Owen is 14 Months!

Just a swinging!

Size:  He still has some thunder thighs!  I secretly love it, especially since I was just like him as a baby!  I broke out all his 18 month clothes and he has started to wear some of those outfits.  He is still in size 4 diapers.

Special Trips/Visits:  This month has been a little more quiet since B2 is coming and I'm getting too big to get out and do too much.  We've spent the weekends getting things ready for the new baby or running some errands.  We try to get him out of the house each day... even if it's just a walk in the evening.  On the weekends we try and take him somewhere special he likes to go.

Crawling through a tunnel at the park.

Peek-a-boo!

More park time - different park.

Firsts:  Owen is walking!!!  He took his first steps a couple weeks ago!  Since he took those first steps he has been OFF!  I knew he would do this, as soon as he figured it out, he is walking all over the place and everywhere.  He is pretty good at falling and not getting hurt... yet.

Walking around!

He is also continuing to grow his vocabulary.  Each week he learns new words.  The other day Jimmy was filling up his camelbak (yes, I got him his own, kid sized!) with water and he pointed to the fridge and very clearly said "Water!  Water!"  I love seeing his mind expand and learn new things.  It's amazing to me how much they take in and learn... little sponges!

He has started to tell me when he is ready for his naps.  He will say "Night Night" and go to the stairs when he wants to go down for a nap.  Or, I will ask him if he is ready for Night Night and he will go to the steps.  I love that he actually wants to go to his crib and rest or nap.  We let him crawl up the stairs on his own and he likes to stop on the way and yell "BABABABABA!" from the railing!

We tried coloring and he loves it!  

Working on those fine motor skills!

He has learned how to pucker and give kisses now.  

Although his kiss face looks more like a fish face!

Likes:  Owen loves walking now.  He gets up on his own and will walk across the room with a huge smile on his face and squeal!  I always cheer him on when I see him walking on his own and when he falls I tell him "Yay!  I'm so proud of you!"  And, "Big boys get right back up!"  I don't want him to learn that falling is a bad thing and don't want him to be upset when he falls.  I want him to learn that trying his best is what matters and that everyone falls sometimes.  (I know, probably WAY too deep for a 14 month old, but why not start now?!)

Owen has made a couple friends in the neighborhood.  We have been meeting up with his friend Cole for play dates.  Cole has a really cool motorized train in his basement that Owen LOVES!  Cole is only 10 months, but they really love playing together.  I can tell that their personalities mesh well.  They hand each other toys and take turns pushing their push toys.  It's adorable!

Choo Choo!!!

He still loves reading.  He will sit in the corner and look through his books by himself for a good 20 minutes!

Reading and wearing my new hat!

Playing with Grant at his first birthday party!

Sticking out my tongue!

Dislikes:  Owen has figured out how to throw a temper tantrum.  I know that I have been very lucky in that he has not figured this out until he is 14 months old.  (Some kids do this pretty early on...).  He will do it when you take sometime away from him that he wants to play with.  So far, this is the only reason he throws fits.  In the past, giving him a new toy in exchange for what you want has always worked as a distraction, but he has figured me out!  He will throw himself on the floor and kick and scream.  I can't help but laugh... which probably isn't the best response!  After I giggle, I ignore him... right now I'm trying the 'bad behavior gets no attention' strategy.  It is working so far... his tantrums only last a few minutes.

I tried a sensory activity with him, let him play with pudding (like an edible finger paint) and he was not into it!  I even picked his favorite flavor - banana.  He's just not into pudding... or playing with it!

I hope everyone has enjoyed their summer!  It's hard to believe that it's almost over... but Fall is such a great time in Virginia.  I can't wait to take the boys to the pumpkin patch this year!

Love,

Judi

39 Weeks!

Along:   39 Weeks!  I thought I'd do one last post before B2 arrives!

Size of Baby:  Around 7-8 pounds and anywhere from 19-21 inches.  I feel like he is bigger than Owen.  I'm so excited to see how much he weighs when he is born and what he looks like!

