I always knew my timing was off from my Doc’s.  To make a long story short, I ovulate very late in my cycle, so normal calculations aren’t correct - probably the reason B was “late”.  He really wasn’t.

So anyway, Doc sent in paperwork to work today that says my due date is February 23rd!  Whoo Hoo!  That excites me because I get 2 weeks off work prior to my Doc’s estimated due date.  Let’s hope he is a March baby, that means 3 or more PAID weeks off for me!  But you never know, he could come early!

We have been battling horrible sinus infections in the Wolff household :(  I have felt like poo for the last week, and going back to work today wasn’t pleasant, especially on practically no sleep.  I broke down and took some meds, so hopefully they will kick in soon!

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 32: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Rapid changes

Your baby is now about 4 pounds—an incredible increase of almost 2 pounds from last month—and about 15.5 inches long.

Your baby’s appearance changes rapidly this week. Most of the wrinkles disappear from her face, and there may be a lot of hair on her head. In fact as the lanugo hair on her body begins to fall off, the hair on her head grows even faster. By week 32 some babies already have a thick head of hair while others have only a few strands.

Other developments this week:

• Nails. Your baby will have completely formed fingernails and toenails.
• Head movement. He can turn his head from side to side.
• Organs continue to mature.
• Sucking. Your little one’s sucking muscles have matured and enable her to latch on and breastfeed once she arrives. A good sucking pattern is also a sign of good brain and muscle development.
• Dreaming. Toward the end of the eighth month, he begins dreaming during sleep, according to brain scans. Due to her impressive brain development, his sleep will now include both REM and non-REM sleep stages. REM stands for “rapid eye movement,” the dreaming stage of sleep.

Unfortunately, during Christmas when everyone is home, we are slaves to everyone else’s schedules. So the year we didn’t make it to the Zoo before Christmas :(  We tried to go on the Tuesday before New Year’s when it was warm, but we drove by and saw the line to get in and kept on driving!  We ended up going on New Year’s Day, and didn’t stay very long because B nor I are snowbunnies, and it was cold!  But we did get some cute pictures of us!

Christmas Pictures!

Sorry they aren’t great, I didn’t feel well AT ALL Christmas morning, which became very apparent when I started praying to the porcelain gods around 11am :(  I must have eaten something that didn’t agree with me the night before, because Thank God no one else was sick to their stomach.  All three of us, however, have been battling a sinus infection for our entire vacation - I have never seen so much green snot in my life :(  I need a vacation from my vacation!

Besides the sickness, we had a wonderful Christmas, and it was so nice to spend it with EVERYONE in our family this year!

Spoiled much?

The manger that Nate built for his Mom

One of B’s favorite presents - his banjo from Mike and Cathleen

Next Year’s exchange theme? Retro.  Nick already has his present ready

See - I told you we didn’t feel well!  My diet on Christmas day consisted of half a bowl of chicken noodle soup at lunch, and some pasta with parmesan around dinner.  No Christmas goodies for me

The Wolff grandkids

We have a pretty strict Christmas Eve routine around here:  We get up, eat breakfast, get ready, eat lunch, take our pictures, head to the Kennedy’s, go to my Mom’s family Christmas, head to Nate’s Mom’s family Christmas, then midnight mass.  It is always a hectic day.  This year, our routine just didn’t go as planned, and the Kennedy family was slighted :(  Probably the first time in 8 years we haven’t made it over to John’s on Christmas Eve.

BUT, we did get to see my cousin Jason, his wife Erika, and their daughter Kendall this year!  Kendall is 6 months older than B, and they played so well together.  The last time they were together, he was only 3 months old!

B taking a picture of Mommy.  Little did he know that Santa was bringing him his own camera!  More on that later

Kendall and her Grandpa. 

Kendall is a Hannah Montana fanatic!  She dances and sings the entire opening number!

A few more here

This has not been a fun week in my world :(  My reflux is at its all time worst, with no signs of it getting better before N arrives…and I think I started having mild Braxton Hicks as well.  Not to mention that I was sick on Christmas…all.day.  It was horrible.  I am feeling better now, but I am just uncomfortable.  Pray these last 9 weeks pass quickly!

