22 Weeks Pregnant

Apparently my baby is now about 11" long and just about a pound, which I can definitely feel. This baby has been hosting regular dance-a-thons every day. I'm loving all of the movement and the fact that everything feels good - no sciatic pain right now, thank goodness.

Coming up:
24 week appointment
Gestational diabetes test (always so fun)
GBS test (even MORE fun)

I've been thinking about whether I'm going to do DIY maternity pictures this time. I only did the weekly bump pictures with Lexi and kind of wish I had prettier belly pictures to look back on. I have plenty of time to decide since I wouldn't do the pictures until I'm at least 30+ weeks. I think I could probably also get Tom on board with helping me out so I'm not running around to set up the shot.

Our Christmas

The girls actually slept in a bit on Christmas morning, well technically Stasa woke up around 3:00 am, but I pulled her into our bed so we could all sleep a bit longer. She finally woke us all up around 7:00 am and then I heard Lexi chirping and jumping in her bed. The girls were both so excited when they peeked downstairs and saw that Santa had brought presents.



Stasa had all of her presents open in under 20 minutes. Lexi was the opposite and opened each gift by ripping tiny pieces of paper off of each one. Then after the gift was open, she wanted to play with it. It took a lot of convincing to put the toys aside so she could finish opening her gifts. Once they tore through everything, we gave them their stockings so we could sit and open our gifts (and I could actually enjoy my coffee). I got Tom some Redskins books and Masaad Ayoob books as well as all of the Redskins Super Bowls on DVD AND something I'm sure I won't enjoy: North and South, a civil war mini-series starring Patrick Swayze. Tom surprised me with a new camera lens (18mm to 135mm), something I've been wanting for a long time to let me get wider shots of the girls playing. Plus it's super helpful with two very active girls who are always on the move - I can stay where I am and keep snapping by just zooming in or out. I still love my 50mm and that will always by my preferred lens for low light situations and portraits. But I do love the versatility the 18-135 lens offers. Tom also got me two new charms for my Pandora bracelet: a tiny baby carriage and a snowman (from Santa).

Stasa's favorite gift? The Ariel purse she's been asking for every day for the past six months. But she also loved her new Ariel underwear.




Lexi's favorite? I'm pretty sure it's this hand-me-down Raggedy Andy doll, who she calls Sandy. She carries him around everywhere now and he's a regular friend at bedtime. Mimi gave both girls new sheets with their names embroidered on the pillowcases. I so want Stasa's new microfiber sheets - they're so soft and warm. They also got little fairy figurines from Mimi. Those fairies have been "flitter-flitter-flying" all over our house since Tuesday night. And apparently they live in the Christmas tree. YiaYia gave the girls beautiful dresses for Christmas which they wore for dinner with the family.


My heart was full that day. The holidays are a million times more fun with kids. They really bring back the magic and excitement.

Merry Christmas!

21 Weeks Pregnant

And a shot from last night's holiday party - I convinced Tom to put on the glasses. :)

The big ultrasound

You know your baby loves you when it's already flipping you off in the womb. This little one did not want to cooperate at all. Every time the tech would get a clear picture and freeze the screen I would feel the baby flip  over. It took the tech a lifetime just to get all of the shots of the heart that she needed. Which is kind of my favorite part - I love seeing all four chambers of the heart. It's so super cool. And the heart rate was at 150. This baby just keeps us guessing on the sex. Which of course we didn't find out. Now we won't see our little nugget again until he or she decides it's "d" day.

Love that Baby Merks kept hiding its face.



Little kicking legs.


And a traditional profile.

Mr. Socks

Our little elf has been having a bit of fun lately. He made a mess in the kitchen with the salt shaker, then spied on the girls' rooms from the upstairs intake vent, rode Lexi's lion on top of our television, and last night grew wings and is flying in our living room.

More to come from him soon, I'm sure. ;)

Almost 20 Weeks

19 Weeks Pregnant

Nineteen weeks! I still have all of one pair of work maternity pants that fit, but rediscovered a couple of pants I wore pre-Weight Watchers that fit comfortably with my Bella Band, so those should get me through until I can find more work pants that fit and that I actually like. Looks like I'll continue my hunt for clothes this weekend.

Missing my mama today

Debra Carper Wood, 52, of Prince George passed away December 6, 2007 after a 20 month long courageous battle with cancer. She was the daughter of the late Newton Robert and Ruth Lee Dunn Carper. Mrs. Wood was preceded in death by a brother Gary Eugene Carper and her grandparents Dan R. McClenney `Daddy Mac` and Gladys Stales McClenney `Mimi`. She was member of Christ and Grace Episcopal Church in Petersburg. She is survived by her husband David Wood, children Kari Lee Merkel and husband, Thomas of Washington D.C., Corporal Christopher Ryan Taves of Korea, and Joshua Burdett Wood of Prince George, Va. , brothers Newton Robert Carper, II of Norfolk, Va., Randall Keith Carper of Portsmouth, Va. Dan Richard Carper of Florida. A Memorial Service will be held on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 at 1:00 pm at Christ and Grace Episcopal Church, 1545 S. Sycamore Street, Petersburg with The Reverend David Teschner officiating. The family will receive family and friends following the service. Arrangements provided by the E. Alvin Small Funeral Home and Crematory, 3935 S. Crater Road, Petersburg. 

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It's been five years and yet it still feels like I talked to her yesterday. There are days I come into the office and as the morning goes by I feel like I'm missing something and realize I didn't get a phone call from my mom. I hate that she wasn't around to experience all of my pregnancies and births and that she's not here to see how wonderful her grandbabies are. I hate that my girls don't know who she is, even though I tell them. It hurts every time Stasa asks where my mommy is. I just hate that she's gone.



We didn't always have the best relationship and there were more times than I can remember where I exclaimed how she "ruined my life" for the silliest things, like not letting me sleepover at my friend's house on a school night. But she loved me no matter what and loved Tom and always doted on us when we visited. I take comfort in knowing that she's still with me and I see it every day when I look in the mirror and when I look at Stasa. I love you, Mom.

Letters from Santa

That sneaky Santa has been keeping an eye on the big girl in our house and has been sending her letters to remind her that he's watching and checking in with Mr. Socks, our elf. She loved her first letter and asked me to re-read to her multiple times. I think she'll be happy when she comes home and sees that Mr. Socks brought back another letter.

Speaking of Mr. Socks, we haven't done anything super fun or creative with him yet, although the other night we had him zipline down to the living room and this morning he wrote a nice note on their easel. We need to think of more fun things for him to do, but it's hard to find a lot of places out of the girls' reach for Mr. Socks to hang. Although today he's pretty low and just sitting on top of the easel and Stasa told Lexi that we can't touch him because he'll lose his magic. I think she really believes in him and I love that so much.

18 Weeks, 4 Days

18 Weeks Pregnant

The only new update is that Tom felt the baby kick for the first time this past weekend. And so did Stasa although she only felt it once since she kept wiggling around. We go in for our ultrasound two weeks from today! Let the countdown to fun begin.

Oh and I'm on the hunt for maternity tights and H&M Mama work pants. Why they're only selling casual pants right now is beyond me.