in her sixties and was clearly a regular at the salon, struck up a conversation with me and Jane’s stylist. She asked all about our children, their ages, etc.
When I mentioned that Jane was starting preschool in the fall, she asked where, and I said our parish name. She immediately perked up and said, “Oh, that’s my church, and my sweet neighbor has kids that are just their ages! Her little boy is going to their preschool in the fall, too. You just have to meet for a play date! You remind me so much of her. They’re new to town, and she stays at home, so she’s looking for more friends and play dates.” So, the sweet lady turned into a play date/mom friend matchmaker, and I gave her my phone number to pass along to her neighbor because, well, that’s totally normal in Nebraska. We’ll probably bump into Margaret this Sunday because we go to the same Mass. How great is Nebraska?!
-6-
While Daddy did some yard work the other night after dinner, the kids and I played in the driveway. It’s my new favorite summer night activity! The kids love playing with their water table, coloring with sidewalk chalk, or scooting around on their tricycle and Cozy Coupe. Using one of our cars to block the end of the driveway creates a helpful barrier between the kids and the street.
Daddy found a worm in the dirt as he was digging around. Miss Jane thought “Squirmy” (her name for the worm) was the coolest guy ever! Unfortunately, Squirmy got stuck to the metal on Jane’s trike handle bar and split in two. Without skipping a beat, Jane held up both halves of Squirmy and said, “Cool! Look! Now I have 2 Squirmies!”
-7-
Left: Walt (4 months) & Janie (19 months). Right: Walt (2 yrs.) & Janie (3.5 yrs.)
The kids were playing so sweetly together yesterday afternoon. I had to snap the picture on the right. As I looked at that picture this morning, I had a flashback to the day they played together on the floor when Walt was just 4 months old and Janie was 19 months old. I love finding similar scenes in everyday life as they get older and putting them side by side like this. It’s incredible how their big personalities shine through even from the earliest age. Their expressions are the exact same in both photos!
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![7 Quick Takes Friday (Volume 4)]()
by Catherine | Jun 21, 2013 | Family
It’s been a fun week around here! Jane and Walt became roomies on Wednesday night, and they’ve done great with it. Keep praying for their continued success! I went through their closets and moved things around to make room for Baby in the nursery. Baby will be here before we know it!
This week, I’m dedicating my 7 Quick Takes to pictures of the kids monkeying around. Here are my 7 Quick Takes from this week:
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We celebrated Walt’s 2nd birthday last month. Philip and I made the mistake of leaving the leftover cake in the cake box on the dining room buffet where we thought it would be out of reach. Our little monkeys helped themselves while I was in the shower one morning. I snapped these pictures as soon as I exited the bathroom when I heard Jane yell, “Mom! Mom! Look what we found! CAAAAAAAAAKE!”
They’re quite the tag team these days.
-2-
Another morning, we made the mistake of leaving some fruit on the dining room table that I was going to make into a fruit salad. When I got out of the shower that morning, I heard Jane yell, “Mom! Mom! Look what we found! FRUIT!!!” Jane, being the thoughtful 3-year-old and big sister that she is, helped herself to the strawberries (her favorite) and pushed the monster grapes (Walt’s favorite fruit and choking hazard before I slice ’em) over to Walt to enjoy.
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Remember Jane’s sticker map? (It’s her new and improved reward system for using the potty.)
Well, Miss Jane successfully filled in her sticker map all the way to her coveted Hello Kitty lunchbox. So, we made a family trip to the store where she found it so that she could “buy” it. We explained that she had to pay for the lunchbox by turning in her sticker chart. She was so proud of herself! She bellied up to the counter and plopped her chart down next to her lunchbox, smiling ear to ear at the teenage girl behind the counter. After we left, I heard the sales girls say to each other, “Was that the most adorable thing you’ve ever seen?! Soooooo cute!”