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 31: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Your baby’s eyes have color

By the end of this week your baby will weigh about 3.5 pounds and will be about 14.5 inches long. From now on your baby’s weight gain will exceed his growth in length.

This week marks some major changes for your baby’s eyes. Most notably his iris will become pigmented. However, no matter what color eyes your baby is born with (most are born with dark blue-brown or blue-gray eyes), the color almost always changes after birth. Your baby’s true eye color won’t appear for six to nine months after delivery. That’s because the final eye pigmentation occurs in response to the strong light of the outside world.

Each day brings new developments inside the womb:

• Eyes. Your baby’s eyes are now open during waking and are closed at naptimes.
• Lungs. Your baby’s lungs and digestive tract continue to develop.
• Head-down position. As you near the end of the second trimester, your baby will begin to settle head-down into your pelvis. However, some babies don’t make this journey until late in the last trimester, and about 4% of babies don’t make the switch, remaining in a breech position at delivery.

Despite my dislike for the Newport Aquarium, I bought family passes for us because I knew we would use them.  B loves to go.  He talks about the scuba divers all the time.  He wants to be a scuba diver for Halloween next year.  So I thought he would be pumped about seeing Scuba Santa.  Wrong.  I wouldn’t use the word terrified, but he definitely wasn’t happy to pose next to the weird looking Santa sitting in the shark tank.  This is the best picture I could get!

The funniest part of the whole thing (besides ”scuba” sounding like “stupid” when B pronounces it) was the “elf” guarding Santa with a stick.  I wish I would have gotten a shot of him.  Probably the only Santa in the US that needs a bodyguard, complete with an exposed weapon.

What Scuba Santa was being protected from:

Merry Christmas Eve!  Not much to report on the baby front, all is well!  I just can’t believe we only have 10 weeks to go!

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 30: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Hiccups!

Your baby has probably reached 3 pounds and about 14 inches in length. He’s also filling out a bit as she continues to gain weight, and these layers of fat help his to appear less wrinkled.

As practice for breathing after birth, your baby mimics breathing movements by repeatedly moving her diaphragm in a rhythmic way. This can trigger hiccups if he inadvertently inhales amniotic fluid. A pint and a half of amniotic fluid now surrounds your baby, but that volume decreases as he gets bigger and has less room in your uterus.

Here’s what else is happening this week:

• Head. Your baby’s head continues to grow, and brain growth speeds up even more.
• Hearing. It’s improving; nearly all babies can react by movement to sound by this week.

Today is always the most bittersweet day of the year for me.  6 years ago, my best friend proposed to me.  He used our puppy, Skyla, as his prop and tied the ring to her collar.  It was the easiest question I have ever answered in my life.  We of course had a fun Christmas announcing our engagement to our families, and then left for a 7 day cruise for New Years!  It couldn’t have been a more perfect sequence of events.

The day we brought Skyla home.

Today is also the 5 year anniversary of the day I had to make the hardest decision of my life.  Our precious Skyla was only a year and a half old, and dying of kidney failure.  To have to make the decision to put her down on the anniversary of our engagement only added to the agony and sadness we were feeling.  Oh how we loved that dog.  We took her with us everywhere we went.  Camping, boating, vacations…everywhere.  I was completely heartbroken.  We made the decision to get another puppy the next day.  Don’t ask me why, but it definitely helped with our grieving.  Hence, our Aly came into our lives.  And if you didn’t notice, Aly is half of Skyla spelled backwards

Aly’s 1st day home

So bittersweet is the only way to describe this day for me every year.  I know she was only a dog, but she was more than that to us.  She was our first “baby”. 

We had an awesome photoshoot with Jessica and Brett from Studio3Z a couple weeks ago, and it also happened to be the coldest day of the season so far.  It had snowed the day before, and everything was frozen!  But we proceeded with our planned outside shoot, and had a blast!  I am so happy with the results, and we will cherish these photos for years to come.

Here are a few of my favorites:

My absolute favorite

As B was sitting on the toilet doing his business last night, (why does everything happen on the toilet???) he looks up at me and says, “Mama your belly is getting big, let me see it.”  He lifts up my shirt and exclaims, “that is a big belly mom!”  Great for mom’s self esteem!

While we were sitting at my Mom’s the other day after I got home from work, N was kicking like crazy, so I showed B.  He looks at Mom, shrugs his shoulders, and tells her, “that’s ok, he’s got nothing else to do in there“.