Gender:  BOY!  I'm so excited to have two boys.  I think I'll be a good mom of boys, I love potty humor and I can't sit still for long.  (Really, Jimmy has to force me to sit down and relax.)  We have decided on a name, but are keeping it a secret until he makes his arrival.

Sleep:  I'm sleeping pretty good.  I only get up once in the middle of the night.  I sleep 8-9 hours and feel completely refreshed when I wake up.  Only a few more nights of that kind of sleep, at least for awhile!  I've been very lucky in the sleep department throughout this pregnancy.

What I Miss:  Just generally being comfortable.  My upper stomach goes numb sometimes because of the baby's position, so I have to stretch out on the couch to give him some more room.

Cravings:  Not too many cravings in the last couple weeks.  I think that has died down for me... I crave water a lot and have been drinking SO much.  I also crave soda, particularly ginger ale.  I had the same thing at the end of my pregnancy with Owen.

Symptoms:  My lower back pain is still about the same.  I can't really do much physical activity without my back hurting.  I've also been having some braxton hicks contractions on and off for the past couple weeks.   I'm also pretty swollen... I haven't worn my wedding ring in awhile, but have worn a ring that looks like a wedding band on my ring finger.  I just don't feel comfortable walking around without a wedding ring on!  My feet are huge.  Thank goodness it's summer and I can just wear flip flops everywhere.  I've also been having a lot of pressure, like he is pushing down... sometimes my skin goes numb on my lower stomach too.  Kid just doesn't have enough room anymore!

Best Moment this Month:  We brought out the infant swing and set it up in the living room.  I wanted to give Owen a couple days to get used to it being there and teach him to be gentle with it before the baby comes home.  He put his Mr. Lion (stuffed animal) in it and gently pushed it, it was so sweet to watch!!!  I'm soaking in all these little moments with just him here... I'm probably being way too gushy and giving him too many kisses, but I can't help it!  Typical boy, all he wants to do it play!

Only a few more days! 

Love,

Judi

36 Weeks

Along:   36 weeks.  Less than four weeks to go.  My c-section is scheduled for August 28th.  Unless he comes earlier of course... I'm nervous that he might for a few reasons.  My original due date was August 24th, and they moved it back because he was measuring smaller in my first couple ultrasounds.  Even though he is still measuring to be due on 9/1 at this point, I'm just worried he might come earlier based on the original due date!  Also, my mom had one of my brothers three weeks early...  At 37 weeks I'll be full term.  I'm going to pack my hospital bag and get all the final touches ready next weekend just in case!

Size of Baby:  Baby 2 is about 6 pounds and about 20 inches in length.  The last few weeks he will just be putting on the weight.  I feel like he is bigger than Owen (Owen was 7 pounds 5 ounces born, but was a week early).  My stomach is definitely stretched bigger and a solid hard rock!  

You can see just how big I am in this one!  For the most part, I'm all belly though.

I think the belly is so big because I'm petite and the baby can only go out!  I also carry very high.

Gender:  Bouncing baby boy!  I bought a few pieces of clothing for him last weekend at the Carter's outlet.  I wanted him to have his own 'going home' outfit and I found an adorable 'little brother' outfit!  I know we can use most of Owen's old clothes, but it is important to me for this one to have a few things that are just his and special for him.

Sleep:  I'm sleeping great!  Most nights I don't even get up to use the bathroom.  I know, I'm lucky!  I'm soaking it all in now, as when this boy comes I'll be up every 2-3 hours!

What I Miss:  Being able to wash dishes (wait, did I really just say I miss washing dishes?!? Haha) and cook/bake without my back hurting.  My tummy is SO big that the position I have to be in to lean over really hurts my back.  I am looking forward to having my body back and being able to move around more easily and not be sore all the time.

Cravings:  The past couple days I have been craving a chili cheese dog like crazy.  I haven't even found where I can get one!  And, I don't even like hot dogs.  It's been ages since I've eaten one.  I've also been craving Key Lime anything... 