-4-
In yet another showertime incident, Jane and Walt got into the sticker map reward stickers. This is what I found when I got out of the shower.
So, does this mean I can’t shower when they’re awake anymore?
-5-
Jane is very into drawing people and telling stories about the pictures she draws.
Here’s a drawing from the other day:
I said, “Wow! That’s beautiful! Can you please tell me all about your drawing? Jane said, “Sure! It’s a picture of you kissing Daddy and holding your baby.”
-6-
Yesterday, I took the kids to a fun (an
d free!) summer event hosted by our local children’s museum and shopping center. Part of the event was a bubble show. Jane and Walt were mesmerized by the show! While Walt hung out on my lap, Jane edged her way to the front of the crowd to check out the action. Can you spot her? She’s the one front and center in the blue polo and pink shorts.
I apologize for the crummy picture quality, but I had to crop one of the images of the faces she made as she watched the bubble show. I love this one:
Both kids took turns going in the “time machine” bubble (a bubble made around them with a hula hoop). Walt stepped right up with his little sippy cup and LOVED it!
What children’s event is complete without a photo op with a beautiful princess? Jane couldn’t believe her luck!
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Firefighter Walt with his sidekicks Bert and Ernie. Such a cutie pie!
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![7 Quick Takes Friday (Volume 3)]()
by Catherine | Jun 15, 2013 | Family, Marriage
7 Quick Takes from this week:
Have you ever heard of a babymoon? It’s a fantastic idea that some brilliant pregnant woman made up to reward herself for the 9-month journey. It’s a little getaway to reconnect with your hubby and spoil yourselves before Baby arrives. Most couples opt to take their babymoons in the second trimester because the morning sickness is gone, and they aren’t too big and uncomfortable for travel.
Philip and I went on our babymoon to Kansas City last weekend, and it was faaaaaaaaaaaaaabulous! Philip’s amazing mom came and stayed with the kiddos, and everything went off without a hitch. I cannot sing my mother-in-law’s praises enough. She is simply the best! I’ll write a longer post about our babymoon another time.
In addition to watching the kiddos while we were away on our babymoon, Philip’s mom potty trained Jane!!! Hooray! It turns out Jane just needed to hear from someone other than her parents how this potty business works, and “Mimi” (that’s what the kids call Philip’s mom) was just the person Jane needed. Also, it didn’t hurt that Mimi did a special song and dance and gave Jane a “potty present” (little items wrapped up in tissue paper from the Target dollar section) every time she successfully went on the potty.
One of my favorite things about Philip is that he loves coming up with fun, creative ways to encourage good behavior from the kids. (I suppose that’s one of the perks of being married to a pediatric resident, huh?)
By the time we got back from our babymoon, Jane had a few days of potty training under her belt. We decided to continue the potty presents for every successful trip for another day before changing up the system. Philip created a new and improved sticker chart to facilitate the process. Here it is:
Every time Jane successfully uses the potty, she puts a sticker on an empty square of her sticker map. When she reaches a colored square, she gets to draw a wrapped item out of the potty present bag. The picture at the end of the map is a Hello Kitty lunchbox that Jane’s had her eye on for awhile. When she completes her sticker map, she gets the lunchbox. This way, Jane continues to get rewards for her potty training, but she doesn’t expect a present every time. Great system, Philip! I am pleased to report that Miss Jane completed her sticker map tonight, and we’re hoping to pick up her Hello Kitty lunchbox sometime tomorrow.
Oh! I forgot to tell you! Remember how I was worried about failing the gestational diabetes test and that Baby was measuring 3 weeks ahead at that appointment? Well, good news! I passed, Baby was measuring right on track at my last appointment, and my weight hadn’t budged at all. So, I’m going to chalk it all up to those weeks being a big growth spurt. Phew!
Ever since we had a big hailstorm about two months ago, Jane has been struggling to go to sleep at nighttime. She started insisting on sleeping with “quiet music” and her lights on. She wasn’t falling asleep for a few hours with the lights on, so we decided something had to change, and we decided to find a new nightlight/noise machine for her.