Here is a belly picture:

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 29: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Weight gain

By this time your baby may weigh just under 3 pounds and is a bit less than 14 inches long.

Now that organ and nerve development are almost complete, your baby will start gaining weight very quickly this week—mostly in the form of body fat. This fat will provide insulation for your baby and will fill out most of the wrinkles in her skin, making her look like a plump, healthy infant.

Your baby’s brain continues its important developmental work this week. In fact it is growing so quickly now, it may cause her flexible skull bones to swell slightly. The folds and fissures of the brain continue to develop, allowing room for important interconnections between nerve cells. During this week brain-wave patterns begin to look like those of a full-term baby.

Other important developments in the 29th week:

• Prolactin production. Your baby will begin to produce prolactin, a hormone that will help your body produce colostrum. (Colostrum is the first breastmilk you’ll produce and is filled with nutrients and immunity enhancers.)
• Kicking. Insistent kicking action will occur as your baby’s muscles develop. Later in this trimester these movements will slow down as she gets bigger and the uterus gets more cramped.
• Skeleton will continue to harden.
• Lungs will continue to mature.
• Loss of lanugo. Your little one’s downy lanugo hair will begin to shed into the amniotic fluid. She may still have some on her body at birth, but this will fall off in the first week or so.
• Toenails will continue to grow.
• Retinas will continue to develop.

Ho Ho Ho!

Jingle Bells, Jingle Bells!

A couple of phrases that can be heard multiple times throughout our house in a given day.  B is so excited about Christmas this year, and it just makes me smile.  It is exciting that he “gets it“, in the loosest term of the phrase. 

Remember last year?

He walked right up to Santa and told him exactly what he wanted this year. “A Roundhouse and a YoYo”.  Although he didn’t quite understand why Santa didn’t give it to him right there.  I wish I was there to see it.  Here is the picture of the picture.

And he loves his Santa hat this year

 We are off to the annual Wolff Family Tree Hunt today!  More pictures to come!

Am I the only one singing the song in my head as they read this headliner?

I saw this on my friend, Tricia’s blog today, so I decided to play along (minus the maxipad slippers….seriously Tricia…..What?!?!)  So listed below are a few of my favorite things, hopefully, this list might give someone some Christmas ideas for those loved ones you are stuck on!

1. pure & natural Almond Oil and Cherry Blossom Body Wash

The smell is just heavenly.  I really need to get the lotion, and then try the Grapefruit and Pomegranate scent!

2. While I am on the subject of body products, here are my 2 other favorite lines:

Lush - Christmas is my favorite time at Lush.  Snowcake Soap is a MUST have - I buy enough to last me throughout the year.  And if your skin ever feels dry, a bath with a Butterball Bath Bomb will cure you everytime!

Cleanse Your Soul - On the hunt for the perfect pineapple scent, I found Judy.  Her Goat Milk and Honey Cream Moisturizer is heaven, and after ordering a sample of every pineapple scent she offers, I finally decided my favorite is “Moment of Grace”.  She also makes her scents in candle tarts that we love to burn during the winter.  Seriously, check her out, she makes every imaginable scent combo under the sun.

3. Google Reader - If you love reading blogs, and you don’t have a Google account, you have NO CLUE what you are missing.  Imagine all of your favorite blogs on one website.  Well, don’t imagine anymore, just sign up for a Google account and start loading your favorite blogs into Google Reader.  No more forgetting to check your favorite sites on a daily basis!  You can also share your favorite blog entries with your Google friends, and e-mail any blog post to anyone in your address book.  I could go on and on about how much I love this Google feature.  The people at Google are pure genius.

4. My Nikon D90 - love it, so glad I bought it.  Now if I could only afford the glass I have been drooling over, and the computer I need to run efficiently, I would be in business.  Oh yea, a shootsac, battery grip, a few other things….and an extra few hours everyday would help too

5. My baby carriers - I know Brayden wouldn’t be the awesome kid he is if we had decided to parent differently.  I am so glad we decided that carrying our child so he could interact with the world was the best for our family.  I can’t wait to do the same with Nolan.  Here are a few of the carriers I have tucked away for him:

Didymos Wrap - An imported German woven piece of cloth.  The most comfy and cuddly carrier, especially the Indio versions, when your little one is a newborn.  I also have a few I have converted into ring slings and mei tais.