Symptoms:  The main symptom is lower back pain.  Some days I can barely get up off the couch without wincing.  I've been using a heat pad and occasionally taking Tylenol  but I try to stay away from medicines if I can.  If I go into labor, I'm positive it will be back labor.  I also have some ligament pain... I can't walk for very long, the weight of the belly just pulls on those ligaments and makes me sore.  That's really about it though, I guess I can't complain too much.  

Best Moment this Month:  I was watching 'A Baby Story' the other morning and Owen saw the newborn baby on TV just as he/she was being born and started crying for the first time.  Owen stopped playing, looked at the TV, smiled and waved to the newborn baby!  It just about melted my heart!  Lately he has been patting my belly and giving my belly little hugs!  I don't think he has any idea what it is, it's just a part of me that sticks out and he can easily hug it!  Haha!

Three and a half weeks and counting! 

Love,

Judi

Owen is 13 Months!

Size:  Owen is still a chunker!  I love his thunder thighs and squeeze them all the time!  He is fitting into 12 month clothes still, but is making his way into 12-18 and 18 month clothes.  It all depends on the brand and how everything fits.  His rash guards and swim suits don't fit anymore, thankfully he got some 18 month sizes for his birthday!

Special Trips/Visits:  We have been trying to get out of the house almost every day.  Owen gets bored sitting around and playing with the same toys all the time, so I try to break his day up and take him out to do something in the middle of the day.  Sometimes it is just errands that I need to get done, sometimes we go to the pool, and recently we have joined a play group in the neighborhood.

Chillin' at the pool with Mama!

Firsts:  Owen has been saying more and more words and using them in context.  His favorite word right now is 'ball.'  Every round object he sees is a ball and he loves to point at all the balls he sees in public and say the word over and over!  He threw a fit because I wouldn't let him play with the watermelon I bought.  He stood at the counter banging on the cabinets saying "Ball!  Ball!" wanting the watermelon!  I've been keeping a list on my phone of all the words he can say... Mom (yes, Mom, not Mama!), Dada, Doggie, Ball, Bye Bye, Baba, Nana (for my Mom and for bananas), Bird, Tree, Yay, and Woof Woof (also calls the dogs this).  He also understands a lot of directions and phrases.

Owen eats banana every morning for breakfast.  

As I'm cutting it up for him he says "Nana!  Nana!"

Likes:  Owen's favorite thing to do lately is drink from your cup.  He loves drinking from a straw or from a camelbak water bottle.  I drink from a water bottle with a straw all day, so he is constantly standing up and patting my legs when I'm taking a drink because he wants some.  Even though it is the same thing that is in his sippy cup (water!).  He also loves playing with plastic water bottles.  We discovered this at the beach and today he saw one again and went crazy for it!  He loves to crunch it and throw it around.

Owen has had a blast at play group!  He has met a couple other kids his age and then a couple that are 2-3.  He really loves other kids and socializing, so it's important for me to bring him around other kids where he can express this part of himself.  The first time I brought him to play group he crawled over to a little girl who is only three days younger than him and gave her a hug, several times!  It was the sweetest thing!  Such a ladies man!

Owen LOVES riding his new toy he got for his birthday!  We take him on walks in the evening (when it's cool enough) or give him a ride around the house.

Owen and Pops matching in Harley Davidson shirts!

Kid got so grumpy when I was changing his diaper I decided to just let him roam free for a few.  He ran to his toy and demanded a ride!  This is going to be one of those pictures I will use to embarrass him when he is older!

Hold on, let me just make a quick call!

He also loves this new toy he got for his birthday.  He loves pushing it all over the house!

He has been more interested in books the last week or so.  He pulls all the books out of his book basket and looks through them.  

He got a new tooth brush and enjoys brushing his teeth each night before bed.  

There is a Rafi song called "Brush Your Teeth" that he loves and makes the "sshhh" noise along with the song, so we use that to encourage him to brush his teeth!