Since we already had the sticker map system going for potty training, we thought we’d make the nightlight/noise machine a reward in place of a potty pr
esent for one of the colored squares.
I love everything about it, and it’s working like a charm! It didn’t hurt that it was well within our budget, and Jane was excited about it since she thought it was a reward that she earned for doing so well with her potty training. Win-win!
Now that I said that the nightlight/noise machine is working like a charm, a severe weather system with thunder and golfball-sized hail is moving our direction. Hopefully Jane (and our new roof) make it through ok!
We celebrated our 5-year wedding anniversary on May 31. We decided we’d try to recreate one of our favorite photos from our wedding day while on our babymoon. We had a daytime wedding and luncheon reception, and we had the whole evening to ourselves. Our photographer tagged along as we took a limo ride downtown and had dinner in our tux and white dress at a fancy restaraunt. He took this great shot of us making a champagne toast on our wedding night:
Here’s our recreated photo from a fun restaurant on our babymoon. Our server took it on Philip’s phone. Instead of champagne, Philip has some wine, and I was sipping on a virgin piña colada. Cheers!
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![7 Quick Takes Friday (Volume 2)]()
by Catherine | May 24, 2013 | Everything Else, Faith, Family, Marriage, The Homefront
7 Quick Takes from this week:
– 1 –
I started facilitating “The Bible Timeline“ study by Jeff Cavins and Tim Gray this month. Holy Toledo! I am learning so much, and we’re not even halfway into Genesis. Not only do I feel like I’m growing in my head knowledge of Sacred Scripture, but the structured study is instilling the desire to read Sacred Scripture as my own personal love letter from God. I love, love, love it!
– 2 –
As fantastic as “The Bible Timeline” study is by itself, I’m learning so much more by doing the study with Jeff Cavins’ book “Walking With God: A Journey Through the Bible” at my side. Basically, the book breaks down the story of salvation history into 12 periods (the same 12 periods explored in the Bible Timeline), and draws you into the story.
For example, have you ever read the story about Noah getting drunk and passing out naked in his tent? Then, remember how his son Ham shows up and “uncovers his nakedness”? Yeah, I know. I thought it was strange, too. Well, that whole story would have thrown me for a loop had I not had Jeff Cavins’ book nearby. I wouldn’t have known to explore the passages in Leviticus that explain that this Hebrew idiom (“uncover your father’s nakedness”) actually means to have an incestuous relationship.
Having this book as my reading companion (as well as the Catechism of the Catholic Church) is helping me to confidently read Sacred Scripture within the heart of the Church.
– 3 –
My hair dryer of 3 years broke, and I got a brand new one. It’s nothing fancy, but I had no idea how terrible my old one was until I got this new one. Am I the only one that was just introduced to the hair dryer retractable cord?! Wow! That feature is amazing! I just push a button on the hair dryer and *zoom* the cord is gone. Even though I carefully kept my old hair dryer cord untangled, it managed to twist itself so tightly that it ended up being more like one of those old school spiral telephone cords. With each use, it would wind itself up more and more, and I’d end up untwisting it at least once a month.
Not only am I loving the retractable cord, but new dryer cuts my hairdrying time in half, and my hair seems less frizzy. When your getting ready time is limited with little kiddos, this is a big deal! Have I dedicated an entire paragraph to my new hair dryer? Yes, yes I have.
– 4 –
We found a steal of a deal on Craigslist for Jane’s new big girl bed. We picked it up the other day, and Jane was so excited that she asked all morning, “Is it naptime yet?!”
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| Pretending to sleep in her big girl bed after we got it set up. |
Jane and Walt are going to share a room, and Baby will move into the nursery when he/she arrives in August. (Jane will sleep in her new big girl bed, Walt will sleep in Jane’s old toddler bed, and Baby will sleep in Walt’s crib.)