The Kozy Carrier - This is the ultimate baby carrier, this type is also known as a Mei Tai.  We still carry Brayden in these on occasion!  I usually give these as gifts to new moms (or Moby wraps).

Ergo - Another one that we have loved from day 1, and still gets tons of use.  Nate even has his own special Ergo.

Kalea Baby Ring Slings - Crystal is my favorite vendor to deal with :)  Do you notice anyone familiar on her sling page?

6. My Honda Odyssey EX-L - after a recent run in with a deer, I was given a Toyota Sienna to drive for a week.  I missed my Honda, and was so glad to get it back!  I know I was young when I bought my minivan (25), but I have never once regretted it.  I love that darn thing!

 7. Crest Spinbrush - I seriously love these things!  I was very prone to cavities growing up.  Every 6 months I would walk into the dentist and they would find one or two.  When I started working for P&G, I started using a spinbrush, and have not had 1 cavity since!  I sware by them!  And B loves brushing with his

8. Etsy - Etsy is my new favorite site.  About 99% of everything on the site is homemade.  It is my new favorite place to find gifts, especially for babies.  Here are a few things on my wishlist right now:

These holiday shirts are just too cute, and I am bummed she doesn’t make them in a 3T for B

This bracelet is just an awesome idea, what a great gift!

I could really use one of these!

I am in love with the style of this scarf

I can’t decide if I am going to hand paint Nolan’s room, or just buy 2 sets of these

And, last but not least, little Mr. N will be coming home for the first time in this hat (red and turquoise of course)

I of course, have a million other things listed in my favorites, but they are gift ideas, and I am not going to share them here!!!  There are so many awesome things on this site, and most of it is reasonably priced!

Well, there is my first ever version of my favorite things!  That was fun, and I hope it helped someone out!

Sorry I am late again!  I no longer have IE 7 on my laptop, so Wordpress doesn’t give me options to customize any text :(  I have to wait till I am home to post anything!  I had a Dr. appt this week and all is well.  N is head down and my weight gain is minimal.  B and I have horrible sinus infections, thanks to the 28 degree weather on Sunday when we had our awesome photoshoot with Studio3Z - some sneak peak pictures should come next week!  We had another awesome playdate tonight with our friends at the Gabbard’s new beautiful house - unfortunately, no one took any pictures this time around

Pregnancy: 3rd Trimester

Week 28: Your pregnancy

Your baby’s growth: Brain development

At about 2 pounds 4 ounces and 13.8 inches from head to toe, your baby has certainly come a long way!

This week marks an important milestone for your baby’s brain development. Until now the surface of your baby’s developing brain was smooth. During this week, her brain begins to form its characteristic grooves and indentations, allowing the brain’s surface to expand while it develops within your baby’s tiny skull.

Other important developmental advances:

• More fat. Your baby will continue to add layers of fat under her skin and will become plumper with each passing day.
• More hair. Hair on your baby’s head will continue to grow.
• Testes. A boy’s testes are usually completely descended into the scrotum by this point.
• Lungs. His lungs are now capable of breathing air.

What’s happening with you

• Weight gain. By week 28 your uterus is about 3 inches above your belly button. Your weight gain may range from about 17 to 24 pounds.
• Regular doctor visits. Starting now you’ll probably be visiting your doctor every other week instead of every month. At your next appointment your doctor may be able to tell you how your baby is positioned in the womb.
• Your baby’s position. Ideally, soon you will feel her settle with her head pointed down toward your cervix—a sensation called “lightening.” If you feel the baby’s head pushing against your cervix, she’s probably in the proper headfirst position for delivery.

Is also pretty gross…

B: MOM! I HAVE TO POOOOOOOOOOOOP!

Me: (As he is sitting on the toilet) BB, why do you always save your poop for mommy?

B: Because Mom, I like to poop with only you, especially when you stay home with me all day.

Well isn’t that just a guilt trip!  I got to stay home with him for a whole week, and now he has to hold his poop till 5pm when I get home.  Poor little guy.  At least he will be back on normal morning poop schedule when I am off for 2 weeks at the end of the month!