Dislikes:  He is so easy going most of the time... the only thing that he doesn't like is when you take something away from him that he is playing with.  Our house is child proofed so that he can play with just about anything he gets into, so this only becomes a problem when we are out somewhere.  The key is to distract him with another toy!  He also loves to climb stairs, I mean LOVES it.  We have baby gates, so it's not an issue at home.  But when he sees stairs at someone else's house, he B-lines it for them.  Then he throws a little fit when you take him away from them... like I said, the key is distracting him with another toy!

Family Update:  Everything is going really well.  We are anticipating the arrival of Baby 2 and getting all the little details finished for that.  I'm really enjoying staying home... I was worried I might get bored, or feel like I need more, but I'm feeling great.  I feel blessed to be able to watch Owen grow and I can tell that my bond with him has already gotten stronger.  He says 'Mom' all the time now, and I LOVE IT!!!

Here are some more cute pictures that I forgot to add to previous posts...

Squealing in the tent at the beach.

Checking out the tigers at Barefoot Landing.

I can put a cup on my foot!

MOM!  Are the cookies done yet?!?!?

Loving on Pops at the aquarium.  He has a special bond with Pops!

Mimi showing him the fish at the Bass Pro Shop.

Chillin' after a long day in Myrtle!

We had his 1 year photo shoot about a week and a half ago.  Here is a sneak peek picture!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far!  I'm actually getting excited for fall (I know, I shouldn't wish time away...).  I'm so excited to do all those 'fall' things with Owen like carving pumpkins, taking him apple picking, taking him to the corn maze at the Farm Market down the road, and trick-or-treating!  He is at the age now where it will be so much fun to do those kinds of things with him.  The holidays are going to be SO much fun this year!

Love,

Judi

32 Weeks

32 Weeks Along...

I'm a little late with this post since we were on vacation!

Along:  32 1/2 weeks along now.  I'm in the home stretch.  I will not last until my due date, due to scheduling a C-Section, so I really have less than 8 weeks left.  I can schedule the section at my next appointment in two weeks.  

Size of Baby:  Baby 2 is anywhere from 17-19 inches long and weighs more than four and a half pounds.  Baby 2 could grow a full inch this week alone.  Weight gain can range to a third more growth to a full doubling before his big debut.

I just had my 32 week appointment yesterday and found out that Baby 2 is BREECH!  He still has a couple more weeks where he can rotate before it gets too tight in there to move around, but my doctor thinks that it is highly unlikely he will move since Owen was breech too, and since I'm pretty petite it is pretty tight in there for him already.  

After much thought and weighing pros and cons, I had already decided to do a scheduled c-section.  Since I had one with Owen, I got to choose if I wanted to do another one with this pregnancy.  I decided to go ahead with the c-section because I was worried I would have these plans of a natural birth and then something would happen and I'd have to have a c-section anyway.  Scheduled c-sections are so much easier to recover from than emergency ones.  You don't even go through labor (well, unless he comes earlier than the scheduled day!).  With Owen, the worst pain I felt was the IV in my hand!  My recovery was excellent with Owen too, I did not think it was nearly as bad as everyone had made me feel like it was going to be.  After all this thought I put into what I wanted to do, turns out Baby 2 may have decided for me!
Gender:  BOY!  I'm so excited to have two boys so close together.  They are going to be best friends!  Now that I am home with Owen every day and I see how much he would love a friend, I'm even more excited for him to have someone to play with.

Sleep:   For a couple weeks I was having some insomnia and only sleeping a few hours a night.  But since we got home from vacation I have been sleeping great!!!  The past few nights I haven't woken up once!

What I Miss:  Enjoying a nice cold (alcoholic) beverage on a hot summer day and being able to move around easily.  I was a little sad at the beach last week because I couldn't drink and hang with everyone the way I wanted to.  I also couldn't move and chase Owen around as much as I wanted to.  I'm really relying on Jimmy to be the one to chase Owen when he is home (kid is just SO active).  I'm sure this would be the case no matter how old Owen is during my second pregnancy.  Having a basketball tummy just limits what you can do! 