The day we got the bed, the kids slept in their own rooms at naptime, but they insisted that Walt get to sleep in Jane’s room that night in the toddler bed. Long story short, it didn’t go so hot, and we haven’t attempted putting them together since. We’ll wait a few more weeks until we attempt it again.
– 5 –
Speaking of attempting things again, Jane finally warmed back up to the idea of potty training. For awhile, she was absolutely terrified of the potty. I think a lot of it had to do with constipation. Thanks to a steady regimen of Miralax, I think we, uh, got that problem all worked out. Unfortunately, she just doesn’t care if she’s wet. In fact, I think she’d stay in the same pull-up all day long if I’d let her. Blech!
She told me before naptime this afternoon that she wants to wear her big girl underwear, so I told her we had to go on the potty to wear them, and she said, “OK!” with a big smile. Here goes nothing!!!
I never thought I’d be potty training a three-year-old, but here we are, and I’m not letting myself worry about it. We’ll get it figured out. As one mom told me, “You know, they never ask you when your child was potty trained on college applications.”
– 6 –
I officially start my third trimester of pregnancy tomorrow. Yay! At yesterday’s OB appointment, I did my blood glucose test for gestational diabetes, and I’m still waiting on the results. I’ve never had it before, but I’m a little nervous about the results this time around for two reasons: 1. I was up 5 lbs. from my last appointment, and 2. I was measuring 31 weeks instead of 28 weeks (and technically, I was still 27 weeks at my appointment). Both of those things don’t bode well. Until I get the results, I’m trying not to obsess over it. If I do have gestational diabetes, I know I should be able to manage it with diet. I guess I’m just nervous that I’ll have a baby that will be so big that I won’t be able to deliver vaginally, and I’d like to avoid a c-section if possible. Hopefully I’ll get the results before the weekend…
– 7 –
Can I break out the violin and play a sad song for my poor body?
The old mare is exhausted. After all, I got pregnant with Thérèse August 2012, miscarried November 2012, got pregnant two weeks later (yay!), and this baby is due August 17, 2013. So, by the time Baby arrives, I will have been pregnant for a year with a two-week “break” from my miscarriage. Don’t get me wrong! I am so, so, so thrilled to be pregnant, and I can’t wait to meet Baby, but my body doesn’t seem to be up to the job these days.
First, I had the back-to-back first trimesters with the two pregnancies. With both, I battled some rough “morning” sickness. The second trimester was pretty uneventful, but the sciatica keeps getting worse, so my OB wrote me a prescription for a maternity belt. If the belt combined with the physical therapy exercises I learned last pregnancy don’t help, I’ll probably start physical therapy up again. Spending any amount of time on my feet makes my legs throb, so it might be time for some sexy compression stockings. More and more varicose veins seem to be appearing on my legs. Youch! Having to sleep on my side doesn’t help matters. Whatever side I’m sleeping on goes numb after awhile, so I wake up to roll over, and I end up having to make a bathroom run. I’m averaging 3-5 bathroom trips a night. I just keep telling myself it’s all practice for the nighttime feedings, right???
Wah, wah, waaaaaaah!
All things considered, this pregnancy has been pretty darn good, and I’m counting my blessings that Baby seems to be doing great in there. I’ll gladly take the physical stuff on my end in exchange for a healthy baby. I just know my limits, and I know that sleep deprivation is the fastest way for me to become a meeeeeeeeeeeeeeean mama. Perhaps a little nighttime Benadryl is in order…
Have a great Memorial Day weekend!
Want to join the fun?
Head on over to Jen Fulwiler’s blog at Conversion Diary and post your own 7 Quick Takes!
![Dear Thérèse, A Letter On Your Due Date]()
by Catherine | May 20, 2013 | Faith, Family
Dear Thérèse,
After we lost you in November, I thought I was going to dread today–5/20/13, your due date. Somehow, though, today has actually been a pretty great day. Actually, our little family has been stronger than ever these last few months, and I’m confident that you are the reason for our happiness. I know this seems like a strange thing to be doing, but I wanted to write you a thank you note on the occasion of your due date.
Since leaving our family on earth, you have been our family’s favorite saint and intercessor in heaven. I love that your big brother, Walt, and big sister, Jane, will never know a life without including you, “Baby Thérèse in heaven,” in our bedtime prayers.
Now that my tummy is at the hand magnet phase of pregnancy, I’m getting lots of questions on a daily basis about our family. I am getting braver at answering honestly when people ask how many children we have–even strangers at the grocery store. I always say, “We have two babies on earth, a baby in heaven, and this baby (pointing to my belly) is due to arrive in August.”
Even though I never got to hold you in my arms as our precious baby, you are bringing our family so many blessings on a daily basis. I thought I’d write you a little list of all of the blessings you bring us (at least all of the ones I can think of right now):
- God is finally my primary relationship, Dad is second, your siblings are next, and so on. Keeping that order straight is keeping everyone at their best.
- I find myself offering more prayers of thanksgiving than ever before, especially as I go throughout the day.
- I play with your siblings more than ever. With the housework, I am able to call things “good enough” and mean it when Jane or Walt remind me why I’m home in the first place.
- After asking some girlfriends to pray for my patience with this parenting phase, I find that I’m appreciating the little moments and extending bedtime story time so that I can soak up the cuddles.
- As I know you know, I still have my not-so-grace-filled moments, but knowing that I can ask for your prayers brings me peace.
- I am getting better and better at putting our family first, knowing my limits, saying “no” to extra commitments, asking for help when I need it, and finding time for fun.
- I’m getting better at hearing God’s voice and being brave. I still can’t believe I started leading a Bible study this month! I am grateful for the opportunity to do it because the study probably wouldn’t have started had I been 9 months pregnant with you.
- Perhaps one of the biggest differences I’m noticing is my new outlook on pregnancy and motherhood in general. I don’t take the kicks that I never felt with you for granted. I’m actually excited about trying breastfeeding (again!) as an opportunity and a gift rather than another stressor. (I’ll keep praying that it actually works out this time around, and I’ll remember to pray for wisdom if it doesn’t.) I say it all the time, but I simply cannot wait to meet this miracle baby face-to-face that never would have been a part of our family had you remained with our family on earth! God must have some exciting plans for this precious little sibling of yours, huh?
Your dad is so sweet. I found this on the kitchen counter when I woke up this morning:
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| “Catherine on 5/20” |
Before today, Dad and I talked a lot about what your due date would be like emotionally. Dad said he wrote me this card a few days ago so that I would know that he was praying for our family and that he hadn’t forgotten about today being your due date. Of course, the card made me cry, but they weren’t tears of sadness. I guess I cried because I know our family wouldn’t be nearly as happy or strong had we not gone through the pain of losing you. Today, on your due date, I’d love to be swaddling you, breathing in that new baby smell, and kissing your little fingers. Somehow, I know today more than ever that God knew what He was doing when He took you and that He continues to have our family’s best interest at heart.
So, Thérèse, thank you for being our family’s precious “Little Flower.” We’ve been on quite the journey this last year! We’ve had some of our lowest lows and highest highs, and we are the family we are today because of all of it. Thank you for helping us to keep the long view in mind, especially when we struggle with shortsightedness on the bad days. Thank you for continuing to hear our prayers, interceding as our prayer warrior, and helping us to live out our roles within our domestic church on a daily basis. We promise we will try our hardest to make you proud. Dad and I know now that our ultimate goal in marriage is to get our entire family to heaven. Having you already there is more motivation than we could ever ask for! Thank you for everything you’ve already done and will do for our family.
We love you, Baby Thérèse in heaven!
All my love,
Mom