Cravings:  Ice cream, peanut butter, cookies, pineapple... Lots of sweets.  I craved the same things with Owen.  I wonder if it's a gender thing?

Symptoms:  Lower back pain.  Although it is not as bad as it was with Owen, it is still pretty bad sometimes.  Some days it hurts to walk or pick up Owen.  I've also been having some acid re flux  which I didn't have with Owen at all.  It's not that bad, nothing a couple tums doesn't fix.  I wonder if this one will have more hair than Owen did when he is born?

Best Moment this Month:  Our beach vacation!  You can check out my previous post for more pictures and stories of how it all went.  :)

Family Update:  I'm officially off work and hanging out with Owen during the day!  I'm loving every moment and soaking in all this special time with just me and him before number 2 comes along.  It is amazing how much he learns and grows each day.  Mimi swears he is a genius baby!

I hope everyone is enjoying their summer so far!

Love,

Judi

Myrtle Beach Family Vacation

We just got back from Owen's first Myrtle Beach vacation!  My parents own a condo down there, so Jimmy and I have been down several times, but not since Owen was born.  It's a 4 bedroom 4 bathroom condo and sleeps at least 12 people (probably more), so it's plenty of room for the whole Clem Clan.  My sister and her boyfriend came down and stayed the whole week.  Then my brother, Miles, and a family friend, Lyndsi, came down the Wednesday before the 4th.  And of course, my parents were there too.  It was a full house, but SO much fun!

The first few days it thunder stormed on and off, so we all went to the aquarium.  Jimmy scoped this out online and we were really excited to take Owen to look at all the fish and animals.  The aquarium was actually really cool, and we all had a blast!

I think Pops had just as much fun as Owen!

He loved the clown fish (Nemo fish).

Peeking at everyone from the inside of a clam!

We went to the pool several days and Owen loved it.  This pool was just made for kids.  It's only 3 feet deep and has one part that is less than a foot deep for little ones to play.  It is also a salt water pool, so it was warm!  And, it's huge!  Plenty of space for everyone to play around.

I didn't get very many good ones at the pool, I wish I had gotten more the last day we were there because he was splashing around, laughing, and smiling a lot more.  

We went to the beach on July 4th and Owen was in heaven.  As soon as I sat him down he was on the move (as usual).  He grabbed the sand a few times and tried to pick it up and decided he liked it.  Then he was off!  Crawling all over the sand finding shells and sand straw (and of course showing me everything he found).  The sand was a good temperature, not hot, so it didn't bother him to crawl around on it.

A ball?!?!  I gotta get it!!!

Once Jimmy and the guys got our tent set up we headed into the water.  During low tide the are little tide pools that Owen could just crawl around in.  It was only a few inches deep, and in some of the pictures you can see the sand bars in the background and the waves breaking beyond that.  This was so awesome because we could just let him GO!

He booked it ALL over!  Jimmy and I just had to follow him around so he didn't bother other people or get too close to where the waves were breaking.  Every time we picked him up he started crying because all he wanted to do was crawl around in the sand!

Can you believe I actually put on a bathing suit?!?  Haha!

Jimmy took him out into the ocean a little bit and dipped down when the waves came so he could feel the waves.  He loved this and smiled and laughed each time!

We had a little family photo shoot on the beach.  Who doesn't love beach pictures!?!

And, this is the result of our beach day...

We had the best time on our vacation!  The thing that warmed my heart the most was seeing my family with Owen and how much they all love him!  He had so many play mates and everyone just loved spending time with him and making him smile.  I know Owen won't remember this vacation, but I know that someday he will look at all these pictures and know just how much his family loves him!  I'm so glad that we went and could give my family such great memories with Owen, I think they will always remember this trip and how special it was!  I'm a little sad it's all over... but now we can look forward to next year... and next year there will be TWO beach babies to chase after!  

I hope everyone had a wonderful 4th of July!

Love,

Judi